HALL OF FAME BALLOT –
The Returners
Let's first look at the guys who have been on the ballot for multiple years (the first-year ballot guys are found below). Remember that a player can be on the ballot for up to 15 years before they are removed from it. They are then eligible for the Veteran's Committee vote after five more years. Again, I would love to hear your comments on my thoughts, so please e-mail me. (Note - The only first-time ballot entrants from last year's ballot that received the necessary 5% were Orel Hershiser and Albert Belle, so they have been moved to the "The Returners" section. )
Albert Belle - Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, Baltimore Orioles
Seasons
G
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
AVG
OBP
SLG
SB
OPS+
12
1539
5853
974
1726
389
21
381
1239
683
961
0.295
0.361
0.564
88
143
If you want proof that the Baseball Writers can hold a grudge, look no further than Albert Belle. I guess we'll see. If you look at his numbers, a very strong argument could be made that he was the best hitter in baseball for the decade of the '90s. "Joey" was tough to get along with, it seemed, for the media and sometimes even with his teammates, coaches and even the fans. However, he was a five-time All Star who finished in the Top 3 in MVP voting three times. Unfortunately, a degenerative back injury cost him the final three years of his contract and who knows what numbers he would have accumulated. In those remaining three years, he accumulated almost $38 million from the Orioles to be on their Disabled List. I do not believe Belle should be in the Hall of Fame, but when it comes to hitting, Belle ranks right up there, and to me, he should appear on the ballot for the 15 years.
Bert Blyleven - Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cleveland Indians, California Angels
Seasons
G
GS
IP
W
L
S
ERA
H
R
ER
BB
SO
ERA+
22
692
685
4970
287
250
0
3.31
4632
2029
1830
1322
3701
118
How is it possible that the 54 year old Bert Blyleven is not a Hall of Famer? Two World Series Championships (’79 with the Pirates, ’87 with the Twins). 9th on the All-Time Shutout list with 60. When Bert Blyleven retired, he
was 3rd on the All-Time strikeout list with 3,701 strikeouts. He is still 5th place on that list:
1.) Nolan Ryan 5,714
2.) Roger Clemens 4,604
3.) Randy Johnson 4,544
4.) Steve Carlton 4,136
5.) Bert Blyleven 3,701
6.) Tom Seaver 3,640
7.) Don Sutton 3,574
8.) Gaylord Perry 3,534
9.) Walter Johnson 3,509
10.) Phil Niekro 3,342
11.) Fergie Jenkins 3,192
12.) Greg Maddux 3,169
13.) Bob Gibson 3,117
14.) Curt Schilling 3,015
15.) Pedro Martinez 2,998
I think we all know that Roger Clemens and Randy Johnson will be first-ballot Hall of Famers. So, no pitcher with more than 3,000 career strikeouts is NOT in the Hall of Fame… except one, Bert Blyleven (and now Curt Schilling, who is a borderline candidate himself when he retires). Why does that make sense? Why don’t voters vote for him? If he had not played those couple of years for bad Cleveland teams and somehow won 13 more ball games, there would be absolutely no question that Bert Blyleven would have been a first-ballot Hall of Famer. Let’s take a quick look at the 10 players that Baseball Reference says are most similar to Bert Blyleven:
1.) Don Sutton
2.) Gaylord Perry
3.) Fergie Jenkins
4.) Tommy John
5.) Robin Roberts
6.) Tom Seaver
7.) Jim Kaat
8.) Early Wynn
9.) Phil Niekro
10.) Steve Carlton
From that list, all but Tommy John and Jim Kaat have already been inducted into baseball’s Hall of Fame. So as I’ve asked before, someone please explain to me how Bert Blyleven is not a Hall of Fame pitcher. If you know, please, e-mail me. This is his 10th year on the ballot.
Please remember to check out both Bert Blyleven's website and the wonderful Blyleven for Hall of Fame article by Rich Lederer from a year ago! (UPDATE - and add the site Bert Belongs to your favorites as well!)
Dave Concepcion - Cincinnati Reds
Seasons
G
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
AVG
OBP
SLG
SB
OPS+
19
2488
8723
993
2326
389
48
101
950
736
1186
0.267
0.322
0.357
321
88
A member of four World Series teams with the vaunted Big Red Machine. The team won championships in 1975 and 1976. Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan and Tony Perez have already been inducted from those teams, so I’m sure that’s why he’s still on the ballot. A very solid shortstop for a lot of years, Concepcion was a nine-time All-Star. He was an above average shortstop earning five Gold Glove Awards. A solid performer for some very good teams, but the Hall is for the best of the best! This is his 14th year on the ballot.
Andre Dawson - Montreal Expos, Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, Florida Marlins
Seasons
G
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
AVG
OBP
SLG
SB
OPS+
21
2627
9927
1373
2774
503
98
438
1591
589
1509
0.279
0.323
0.482
314
119
Hawk had a pretty solid career and you have to wonder what it could have been with two healthy knees! Dawson won eight Gold Glove Awards and was an All-Star eight times as well. He won the 1987 NL MVP despite his Chicago Cubs finishing in last place. Two other times he finished second in MVP voting. His 438 homers rank 29th all-time and his 1,591 RBI ranks him 28th. Was Andre Dawson a great player? Yes! Was he a Hall of Famer? I don’t think so, but he’s close enough that he will remain on the ballot for the duration. This is his sixth year on the ballot.
Steve Garvey - Los Angeles, San Diego Padres
Seasons
G
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
AVG
OBP
SLG
SB
OPS+
19
2332
8835
1143
2599
440
43
272
1308
479
1003
0.294
0.329
0.446
83
116
Steve Garvey actually put up some very good career numbers. He was a 10 time All-Star. He was 0-3 in his World Series appearances with the Dodgers in the 1970s, but then the team won the 1981 World Series. He then went to San Diego where his team lost in the 1984 World Series. As solid a hitter as Garvey was, he was probably a better defensive player. He won just four Gold Glove Awards, but he held a career .996 Fielding percentage. His 9.04 Range Factor was well above the 7.96 league average. Another good thing about Garvey, he played almost every day and still holds the National League record for consecutive games played! The argument I hear most for his candidacy was that his offensive numbers can no be compared to those of today's players. Well, a 116 OPS+ does not spell out great dominance within his own era either. This is his final year on the ballot, so he would need to get in now or, more likely, will appear on the Veteran's committee ballot in five years.
Rich Gossage – Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, Texas Rangers, Oakland A’s, Seattle Mariners
Seasons
G
GS
IP
W
L
S
ERA
H
R
ER
BB
SO
ERA+
22
1002
37
1809.3
124
107
310
3.01
1497
670
605
732
1502
126
Goose Gossage was intimidating, mustache and all! When I went to Cooperstown in 2001, I almost literally bumped into him in the gift shop. Intimidating is definitely a good word to describe him! Along with Rollie Fingers and Bruce Sutter, Gossage needs to be judged different than most other pitchers. They were closers before the current closer role was defined. They would pitch 2-3 innings frequently throughout the year. They would come into tie games or when the team was ahead or behind. And, of the three, I think that Gossage was the best. Fingers is already in the Hall, and Sutter is approaching receiving the necessary votes (update - Sutter went in in 2006). He was a nine time All-Star. His 310 saves are 13th on the all-time list (now 17th), and Fingers is the only pitcher from his era above him. He even won a World Series ring with the Yankees in 1978. He appeared in the 1981 World Series with the Yankees and the ’84 Series with the Padres, but his teams lost in both cases. This is his eighth appearance on the Hall of Fame ballot.
Orel Hershiser – Los Angeles Dodgers, Cleveland Indians, San Francisco Giants, New York Mets
Seasons
G
GS
IP
W
L
S
ERA
H
R
ER
BB
SO
ERA+
18
510
466
3130.3
204
115
5
3.48
2939
1366
1211
1007
2014
112
Although he is likely best known for his remarkable 1988 season in which he almost single-handedly led the Dodgers to the World Series title, and had his 59 consecutive scoreless innings and was basically unhittable. He was 23-8 that year with a 2.26 ERA. He won the Cy Young and was named MVP of both the NLCS and the World Series. He even won the Gold Glove that year. But did you remember that he was 19-3 in 1985? Did you know he had double-digit wins 13 times? I would probably not have guessed that he had over 200 wins and 64% win percentage. He was very good, and deserves to have his numbers looked at a few extra times, but he is probably not a Hall of Famer. This is just his second Hall of Fame ballot.
Tommy John – Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, Los Angeles, New York Yankees, California Angels, Oakland A’s
Seasons
G
GS
IP
W
L
S
ERA
H
R
ER
BB
SO
ERA+
26
760
700
4710.3
288
231
4
3.34
4783
2017
1749
1259
2245
111
Tommy John is another interesting case for the Hall of Fame. He has some pretty impressive numbers, but a lot of them were accumulated because he pitched for so long. Of course, he is best known as having an arm surgery named after him. But he came back from that and continued to pitch well for almost 15 more seasons. John was named to four All-Star teams. Two times he finished second in the Cy Young Award vote. His teams lost the three World Series that John was part of (’77 and ‘78 Dodgers, ’81 Yankees). Again, just 12 more wins would probably ensure him a spot in Cooperstown, but his 288 wins still ranks 24th all-time. This is the 13th time he has appeared on the ballot.
Don Mattingly - New York Yankees
Seasons
G
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
AVG
OBP
SLG
SB
OPS+
14
1785
7003
1007
2153
442
20
222
1099
588
444
0.307
0.358
0.471
14
127
There was quite a bit of discussion on this site after Don Mattingly was named the Yankees new hitting coach a few years ago (and now he is their bench coach). A six time All-Star. Nine Gold Glove Awards. Donnie Baseball was the 1985 AL MVP, just beating out George Brett. In 1986, he finished second behind Roger Clemens in the MVP voting. Injuries definitely hurt his career the last five or six years, but he refused to miss much playing time because of it. He was the heart and soul of some bad ‘80s Yankees teams.
Jack Morris - Detroit Tigers, Minnesota Twins, Toronto Blue Jays, Cleveland Indians
Seasons
G
GS
IP
W
L
S
ERA
H
R
ER
BB
SO
ERA+
18
549
527
3824
254
186
0
3.90
3567
1815
1657
1390
2478
105
Twins fans want Jack Morris in the Hall of Fame simply for Game 7 of the 1991 World Series. After Josh Beckett’s Game 6 win against the Yankees in dominant fashion a few years ago, many said that it was the greatest pitching performance in a World Series. Those people are either dumb, or they didn’t see Jack Morris’ 10-inning shutout against the Braves. However, a Hall of Fame plaque is earned for a career, not individual games, no matter how big. Jack Morris was the "winningest" pitcher in the big leagues for the decade of the ‘80s! (Note – he was also the "losingest" pitcher of that decade) A bulldog, Morris wanted to pitch a lot of innings. He pitched in five All-Star games. His 3.90 ERA is quite high for the Hall of Fame, and that 105 ERA+ is just slightly above average. But Morris shined on the big stage. He played on 3 World Series championship teams. First with the Tigers in 1984, then the aforementioned Twins 1991 team and again the following year with the Toronto Blue Jays. He is on the ballot for the 8th time.
Dale Murphy - Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies, Colorado Rockies
Seasons
G
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
AVG
OBP
SLG
SB
OPS+
18
2180
7960
1197
2111
350
39
398
1266
986
1748
0.265
0.346
0.469
161
121
Dale Murphy always gets talked of as a Hall of Famer. I can’t say I understand that, but he was a very good player for most of a decade with the Braves. He won the 1982 and 1983 NL MVP awards, hitting 36 home runs both years. He actually led the league in home runs the next two years with 36 and 37 homers, respectively. He was a seven time All-Star and a five time Gold Glove winning outfielder, very impressive considering he came up to the Braves a catcher. He had his great years and then his career plummeted and in a hurry. But the career numbers are very good. Maybe if he, instead of Claudell Washington was my favorite player at that time, I would be more biased toward the Murphy vote. This is now his ninth time on the ballot.
Dave Parker – Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, Oakland A’s, Milwaukee Brewers, California Angels, Toronto Blue Jays
Seasons
G
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
AVG
OBP
SLG
SB
OPS+
19
2466
9358
1272
2712
526
75
339
1493
683
1537
0.290
0.339
0.471
154
121
Like it may have with Keith Hernandez, drug problems may have cost Parker some time, or at least a break from the media. But Dave Parker was a great all-around hitter. He played on seven All-Star teams. He won three Gold Gloves. He won the 1978 NL MVP Award and finished in the Top 5 in voting five times! He appeared in three World Series. His Sister Sledge “We Are Family” Pirates won the 1979 Series. Then he played on the 1988 and 1989 Oakland A’s teams that lost and then won the World Series. This is his 11th time on the ballot.
Jim Rice - Boston Red Sox
Seasons
G
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
AVG
OBP
SLG
SB
OPS+
16
2089
8225
1249
2452
373
79
382
1451
670
1423
0.298
0.352
0.502
58
128
Jim Rice always gets plenty of support from the New England media when he isn’t selected for the Hall of Fame. I agree that he was a great player as well. Good power, good average. Rice played on eight All-Star teams. He won the 1978 AL MVP and finished in the Top 5 in voting six times. He was part of the ’86 Red Sox team that lost the heartbreaking World Series to the Mets. Jim Rice has a very strong OPS+. I’m not convinced that he’s more a Hall of Famer than any of the others on this list, particularly Andre Dawson, but I am sure he will be the one getting the most coverage by the media! This is his thirteenth time on the ballot, so the push better come quickly. This steroid discussion may actually help the cases of Rice and Dawson.
Lee Smith – Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, California Angels, Cincinnati Reds, Montreal Expos
Seasons
G
GS
IP
W
L
S
ERA
H
R
ER
BB
SO
ERA+
18
1022
6
1289.3
71
92
478
3.03
1133
475
434
486
1251
132
Trevor Hoffman just passed Smith as the #1 on the All-Time Saves list. Here are the Top 6 in that category:
1.) Trevor Hoffman 482
2.) Lee Smith 478
3.) John Franco 424
4.) Mariano Rivera 413
5.) Dennis Eckersley 390
6.) Jeff Reardon 367
Now, I’m right there with many others that say that the Save is one of the most over-rated statistics in baseball history. But, like the DH, the closer has become a big part of the game of baseball. That was Lee Smith’s role for his career and he did it well. Look at his strikeouts/IP at almost 1.0. Look at his ERA+. Lee Smith was one of the first to redefine the closer role as it is today. He led the league in Saves four times and finished in the top 5 of his league eleven time. Smith was also a seven time All-Star. This is his fifth year on the ballot, so voters have some time to figure out their position on closers.
Alan Trammell - Detroit Tigers
Seasons
G
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
AVG
OBP
SLG
SB
OPS+
20
2293
8288
1231
2365
412
55
185
1003
850
874
0.285
0.352
0.415
236
110
I have to admit, I totally don’t understand why there are so many people that think that Alan Trammell is a Hall of Fame caliber player. Just look at his numbers. They’re good, but they’re far from earth-shattering. And, I’m a huge supporter of the fact that numbers and stats don’t tell the whole story. This must be a case of that! Trammell was a six time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove winner for the Tigers. He was also the MVP of the 1984 World Series. One more thing that really sticks in my mind as a reason he should not be a Hall of Famer is his number of games played each season. Starting with his first full season in 1978, here are the number of games Trammell played in through 1996 (139, 142, 146, 105, 157, 142, 139, 149, 151, 151, 128, 121, 146, 101, 29, 112, 76, 74, 66). If you’re a Hall of Famer, you should be averaging less time off each season. His double-play partner, Lou Whitaker, deserves just as much consideration in my mind. He in on his sixth ballot.
The First-Timers
I like to separate those on the ballot for the first time from the other guys. The reason is that some of these names should not be mentioned in the same sentence as Hall of Fame. However, remember that the criteria to be listed on the ballot is that the player must have accumulated over ten years of big league service time. In other words, these guys all had excellent careers and deserve the recognition. Also, it is fun for me to research some of these players. They all played in the era that I really started enjoying the game more and more. Sometimes though, it is possible to gain a new respect for some of these players. So, in the end, maybe one or two of these guys will even stay on the ballot, but for today, they deserve to have their careers recognized.
Harold Baines - Chicago White Sox, Texas Rangers, Oakland A's, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians.
Seasons
G
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
AVG
OBP
SLG
SB
OPS+
22
2830
9908
1299
2866
488
49
384
1628
1062
1441
0.289
0.356
0.465
34
120
Harold Baines is a greatly underrated player. If I'm being truthful, I didn't realize that Baines was much more than a DH through most of his career. However, he was an outfielder, and an All-Star outfielder, up until 1986. Then injuries to his knees really curtailed any speed and agility that he had and he became a full time DH, and a guy who could hit. He has remarkable numbers across the board. Hit for average, hit for power, took his walks, didn't strike out a lot. He played in six All-Star games and won one Silver Slugger award. Four times he was in the Top 10 in his league in intentional walks. His Most similar player in Tony Perez and two other Hall of Famers appear in his Top 10 most similar. I don't think that he is a Hall of Famer, and you can't help but wonder if he would have remained healthy.
Dante Bichette - California Angels, Milwaukee Brewers, Colorado Rockies, Cincinnati Reds, Boston Red Sox
Seasons
G
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
AVG
OBP
SLG
SB
OPS+
14
1704
6381
934
1906
401
27
274
1141
937
1190
0.299
0.336
0.499
152
106
If the Steroid Era is going to venture into the discussion of Hall of Famer, will we also hear about the effects of Coors Field on a career. Purely looking at his numbers, it is easy to see that Bichette is not a Hall of Famer, but he had a very solid career. Then when you consider the amazing numbers that he put up in his time with the Rockies, including his 1995 season in which he hit .340/.364/.620 with 38 doubles, 40 homes and 128 RBI... in just 139 games. His seven seasons in Colorado were spectacular. His numbers the other seven years, mediocre. However, his bat flip was even more annoying to me than Bret Boone's, so I had to see if I could find a picture of it!
Bobby Bonilla - Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Mets, Baltimore Orioles, Florida Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, St. Louis Cardinals
Seasons
G
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
AVG
OBP
SLG
SB
OPS+
16
2113
7213
1084
2010
408
61
287
1173
912
1204
0.279
0.358
0.472
45
124
"Make your move... Make your move!" In trying to think about the career of Bonilla, his run-in with a reporter is the first that comes to mind. That's really too bad because Bonilla did have a very solid career. He was a very solid performer teaming with Barry Bonds in Pittsburgh. He then went to the Mets and was largely disappointing. After that, he was with several teams in various roles. He could always hit for power, but because of injuries, he never became quite the player that teams hoped for. That said, he played in six All-Star games and won three Silver Sluggers. He won a World Series in 1997 with the Marlins. He finished second to Bonds in the 1990 NL MVP race and third in 1991. Solid career, but not a Hall of Famer.
Scott Brosius - Oakland A's, New York Yankees
Seasons
G
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
AVG
OBP
SLG
SB
OPS+
11
1146
3889
544
1001
200
8
141
531
348
649
0.257
0.323
0.422
57
95
Scott "Supercallafragilisticexpeala" Brosius is probably the guy on the list this year with the least case for Hall of Fame induction. However, some clutch postseason performances have given him great notoriety. After part-time play his first four years in Oakland, he became their regular 3B in 1995 for three years, but still never played in more than 130 games. He went to the Yankees and became their regular 3B. He made one All-Star team. He won three World Series rings in four trips to the Fall Classic. He was even the MVP of the 1998 World Series.
Jay Buhner - New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners.
Seasons
G
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
AVG
OBP
SLG
SB
OPS+
15
1472
5013
7098
1273
233
19
310
965
792
1406
0.254
0.359
0.494
6
124
Buhner was the inspiration for my hair cut! OK, not really, but it was pretty cool! Anyway, Buhner had some very solid years and was a feared hitter in the league. He did not hit for much average, and struck out a lot, but look at his .105 Isolated Discipline. He was intimidating. He did hit 40 or more homers each of the three straight years (1995-97). Unfortunately, injuries ruined much of his career.
Ken Caminiti - Houston Astros, San Diego Padres, Texas Rangers, Atlanta Braves
Seasons
G
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
AVG
OBP
SLG
SB
OPS+
15
1760
6288
894
1710
348
17
239
983
727
1163
0.272
0.347
0.447
88
116
If only steroids were the only drug Caminiti used, he may still be alive today. Caminiti was a solid player. He was a great 3B with a very strong arm. He played in three All Star games and won three Gold Gloves and a Silver Slugger award. He won the 1996 National League MVP. He admitted to his steroid use, but again, he was involved in much more.
Jose Canseco - Oakland A's, Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox
Seasons
G
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
AVG
OBP
SLG
SB
OPS+
17
1887
7057
1186
1877
340
14
462
1407
906
1942
0.266
0.353
0.515
200
131
So what could have been, is better than, what could never be at all... I believe that was Belinda Carlisle, right? But the lyrics would be perfect in discussing the career of Jose Canseco. When Canseco and Mark McGwire teamed to create the Bash Brothers. Canseco became baseball's first 40 HR-40 SB guy in 1988. For it, he won the MVP. Of course, he let everyone know about it. I believe it was Mickey Mantle (or maybe Bobby Bonds) who said, "If I would have known 40/40 was a big deal, I might have tried to do it every year." He won the 1986 Rookie of the Year. He played on six All-Star teams and won four Gold Glove awards. Canseco loved the limelight and never really backed up his mouth with his play. He claimed that he was blacklisted by baseball executives and then a couple of years ago, he ratted out many ball players for steroid use. Could Canseco be a Hall of Famer? He absolutely should be. Is he? Not even close!
Eric Davis - Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Dodgers, Detroit Tigers, Baltimore Orioles, St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants
Seasons
G
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
AVG
OBP
SLG
SB
OPS+
17
1626
5321
938
1430
239
26
282
934
740
1398
0.269
0.359
0.482
349
125
I remember reading once that Eric Davis had a 28 inch waste, which was amazing to me since I think I went past that by about 4th grade! I happen to think that Davis is very underrated. From 1986 through 1990, he was as solid an all-around performer as their was in baseball. In those five years, he finished in the Top 13 in MVP voting four times, was twice an All Star and won two Silver Sluggers. In 1986, he became just the second player in history to hit 20 homers and steal 80 bases... and he wasn't a starter until mid-June. The only real problem that Davis had throughout his career was injuries. He never played more than 132 games in a season. He missed one entire season because of a neck injury. He missed some time because he had colon cancer. He came back from each case with very strong seasons. I always thought he was underrated, and it would have been great to get to see what he could have done if he could have been healthy.
Tony Fernandez - Toronto Blue Jays, San Diego Padres, New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds, New York Yankees, Cleveland Indians, Milwaukee Brewers
Seasons
G
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
AVG
OBP
SLG
SB
OPS+
17
2158
7911
1057
2276
414
92
94
844
690
784
0.288
0.347
0.399
246
101
Speaking of underrated players, Fernandez was a terrific defensive shortstop who could also hit a little bit. I'm not saying he was Alex Rodriguez, but for a SS in the eighties, he put up for solid offensive stats. He didn't walk much or strikeout either. He was a five-time All-Star (more impressive when you remember that Ripken and Trammell were in his same league much of his first decade). He won four Gold Glove awards. Three of his Most Similar players are in teh Hall of Fame. Trammell, Dave Concepcion and Omar Vizquel are also on the list.
Tony Gwynn - San Diego Padres
Seasons
G
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
AVG
OBP
SLG
SB
OPS+
20
2440
9288
1383
3143
543
85
135
1138
790
434
0.338
0.388
0.459
319
132
Automatic, just put him in! No comments needed other than that he is one of those guys that should get 100% of the vote, but he won't. I wonder which team's hat he'll go in with? Just look at that he averaged less than 22 strikeouts a season over his career. He was a member of 15 All Star teams, won five Gold Gloves and seven Silver Sluggers. He won the NL Batting Title eight times and hit over .300 each of his final 19 big league seasons. He hit over .350 eight times including .394 in the strike-shortened 1994 season. Nine of his ten Most Similar players are already in the Hall of Fame. There is no argument for him to not get in on the first try.
Wally Joyner - California Angels, Kansas City Royals, San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves
Seasons
G
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
AVG
OBP
SLG
SB
OPS+
16
2033
7127
973
2060
409
26
204
1106
833
825
0.289
0.362
0.440
60
116
There was the Wally World nickname in his early years in Anaheim. There was the Chris Berman, Wally "Absorbine" Joyner call. The early years of Joyner's career were the stuff of the Hall of Fame. His rookie season in 1986, he hit .290 with 22 homers and 100 RBI. He followed that up by hitting .285 with 34 homers and 117 RBI. But it was really all downhill from there (although a 17 year career tells us it was that far down). 1986 was his only All-Star appearance. He only hit more than 16 home runs one more time. He never drove in 100 RBI again. Solid career, but not near Hall of Fame-esque.
Mark McGwire - Oakland A's, St. Louis Cardinals
Seasons
G
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
AVG
OBP
SLG
SB
OPS+
16
1874
6187
1167
1626
252
6
583
1414
1317
1596
0.263
0.394
0.588
12
163
Let the controversy begin. If I had a vote, he would be a Hall of Famer. 583 home runs is amazing, and the home run barrage of the late-90s captured America for baseball like nothing else has in the past 35 years or more! That said, I fully understand the controversy. Smartly, McGwire is saying nothing. He preferred to leave the game quietly, but that Congressional thing kind of interrupted that. If not for that one day, he is a first-ballot guy. Now that's not to say that he is an easy choice. We are talking about a HR or nothing (or walk) guy. McGwire hit 49 homers in his rookie season, and 104 over the next three years. Then in 1991, he struggled and hit just .201 with 22 homers. He came back with 42 homers in 1992, but then played in just 74 games over the next two seasons. When he came back, so did the power. In 104 games in 1995, he hit 39 homers. Then he hit 52, 58, 70 and 63 homers over the next four seasons. During those years, he was hitting a home run ever seven at bats and consistently had an Isolated Discipline around .170! Then he admitted to using Andro and when he got off of it, he was unable to recover from injuries and missed 137 games between 2000 and 2001. The 1987 AL Rookie of the Year was a 12 time All Star. Strange that he won just three Silver Slugger Awards. Almost as strange as him winning a Gold Glove in 1990... and yet the Gold Glove is about defense, right? It is almost surprising that his Most Similar Top Ten players only includes three current Hall of Famers, Harmon Killebrew and Reggie Jackson. In the end, I would vote for him because of the home runs and the effect he and Sammy Sosa had on baseball fans in the late-90s. His 583 homers are seventh on the all-time list (until Ken Griffey passes him next season). But that is not to say that, even without the steroid situation, he is an automatic choice.
Paul O'Neill - Cincinnati Reds, New York Yankees
Seasons
G
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
AVG
OBP
SLG
SB
OPS+
17
2053
7318
1041
2105
451
21
281
1269
892
1166
0.288
0.363
0.470
141
120
When you hear about guys that the Yankees signed as free agents during their World Series run, O'Neill's name seems to always come up. Sure, he whined a lot, but he wasn't the only one. However, in his 5 1/2 years with the Reds, he hit just .259 in over 2,600 at bats. Just once did he hit over 16 home runs or drive in more than 80 runs. He then went to the Yankees where he hit over .300 over nine seasons with the Yankees including .359 in 1994. He also displayed an excellent eye at the plate. He never became a big power hitter, but he hit between 18 and 24 homers all nine years. But when Yankees fans speak of O'Neill, they rarely actually discuss his numbers, they discuss his tremendous intensity and heart. However, he can put up a pretty solid resume of numbers as well!
Cal Ripken - Baltimore Orioles
Seasons
G
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
AVG
OBP
SLG
SB
OPS+
21
3001
11551
1647
3184
603
44
431
1695
1129
1305
0.276
0.340
0.447
36
112
Cal Ripken won the AL Rookie of the Year award in 1982, but he did not make the All-Star team. He went to the All-Star game the other 19 seasons he spent in the big leagues. He won the AL MVP in 1983 and 1991. Everyone knows him for the streak, but even taking that out of the picture, Ripken is also known for redefining the shortstop position. Before him, shortstops were glove-first, and any offense was a bonus. During his career, Ripken hit 20 or more homers twelve times. He hit 30 just once. People can ask what type of numbers he could have put up if only he would have allowed himself a day off from time to time, but it really doesn't matter. He wanted to help his team win every day and if you add up the numbers, he definitely did that. Of the ten most similar players to him, seven are in the Hall of Fame, Craig Biggio will join him in six (or so) years, and Harold Baines and Andre Dawson can both make strong arguments as well. This is another that should be about 100% It is really just too bad that his father will not be there to see him enshrined.
Bret Saberhagen – Kansas City Royals, New York Mets, Colorado Rockies, Boston Red Sox
Seasons
G
GS
IP
W
L
S
ERA
H
R
ER
BB
SO
ERA+
16
399
371
2562.7
167
117
1
3.34
2452
1036
952
471
1715
126
I remember when Saberhagen was with the Royals. He was great in odd-numbered seasons and not-as-great in even-numbered years. So, I went into the numbers. He played with the Royals from 1984-1991. In the even numbered years, he went 36-48 with a very respectable 3.71 ERA. However, in the odd-numbered years, he was 74-30 with a 2.85 ERA. He won the AL Cy Young Award in 1985 and 1989. However, he threw so many innings between his age 21 and 25 seasons and fought arm problems much of the rest of his career. He started more than 25 games just one more time in his career. He had a nice comeback-type season in 1994 when he went 14-4 with a 2.74 ERA with the Mets. In 1998, he went 15-8 with the Red Sox. He was even better threw 21 starts in 1999, but then another injury cost him the rest of that season and 2000. He came back for three games in 2001. Saberhagen was an amazing pitcher when he was healthy, definitely Hall of Fame caliber. Unfortunately, he just missed too much time.
Devon White - California Angels, Toronto Blue Jays, Florida Marlins, Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers
Seasons
G
AB
R
H
2B
3B
HR
RBI
BB
SO
AVG
OBP
SLG
SB
OPS+
17
1941
7344
1125
1934
378
71
208
846
541
1521
0.263
0.319
0.419
346
97
What do I remember about Devon White? Man, he took the longest strides in the outfield and on the bases. It looked like he was barely moving when in reality, he was flying and got from home to first base in about four steps! He was a wonderful defensive CF. He really wasn't much of a hitter though. He never hit over .283 in any season. He didn't walk a whole lot, and he had decent power for a 'speed' guy, which he was often criticized for (he flew out too much). He was a three time All-Star and won six Gold Glove Awards. He does have three World Series rings though, two with the Blue Jays, and one with the Marlins. His #2 most similar player is... my man Claudell Washington.
Bobby Witt – New York Mets, Cleveland Indians, Houston Astros, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, New York Yankees
Seasons
G
GS
IP
W
L
S
ERA
H
R
ER
BB
SO
ERA+
16
430
397
2465.0
142
157
0
4.83
2493
1449
1324
1375
1955
90
Bobby Witt came highly touted. He was the third overall pick in that amazing 1985 draft. He was an All-American with an amazing arm. It just never really worked for him in the big leagues. Only twice in his 16 seasons did he have an ERA under 4.10, and never was it below 3.91. He did win a World Series championship ring with the Diamondbacks in 2001.
SUMMARY
Again I can’t stress enough that I think all of these players were incredible (at least better than me, and unless you were a really good big leaguer too, probably you too!)! They stayed in the league for more than a decade. I was surprised with the quality of players that were eligible. I mean, Saberhagen and Fernandez's career numbers were far better than I thought. Eric Davis and Harold Baines may be two of the more underrated players in recent baseball history. This is a decent class of first-ballot Hall of Fame guys, headlined by Ripken, Gwynn and McGwire. A Hall of Fame argument could be made for several of them.
As I said, I really wish I had a vote for this honor. I would really take it seriously. I would do my homework, and obviously far more than just what you see above. I would also talk/e-mail with writers or other sources from around the country. Again, as a voter, I would have the ability to vote for up to ten players for the Hall of Fame. Here are my choices:
1.) Bert Blyleven – Pitcher
2.) Goose Gossage – Relief Pitcher
3.) Lee Smith - Relief Pitcher
4.) Cal Ripken - Shortstop
5.) Tony Gwynn - Outfielder
6.) Mark McGwire - First Base
So, there are six of a possible ten votes. I could add up to four more players, but I don't think that people should vote for 10 just because you can! That said, I struggled only in the decision on Harold Baines! I do believe that McGwire should be in the Hall of Fame. I am technically going against my theory that if a guy isn't a Hall of Famer in his first year of eligibility, he shouldn't be in his second, third, eighth, or fifteenth year of eligibility. If McGwire would have been a more complete player, I would vote him in without even thinking about it, but the fact that he was pretty much home run or nothing much of his career, that can not be overlooked.
What do you think about my “vote”? Am I on track in my analysis and thoughts? Who am I leaving out that you would want to be included? I’d love to hear your arguments on this topic. I know many will write about their votes and tell you who they think should be selected for the Hall of Fame, so I wanted to get my thoughts out first. Please, send me an e-mail or leave comments and let’s get a discussion going on this Hall of Fame topic. Voters (Baseball Writers of America) have until the end of the month to cast their votes, and the results will be announced in early January. At that time, we will know who the 2007 Hall of Fame Inductees will be.
|OK, my picking was not good again this week! Our picking was not good this week. Again, you would think that by this point in the season, we could be doing better. Oh well! Kyle Waldrop didn't have a great week, but he was still able to add another game to his lead. So, he has an insurmountable nine game lead in the overall standings. LaVelle E. Neal and his Bears are both doing well. And Melissa Lien jumped way up in the standings with a terrific week. She, Bill Ferris and Kevin Slowey were all 11-5 for the week. In reality, this is now a contest for second place. If you would like more information on this league, any of the panelists or all the picks, click here.
Final Standings Total Week 14 Over All Name Site W
L Win% W L Win % Kyle Waldrop Twins Pitching Prospect 9 7 56.3% 137 71 65.9% LaVelle E. Neal III Mpls Star-Tribune 9 7 56.3% 128 80 61.5% Melissa Lien SethSpeaks.net 11 5 68.8% 128 80 61.5% Seth Stohs SethSpeaks.net 7 9 43.8% 127 81 61.1% Cory Hepola WENY Sports 7 9 43.8% 127 81 61.1% Will Young Will's Twins Blog 8 8 50.0% 127 81 61.1% Bill Ferris Detroit Tigers Blog 11 5 68.8% 127 81 61.1% Al Bethke Al's Ramblings 10 6 62.5% 126 82 60.6% SethSpeaks Panel 7 9 43.8% 124 82 60.2% Roger Dehring Several Blogs 6 10 37.5% 125 83 60.1% Trevor Born Twins Junkie 6 10 37.5% 123 85 59.1% Stick & Ball Guy Stick & Ball Guy 7 9 43.8% 123 85 59.1% Mike Brasel Fantasy FB Guru 7 9 43.8% 121 87 58.2% Jonathan Mayo mlb.com 9 7 56.3% 120 88 57.7% JD Arney Reds Reporter 7 9 43.8% 119 89 57.2% Seth's Mom's Class St. Pauls School 6 10 37.5% 118 90 56.7% Kevin Slowey Twins Pitching Prospect 11 5 68.8% 118 90 56.7%