Post by dougiejays on Jun 19, 2020 21:11:17 GMT -5
Keith Hernandez is coming back for another year – and another crack at 3,000 hits.
On the 8th of September, the veteran slugger re-signed with Toronto on a 1-year, $1M contract. He will enter 1992 sitting 59 hits short of that magical hits number – a number that has traditionally been an automatic qualifier for the Hall of Fame.
Reports early in the season had Hernandez looking for a much larger salary to return to the Blue Jays, but as the season progressed and his role diminished, it became clear that Toronto had no interest in bringing him back for a large dollar figure. This relatively meagre sum (in MLB terms) gives “Mex,” as he is affectionately known by his teammates, one more kick at the can before retirement, though it also gives the Jays an easy way out if he shows he’s not up to the task of performing for another year.
“It would be a great accomplishment,” Hernandez said. “I just have to hope that I get there.”
Some more optimistic prognosticators had suggested he might reach the vaunted 3,000 plateau at some point this season – the 180 hits he needed coming into the season didn’t seem particularly insane for a former batting champ with a career BA over .300. But an early-season slump led to Hernandez being dropped in the order and eventually platooned against lefties, and while he still managed to be one of Toronto’s more productive hitters overall in '91, he is clearly no longer the annual batting title contender that he’s been for the past 15 seasons or so.
“We’re bringing him back, and we’ll give him every opportunity to get his 3000,” GM Doug Davis said. “But we’re in the business of winning games, not chasing records. There are no guarantees in this business. If he happens to struggle, we won’t hesitate to try someone else at first base.”
