Time to Finish the Rice

It's easy to talk about players on your own team when it comes to Hall of Fame consideration, but it means a lot more when you feel a player from another team deserves merit. And as much as Goose Gossage can go on talking about being slighted, no one has been more slighted than the Red Sox' Jim Rice.

For those of you too young to remember the career of the Red Sox' left fielder/DH, he was every bit as intimidating as Manny Ramirez or Big Papi. Maybe even more so than the two combined. The look of determination and concentration in Rice's eyes when he stepped to the plate was unmatched. He would unleash his compact swing like a bolt of lightning and more often than not, the ball would disappear over Fenway's green monster or clang off it's body.

In 16 seasons in Boston, Rice compiled a .298 average with 382 HRs and 1,451 RBI. He topped the 100 RBI mark 8 times, and fell 3 short of a 9th season in triple digits. He hit 39 home runs, a remarkable 3 times, and won the MVP award in 1978 when he put up these gaudy numbers- 46 HRs, 139 RBI, 406 total bases, a .907 OPS, and a .315 average.

Unfortunately for Rice, the Red Sox, for the most part, stunk during his career. He missed the '75 post-season, and made it just twice- the infamous '86 team and an '88 team that lost in the ALCS to Oakland. Rice hit just .159 in the playoffs and though he hit .333 in his only World Series, he failed to drive in a run.

Rice worked hard on his defense and was an adequate left-fielder. His surly attitude with reporters has probably cost him more than anything with H of F voters. Some may say his numbers are below more standard credentials - 400 HRS, 1,500 RBI - but he was dominant in his career, and that span lasted more than a decade.

It's time to do what's right, and put Rice in the hall.