Jorge Posada and the Hall of Fame: Comparing Jorge Posada to Gary Carter

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Jorge Posada is calling it a career and retiring. He is the second of the core four to retire and has played every one of his major-league games with the New York Yankees. 

Recently, Bernie Williams missed out on the Hall of Fame, and with Posada retiring, I wonder if he will get snubbed as well.

Let's compare Jorge Posada to Hall-of-Fame catcher Gary Carter and decide whether Posada deserves to receive the honors.

Jorge Posada's Background

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Jorge Rafael Posada was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 24th round of the 1990 amateur draft.

He was originally a second baseman for Class A Oneonta.

He made his MLB debut on September 4, 1995 and played his last game on October 6, 2011 when the Yankees were eliminated from the playoffs.

The switch-hitting catcher played his entire career with the New York Yankees.

Gary Carter's Background

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Gary Edmund Carter, nicknamed "the Kid," was drafted by the Montreal Expos in the third round of the 1972 amateur draft. 

He made his MLB debut on September 16, 1974 and played his final game on September 27, 1992.

In his career, Carter has played on the Montreal Expos, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003.

Posada's Career Accomplishments

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Jorge Posada is a five-time All-Star (2000, '01, '02, '03, '07).

People will argue that Posada has only won the World Series four times (not five) because he did not have anything to do with the 1996 Championship team except ride the bench. However, he is still recognized as a five-time World Series Champion.

Jorge won the Silver Slugger Award five times, all in the same years that he was voted to the All-Star game. The Silver Slugger award is awarded to the best offensive player at each position.

He finished within the top 10 of MVP voting twice.

Carter's Career Accomplishments

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Gary Carter only won the World Series once, with the Mets in 1986.

He was an All-Star 11 times (1975, '79, '80, '81, '82, '83, '84, '85, '86, '87, '88) and won the MLB All-Star Game MVP in two of those appearances.

He won the Gold Glove Award three times, Silver Slugger Award five times and the Roberto Clemente Award once.

The Montreal Expos retired his number (8).

Average Statistics for a 162-Game Season

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Jorge Posada's average statistics for a 162 game season:

.273 BA, 24 HR, 94 RBI, 80 R, .374 OBP, .474 SLG

Gary Carter's average statistics for a 162 game season:

.262 BA, 23 HR, 86 RBI, 72 R, .335 OBP, .439 SLG

 

Jorge Posada has better numbers than Gary Carter in all of these offensive statistics.

 

Conclusion

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Posada has been a great and consistent hitting catcher his whole career and has a handful (literally) of World Series Rings.

Jorge Posada has been on more World Series winning teams than Gary Carter, and has been in more playoff games than anyone not named Derek Jeter. In the MLB playoffs, he is eighth in runs scored, fourth in hits, fifth in total bases, third in doubles and ninth in RBI.

When comparing Jorge Posada and Hall-of-Famer Gary Carter, it appears that Jorge Posada belongs in the Hall of Fame.

 

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