PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It will not be a true Baseball Hall of Fame in until Dave Parker is inducted into it.
It’s that simple.
As fans get bobbleheads of the Pirates great on May 25, it’s a reminder that Parker, somehow, isn’t in that group.
Before it was cool to use the term five-tool player, Dave Parker was the picture of it. Like previous Pirates right fielder Roberto Clemente, Parker could do it all. He had the strongest arm in the game showcased at the 1979 All-Star Game when he threw a laser from right field and nailed Brian Downing at the plate. He won three Gold Gloves and three Silver Sluggers.
At 6’5”, 230 pounds he stole 154 bases in his career with back-to-back 20-steal seasons in 1978 and 1979. He twice led the majors in batting average, hitting over .300 for five straight seasons. Parker led the majors in doubles twice and hit over 20 home runs in a season nine times. He won the Home Run Derby in 1985.
Nine times Parker was top 20 in voting for the MVP, five times in the top five and he won the award with the Pirates in 1978 batting .334 with 32 doubles, 12 triples, 30 home runs, 117 RBI, 20 stolen bases, .394 on-base, led the majors with a .585 slugging percentage and .979 OPS.
Between 1975 and 1980, no player instilled more fear than David Gene Parker, to prove that he was walked intentionally walked 50 times from 1977-79.
The career numbers-.290/.339/.810, 1272 runs, 2712 hits, 526 doubles, 75 triples, 339 home runs, 1493 RBI, 154 stolen bases, 143 assists (26 in 1976).
If your argument is that he is 107th in career home runs or some other career rankings, do this. Go online, watch highlights and honestly tell me if any of the following Hall of Famers are better than Dave Parker?
· Scott Rolen
· Fred McGriff
· Todd Helton
· Harold Baines
· Alan Trammell
Those are just recent additions. It’s not to demean their inclusion, but if they are good enough to be in, why not Parker?
Dave Parker is one of the greatest of all-time, why does he not have a bust in Cooperstown, New York?