Dave Parker believes he belongs in the Hall of Fame

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http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110726/SPORTS/107260314/1002

Posted on Tue. Jul. 26, 2011 - 04:50 am EDT RSS **E-mail
Parker still believes he should be in Hall of Fame
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By Reggie Hayes
of The News-Sentinel
Dave Parker still swings hard.

Parker, the former Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds slugger, says he believes he should be in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Parker drove from his home in Cincinnati to Fort Wayne to meet fans at Parkview Field on behalf of the Principal Financial Group.

He put on a TinCaps cap and spoke bluntly.

“I figure I was the most dominant player through my era,” he said. “I’m not in the Hall of Fame, but all the Hall of Famers know what I brought to the table. My numbers are as good as most Hall of Famers who went in over the last five or six years. I just hope I get in while I’m vertical.”

Parker’s time on the Hall of Fame ballot of the Baseball Writer’s Association of America expired this year, and he never received more than 24 percent of the vote. His numbers compare favorably with other Hall of Fame players from the era. He hit .290 with 339 home runs and 2,712 hits. He was seven-time All-Star, won the 1978 National League MVP, won three Gold Gloves and played on two World Series champions (Pirates, 1979; A’s, 1989).

“I was one of the most quotable guys in baseball,” he said, conjuring this lost gem as an example: ‘When the leaves turn brown, I’ll be wearing the batting crown.’

“It couldn’t be because I was unquotable. It couldn’t be because of the numbers, because my numbers are there. It’s political for whatever reason.”

Parker played in the majors from 1973 to 1991, with his prime years playing for the Pirates (1973 to 1983) and Reds (1984-1987). During that time he was one of the most feared hitters in the game, as well as an outstanding right fielder with an incredible arm. He became the first player to earn $1 million per year.

The knock on Parker most likely dates to his part in a drug scandal. He testified against a dealer in court and was fined by Major League Baseball for his admitted to using drugs, including cocaine.

“I was a recreational user,” Parker said. “I never had a problem where I needed to be rehabilitated. In that situation, I was the biggest name there. They went after me more so than other players. Everybody knew the same guy. It’s just that I was Dave Parker. It happened. I got over it. I’m glad to see some of the guys who had problems recover from their problems. We went through that cocaine era. I’m glad that it’s done.”

Parker’s post-playing career includes ownership of several Popeye’s Chicken franchises. He coached a year with the Angels and a year with the Cardinals and said he would like to get back into baseball if possible.

If Parker is to get into the Hall of Fame now, he’ll have to rely on the Veterans Committee to give him another look in the years ahead.

“As time goes by, the less it means to me because I did everything possible,” Parker said. “I played the game the way it should be played. I played hard. I never missed a plane, never missed a game. I don’t know what it is. They talk about baseball being forgiving and society being forgiving. Well, forgive me and let me be where I need to be.”
 
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I always liked Parker ...Him, Willie Stargell, Al Oliver and of course Zisk.

That was some Team back then in the 70's
 

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I always liked Parker ...Him, Willie Stargell, Al Oliver and of course Zisk.

That was some Team back then in the 70's

I agree and dont leave out Omar Moreno in centerfield , i also like the platoon of bill robinson and john milner , and of course the infield of garner , foley , and bill madlock.

...Tony Kubek once asked Dave Parker about the star of David earring he wore , Parker said " my name is David and I'm a star". ... but i wouldnt argue either way about the hof , in my book he's borderline (might lack a few years longevity)

That Dale Berra was a pompous chump though. Dont ever say the apple falls close to the tree , that rolled down a hill or something.
 
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Dave Parker belongs in the Hall of the Very Good....

not the Hall of Fame.

He doesn't have any of the milestone numbers...
Didn't hit .300 for his career.
Didn't hit 500 home runs
Didn't have 3000 hits

Hall of the Very Good...
 

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The Cobra liked his coke.

Didn't know he had over 2,700 hits though. I'm mildly impressed.
 

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Adjusted for parks, as good a hitter as Jim Rice, better defensively and played in 300 more games

But Rice was a horrible choice, well below any previously established standards

Most importantly, Parker was a drug user and the only possible way to win the war on drugs is to keep any more drug users from entering the Hall-of-Fame, no matter what they did while on the field
 
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Parker was one of the founding members, along with the rest of the A's of the late 80's, of the steroid monkey era. His numbers are borderline to begin with but without that magical resurgence after going to Oakland, they would be nowhere near Hall-caliber; easy pass.
 
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Parker was one of the founding members, along with the rest of the A's of the late 80's, of the steroid monkey era. His numbers are borderline to begin with but without that magical resurgence after going to Oakland, they would be nowhere near Hall-caliber; easy pass.

he hit 34 hr's combined in his two years with oakland.
 

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I say HOF. Parker was better than Jim Rice, hands down. In my view, he was the best player in baseball for a few years in the late 70's- two straight batting titles, etc. His resurgence came before he went to Oakland.... when he went back home to Cincy after getting out of Pittsburgh.
 

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