MLB Hall of Fame: Breaking Down the Ballot
By David Hill
Jeff Bagwell (1991-2005)
The fact that Jeff Bagwell is not already in the MLB Hall of Fame is a travesty.
In the history of the Major Leagues, Bagwell is the only player with six consecutive seasons of 30 homers, 100 runs scored, 100 RBI, and 100 walks. He is the only first baseman to hit over 400 home runs and steal over 200 bases. A Rookie of the Year in 1991, and the MVP in 1994, Bagwell also won a Gold Glove award, showing that he was more than a one dimensional hitter.
Over the course of his 15 year career, all with the Houston Astros, Bagwell shined. A career .297/.408/.540 hitter, Bagwell had 449 home runs and 1529 RBI. One of the rare first basemen that could steal a base, he had two seasons with over 30 steals, and finished his career with 202 stolen bases. With the exception of one season, he was also excellent defensively, saving the Astros 31 runs.
So, why isn’t Bagwell in the Hall? Probably because of Murray Chass. Without a shred of evidence, he has accused Bagwell of PED usage, which has hindered his chances at induction. However, Bagwell was not among the 104 players that tested positive for PEDs in 2003, and was not named in the Mitchell Report. These allegations have been completely unfounded.
Having earned 71.6% of the vote last year, Jeff Bagwell has a good chance at being inducted into the Hall of Fame. And quite frankly, it’s about time.