By Grant Brisbee @GrantBrisbee Jan 8, … The defensive wizard who played for 19 years and was a first-ballot inductee hit .262/.337/.328 in his career. If Vizquel is elected in, he’d sit sixth at defensive WAR (29.5) among Hall of Fame shortstops. Five facts about Omar Vizquel: Omar Vizquel played 2,709 games at shortstop in his career. The hesitation to vote for Vizquel -- based solely on on-field production -- is spurred from his offensive numbers. He had a standout offensive year in 1999, slashing .333/.397/.436 with 42 stolen bases and a career-high 112 runs scored to earn his second consecutive All-Star selection. Vizquel now has six more years to attempt to reach that mark. Make sure to check out all of our other MLB Hall of Fame Cases.. Vizquel is one of the most polarizing players to hit the ballot in a while. Even if it’s not in 2021, he will still have six years to make it in. CLEVELAND -- For the first time since he joined the Hall of Fame ballot in 2018, former Indians shortstop Omar Vizquel did not see a jump in his vote total. Vizquel received 209 of 397 votes cast (52.6 percent) by tenured members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America last go-around in January. And no one in … The progression continues to be an optimistic sign for Vizquel, who has as many as seven more years (including 2021) to reach the 75 percent mark that’s required for induction. He had a standout offensive year in 1999, slashing .333/.397/.436 with 42 stolen bases and a career-high 112 runs scored to earn his second consecutive All-Star selection. While Vizquel waits during the next few months to see if he can receive more votes this year, former Indians right fielder Manny Ramirez and infielder Jeff Kent will also be back on the ballot again in 2021 trying to earn their spots. Vizquel received 197 of 401 votes cast (49.1 percent) by tenured members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, as announced Tuesday on MLB Network. In 2,968 career games in his 24-year career, Vizquel batted .272/.336/.352 with 2,877 hits, 951 RBIs and 404 stolen bases with three All-Star selections. He made his big league debut with Seattle in 1989. But where some BBWAA members could hesitate is his offensive numbers. When he received 52.6 percent of the vote in ‘20, it appeared as though he was on a steady climb to reach the 75 percent threshold within the next few years before this slight setback. Baseball Hall of Fame voting: Omar Vizquel, Scott Rolen and other players who made gains on 2020 ballot Some of these players have real momentum toward induction Vizquel, the Indians former shortstop, wasn’t going to … Vizquel … Kent received 27.5 percent of last year’s vote and Ramirez made a 5.4 percent jump in the votes he received from 2019 to bring his total to 28.2 percent, but the outfielder’s past with performance-enhancing drugs will continue to be a hurdle for him to leap. Very much so. The good news is that he is in a good spot to make it into the Hall of Fame in the next few years. Making the Hall of Fame Case for Omar Vizquel. I never considered Vizquel to be a Hall of Fame player but many people do. Omar Vizquel has watched his Hall of Fame vote count trend in the right direction over the last three years, and after the 2021 ballot was released on Monday afternoon, the only thing left to wonder is whether this could finally be his year. Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith is second with 1,590 over a 19-year span. Full Site Menu. However, Smith’s 87 OPS+ just tops Vizquel’s 82 OPS+, which would be tied for the lowest of Hall of Fame shortstops with Luis Aparicio and Rabbit Maranville. Doug Lesmerises and Bud Shaw debate whether former Indians player Omar Vizquel is worthy of the Baseball Hall of Fame CLEVELAND -- Could the Indians watch another alum receive an induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2021? While he started out great, he has seen his support wane. Smith also bested Vizquel in stolen bases (by 176) and walks (by 44) and flashed the most leather of all shortstops currently in the Hall of Fame with a 44.2 defensive WAR. The Indians watched Jim Thome go through the induction process in 2018 and will be eagerly waiting to see if their beloved former shortstop will be able to have his turn in the spotlight. The Hall of Fame case for Omar Vizquel Entertaining players deserve consideration, even if the stats aren’t as juicy as they could be. Vizquel’s offensive numbers are similar to Smith’s. 2020 Hall of Fame Ballot Series: Omar Vizquel. He was a spectacular defensive shortstop who made highlight plays look easy. Return to Top; MLB Players. If it was only up to his defense, Vizquel could’ve easily been inducted in his first year on the ballot. He is heading into his fourth year of candidacy on the Hall of … Omar Vizquel has watched his Hall of Fame vote count trend in the right direction over the last three years, and after the 2021 ballot was released on Monday afternoon, the only thing left to wonder is whether this could finally be his year. I was struck by a column I read in January 2017, shortly after that year’s vote was announced, in which espn.com’s Jayson Stark said that Vizquel would get a check-mark next to his name on his 2018 Hall of Fame ballot. Anyone who watched the Cleveland Indians during the 1990s and the early 2000s knows that Omar Vizquel should be in … While a Hall of Fame vote is largely cast based on a player’s baseball abilities and contributions to a team, writers are also instructed to consider a player’s integrity, sportsmanship and character. Omar Vizquel of the San Francisco Giants gets ready at shortstop against the Chicago Cubs during a … If Vizquel is elected in, he’d sit sixth at defensive bWAR (29.5) among Hall of Fame shortstops. In 11 seasons (1994-2004) with the Tribe, he hit .283 with 1,616 hits, 906 runs scored, 60 homers and 584 RBIs. Vizquel received 197 of 401 votes cast (49.1 percent) by tenured members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, as … Omar Vizquel played his age 38 through age 41 seasons with the San Francisco Giants, and all of the skills he showcased in both Seattle and Cleveland were on display at AT&T Park. Manny Ramirez received the same percentage of the vote as he did in '20 at 28.2. Kent has two years left to get inducted, while Ramirez has five. In his first year on the ballot in 2018, he earned 37 percent of the vote before jumping to 42.8 percent in 2019. This is the most defensive games at shortstop in major-league history. A slightly-built switch-hitting shortstop, Vizquel’s glove work carried him through the minor leagues. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Omar Vizquel and Curt Schilling were once well positioned on the 2021 BBWAA Hall of Fame ballot. However, Smith’s 87 OPS+ just tops Vizquel’s 82 OPS+, which would be tied for the lowest of Hall of Fame shortstops with Luis Aparicio and Rabbit Maranville. He won a Gold Glove Award each season from 1993 through 2001 and picked up two more from '05-06 with the Giants, giving him a total of 11 in his career. An 11-time Gold Glover and three-time All-Star, Vizquel helped lead the Cleveland Indians to six playoff berths and two World Series. He sits atop the leaderboard in career fielding percentage as a shortstop with .985 and he turned the most double plays at shortstop in MLB history with 1,734. The defensive wizard who played for 19 years and was a first-ballot inductee hit .262/.337/.328 in his career. The drop in votes comes just over a month after The Athletic reported that Vizquel’s wife, Blanca, has accused him of domestic abuse. While Vizquel suffered a setback in his vote totals, another former member of the Tribe, Jeff Kent -- who received 27.5 percent of the vote in 2020 -- saw a jump to 32.4 percent of the vote this year. He won a Gold Glove Award each season from 1993 through 2001 and picked up two more from '05-06 with the Giants, giving him a total of 11 in his career. Vizquel's 2,968 career games played are the 7th-most in major-league history. But his outstanding numbers, including a .312 average, .996 OPS, 555 homers, 1,831 RBIs and a .585 slugging percentage over a 19-year career will assure that he continues to receive at least some votes. Including 2021, Kent has three years left to get inducted, while Ramirez has six. Will he get into Cooperstown? It's actually fairly easy to construct a Hall of Fame framework for Vizquel… Being on the Hall of Fame ballot for the fourth time, former Cleveland Indians shortstop Omar Vizquel deserves to be inducted in 2021. Vizquel’s offensive numbers are similar to Smith’s. Smith also bested Vizquel in stolen bases (by 176) and walks (by 44), and he flashed the most leather of all shortstops in the Hall of Fame with 44.2 defensive bWAR. Inducted into the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame (2014) Selected as one of the 4 greatest Indians in franchise history for the 2015 All Star Game's "Franchise 4"(2015) Vizquel has appeared on balloting for the National Baseball Hall of Fame since 2018 , when he received 37.0% of the vote, well short of the 75% required for election, but well above the 5% minimum required to remain on the ballot. A quick refresher on some of Omar Vizquel… The results will be announced live on MLB Network on Jan. 26. When Omar Vizquel was first about to enter the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, I was skeptical. He sits atop the leaderboard in career fielding percentage as a shortstop with .985 and he turned the most double plays at shortstop in MLB history with 1,734. Let’s hope that Omar will be Cooperstown bound very soon! Former Cleveland Indians shortstop Omar Vizquel falls short of election to Baseball Hall of Fame for 4th straight year The 11-time Gold Glove winner's case was further complicated by … Omar Vizquel, who has progressed nicely in his first three years of the BBWAA's Hall of Fame ballot, played 24 years in the big leagues. That same report stated that Vizquel is being investigated by MLB for a clubhouse incident that arose from when he was managing the Double-A Birmingham Barons, an affiliate of the White Sox, in 2019. There are two components to Vizquel's Hall of Fame case: his defense and his longevity. To some, that makes Vizquel an easy call for the Hall of Fame. • Hall of Fame releases 2021 ballot In over 2,900 career games in his 24-year career, Vizquel batted .272/.336/.352 with 2,877 hits, 951 RBIs and 404 stolen bases with three All-Star selections. To some, that makes Vizquel an easy call for the Hall of Fame, and as his candidacy heads into its fourth year, he looks as though he’s on his way. CLEVELAND -- For the first time since he joined the Hall of Fame ballot in 2018, former Indians shortstop Omar Vizquel did not see a jump in his vote total. Sieger: Shortstop Omar Vizquel belongs in the Hall of Fame. No charges were filed. He entered the ballot … If it was only up to his defense, Vizquel could’ve easily been inducted in his first year on the ballot. Hall of Fame candidate Omar Vizquel has been accused of domestic abuse by his wife, and Major League Baseball reportedly has been investigating the allegations. It was Grady Sizemore’s year to be eligible to be up for voting, but the outfielder was not listed on the 2021 Hall of Fame ballot on Monday. Veteran shortstop and former Texas Ranger Omar Vizquel is on the ballot for the fourth time this year, and he’s seen a significant gain in support since … The case for Vizquel. Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith is second with 1,590 over a 19-year span. Blanca Vizquel … Omar Vizquel is on the ballot for the fourth year. Vizquel denied the allegations, although he was taken into police custody in 2016 after an incident at the couple's Seattle-area home in Sammamish, Wash., according to that report. The guy who spent 11 seasons at shortstop for the Indians is a different matter; Omar Vizquel doesn’t belong in the Hall of Fame. CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Omar Vizquel came up short again for the Baseball Hall of Fame and seems to be at peace with the snub. (Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer). > Omar Vizquel Statistics and History. JAWS: 36.2 (55.0 Average HOF SS) Omar Vizquel was signed as an amateur free agent out of Venezuela by the Seattle Mariners in 1984. In 11 seasons (1994-2004) with the Tribe, he hit .283 with 1,616 hits, 906 runs scored, 60 homers and 584 RBIs. The document mentioned that Vizquel, who played 24 MLB seasons, is a candidate for the Hall of Fame. 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