More Potential HOFers
markj111
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in Sports Talk
Neyer looked at each franchise for a potential HOFer:
Meanwhile, my friend (and blogger) Mike McClary suggests that Santo isn't the only cause célèbre, and he's right. Not including the four newest franchises, below are the favorite neglected Hall of Fame candidates from every team …
Angels: Bobby Grich
As it happens, Grich's candidacy has just become particularly compelling; today Rich Lederer writes, If Joe Gordon, then why not Grich? And it's true: Grich has been terribly underappreciated. In 1992, his first year of Hall of Fame eligibility, 11 BBWAA members voted for him and he fell off the ballot forever. But he was probably better than everyone on this year's Veterans Committee ballot with the exception of Santo.
Astros: Jimmy Wynn
Rated a few years ago by Bill James as the 10th greatest center fielder in major league history, due to his stunning blend of power, walks and defense. Like Grich, Wynn was one-and-done … but Wynn got zero votes from the BBWAA; somehow, 374 voters voted, and not even one believed that Wynn belonged in the Hall of Fame.
Athletics: Mark McGwire
I'm not sure how many A's fans get misty-eyed about McGwire, particularly since his most famous seasons came with the Cardinals. But nostalgia being what it is, I'm sure that eventually there will be some effort to revisit McGwire's candidacy.
Blue Jays: Dave Stieb
There's no room in the Hall of Fame for a starting pitcher who never won 20 games or a Cy Young Award. But when Jack Morris' supporters say he was the best pitcher in the 1980s, a Blue Jays fan might reasonably point out that while Morris did lead the majors with 162 wins in the decade, Stieb was No. 2 with 140 wins, and Stieb threw more shutouts and posted a substantially better ERA (especially when accounting for context).
Braves: Dale Murphy
When he was playing, Murphy was universally regarded as a future Hall of Famer. That's what happens when you win consecutive MVP Awards and hit 218 home runs over six seasons and grab a few Gold Gloves. But when the end came for Murphy, it came suddenly, and that's apparently what stuck in the Hall of Fame voters' minds.
Brewers: None
Paul Molitor and Robin Yount are the only viable candidates who spent many seasons with the Brewers, and both are in already.
Cardinals: Ted Simmons
Another player whose candidacy was terribly wounded by the later stages of his career. Before he turned 30, Simmons was a six-time All-Star, and only the presence of Johnny Bench kept him from being roundly hailed as the best catcher in the National League. But between his last few desultory years with the Brewers and his reputation for having a terrible throwing arm, Simmons' greatness had been almost completely forgotten by the time he appeared on a Hall of Fame ballot. And he appeared just once, falling off forever after getting only 17 votes.
Cubs: Ron Santo
I'm not sure what else to say about him. He's one of the 10 greatest third basemen ever. You can also find Cubs fans who will argue for Mark Grace, who led the majors in hits in the 1990s. But that's not really a serious argument.
Dodgers: Steve Garvey
Maury Wills was on the Veterans Committee ballot, but it's Garvey whom Dodgers fans are passionate about, mostly because Garvey drove in a lot of runs and because he, like Dale Murphy, was for a long time considered a lock for the Hall of Fame someday. For me, Garvey falls short because of his .329 career on-base percentage and his relatively short, relatively unimpressive peak.
Expos: Tim Raines
You probably know how I feel about Raines. You probably feel the same way. And someday, I think, 75 percent of the voters will agree with us. (If you're one of those voters and you're on the fence, please look at this.)
Giants: Darrell Evans
Once described by Bill James as "the most underrated player in baseball history, absolutely." Like Grich and Wynn, Evans' value as a hitter was built upon power (which writers appreciate) and walks (which they don't), and so he has also been treated shabbily by the voters. Eight votes in 1995 and gone forever (but not forgotten).
Indians: Albert Belle
Mel Harder has his fans, too. But that was a long time ago. The memories of Belle remain fresh in the minds of the Indians fans who saw him terrorize American League pitchers for six years. While it's true that Belle's career was terribly short by Hall of Fame standards, it's also true that there's not a great deal separating Belle from Jim Rice, who's going to be inducted next summer.
Mariners: None.
Nobody yet, though you're going to hear a terrible cry from the northwest corner of the U.S. upon Edgar Martinez's first appearance on the Hall of Fame ballot next year.
Mets: Keith Hernandez
I'm not sure if anyone but Brian Kenny is out there making the case for Hernandez. It's a case worth making, though. Hernandez finished his career with nearly 2,200 hits and drew more than 1,000 walks. He also finished with only 162 home runs, which is what quickly finished his Hall of Fame candidacy. But Hernandez's 128 career OPS+ is comparable to Tony Perez's and Orlando Cepeda's, and Hernandez was one of the greatest defensive first basemen ever. I wouldn't vote for Hernandez. But then, I wouldn't vote for Perez or Cepeda, either. And they're both in.
Orioles: Ken Singleton
Speaking of players who were just as good as Orlando Cepeda and Jim Rice …
Padres: None.
Phillies: Dick Allen
Do Phillies fans really fantasize about seeing Allen inducted? Maybe this is a product of my upbringing, but if he's ever been lionized by fans, I suspect they were White Sox fans during (and after) Allen's MVP season (1973). But who else do the Phillies have? Larry Bowa? Sherry Magee? (At least Magee was actually on the latest ballot, though it's hard for fans to get worked up about a guy who played before there were televisions. Or radios.)
Pirates: None
With Mazeroski in, Pirates fans are officially prohibited from complaining about the Hall of Fame until the year 2037 (though I suppose I can mention that Dave Parker was better than Jim Rice).
Red Sox: Luis Tiant
Tiant is the guy people talk about, but is he really more qualified for the Hall of Fame than Dwight Evans? Evans played forever, won a bunch of Gold Gloves and led the American League in OPS twice (which never fails to surprise me). He also did better in MVP voting than you might guess, finishing third in 1981, fourth in '87 and in the top 10 two other times. Granted, there's nothing about Evans that screams "Hall of Fame!" at you. He simply played exceptionally well for most of the 1970s and all of the '80s.
Rangers: None.
Rafael Palmeiro will have his supporters, when he's eligible.
Reds: Dave Concepcion
I mean, not counting Pete Rose, about whom I don't have anything to say (except I wish they'd let him into the Hall of Fame already so we wouldn't have to say anything about him anymore). I don't want to say anything negative about Concepcion, who was a little better than shortstops Maury Wills and Vern Stephens, both of whom appeared on the various Veterans Committee ballots this year. Oddly, his career now looks almost exactly like Omar Vizquel's. If you think one of them belongs in the Coop, you basically have to admit that the other does as well.
Royals: Frank White
When Mazeroski was elected, suddenly White's case started looking a lot better. After all, White was the better baserunner and perhaps just the slightly better hitter, and he won exactly as many Gold Gloves (eight) as Mazeroski, who was elected almost completely because of his defensive reputation. But while I tried to put a positive spin on Mazeroski's election, he certainly did not meet the standards of a Hall of Fame second baseman. What's more, all Gold Gloves are not created equal. Frank White was an outstanding fielder; Mazeroski was the Ozzie Smith of second baseman (similarly, Omar Vizquel's Gold Gloves don't mean he's exactly as great as Ozzie Smith).
Tigers: Jack Morris
Morris gets the nod here because people talk about him, and people talk about him because he's drawn a good deal of support from the voters, picking up 43 percent in the last election. Is he really the Tigers' best candidate, though? No way. Not even close. That would be Alan Trammell, who's been on seven ballots and hasn't yet reached 20 percent.
Twins: Bert Blyleven
Don't get me started.
White Sox: Harold Baines
I would say Shoeless Joe Jackson, except it seems like nobody cares except politicians in Iowa and South Carolina. I'm not sure if anyone cares all that much about Baines, either, but recently there were some choice quotes from White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf. If not Baines, though, White Sox fans can more reasonably complain about Dick Allen or Minnie Minoso.
Yankees: Don Mattingly
Now that Rich Gossage and Joe Gordon have been elected, Yankees fans should really shut up. And for the most part, they have (about the Hall of Fame, anyway). Eight or 10 years ago, though, I would get ripped eight ways to Sunday for suggesting that Mattingly's résumé might be a little thin. I think what has happened is that there's room for only one saint in the Yankees fan's heart, and Cap'n Jetes has grabbed that title from Donnie Baseball.
You know what's really a shame? There's not a real movement to get Alan Trammell or Tim Raines elected. Nobody's really talking about Bobby Grich or Jimmy Wynn. Not in the traditional media, anyway. I suppose we'll get there someday. But it's difficult for me to see these Veterans Committee ballots filled with players who weren't as good as Grich and Wynn.
Meanwhile, my friend (and blogger) Mike McClary suggests that Santo isn't the only cause célèbre, and he's right. Not including the four newest franchises, below are the favorite neglected Hall of Fame candidates from every team …
Angels: Bobby Grich
As it happens, Grich's candidacy has just become particularly compelling; today Rich Lederer writes, If Joe Gordon, then why not Grich? And it's true: Grich has been terribly underappreciated. In 1992, his first year of Hall of Fame eligibility, 11 BBWAA members voted for him and he fell off the ballot forever. But he was probably better than everyone on this year's Veterans Committee ballot with the exception of Santo.
Astros: Jimmy Wynn
Rated a few years ago by Bill James as the 10th greatest center fielder in major league history, due to his stunning blend of power, walks and defense. Like Grich, Wynn was one-and-done … but Wynn got zero votes from the BBWAA; somehow, 374 voters voted, and not even one believed that Wynn belonged in the Hall of Fame.
Athletics: Mark McGwire
I'm not sure how many A's fans get misty-eyed about McGwire, particularly since his most famous seasons came with the Cardinals. But nostalgia being what it is, I'm sure that eventually there will be some effort to revisit McGwire's candidacy.
Blue Jays: Dave Stieb
There's no room in the Hall of Fame for a starting pitcher who never won 20 games or a Cy Young Award. But when Jack Morris' supporters say he was the best pitcher in the 1980s, a Blue Jays fan might reasonably point out that while Morris did lead the majors with 162 wins in the decade, Stieb was No. 2 with 140 wins, and Stieb threw more shutouts and posted a substantially better ERA (especially when accounting for context).
Braves: Dale Murphy
When he was playing, Murphy was universally regarded as a future Hall of Famer. That's what happens when you win consecutive MVP Awards and hit 218 home runs over six seasons and grab a few Gold Gloves. But when the end came for Murphy, it came suddenly, and that's apparently what stuck in the Hall of Fame voters' minds.
Brewers: None
Paul Molitor and Robin Yount are the only viable candidates who spent many seasons with the Brewers, and both are in already.
Cardinals: Ted Simmons
Another player whose candidacy was terribly wounded by the later stages of his career. Before he turned 30, Simmons was a six-time All-Star, and only the presence of Johnny Bench kept him from being roundly hailed as the best catcher in the National League. But between his last few desultory years with the Brewers and his reputation for having a terrible throwing arm, Simmons' greatness had been almost completely forgotten by the time he appeared on a Hall of Fame ballot. And he appeared just once, falling off forever after getting only 17 votes.
Cubs: Ron Santo
I'm not sure what else to say about him. He's one of the 10 greatest third basemen ever. You can also find Cubs fans who will argue for Mark Grace, who led the majors in hits in the 1990s. But that's not really a serious argument.
Dodgers: Steve Garvey
Maury Wills was on the Veterans Committee ballot, but it's Garvey whom Dodgers fans are passionate about, mostly because Garvey drove in a lot of runs and because he, like Dale Murphy, was for a long time considered a lock for the Hall of Fame someday. For me, Garvey falls short because of his .329 career on-base percentage and his relatively short, relatively unimpressive peak.
Expos: Tim Raines
You probably know how I feel about Raines. You probably feel the same way. And someday, I think, 75 percent of the voters will agree with us. (If you're one of those voters and you're on the fence, please look at this.)
Giants: Darrell Evans
Once described by Bill James as "the most underrated player in baseball history, absolutely." Like Grich and Wynn, Evans' value as a hitter was built upon power (which writers appreciate) and walks (which they don't), and so he has also been treated shabbily by the voters. Eight votes in 1995 and gone forever (but not forgotten).
Indians: Albert Belle
Mel Harder has his fans, too. But that was a long time ago. The memories of Belle remain fresh in the minds of the Indians fans who saw him terrorize American League pitchers for six years. While it's true that Belle's career was terribly short by Hall of Fame standards, it's also true that there's not a great deal separating Belle from Jim Rice, who's going to be inducted next summer.
Mariners: None.
Nobody yet, though you're going to hear a terrible cry from the northwest corner of the U.S. upon Edgar Martinez's first appearance on the Hall of Fame ballot next year.
Mets: Keith Hernandez
I'm not sure if anyone but Brian Kenny is out there making the case for Hernandez. It's a case worth making, though. Hernandez finished his career with nearly 2,200 hits and drew more than 1,000 walks. He also finished with only 162 home runs, which is what quickly finished his Hall of Fame candidacy. But Hernandez's 128 career OPS+ is comparable to Tony Perez's and Orlando Cepeda's, and Hernandez was one of the greatest defensive first basemen ever. I wouldn't vote for Hernandez. But then, I wouldn't vote for Perez or Cepeda, either. And they're both in.
Orioles: Ken Singleton
Speaking of players who were just as good as Orlando Cepeda and Jim Rice …
Padres: None.
Phillies: Dick Allen
Do Phillies fans really fantasize about seeing Allen inducted? Maybe this is a product of my upbringing, but if he's ever been lionized by fans, I suspect they were White Sox fans during (and after) Allen's MVP season (1973). But who else do the Phillies have? Larry Bowa? Sherry Magee? (At least Magee was actually on the latest ballot, though it's hard for fans to get worked up about a guy who played before there were televisions. Or radios.)
Pirates: None
With Mazeroski in, Pirates fans are officially prohibited from complaining about the Hall of Fame until the year 2037 (though I suppose I can mention that Dave Parker was better than Jim Rice).
Red Sox: Luis Tiant
Tiant is the guy people talk about, but is he really more qualified for the Hall of Fame than Dwight Evans? Evans played forever, won a bunch of Gold Gloves and led the American League in OPS twice (which never fails to surprise me). He also did better in MVP voting than you might guess, finishing third in 1981, fourth in '87 and in the top 10 two other times. Granted, there's nothing about Evans that screams "Hall of Fame!" at you. He simply played exceptionally well for most of the 1970s and all of the '80s.
Rangers: None.
Rafael Palmeiro will have his supporters, when he's eligible.
Reds: Dave Concepcion
I mean, not counting Pete Rose, about whom I don't have anything to say (except I wish they'd let him into the Hall of Fame already so we wouldn't have to say anything about him anymore). I don't want to say anything negative about Concepcion, who was a little better than shortstops Maury Wills and Vern Stephens, both of whom appeared on the various Veterans Committee ballots this year. Oddly, his career now looks almost exactly like Omar Vizquel's. If you think one of them belongs in the Coop, you basically have to admit that the other does as well.
Royals: Frank White
When Mazeroski was elected, suddenly White's case started looking a lot better. After all, White was the better baserunner and perhaps just the slightly better hitter, and he won exactly as many Gold Gloves (eight) as Mazeroski, who was elected almost completely because of his defensive reputation. But while I tried to put a positive spin on Mazeroski's election, he certainly did not meet the standards of a Hall of Fame second baseman. What's more, all Gold Gloves are not created equal. Frank White was an outstanding fielder; Mazeroski was the Ozzie Smith of second baseman (similarly, Omar Vizquel's Gold Gloves don't mean he's exactly as great as Ozzie Smith).
Tigers: Jack Morris
Morris gets the nod here because people talk about him, and people talk about him because he's drawn a good deal of support from the voters, picking up 43 percent in the last election. Is he really the Tigers' best candidate, though? No way. Not even close. That would be Alan Trammell, who's been on seven ballots and hasn't yet reached 20 percent.
Twins: Bert Blyleven
Don't get me started.
White Sox: Harold Baines
I would say Shoeless Joe Jackson, except it seems like nobody cares except politicians in Iowa and South Carolina. I'm not sure if anyone cares all that much about Baines, either, but recently there were some choice quotes from White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf. If not Baines, though, White Sox fans can more reasonably complain about Dick Allen or Minnie Minoso.
Yankees: Don Mattingly
Now that Rich Gossage and Joe Gordon have been elected, Yankees fans should really shut up. And for the most part, they have (about the Hall of Fame, anyway). Eight or 10 years ago, though, I would get ripped eight ways to Sunday for suggesting that Mattingly's résumé might be a little thin. I think what has happened is that there's room for only one saint in the Yankees fan's heart, and Cap'n Jetes has grabbed that title from Donnie Baseball.
You know what's really a shame? There's not a real movement to get Alan Trammell or Tim Raines elected. Nobody's really talking about Bobby Grich or Jimmy Wynn. Not in the traditional media, anyway. I suppose we'll get there someday. But it's difficult for me to see these Veterans Committee ballots filled with players who weren't as good as Grich and Wynn.
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Comments
<< <i> I vote for Garvey! >>
That would be my sentimental vote, but I don't see it happening.
<< <i>Athletics: Mark McGwire >>
I don't want to start a debate of your list as it looks like you put some effort and some thought into it, but the Athletics player needs to be changed. First of all, I was always a fan of Mark McGwire, but he has not made it to the HOF because it looks like he quite possibly took performance enhancement drugs and lied to Congress. I think it's not fair to penalize players who did things that were not illegal at the time, but it appears McGwire was not truthful and the Writers will hold that against him. So being that is the case, who else from the A's would make your list?
Brian