No Respect!

Rodney Dangerfield said, “I don’t get no respect!”

Jim Rice could say the same thing and occasionally did in his younger days. With 382 home runs, 2,452 hits, 1,451 RBIs and a .298 lifetime average, Rice missed the Hall of Fame today. He played in 2,089 games from 1974 to 1989. According Boston Red Sox historian Dick Bresciani, Rice’s numbers exceed all players active in his time frame.

In his rookie year (1975) he hit 22 home runs and batted .309 with an on base percentage of .350. We need some perspective here. The steroid-fueled home run totals of the ‘90’s cannot be compared. On any other team that went to the series (I am not going there) Jim Rice would have been MVP. Trouble was he arrived the same year another young outfielder did. Freddy Lynn was both Rookie of the Year and MVP with numbers a bit better than his.

Fred Lynn had a good career, but not near as good a career as Rice, who stayed with the Red Sox for the duration.

Today he received 64.8 percent of the vote. Each year he has gained votes keeping him on the ballot. But, next year Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken will be on the ballot. They will go in their first year.

There will also be a guy named Mark McGwire on next year’s ballot. He will have to await his fate.

Jim Rice don’t get no respect. He belongs in the Hall!