To start things off, I’d like to congratulate both Derek Jeter and Larry Walker for being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Jeter getting into the Hall of Fame is no surprise, and a while back, I made my case for why Jeter belongs in the Hall, so the real question is, Does Larry Walker deserve to be in the Hall?

Larry Walker had an unbelievable carer. Yesterday was a good day for Canadian baseball fans. Now it’s no secret why it took until his final year of eligibility to get voted in. Many think that Larry Walker put up those types of statistics because he played in Colorado for the majority of his career. Now did playing in Colorado help him out in terms of statistics? Maybe a little bit. If he didn’t play in Colorado, would he still have put up good statistics? Yes. Throughout his career, Larry Walker established himself as a five-tool player. In Montreal, with the Expos, he was a good player with a good average, power, and a good glove.

Larry Walker 1994: .322 BA, 19 HR, 86 RBI’s, .394 OBP in 103 games.

Not to mention that he was leading the NL, with 44 doubles until the 1994 season ended due to the player’s strike. If it weren’t for the strike in 1994, Walker would’ve had 48 more games to prove himself and could’ve made had a stronger case for the MVP award. He then signed with the Rockies in the off-season, and that’s when he became one of the most dominant hitters in baseball. His big years were in 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2001.

1997: .366 BA, 49 HR, 130 RBI’s, 208 HITS, .452 OBP  (153 Games)

1998: .363 BA, 23 HR, 67 RBI’s, 165 HITS, .445 OBP (130 Games)

1999: .379 BA, 37 HR, 115 RBI’s, 166 HITS, .458 OBP (127 Games)

2001: .350 BA, 38 HR, 123 RBI’s, 174 HITS, .449 OBP (142 Games)

In 1997 he won the MVP, and in 1998, 1999, and 2000 he was the batting champion. Those three batting title season’s he had were significantly affected by injuries. What’s impressive is that he played fewer games in 1999 than the year before, and he still recorded a higher Batting Average, as well as more hits, home runs, and runs batted in. Walker missed at least 500 games due to ongoing injuries during his career. Had he played 500 more games, he would have eclipsed the 500 home run and 1,500 RBI milestones for sure.

Now onto the Coors Field issue, during 1997, 1998, 1999, and the 2001 seasons, the prime of his career. Now yes, during those years when he played at Coors Field, his statistics unrealistic at any other ballpark.

Larry Walker’s Statistics at Coors Field during 97,98,99, and 01:
.415 BA, 83 HR, 256 RBI’s, 425 HITS, .466 OBP in 276 Games

But, his statistics away from Coors Field during those were still incredible.

Larry Walker’s Statistics Away from Coors Field during 97,98,99, and 01:
.309 BA, 64 HR, 179 RBI’s, 288 HITS, .386 OBP in 276 Games

The bottom line is that Larry Walker was capable of playing like an All-Star caliber player away from Coors Field during his career. So the Coors Field argument shouldn’t have been a significant factor in deciding his Hall of Fame fate. Walker had something in common with some of the all-time greats like Ted Williams, Alan Trammell, and Mickey Mantle, which was running into the DL almost every year with ongoing injuries. Lastly, if you factor in the number of games he missed and the possible statistics that Walker could’ve put up due to injuries, as well as his performance away from Coors Field, he’s more deserving of the Hall of Fame then you may have thought.