Is Chipper Jones a First Ballot Hall of Famer?
As the Atlanta Braves’ Chipper Jones works his way up the all-time leaderboards of many offensive categories, one has to wonder if the lifetime Brave and former 1 overall draft pick will be a first ballot Hall of Famer.
Today’s baseball writers pay attention to more advanced stats when voting on the Hall of Fame. Statistics like home runs and RBI will always be used to gauge a player’s value, but things like on base plus slugging percentage (OPS) and wins above replacement (WAR) have made their way onto voters’ radars as well.
So where does Chipper Jones rank among the all-time leaders in some of these newer statistics? As of July 2011, Jones’ career WAR was 80.9, putting him ahead of Pete Rose and Reggie Jackson. His career OPS was .9356, putting him ahead of Hank Aaron and Duke Snider.
Election to the Hall of Fame in the first year of eligibility is reserved for the game’s all-time greats. Players like Mickey Mantle, Hank Aaron, and Cal Ripken Jr. have taken this honor. Chipper Jones has had a great playing career, and if the baseball writers note where he ranks among the greats, he will be a first ballot Hall of Famer.The information doesn’t stop now. Keep looking: Has Chipper Jones Become Too Controversial?