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Don Mattingly: Hall of Famer? - Page 2

© Harold Friend

Mattingly was an excellent defensive player whose career fielding average was the highest in the history of baseball. He won the Rawlings Gold Glove award 9 times, had excellent range, and extremely fast hands. The importance of a good defensive first baseman is finally being recognized, thanks in part to Mattingly, Keith Hernandez, and Tino Martinez. Don Mattingly was good as any of them defensively.

Don Mattingly was not as good an Lou Gehrig, George Sisler, or Jimmy Foxx. But he was as good as Orlando Cepeda and Tony Perez. The standards for election to the Hall of Fame are different from what they were a few years ago.

Ozzie Smith and Bill Mazeroski were elected mainly on their defensive greatness. Neither was a good hitter and both rank near the bottom when one rates the offensive abilities of all those who ever played the game, much less all position players in the Hall of Fame.

Don Mattingly was one of the greatest defensive first basemen of all time, and unlike Smith and Mazeroski, Mattingly could hit. He deserves to be a member of the Hall of Fame and it is hoped that those who decide will eventually agree.

http://www.infoplease.com/ipsa/A0758336....

http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/hofers...

http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/matt...

http://www.baseball-reference.com/c/cepe...

http://www.baseball-reference.com/p/pere...

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/recbooks...

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/quotes/q...

http://www.fortunecity.com/tinpan/weller...

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