How Andruw Jones Played Himself OUT of the Hall of Fame

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Andruw Jones was a human highlight reel during his time in Major League Baseball. As a member of the Atlanta Braves dynasty of the 1990s, Jones was an all-time great center fielder, set home run records, and made World Series history. In fact, it's possible he was better in the field than any other player in MLB history, beating out legends like Ken Griffey Jr., Mickey Mantle, and Willie Mays. So why isn't he in the Hall of Fame alongside them?
In this video, we'll take a look at how Andruw Jones played himself into, and then back out of, the Baseball Hall of Fame. Along the way, we'll also explore Albert Pujols' HOF chances, analyze the legitimacy of defensive statistics, and get to know top prospect Druw Jones on his road the show in 2022.
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SOCIAL MEDIA
Twitter: @BaseballHSTRN
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BUSINESS INQUIRIES
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SOURCES
Baseball Reference
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www.sbnation.com/2013/6/6/439...
www.billjamesonline.com/andru...
www.washingtonpost.com/news/e...
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MUSIC
"Binaural Schumann Alpha - Mermaids' Dance"
"burlesque"
"Divertimento In F Major, K. 138 'Salzburg Symphony No. 3': III. Presto"
"Don Giovanni Minuet"
"String Quarter No. 8 in F Major, K. 168: I. Allegro"
"String Quarter, Op. 41 No. 3 in A: IV. Andante Espressivo - Finale - Allegro Molto Vivace"
"Swan Lake Dance of the Little Swans Act IV"
"The Four Seasons: Violin Concerto in G Minor, TV 315, 'Summer': I. Allegro non molto"
"Venetian Gondola Song"
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TIMESTAMPS
0:00​ - 2:36 The Fall of Prince Albert
2:37 - 3:17 SeatGeek
3:18 - 8:22 The Hall of Fame Case
8:23 - 11:53 The Decline
11:54 - 15:08 dWAR (What Is It Good For?)
15:09 - 18:04 Will He Make It?
18:05 - 19:33 In the Meantime

[@stevendeckert6373]

He should get in, and I think he will. The greatest defensive centerfielder of all time also hit 434 career homers. No PED suspicion. Well-liked during his playing days.

[@stevendeckert6373]

@MRwiththa how are you measuring that though? That was the point of the video. 10 gold gloves? Not perfect. Dwar? Total zone? Eye test? You can certainly make a good argument for Mays or Jones.

[@NDTexan]

Judging the best fielder by antiquated statistics like put outs and assists does not actually take into account proper defensive metrics at all. That's like saying Fielding percentage is King

[@robertmorlet793]

Ken Griffey Jr. begs to differ….

[@cebolla1449]

@@robertmorlet793 Griffey completely fell apart defensively in the 2000’s due to his injuries. If you’re only counting the first half of his career then I could definitely see a case, but you can’t just ignore his time in Cincinnati And even if you’re comparing peaks defensively, Jones was still better. From 1997-2007 he collected >220 TZ and >26 dWAR while Griffey picked up 11 dWAR and 68 TZ

[@NDTexan]

Put Jones's 10-year period in Atlanta up against griffey's prime years in Seattle and defensively Jones wins with every single advanced metric. That's not a knock on Griffey Jr by the way. Jones was that good with a glove. Cebolla nailed it. Claiming a ped suspicion that there never was anything even close to a tangible suspicion of is dumb because just saying he hit a lot of home runs one year and then suddenly stopped hitting them can be applied to a ton of players who also never had a suspicion. Willie Mays was of course a better overall player and no one is arguing that but defensive metrics is what we're talking here and yes Jones has better numbers than Willie when you look at proper metrics.

[@allenwoodall1162]

He should get in. I watched most of his games every year growing up and I remember thinking "he's gonna make 15-20 unbelievable catches every year!" Bobby cox even said that even if he couldn't hit he'd played him every day cos he's gonna save at least 1 run every game

[@AquaticIvy]

This channel is a hidden treasure. No BS, excellent writing, great choice of music, and relaxing narration.

[@juliebraden6911]

No annoying audio cuts either.

[@laurabenitez1936]

Andruw Jones really catapulted baseball to new heights here on the island of Curaçao. It's because of him we have players like Ozzie Albies. Andruw Jones really was the hero of all kids in Curaçao back in time 🇨🇼🇨🇼🇨🇼🇨🇼🇨🇼🇨🇼

[@PYahWeh]

Kenley Jensen as well💪🏽

[@michaeldoran4367]

Androo Jones. Andruw. Andrew. Androu Jones

[@GamingGalore64]

Andruw Jones should absolutely get in. I think the fact that he accomplished so much by age 30 should be enough to get him in regardless of what he did afterwards. Not to mention, Jones is one of only 4 players to hit 50 home runs in a season AND win a gold glove.

[@greencat1849]

Fr

[@GHOST91141]

Facts

[@doc8013]

Wow, great stat that I hadn't heard before. That's some limited company. You know who the other 3 were?

[@GamingGalore64]

@@doc8013 A Rod, Ken Griffey Jr, and Mickey Mantle.

[@doc8013]

@@GamingGalore64 talk about impressive company.

[@scottl9984]

I watched him so much in the 90’s, he not only had the quickness and speed in the outfield but he was one of the top guys to read balls off the bat. This led him to make many tough plays look easy. The seemingly impossible plays he would make possible and save the Braves from huge innings if not saving the game outright. Definitely deserves a spot I think.

[@brianperry4754]

Joe D was the master at reading the ball off the bat. When Joe was in CF, he made everything look easy. Very similar to Andruw Jones. (No, I am not placing Jones in Joe D territory, but if you watch how he played, it was just smooth)

[@doc8013]

@@brianperry4754 Andruw was a much better defensive player than Joe D.

[@100popsongs]

Then he started getting fat around the same time he became an all or nothing power hitter hmm

[@AT-dx9pf]

The lack of flashiness made players like Edmonds look at times as good as Andruw but Andruw was routinely getting to balls on his feet that Edmonds had to dive for. Look at the defensive stats. Compare them as an example of how people's eyes were lying to them back then. He was essentially twice as valuable defensively as any other player at any position for a decade. Not to mention he was no doubt a better hitter than 90% of big leaguers. He is definitely getting in

[@SoCalifornia]

400+ Home runs 10 gold gloves NUFF SAID he should've been first ballot

[@treygray2817]

Andruw Jones ate his way out of the HoF. He would easily be an 80+ career WAR player if he'd stayed disciplined. He's still the greatest defensive CF of all time.

[@Brett733]

lol. you're probably right about that.

[@tylerpitman2339]

GRIFFEY is the greatest Def CF

[@treygray2817]

@@tylerpitman2339 I don't think he's even top 20

[@tylerpitman2339]

@@treygray2817 u on drugs??

[@trey2325]

@@tylerpitman2339 defense isn't when you're at bat that's offense

[@jasonkeenan4154]

When you spend that chunk of time as one of the most feared hitters in the league, and simultaneously one of the best defensive outfielders ever, you should be in Cooperstown. Let him in.

[@ethanniedorowski116]

He wasn't the most feared hitters dude I'm sorry he was a guess hitter With some pop

[@doc8013]

@@ethanniedorowski116 he hit 50 homers with almost 130 RBIs while hitting close to .300 for most of the season in the earlys 00s. He was ABSOLUTELY one of the most feared hitters in the league so you just don't know what you're speaking on lol. He would've won MVP that year if it wasn't for a mini slump to close out the season.

[@ethanniedorowski116]

@@doc8013 ya I watched him play so actually I do ..idk me an the people that do know seem to say no so idk

[@doc8013]

@@ethanniedorowski116 well, I literally just gave you FACTS that completely shred your argument. So, do I trust the eyeballs of someone who claimed to have "watched him play" or do I trust cold, hard facts and numbers? I mean, you're just shamefully and pitifully wrong.

[@ethanniedorowski116]

@@doc8013 is he in the hof? Oh He isn't what % did he get for votes ? He was a . 254 hitter total guess hitter an look at those braves teams in 2004 an 2005 He wasn't even best guy on his team.. Good player hall of very good... but he is Jim Edmonds just with a better glove an not as good of a bat. . You talk about those w years like thats how he hit his whole career not the case... you ovb just love the play ... chipper got in for a reason Maddox got in no issues huh wonder why ..... An I wonder why nobody wanted to vote Jones in?? Maybe he was a steroids player who hit hrs in small park an played that small park well on d dude was a player an I'd love to have him be my center fielder but he wasn't Griffey or a hof he hit 280 twice once when he hot 301 somehow an then when he went to LA when he hit scale

[@defcrew7435]

Yes to Andruw in the HOF. We became numb to his fielding greatness. The trio of HOF pitchers--Maddux, Smoltz and Glavine--well know he snuffed out plenty a hit with his glove. Saw him play A ball in Columbus, GA. He hit one out of center that's probably still going.

[@lunarumbreon7699]

This may be a dumb take but, I think if you’re the greatest ever at something you deserve a hall of fame spot. Greatest defender at your position ever? Yes. Greatest bunter ever? Sure. Is this a dumb take? Probably. But I’ll stand by it

[@sil-80nick]

How about dubious records? (Hint: yes) Strikeouts: HoF (Reggie Jackson) Most interceptions: HoF (Brett Favre) Most missed shots NBA: HoF (Kobe)

[@lunarumbreon7699]

@@sil-80nick to be fair in order to have the most of any of these you have to pretty damn good at other things to stick around that long

[@sil-80nick]

@@lunarumbreon7699 I know, I was being silly with my post. That was my whole point. Even if someone is the "worst" at doing something as measured by most "failures", you're still likely to be in the hall of fame. And to your point, while Reggie Jackson has the most strikeouts, there are a million guys who hit less than .200 with fewer strikeouts will never sniff the hall of fame. So fewer strikeouts doesn't automatically make those players "better" than RJ.

[@lunarumbreon7699]

@@sil-80nick yeah that was my point. If you’re the number 1 in those sorts of stats you have to be good in order to stay around long enough to pull that off

[@tanakid777]

This reminds me of my take on Devin Hester in football. Greatest return man in history,and therefore should be in imo

[@matanberman]

I used to love Andruw Jones when he was in Atlanta. Always brought some flash to the game, whether it was diving catches, robbing homers, or even just the way he used to throw the ball back to the infield.

[@rooney_vr]

My all time favorite player, was a thrill to watch him everyday as a kid

[@MrMpwood12]

Same! Outside of probably Maddux, Andruw was probably the best Braves player in the 90s. Too bad he never won a World Series with all the talent around him.

[@BaseballisEverything]

Andruw Jones still deserves a Hall of Fame Spot.

[@bradhorowitz2765]

No he didn’t I have to disagree. As the video points out-Jones collapses as a player-unprecedented. It didn’t seem right to honor a a player who gave up. Also his domestic violence arrest should already make him a “no-vote.”

[@BaseballisEverything]

​@@bradhorowitz2765 You are the same type of person who thinks Barry Bonds doesn't belong in the hall of fame.

[@thomassmith7214]

@@BaseballisEverything if Bonds isnt in the HOF, Andruw certainly doesnt belong. Bonds had way better numbers than Andruw BEFORE he started using roids.

[@dramatyst5661]

Fred McGriff anyone????

[@i.theworstguys298]

@@bradhorowitz2765 There are countless abusers, racists, and dopers in the HOF. I mean what the hell are guys like Cap Anson and Tom Yawkey doing in the Hall if that’s the case? It’s never been about character or integrity. So it’s either none of those guys should be in or all of them should be.

[@fredball4894]

Never forgot him making a fancy over-the-shoulder basket catch in Boston to end the game and get reliever John Smoltz out of a major gases loaded jam. He caught it in the deepest corner of the Fenway Park outfield amidst screaming fans who thought they were seeing either a grand slam or a bases-loaded triple. It was breath-taking in it's quick fluidity, and Jones just smiled at the fans and quickly flipped the ball up to them. Pure hotdoging, but pure skill and talent. As a Braves fan I was terrified we'd blown it but that catch by Andruw saved the day and the game.

[@jayadams5444]

The most underrated baseball players in history. Chipper was great, sold alot of tickets. But Andruw was always the better player

[@bauerj3398]

Uhhhh, no, not the most underrated in history.

[@atlduvy4580]

I think about it this way, his prime ended at a much earlier time than most hof contenders, but during that time, he missed very few games and made his mlb debut at a young age, so really, his prime was still pretty long and also pretty great.

[@doc8013]

Dude came up as a 19 year old and was great right away. That gets overlooked by those folks saying his prime wasn't long enough.

[@gerardcuriel7880]

I think he loved the braves so much that when he got traded to another team he fell apart

[@AngryitNerd]

andruw was much older than anyone suspected when he joined the braves. he was not 19 he was already 24-25 when he joined atlanta..

[@robertespenschied8339]

Good call. Same with Pujols and quite a few others.

[@tgproductions97]

I love how many players from my childhood have their sons being drafted now. Druw Jones is gonna be fun to watch

[@SmoothCriminal12]

If Ozzie Smith can get into the HOF solely on his defense and in spite of his anemic offense, I see no reason Jones won't with his pretty good offense and being at minimum a top 3 defensive center fielder in history. If there's a year to gain ground, 2023 will be the year.

[@brandonlesco8738]

Ozzie's offense gets a bad rap. Not hitting for power and being an "anemic" hitter are too easily conflated in the 21st century. Ozzie had plenty of extra base hits and stole 580 bases. He also walked 2x as often as he struck out. And as incredible as Jones' defense was, Ozzie was even more remarkable. Their offensive careers are a relative wash for me.

[@dramatyst5661]

It's a crime dog that Fred McGriff ain't in the hall of fame

[@SmoothCriminal12]

@@brandonlesco8738 Ok sayimg anemic was probably a bit unfair. However, he only had four seasons with an OPS + above 100 and mainly stayed in the 80s. Also doesn't take a good hitter to steal that many bases (Look at Vince Coleman/Billy Hamilton). Overall, I do think Ozzie is a hall of fame player, but by that logic, so should guys like Vizquel and Jones.

[@frozentspark2105]

This is Andrew Jones we're talking about so yes he's a HOF'er

[@DaR3b3L]

Great closing in the end, Chipper was like a big bro to Andruw you can tell the Braves bond in the 90s was unbreakable.

[@doc8013]

Chipper was still a baby at that point too.

[@Imugi007]

I grew up on the mid to late 90s Braves and Jones was my second favorite player on those teams behind Chipper. Those teams were amazing and Jones was the defensive backbone of those team. He deserves a spot in Cooperstown.

[@bronsonbamnallen1633]

I definitely think he should be a Hall of Famer. A decade of brilliance is worthy, no matter how bad the rest of the career was. He was considered “Really Good” for a longer period of his career than he was considered “really bad.” As a kid growing up, Andruw Jones passed the eye test to me.

[@CalebsCards]

You always make some great videos, provoking a good discussion. Hopefully he gets in someday.

[@BaseballAF]

man, andruw jones was such a good player I'd like to see him in the Hall out of principle, not because he accumulated statistics. that's my dumb take lol

[@rickybobbysdriver555]

Randomly came upon this video. I grew up a braves fan and my favorite player was Jones. He wasn't a great hitter but was one of the greatest outfielders ever. He should get in.

[@ethanniedorowski116]

He shouldn't but thank you for not saying he was great hitter cuse he wasn't.... but damn could he run down a ball maybe as well as anyone but mays

[@doc8013]

I prolly wouldn't say he was a great hitter but It takes greatness to hit almost 450 homers in that short of a span. He wasn't Chipper-level great at the plate but he was great in his own right. You have to have a special bat to hit that many HRs in the bigs.

[@Wallyworld30]

The girl I was dating from 1999 to 2001 and her mother were both HUGE Atlanta Braves fans. I'd quit watching MLB in 1995 after my Brew Crew fell apart but I must admit Braves had a badass team in Early 2000's. Chipper, Andruw and Javy Lopez batting plus Greg Maddox had an OBP over 50% in back to back years while hitting 2HR's. Not to mention one of the best pitching staffs of all time!

[@fullofskit646]

Jones will get in by the Veterans Committee. The VC is a bit more forgiving than the BBWAA. Rolen and Kent deserve to be in the HOF.

[@josephvanhorn5347]

Rolen should be in before Kent. One was an elite defender and the other was just okay.

[@rlsfrny]

Rolen will get in this year or next, not by the Vets Committee.

[@damonke79]

Rolen is overrated as hell. Never understood the argument for him. I saw him play a lot. Great defender but was never feared as a hitter. Only got MVP votes in four seasons. Barely over 2000 hits and only 316 homeruns...

[@joshuascott3428]

@@damonke79 but 300 home runs at 3rd base is allot

[@fullofskit646]

@@josephvanhorn5347 Kent wasn’t great defensively. He does have a higher career OPS than Ryne Sandberg while playing half his games in much less hitter friendly parks. Kent was disliked by teammates and the press and that hurts him in the voting.

[@BlondeMcGuinn]

Wow, I grew up a Braves fan as their games were on TBS and I loved Jones, especially his work in centerfield. I must have completely lost track of him after he left the Braves because I had no idea he fell off a cliff. 97% of his WAR before 30 years of age? God Almighty.

[@BigSky71]

Same

[@billymuellerTikTok]

I'd rather put Andruw Jones, Don Mattingly, Fred McGriff and other "borderline HOF" in who could have easily gotten the HOF numbers if they cheated than the guys like Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire who got those numbers but cheated to get there and the guys like Arod, Ortiz and Bonds who would have gotten in without cheating but cheated anyway.

[@YOSSARIAN313]

Hard to say with arod. He'd been juicing since he was 15. He likely wouldn't have been the #1 pick out of hs if he wasn't on steroids. He'd likely have had to play college ball til he built up his body. Quite a butterfly effect.

[@jeffha4057]

I really appreciate how high-quality your videos are. Great job.

[@aNG_HAM]

Such a great video! I’m a Braves fan and this insight is phenomenal

[@roddybrito756]

You have so much grace while informing us with the history of the game we love.

[@SconnerStudios]

It's a disgrace that he's not in the hall right now. The argument should have been about whether he's a first-ballot hall of famer, not IF he's a hall of famer.

[@josephvanhorn5347]

Don't think you realize what a first ballot HoF resume looks like. That ain't it.

[@cityhawk]

@@josephvanhorn5347 Thank goodness fans don't have a say in Cooperstown or else everyone with a pulse would be in the Hall.

[@josephvanhorn5347]

@@cityhawk Amen. Roughly 1.5 percent of MLB players have ended up in the HoF. Even less so for position players. The bar is sky high. You want to see a first ballot resume? Clayton Kershaw has one. Mike Trout has another. Albert Pujols is a lock, too. In other words, you need to be the best pitcher or player in baseball for YEARS. On average there should be somewhere between 10-15 future HoF players in the big leagues at any given moment and most of THEM won't get in right away. I don't think most fans, even people who love the game, realize how hard it is to make it to Cooperstown.

[@cityhawk]

@@josephvanhorn5347 It’s because fans get attached to a team or player, and they overlook some of their flaws for the good they’ve done. Andruw Jones was a very good player…before age 30. After age 30, he was just another ball player. Dale Murphy was like that as well. Towards the late 80s to early 90s, he was a shell of what he was during his MVP seasons. His drop off was jaw dropping. While I see why fans want to see him in the Hall, the latter part of his career show otherwise. If he kept it up, he would have been in. That’s why it’s so tough to get into Cooperstown. It’s not the excellence, but the consistency. The one player I make a strong case for that meets that standard is Lou Whitaker. One of the best infielders in the game for about 15 seasons. It wasn’t just his bat, but his glove as well. Even though I’m not a Tigers fan, I’d love to see him in the Hall.

[@josephvanhorn5347]

@@cityhawk Yeah you have to be really good for a really long time. Unless you're SO dominant that there's no way to ignore it like Koufax but that almost never happens.

[@joshx413]

Was just thinking "when's a new baseball historian video going to drop" and here you go!!👍🏼🙏🏼

[@zkomins]

Great breakdown. I never realized how amazing Andruw was before 30 nor how bad he was after

[@marinewillis1202]

As an Atlanta fan and native he was truly the real life Pedro Cerano from the movie Major League. He couldnt hit anything that broke to save his life. But he was a monster at CF and he was going to give you at least 30 bombs a year. His ease at making insane catches look routine numbed you to players with that gift. I remember calling him "cheeseburger" towards the end of his run here. He literally gained a ton of weight.

[@jasonkeenan4154]

This video and the Nolan Ryan video are among your best work. Keep it up.

[@tp3480]

AJ should be in. Anyone who watched him play every day in the 90s knows that he earned his spot. He was a defensive beast and a power/speed combination like few in MLB. He also came through on the biggest stage, like the World Series in Yankee stadium at 20 years old with 2 Homers. His health just fell apart at age 30.

[@ronniecrownover7109]

His reads set him apart. As soon as you hear the crack of the bat he was full speed to the landing spot. While most guys took a second to get a read on the ball and would have to sprint to recover and make a diving catch, Andrew would get such a great jump he would beat the ball to its spot and catch it with ease.

[@delundonspearman9251]

Andruw Jones, Chipper Jones, big cat, plus that pitching Maddux Glavine, smoltz even John rocker the braves where littttttt

[@johnjacobjingle7177]

I sure did love the Jones boys way back..Greatest centerfielder ever. He smashed back in the day too.. I hope he makes it

[@joshw9424]

This was a great video with a lot of great history/analysis and I appreciated the comparisons. My opinion of Andruw has gone back & forth over the years. A few years ago, I probably would've said No to Andruw's HoF case. But the more I think about it (or the older I get), I tend to give him the benefit of the doubt and would like to see him eventually make it in. Also a potential subject for a new video, will Carlos Beltran's involvement in the Astros sign-stealing scandal hurt his HoF chances? His HoF trajectory might be interesting to watch, too..

[@M7Adventures]

Love the videos

[@zitofan4life]

I also think Delgado should get in as well. He was a hitting machine

[@treywilliams5400]

I grew up a Braves fan & really started watching them in the late 80’s. Andruw Jones is my childhood. And he is also my favorite player of all time!!

[@qfmarsh64]

Also, a BH video that checks both Foolish and Jon Bois is getting us one step closer to an "Avengers"-style Ultimate Collabo and I am entirely here for it.

[@adrianbautista2308]

"Along Came Seat Geek" my favorite my 2000s romcom

[@Precomo97]

That Jeter drivebye is hilarious lmaooo

[@i.theworstguys298]

caught a mean stray man 💀

[@kaleloz2868]

Andruw was a monster and at one point the youngest to hit a Home Run in the World Series.

[@mozzie22]

Please do a video on why Ozzie Smith was drastically better at fielding than Omar Vizquel. It's been written about but I'd love your take.

[@alwillk]

Vizquel was a better offensive player.

[@kaegerator]

@@alwillk he wasnt GOOD tho

[@mozzie22]

For years people would say, "Ozzie Smith is in the HOF so Vizquel should as well." But, a deep dive shows how superior Ozzie was defensively.

[@EnjoySackLunch]

@@mozzie22 also, Ozzie never sexually assaulted anyone that we know of

[@alwillk]

@kaegator Ozzie smith was the most over rated player I ever saw and is solely in because of his glove.

[@jimc.goodfellas226]

Some of the best moments in baseball that I saw live involved Andruw Jones.. I saw him hit homeruns twice to the railroad tracks at Watt Powell Park in Charleston WV when he was in the minors ..then in 2000 I saw him in Atlanta rob a homerun that was definitely going over the wall and get a walkoff hit..may have been '99

[@BaseballHistorian]

CORRECTION: Barry Bonds has 762 career home runs, not 756 (Thanks to @WhatHappenedtoBaseball? for pointing out the error).

[@GHOST91141]

I'm a Braves fan since the early 90s I say let him in the Hall of Fame he was that good

[@willklepko762]

Throwing you a like because the dWAR chapter name made me laugh out loud, great effort

[@Nuschler22]

Well done video.

[@lonniemontgomery6867]

I got an Andruw Jone foul ball in 2005 I think. It was against the Mets in Atlanta. Only ball I have ever been close to getting. I hope he makes the HOF.

[@electropneumatic]

As a Cards fan who watched the Braves kill the 90s: Jones should be in the Hall. That team was so cool to watch.

[@jaimainelee3609]

My favorite player growing up. Best CFer I’ve ever seen, everything he did on offense was a bonus. He should be in the HOF.

[@AT-dx9pf]

He is definitely getting in. The problem was back then few were aware of the def. metrics. Players like Edmonds were considered to be at least nearly as good as Jones when in reality Jones was probably 4x more valuable defensively. That said Edmonds is a HOFer too. Look up the stats. Andruw would catch balls with time to spare that Edmonds would make cool dives for. They both made some truly great plays tho. Andruw had the quickest reactions ever. He would be running before the ball was even hit almost every play. He knew his staff so well. Playing with the same pitchers so long helped but it was far more than that. He played so shallow that he caught so many more balls than other players. He wasn't scared of an extra base hit. He was very smart

[@juliebraden6911]

I can't even hear the name Andruw Jones without thinking about that game against the Cubs when he pulled up short on a fly ball and Bobby Cox jerked him out of the game so fast his cap was left spinning mid air at the spot where he once stood.

[@jdpulimusic]

He should get in. His defense from 1996-2007 was legendary. And oh yeah he had some pop with his bat with over 400 HR’s

[@mychalson_bot5994]

He made everything look effortless. Idk how else to explain it lol with such ease the man caught anyball that came too him lol

[@chazdomingo475]

I feel like you alluded to Andruw's range and glove as the reason he was such a great CF. Don't get me wrong, he had those abilities, but what set Andruw apart was his arm. It was a laser cannon. Probably the best arm that has ever played CF. He would gun people out at home with regularity which is something you almost never see from a CF these days.

[@JackpotToys]

All these ‘advanced stats’ like war drive me crazy. I watched Jones and he deserves it, hands down. Not everyone with a decline does but he was someone I made an effort to watch, and being in the Boston market wasn’t always easy. His defensive play was so fun to watch along with Edmonds.

[@NDTexan]

Judging an entire Hall of Fame resume based on a downturn in the final seasons is the dumbest thing I've ever heard because most players play poorly in their final seasons. Going out on top is more of a rarity than anything else. His defensive numbers alone for that stretch in Atlanta should get him in. Statistically speaking the best Fielding center fielder of all time in that stretch. Then you add the offensive production. If his decade or so of absolute dominance had happened in New York or LA there wouldn't be a discussion and he'd already be in. Baseball writers are stupid and they always have been and they always will be and they really shouldn't have as much control over these things

[@matthewbolin9646]

But don’t you see, the hall of Fame is not for “most players”. It’s for the cream of the crop. The top couple of percent. If you have a 20 year career with a WAR slightly negative for the last couple of years, that’s different than Jones, who pretty much dropped off a cliff after age 30.

[@NDTexan]

Precisely how is "statistically the best center fielder possibly to ever field the position" not cream of the crop? How are guys like Harold baines in and considered cream of the crop?

[@matthewbolin9646]

@@NDTexan Baines shouldn’t be in either. But it doesn’t change the fact that the last third of Jones’s career (5 years) he was a horrible player and even had a -2.1 defensive WAR over that period. That is a LONG time for a player to be below replacement level in his career and make the Hall.

[@NDTexan]

So five baseball seasons that truly only amount to about two and a half actual full seasons because of the amount of games he actually played (due to injury), that still didn't even dent his defensive numbers enough to take him out of consideration as greatest Fielding center fielder of all time, are enough to take away from an entire Hall of Fame career? Fun fact as not great as his offensive numbers were those last five partial seasons he still generated enough offensive WAR to end up positive WAR overall even in those five years. His numbers during his peak years (JAWS, wRC+, WAR, etc.) Are all well above accepted levels for Hall of famers at the same position for their peak years. And that's going over a 7-year span and doesn't even include the remainder of his decade of absolute dominance. Almost like everything wasn't as abysmal as people claim.

[@alexsweet8585]

Between him and Dale Murphy, playing CF in Atlanta must be the kiss of death with the voters.

[@paulnettles9109]

Andruw started getting significant playing time at 18 years old and did great things. He is still the youngest player to hit a homerun in a WS and the youngest to hit multiple homeruns in a WS game. His body deteriorated prematurely because played centerfield with reckless abandon, seemingly laying out for a great catch nightly to the point where highlights became routine. He has a 10 year window were he was unquestionably, the best centerfielder in baseball both hitting and fielding. There are several HOFers that fell apart in their early 30's after killing it in their 20's.

[@ericdraven7857]

The problem is that there have been a string of recent players who have gotten in that shouldn’t have. Halladay got in because he died. Alan Trammell, Tim Raines are the 3 off the top of my head. Can’t say trammell and Raines should be in without Murphy and/or A. Jones.

[@damonke79]

Raines definitely deserved to be in. Trammell? No. Baines? Hell no

[@allstarr9tc]

What's the argument against Halladay?

[@damonke79]

@@allstarr9tc Halladay was deserving. I had no problem with it whatsoever. I know you were asking the other guy but there's my two cents

[@bnegs521]

He should get in. He was one of the best defensive center fielders ever to play

[@kevo3985]

Andruw was my favorite player growing up I loved the braves and Andruw

[@redowlranchairfield5994]

I saw both Jones and Mays play. Jones is BY FAR the superior fielder. Now Mays was a great man. I saw him deal with evil with grace and elegance several times and will tell anyone he was a great person. But Jones' fielding was vastly superior. He had so much more range and was willing to throw himself into the effort much more freely - and successfully than Mays. I think the fielding stat being twice Mays' is probably about right. That being said he ain't gettin' in. He was never outspoken enough. He never received much media attention and when he did he was always understated and reserved. His personality will keep him out.

[@eyrejordancards]

One of the best players I’ve ever watched. He deserves a spot in the hall.

[@itinerantpatriot1196]

I think he will make it. It's sad to think he almost got screwed on the first go-round like Lou Whitaker. Lou still can't crack the club, even with the veterans committee, which is a shame. With Bonds and Clemens out of the way that should add votes to his plate. Those guys are kept out for the right reasons IMO. Schilling is getting the shaft because the writers don't like his politics, which is a load of crap. But that's me.

[@rlsfrny]

Lou Whitaker will get in on the next go-round.

[@bobbyverdin7915]

Agree with the take on Schill. He should be in as well.

[@itinerantpatriot1196]

@@rlsfrny I hope so. The Tigers are doing the right thing and retiring his number this August, even though the typical standard for that is election to the HOF. I will be at that ceremony. He really should have gone in with Alan Trammell, his partner at short for 19 seasons, the longest running double-play combination in the history of the game. Again, here's hoping you are correct.

[@itinerantpatriot1196]

@@bobbyverdin7915 I read a column from a voter who all but came out and admitted in print that he wouldn't vote for him because he didn't like his politics, referring to him as a knuckle-dragger. I wonder if he would have had the stones to say the same thing about someone on the other side of the political spectrum? Something tells me the answer to that is a resounding no. The reason, that sort of name-calling against someone on the other side of the political aisle would have been a fireable offense in today's newsrooms. Too bad because Curt Schilling certainly has the numbers. I get the feeling the veterans committee will right that injustice.

[@dylanhobbs6249]

I completely despise Schilling but I don't understand how you keep him out of the HOF

[@bigjax731]

Good stuff

[@dwaynehoward240]

Ice watched soo many baseball games it make my head hurt with all the memories.. but this is the best sport too me. 9 men come up and then repeat over and over.. some greath athletes have come and gone... Injuries, scandals,hof kicked out, i hope most players get in the hall but not just anybody!!!

[@one7deep7savage7]

I remember when the Braves had Andruw Jones, Chipper Jones, Greg Maddux and Tom Glavin they were consistently at the top of the N.L

[@HuskerNinja]

My only problem with the "he fell off at 30" narrative is that it conveniently leaves out he was in the majors earlier than most people at 19 years old. To me, if you're the best defensive center fielder for a full decade (and a pretty good power hitter to boot), it shouldn't matter whether those 10 years were from 19-29 or 25-35. It's still the same length of a peak.

[@bauerj3398]

I really don't think the suggested view is that he shouldn't be in the Hall because of falling off at 30. I think it is more of an observation of that is what happened. Playing so many mediocre/bad years tends to blur his peak.

[@ericacavender35]

Totally agree with Steven. Been watching and following MLB since 1971. Andrew Jones is without question the best center fielder I have ever saw. On defense alone he should b in the HOF. Ask people who played with him or against him c what they say.

[@clifton4566]

I might've missed Jesus' sermon on the mount, the renaissance, and the moon landing, but at least I got to see that era of Braves baseball.

[@ashwitmoro]

Wow, Andruw Jones Jr. looks and sounds like such a humble kid.

[@crystalp7242]

You do make a pretty good case for why Andruw Jones should be in the Hall. I like to track balloting numbers from year to year (especially of those who may have a good chance of getting in). I haven’t taken a look at Jones’ percentages yet, but your analysis looks promising. I think Scott Rolen (just based on his balloting percentages) has the best chance of getting in, either next year or in 2024. The only potential first ballot candidate I see for 2023 is probably Carlos Beltrán. Being that my dad is a lifelong Braves fan and watched a lot of Braves baseball in the ‘90s (when TBS was airing their games nationally), I’d love to see Andruw Jones get in.

[@josephvanhorn5347]

He WOULD be a slam dunk if he did ANYTHING during his 30's. Jones has a slight problem in that Jim Edmonds didn't even stay on the ballot and arguably has a better resume.

[@robertespenschied8339]

Edmonds not even staying on the ballot but Alan Trammel and Harold Baines getting in destroyed my faith in the voting for the HOF. It's almost as bad as the rock n roll hall of fame.

[@bradleysanford7929]

Greg Maddox always said of Andruw Jones, "He shaves a run off my ERA every year." Enough said.

[@philobeddoe8342]

I never thought I was watching a HoFer when I was watching him play.

[@kings-wf2lj]

It's situations like this that make me think the HoF induction process should be different(assuming he doesn't get in). One of the best if not the best defensive CF of all time. I personally think he's the best at defense. Also in the roid Era he was clean as a whistle(barring the 50HR season) as his decline at 30ish proves even more. Andrew should be in, no questions asked .

[@TendedTadpole2]

It's truly a shame that our American education system never even MENTIONED Andruw Jones. I'm glad great Historians such as yourself are keeping History alive

[@lochnessmonster5149]

Andrew Jones has 50 more defensive runs saved than 2nd place. You know who's 2nd place? Willie Fucking Mays. Willie played about 900 more games than Jones too. Jones was the best outfielder in the 146 year history of Major League Baseball.

[@joshuapatrick682]

If old Bud Selig gets a Cooperstown plaque then why not the best slugger of all time and one of the best pitchers of all time? Selig knew about and profited from the rampant use of PEDs. So why does he get a pass?

[@andrewrobertson179]

Deserved HOFer…he did not play himself out of it. He never gave up, his defense was astounding and his offense was perfect. Find me a player who won that many gold gloves in a row who isn’t in the hall.

[@MrMpwood12]

I’m a 90s baby from Georgia. Some of my best childhood moments were of Andruw Jones roaming center field and hitting home runs. Too bad the Braves never won a World Series with him and he had such a steep decline.

[@erikgrimmcard2392]

He should make it in the end. He was so good in CF. 10 gold gloves... 10

[@stevengraham3138]

He was so good for so long and his team won every year. Lots of players in history fell off after thirty injuries weight biology things change at diff rates for different people and reasons

[@personreanimation]

God I loved Andruw J. He was so solid, so consistent, and so friendly.

[@unkledoda420]

The HOF has snubbed so many modern center fielders. Andruw Jones, Torii Hunter, Carlos Beltran, Jim Edmonds, Dale Murphy, Kenny Lofton, (im sure there's a few forgetting) all of them belong in the HOF. Look at some of the old timers, there's plenty of guys who are in the HOF that had great first halves of their career but fell off massively in their early 30's.

[@matsalvatore9074]

He was the best outfielder ive ever seen, been watching 25 years. Also a great home run hitter. I think the only better complete outfielder ive seen is Mike Trout and Junior Griffey. For me Alex Rodriquez and Andruw Jones were very similar. One did it clean

[@tomrwills]

I appreciate the shot at Jeter here.

[@PYahWeh]

All I’m saying is - Joe Mauer is going to be in the HoF as a catcher. If HE can get in, due to his greatness as a catcher although it was short-lived; then Andruw Jones who’s prime was more prominent and lasted longer than Mauer’s should be in the HoF. Mauer hit .300 a couple times as a 1B but they were literally a bunch of singles and brought his team nowhere, and his defense at first left A LOT to be desired.

[@mikebird5148]

I went to Jones first ever home game in Atlanta, he was so damn good.

[@JClaus1221]

If he isn't put in, they should tear the place down. The greatest defensive outfielder of all time, it's really not even close. Any era, and position. Had he not taken the beating he did playing defense the way he did, he probably would have hit 100 more HR's. Greg Maddux was a great pitcher when he came to Atlanta, he along with John and Tom owe a big part of being in the HOF to Andruw's defensive prowess. If you watched him in those peak years, he made what was hard for some look easy, And the impossible reality.

[@ryanbratoc]

People can say what they want but Roger, Kurt,and Barry deserve to be in the hall. Baseball knew the deal and wanted the ratings!