Womack: Buddy Bell was nearly the Adrian Beltre of the 1980s
From SABR member Graham Womack at The Sporting News on August 25, 2017:
When Adrian Beltre collected his 3,000th hit, it was as much a crowing achievement as a culmination of his decision to sign with the Rangers in 2011.
Beltre spent his first dozen seasons toiling in pitchers’ parks, with a liberated 13th season in hitter-friendly Fenway Park in 2010 hinting at how his numbers might improve in similar confines. He couldn’t have chosen a better next destination than Arlington, long one of the best hitters’ parks. His decision arguably made him a Hall of Famer, with Beltre hitting .308 with 1,138 hits and a 133 OPS+ since joining the Rangers.
Granted, Beltre wasn’t the first player to use his time with the Rangers to increase his Hall of Fame chances. A generation ago, Buddy Bell nearly became the Adrian Beltre of the 1980s.
Read the full article here: http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/news/buddy-bell-stats-hall-of-fame-case-rangers-indians-reds-1980s-baseball/52ni8v0pj5aezhw4353genj1
Originally published: August 25, 2017. Last Updated: August 25, 2017.