Is Lance Berkman A Hall of Famer?

Lance Berkman has mashed like a son of a gun his whole career, yet I must wonder.  Do the masses realize this, and consider him an elite player, much less a Hall of Fame candidate?

Probably not.  Due to the Astros rather pitiful management, he's only had one moment in the spotlight--and he wasn't the story, Roger Clemens was.

But that's sad, because Berkman is and was a freakin' masher of the highest order.
To be fair, he's not worthy right this second.  He simply doesn't have enough PAs--6,354--but his rates are without question Hall-worthy.

We can't compare Berkman's career averages to someone like Eddie Murray--Murray went through a full decline, Berkman hasn't--but we can compare peaks, and Berkman's peak is a doozy.

From 2001 through 2009, here are the numbers: 5,831 PAs, .301/.415/.558, 149 OPS+.

You didn't expect that, did you?  It's kind of shocking, actually.  I know Berkman's awesome, but I didn't expect a 149 OPS+.

To compare, Alex Rodriguez did this in the same time period: 6,053 PAs, .302/.339/.584, 153 OPS+.

Compares rather favorably.  Now, Rodriguez is easily the better overall player due to the positions he's played (and how well he used to play them), but Berkman's bat is right with A-Rod's.

Need more comparisons?  Okay.  Ken Griffey Jr., from 1991 to 2000: 6,147 PAs, .299/.386/.590, 152 OPS+.  Again, Griffey is the better player due to position and defense.

But guys, A-Rod and Junior are considered no-brainer Hall of Famers.  Both are among the most prolific offensive machines in history, no?

Berkman doesn't have the longevity of either, which is the main separator.  However, if Berkman can play 5 more seasons at about a 130 OPS+, isn't that guy a serious Hall candidate?

I'm not sure.  Berkman did hit like a machine when healthy last season, but that "when healthy" is a tricky beast.

He did miss about 20 games, which isn't a serious concern, but Berkman is aging (he's 33) and injuries do tend to rack up as players age.  Not everyone is as durable as Ichiro Suzuki or Derek Jeter.

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That covers Berkman's merits.  I do not think he'll ever be voted into Cooperstown, for one simple reason: his era.

Not the steroids, either.  How many current hitters are likely to (or could be projected to) go into the Hall? 

I count Rodriguez, Griffey, Albert Pujols, Ichiro, Jeter, Manny Ramirez, Chipper Jones, Vladimir Guerrero, Gary Sheffield, Jim Thome and Pudge Rodriguez.  All 11 of those players are absolutely going into Hall of Fame, barring some ridiculous steroid revolt.

Plus, Jorge Posada, Bobby Abreu and others could be considered fringy.  Now ask yourself this: is Berkman famous enough?

Don't kid yourselves.  Every single thing that involves the BBWAA boils down to a popularity contest.  Out of all those names, isn't Berkman bottom-rung?

He's never won an MVP; never won a World Series; consistently was the best player on his team but not once the best in his division; won't hit 500 bombs; won't reach 3,000 hits; won't reach 2,000 RBI.

Berkman could very well be deserving of a plaque, but I really doubt he'll get it.

Email Adam at adamdadkins@gmail.com