Roberto Alomar

[NeverGoingToWin]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/2008/0 ... -Alomar-0/

Only three players to have ever suited up for the Toronto Blue Jays can be found in the Baseball Hall of Fame, and all of them are wearing another team's cap on their plaque.

Should he find his way to Cooperstown down the road, Roberto Alomar hopes to change that.

"That's my goal," he said Thursday on a conference call announcing his addition to the Blue Jays' Level of Excellence.

"I always say that my best years -- even though I had some great years with other teams -- nothing can top those two World Series. If one day I get inducted to the Hall of Fame, I would love (it) to be with a Toronto Blue Jays hat."

He is my favourite player of all time so I will probably go to the game to see him honoured.

[Schad]

Robbie and Devon White were always my favourites, too. He's a shoo-in for the Hall; Bill James' Hall of Fame Monitor places him in some pretty exclusive company. Great news that there will finally be a Jays cap in Cooperstown (I can't imagine that the HoF would choose differently).

[OldNo7]

Alomar is near the top of his position all-time, and should be a first ballot guy, regardless of the spitting incident. Its nice he will wear a Toronto cap, but its expected - players never forget their championships.

He was never one of my favourites, but I appreciated his skills.

[TR50]

i loved Robby Alomar, loved his game and sometimes i get joke comparisons towards him since i play 2B

I cannot wait to see Alomar in the Hall with that Blue Jay cap on..

[evilRyu]

Loved Robbie Alomar... always played 2B in high school gym class because of him..

[Geddy]

Catch the Taste!


hope he gets in.

[spykelee]

I don't think he's a shoo inn, maybe not a first ballot guy... but he will probably get in. I was at that game where robbie alomar spat in the umpires face and it always rubbed me the wrong way. If I recall he also had a couple other questionable incidents throughout his career.

Nonetheless when he was with toronto, he defientely was one of my favourite's. Unbelieveable range and arm. Patient hitter with some pop, descent speed, a total package really. I hope that if he get's in, he wears a jays cap, but if he doesn't get in, I wouldn't be shocked.

[squeekysneakers]

I think he deserves to get in. He is certainly the only Jay I can think of hat has a good chance to get in...at least until Halladay is eligable. Glad I'll be there on the 4th to see that, it'll be a good way to kick off the year.

Any chance Jimmy Key gets a spot on the level of excellence?

[The_Hater]

Robbie was my favourite all-time Jay too. I was very disappointed with how things transpired before he left but I think he likely regrets it now.

Alomar looked like a surefire, 1st ballot HOF type player when he was a Blue Jay. But his counting stats took a serious hit when he inexplictedly started fading at age 33 and quickly played himself out of the league. (he looked like a lock for 3000 hits but finished with only 2700).

I'd still like to believe that due to being a 2B with are career .300 average, his postseason heroics (.313 over 230 AB's and 2 WS) and 10 Gold Gloves that he's still going to get in easily. Heck, he was as good or better than Ryan Sandberg and RS went in on his first try. (On the flip side Lou Whitaker had a similarily great career too and was completely ignored by HOF writers).

But I have a bad feeling that it's going to be a long road. Maybe one of those guys that takes 10-15 years before he gets voted in. Tim Raines looks like he's going to suffer a similar fate. In both cases, I don't think that playing your prime in Canada away from the US spotlight helps.

[Schad]

Robbie was my favourite all-time Jay too. I was very disappointed with how things transpired before he left but I think he likely regrets it now.

Alomar looked like a surefire, 1st ballot HOF type player when he was a Blue Jay. But his counting stats took a serious hit when he inexplictedly started fading at age 33 and quickly played himself out of the league. (he looked like a lock for 3000 hits but finished with only 2700).

I'd still like to believe that due to being a 2B with are career .300 average, his postseason heroics (.313 over 230 AB's and 2 WS) and 10 Gold Gloves that he's still going to get in easily. Heck, he was as good or better than Ryan Sandberg and RS went in on his first try. (On the flip side Lou Whitaker had a similarily great career too and was completely ignored by HOF writers).

But I have a bad feeling that it's going to be a long road. Maybe one of those guys that takes 10-15 years before he gets voted in. Tim Raines looks like he's going to suffer a similar fate. In both cases, I don't think that playing your prime in Canada away from the US spotlight helps.

As you noted, being a middle infielder is a huge advantage, IMO, as are the consecutive WS rings; playing in Canada is offset by the fact that the team was at the top of the heap during his stay...winning consecutive titles has to be enough to get him noticed by the committee.

I'm not sure about the Lou Whitaker comparison; their hitting stats are similar (save for Robbie's extra 300 SBs), but seven more Gold Gloves (and a reputation as one of the best defensive 2B in the modern era), seven extra All-Star appearances, and five top-6 MVP finishes are tremendous peripherals.

[OldNo7]

I was unaware of the MVP voting, that surely helps.

[The_Hater]

As you noted, being a middle infielder is a huge advantage, IMO, as are the consecutive WS rings; playing in Canada is offset by the fact that the team was at the top of the heap during his stay...winning consecutive titles has to be enough to get him noticed by the committee.

I'm not sure about the Lou Whitaker comparison; their hitting stats are similar (save for Robbie's extra 300 SBs), but seven more Gold Gloves (and a reputation as one of the best defensive 2B in the modern era), seven extra All-Star appearances, and five top-6 MVP finishes are tremendous peripherals.

I didn't mean to imply that Lou Whitaker was as good as Alomar, he's not, just that I've read articles comparing Whitaker favourably to many of the 2B's currently in the Hall and yet he didn't even get a wiff. Same with Alan Trammell actually.

My thinking behind this was that more than a few voters probably ignore the positional differences for players when looking at their overall stats. And obviously that makes Alomar's numbers look a little less impressive. Subsequently Jim Rice is close to getting in despite being a bad defensive LF who's career stats aren't anymore impressive than 10's of other players that never got close to the hall, many of whom played more important defensive positions and won Gold Gloves at those positions.

[kcthekid]

Robbie and Devon White were always my favourites, too. He's a shoo-in for the Hall; Bill James' Hall of Fame Monitor places him in some pretty exclusive company. Great news that there will finally be a Jays cap in Cooperstown (I can't imagine that the HoF would choose differently).

when the jays won i was about 6 and 7
but now looking back at the series...devon white was so clutch its disgusting
he needs to be on the level of excellence for sure

[asif9t9]

Best Toronto pro athlete of all time? I think so. He was so dominant. And when hit that homer off of Eckersley, that cemented it. When a guy who is not a homerun hitter hits a homerun because that's what's needed.....brings a tear to my eye.

[asif9t9]

C'mon guys, let's get some appreciation going here!!! If he gets into the HOF, would it be the current wacky "J's" cap, or would it be with the old school BJ Birdie?

[Geddy]

Robbie needs to smile a little more

[OldNo7]

C'mon guys, let's get some appreciation going here!!! If he gets into the HOF, would it be the current wacky "J's" cap, or would it be with the old school BJ Birdie?

Definitely old school. They try to mimic their faces of when they were in their playing days, so they would use an old picture of him with the Jays cap he wore to make it.

[asif9t9]

I was not expecting those powder blues tonight. I loved them!!! Brought back old memories.

[OldNo7]

I was not expecting those powder blues tonight. I loved them!!! Brought back old memories.

LOL! Serious? Everyone knew they were going to rock those every Friday home game this year....we've had a few threads on it.

[Mike Hunt]

I don't think there's any doubt Alomar will get into the Hall. In fact, I think his career batting average could be 20 points lower and he'd still make it based on his defensive prowess. The opposite could also be true where even if you took away a couple of those gold gloves, his offensive numbers would be close to enough to get him in. The fact of the matter is that during a 3-4 year period, Robbie Alomar was the best 2nd baseman in the league and it wasn't really that close. Just trying to think back to those times, I struggle to think of anybody comparable. Ryne Sandberg was certainly up there. I also always thought of Carlos Baerga as the next closest guy in the AL.

Position does come into play and Roberto Alomar was disproportionately good in an era of weak second basemen.