If there is anyone who knows what Cooperstown greatness looks like, it is mostly like Chipper Jones. And he has never been someone to shy away from making a case for someone. Just last week, he was standing up for Curt Schilling. However, on Friday night, the Brave icon decided that he wanted to bring into the limelight another MLB “injustice.” And it was not his first time highlighting or calling out the issue.

Chipper took to X to show complete support for his fellow Braves legends Andruw Jones and Dale Murphy. Two big names in the franchise history that are still elusive from being in Cooperstown. In fact, by now, the fans are tired of shouting on top of their lungs anytime the Hall of Fame debates roll around. And it’s difficult to blame them.

Chipper’s post was direct: “If batting [average] no longer matters amongst analytics people and journalists, why are Andruw Jones and Dale Murphy not in the [Hall of Fame]??? What else do you need? MVPs, Gold Gloves, [All-Stars], and Silver Sluggers! No other reason to keep them out.” And this is where the entire argument lies. The thing is, neither Murphy nor Andruw has the magic number, and that’s the voters’ golden ticket.

Wondering what that is? Well, 500 homers or 3,000 hits—that seems to be the sweet spot. But then, what about the accolades? Don’t they hold any value in the eyes of voters? Murphy has got back-to-back MVPs in ’82 and ’83, and only 34 players in history have been able to do that. And Andruw has ten gold gloves. Ten! That’s more than most of the names in the HoF now, and not to mention he also hit 400 home runs. So, naturally, the big question is—what’s the pushback? Even Pete Rose is now eligible! 

The pushback is the batting average. Dale Murphy had finished at .265, and Andruw at .254. But even then, it makes little sense because Ozzie Smith got in the club with a .262 average, and nobody ever argues about his worthiness in Cooperstown? That’s also not the only example; Harmon Killebrew also has .256. So the real question is, if the awards, defense, and consistency mean so much, how are these two Braves legends still on the outside? Chipper Jones’ dilemma is not a rant; it’s a reminder that maybe the Hall of Fame is still very hung up on the arbitrary benchmarks.

And these are not the only names the fans are screaming on top of their lungs for.

Why is Lou Whitaker not in the MLB Hall of Fame?

There is another name who is not in Cooperstown, and it’s Lou Whitaker. That’s the question the baseball fans are scratching their heads over, and it’s hard to justify this absence from Cooperstown. Because just look at his numbers. He is only the third second baseman in history to have reached over 1,000 runs, 1,000 RBIs, 2,000 hits, and 200 home runs. The names are Rogers Hornsby, Joe Morgan, and Lou Whitaker. The first two have their place in Cooperstown, so why is Whitaker not there?

Whitaker’s MLB career WAR sits at 75.1, which is also higher than the Hall of Fame average for second basemen at 69.5. Everyone above and below him on that list is already enshrined, but not him. He reached base 38% of the time and anchored one of the best double-play combos in baseball history with Alan Trammell, who is also in the Hall. And honestly, the MLB accolades are also there, right?

He has five MLB All-Star appearances, four Silver Slugger awards, three Gold Glove awards, and was the AL Rookie of the Year in 1978. He also has a championship win in 1984 and has 2,400 hits, 244 homers, and 1,084 RBIs. And if analytics is everything, then he ranks alongside Hall of Famers Johnny Bench and Reggie Jackson in career WAR. Still, Whitaker’s 15 years on the writers’ ballot have ended without an induction. It almost feels like the biggest snub ever. Now his fate lies with the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee. They vote again in December 2025 for the 2026 class.

For now, the only grace he got is that his No. 1 has been retired by the Detroit Tigers. But the next honor should be the rightful spot in Cooperstown. Don’t you agree?