3 former NY Mets players who were "The Man" and don't get enough credit for it

2) Keith Hernandez

I truly don’t get it. If Keith Hernandez got the recognition he rightfully deserved, he would be in the Hall of Fame. I know that as Mets fan, and as a fan of Hernandez before he even begrudgingly became a Met, I might be just a tad prejudiced. But HOW in the world can a guy who was undoubtedly the best fielding first baseman in the history of baseball NOT be in the Hall of Fame?

Everyone knows about Ozzie Smith. He was the most dazzling shortstop to play the game and he is in the Hall of Fame. But he wasn’t the best ever. Anyone who ever saw a guy play shortstop for the Baltimore Orioles knows who the best was. I am not talking about Cal Ripken, Jr. I am talking about Mark Belanger. Belanger was the absolute master at playing the position. And the very same could be said for Keith Hernandez.

Smith got into the Hall of Fame because, although he started out slowly, he became a pretty good hitter. Hernandez was more than just a “pretty good” hitter. He was a standout clutch hitter with a career .296 average, accumulating over 2,000 hits, carried a .384 OBP, and walked more times than he struck out.

But…BUT…he only hit 162 home runs. THAT is the common answer you’ll get when you ask anyone why Hernandez is NOT in the Hall of Fame. Take a look at all of the first basemen IN the Hall of Fame and see how many have hit as many home runs as Keith Hernandez. Ya know, Brooks Robinson “only” hit 267 home runs from the other power position at third base, and the rest of his offensive stats rate below Hernandez. So what gives?

As far as how he ranks with Mets fans, while he was, in fact, the Captain, most fans it appears have more inclination to Darryl Strawberry as “the” guy on the Mets during that era. And while Straw did hit some big and monstrous homers, it was Hernandez who gave the Mets respectability, just like Tom Seaver did earlier in team history. And, yet, the one who draws more admiration is Strawberry. Perhaps it is because people just love the long ball? That would explain the Keith Hernandez thing on a number of levels, no?