[Sports Illustrated, 2017] Once One of Baseball’s Best, Andruw Jones Faces Long Odds for Hall of Fame Election
[Sports Illustrated, 2017] Once One of Baseball’s Best, Andruw Jones Faces Long Odds for Hall of Fame Election
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I found this article from 2017 about Andruw’s Hall of Fame candidacy and thought it was too good not to share. The ultimate premise is that Andruw had a long shot to get into the Hall, not impossible, but improbable. And if we’re being realistic, the article hasn’t aged all that poorly considering it took nine years for Andruw to get in, justifiably or not.
That being said, I really enjoyed this article as a way to reflect on Jones’s career overall. The author, Jay Jaffe, starts right at the beginning when Jones was signed all the way up to the end. If you don’t want to read the entire article, here are a few choice quotes:
*From 1998 to ’06, Jones hit a combined .270/.347/.513 for a 118 OPS+, averaging 35 homers and 21 fielding runs; his 6.1 WAR trailed only Alex Rodriguez (7.8 WAR) and Barry Bonds (7.5 WAR) in that span.*
*Read that again: For a nine-year period, only A-Rod and Bonds were more valuable than Jones. If that seems like hyperbole, consider the extent to which the Braves’ trio of Hall of Fame pitchers—Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz—prevented runs and brought home Cy Young awards despite Smoltz being the trio’s only true strikeout pitcher. Those pitchers needed defensive support, and year in and year out, no defender played a bigger part.*
*“Andruw was always moving before the ball was even hit,” said Matt Kemp, briefly Jones’ teammate on the Dodgers but, before that, a centerfielder he studied. “He would read the pitch, anticipate where the ball was going to be hit and already be moving to that spot.”*
*Jones’ shallow positioning, his quick first step and uncanny knack for the right routes made for fewer spectacular dives than, say, Jim Edmonds, but those skills translated to a defensive performance that was an estimated 192 runs above average during that nine-year span. That was 58 runs better than any other player in baseball (Angels outfielder Darin Erstad was second). Including the entirety of his Braves’ run—which by the end had seen Maddux and Glavine both depart—Jones was 239 runs above average in the field, miles ahead of outfielder Brian Jordan (56) and shortstop Rafael Furcal (52).*
The fourth paragraph where the Jaffe points out that Jones had fewer spectacular dives than Jim Edmunds is telling. If you watch Jones in the field, he read the ball and started moving just about as soon as it left the pitcher’s hand. His sharp instincts and quick read meant he tracked the ball faster, allowing to get into position to make difficult plays look easy. When Andruw *did* have to dive, slide, or pull some wild stunt to catch ball, I don’t think it’s a stretch to believe that same catch would be *impossible* for any other player to make.
Were I a baseball writer eligible to vote, the fact that Andruw did things over a ten year span that no other player seemed able to do would be what decided my vote. For nine years, the only two players more valuable than Jones were confirmed cheaters. That’s the stuff that belongs in the Hall of Fame.
Well said.
I didn’t know if Andruw would make it, but I’m beyond ecstatic. Him and Javy were my two favorite players as a kid in the 90s
Bout damn time. Now stop fucking Dale over
I’m not saying he’s a first ballot guy, but 9 years was ridiculous. Just glad he made it.
Very happy for Jones. Growing up with the Braves and watching him was masterful. Late in his career he got very pull happy which was annoying, but he’s one of the few baseball players I enjoyed watching for their defense.