re: Most Overrated Athlete in Sports History

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That's an insane % of votes for his actual on field career. I mean Babe Ruth got 95% of the available vote and Jeter got 99%? I tell you, New York media can make a career.

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What happened with Ruth and them was atrocious regarding HOF voting, but we are seeing a shift where if someone is a certifiable HOF, they are getting more votes. Voters are no longer holding grudges or leaving off a unanimous choice only because they know they will get the requirement. So many voters making their votes public will make for higher percentages. Jeter was overrated during his career and was behind his contemporaries such as Alex Rodriguez, Miguel Tejada, Nomar, Ripken, etc. However, he also hit .310/.377/.440 over a 20-year career with almost 3500 hits and eight top-ten MVP finishes. It helped that he was well-liked by all of the media and was only left off of one ballot.

Next year, you will see Ichiro receive 100% or close to it. Then it is lean until 2028 when Albert Pujols is eligible. He should garner 100%, followed by Miguel Cabrera in 2029. Both players are well-liked, but I could see a voter leaving Miggy off only due to his dependency on alcohol.