The Hall of Fame Case for Carlos Delgado

The Baseball Hall of Fame Contemporary Era ballot was revealed earlier this month. One of the eight names on the ballot is Carlos Delgado, a former first baseman with slugging credentials.

Delgado played from 1993 to 2009, mostly for the Blue Jays and Mets. He was remarkably durable: he appeared in 140+ games in ten of twelve seasons from 1997 to 2008. He finished as high as second in Most Valuable Player voting. In 2000 he was selected Major League Player of the Year by the Sporting News.

Given his career numbers of 473 HR, in excess of 1,500 RBI (55th all-time)

Career Batting for Prominent Hall of Fame and Non-HOF First Basemen

Players in this table played at least 1,400 games at first base.

Delgado ranks ninth all-time among first basemen for career home runs. He ranks 11th in RBI. When you exclude 19th century players and the steroid cheaters, Delgado is 10th in OPS+ among first basemen.

The question that arises from the chart above is how to categorize Delgado. Is OPS+, HR, and RBI are superior to Todd Helton. His OPS+ is much better than Perez and Hodges. Delgado hit about 30 fewer HR than Eddie Murray, but outdistances Steady Eddie in OPS+ by nine points (or about 7 percent).

It’s worth noting that two Hall of Famers known for playing first base who didn’t make this list because they spent a lot of games at DH exceeded Delgado in OPS+. Frank Thomas (156 OPS+) and Jim Thome (147 OPS+) were better sluggers and received far more accolades. They came into the league about five years before Delgado and overshadowed the Puerto Rican.

But even though Gehrig and Foxx were superstars at the same time in the same league, Cooperstown recognizes Hank Greenberg and Johnny Mize, two first basemen who played roughly in the same era.

Is Delgado more like Murray or Hodges or Cepeda, or should he be lumped with Norm Cash and Will Clark? Or maybe those latter two first sackers deserve more HOF consideration?

Delgado is one of only six players to hit 30 homers in ten consecutive seasons, yet he fell off the Hall of Fame ballot his first year with less than four percent of the vote. He’s the Lou Whitaker of first basemen. We’ve outlined the Hall of Fame Case for Sweet Lou previously. Now let’s turn to Delgado.

Carlos Delgado vs David Ortiz

Delgado’s career OPS+ was 138 in about 2,000 games, most of them at first base. David Ortiz played 2,029 games at DH and had a 141 OPS+.

Ortiz averaged 95 runs scored, 36 homers, 119 RBI, and 89 walks per season. Delgado averaged 99 runs, 38 homers, 120 RBI, and 88 walks.

Ortiz’s career OPS was .931, Delgado’s was .929, and they played at almost exactly the same time and mostly in the same league.

Ortiz failed a drug test in 2003, while Delgado’s name has never been linked to PEDs. Ortiz played about 370 more games, but Delgado was in the field for 13,000 more innings. 

Delgado’s career Wins Above Replacement is 44.4. For Ortiz, that figure is 55.

Ortiz was elected to the Hall of Fame the first year his name was on the ballot. Delgado was only given one chance with the voters. There isn’t that big of a difference between the two, other than the postseason. An argument could be made that Delgado was a more valuable player to his teams over his career (in the regular season).

Delgado played in Canada, where he was an All-Star first baseman twice. He played in an era when there were several excellent first basemen in his same league: Rafael Palmeiro, John Olerud, Will Clark, Jason Giambi, Jim Thome, and Ortiz.

In terms of MVP shares, Ortiz was basically twice as popular: 2.95 Career Shares compared to 1.56 for Delgado. Ortiz was flashy, basically played the role of a lovable cartoon character. Delgado was quiet and he played in the postseason only once, later in his career.

Big Papi is rightfully considered one of the best postseason performers in the history of baseball. His postseason slash line is 289/404/543 Delgado actually did better: 351/442/757 in the playoffs, though in about 1/8 as many games. Delgado only had a chance to play 10 postseason games, but he hit four home runs and had 11 RBI.

We have Carlos Delgado rated as the 32nd best first baseman all-time. If Big Papi was ranked as a first baseman instead of at DH, he would rank 39th.

Most Seasons With 100 RBI, Runs, and Walks, First Baseman

Frank Thomas also did it three times as a first baseman, and Albert Pujols only did it three times.

David Ortiz had 100 runs, RBI, and walks in a season three times, though he was designated hitter when he accomplished it.

30+ HR in 10 straight Seasons

The best case for Delgado is his unique career value combined with a tremendous consistent peak. His WAR7 (best seven seasons) and WAR5C (five best consecutive seasons) are comparable to Fred McGriff. You can sort that data on our War Leaders pages.

Does Carlos Delgado deserve a Hall of Fame plaque?

Delgado would be an unusual pick in that he doesn’t have a colorful narrative. He didn’t play in the World Series. He didn’t have great, iconic moments. Usually unless you’re an all-time great, not playing in the postseason much is a hinderance. However, in recent year Ted Simmons and Dick Allen were elected.

Taken on his counting stats and rate numbers like OPS+, Delgado is among the 10-15 top first basemen since 1900. He compares surprisingly favorably to Eddie Murray. He outpaces Tony Perez.

On awards and honors, Delgado is not particularly noteworthy. However, much of that has to do with the crowded era in which he played. Delgado did receive MVP votes in seven different seasons. That’s the same number as Don Mattingly, and one more than Todd Helton.

His career WAR of 44 would be one of the lowest for a Hall of Fame first baseman. It ranks 34th all-time. Given his lack of narrative credentials, Delgado would be a poor choice for the Hall of Fame at this time. There are three first basemen who deserve consideration much more than him: Keith Hernandez, John Olerud, and Will Clark. All of them should be on this ballot before Delgado.

RELATED

Toronto Blue Jays All-Time Team >

Hall of Fame Case for Don Mattingly >