3x Batting Champ 2x Steals leader .300 career hitter MVP LCS MVP Great Postseason Player 1x Champion (and counting) Only player with 4 consecutive 200-hit seasons GG 6x All-Star 6x SS If his career ended abruptly (please no), he's probably in. If he quickly deteriorated and had several subpar seasons, perhaps he not, but there's still a great case.
Look, you have to play in 10 seasons to even qualify to be eligible for the HOF, I literally think, on its face, he doesn’t meet the minimum requirements. All those things you mentioned go toward his argument for HOF induction as his peak seasons (which hopefully aren’t done yet) but you also need longevity to pad your career as well which he just doesn’t have yet. The longevity is less important than the peak but it’s still very important. I think he’d have a hard time getting inducted with less than, say 2500 hits, and some of the stuff you talked about like 300 hitter might not end up that way with a less than awesome tail end of his career. The good news is it be very strange to see him not do what he needs to do to get there, but there is the odd case like andruw Jones of the braves who looked like a layup at 29 and then fell apart and didn’t make it.
As I said in my original post, it's not about talent. Dream was a freak of nature ( He was drafted ahead of Jordan and no one has ever questioned it) and in some ways underachieved because he played so selfishly for half of his career. It's more about what impact he has had on the city. Altuve is everything that is right about sports and personifies the character of Houston like few can.
I'm not sure Andrew Jones is the best example. He was a great player, but never won MVP or lead major statistics continually. He was dangerous, but everyone felt Chipper was the better players. Being on the infield helps Altuve, especially being an offensive-centric 2B. I agree that it is way too soon. For example, many new media types love all the new statistics of WAR, WAR7, etc. Altuve's WAR 7 still includes 1 of his really poor initial seasons with WAR of 1.7. For the career counting statistics, he only even gets points for hits and is not close for the others yet. He needs at least 5 more seasons of above-average production to be in the conversation. I think he could clinch it though if he wins the batting title again (4-time winner is shoe in) or if he wins another MVP (2-time winner is shoe in unless you are Dale Murphy).
Murphy should and will eventually get in. I agree. 5 more seasons of good and he’s a lock. 3 more of awesome, with a shitty two or 3 more tail would also be enough I’d bet.
To digress, if I am remembering correctly, Atlanta wanted to trade Murphy to the Astros in the late 80s (1987?) for a young Biggio, Caminiti, Cameron Drew and I think someone else.
Yeah; what bozos..... NOW! To be perfectly fair... I was one of the bozos suggesting we trade him - BUT! I own the take and any/all derision AS LONG AS.... we all agree on the following ground rule: Jose Altuve does NOT MAKE ANY LOGICAL SENSE. Those of us who didn't believe in him (and there were others... @sealclubber1016, @Buck Turgidson) weren't crazy... what he does is INEXPLICABLE and no one should apologize for thinking it was unsustainable. Nor could we have known he was going to develop such lethal power. I was wrong.... but I'm among a LARGE GROUP of people who have been wrong about Jose Altuve throughout his life, up to and including Aroldis Chapman Saturday night. (Also, he is NOT the greatest Astro of all-time.... but he's starting to build a case.......)
Proud he made me a bozo. I guess the next thing will be "oh, he's getting old and can't maintain this...." And he'll prove everyone wrong again.
Abigail Arias’ father, Ruben Arias, had nothing but great things to say (as he got emotional) about Jose Altuve meeting his little girl before one of the biggest games of his life. "For him to take the time out to meet with her…it was pretty cool, it was amazing." #Astros pic.twitter.com/tBJJDzsOkv — Daniel Gotera (@DTGoteraKHOU) October 22, 2019 One of the bravest little girls we've seen… Abigail Arias, aka "Officer Abigail", just met her favorite baseball player, Jose Altuve. What did she tell him? "I told him that please, Altuve…please make a home run for me." #Astros pic.twitter.com/DmmflxkjID — Daniel Gotera (@DTGoteraKHOU) October 22, 2019
Too much? Took an hour to park and get into the game. Yes, $16 beers and $12 nachos! Cant wait to see the price of peanuts.
Altuve is the heart and soul of the Astros, Bregman the back, Cole and Verlander the legs (and arms), Springer the balls, and Osuna the infected dick.