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| No | 68% | 76 votes | Total: 111 votes | |
| Yes | 32% | 35 votes |
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Add to FavoritesChone Figgins ended 2007 with a .330 batting average and while that is a great year for him there are three active players with career averages higher than that. Ichiro Suzuki, Todd Helton, and Albert Pujols. Figgins, Suzuki, and Helton don't have the power Pujols has which is part of the total skills package.
Todd Helton has been playing for the Colorado Rockies since 1997 and has a .332 lifetime batting average and 303 career home runs.
Ichiro Suzuki has been playing for the Seattle Mariners since 2001 and has a .333 lifetime batting average and 97 career home runs.
Albert Pujols has been playing for the St. Louis Cardinals since 2001 and has a lifetime batting average of .332 and 282 career home runs.
Chone Figgins has been playing for the Los Angeles Angels since 2002 and has a .293 lifetime batting average and 25 career home runs.
Clearly Helton has been an above average player, and had 218 home runs after playing 7 years, which is how many years Pujols has been playing.
Some people consider Alex Rodriguez as the best all around player in baseball. Rodriguez has been playing since 1994, has a .306 lifetime batting average and 518 career home runs. It took him 14 years to join the 500 home runs club and yet he only had 189 home runs at 7 years.
Both Helton and Pujols were on a quicker pace than Rodriguez their first 7 seasons to reach 500 home runs and yet I don't think Helton will reach that mark since at his current output it will take him 11 more seasons to reach 500 and he is already 34 years old.
Pujols is only 27 years old and already has 282 home runs. He could conceivably reach 500 home runs within the next six or seven years using the number of home runs he hit this year, which was an off year for him. Then if you look at what age these guys are when they reach their peak power there's no telling what he could actually do.
If you consider that Pujols had a .327 batting average this season and hit 32 home runs, which is 7 more than Figgins career total it is obvious Figgins is not the best hitter in MLB. I'm not saying Pujols is, but it seems like his career stats to this point are better than Figgins.
Just for fun, guess how many home runs Barry Bonds had at 7 years? 176! No, he didn't knowingly use steroids.
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Yes
The distinction of the "best hitter in baseball" is subjective and an abstract award. But because we love bestowing such imaginary honors to our perennial athletes, such topics drive our interest like "free beer"! And in the end? No undisputed winner...
...that being said, we'll always have a pool of superstar athletes with great ability and amazing numbers. Does Chone Figgins have the stuff needed to be among MLB's great hitters? I think so. Is he "emerging as the best hitter"? Well, if he is, the "emerging" has just begun and the Angels better keep him around.
Figgins has had just three full seasons, .296, .290, and a bomb last year at .267. Look up the stats on the superstars we always talk about - Hank Aaron and Willie Mays, the only career .300+ avg. with 500+ hr. players. Look up current stars like David Ortiz and Alex Rodriguez ...even Ichiro posted unimpressive stats in his first two short seasons in '92 and '93 for the Orix Blue Wave before exploding with a .385 average! Most superstars have a few slow years (with a few exceptions). Figgins has been decent with one bad year.
What I find so impressive and hallmark of a great hitter is Figgins' performance this year. He suffered TWO fractured fingertips on his right hand that didn't heal until late April this year. The hands are so important to a hitters grip and ability to get comfortable at the plate. It showed in Figgins' case as he proceeded to hit a measly .133 through his first month back. After riding the pine for two games (much to his agitation), he came back May 31st to hit 3 for 4 in a loss to Baltimore.
Since May 31st, Figgins has hit .399 and has hit safely in 32 of his last 36 games. He gets in hitting streaks regularly, muli-hit games consistently, and most importantly hits well in the clutch. His 6 for 6 game is a great example of how clutch his hitting has become (even in his slow periods) and his ability to WOW the fans. Just a few years ago, Figgins gave a 5 for 5 performance that I still haven't forgot. The fact he is 4th/5th in the AL in average after such a bad start is amazing. Some players have good months, but Figgins is having a great year that can continue for some time.
Time- that is a downside that no one has pointed out, but is very significant. Figgins is already 29 years old and longevity is a key indicator of a great hitter. Nevertheless, Figgins has the ability to hit consistently, hit in the clutch, and use his speed to get on base. To say Figgins has no possibility of ever being the one of the best hitters in baseball is shortsighted. For all we know, what we see now can become an indication of Figgins' next 10 years at the plate. At that point, maybe the debate won't be so lopsided...
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