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Colorado Rockies: The Hall of Fame case for Larry Walker

By Noah Yingling

DENVER - JULY 9: Right fielder Larry Walker #33 of the Colorado Rockies hits a two-run double against the San Francisco Giants during the MLB game at Coors Field on July 9, 2003 in Denver, Colorado. The Rockies won 11-7. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)
DENVER - JULY 9: Right fielder Larry Walker #33 of the Colorado Rockies hits a two-run double against the San Francisco Giants during the MLB game at Coors Field on July 9, 2003 in Denver, Colorado. The Rockies won 11-7. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images) /
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25 Jul 1999: Larry Walker #33 of the Colorado Rockies misses the ball as he stands at bat during the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at the Coors Field in Denver, Colorado. The Cardinals defeated the Rockies 10-6. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bahr /Allsport
25 Jul 1999: Larry Walker #33 of the Colorado Rockies misses the ball as he stands at bat during the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at the Coors Field in Denver, Colorado. The Cardinals defeated the Rockies 10-6. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bahr /Allsport /

Personally, I look for 8 Hall of Fame seasons for a player to be a Hall of Famer and it helps if they are altogether, because it shows a period of extended dominance. For Walker, with his injuries it is tough to find 8 seasons but I’m flexible, particularly if the seasons played were particularly dominant. I think a career slash of .313/.400/.565 is extremely dominant, especially when you see five seasons in which Walker hit at least .338/.421/.602 from 1997-99 and 2001-02.

He also has a career WAR of 72.7, which is 86th best in baseball history. The next seven players above him at Hall of Famers and three of the four players directly below him are or will be Hall of Famers. Derek Jeter is directly below Walker at 87 and he will be on the ballot for the first (and probably only time) next season. The only other player directly below him is Rafael Palmeiro, who famously pointed his finger at members of Congress saying he never took steroids then proceeded to fail a drug test a few months later so it’s obvious to see why he isn’t in the Hall.

Another excuse that voters use is that Walker played at Coors Field for half of his games for 10 seasons. So, let’s look at the differential between Coors Field and other stadiums.

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