One of the greatest fielding shortstops of all-time, Omar Vizquel spent 24 years in the major leagues, collecting 2,877 hits and stealing 404 bases.

An 11-time Gold Glover and three-time All-Star, Vizquel helped lead the Cleveland Indians to six playoff berths and two World Series. And no one in baseball history has played more games at shortstop (2,709).

Now in his third year of Hall of Fame eligibility, Vizquel has seen his support climb from 37% in his first year to 42.8% last year.

“It’s nice that people are taking their time to look at the numbers and vote in my favor,” he told USA TODAY Sports in September. “It’s interesting to see how they’re trying to compare you to all players that are already there. I’m really excited about it.”

The case for

First and foremost, Vizquel was a master with the glove. His 11 Gold Gloves at shortstop are second only to Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith. Six times he led his league in fielding percentage at shortstop – and 13 times he finished in the top three.

Vizquel’s career fielding percentage of .985 is the best in history among shortstops with at least 500 games played. If you prefer more advanced metrics, his 29.5 career WAR (Wins Above Replacement) on defense alone, ranks ninth all-time at any position.

At 5-9 and 180 pounds, Vizquel made up for what he lacked in power with excellent bat control – striking out an average of just 45 times per season and leading the league four times in sacrifice hits.

The case against

Although he hit over .290 in five different seasons, Vizquel’s impact on offense was nowhere close to his value on defense.

His career slash line of .272/.336/.352 with 80 home runs in 24 seasons translates into a well below-average 82 OPS+.

He enjoyed a lengthy career that enabled him to accumulate impressive career totals, but there’s still a sizable gap between Vizquel’s 45.6 career WAR (Wins Above Replacement) and the 67.0 average of the 22 other shortstops already enshrined in Cooperstown.

X-factors

In almost any previous era, Vizquel would likely have cruised into Cooperstown on the strength of his defensive wizardry. But as he broke into the majors, a new generation of shortstops who could play defense and hit for power – Cal Ripken and Barry Larkin, for example – had begun to redefine the position.

Consensus

Vizquel’s career is more than just the numbers. His highlight-reel defensive plays and his leadership both on and off the field bolster his candidacy.

Only one native of Venezuela (Luis Aparicio) has been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. But Vizquel’s rise above the 40% mark in just his second year on the ballot is an indication he could soon be the second.

Previously:

Jeff Kent's power at second base was unparalleled

Underrated Bobby Abreu deserves a closer look in first year