Wade Boggs - Hall of Famer but still a Jerk

Yesterday I aired my case against Wade Boggs and some of the folks at Sons of Sam Horn took exception. Since I'm not a member there - let me respond here.

"bakahump" calls me a moron and says:

Lets compare him to the 4 or 5 greatest 3rd Base of all times Including what may be 2 of the top 50 players of all time and someone who may be the greatest fielding infielder of all time.

Oh yea and Boggs never had any compitition for his All star games......didnt Ventura play for the whitesox????

Boggs for Mattingly are you freaking Mental??????

Ummm... I compared Boggs to the five 3rd basemen voted into the Hall by the baseball writers. Who was I supposed to compare him against? And yes - Robin Ventura did play for the White Sox and it should be noted that Ventura being injured for significant periods of time in 1994 and 1995 are the only things that allowed Boggs to win his two Gold Gloves. We'll get to Mattingly in a bit.

"Smiling Joe Hesketh" points out that I wrongly say that Pie Traynor played in "the" deadball era. I should have said "a" deadball era. Traynor hit 12 HR in 1923 and that put him 8th in the league - I wouldn't exactly call that a "live ball" era. To Smiling Joe I would also point out that I only used RBI in comparing Boggs to Traynor to highlight the fact that Traynor averaged just one fewer run scored than Boggs per 162 games but got 39 more RBI (106 RBI per 162 games to 67 for Boggs).

To "Skiponzo" I say "Yes I did see him play" and if you don't think Boggs was a "slap" singles hitter - you must have been watching games with your eyes closed. I also say that while true that Boggs is currently 15th in doubles - every player ahead of him is way ahead of Boggs in terms of total bases and that within 5 years Boggs may be down as far as 20th on the list.

"jacklamade65" says in part:

Yes, those of us who used to watch him lace fly-ball after fly-ball into the right-field bleachers during batting practice (in exhibitions of genuine power comparable to Mantle) would be downright angry with his Punch-and-Judy tactics during games. My father was so crazed by his Tony Olivia-Walt Hriniak imitations that he used to call Boggs "Squirt Squirt." Regardless, Wade Boggs was truly one of the most gifted hitters to ever play at Fenway or any other venue. Plus, ol' Wade made himself into a damn fine third baseman.

In 1987 Boggs had 24 HR but just barely made it to 200 hits (his yearly Holy Grail). He was more valuable to the team hitting 24 HR but Boggs was too selfish for team goals and needs. He actually said that he hit the 24 HR just to prove he could do it but then went back to being a Punch and Judy hitter because it served his purpose. In 1987 Boggs had the most total bases he ever would have in his career but he valued a slap single over a home run.

SoxJox writes:

He dubiously brings McGriff into the discussion, and he's not even eligible yet. How does he know whether or not McGriff will be elected.

Plus, he fails to recognize or acknowledge that, in order to get elected, you don't have to be better than everyone else who has previoiusly been elected. Even if his arguments ring true, and the 5 guys he mentions are all better, then Boggs doesn't deserve to be elected because he was only the 6th best 3B of all time? Nonsensical logic.

Anyone who reads this blog understands that nonsensical logic and musical gas are my specialties.

Kevin Morton's Ghost writes:

One thing that has always bothered me about people's perception of Boggs is that he is somehow lessened as a player because he was such a jerk (as if baseball hasn't had its share of jerks anyway). Boggs was a great player precisely because he was a jerk. He was not a great physical talent, but he willed himself to become a HOF player. His ego may have made him a self-centered a-hole, but it also gave him the maniacal drive to succeed at the highest level. If Boggs was a "nice guy" he never would have made it out of the minors.

Sorry but give me a team guy over a selfish prick and BTW - ever think that maybe it was the fact that Boggs was a self-centered a-hole that kept him in the minors until the ripe old age of 24?

From Spacemanlee2000:

He didn't even bother to compare Boggs to Rod Carew, instead he chooses McGriff?

Of course if I did compare Boggs to Carew others on the board would say "but they didn't even play the same position." Yeesh!

To "Left on the Mound" I'd point out that there are 25 players with 3,000 hits and only 20 players with 500 HR. If you want to take away the players with 500 HR who played the bulk of their career from 1985 on - there would just be 15 players with 500 HR and that would make the 500 HR hitter even more rare than the 3,000 hit hitter. Again - yeesh!

Worst Trade Evah wrote:

Chris Lynch is even dumber than Tracy Ringolsby

Now that was uncalled for!

Soxual Healing brings some common sense to the argument:

A) I've never been a big Boggs fan. Even before he played in New York. Even before he revealed himself to be a selfish a-hole. His style of play just never excited me all that much.

B) He belongs in the HOF.

A and B have nothing to do with one another.

I agree with A and B but I think the fact that I don't agree with his conclusion is why I have a problem with Boggs.

Now as far as Boggs vs. Mattingly. Let me point out that 1988 may have been the only year that Boggs would have been better than Mattingly and that is also the year Mattingly's back gave out. Anyone who saw them in their primes knew that Mattingly was the better player.