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All this week we're taking a closer look at the 10 people on the Today’s Game Era Ballot for the Hall of Fame. Joe Carter had a knack for RBIs. Yes, we all know that runs-batted-in is a team-context stat — you need runners on base in order to drive them...
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That smile! Carter was always a pleasure to watch.
His big moment mirrors Jack Morris’ big moment a bit…except Jack Morris’ moment built up drama over 10 innings, and his quickly ended a game. Bill Mazeroski had such a moment too…I wonder if something like this helped Maz get pushed over the edge into the HOF…different time, but who knows?
It absolutely had a lot to do with Maz’s HOF election. Most of his case was based on defense. Who has been elected to the HOF on a purely defensive case? Brooks Robinson hit HRs, was an MVP, hit HRs, and starred in several World Series. Ozzie was mainly defense, but defense at a premium position, starred in playoffs/World Series and stole bases and ran the bases well. Maz was defense, plus a walk off HR in the 7th game of the World Series against the Yankees, that happened to be on film (which was rare at the time) that showed Yogi’s futile effort to track it down. The film allowed people who weren’t around at the time to see its replay and experience the joy of a spectacular ending to a huge upset win. That was his signature moment. I kinda doubt he’s in the HOF without it.
Well… just remember that Mazeroski was rejected the full 15 times by the writers, so the HR didn’t impress them… or maybe it did impress them enough to get as high as 42%, which is probably more than he really deserved. He was an All-Star 7 times though, and I might guess that this is the main reason he got in–that he was thought of as the best or 2nd-best 2B of the 1960’s. (Who else could be first? Dick McAuliffe?)
My favorite thing about Joe Carter was in spite of all of his RBIs and World Series accomplishments, he chose to make his off-season home in the Kansas City area. As a boy growing up in Overland Park I really appreciated that. I wonder if you got to know him pretty well with that Kansas City connection.
Loved Joe Carter, thinking about the Game 6 HR in 93 still gives me chills!
His line from that series so perfectly sums him up:
– 2 HR and 8 RBI in 6 games – sweet
– .280 / .250 / .560 slash line – wow that OBP!
I don’t believe Joe played for the Padres in 1992
Carter was a metronome. If its 5+ innings, and pitcher is protecting a one run lead the last guy he wanted to see was Joe Carter. As a fan you couldn’t dislike the guy — he played with obvious joy—you just had the hard pit of dread in your stomach. And as regular as the guy humming a tune walking six inch girder, Carter would get a hit.
I hate to rain on your parade, but bb-ref’s Clutch statistic shows that Carter was actually quite bad in a close game, much below average. And there’s no way that any pitcher in the league least wanted to see Carter. He was a slightly above-average hitter (before he turned 35, anyway)… what pitcher is going to be scared of that?
Being from Boston, everyone felt that Joe Carter was a Red Sox killer wherever he played, so I had to look it up and…sure enough he hit more HRs and had more RBIs against the Res Sox than any other team (37 and 106). I also went to a game in 1986 when he hit 3 HRs (one of which is still going), something he did an AL record 5 times (2 times against the Rex Sox).
Had to look up Dick Hoblitzell. Was a bit surprised that I had never heard of a 20 WAR player, so it made more sense that he played in the 1910’s.
Joe Carter … a guy I never thought of as being all that great when he was playing, but he is definitely one of the poster children for guys that Sabermetrics has not treated well.