If you grew up in the 2000’s, chances are you came home from school and saw a Magglio Ordonez highlight on Sportscenter nearly every day. The pure hitting right fielder played for 15 seasons, all in the AL Central (White Sox and Tigers, respectfully), and if you asked both clubs fanbases, they’d show nothing but love for Mags. Playing in a power era with the Bonds and Thomes’ of the game, Ordonez wasn’t primarily seen as a power hitter. However, hardly any pitcher at the time wanted him at the plate.
A 6-time All-Star, 3-time Silver Slugger (and it could be argued he should’ve had more) and a Batting Title in 2007, Magglio has one the most underrated hitting resumes not talked about enough, so let’s talk about it.
Career Numbers
- .309 AVG
- .369 OBP
- .502 SLG
- .871 OPS
- 294 HRs
- 1236 RBIs
- 1076 Runs
An Average Guy
In 11 of his 15 seasons, Ordonez batted above .300, consistently hovering around that mark for his entire career. The four seasons in which he batted under .300? .282, .292, .298, and .255 (his final season). Very difficult to maintain that production. From 1999 up until tearing his meniscus in 2004, he hit above .300 every year.
His Batting Title winning season, when he put up a spiffy .363, is particularly phenomenal. Mags would hit the .300 mark on April 19th of that season, and not dip below it for its remainder. In fact, in the 157 games Ordonez played that year, 107 of those he was above .350.
The 162 game career averages for stat categories are always intriguing, and in the case of Magglio it shows even more importance. Ordonez would only play 134 games between the 2004 and 2005 seasons due to his torn knee, at age 30 and 31. Which the popular phrase is, was his prime. So, to shine a light on his 162 game averages for his career shows how good he was
Notable 162 Game AVGs
- 94 Runs
- 189 Hits
- 108 RBIs
- 26 HRs
Those averages reflect the resume of a premier three spot hitter in any lineup. A perennial All-Star. Underrated. Criminally underrated. If we were to multiply those four stats by 15 (the number of seasons Magglio played), you would get 1,410 Runs, 2,835 Hits, 1,620 RBIs, and 390 HRs. Theoretical? Yes. Borderline Cooperstown worthy? Perhaps.
That day will never come for Magglio to be enshrined unless there is a complete reset of the voting system. As Cooperstown faces questions about the overall integrity of the elusive club due to its voting and/or voters, it’s important to keep pointing at players like Magglio Ordonez. Players with resumes and numbers that not only exceed some players already in the Hall, but also that Magglio did it clean as far as we know, in an era where that was far and few between.
Again, while Mags played in an era where big names were a dime a dozen, it can confidently be said if you grew up watching Ordonez play, there wasn’t a pitcher in the game at the time that wanted to pitch to him. That only adds to his argument to be mentioned amongst the game’s greatest. If not ever, at least of his time.
