Looking Ahead to Joe Mauer's First Hall Of Fame Ballot

Let's talk baseball on Christmas morning?!? Yes, I love it. I don't believe Mauer will be first ballot Hall of Fame. I do believe he has a better than not chance of getting in within the first five years. Then, I plan to make my first trip to Cooperstown to celebrate watching a guy from playing in high school to the HOF. 

I think he'll get in, but I wouldn't bet the farm on it being on the first ballot. I've yet to see a baseball writer pen a scathing story/column about Joe Mauer the person. Given the stats are strong, my guess is they'd rather vote for him than some other worthy player who was more jerky toward their profession.

HOF - Yes. First Ballot No.

Tough for a singles hitter who couldn't produce a long ball when team needed it to be a First Ballot.

There is no doubt Joe will get in.  But first ballot honors are a high bar.  I think he gets in on his 2nd or 3rd try.  A great honor for a classy guy.  

39 minutes ago, MGM4706 said:

HOF - Yes. First Ballot No.

Tough for a singles hitter who couldn't produce a long ball when team needed it to be a First Ballot.

He'll get in for being both a three-time Gold Glove winning catcher while also winning three batting titles and an MVP. He has a higher career OPS than Rod Carew mostly because of a higher slugging percentage. Carew was a first ballot HOFer.

Because many voters also use championships to measure a player’s worthiness (something I detest), the fact the Twins won exactly one playoff game during his career will hurt him, especially when compared to Posey’s three WS rings. That said, I think he gets in, but not first ballot. 

Too soon to think about 2024..  I’m worried Torii Hunter will drop off the ballot with too few votes on the next go-around.  2023 is an  interesting year, since the bulk of the most controversial players of the Steroid Era are dropping off the ballot.  BUT A-Roid is appearing on the ballot for the first time.   Like Barry Bonds and Roger Clemons, the new T-Wolves owner would probably have put together an HOF career without the PEDs,   However, unlike Surly Barry and Lying Roger,  he is also a member of the media (maybe liked more by the writers than the less likable Bonds and Clemons).  
Carlos Beltran looks like he makes it on his first time. 
Too soon to talk “Joe”. 

No - his injury really harmed his career - He will eventually get in, but there is a weird psychology about getting elected in the first year that will stop him.  I do think he has a better reputation outside of MN, but I think he has a longer wait than we would like.  BR has these ratings for his HOF case:

32 minutes ago, strumdatjag said:

Carlos Beltran looks like he makes it on his first time. 

Beltran looks doubtful on this year's early ballots.

Mauer's case looks a lot like Ted Simmons. It took Simmons 32 years after he retired to get elected after failing to get 5% from the writers. Mike Piazza and Yogi Berra didn't get in on the first try so I would be surprised if Mauer did. Joe will get elected somewhere between year 2 and 27.

I say No. Beautiful game. But Hall of Famers win. I wonder how many playoff victories we had with Joe as a player. He never developed a power stroke either. I thought he should have hit the weights a bit more. Just being honest, he was my favorite player but always left me disappointed. 

I just looked it up. Minnesota Twins Zero wins and ten losses in playoff games with Joe Mauer. Enough said for me. 

Equal to the likes of Glenn Borgman, Butch Wynegar, Sal Butera, Marc Salas, David Engle and Matt Walbeck. 

If Joe Mauer had played in New York he's a first-ballot HOFer.  As is, I wonder if enough voters are aware of a) just how good he was or b) the fact that concussions ended his time behind the plate too soon.  For 10 years he was the best catcher in all of baseball and the accolades should be enough to get him in...even if not on the first try.

But has another catcher ever done this?
Joe Mauer - Another Day at the Office

 

2 hours ago, HerbieFan said:

If Joe Mauer had played in New York he's a first-ballot HOFer.  As is, I wonder if enough voters are aware of a) just how good he was or b) the fact that concussions ended his time behind the plate too soon.  For 10 years he was the best catcher in all of baseball and the accolades should be enough to get him in...even if not on the first try.

Oddly enough, it seems Mauer has a more positive profile nationally. Possibly they weren't burdened with the ultra high expectations so they have a more reasonable summary of Joe's accomplishments post career. 

3 hours ago, clubfan said:

I always wanted Joe to succeed and want him to now with the HOF.  But the reason that Molina and Posey will get in ahead of him is because they are leaders and had playoff success.  For as talented as Joe was, he was not a leader, motivator, and was not clutch in big moments (see Kirby Puckett).

I think eventually he'll get in, but it may take some time.  Here's hoping its not Kaat and Oliva type of timeline.  

Ridiculous. Just because Mauer wasn't a loud guy who spent a lot of time talking to the media, doesn't mean he wasn't a leader. Remember, he was the guy who started giving out game balls to the team, something that clearly meant a lot on a young team trying to figure things out. Some guys lead by example, and Joe 100% did that.

Not clutch? His stats at bRef would disagree with you there too. He was always good with runners in scoring position, high leverage situations, etc.

He did not have playoff success. But he also had very limited opportunities, which is a strike more against his teams than him personally. Mauer was also the victim of one of the more horrendous blown calls in recent playoff memory...

I don't think he makes it on the first ballot, just because that's a high bar, but I wouldn't be shocked either. The national media never had the resentment towards Joe that some of the locals did (Dan Barreiro, are your ears burning?) and the numbers are there. Wish Joe had won a gold glove at 1B (he deserved one), because that might have cinched the deal. Personally, I think he's a no-brainer: 6 all-stars, an MVP, 5 silver sluggers, 3 gold gloves, 3 batting titles...what more do you need?

2 hours ago, theBOMisthebomb said:

Oddly enough, it seems Mauer has a more positive profile nationally. Possibly they weren't burdened with the ultra high expectations so they have a more reasonable summary of Joe's accomplishments post career. 

Very possible.  Always been and "East Coast bias" in pro sports.  But it's true he may be more appreciated nationally,,,hopefully be those who fill out HOF ballots anyway!

I don't hold much store in the HOF anymore, due to some of the players who are in that I don't believe should be, and also some who never even got a chance past the first year.  Kaat and Oliva having to wait this long was a travesty IMHO. But in the words of another former Twins catcher "However",  I know it is a huge deal to the players and if anybody deserves to get in, Mauer is among them.  A shoo in.

2 hours ago, jmlease1 said:

Ridiculous. Just because Mauer wasn't a loud guy who spent a lot of time talking to the media, doesn't mean he wasn't a leader. Remember, he was the guy who started giving out game balls to the team, something that clearly meant a lot on a young team trying to figure things out. Some guys lead by example, and Joe 100% did that.

Not clutch? His stats at bRef would disagree with you there too. He was always good with runners in scoring position, high leverage situations, etc.

He did not have playoff success. But he also had very limited opportunities, which is a strike more against his teams than him personally. Mauer was also the victim of one of the more horrendous blown calls in recent playoff memory...

I don't think he makes it on the first ballot, just because that's a high bar, but I wouldn't be shocked either. The national media never had the resentment towards Joe that some of the locals did (Dan Barreiro, are your ears burning?) and the numbers are there. Wish Joe had won a gold glove at 1B (he deserved one), because that might have cinched the deal. Personally, I think he's a no-brainer: 6 all-stars, an MVP, 5 silver sluggers, 3 gold gloves, 3 batting titles...what more do you need?

Yes, the Gold Glove at 1B would have been quite a feather in the cap. My worst fear is that not getting that GG will lead Joe to have a Johan Santana type HOF case that gets dismissed too quickly. Johan lost a Cy Young to Bartolo Colon when he shouldn't have and it presumably cost his HOF case a lot of votes. 

First ballot is a tough gig.  Unlikely Joe makes it on the first ballot.  He should make it in the first 5 years.  He deserves to be a HOF member.

I believe Joe Mauer belongs in the HOF. However, if Joe DiMaggio and Harmon Killebrew, among others, don’t get in on the first ballot, no one should get in on the first ballot.

If that double at Yankee Stadium would have been called correctly he would for sure be a first ballot

If I had a vote, I would vote for him. If he had retired after he couldn't play cather anymore, he would be better off for the HOF vote. Playing at first to draw the rest of his salary and performing very non-hall worthy those years only hurt his case, and many will use those years for their reason why he didn't get their vote.

9 hours ago, HerbieFan said:

If Joe Mauer had played in New York he's a first-ballot HOFer.  As is, I wonder if enough voters are aware of a) just how good he was or b) the fact that concussions ended his time behind the plate too soon.  For 10 years he was the best catcher in all of baseball and the accolades should be enough to get him in...even if not on the first try.

If Joe had some playoff success, then he'd have better chances. The Yankees would certainly give him more chances for that... instead, 0 playoff wins with Mauer in the lineup.

Chase Utley a HOFer?  Less that 1,900 career hits?   Hall of Fame?  Yes, for Joe Mauer the catcher.  No, for Mauer the firstbaseman.  You combine the two and you have a very good player over their career.  Playoff wins are much more a part of the team you are on , rather than the individual player.   Let's not have MLB become liek the NFl where a Super Bowl can get you in the HOF.

22 hours ago, DJL44 said:

Mauer's case looks a lot like Ted Simmons. It took Simmons 32 years after he retired to get elected after failing to get 5% from the writers. Mike Piazza and Yogi Berra didn't get in on the first try so I would be surprised if Mauer did. Joe will get elected somewhere between year 2 and 27.

Simmons never won a gold glove - Mauer won three. Simmons had never won an MVP - he finished 6th, 9th, and 10th in his best years - Mauer finished 1st, 4th, and 6th in his best years. Simmons won one silver slugger award, Mauer won five. In terms of peak performance, they are not similar.

This may be a dumb analogy/story. I was at a Tigers game @2015 (I may be wrong on year, but not spending time to figure out) Memorial Day weekend and got to Detroit with only shirts and t shirts. temp at game time was in low 40s. Freezing and Twins losing badly we only stayed because Annibel Sanchez had a no-hitter going. Top of 9 one out Mauer comes up. I'm wearing my 'Mauer to the people' shirt (thanks to whomever made that) I"m cheering for a no-hitter because I'll never see one in person probably again. Sanchez throws a strike and I can't believe he's pitching to Mauer. I announce this to the Tiger fans around me. "Don't do this" 2 pitches later Mauer does prototypical in/out swing and deposits ball in shallow left field for a single. Long story short, Mauer was a bad, bad man. Sorry for meandering story, but that moment stuck with me.