Wade Boggs

Wade Boggs is on the Hall of Fame ballot this year and while I concede that he'll probably get in please consider the following:

- Wade Boggs and Don Mattingly came into the league in the same year. If at any point in his career Mattingly was offered to the Red Sox straight up for Boggs - then they make that deal in a heartbeat. Don Mattingly will not get into the Hall of Fame but Wade Boggs will.

- Robin Ventura had 176 more HR, 168 more RBI, and 4 more Gold Gloves than Boggs (in two fewer seasons). It can be argued that Ventura was much better than Boggs and personally I would rather have had Ventura. The very fact that this can legitimately be argued should make you question Boggs worthiness for induction.

- Dwight Evans and Jim Rice were always considered more valuable to their Red Sox teams than Wade Boggs ever was. Both finished with way more total bases than Boggs but yet neither will make the Hall of Fame while Boggs probably does.

Wade Boggs is the definition of paper great.