Matsui's 500th HR?! Kinda

[jfg]

I didn't realize Matsui had that many homeruns before the MLB. Still, I think for the most part the baseball hall is the MLB hall. The Negro leagues are different because those players weren't given the opportunity to play in the MLB, while Matsui could have played his entire career in the MLB if he wanted to. There are quite a few players that belong in the Hall before Matsui if it really is an accomplishment of any league.

[lastingsgriller]

while Matsui could have played his entire career in the MLB if he wanted to.

false.. in a sense. japanese players are basically prostitues to their pimp teams. them b*tches are owned and have to be given permission to sell their services on any other block.

[jfg]

True, but he didn't have to start with a Japanese team. He could have answered to an MLB pimp like Central American players.

[bigken117]

It's not the MLB Hall of Fame, it's the Baseball Hall of Fame. How many MLB games did Cool Papa Bell or Josh Gibson play? But still... I don't think he gets in.

Is Sadaharu Oh in there?

[bigh0rt]

side note: Ryan Vogelsong left for Japan a AAA baseball player and apparently came back an all-star.

See: Colby Lewis

[Skin Blues]

It's not the MLB Hall of Fame, it's the Baseball Hall of Fame. How many MLB games did Cool Papa Bell or Josh Gibson play? But still... I don't think he gets in.

Is Sadaharu Oh in there?

Hardly anybody in the US knows who he is. Obviously having an audience here plays a big part in recognition, but it's not strictly an MLB distinction. Ichiro would get in if he retired today, despite not having the magical 3000 hits or anything. He might never reach that anyway, if he keeps OPSing ~600. Godzilla came over here past his prime and still rattled off 8 Very Good/Excellent seasons after dominating NPB for an entire decade. But like I said... probably won't get in. It's like transferring between colleges and only half of your credits count.

[jfg]

I don't see any season in his MLB career that was excellent. Maybe one or two really good years, but nothing that jumps out at me as great. He never finished in the top 10 in the AL MVP race and the highest he ever ranked in AL WAR leaders was 7th which was 2004, the only year that jumped out to me as really good. Also, Matsui only reached 600 at bats 3 seasons out of 8.

[bigken117]

It's not the MLB Hall of Fame, it's the Baseball Hall of Fame. How many MLB games did Cool Papa Bell or Josh Gibson play? But still... I don't think he gets in.

Is Sadaharu Oh in there?

Hardly anybody in the US knows who he is. Obviously having an audience here plays a big part in recognition, but it's not strictly an MLB distinction. Ichiro would get in if he retired today, despite not having the magical 3000 hits or anything. He might never reach that anyway, if he keeps OPSing ~600. Godzilla came over here past his prime and still rattled off 8 Very Good/Excellent seasons after dominating NPB for an entire decade. But like I said... probably won't get in. It's like transferring between colleges and only half of your credits count.

It's the National Baseball Hall of Fame, that's why Oh isn't in there. Not because hardly anybody in the US knows who he is. Every true baseball fan knows who he is.



Matsui won't get in because he hasn't been good enough while he was playing here. Ichiro very well could, because he has been very good while he has been here.