Former SF Giants outfielder likes his chances to reach Hall of Fame after Ichiro Suzuki selection

In no surprise whatsoever, longtime outfielder Ichiro Suzuki was elected to the Hall of Fame while falling one vote shy of a unanimous selection. Could this pave the way for former SF Giants outfielder Kenny Lofton to eventually be inducted?

Former SF Giants outfielder likes his chances to reach Hall of Fame after Ichiro Suzuki selection

Lofton joined the Chris Rose Sports Rotation podcast to dicuss Ichiro's selection. The 17-year veteran outfielder was ecstatic about his chances now:

"They're letting the little guys in again!. It should have been unanimous, but again, he's a first ballot Hall of Famer...After all these years, hopefully, because Ichiro is now in. Eventually, it should be my time."

Kenny Lofton

Lofton and Suzuki were excellent players during their respective playing careers. Suzuki is best known for his sheer ability to barrel up any and all pitchers.

The left-handed bat had an impressive career in the NPB before coming stateside as a 27-year-old rookie with the Seattle Mariners in 2001. He would immediately become an attraction as he tallied hits at an incredible volume.

Suzuki took home the AL Rookie of the Year Award and AL MVP Award in 2001. He continued to receive considerable MVP support for the next decade while making 10 All-Star appearances.

In 19 seasons in the majors, Suzuki registered 3,089 hits. This was after collecting 1,278 across nine NPB seasons.

Lofton did not put up quite the counting stats that Suzuki did but he had a very strong career of his own. He slashed .299/.372/.423 (109 wRC+) with a 10.2 percent walk rate, 11.0 percent strikeout rate, and .124 ISO.

Lofton was a well-rounded player who could impact the game in the batter's box, on the bases, and in the outfield. In 17 major league seasons, he took home four Gold Glove Awards while earning six All-Star selections.

The veteran bat finished his career with 1,528 runs, 2,428 hits, and 622 stolen bases. He had a brief stint with the Giants in 2002 where he posted a .758 OPS in 205 plate appearances while helping the Giants reach the 2002 World Series. His time included a memorable walk-off hit to send the Giants to the World Series.

Lofton was at the center of a lot of playoff teams and his career began before the Wild Card era. He reached the playoffs a total of 11 times in 17 seasons.

Unfortunately, he was overlooked on the Hall of Fame vote as he only appeared on 3.2 percent of the ballots in 2013. He fell off the ballot after failing to reach the five percent threshold needed to remain.

For someone who put together as strong of a career as Lofton did, that just feels wrong. He did not have the same career arc that Suzuki did but both players were just excellent, well-rounded players at the top of the lineup.