If Ripken is in, then Orosco goes too!

It's time for Cal to retire...please. We're tired of hearing about the streak and we're disgusted to hear him considered one of the best shortstops/third basemen ever to play. First of all, we actually like Cal Ripken. He is one of the classiest players to ever play the game, he never complains, he is in the lineup every day (until the past 3 or 4 years), and he has been great for the game of baseball. This is all obvious, but that doesn't make him a superior baseball player. We have tremendous respect for Cal as a person and for being a good baseball player for a number of years. He had his great years, but honestly there weren't many of them. We have trouble listening to people that call him the best infielder ever to play. Ripken hit over .282 only 5 times during his 20 year career in Baltimore, with two of those years having far less than a full season of at-bats. His .277 career average is solid, but is nowhere near the top of the all-time infielders. He averaged just about 20 homeruns each season and about 80 RBI. Obviously these numbers are solid, but should they really be considered great? He was always an asset on the left side of the infield as well, but I have a lot of trouble saying he's one of the best at his position. If playing for a long time with above average numbers is good enough to be a Hall of Famer, then Jesse Orosco has his ticket punched to Cooperstown. Stop laughing and read on. Orosco has pitched in more games than any pitcher in major league history and has been solid throughout. In fact, his career ERA is a mere 3.04 - especially impressive considering the offensive explosion in recent years. If playing in a lot of games gets you into the Hall of Fame, then is A.C. Green guaranteed a spot for his record games played streak in the NBA? We don't see Mr. Green finding himself a spot in the Hall for his games played streak, but it's sure made the Ripken folk tales become truth. Please understand that this is not an attack on Ripken. As we mentioned before, we have tremendous respect for him as a person and will always consider him a solid baseball player. We will not, however, compare him to great players that have far superior numbers than his at his position (a.k.a. Mike Schmidt, Brooks Robinson, Ernie Banks, etc. who all played fewer games than Cal). Cal's a great guy, but if he makes the Hall of Fame, Jesse Orosco better be sitting right beside him with Lee Smith and Tom Henke looking on from the stage as well. Look at these numbers objectively and then make your conclusion. *Remember the Hall of Fame is not for personality or class (although that would be a good idea), it's for great baseball players:

	2852 games 2632 consec.* (20 seasons)	.277 career average	415 homeruns	Years over .282 BA = 5
	1090 games* (19 seasons)	3.04 career ERA	141 saves	Years with ERA over 4.00 = 3

*denotes Major League Record

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