Will Jason Varitek be a candidate for the Hall of Fame?
I got to thinking about this on the way to work the other day.
At least one commentator thinks so based on comparing his career statistics through 2010 to other catchers who have been inducted at Cooperstown. I also found this interesting article which lists the author's take on the best catchers not in the Hall, though I think the top name on this list will get to the Hall as a manager or as a Golden Era veteran some day. I'll let you read the whole thing though.
Here's the thing. It's the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Jason Varitek has excelled at every level of baseball he's ever played. As a 12 year old, his Little League team made it all the way to the finals of the Little League World Series. In high school, he was an All American on the #1 high school team in America. In college, he played four years at Georgia Tech and led them to the 1994 College World Series finals. When the Boston Red Sox survived the 2004 ALCS and made it to the MLB World Series, he became only the second player to have played in all three of those championships. If you add in the fact that he also played on Team USA in the 1992 Summer Olympic Games, making it to the medal round, and the 2006 World Baseball Classic where they were knocked out in the second round, you see that he has been an elite player all his life.
You may say, "but those are team achievements." True, but Baseball is a team sport, one in which Varitek's position, Catcher, is crucial. One of the ways in which his excellence in his position can be demonstrated is by the accomplishments of his pitching staff. Notable among these accomplishments is the completion of four nine inning games without allowing any hits. No-hitters are rare, and only 5 pitchers in MLB history have thrown more than two. Varitek is the only catcher to have caught four of them.
Add to all of this the C on his jersey for the last 7 years which represents his designation as the Captain of a team that won the World Series twice.
None of this speculation matters for at least 5 years, perhaps more, but I can't help wondering
At least one commentator thinks so based on comparing his career statistics through 2010 to other catchers who have been inducted at Cooperstown. I also found this interesting article which lists the author's take on the best catchers not in the Hall, though I think the top name on this list will get to the Hall as a manager or as a Golden Era veteran some day. I'll let you read the whole thing though.
Here's the thing. It's the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Jason Varitek has excelled at every level of baseball he's ever played. As a 12 year old, his Little League team made it all the way to the finals of the Little League World Series. In high school, he was an All American on the #1 high school team in America. In college, he played four years at Georgia Tech and led them to the 1994 College World Series finals. When the Boston Red Sox survived the 2004 ALCS and made it to the MLB World Series, he became only the second player to have played in all three of those championships. If you add in the fact that he also played on Team USA in the 1992 Summer Olympic Games, making it to the medal round, and the 2006 World Baseball Classic where they were knocked out in the second round, you see that he has been an elite player all his life.
You may say, "but those are team achievements." True, but Baseball is a team sport, one in which Varitek's position, Catcher, is crucial. One of the ways in which his excellence in his position can be demonstrated is by the accomplishments of his pitching staff. Notable among these accomplishments is the completion of four nine inning games without allowing any hits. No-hitters are rare, and only 5 pitchers in MLB history have thrown more than two. Varitek is the only catcher to have caught four of them.
Add to all of this the C on his jersey for the last 7 years which represents his designation as the Captain of a team that won the World Series twice.
None of this speculation matters for at least 5 years, perhaps more, but I can't help wondering