Topps Now Turn Back the Clock: October 29, 2022

On October 29, 1975, Fred Lynn was named the A.L. Rookie of the Year.  He would also win the MVP award, becoming the first rookie to ever win both in the same season.  Ichiro Suzuki would later match that feat, but with the caveat that he had spent several seasons in the Japanese major league.  

Lynn may have set the bar too high in his rookie season.  He continued to have some very good seasons, but only seldomly lived up to that huge rookie season.  His best season though was his 1979 season when he won the batting title and hit .333/.423/.637 with 39 home runs, 42 doubles and 122 RBIs.  He led the league in all three slash categories.  Unfortunately, he would never have a season close to that again.  

Injuries probably kept Lynn out of the Hall of Fame.  Though with some of the more recent inductees, it appears the bar has lowered somewhat.  If he were to get on an Era Committee ballot, anything could happen.  He certainly was a famous player.  I would say he was at the least, better than Harold Baines.