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Atlanta Braves: 5 Reasons Andruw Jones Belongs in MLB Hall of Fame

By Jake Mastroianni

22 Oct 1996: Andruw Jones of the Atlanta Braves catches a ball during Game Three of the World Series against the New York Yankees at Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The Yankees won the game, 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Dunn /Allsport
22 Oct 1996: Andruw Jones of the Atlanta Braves catches a ball during Game Three of the World Series against the New York Yankees at Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The Yankees won the game, 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Dunn /Allsport /
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SAN FRANCISCO – SEPTEMBER 15: Barry Bonds #25 of the San Francisco Giants looks on from the dugout during a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at SBC Park on September 15, 2005 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO – SEPTEMBER 15: Barry Bonds #25 of the San Francisco Giants looks on from the dugout during a game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at SBC Park on September 15, 2005 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) /

Because of the Era He Played In

We talked briefly about how certain players are discredited for the work they did during the steroid era, and I think that applies to Andruw Jones.

Andruw Jones has never been speculated of using steroids or performance-enhancing drugs, so I’m basing this off of that notion.

Jones put up several seasons in which he would have normally gotten more consideration for the MVP award, or other awards like the Silver Slugger, had there not been steroid users.

I look back to the 2000 season when I think Andruw had one of his best years hitting .303 with a .366 on-base percentage, 122 runs scored, 36 home runs, 104 RBI, 21 stolen bases, and a slugging percentage of .541.

Not only did he not win the MVP award that season with those numbers, but he finished eighth. They guys in front of him were: Jeff Kent, Barry Bonds, Mike Piazza, Jim Edmonds, Todd Helton, Vladimir Guerrero, and Jeff Bagwell.

At least four of those players have been suspected of using steroids, and three of them are already in the Hall of Fame (Todd Helton is in his first year on the ballot).

Compare Andruw’s number that season to the MVP season Christian Yelich had in 2018. Yelich hit .326 with a .402 on-base percentage, 118 runs scored, 36 home runs, 110 RBI, and a .463 slugging percentage.

Yelich’s average and OBP are higher, but everything else is pretty much the same. That’s the kind of competition Andruw should have been facing during his career, not the inflated numbers put up by steroid users.

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