Saturday was a sad day in Major League Baseball. Former Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Dave Parker passed away just one month before his induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Parker was one of the best players in MLB throughout the 1980s. Former New York Mets legend Keith Hernandez was one of many to express his condolences.

Hernandez and Parker clashed throughout their careers. Both won MVP awards and two World Series titles each. They were friends and rivals in the National League Central when Hernandez was with the Philadelphia Phillies. He is best know for his time with the Mets, though. Both Hernandez and Parkers defined the NL in their era.

According to the New York Post's Mike Puma, Hernandez believes that Parker was the best player in the league during his career.

“The best player of the late '70s and early '80s. Great boisterous peer,” Hernandez said. “He used to say, ‘When the leaves turn brown, I will be wearing the [batting title] crown.' Until I usurped his crown in '79. He was a better player than me. RIP.”

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Parker was one of the first members of the Pirates' Hall of Fame. After a long wait, his name will join the legends in the National Baseball Hall of Fame alongside CC Sabathia and Ichiro Suzuki.

Hernandez and the rest of the MLB world will miss Parker. The Pirates legend had a dominant career, but has become forgotten in the league's history.

However, Parker's memory will be remembered forever in Pittsburgh and the Hall of Fame. For a franchise that has struggled mightily throughout its existence, the Pirates have Parker to thank for one of their best stretches.

Hernandez's anecdote about Parker shows that he was one of the most confident players the league has ever seen. His family will accept his induction into the Hall of Fame with heavy hearts.