Albert Belle
Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, Baltimore Orioles
Outfield, Designated Hitter
One of the most feared sluggers of the 1990s, Belle was forced out of baseball during spring training of 2001 due to injury. The numbers he put up during his short 12-year career will no doubt spark many debates as the time approaches for Belle to appear on the Hall of Fame ballot. Only 19 home runs away from 400, over 1200 runs batted in, 5 All-Star appearances, among the best hitters in many offensive categories year in and year out. In 1995, Belle led the American League in slugging percentage, home runs, RBI, runs scored, total bases, and doubles. He is the only player in major league history to hit 50 homers and 50 doubles in the same season. Belle's numbers are not at the point of controversy, rather his attitude towards fans and reporters. Like Jim Rice, who had very similar numbers to Belle and has not been elected in 7 tries, Belle had a notorious relationship with the media that may overshadow his production on the field and ultimately hurt his chances to be enshrined in Cooperstown.
CAREER STATISTICS
(1989-2000)
G = 1539
AB = 5853
R = 974
H = 1726
2B = 389
3B = 21
HR = 381
RBI = 1239
AVG = .295
ALBERT BELLE LINKS
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