Will Johnny Damon Be Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame?

Johnny Damon has never been the best player on his team. In fact, quite often he hasn't even been the second or third best, but what he has always been is consistent. Damon is the anti-superstar. He is not, nor has he ever been flashy, arrogant, or anything but a class act. He has always accepted, without question, the role on the team that was doled out to him.

Whether it be speedy lead off man, designated hitter, or a veteran who is to sacrifice playing time for a younger generation, Damon has always accepted responsibility and done what his team asked of him to win. Now as his career draws to a close, one question remains: Will Johnny Damon be enshrined in Cooperstown?

While Damon has become the poster child for what a good teammate should be, he has also accumulated an impressive resume of statistics and achievements:

Career Statistics and Achievements  (as of 6/1/11)

• .287 career bating average and .326 batting average in World Series play
• 391 stolen bases
• 2626 hits
• 494 doubles
• 1586 runs
• 101 triples
• 222 home runs
• 2x All Star (2002 and 2005)
• 2x World Series Champion (2004 and 2009)
• 2004 Sports Illustrated Sports Man of the Year
• 2005 MLB Second team

Damon has played for six teams (Kansas City, Oakland, Boston, New York, Detroit, and Tampa Bay) in a career spanning 17 seasons.

If you compare Damon's stats with those who have already been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame they may not look all that impressive, yet. Keep in mind that Damon is currently 37 and has , perhaps 2-3 years of productive hitting ahead of him. If he were to keep up at his current pace then he would end up with over 3000 hits, 500 doubles, 250 home runs, and a batting average that could range anywhere from .280 to .290 (depending on how his average fares these final seasons). Those are certainly Hall of Fame numbers, are they not? There has yet to be a player that has reached 3000 hits and not be inducted in the Hall, the exception being Pete Rose. As of today there have been no rumors of Damon betting on his own games, although with his teams' success over the years, he may wish he would have.

Johnny Damon has been a staple in professional baseball for 17 seasons. When it's all said and done, his numbers will speak for themselves and his impact on the game will do the same. If I were allowed to vote members into Cooperstown then I would surely admit Johnny Damon.