I'm a massive Joe Mauer fan and thought he'd make the Hall eventually, but I think the character clause might be why he ended up a first ballot Hall of Famer. That gives me some hope for Cutch.
I think they both deserve it for the same reasons. The stats are right up to the threshold but not quite there. But who they are and what they've done SHOULD make them included into the endless fabric of baseball history. Like how we'd view it in 50 years
Quick note on the furry ordeal. During last season’s furry convention games a furry was on the big screen before his AB. The furry was on the gateway clipper (a boat ride known by people in Pittsburgh). Yes he did in fact hit a HR
i met him when he was on the indianapolis indians and he is one of the best people ive ever seen. he even played catch with my father and i after the game while we were sitting in the grass (off the field not on) in the outfield after the game. got a signed jersey that im not selling until i die. one of the best people in baseball.
Cutch should 100 percent be in the hall. He is really, truly, a good person, and an amazing ball player. He has better stats than some HOFers and he is not done yet. He still has a chance for 300 home runs. He is a legend and deserves a plaque for sure.
Barry Bonds having 50 WAR with the pirates is insane - the man had 2 hall of fame careers. Barry is the biggest snub - take away 20% of all his stats to account for the roids and he’s still an absolute lock.
You also have to factor this in during McCutchen’s prime run with the Pirates from 09-17 only three of his teammates made the All-Star game during that run. Pedro Alvarez, 2013, Josh Harrison 2014,2017 Starling Marte in 2016 So he primarily had to carry the load during his run but for a legitimate Hall of Fame chance he needs to have a couple more good seasons and hopefully the Pirates can make deep postseason run With him, maybe doing a few magical things would help push him over the edge to be a Hall of Famer instead of just being very borderline right now
I love the Mac Miller tracks in the back. Cutch is one of my fav players of all time, especially among favorite Andrews of all time lol. Hope he winds up in the hall one day
I agree. Saw Cutch take BP at CBP in 2012. He hit the ball on a line harder than anybody. Electric hands, electric speed, electric defense. MVP. Obviously many, especially the youngins, will remember him for his mediocrity in his declining years. But it was clear to me that Cutch was the best player on the field at the time. 3:55 lol, terrific at bat. The sequencing there is funny.
I don't know. If McCutchen gets in I think it will primarily be on the back of being VERY well liked. He has an MVP and some outstanding seasons but he's also had large portions of his career as a veteran roll player. Its been the better part of a decade since any pitcher went in circling his name on the lineup card. I feel like he's the kind of guy who's JUST outside the hall. Someone who stays on the ballot all 10 years, maybe gets 50% of the votes at best but doesn't quite make it. Unless of course he has a freak resurgence. Maybe he says "its my last year, I don't need to be in playing shape after this. Im just going to lay it all out." and gets MVP votes one more time.
Preface: I agree. But, if Cutch is in, then Posey, Lofton, Utley, Hunter and Bernie Williams should all be in…. Winners, dominated entire era’s at their positions… they should all be in. I don’t see the voters going this way. That’s a big problem.
You don't have to convince me. I am not a Pirates fan, but I have followed his career. When his time to be in the HOF comes, send an updated version of this to all the sportswriters. And I agree, the good guys should get some consideration too. When you are on that fine line, that should be something that tips them over into the HOF.
Such a great video. I think Cutch deserves to be in. He really carried those great Pirate teams of the early 2010s. Also appreciate you sticking with the Pittsburgh theme of the video with the Mac Miller instrumentals
Cutch essentially brought baseball back to Pittsburgh after some bad, bad years. He had a peak where he was truly one of the 5 best players in all of baseball. What he’s also meant to Pittsburgh and really baseball in general, off the field will also back up a HOF career
I agree with you. If we can keep an objectively "should be in" player out because of character, we should also use it to put in an objectively "pretty dang good player for a long time" player in. It's both fair and logical to do so.
This is the reason Ozzie should be in the hall. I've seen people say he is undeserving, but he was more than just his stats, he was a bigger person on and off the field.
Smith? Who says he shouldn't be? Best defender to grace any middle infield, .280 or so avg, 2,000 hits, 500 steals, beloved by most. He set the record for shortstops for assists and total chances. Unquestionably the greatest Shortstop of all time.
@@TheOGSticks11younger fans obsessed with war seem to be the ones saying ozzie shouldn't be in. They're also the same fools who think a guy like brian giles should be a hall of famer because his war is 50.
@@johnwayne9828 the pendulum is eventually going to swing back the other way, and we'll start hearing people talk about how WAR was overvalued during this era.
@@noodler5583 maybe I'm misremembering the reasoning. I watched a video on vizquel and compared him to ozzie. Mighta been overall stats instead of war that oz came up short. I still standby the modern fans obsessed with war.
My favorite baseball player of all time and genuinely nice guy that brought my happiness back to pirates baseball. I love him but man idk about hof but great recognition.
Nice cherry picking of the oWAR stat to say he's better than Puckett. Cutch is a HOFer, but he isn't close to being what Puckett was nor as legendary. All while Puck had his career cut decently short with Cutch already playing more than three seasons longer.
I think you accurately explained the thoughts and feelings of basically most baseball fans. Dude is a legend not just for his stats. He is similar to the Joe Mauer affect as well. Though Mauer did have elite numbers and awards.
He's a good player, but a GREAT player? Never had 100 rbis in a season. Hit 30 hrs once in his career. .276 career batting average is good, but great? No. Defense and intangibles add something, but it seems as the years go by the bar for the HOF gets lowered....It used to be reserved for the best of the best, but now the guys in the 2nd and 3rd row are getting in.
Here we are 7 months later 319- HR 1095- RBI 2152- Hits .273- Average 49.3- WAR 2013 MVP 4 time All Star I'm a very bias Pittsburgh pirates fan but how can he not be in the hall of fame! Dude is a GOAT
Pausing the video for why I think he's a solid HOF hopeful and then I'm excited to hear your arguments. He does everything well. Not 500 hr but 300 (soon) , not 500 steals but 200, over 1k walks, over 1k rbi, over 2k hits. He's likely to hit 50 WAR this season and he has accolades from his prime that are outstanding. Plus a gold glove just to prove he was an above average defender while also hitting like an mvp.
Bold take but I’m interested. If he gets in for your reasons it’ll be huge for the HOF. Also if we’re taking into consideration storylines and how iconic they were for their franchise then Frank White should be in the HOF (similar stats to Mazeroski, whole career with Royals, tied with Alex Gordon for franchise record 8 Gold Gloves, and supported by current HOF players that he should be in)
I don't know if you can tell the story of baseball without Cutch. What he did for the city to bring back winning baseball, and hes trying to do it again. And 4 straight top 5 MVP finishes with a win. And you have both counting stats (300 homers, 200 steals, 2000 hits) and the awards (MVP, silver slugger, gold glove, roberto clemente award, etc).
8:52 those player's weekend jerseys were SOOOO good. leave it to the MLB to take a great thing and completely ruin it (remember the awful black and white ones???) before dismissing it entirely
I think like Joe Mauer, cutch is one of those where pure stats may be "hall if very good" but when you combine it with his stewardship for the game and what he means for Pittsburgh, he's now in. If we're going to keep people out because of grumpy abrasiveness, it should work the other way. Particularly in Grey zones
That's why I think the Hall should lean more into telling the story of baseball, not necessarily just inducting the best players ever. I actually think David Ortiz kind of started this trend, he had ties to steroids like so many other guys around him, but he had such a likable character and meant so much to Boston that he got first ballot despite possibly having done stetroids early in his career. Joe Mauer and even Adrian Beltre are both continuing this trend this year as well. I think this is a very good sign for Cutch to potentially be first ballot worthy in 2030 or whatever year it winds up being
I’m not going to lie, this actually kinda convinced me. It helps promote the genuinely good guys who were very good if just short of obvious hof numbers. Plenty of guys have gotten in with questionable totals already. But it would have to be special cases and cutch might be one
For what he did dragging the Pirates back to relevancy I agree. On a personal note, I moved to Pittsburgh in part due to the experience I had at the ballpark and I never would have visited if not for what Cutch did in building up that brand.
I mean let's be honest, goldy deserves to have won that mvp over cutch, they just got to the postseason so the narrative favored him. Super borderline for the hall, but I respect the argument
McCutchen was my childhood hero. What he did for the Pirates and the city of Pittsburgh as a whole can not be overstated. Hopefully voters recognize how important he was in my life and thousands of other kids like me growing up in Pittsburgh at the time.
Okay, look... oh boy... I admire the effort here and your love of Cutch is infectious. But let's be real: Andrew Stefan McCutchen has no business being in the Hall of Fame. He's a great guy who has had a really good career, but he's not a Hall of Famer. A good test I rely on for determining whether a guy should be in the Hall of Fame is to listen to the case made in favor of his HOF candidacy by knowledgable baseball fans. There are certain kinds of things people say in support of clear Hall of Famers and certain kinds of things for players who are not (in my opinion) Hall of Famers. For clear Hall of Famers the case easily makes itself - there's no hedging, no hesitation, no excuses, no bull. Take a recent inductee: Adrian Beltre. What's his case? He has 3200 hits, leads all third basemen in MLB history in hits, RBIs, and total bases. He's third all time among third basemen in WAR and home runs. He's probably the second best defensive third basemen ever, only behind the legendary Brooks Robinson. To put Beltre's career WAR into perspective, his tops that of Jimmie Foxx, Wade Boggs, Steve Carlton, George Brett, Chipper Jones, Ken Griffey Jr., Nolan Ryan, and Pete Rose. See how simple and undeniable that was? See how once you lay out the direct case for Beltre there is no plausible argument against his induction? THAT, my friends, is what a true HOF case looks like. Now let's turn to the case for McCutchen. The strongest case for Cutch is his combination of 2000 hits, 300 hr, and 200 sb. That's impressive, but (a) that alone doesn't get you into the Hall, and (b) that's not the first thing you said. It wasn't the second or third or fifth thing you brought up. My guess is that the reason for this is even you recognize that this combo is, while impressive, not really HOF stuff. The first thing you brought up was that he's really good at baseball. Yeah, true, but that's the kind of thing you'd say about a guy for whom a statistical case is lacking. You wouldn't say, "Albert Pujols should be in the HOF because, well, he was really good at baseball." You also mentioned that his oWAR was 17th all-time among centerfielders. Again, that's impressive, but not HOF worthy. You then pointed out that he had a really great (but really short) peak, about 4-5 years. Peak performance is not irrelevant, of course, but there are thousands of guys who were HOFers for 4-5 years who have no business being in the HOF. A short peak might get you in the NFL or NBA HOF, but not in MLB. Then you said something about having the hit total of DiMaggio and the HR total of Brett. While true, this is merely misleading name-dropping, and is below the otherwise high quality of this video. (Imagine I did the opposite: Sandy Koufax HOF? But he has only the win total of Barry Zito and the strikeout total of Charlie Hough. Doesn't sound HOF caliber to me. See? Technically true, but totally misleading and ultimately pointless.) Finally, let's get to the character clause thing. I agree that Cutch is a great guy, one of the best the game has seen. That's not unimportant, but character should be used to buttress an already unimpeachable resume, not the thing that turns a Hall of Very Good resume into a Hall of Fame one. Beltre is a great guy, too, and that's one of the reasons I'm such a fan and I was happy to see him get in. But notice that when I made his case, I didn't tell you what kind of a guy he was. The reason, of course, is that I didn't have to, I was too busy listing his undeniable career accolades. If a player's HOF case rests largely on him being a super swell guy, that should send up red flags. With respect to the supposed hypocrisy of using the character clause in a negative way, in my view, the answer is not to double down on the error and elevate undeserving players like Cutch. The answer to the supposed hypocrisy is to stop using it against guys like Sheffield and Kent. This is obvious, of course: let in guys who deserve to be in based on their playing careers and don't let in the guys who don't deserve to be in. But, to repeat: the solution to an error is not to compound the error in other directions. So, what's the case for Cutch (and yes, I know I'm simplifying here)? He's good at baseball; he was great for some years; he's a really good CF bat but a defensive liability at a prime position, and he's a really good guy. To me, this does not read like the case for a Hall of Fame player. This reads like the kind of stuff you say in defense of a player who clearly does not have a Hall of Fame resume. So, let's enjoy Cutch while we have him, let's remember his contributions to the game, but let's not put him in the Hall of Fame.
He should absolutely be in the hall of fame. Should've won mvp twice and not just once. Plus he was just a great dude that the fans loved and NO ONE has more incredible plays than him
I think he’s a hall of fame player, not just because he’s a nice guy but because he was a great player. But remember it’s the hall of fame, not the hall of morals
@@cargopilotguy305 I think Barry bonds should be in, like I said it’s not the hall of morals. I do think the voting is rigged, so I think we should just have a standard instead of a vote
He's a dude, but I think he falls short of the hall... When's the last time he was the best player on his team? Prob back earlier with the pirates... He had a very solid 5 year peak, but the rest of his seasons are just a little above average. Anyway would be hard to give mccutchen a vote and not someone else on the ballot
He used #22, the number after Clemente #21. He was supposed to be the Next great Pirate. He signed with other teams and then he returned. That was so bad. I agree he should be a HOF.
He has a very similar WAR and ops+ to Kirby Puckett. Kirby got there in less time and had a longer prime, but he was also a first ballot hall of famer. Andrew won a MVP, which Kirby never did. I think I would make him wait a couple years, but when I break it down I think he has to get in.
Okay so I’m from Pgh so let me say this. People who aren’t from here have no idea what this man means to our city. Andrew McCutchen is the person who saved & brought the love of baseball back to Pittsburgh after 20 years of misery. He means so so much here. But I don’t think he’s a HOFer. Hall of “very good for a short time” From 12-15 he was an mvp finalist every year, including winning one. He was on pace to be in the hof, but just suddenly declined quicker than what was anticipated in 2016. He hasn’t been a superstar since 2015. So 2016-2023 just an average player who’s dealt w injuries that has caught up to him. we overrated (and rightfully so) him in Pittsburgh, but I don’t think he’s a HOFer.
I know nothing about his stats, I just know that I've grown up my entire life knowing the name Andrew McCutchen. I'm a Mariners fan, not a Pirates fan. I have no affiliation with the team. But Cutch for sure deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.
Please read Bill James on the spurious nature of the "one of a group" argument. In most cases you are including him in groups with players who have way more WAR or way more of many different counting stats. He has around the same amount of hits as Joe D but....Joe D missed three years of his prime for WWIi, has about 30 more WAR and was historically dominant at times of his career or the second or third best player. He has about the same number of home runs as Brett...but Brett has 3000 hits, a batting average over .300 and 40 points higher War and also historically dominant at time in ways McCluchenn wasnt. So just because he is comparable in one stat does not mean he is comparable to them in any way that is meaningful. Your best meaningful companions for him are guys like Bobby Bonnilla, Reggie Smith,Fred Lynn, BOBBY Bonds, all terrific players who nobody even really views as border line. You have made the argument as well as it can be made that he is a borderline candidate. I do not think he is ever going to be the best borderline guy not in, but it will not break my heart if he does get a plaque someday and he certainly will not be the worst player enshrined. But if I was a voter I would probably pass.
@nicrod5651 Todd Helton is literally the greatest player in rockies history and has the JAWS to go in as well. His batting metrics already put him at a likely hall of famer and there's also the fact that he should've won the 2000 MVP
Whatever happens, Andrew McCutchen is already the best player to make his Major League debut on the same day a pitcher won his 300th game, since he debuted on June 4, 2009 the same day Randy Johnson won his 300th.
Furries
real
Beat me to it Bailey
😂
Correct
Rel.
I'm a massive Joe Mauer fan and thought he'd make the Hall eventually, but I think the character clause might be why he ended up a first ballot Hall of Famer. That gives me some hope for Cutch.
I think they both deserve it for the same reasons. The stats are right up to the threshold but not quite there. But who they are and what they've done SHOULD make them included into the endless fabric of baseball history. Like how we'd view it in 50 years
You did him justice. Thanks for putting this out
Perfect usage of Here We Go - Mac Miller instrumental as the background audio. 2 iconic Pittsburgh legends
i thought that was what it was i wasnt sure tho
talking over background music is not good regardless of what the music is.
Cutch is the only thing Pirates fans have had to smile about in a loooooooong time. Love the guy he should be in the HOF based on vibes alone
Vibes lmao FOH
@@tsua8061nah he right
@@sir.muffiniii7011Kenny lofton is a way better player and he didn’t come close to getting voted in
@@gnielsen07 and he 100% should be in the HOF
Quick note on the furry ordeal. During last season’s furry convention games a furry was on the big screen before his AB. The furry was on the gateway clipper (a boat ride known by people in Pittsburgh). Yes he did in fact hit a HR
based
Phillies fan here, was thrilled to have him make a stop here during his great (and still ongoing) career! And glad he got to go back to Pittsburgh.
i met him when he was on the indianapolis indians and he is one of the best people ive ever seen. he even played catch with my father and i after the game while we were sitting in the grass (off the field not on) in the outfield after the game. got a signed jersey that im not selling until i die. one of the best people in baseball.
Cutch has always been my favorite player. He's an absolute Pirates legend. I'd love to see him get in. Thanks for the video!
Nice touch with the mac miller in the background
Fr I was wondering how he didn't get copyright with the beats
Cutch should 100 percent be in the hall. He is really, truly, a good person, and an amazing ball player. He has better stats than some HOFers and he is not done yet. He still has a chance for 300 home runs. He is a legend and deserves a plaque for sure.
He also has the chance to detract from his career numbers, remember that.
He needs one HR for 300. If he doesn't get it, ban him from the Hall! Just kidding, obliviously he'll get it.
If only there were furries at more of his games
@@Leafgreen1976 Fair, but he's also already inserted himself as a legend in Pirates history.
@@tmoney305 😂
Barry Bonds having 50 WAR with the pirates is insane - the man had 2 hall of fame careers. Barry is the biggest snub - take away 20% of all his stats to account for the roids and he’s still an absolute lock.
You also have to factor this in during McCutchen’s prime run with the Pirates from 09-17 only three of his teammates made the All-Star game during that run. Pedro Alvarez, 2013, Josh Harrison 2014,2017 Starling Marte in 2016 So he primarily had to carry the load during his run but for a legitimate Hall of Fame chance he needs to have a couple more good seasons and hopefully the Pirates can make deep postseason run With him, maybe doing a few magical things would help push him over the edge to be a Hall of Famer instead of just being very borderline right now
Cutch was a dominant player for 5 years (2011-2015). Rest of his career has been incredibly mid. Baseball hall of fame is very difficult to get in…
I love the Mac Miller tracks in the back. Cutch is one of my fav players of all time, especially among favorite Andrews of all time lol. Hope he winds up in the hall one day
I agree. Saw Cutch take BP at CBP in 2012. He hit the ball on a line harder than anybody. Electric hands, electric speed, electric defense. MVP. Obviously many, especially the youngins, will remember him for his mediocrity in his declining years. But it was clear to me that Cutch was the best player on the field at the time.
3:55 lol, terrific at bat. The sequencing there is funny.
I don't know. If McCutchen gets in I think it will primarily be on the back of being VERY well liked. He has an MVP and some outstanding seasons but he's also had large portions of his career as a veteran roll player. Its been the better part of a decade since any pitcher went in circling his name on the lineup card. I feel like he's the kind of guy who's JUST outside the hall. Someone who stays on the ballot all 10 years, maybe gets 50% of the votes at best but doesn't quite make it. Unless of course he has a freak resurgence. Maybe he says "its my last year, I don't need to be in playing shape after this. Im just going to lay it all out." and gets MVP votes one more time.
I adore him and I am a Cubs fan. I think this is a valid thought! Clutch for HOF. LET'S GO!
Just put everybody in the hall of fame
@@brandonneumann5294that’s not what he’s saying lol
Preface: I agree. But, if Cutch is in, then Posey, Lofton, Utley, Hunter and Bernie Williams should all be in….
Winners, dominated entire era’s at their positions… they should all be in. I don’t see the voters going this way. That’s a big problem.
Posey And Utley will likely get in by the end of the decade and Lofton has a lot of support to where eventually I see him getting in
Instrumentals off of Faces by Mac Miller in the background is a nice touch
A player whose WAR is in the neighborhood of Brett Gardner and Curtis Granderson is a Hall of Very Good player
Love that you dropped that Mac Miller instrumental in the middle of the vid. Very fitting since both Mac and McCutchen are Pittsburgh legends
You don't have to convince me. I am not a Pirates fan, but I have followed his career. When his time to be in the HOF comes, send an updated version of this to all the sportswriters. And I agree, the good guys should get some consideration too. When you are on that fine line, that should be something that tips them over into the HOF.
Such a great video. I think Cutch deserves to be in. He really carried those great Pirate teams of the early 2010s. Also appreciate you sticking with the Pittsburgh theme of the video with the Mac Miller instrumentals
God I love Cutch. Great video!!
Cutch essentially brought baseball back to Pittsburgh after some bad, bad years. He had a peak where he was truly one of the 5 best players in all of baseball. What he’s also meant to Pittsburgh and really baseball in general, off the field will also back up a HOF career
The Mac Miller music in the background tho makes this video more Pittsburgh legendary 🔥
This video was so good but with the subtle Mac Miller tracks in the background was *chefs kiss*
My barber is the one who cut his dreads off. He told me that Cutch, to this day, is the nicest client he’s ever had.
Not disagreeing with your take, but Cutch currently ranks no higher than 3rd on a list of Pirates who should be inducted behind Parker & Oliver.
His 3 years with my Phillies were so much fun to watch. I absolutely love Cutch
Using Mac miller music was perfection my favorite album is faces too
Can’t wait to see a half dozen poorly made videos with nearly the same title. Because you make amazing content, bro. Truly.
The fact that the Pirates got Bryan Reynolds in return when they traded Cutch should add the his credentials.
I agree with you.
If we can keep an objectively "should be in" player out because of character, we should also use it to put in an objectively "pretty dang good player for a long time" player in.
It's both fair and logical to do so.
This is the reason Ozzie should be in the hall. I've seen people say he is undeserving, but he was more than just his stats, he was a bigger person on and off the field.
Smith? Who says he shouldn't be? Best defender to grace any middle infield, .280 or so avg, 2,000 hits, 500 steals, beloved by most. He set the record for shortstops for assists and total chances. Unquestionably the greatest Shortstop of all time.
@@TheOGSticks11younger fans obsessed with war seem to be the ones saying ozzie shouldn't be in. They're also the same fools who think a guy like brian giles should be a hall of famer because his war is 50.
@@johnwayne9828 the pendulum is eventually going to swing back the other way, and we'll start hearing people talk about how WAR was overvalued during this era.
@@johnwayne9828Ozzie Smith had a WAR over 70 so I’m pretty sure the younger, saber-metrics era fans would like him just as much as the old heads
@@noodler5583 maybe I'm misremembering the reasoning. I watched a video on vizquel and compared him to ozzie. Mighta been overall stats instead of war that oz came up short. I still standby the modern fans obsessed with war.
My favorite baseball player of all time and genuinely nice guy that brought my happiness back to pirates baseball. I love him but man idk about hof but great recognition.
Thank you for all the Mac Miller beats in the background on the kid from Pittsburg
faces background music? oh yeah!!!
If McCutchen gets in, then Torii Hunter 100% deserves it.
I'm for both actually so I'd be all for it
Killer ballpoint pen ref. McCutchen is the only player I have a jersey for. So you know where I stand.
Nice cherry picking of the oWAR stat to say he's better than Puckett. Cutch is a HOFer, but he isn't close to being what Puckett was nor as legendary. All while Puck had his career cut decently short with Cutch already playing more than three seasons longer.
I think you accurately explained the thoughts and feelings of basically most baseball fans. Dude is a legend not just for his stats. He is similar to the Joe Mauer affect as well. Though Mauer did have elite numbers and awards.
If Bernie Williams, Edmonds, and Jones can’t get in, I don’t see Cutch in.
All of them should be in the HOF. That’s just me though. HOF voting has always been a popularity contest tho
Definitely bud. Hell, even Damon has the counting stats plus 2 rings… dog and pony show all the way
I still wear my Uncle Larry shirt, loved him as a Phillie. The character clause should work for Jimmy Rollins too.
He's a good player, but a GREAT player? Never had 100 rbis in a season. Hit 30 hrs once in his career. .276 career batting average is good, but great? No.
Defense and intangibles add something, but it seems as the years go by the bar for the HOF gets lowered....It used to be reserved for the best of the best, but now the guys in the 2nd and 3rd row are getting in.
Here we are 7 months later
319- HR
1095- RBI
2152- Hits
.273- Average
49.3- WAR
2013 MVP
4 time All Star
I'm a very bias Pittsburgh pirates fan but how can he not be in the hall of fame! Dude is a GOAT
Pausing the video for why I think he's a solid HOF hopeful and then I'm excited to hear your arguments.
He does everything well. Not 500 hr but 300 (soon) , not 500 steals but 200, over 1k walks, over 1k rbi, over 2k hits. He's likely to hit 50 WAR this season and he has accolades from his prime that are outstanding. Plus a gold glove just to prove he was an above average defender while also hitting like an mvp.
You're 100% on here. He's a legend in the Burgh and I'd give him a H.O.F. vote if I had one.
Having Mac Miller instrumentals in the background is a nice touch.
I feel like Dustin Pedroia also falls into this category especially with how his career ended
Cutch is by far my favorite mlb player. As a young pirates i got to grow up and see this guy's greatness on and off the field.
Bold take but I’m interested. If he gets in for your reasons it’ll be huge for the HOF. Also if we’re taking into consideration storylines and how iconic they were for their franchise then Frank White should be in the HOF (similar stats to Mazeroski, whole career with Royals, tied with Alex Gordon for franchise record 8 Gold Gloves, and supported by current HOF players that he should be in)
Using Faces by Mac Miller is such a great touch on this video, Pittsburgh legends.
Using WAR, in any comparison is a joke, at best a theory, that I give zero credit for being a thing. But Cutch does deserve to be in HOF.
I don't know if you can tell the story of baseball without Cutch. What he did for the city to bring back winning baseball, and hes trying to do it again. And 4 straight top 5 MVP finishes with a win. And you have both counting stats (300 homers, 200 steals, 2000 hits) and the awards (MVP, silver slugger, gold glove, roberto clemente award, etc).
McCutchen might get a little consideration. But since his career path is most similar to Fred Lynn I doubt he cracks more than 25%
So much agreed! I wish he’d been in Philly a little longer.
8:52 those player's weekend jerseys were SOOOO good. leave it to the MLB to take a great thing and completely ruin it (remember the awful black and white ones???) before dismissing it entirely
yeah he should be in the hall of fame, the pittsburgh pirates hall of fame not baseball hall of fame
HOWS IT FEEL TO HANG AROUND A MF LIKE ME
I respect the faces instrumentals in the background
I think like Joe Mauer, cutch is one of those where pure stats may be "hall if very good" but when you combine it with his stewardship for the game and what he means for Pittsburgh, he's now in. If we're going to keep people out because of grumpy abrasiveness, it should work the other way. Particularly in Grey zones
That's why I think the Hall should lean more into telling the story of baseball, not necessarily just inducting the best players ever. I actually think David Ortiz kind of started this trend, he had ties to steroids like so many other guys around him, but he had such a likable character and meant so much to Boston that he got first ballot despite possibly having done stetroids early in his career. Joe Mauer and even Adrian Beltre are both continuing this trend this year as well. I think this is a very good sign for Cutch to potentially be first ballot worthy in 2030 or whatever year it winds up being
I’m not going to lie, this actually kinda convinced me. It helps promote the genuinely good guys who were very good if just short of obvious hof numbers. Plenty of guys have gotten in with questionable totals already. But it would have to be special cases and cutch might be one
Cutch is up there with Mario Lemieux and the Steel Curtain as Pittsburgh sports royalty.
Cutch is a legend, we love him so much in Pittsburgh.
If he didn’t fall off so bad in his early 30’s due to missed time w injuries he’d prob get there hit as things are now he’s not HOF material
For what he did dragging the Pirates back to relevancy I agree. On a personal note, I moved to Pittsburgh in part due to the experience I had at the ballpark and I never would have visited if not for what Cutch did in building up that brand.
Inner circle hall of very good
I mean let's be honest, goldy deserves to have won that mvp over cutch, they just got to the postseason so the narrative favored him.
Super borderline for the hall, but I respect the argument
Speaking of that 2013 pirates season could you do a video based on that season
This video almost made me cry. Cutch is the biggest reason I love baseball as much as I do
Cutch was always clutch. Great video
He gave us hope when the pirate stunk for decades now.
Why not? Harold Baines got in. Might as well lose all respect for the HOF!
With the Mac Miller instrumentals 😏🔥😮💨
McCutchen was my childhood hero. What he did for the Pirates and the city of Pittsburgh as a whole can not be overstated. Hopefully voters recognize how important he was in my life and thousands of other kids like me growing up in Pittsburgh at the time.
Anyone notice all the Mac miller songs in the background, two Pittsburgh legends
Ayy, diablo by mac miller in the background!
Okay, look... oh boy... I admire the effort here and your love of Cutch is infectious. But let's be real: Andrew Stefan McCutchen has no business being in the Hall of Fame. He's a great guy who has had a really good career, but he's not a Hall of Famer. A good test I rely on for determining whether a guy should be in the Hall of Fame is to listen to the case made in favor of his HOF candidacy by knowledgable baseball fans. There are certain kinds of things people say in support of clear Hall of Famers and certain kinds of things for players who are not (in my opinion) Hall of Famers. For clear Hall of Famers the case easily makes itself - there's no hedging, no hesitation, no excuses, no bull. Take a recent inductee: Adrian Beltre. What's his case? He has 3200 hits, leads all third basemen in MLB history in hits, RBIs, and total bases. He's third all time among third basemen in WAR and home runs. He's probably the second best defensive third basemen ever, only behind the legendary Brooks Robinson. To put Beltre's career WAR into perspective, his tops that of Jimmie Foxx, Wade Boggs, Steve Carlton, George Brett, Chipper Jones, Ken Griffey Jr., Nolan Ryan, and Pete Rose. See how simple and undeniable that was? See how once you lay out the direct case for Beltre there is no plausible argument against his induction? THAT, my friends, is what a true HOF case looks like.
Now let's turn to the case for McCutchen. The strongest case for Cutch is his combination of 2000 hits, 300 hr, and 200 sb. That's impressive, but (a) that alone doesn't get you into the Hall, and (b) that's not the first thing you said. It wasn't the second or third or fifth thing you brought up. My guess is that the reason for this is even you recognize that this combo is, while impressive, not really HOF stuff. The first thing you brought up was that he's really good at baseball. Yeah, true, but that's the kind of thing you'd say about a guy for whom a statistical case is lacking. You wouldn't say, "Albert Pujols should be in the HOF because, well, he was really good at baseball." You also mentioned that his oWAR was 17th all-time among centerfielders. Again, that's impressive, but not HOF worthy. You then pointed out that he had a really great (but really short) peak, about 4-5 years. Peak performance is not irrelevant, of course, but there are thousands of guys who were HOFers for 4-5 years who have no business being in the HOF. A short peak might get you in the NFL or NBA HOF, but not in MLB. Then you said something about having the hit total of DiMaggio and the HR total of Brett. While true, this is merely misleading name-dropping, and is below the otherwise high quality of this video. (Imagine I did the opposite: Sandy Koufax HOF? But he has only the win total of Barry Zito and the strikeout total of Charlie Hough. Doesn't sound HOF caliber to me. See? Technically true, but totally misleading and ultimately pointless.)
Finally, let's get to the character clause thing. I agree that Cutch is a great guy, one of the best the game has seen. That's not unimportant, but character should be used to buttress an already unimpeachable resume, not the thing that turns a Hall of Very Good resume into a Hall of Fame one. Beltre is a great guy, too, and that's one of the reasons I'm such a fan and I was happy to see him get in. But notice that when I made his case, I didn't tell you what kind of a guy he was. The reason, of course, is that I didn't have to, I was too busy listing his undeniable career accolades. If a player's HOF case rests largely on him being a super swell guy, that should send up red flags. With respect to the supposed hypocrisy of using the character clause in a negative way, in my view, the answer is not to double down on the error and elevate undeserving players like Cutch. The answer to the supposed hypocrisy is to stop using it against guys like Sheffield and Kent. This is obvious, of course: let in guys who deserve to be in based on their playing careers and don't let in the guys who don't deserve to be in. But, to repeat: the solution to an error is not to compound the error in other directions.
So, what's the case for Cutch (and yes, I know I'm simplifying here)? He's good at baseball; he was great for some years; he's a really good CF bat but a defensive liability at a prime position, and he's a really good guy. To me, this does not read like the case for a Hall of Fame player. This reads like the kind of stuff you say in defense of a player who clearly does not have a Hall of Fame resume. So, let's enjoy Cutch while we have him, let's remember his contributions to the game, but let's not put him in the Hall of Fame.
He should absolutely be in the hall of fame. Should've won mvp twice and not just once. Plus he was just a great dude that the fans loved and NO ONE has more incredible plays than him
Love ‘Cutch. Hope he plays forever.
Lmao I love Jeff pasan for the troll stuff he does 😂
I think he’s a hall of fame player, not just because he’s a nice guy but because he was a great player. But remember it’s the hall of fame, not the hall of morals
Then explain why Barry bonds isn’t in.
@@cargopilotguy305 I think Barry bonds should be in, like I said it’s not the hall of morals. I do think the voting is rigged, so I think we should just have a standard instead of a vote
He's a dude, but I think he falls short of the hall... When's the last time he was the best player on his team? Prob back earlier with the pirates... He had a very solid 5 year peak, but the rest of his seasons are just a little above average. Anyway would be hard to give mccutchen a vote and not someone else on the ballot
Great video and I total agree with you about Cutch. I believe he will be a HOFer once his career is over.
I agree. We need to respect a prime that lasts 7-10years. He stands out when we think of Pitt, he is in the story of baseball.
Excellent video and valid points about baseball culture needing a huge dose of reality!
He used #22, the number after Clemente #21. He was supposed to be the Next great Pirate. He signed with other teams and then he returned. That was so bad. I agree he should be a HOF.
He's the ultimate vibes guy
He has a very similar WAR and ops+ to Kirby Puckett. Kirby got there in less time and had a longer prime, but he was also a first ballot hall of famer. Andrew won a MVP, which Kirby never did. I think I would make him wait a couple years, but when I break it down I think he has to get in.
he is no kirby puckett
Okay so I’m from Pgh so let me say this. People who aren’t from here have no idea what this man means to our city. Andrew McCutchen is the person who saved & brought the love of baseball back to Pittsburgh after 20 years of misery. He means so so much here. But I don’t think he’s a HOFer. Hall of “very good for a short time”
From 12-15 he was an mvp finalist every year, including winning one. He was on pace to be in the hof, but just suddenly declined quicker than what was anticipated in 2016. He hasn’t been a superstar since 2015. So 2016-2023 just an average player who’s dealt w injuries that has caught up to him. we overrated (and rightfully so) him in Pittsburgh, but I don’t think he’s a HOFer.
If Matt holiday couldn’t even get a chance to be 2nd ballot cutch ain’t making it unless he’s got a lot more solid years in him
I know nothing about his stats, I just know that I've grown up my entire life knowing the name Andrew McCutchen. I'm a Mariners fan, not a Pirates fan. I have no affiliation with the team. But Cutch for sure deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.
Please read Bill James on the spurious nature of the "one of a group" argument. In most cases you are including him in groups with players who have way more WAR or way more of many different counting stats. He has around the same amount of hits as Joe D but....Joe D missed three years of his prime for WWIi, has about 30 more WAR and was historically dominant at times of his career or the second or third best player. He has about the same number of home runs as Brett...but Brett has 3000 hits, a batting average over .300 and 40 points higher War and also historically dominant at time in ways McCluchenn wasnt. So just because he is comparable in one stat does not mean he is comparable to them in any way that is meaningful. Your best meaningful companions for him are guys like Bobby Bonnilla, Reggie Smith,Fred Lynn, BOBBY Bonds, all terrific players who nobody even really views as border line.
You have made the argument as well as it can be made that he is a borderline candidate. I do not think he is ever going to be the best borderline guy not in, but it will not break my heart if he does get a plaque someday and he certainly will not be the worst player enshrined. But if I was a voter I would probably pass.
He's very much a hall of very good.
100 percent, Scott rolen and Todd Helton also, never hall of fame material it’s almost a publicity thing now
@nicrod5651 Todd Helton is literally the greatest player in rockies history and has the JAWS to go in as well. His batting metrics already put him at a likely hall of famer and there's also the fact that he should've won the 2000 MVP
@@saulgoodman8501 seriously Helton was nearly keeping up with a roided out Bonds from like 2000-03. In a just world he’s basically first ballot
@@nicrod5651braindead take
@princejellyfish3945 Did bonds Roid in 2000? I was sure he didn't start until 2001 where he finally got tired of getting absolutely no attention.
Whatever happens, Andrew McCutchen is already the best player to make his Major League debut on the same day a pitcher won his 300th game, since he debuted on June 4, 2009 the same day Randy Johnson won his 300th.
7 years longer than ball point pens, god dang it I love baseball
Why not put everyone in the HOF at this point.
I want David wright in but he won’t. I feel the same thing will happen to cutch even tho he was an unreal player
Amazing prime, just very little production besides his insane 5 year stretch