Answer:
Step-by-step explanation:
Interesting question. You certainly have a case.
Lifetime batting average: 0.338 The air is mighty thin when you talk about a 0.388 batting average. There are very few players that can equal that mark, especially in modern times. The number of games have increased, but most of all the overall standard of pitching got much, much better.
Once on base, his lifetime slugging average is over 0.800. That too is a pretty rare event. It means that even if he really didn't hit that many home runs, he nevertheless made the most of getting on base.
Considering how often he was at the plate, he didn't strike out that often. It was work to get him out.
Not only that, but his walks outnumbered his strike outs almost 2 to 1 lifetime. That too is pretty rare.
He played for 20 years
He made 9000+ plate appearances. Those are big numbers in the modern era.
He played for a below average team (most years). That mattered. Part of what made the 1927 Yankees the mystic team that they were is that there were no easy outs. You could never walk someone intentionally to get to the next guy who might hit into a double play. Gwynn was not that lucky. There was Gwynn and no one else. So they had to worry about Gwynn and what he could or would do, but if they were lucky enough to get him out, there was no one behind him they had to worry about seriously. So they could treat him seriously, but if they walked him -- Oh Well. And if he got a hit -- another Oh well.
Yeah, this is an interesting question. By the way, I'm a Yankee fan which may make my opinion worthless.