"All that said, if you're holding judgment on Marc-O until the end of the season...."
Jeff you crack me up. The reason I've been hanging with ya online for these 21+ years now? The very best part of your shtick is the part about calling things out while they are happening. It's not about waiting until the votes are cast after the career is over. I remember having many arguments with folks back in the mid 90s who told me to wait 10 years and get back to them about the Big Unit. I declared the Unit a HOF pitcher at the beginning of 1995. Took a lot of flak for it. "you gotta wait until he proves it over time". I said "says who?"
My father told me after watching A-Rod's first week in Tacoma that he was the best player he had ever seen. And that's coming from a Willie Mays fan.
I've said this many times.......if you don't realize you are watching HOF talent when you are watching it, you are missing out.
Does that mean I think Marco is that? Of course not. But the same mentality applies. Let's recognize what we are seeing at the time we are seeing it. It's a heckuva lot more fun that way.