Carlos Beltran Belongs in the Hall of Fame
The question arises as Carlos Beltran, a switch-hitting CF who has converted to RF late in his career, has hit yet another post-season HR in the playoffs.
Beltran has always been a five tool player, hit, hit for average, hit for power, speed, defense, and good arm.
The above citation is to JAWS, which is the Jaffe WAR Score System, developed to provide a bright line test of what a Hall of Famer is.
The concept is simple--take a players best seven seasons of Wins Above Replacement--WAR, and then compare those to the Jaffe WAR Score of the other Hall of Famers, at that position.
Once you do that, you can establish leaders, an average JAWS score for HOFers for that position, and then you can see clearly if a player deserves in or out.
If you see where Beltran ranks on the JAWS list of Centerfielders, it's remarkable. The list goes:
1) Willie Mays
2) Ty Cobb
3) Tris Speaker
4) Mickey Mantle
5) Ken Griffey Jr.
6) Joe DiMaggio
7) Duke Snider
8) Carlos Beltran
Beltran is still playing, and is still productive, so his JAWS score, his career accomplishments, his postseason accomplishments, and so forth, will just keep increasing.
Recognize what we are saying here--that Carlos Beltran is one of the eight best Centerfielders of all time. Richie Ashburn and Andre Dawson rank behind Beltran, and both were enshrined. Billy Hamilton, a 19th century legend who is in the HOF, has a lower JAWS score than Beltran.
Beltran didn't just hit--he was a remarkable fielder, he could steal, he could advance the extra base, he was a switch-hitter, he could throw, and he still does many of those things. And he still can hit very, very well.
He belongs in the Hall of Fame, when the time comes.
