After Jones 2005 baseball season, I said on this very forum that Jones will be a HOFer. I got laughed at by one poster. Of course, I had no idea that in just two more seasons he would be washed up as he would only be 31. But after looking at his career stats, I still say Jones deserves it and it's not close.
Why this man should be in the HOF.
The main thing holding him back is a career batting average of .254. From the age of 30 until his retirement at 35 Jones hit a putrid .214. From his debut at age 18 until age 29, Jones hit .267. Not elite, but certainly okay considering what he gave you as a run producer.
Why he should be in:
-Jones had 9 seasons with 90 or more RBI and led the league in 2005
-Jones had 7 seasons with 30 or more dingers and led the league with 51 in 2005
- Jones had 7 seasons with 90 or more runs scored.
-Jones was an MVP runner-up in 2005, a five time all-star, and was selected TSN's MLB player of the year.
- Jones currently ranks 48th on the career homer list with 434.
- Many people argue that Jones was never really a top ten player in the league, but the advanced stat WAR says otherwise. Jones finished in the top ten in WAR five seasons among all players and six if you exclude pitchers.
- From 1998-2007 Jones' total 57.6 WAR was third in baseball behind only Alex Rodriguez and Barry Bonds.
- There are 19 players who primarily played CF in the HOF. Andruw Jones 7 year peak WAR is better than the average 7 year peak WAR of those players.
But here is where Andruw Jones sets himself apart. It's his defense. Imagine if Ozzie Smith also hit 400 plus homers for his career.
- 10 gold gloves. Jones is one of only four players to have won 10 Gold Gloves with 400 career home runs. The others are Willie Mays, Mike Schmidt and Ken Griffey Jr.
- Jones finished in the top ten in defensive WAR nine times among all players, including a five year stretch where he finished first four times and second once.
-The center fielder's 24.2 defensive WAR from 1998-2007 was the best in the game with future Hall of Famer Scott Rolen's 15.1 a not-so-close second.
- In the advanced stat Total Zone Runs (the total number of runs above or below average the player was worth based on plays made) Andruw Jones ranks first among all OFs in baseball history and second overall only to the great Brooks Robinson.
-The most impressive thing is in this stat among other OFs, it's not even close.
Jones has a worth of 254 zone runs.
The great Robert Clemente is second with a distant 205. And Clemente played 3000 more innings than Jones.
Some others on that list:
Barry Bonds is third with 195 zone runs but in 7000 more innings played.
Willie Mays is fifth with 178 zone runs, but also in 7000 more innings played.
A contemporary of Jones, considered a great defensive player in his own right, was Jim Edmonds. Edmonds played 2000 less innings than Jones but only had 83 zone runs.
The only players on this list in the top ten that are not in the HOF were nowhere near as valuable as Andruw Jones was at the plate.
In conclusion, Jones deserves the HOF because he is arguably the greatest defensive OF of all time and was a well above average run producer for his career.
Why this man should be in the HOF.
The main thing holding him back is a career batting average of .254. From the age of 30 until his retirement at 35 Jones hit a putrid .214. From his debut at age 18 until age 29, Jones hit .267. Not elite, but certainly okay considering what he gave you as a run producer.
Why he should be in:
-Jones had 9 seasons with 90 or more RBI and led the league in 2005
-Jones had 7 seasons with 30 or more dingers and led the league with 51 in 2005
- Jones had 7 seasons with 90 or more runs scored.
-Jones was an MVP runner-up in 2005, a five time all-star, and was selected TSN's MLB player of the year.
- Jones currently ranks 48th on the career homer list with 434.
- Many people argue that Jones was never really a top ten player in the league, but the advanced stat WAR says otherwise. Jones finished in the top ten in WAR five seasons among all players and six if you exclude pitchers.
- From 1998-2007 Jones' total 57.6 WAR was third in baseball behind only Alex Rodriguez and Barry Bonds.
- There are 19 players who primarily played CF in the HOF. Andruw Jones 7 year peak WAR is better than the average 7 year peak WAR of those players.
But here is where Andruw Jones sets himself apart. It's his defense. Imagine if Ozzie Smith also hit 400 plus homers for his career.
- 10 gold gloves. Jones is one of only four players to have won 10 Gold Gloves with 400 career home runs. The others are Willie Mays, Mike Schmidt and Ken Griffey Jr.
- Jones finished in the top ten in defensive WAR nine times among all players, including a five year stretch where he finished first four times and second once.
-The center fielder's 24.2 defensive WAR from 1998-2007 was the best in the game with future Hall of Famer Scott Rolen's 15.1 a not-so-close second.
- In the advanced stat Total Zone Runs (the total number of runs above or below average the player was worth based on plays made) Andruw Jones ranks first among all OFs in baseball history and second overall only to the great Brooks Robinson.
-The most impressive thing is in this stat among other OFs, it's not even close.
Jones has a worth of 254 zone runs.
The great Robert Clemente is second with a distant 205. And Clemente played 3000 more innings than Jones.
Some others on that list:
Barry Bonds is third with 195 zone runs but in 7000 more innings played.
Willie Mays is fifth with 178 zone runs, but also in 7000 more innings played.
A contemporary of Jones, considered a great defensive player in his own right, was Jim Edmonds. Edmonds played 2000 less innings than Jones but only had 83 zone runs.
The only players on this list in the top ten that are not in the HOF were nowhere near as valuable as Andruw Jones was at the plate.
In conclusion, Jones deserves the HOF because he is arguably the greatest defensive OF of all time and was a well above average run producer for his career.
Last edited:
