11/23/24
May 13, 2002
Jose Canseco Retires.: Yep, he's packing it in. One of my favorite baseball players. Everyone else picks on him but not me. If some AL team had the good sense to plug him in their lineup, he'd hit 260 with 35 HRs as a DH, but I think he's a little tired of gettng his chain jerked.
posted by pastepotpete to baseball at 08:14 PM - 9 comments
It is precisely that misunderstandng of him that will give him the distinction as the player w/ the most HRS to NOT make it into the Hall of Fame. Well that, and his production the last couple of years, I personally I am unsure if he deserves the Hall. But either way, I bet he won't make it.
posted by gtuo at 09:14 AM on May 14, 2002
I'm just glad Canseco hung around long enough to claim second place all-time for strikeouts, edging Willie Stargell by 6.
posted by rcade at 09:33 AM on May 14, 2002
There was a time when you could have asked the fans in the stands which two active every day players from each league were most likely to go to Cooperstown and have near unaminity on Jose and Darryl Strawberry. And there was certainly a time when Jose seemed like the most likely of the Bash Brothers to be HOF bound. I agree, Jose probably could still be productive for someone, but it probably is old for him, and the Hall is probably not realistic. I guess every generation gets its own Dave Kingman....
posted by outside counsel at 09:43 AM on May 14, 2002
What you really have with Canseco is a player who had lots and lots of injury problems. Between his 27th and 33rd birthdays, which are supposed to be the prime power years, he was unable to put in a full season. The difference between him and McGwire is essentially McGwire's 1998 and 1999 seasons. While I don't believe he would have put up McGwirian numbers, if he hadn't been jerked around horribly by the Angels last year, he could easily be in the middle of his second season in Anaheim, and he'd be out of the Dave Kingman/Darrell Evans/Rocky Colavito territory and in the company of HoF'ers like Reggie Jackson and Stargell. I think he's a real "edge" candidate for the Hall, in that, I think he's demonstrably better than almost all of the power hitters that aren't in the Hall and demonstrably worse than almost all of the ones that are in.
posted by pastepotpete at 12:06 PM on May 14, 2002
Not a single comment on Jose becoming the major's first 40-40 man. It's a shame he didn't get the chance to crack 500. Far too many injuries and I really think he made a mistake leaving Toronto. He was hitting very well in the Skydome, as he always had. He got a little greedy after a good season in T.O. and bolted to Tampa and I think that cost him a ticket into the 500-club and maybe the hall.
posted by bambino at 03:44 PM on May 14, 2002
Howard Johnson was, if I am not mistaken, the second 40-40 man-- it's a freak stat that doesn't really mean much. Nobody touts HoJo as a Hall of Famer. Canseco was a good athlete, who played on some good teams, but for the most part he was not usually the best ballplayer on any of his teams, and that has to be a consideration when one talks about the HOF
posted by outside counsel at 05:12 PM on May 14, 2002
It seems that Canseco is going to write himself a book telling all about the seedy world of baseball, from adultery to drug abuse. Good one, Jose! I can see no reason for this other than sour grapes. Apparently, he feels slighted by teams that didn't give him a shot (the guy was batting .172 in minor league ball) and let down by his fellow players. This falls right in line with what I've always felt about Canseco. I think they should just make a plaque in Cooperstown for his ego and leave Jose on the doorstep.
posted by 86 at 07:45 AM on May 15, 2002
outside counsel: You are mistaken on two counts. Howard Johnson fell short of 40-40 (on several occasions the only other person to do it is Alex Rodriguez) and it's not exactly a freak stat. It's the primary reason Bobby Bonds made the Hall of Fame (well he made it based on the 30-30 club but I think the reasoning is the same). It was Barry Bonds primary claim to fame before last season. It represents the power-speed combination, which has always been desirable in outfielders. Jose Canseco was a tremendous athlete who won the MVP and for a period of 2-3 years was, I believe, considered the best player in the game. He was disliked heartily the whole time by the public and the media (if anyone is interested I can document multiple instances when reporters went out of their way to make him look like a jackass), and I am certain he won't make the Hall of Fame, but so far I haven't read any arguments that convince me he doesn't belong, whereas Bill Mazeroski and Pepper Martin do belong.
posted by pastepotpete at 08:53 AM on May 16, 2002
Some great Canseco quotes-- "I still think I'm an above-average outfielder, but I just work here"--Last year with White Sox before an interleague game with the Cubs, amid speculation Canseco might play outfield. "To Ethiopia. For a box of Froot Loops and a camel to be named later." -- when a reporter asked Canseco where he'd been traded in 1992, when he was traded to the Rangers for Ruben Sierra, Bobby Witt, and Jeff Russell. "I thought (Tampa Bay) could have gotten a Twix bar or something." on being picked up off waivers by the Yankees for $20000" The last one is from Baseball Quote of the Day I tell you he was a misunderstood player.