Vizquel a HOFer?

[HiAndTight]

Fifty hits a year is a major stretch at this point if he is a part time player. Even if he was able to accomplish that, we'd be looking at Spring 2015 as a target date. In my view, the only way that Vizquel is going to get to 3,000 is if someone is desperate enough to give him a regular job next season and if he can stay healthy enough to hold it. Two huge ifs.

 

 

The "only way," a guy can possibly get 140+ more hits is if he gets a full time job next year and plays the entire season? Vizquel's hanging around to get to 3,000, and there will be teams that will give him a job. And 50 hits is hardly a "major stretch."

 

He's averaged 68 the last two years during which time he's hit .268/.334

 

For a utility IF'er who can play 3rd, SS and 2nd base and still play them all pretty well, and who again, is ALSO a bit of a novelty who can draw fans. ESPECIALLY if he's playing on a second division team like say...the M's where he started his career?

 

And actually, he should finish this season around 2880 or so. So you're talking about 120 more hits for a guy in incredible shape who's obvious mission is to get 3,000 hits. Lets say he plays until he's 49. That's 30 or so hits a year.

 

I think you're dismissing what 3,000 hits means to him, his status as a Venezuelan icon which I think gives him some traction, and frankly, his ability. Utility IF'ers don't need to hit .350. He's doing his job and he's done it good enough that teams will keep bringing him back until he gets it. And again, the M's are the team that I think are more likely to than any other.

[RockCoCougars]

Fifty hits a year is a major stretch at this point if he is a part time player. Even if he was able to accomplish that, we'd be looking at Spring 2015 as a target date. In my view, the only way that Vizquel is going to get to 3,000 is if someone is desperate enough to give him a regular job next season and if he can stay healthy enough to hold it. Two huge ifs.

 

 

The "only way," a guy can possibly get 140+ more hits is if he gets a full time job next year and plays the entire season? Vizquel's hanging around to get to 3,000, and there will be teams that will give him a job. And 50 hits is hardly a "major stretch."

 

He's averaged 68 the last two years during which time he's hit .268/.334

 

For a utility IF'er who can play 3rd, SS and 2nd base and still play them all pretty well, and who again, is ALSO a bit of a novelty who can draw fans. ESPECIALLY if he's playing on a second division team like say...the M's where he started his career?

 

And actually, he should finish this season around 2880 or so. So you're talking about 120 more hits for a guy in incredible shape who's obvious mission is to get 3,000 hits. Lets say he plays until he's 49. That's 30 or so hits a year.

 

I think you're dismissing what 3,000 hits means to him, his status as a Venezuelan icon which I think gives him some traction, and frankly, his ability. Utility IF'ers don't need to hit .350. He's doing his job and he's done it good enough that teams will keep bringing him back until he gets it. And again, the M's are the team that I think are more likely to than any other.

 

Bottom line, if (and that's a huge if) age doesn't catch up to him in a big way, I don't think that he's going to find anyone willing to give him a job for the next three seasons. At this rate, we are still roughly 2.5 years before he even becomes a gate attraction. He's hitting .224 with no extra base hits at this point. Maybe he will match Franco and go until he's 49, but wouldn't bet on it because Franco was still hitting well off the bench almost until the end. Better hitters have come up close to 3,000 hits and had to call it quits. You are right that his glove is the one thing that he has going for him, but I don't think that's enough.

 

As I said, the only way that I think that he gets it is if he can catch next season on with a bad team and gets a shot due to a situation like the Brewers do at SS right now. Maybe if he can get about 400 PA, and if he can get about 100 hits or so, then he has a shot. Lots of ifs.

[RobDeer 45]

I say he's a HOFer just because of the dance moves he put on the other day during a rain delay! Very good stuff!

 

http://www.nesn.com/2012/06/omar-vizquel-busts-a-move-during-fenway-park-rain-delay-video.html

[chuckiehacks]

The scariest part of all of this discussion is the description of the type of team that would sign him - one that doesn't have anything at short, will sign guys that can't hit and likes a veteran presence.

 

Gulp, that's the Brewers. Get ready for Omar Vizquel bobblehead day!

[HiAndTight]

The scariest part of all of this discussion is the description of the type of team that would sign him - one that doesn't have anything at short, will sign guys that can't hit and likes a veteran presence.

 

Gulp, that's the Brewers. Get ready for Omar Vizquel bobblehead day!

 

 

Yeah, I was honestly thinking after watching him in Toronto....I'd sure take him right now over Izturis.

 

Play him twice a week, Ransom the 4/5 times a week, Vizquel can PH in those situations where you want to move a runner over.

 

Anyway, I don't think he's that far from being a gate attraction. It depends on the team. The Indians wouldn't fit right now because they're SS/2B situation is solid, but again, Seattle would be a perfect fit.

 

As for the extra base hits, so what? Nobody thinks he's good right now offenively, the quetstion is-is he good ENOUGH to hang around for 2-3 more years as a utility IF'er.

 

Dude looks like he's in great shape, still a solid defender all around the field. I think that's a resounding yes. And I think the last couple years show he's hanging on for 3,000. Which to me...suggests he'll get it. Out of 30 teams, and all the craptastic SS's out there, someone's gonna sign him to back up some of those guys...

[chuckiehacks]

Saw a tweet from MLBTR indicating Omar announced he's retiring at season's end. He's going to have to get white-hot to get to 3000.

[RU Rah Rah]

Reminds me a little bit of a recent conversation I had about Vlad Guerrero. My gut tells me that he's destined for the Hall of the Very Good, but his numbers are on par with people like Jim Rice, Willie Stargell, and Billy Williams. (Of course, one might argue that those guys shouldn't be in.)

 

Numbers aside, I loved Vlad's complete lack of plate discipline. Dude swung at everything (including, possibly, one-hoppers). I was less happy about how murdered the Crew (1.033 career OPS).

[joepepsi]

Vizquel had an 11 year peak from 92-02 where he hit 279/349/370-719 OPS. Won 9 Gold Gloves and 3 All Star appearances during that stretch.

 

He would have made the All Star team more often during that stretch but Cal Ripken was getting elected as a starter every year. The latter half of this stretch he was competing against Jeter, Nomar, and Arod, who for a 5-6 year stretch may have been the 3 greatest ss ever to play simultaneously in one league.

 

From 95-2001, Cleveland made the playoffs 6 times, reaching the WS twice. Vizquel was a great fielding ss on a championship caliber team.

 

To me he meets the standards of both longevity and peak career for the HOF. He's every bit as deserving as Ozzie Smith and should make it.