Was Don Mattingly great long enough for Hall of Fame?

On MLB Network there have been discussions this week about Hall of Fame candidates. Views ranged from the big tent of Brian Kenny to those with more common sense.

Don Mattingly was considered. The narrative is that Mattingly was an all time great until physical problems with his back reduced his greatness.

I'm a Yankee fan but I do not think that Don Mattingly was good enough to be elected to the Hall of Fame. It's not even close.

One comment on MLB Network really inspired this post: that Mattingly had some of the greatest seasons of all time. There was no dissent.

Stipulation: batting only, not fielding. OPS+:

Mattingly's best: 161, 156, 156.

Career: 127. Six seasons above that.

Where does Mattingly's 161 fit among all time great hitting seasons?

For single seasons, since 1903, Playing in the AL or NL, Qualified for league batting title, in the regular season, requiring Adjusted OPS+ >= 160, sorted by descending Adjusted OPS+.

https://stathead.com/tiny/Izqb7

522 out of 578. Being generous, 161 is tied with others and I don't know if they are in order randomly. Top rank for 161: 514.

So the best Don Mattingly season is not quite in the top 500.

Top three: Barry Bonds: 268, 263, 259 inflated by walks.

4,5,6: Babe Ruth: 255, 239, 239 (1927: #10 225)

Where does Mattingly's 161 rank among Yankees: not in the top 50.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/NYY/leaders_bat_50_season.shtml

Adjusted OPS+

1.	Babe Ruth • 1920	255
2.	Babe Ruth • 1921	239
	Babe Ruth • 1923	239
4.	Babe Ruth • 1926	226
5.	Babe Ruth • 1927	225
6.	Mickey Mantle • 1957	221
7.	Lou Gehrig • 1927	220
	Babe Ruth • 1924	220
9.	Babe Ruth • 1931	218
10.	Babe Ruth • 1930	211
11.	Aaron Judge • 2022	210
	Mickey Mantle • 1956	210

42.	Bobby Murcer • 1972	169
43.	Charlie Keller • 1943	168
44.	Roger Maris • 1961	167
45.	Joe DiMaggio • 1937	166
	Lou Gehrig • 1929	166
47.	Joe DiMaggio • 1948	164
48.	Charlie Keller • 1942	163
49.	Charlie Keller • 1941	162
	Mickey Mantle • 1952	162
	Mickey Mantle • 1960	162

Certainly behind Charlie Keller: career OPS+ 152. Keller played only six full seasons. Bad Back.

Case closed.