Danny Tartabull

[Cowtipper]

Danny Tartabull played from 1984 to 1997, hitting .273 with 262 home runs and an OPS+ of 133. He hit over 20 home runs seven times, and over 30 home runs three times. He also drove in 100 or more RBI five times.

An All-Star once, Tartabull was never one to lead the league in many categories. In fact, he led the league in slugging in 1991 and that's about it. He did strikeout a lot, so he was on that top ten list a lot.

Statistically, he is similar to no Hall of Famers. The ten players he is similar to are Matt Stairs, Hank Sauer, Jay Buhner, Geoff Jenkins, Pat Burrell, Cliff Floyd, Roger Maris, Richie Sexson, Torii Hunter and Eric Davis. A bunch of greats right there.

In 2003, he received a single vote for the Hall of Fame.

So, what is your opinion on the mighty Danny Tartabull? Is he a "what could have been" kind of case? Should he be in the Hall of Fame?

[Otis Nixon's Bodyguard]

Not only does Danny Tartabull not belong in the HOF, but he's probably one of the worst expansion era players to ever get a HOF vote. Don't get me wrong - he was a fine player during his peak, but he just didn't do near enough over the course of his career to even be on the HOF radar.

[brett]

When KC got him for '87 I was overjoyed. I thought he had more potential than Canseco or Joyner. Maybe the best 5th place ROY season ever?

'87 and '88 showed more promise, and then he started to get injuries. I think he might have used steroids. At least I had some suspicions.

Looked like he was back in '91. A close second to Frank Thomas with a whopping 171 OPS+ but finished 12th in the MVP voting.

Does have a Seinfeld reference.

Actually played 32 games at second base and 24 at SS.

As far as "could have been" well yes. He had a 142 OPS+ through 1000 games.

[SABR Matt]

Tartbaull was a fine, solid all-star caliber hitter, but the missing component is defense:
Yr Lg Off Def O-M D-M Wins
1991 AL 12.62 -0.14 21.7 -1.6 12.48
1987 AL 8.41 0.62 12.6 -0.7 9.03
1988 AL 8.20 0.76 12.6 0.0 8.96
1992 AL 7.89 0.45 12.5 0.0 8.34
1993 AL 6.94 0.26 10.0 -0.1 7.20
1986 AL 5.91 0.92 8.2 0.1 6.83
1989 AL 5.93 0.24 8.6 -0.2 6.17
1996 AL 3.83 1.73 4.2 2.0 5.56
1990 AL 3.68 0.13 5.1 -0.3 3.81
1994 AL 3.45 0.25 3.9 0.2 3.70
1985 AL 1.58 0.16 2.7 0.1 1.74
1995 AL 1.02 0.15 0.0 0.1 1.17

He was a fine hitter, but his ELP is very poor by HOF standards...he's basically all peak bat and no strong tail. And on top of that he was an EXTREMELY poor fielder accruing a grand total of NEGATIVE 0.4 marker points for defense. Yeah...that's not good. If a great defensive outfielder had Tartabull's line (or even a great defensive catcher)...they'd be a lock for the hall. Oh Danny boy...the hall, the hall's not calling.

[RubeBaker]

Statistically, he is similar to no Hall of Famers. The ten players he is similar to are Matt Stairs, Hank Sauer, Jay Buhner, Geoff Jenkins, Pat Burrell, Cliff Floyd, Roger Maris, Richie Sexson, Torii Hunter and Eric Davis. A bunch of greats right there.

I wouldn't call em "greats", but certainly very good for most of them. Between 1986-1988, he certainly looked like he may be. But after that, with the exception of 1991, he was just above average. Just not enough great seasons to be a bonafide candidate.

[Cowtipper]

I wouldn't call em "greats", but certainly very good for most of them. Between 1986-1988, he certainly looked like he may be. But after that, with the exception of 1991, he was just above average. Just not enough great seasons to be a bonafide candidate.

I was being sarcastic with the "greats" comment.

[SABR Matt]

Yeah...I had a feeling that's what you were going for, Cowtipper. :)

Though I have a soft spot i my heart for Bone.

[Otis Nixon's Bodyguard]

If a great defensive outfielder had Tartabull's line (or even a great defensive catcher)...they'd be a lock for the hall. Oh Danny boy...the hall, the hall's not calling.

A great defensive outfielder with a .273/.368/.496 line over 1,400 games would be a lock for the HOF? I don't know about that. That would more or less be Eric Davis. Davis had outstanding speed to boot and he was never a serious candidate. I suppose there's a chance that was a typo and you meant to say infielder...

[dgarza]

Does have a Seinfeld reference.

I don't know about this one. What is the reference?

[BSmile]

I don't know about this one. What is the reference?

It's the "Pledge Drive" episode. Danny has several scenes with George Costanza who's trying to get him to a PBS pledge drive. Great episode...but it doesn't quite make him HOF worthy (to say the least).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Kceo8gMnOI

[SABR Matt]

A great defensive outfielder with a .273/.368/.496 line over 1,400 games would be a lock for the HOF? I don't know about that. That would more or less be Eric Davis. Davis had outstanding speed to boot and he was never a serious candidate. I suppose there's a chance that was a typo and you meant to say infielder...

Eric Davis wasn't a great defensive outfielder, although he had that reputation. And ED would have had a better shot had injuries not wrecked the latter half of his career. When I say great defensive outfielder...I mean Andruw Jones great.

[KCGHOST]

Pretty good offensive player. Treated batted balls as if they were radioactive.

[Fuzzy Bear]

Pretty good offensive player. Treated batted balls as if they were radioactive.

Pretty amazing, considering he came up as a second baseman.

Tartabull got an "attitude rap" early on. Was it unfair? I don't know, but lots of teams thought him more trouble than he was worth.

Tartabull had a higher OWP for his career than Jim Rice; he was Jim Rice in a shorter career. He's a guy who could have been a HOFer if he had been able to hang in and amass counting stats. He was done as a quality regular after age 31; that's not HOF-ability retention, to say the least.