Larry Walker had to wait for a long time, but he was rewarded today by being elected to the MLB Hall of Fame in his final year of eligibility.
It has been a long time coming for Larry Walker. he man who powered so many high-octane offenses is finally in the MLB Hall of Fame. He was elected alongside Yankee legend Derek Jeter on Tuesday, appearing on 76.6% of ballots, just over the 75% threshold.
Walker will be the first player to wear a Colorado Rockies jersey and make it to the Hall of Fame. The 5-time All-Star began his career in Montreal with the Expos where he played for six years before signing as a free agent with the Rockies.
He became most known as a part of the Rockies teams, playing with Hall of Fame hopeful Todd Helton. Walker ended his career with the St. Louis Cardinals after being traded there in 2004. All in all, he played 17 seasons in the majors.
In that time, Walker produced a .313/.400/.565 batting line with 383 home runs, 1,311 RBIs, and an OPS+ of 141. Walker also won the MVP award in 1997 and won three batting titles. He finished his career with seven Gold Gloves and four Silver Slugger awards.
It is a shame it took the Rockies legend this long to get in, but the only thing that matters now is he is in and rightfully so. Not only was he an amazing ballplayer, but the consistency with which he played year in and year out was phenomenal. He played at least 130 games in 10 seasons.
I feel like he should have appeared on more ballots than 76.6%, but clearly I am not one who votes for Hall of Famers. If it had been up to me, Larry Walker would have been long before his 10th year of eligibility.