Hall of Fame Poll: Robin Ventura

by Tom Dakers on Dec 8, 2009 11:34 AM EST in Fun

Robin Ventura had a good, 16 year MLB career. He hit 294 homers, drove in 1182, would take a walk, 1075 in his career. Batting line of .267/.362/.444 in 2079 games. 6 Gold Gloves and 2 All-Star teams. A good player, likely short of a HAll of Fame career, though the Hall is a bit short on third basemen, I wouldn't guess that Ventura is the best one that's not in. Ron Santo maybe?

This is finally the end of the polls, I'm going to skip Todd Zeile, he was a good third baseman for 16 years too but a step or two down from Ventura. 253 home runs is good, a batting line of .265/.346/.423 is less good and he really was never thought of as the best 3B of his time, or anything close to that. Never hit .300 or led the league in any offensive stat.

So if you haven't voted on all the polls go through them in the next day and we'll post the results in a couple of days.

Poll

Would you vote Robin Ventura into the Baseball Hall of Fame?

Yes

9 votes

No

75 votes

84 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 7 comments | 0 recs |

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Comments

It's a definite no

But his case is stronger than most people probably think. He was a great defender and one of my favorite Mets.

by James Kannengieser on Dec 8, 2009 11:46 AM EST reply actions

You could make a good case for him...

Brooks Robinson hit 268 home runs and had a .267/.322/.401 batting line, now Brooks got in for his glove but was it all that much better than Ventura’s? Ventura was pretty good with the glove too. But Robinson had that Perhaps part of why people though Robinson’s glove was so good was that baseball on TV was fairly new and he had a couple of really good World Series?

But yeah, I wouldn’t put Ventura in either.

by Tom Dakers on Dec 8, 2009 12:07 PM EST up reply actions

Ventura was a good defender, but a Brooks Robinson or Scott Rolen level defensive player? No, not even close. That’s not a bash on Ventura, but I see those two as basically the high water defensive mark, and the next level as a definite step down.

by dexfarkin on Dec 8, 2009 1:25 PM EST up reply actions

also responsible for a few classic baseball moments

The Grand Slam Single against the Braves in the 1999 NLCS was one of the great moments in Mets history, though they lost the series.

Less favorably but not less memorably, there was his infamous charging of the mound after being hit by Nolan Ryan and the relentless beating the 46-year old put on the 26-year Ventura.

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on Dec 8, 2009 12:06 PM EST reply actions

That would look funny on the Hall of Fame plaque

Got beat up by a 46 year old Nolan Ryan.

by Tom Dakers on Dec 8, 2009 12:08 PM EST up reply actions

Yep

I almost feel bad for Ventura. Had a very nice career, but you ask 100 people about Robin Ventura, and 88 will bring up getting a noogie from Nolan Ryan