NSBB HOF Ballot- Dale Murphy

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Next up, 2-time MVP Dale Murphy.

 

DALE MURPHY: 8th year on the ballot… Played 18 seasons, 15 with the Atlanta Braves… Won NL MVP Award twice in 1982-‘83… Also finished in the top 10 of MVP voting in 1984 (9th) and ’85 (7th)… Twice named The Sporting News ’ NL Player of the Year in 1982-‘83… Seven All-Star teams (1980, ’82-’87); batted .267 with two RBI and one HR in 15 ASG at-bats… Won five Gold Gloves, consecutively (1982-‘86)… Three .300-plus seasons… Hit 20-plus HR 12 times, 30-plus HR six times, 40-plus HR once, 100-plus RBI five times, 100-plus run scored four times, and 30-plus doubles four times… Ranks 43rd on the all-time HR list… Hit three HR in one game on May 18, 1979 … Led the NL in games four times, consecutively (1982-‘85), slugging percentage twice (1983, ‘84), HR (1985), RBI (1983), runs (1985), total bases (‘84) and walks (‘85)…Also tied for HR lead (1984) and RBI lead (1982)… In the 1980s, batted .273 and averaged 31 HR and 93 RBI each season… From 1982 through ’85, hit .293 and averaged 162 games, 36 HR and 110 RBI… Shares ML record for most seasons leading the league in games played by an outfielder (6)… One NL Championship Series (1982); batted .273 in 11 NLCS at-bats.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Murphy was one of those players I loved to watch play. He has two consecutive MVP's to his credit as well.

 

He had a four year peak 1982-1985 that was very good, but he declined pretty rapidly after that peak.

 

His career line of 265/346/469 is just not impressive enough. Had he been able to extend that peak of his career, he might be worthy, but he flamed out too quickly.

 

He made seven all-star appearances and won five gold gloves to go along with his 2 MVP's. He was likely the best player in the NL for the years 82-85, but after that he lived primarily on the reputation from those seasons.

 

Hitters most comparable to Murphy are:

 

Joe Carter (901)

Duke Snider (880) *

Don Baylor (875)

Ron Santo (875)

Gil Hodges (873)

Ruben Sierra (866)

George Foster (865)

Jack Clark (862)

Luis Gonzalez (861)

Ellis Burks (859)

 

Only one of those is a HOF (though Santo and maybe Hodges should be). There's a lot of guys, who at least for a period of their careers, were considered feared hitters. What I think that list has in common with Murphy is that many of those guys like Murphy weren't good enough, long enough.

 

Murphy is a great player that just isn't quite HOF caliber.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

I loved watching Dale Murphy too, mostly because he was on some bad Braves teams, and we didn't have to worry about him burning us too often. Murph is another one in this list that is just on the short side of having the requisite numbers. Some were impressive, just not enough.

[UK1679666180]

Hard to imagine that he started as a C.

[RynoRules]

Borderline. In light of the way I feel about Belle (I know, different eras, but still), I have to give him the thumbs down.