There is little doubt that the recently retired icon - New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter ('95 - '14) - will be a first ballot Hall of Famer; and rightfully so. Playing his entire career in New York, Jeter was an integral part of five world championship teams; seemingly doing everything right when the national spotlight was shining the brightest. The media loved him and so did the vast majority of fans - not just in New York - but everywhere.
On the other hand, there is little doubt that former Detroit Tigers shortstop Alan Trammell ('77 - '96) - who is actually ranked one notch higher (#11 all-time) than Derek Jeter on baseball-reference.com - will not even come close for induction, for the 14th straight year. Most people probably don't even know he's still on the ballot. Then again, most people have no clue about Trammell's Hall of Fame-caliber career; worse yet, most Hall of Fame voters from the BBWAA have no clue.
Last year, Trammell only got 20.8% of the vote; proving that nearly 80% of those voting never really bothered to research the career accomplishments of this unassuming former elite player. A quick look on baseball-reference.com would do the trick.
Here's what we would discover:
*There are 21 shortstops currently in the Hall of Fame
*Only 8 of those Hall of Fame shortstops had better Cooperstown credentials than Trammell
*The average career WAR (Wins Above Replacement) for Hall of Fame shortstops is 66.7
*Trammell's career WAR is 70.4
*The average 7-year peak WAR for Hall of Fame shortstops is 42.8
*Trammell's 7-year peak WAR is 44.6
*The average JAWS (average of career & 7-year peak WAR) for Hall of Fame shortstops is 54.7
*Trammell's JAWS is 57.5
*Trammell's career slash line: .285 BA/.352 OBP/.415 SLG - (110 OPS+) - This compares favorably with Hall of Fame shortstops (typically a position geared towards defense - not offense)
*Trammell won 4 Gold Glove Awards - deserved 7 - Career dWAR is + 22.0 (that's good)
*Derek Jeter won 5 Gold Glove Awards - deserved 0 - Career dWAR is - 9.7 (that's not good)
*Trammell's postseason career was far more limited than Jeter's (13 total games compared to 158); however, Trammell's performance was outstanding (.333/.404/.588 - 3 HR - 7 R - 9 RBI). In fact, when Tigers won '84 World Series, Trammell was MVP (.450/.500/.800 - 2 HR - 5 R - 6 RBI).
Playing in New York during the Yankees' reign of terror (to the rest of MLB), Jeter had moments of greatness that will forever be etched into our national consciousness: The backhand flip to retire a lumbering Jason Giambi at home plate in the 2001 ALCS; and most prominently, his dramatic November 1, 2001 World Series opposite-field walk-off home run to beat the D-backs in Game 5. "He is Mr November!" That's some heavy marketing and America was buying the product - a sure-fire Hall of Famer.
Prior to the advent of defensive metrics, Jeter was widely regarded as an excellent defensive shortstop (erroneously); hence the five Gold Gloves. What helped perpetuate that myth was his flashy method of fielding ground balls in the hole; and with his momentum carrying him towards the left field line, he would jump and complete the pass to the first baseman for the out. Very stylish. Even more dramatic was a famous catch he made in foul territory; running full speed, when he grabbed the ball, then catapulted into the stands with total disregard for life and limb. That play alone guaranteed him a Gold Glove for three more years.
Trammell, on the other hand, fielded his position so smoothly, he made difficult plays look routine; but he had terrific range and hardly ever made a mistake. He was so consistent, it was boring; and his splendid defensive prowess was never fully appreciated. That's the problem. The typical fan (or Hall of Fame voter) scrutinizes a player's batting average, home runs, runs scored and RBI's. Unless they're making sensational diving plays and barehanded grabs, they pay no attention to their defense. However, we should know that there are two ways to enhance a team's run differential over their competition: (1) Run production and (2) run prevention. Of course, run production gets the most attention. We love those big home runs; alas, we rarely notice the runs saved from great glove work.
However, advanced metrics enables us to specifically measure the "cause and effect" of a player's defensive prowess - or lack thereof. A good defensive player like Trammell essentially creates runs for his team by shutting down the opposition on a regular basis - by flashing the leather; and over the course of his career, Trammell's defense was worth 81 runs.
Unfortunately for Jeter and the Yankees, that five-time Gold Glove winning shortstop cost his team 182 runs over the course of his career. For some reason, I don't think very many people know that; or if presented with that information, would acknowledge it. "Just hogwash; fancy-schmancy saber-metric garbage", they would say. I would have to do some research, but I'm fairly certain no five-time Gold Glove winning shortstop has ever been so bad defensively to essentially cause 182 runs to disappear - evaporate - over their career. Poof! It's a good thing he could hit.
In five years, when Jeter's name first appears on a Hall of Fame ballot, it's a safe bet he'll be voted into Cooperstown; and rightfully so. Meanwhile, Alan Trammell will no doubt be passed over until his name is removed from the ballot, altogether.
Then, he'll have to wait for the opportunity to appear on a Veteran's Committee ballot ten, fifteen or twenty years down the road. Maybe by then, more enlightened members of that future committee will judge the player on his true merits; maybe not.
Maybe he'll continue to be major league baseball's most underrated player. That would be a shame.
Showing posts with label Hall of Fame. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hall of Fame. Show all posts
Saturday, December 27, 2014
Thursday, December 25, 2014
10 (Possibly Controversial) Hall of Fame Selections
I don't have the privilege of casting an official BBWAA Hall of Fame ballot, but if I did, I'm pretty sure a couple of my selections would raise the ire of two-thirds of the general population; but so be it.
Also, since the maximum number of candidates eligible to receive votes on a single ballot is ten, I'm forced to leave off a couple of guys who clearly have Hall of Fame credentials (baseball-reference.com ranks every player at each position, for comparison); but my hands are tied by Cooperstown. Sorry. Maybe next year.
My votes go to the most qualified, not necessarily the most popular. They are:
Craig Biggio - After coming up just a bit short last year with 74.8% of the vote, I hope he doesn't have to play the waiting game any longer. His career numbers are compelling, with 3060 hits in his 20-years with the Astros (112 OPS+); not a particularly great defensive player, but good enough overall to be ranked #14 all-time for second basemen (his primary position).
Mike Piazza - Clearly the best hitting catcher in MLB history (.308/.377/.545 - 143 OPS+), with moderate defensive liabilities during his 16-year career; but not enough to justify exclusion from the Hall of Fame; however, with the PED issue still raging among the voting ranks of the BBWAA, I'd be surprised if he gets in this year, despite being ranked #5 all-time for catchers.
Jeff Bagwell - His 15-year career was hampered by injuries, but the slugging first baseman still posted HOF-caliber numbers (.297/.408/.540 - 149 OPS+) and is ranked #6 all-time at his position. He'll more than likely get in within the next 2-3 years, barring any shocking revelation that he did in fact, juice. There's still too much suspicion within the voting ranks to be a likely inductee in 2015 - especially with the new competition coming up the ranks.
Tim Raines - So far, being the second-best lead-off hitter in MLB history as well as the eighth-best left fielder hasn't been good enough for induction. Go figure. In a career that spanned 23 seasons, Raines posted excellent offensive numbers (.294/.385/.425 - 123 OPS+) plus he stole 808 bases!
Roger Clemens - Of course, he's not getting in any time soon, but the third greatest pitcher in MLB history (354-184 - 3.12 ERA - 143 ERA+) won 7 Cy Young Awards, had a 12-8 postseason record - including a perfect 3-0 in World Series play and was on 2 World Series winners: '99 & '00 New York Yankees. His controversial career spanned 24 seasons.
Barry Bonds - Also not getting in the Hall of Fame any time soon, but the greatest left fielder in MLB history (.298/.444/.607 - 182 OPS+) played 22 seasons, retiring with the single season (73) and career 762) home run records. He's probably the most despised player in MLB history, but his talent was certainly remarkable - a first ballot Hall of Famer if he had refrained from the temptation of hitting the juice in the wake of the McGwire single season home run record (70), set in '98.
Curt Schilling - There are 59 starting pitchers already enshrined at Cooperstown, and Schilling is ranked #27 all-time (216-146 - 3.46 ERA - 127 ERA+); and that's before including his astounding postseason record (11-2 - 2.23 ERA, including 4-1 - 2.06 ERA in World Series play). Oh yeah, he was co-MVP (with Randy Johnson) in the 2001 World Series as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks, leading that franchise to its first championship; then 3 years later, helped the Bambino-cursed Red Sox to their first title since 1918 - bloody sock and all; then did it again for Boston in 2007.
Alan Trammell - This may be the most underrated player in MLB history. Overlooked by the BBWAA who apparently viewed him as good, but not great as a 20-year fixture at shortstop for the Detroit Tigers. His offensive numbers (.285/.352/.415 - 110 OPS+) compare favorably to most shortstops already inducted into Cooperstown and his defensive skills were far better than he was given credit for; winning four Gold Gloves, but deserving at least seven. Baseball-reference.com ranks him #11 all-time at his position, one notch higher than the universally heralded Derek Jeter.
Of course, he won't even come close this time around, as usual; but he belongs.
Randy Johnson - Making his appearance on the ballot for the first time, he's certain to get at least 90% of the vote; and rightfully so. Ranked #9 all-time for starting pitchers (303-166 - 3.29 ERA - 135 ERA+), the Big Unit played 22 seasons, highlighted by his 3-0 - 1.04 ERA in the 2001 World Series win over the Yankees.
Pedro Martinez - The best pitcher in the AL during the height of the Steroids Era (219-100 - 2.93 ERA - 154 ERA+), ranked #21 all-time following his 18 year career. Like Johnson, he should have no trouble getting in on his first try.
Just missing the cut on my imaginary ballot were first-time candidate John Smoltz (#58 all-time for starting pitchers) and the great and highly underrated Larry Walker (#10 all-time for right fielders). Smoltz has an excellent chance of getting enough votes on his first try; Walker has zero chance; unfairly downgraded by his tremendous offensive production at hitter-friendly Coors Field during his time with the Colorado Rockies. Yet, his career numbers were staggering (.313/.400/.565 - 141 OPS+), and he did it for 17 seasons. Sooner or later, he's got to get in.
For now, it looks like Johnson and Martinez will definitely get in; Biggio has about a 50/50 shot, and Smoltz maybe slightly less than 50/50. If Cooperstown is really the final destination for the all-time greats of baseball, this ballot currently has the top candidates, based on performance; not hype.
Also, since the maximum number of candidates eligible to receive votes on a single ballot is ten, I'm forced to leave off a couple of guys who clearly have Hall of Fame credentials (baseball-reference.com ranks every player at each position, for comparison); but my hands are tied by Cooperstown. Sorry. Maybe next year.
My votes go to the most qualified, not necessarily the most popular. They are:
Craig Biggio - After coming up just a bit short last year with 74.8% of the vote, I hope he doesn't have to play the waiting game any longer. His career numbers are compelling, with 3060 hits in his 20-years with the Astros (112 OPS+); not a particularly great defensive player, but good enough overall to be ranked #14 all-time for second basemen (his primary position).
Mike Piazza - Clearly the best hitting catcher in MLB history (.308/.377/.545 - 143 OPS+), with moderate defensive liabilities during his 16-year career; but not enough to justify exclusion from the Hall of Fame; however, with the PED issue still raging among the voting ranks of the BBWAA, I'd be surprised if he gets in this year, despite being ranked #5 all-time for catchers.
Jeff Bagwell - His 15-year career was hampered by injuries, but the slugging first baseman still posted HOF-caliber numbers (.297/.408/.540 - 149 OPS+) and is ranked #6 all-time at his position. He'll more than likely get in within the next 2-3 years, barring any shocking revelation that he did in fact, juice. There's still too much suspicion within the voting ranks to be a likely inductee in 2015 - especially with the new competition coming up the ranks.
Tim Raines - So far, being the second-best lead-off hitter in MLB history as well as the eighth-best left fielder hasn't been good enough for induction. Go figure. In a career that spanned 23 seasons, Raines posted excellent offensive numbers (.294/.385/.425 - 123 OPS+) plus he stole 808 bases!
Roger Clemens - Of course, he's not getting in any time soon, but the third greatest pitcher in MLB history (354-184 - 3.12 ERA - 143 ERA+) won 7 Cy Young Awards, had a 12-8 postseason record - including a perfect 3-0 in World Series play and was on 2 World Series winners: '99 & '00 New York Yankees. His controversial career spanned 24 seasons.
Barry Bonds - Also not getting in the Hall of Fame any time soon, but the greatest left fielder in MLB history (.298/.444/.607 - 182 OPS+) played 22 seasons, retiring with the single season (73) and career 762) home run records. He's probably the most despised player in MLB history, but his talent was certainly remarkable - a first ballot Hall of Famer if he had refrained from the temptation of hitting the juice in the wake of the McGwire single season home run record (70), set in '98.
Curt Schilling - There are 59 starting pitchers already enshrined at Cooperstown, and Schilling is ranked #27 all-time (216-146 - 3.46 ERA - 127 ERA+); and that's before including his astounding postseason record (11-2 - 2.23 ERA, including 4-1 - 2.06 ERA in World Series play). Oh yeah, he was co-MVP (with Randy Johnson) in the 2001 World Series as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks, leading that franchise to its first championship; then 3 years later, helped the Bambino-cursed Red Sox to their first title since 1918 - bloody sock and all; then did it again for Boston in 2007.
Alan Trammell - This may be the most underrated player in MLB history. Overlooked by the BBWAA who apparently viewed him as good, but not great as a 20-year fixture at shortstop for the Detroit Tigers. His offensive numbers (.285/.352/.415 - 110 OPS+) compare favorably to most shortstops already inducted into Cooperstown and his defensive skills were far better than he was given credit for; winning four Gold Gloves, but deserving at least seven. Baseball-reference.com ranks him #11 all-time at his position, one notch higher than the universally heralded Derek Jeter.
Of course, he won't even come close this time around, as usual; but he belongs.
Randy Johnson - Making his appearance on the ballot for the first time, he's certain to get at least 90% of the vote; and rightfully so. Ranked #9 all-time for starting pitchers (303-166 - 3.29 ERA - 135 ERA+), the Big Unit played 22 seasons, highlighted by his 3-0 - 1.04 ERA in the 2001 World Series win over the Yankees.
Pedro Martinez - The best pitcher in the AL during the height of the Steroids Era (219-100 - 2.93 ERA - 154 ERA+), ranked #21 all-time following his 18 year career. Like Johnson, he should have no trouble getting in on his first try.
Just missing the cut on my imaginary ballot were first-time candidate John Smoltz (#58 all-time for starting pitchers) and the great and highly underrated Larry Walker (#10 all-time for right fielders). Smoltz has an excellent chance of getting enough votes on his first try; Walker has zero chance; unfairly downgraded by his tremendous offensive production at hitter-friendly Coors Field during his time with the Colorado Rockies. Yet, his career numbers were staggering (.313/.400/.565 - 141 OPS+), and he did it for 17 seasons. Sooner or later, he's got to get in.
For now, it looks like Johnson and Martinez will definitely get in; Biggio has about a 50/50 shot, and Smoltz maybe slightly less than 50/50. If Cooperstown is really the final destination for the all-time greats of baseball, this ballot currently has the top candidates, based on performance; not hype.
Sunday, December 14, 2014
Cooperstown's 9 Most Shocking Inductions
What do Jesse Haines, Rick Ferrell, High Pockets Kelly, Rabbit Maranville, Bill Mazeroski, Freddie Lindstrom, Chick Hafey, Lloyd Waner and Tommy McCarthy have in common?
For some reason, they're all members of Baseball's most elite fraternity: The Hall of Fame.
Yet, for some reason, Dick Allen, Ken Boyer, Gil Hodges, Jim Kaat, Minnie Minoso, Tony Oliva, Billy Pierce and Luis Tiant are not members. Go figure. All of these Golden Era candidates were recently rejected by the sixteen-member Veteran's Committee, along with Maury Wills (who really doesn't qualify to begin with) and former executive Bob Howsam (who may be worthy, but not as worthy as these guys).
Of course, along with this latest batch of rejections, the Hall of Fame is still missing the likes of Ted Simmons, Bobby Grich, Alan Trammell and Larry Walker - players who were apparently regarded as merely "good"; not "great".
For some reason, they're all members of Baseball's most elite fraternity: The Hall of Fame.
Yet, for some reason, Dick Allen, Ken Boyer, Gil Hodges, Jim Kaat, Minnie Minoso, Tony Oliva, Billy Pierce and Luis Tiant are not members. Go figure. All of these Golden Era candidates were recently rejected by the sixteen-member Veteran's Committee, along with Maury Wills (who really doesn't qualify to begin with) and former executive Bob Howsam (who may be worthy, but not as worthy as these guys).
Of course, along with this latest batch of rejections, the Hall of Fame is still missing the likes of Ted Simmons, Bobby Grich, Alan Trammell and Larry Walker - players who were apparently regarded as merely "good"; not "great".
Yet, undeniably, each position on the diamond is represented by players who were in fact, "good" but not "great"; and they're all Hall of Famers. Go figure.
Advanced metrics reveal the truth in every player's actual performance over the course of their career. Some startling examples of Cooperstown's mysterious selection process - position by position - is listed below. Next to the player's name is their all-time rank for their primary position - based on sabermetric data compiled by baseball-reference.com.
As a point of reference, there are 59 Starting Pitchers in the Hall of Fame - 13 Catchers - 19 First Basemen - 19 Second Basemen - 13 Third Basemen - 21 Shortstops - 19 Left Fielders - 18 Center Fielders - 24 Right Fielders
These are the lowest ranked players to have ever been inducted into the Hall of Fame at their position:
P - Jesse "Pop" Haines (Rank - 298) Won 210 - Lost 158 - 3.64 ERA - 19-year career, mostly with the St Louis Cardinals - appeared in 4 World Series with the Cardinals ('26, '28, '30 & '34) - Won 2 World Championships - Claim to Fame: Career World Series Record: 3-1 - 1.67 ERA - Won 2 Games in '26 Series vs New York Yankees - including Game 7 - to help Cardinals win first Championship in Franchise History - Veteran's Committee Inductee in 1970
C - Rick Ferrell (Rank - 43) .281 Career BA - .363 SLG - Brother of Pitcher Wes Ferrell who hit .280 with .446 SLG (but he's not in the HOF!) - Claim to Fame: 1884 Games Played as Catcher - Most in MLB History for a Catcher (at the time) - Veteran's Committee Inductee in 1984
1B - George "High Pockets" Kelly (Rank - 85) .297 Career BA - .452 SLG - 16-year career, primarily as a member of the New York Giants during the John McGraw Era - Claim to Fame: Played in 4 World Series - Notorious for striking out a lot (23 times in 26 games) while maintaining a low batting average (.248) and very little power (.297 SLG) - Veteran's Committee Inductee in 1973
2B - Bill Mazeroski (Rank - 50) .260 Career BA - .367 SLG - 17-year career with the Pittsburgh Pirates - Great defensively, but not much of a hitter, except for one swing of the bat which essentially punched his ticket to Cooperstown - Claim to Fame: 1960 World Series Walk-Off Home Run in Game 7 - Veteran's Committee Inductee in 2001
3B - Freddie Lindstrom (Rank - 70) .311 Career BA - .449 SLG - 13-year career primarily with John McGraw's New York Giants - Claim to Fame: 1924 World Series - Game 7 - victimized when a ground ball he was trying to field hit a pebble - good for a double - leading to the winning run of the Series scoring for the Washington Senators - Veteran's Committee Inductee in 1976
SS - Rabbit Maranville (Rank - 37) .258 Career BA - .340 SLG - 23-year career with five different NL teams - beginning and ending with the Boston Braves - Good defensively, but not great - Claim to Fame: Crazy antics and madcap approach to baseball - Appeared in 2 World Series - Died in January, 1954 - 2 weeks later, received 83% of the vote from the sympathetic BBWAA - Note: Had Maury Wills received enough votes from the Veteran's Committee, he would have supplanted Rabbit as the least qualified Hall of Fame shortstop (Rank - 46)
LF - Chick Hafey (Rank - 58) .317 Career BA - .526 SLG - 13-year career cut short due to bad health and bad eyesight - wore glasses - Claim to Fame: 4 World Series appearances with the St Louis Cardinals ('26, '28, '30 & '31) - hitting .205 in 23 games - Veteran's Committee Inductee in 1971
CF - Lloyd "Little Poison" Waner (Rank - 113) .316 Career BA - .393 SLG - 18-year career, mostly with the Pittsburgh Pirates - Claim to Fame: Played alongside his Hall of Fame brother, Paul ("Big Poison) - Both appeared in futile match-up in the 1927 World Series vs the New York Yankees - who swept the Pirates in 4 straight games.
RF - Tommy McCarthy (Rank - 128) .292 Career BA - ..378 SLG - 13-year career with 6 different teams in various leagues from 1884 - 1896 - Claim to Fame: On defense, he used to trap the ball in right field to confuse base runners. Seriously - Old Timers Committee Inductee in 1946
CONCLUSION: Catchy nicknames while managing to play in a World Series or two was a winning formula for induction in the past. These days, it's a whole new ballgame.
Let's face it; the Hall of Fame is losing its credibility.
Advanced metrics reveal the truth in every player's actual performance over the course of their career. Some startling examples of Cooperstown's mysterious selection process - position by position - is listed below. Next to the player's name is their all-time rank for their primary position - based on sabermetric data compiled by baseball-reference.com.
As a point of reference, there are 59 Starting Pitchers in the Hall of Fame - 13 Catchers - 19 First Basemen - 19 Second Basemen - 13 Third Basemen - 21 Shortstops - 19 Left Fielders - 18 Center Fielders - 24 Right Fielders
These are the lowest ranked players to have ever been inducted into the Hall of Fame at their position:
P - Jesse "Pop" Haines (Rank - 298) Won 210 - Lost 158 - 3.64 ERA - 19-year career, mostly with the St Louis Cardinals - appeared in 4 World Series with the Cardinals ('26, '28, '30 & '34) - Won 2 World Championships - Claim to Fame: Career World Series Record: 3-1 - 1.67 ERA - Won 2 Games in '26 Series vs New York Yankees - including Game 7 - to help Cardinals win first Championship in Franchise History - Veteran's Committee Inductee in 1970
C - Rick Ferrell (Rank - 43) .281 Career BA - .363 SLG - Brother of Pitcher Wes Ferrell who hit .280 with .446 SLG (but he's not in the HOF!) - Claim to Fame: 1884 Games Played as Catcher - Most in MLB History for a Catcher (at the time) - Veteran's Committee Inductee in 1984
1B - George "High Pockets" Kelly (Rank - 85) .297 Career BA - .452 SLG - 16-year career, primarily as a member of the New York Giants during the John McGraw Era - Claim to Fame: Played in 4 World Series - Notorious for striking out a lot (23 times in 26 games) while maintaining a low batting average (.248) and very little power (.297 SLG) - Veteran's Committee Inductee in 1973
2B - Bill Mazeroski (Rank - 50) .260 Career BA - .367 SLG - 17-year career with the Pittsburgh Pirates - Great defensively, but not much of a hitter, except for one swing of the bat which essentially punched his ticket to Cooperstown - Claim to Fame: 1960 World Series Walk-Off Home Run in Game 7 - Veteran's Committee Inductee in 2001
3B - Freddie Lindstrom (Rank - 70) .311 Career BA - .449 SLG - 13-year career primarily with John McGraw's New York Giants - Claim to Fame: 1924 World Series - Game 7 - victimized when a ground ball he was trying to field hit a pebble - good for a double - leading to the winning run of the Series scoring for the Washington Senators - Veteran's Committee Inductee in 1976
SS - Rabbit Maranville (Rank - 37) .258 Career BA - .340 SLG - 23-year career with five different NL teams - beginning and ending with the Boston Braves - Good defensively, but not great - Claim to Fame: Crazy antics and madcap approach to baseball - Appeared in 2 World Series - Died in January, 1954 - 2 weeks later, received 83% of the vote from the sympathetic BBWAA - Note: Had Maury Wills received enough votes from the Veteran's Committee, he would have supplanted Rabbit as the least qualified Hall of Fame shortstop (Rank - 46)
LF - Chick Hafey (Rank - 58) .317 Career BA - .526 SLG - 13-year career cut short due to bad health and bad eyesight - wore glasses - Claim to Fame: 4 World Series appearances with the St Louis Cardinals ('26, '28, '30 & '31) - hitting .205 in 23 games - Veteran's Committee Inductee in 1971
CF - Lloyd "Little Poison" Waner (Rank - 113) .316 Career BA - .393 SLG - 18-year career, mostly with the Pittsburgh Pirates - Claim to Fame: Played alongside his Hall of Fame brother, Paul ("Big Poison) - Both appeared in futile match-up in the 1927 World Series vs the New York Yankees - who swept the Pirates in 4 straight games.
RF - Tommy McCarthy (Rank - 128) .292 Career BA - ..378 SLG - 13-year career with 6 different teams in various leagues from 1884 - 1896 - Claim to Fame: On defense, he used to trap the ball in right field to confuse base runners. Seriously - Old Timers Committee Inductee in 1946
CONCLUSION: Catchy nicknames while managing to play in a World Series or two was a winning formula for induction in the past. These days, it's a whole new ballgame.
Let's face it; the Hall of Fame is losing its credibility.
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Third Basemen: Cooperstown Snubs & Flubs
According to baseball-reference.com, Hall of Fame candidate Ken Boyer - who wore number fourteen as a member of the St Louis Cardinals - currently ranks as the 14th-best third baseman in major league history. The top four - Mike Schmidt, Eddie Mathews, Wade Boggs and George Brett - have already been enshrined at Cooperstown.
The recently retired Chipper Jones is currently in the fifth spot, followed by a still-active Adrian Beltre at number six - although another couple of good seasons would more than likely push him ahead of Jones. Both should be shoe-ins for Cooperstown when the time comes.
It's hard to believe how long Ron Santo (#7) had to wait for enshrinement; ignored by the brain-dead voters of the BBWAA for so many years, Santo was finally selected by the Veteran's Committee three years ago - which of course, was one year too late for the late Cub great to even get the chance to enjoy the honor.
After Santo, Brooks Robinson - the greatest fielding third baseman in major league history - and Paul Molitor - who spent quite a bit of time as a DH - are ranked eighth and ninth, respectively - and both had little difficulty in getting the necessary support from the baseball writers to enter through the front door of Cooperstown. The BBWAA have gotten it right sometimes.
The recently retired Scott Rolen - whose greatest seasons were with the Cardinals (2002 - 2007) in an injury-plagued career, is ranked tenth, followed by Edgar Martinez - primarily known as a DH - and the underrated Craig Nettles - who are ranked eleventh and twelfth, respectively. The knock on Martinez is that he didn't play enough games, defensively, to warrant induction. In other words, had he been allowed to play third base badly, he might be deemed worthy for Cooperstown. That logic simply escapes me.
Nettles was a superb defensive third baseman, but his relatively low career batting average seems to be working against him. However, what the voters failed to consider was the fact that along with his Gold Glove-caliber defensive prowess, he consistently hit for power - he even led the AL with 32 home runs in 1976. Of course, he also played on the Yankees during the Reggie Jackson era, which meant he was practically invisible during Mr October's heyday. Again, that's not a valid reason to snub Nettles - but as we've seen over the years - the voters often have no rhyme or reason behind their selection process.
Just ahead of Boyer is Frank "Home Run" Baker - who led the AL in home runs four consecutive seasons during the Dead Ball Era - with a grand total of 39 home runs during that span. But in those days, his power was legit - and he wasn't bad with the glove, either. Or at least what they used as gloves a century ago.
Well back in the pack are Hall of Famers George Kell (#48) and the enormously overrated Pie Traynor (#59) - who was actually the first third baseman enshrined at Cooperstown, in 1948. The popular myth promulgated by the baseball establishment was that Pie was the greatest third baseman of all-time. Funny, but the previously mentioned and highly underrated Home Run Baker was far better than the Pie-man - yet he had to wait until 1955 for enshrinement. Go figure.
It's interesting to note that the oft-injured Washington Nationals' third baseman, Ryan Zimmerman, is currently #47 on the list - one notch ahead of lonesome George, who got in via the Veteran's Committee back in '83. Of course, back in those olden days, the voters knew little or nothing about advanced metrics. They were impressed by Kell's robust .307 lifetime batting average and his sparkling personality. Of course, his power was practically non-existent (78 career home runs), and he was just an average defensive player. However, I've already been in a few debates over the Kell-Boyer comparison - and the other side insists Kell was the superior defensive player. That's just ludicrous.
It's also interesting to note that the current Milwaukee Brewers third baseman - Aramis Ramirez - comes in at #58 on the list - one notch ahead of the Greatest Third Baseman of All-Time, who was nicknamed "Pie" simply because he liked to eat pie. No other reason. Imagine the course of baseball history if he preferred strawberry shortcake instead. I wonder if having a stupid nickname like "Strawberry Shortcake" Traynor would have hindered his Hall of Fame chances. We'll never know.
Actually, having a catchy nickname probably helped a number of colorful personalities achieve baseball immortality. Some deserved the recognition: Lewis Robert Wilson sounds a bit stuffy for a rough-and-tumble slugging outfielder - "Hack" sounds more appropriate. Mordecai Brown suffered a severe injury to his pitching hand - becoming "Three Finger" Brown - and did quite well for himself despite missing that digit - Charles Leo Hartnett became "Gabby" and had a career worth talking about - and how could the Hall of Fame deny Charles "Old Hoss" Radbourn - the only pitcher in major league history to win 59 games in a single season? One of the biggest mysteries is why "Home Run" Baker never got enough support during the early days of his retirement. Surely the voters had some knowledge of how difficult it was to go yard back when the balls were practically made of mush...
However, a first baseman by the name of George Kelly aka "High Pockets" surely got into Cooperstown solely on the strength of that unusual nickname - because his 25.2 career WAR is simply ridiculous. Even HOF-Pie has that beat (36.2).
Same goes for Hall of Famer Rabbit Maranville, whose career WAR is a very un-Cooperstown-like 42.8. I wonder how much support he would have received from the voters if his nickname had been "Moron"? Probably not a much, although "Moron" Maranville does have a nice ring to it...
By the way, the great Kenny "No Nickname" Boyer had a career WAR of 62.8, which coincidentally, is exactly what Home Run Baker compiled during his productive, yet largely under-appreciated Hall of Fame career.
Boyer, of course, played a major role in getting his team - the St Louis Cardinals - to the World Series back in '64 - not to mention playing a major role in upsetting the favored New York Yankees. While many great players never had the opportunity to perform on baseball's grandest stage (Santo, for example) - The World Series - Boyer did have that opportunity. And he made the most of it. Even without his postseason credentials, Boyer's career was most definitely Hall of Fame-caliber. With them, he should have been a slam dunk...
I certainly hope at least 12 of the 16 Veteran's Committee voting members agree. While they're at it, I hope they also add Minnie Minoso, Luis Tiant and Dick Allen to their ballots. Their induction into Cooperstown is also long overdue. Time to rectify this situation this time around, committee members.
The recently retired Chipper Jones is currently in the fifth spot, followed by a still-active Adrian Beltre at number six - although another couple of good seasons would more than likely push him ahead of Jones. Both should be shoe-ins for Cooperstown when the time comes.
It's hard to believe how long Ron Santo (#7) had to wait for enshrinement; ignored by the brain-dead voters of the BBWAA for so many years, Santo was finally selected by the Veteran's Committee three years ago - which of course, was one year too late for the late Cub great to even get the chance to enjoy the honor.
After Santo, Brooks Robinson - the greatest fielding third baseman in major league history - and Paul Molitor - who spent quite a bit of time as a DH - are ranked eighth and ninth, respectively - and both had little difficulty in getting the necessary support from the baseball writers to enter through the front door of Cooperstown. The BBWAA have gotten it right sometimes.
The recently retired Scott Rolen - whose greatest seasons were with the Cardinals (2002 - 2007) in an injury-plagued career, is ranked tenth, followed by Edgar Martinez - primarily known as a DH - and the underrated Craig Nettles - who are ranked eleventh and twelfth, respectively. The knock on Martinez is that he didn't play enough games, defensively, to warrant induction. In other words, had he been allowed to play third base badly, he might be deemed worthy for Cooperstown. That logic simply escapes me.
Nettles was a superb defensive third baseman, but his relatively low career batting average seems to be working against him. However, what the voters failed to consider was the fact that along with his Gold Glove-caliber defensive prowess, he consistently hit for power - he even led the AL with 32 home runs in 1976. Of course, he also played on the Yankees during the Reggie Jackson era, which meant he was practically invisible during Mr October's heyday. Again, that's not a valid reason to snub Nettles - but as we've seen over the years - the voters often have no rhyme or reason behind their selection process.
Just ahead of Boyer is Frank "Home Run" Baker - who led the AL in home runs four consecutive seasons during the Dead Ball Era - with a grand total of 39 home runs during that span. But in those days, his power was legit - and he wasn't bad with the glove, either. Or at least what they used as gloves a century ago.
Well back in the pack are Hall of Famers George Kell (#48) and the enormously overrated Pie Traynor (#59) - who was actually the first third baseman enshrined at Cooperstown, in 1948. The popular myth promulgated by the baseball establishment was that Pie was the greatest third baseman of all-time. Funny, but the previously mentioned and highly underrated Home Run Baker was far better than the Pie-man - yet he had to wait until 1955 for enshrinement. Go figure.
It's interesting to note that the oft-injured Washington Nationals' third baseman, Ryan Zimmerman, is currently #47 on the list - one notch ahead of lonesome George, who got in via the Veteran's Committee back in '83. Of course, back in those olden days, the voters knew little or nothing about advanced metrics. They were impressed by Kell's robust .307 lifetime batting average and his sparkling personality. Of course, his power was practically non-existent (78 career home runs), and he was just an average defensive player. However, I've already been in a few debates over the Kell-Boyer comparison - and the other side insists Kell was the superior defensive player. That's just ludicrous.
It's also interesting to note that the current Milwaukee Brewers third baseman - Aramis Ramirez - comes in at #58 on the list - one notch ahead of the Greatest Third Baseman of All-Time, who was nicknamed "Pie" simply because he liked to eat pie. No other reason. Imagine the course of baseball history if he preferred strawberry shortcake instead. I wonder if having a stupid nickname like "Strawberry Shortcake" Traynor would have hindered his Hall of Fame chances. We'll never know.
Actually, having a catchy nickname probably helped a number of colorful personalities achieve baseball immortality. Some deserved the recognition: Lewis Robert Wilson sounds a bit stuffy for a rough-and-tumble slugging outfielder - "Hack" sounds more appropriate. Mordecai Brown suffered a severe injury to his pitching hand - becoming "Three Finger" Brown - and did quite well for himself despite missing that digit - Charles Leo Hartnett became "Gabby" and had a career worth talking about - and how could the Hall of Fame deny Charles "Old Hoss" Radbourn - the only pitcher in major league history to win 59 games in a single season? One of the biggest mysteries is why "Home Run" Baker never got enough support during the early days of his retirement. Surely the voters had some knowledge of how difficult it was to go yard back when the balls were practically made of mush...
However, a first baseman by the name of George Kelly aka "High Pockets" surely got into Cooperstown solely on the strength of that unusual nickname - because his 25.2 career WAR is simply ridiculous. Even HOF-Pie has that beat (36.2).
Same goes for Hall of Famer Rabbit Maranville, whose career WAR is a very un-Cooperstown-like 42.8. I wonder how much support he would have received from the voters if his nickname had been "Moron"? Probably not a much, although "Moron" Maranville does have a nice ring to it...
By the way, the great Kenny "No Nickname" Boyer had a career WAR of 62.8, which coincidentally, is exactly what Home Run Baker compiled during his productive, yet largely under-appreciated Hall of Fame career.
Boyer, of course, played a major role in getting his team - the St Louis Cardinals - to the World Series back in '64 - not to mention playing a major role in upsetting the favored New York Yankees. While many great players never had the opportunity to perform on baseball's grandest stage (Santo, for example) - The World Series - Boyer did have that opportunity. And he made the most of it. Even without his postseason credentials, Boyer's career was most definitely Hall of Fame-caliber. With them, he should have been a slam dunk...
I certainly hope at least 12 of the 16 Veteran's Committee voting members agree. While they're at it, I hope they also add Minnie Minoso, Luis Tiant and Dick Allen to their ballots. Their induction into Cooperstown is also long overdue. Time to rectify this situation this time around, committee members.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
HOF Class of 2013 Flunking Out
The list of former MLB players eligible for Hall of Fame consideration for the first time in 2013 includes a pair that are among the best to ever play the game - Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens. They also happen to be among the list of players suspected of using performance enhancing drugs, so there's no way either one will be getting into Cooperstown this year.
In fact, it looks doubtful any of this year's new candidates - or holdovers from previous years for that matter - will be getting enough votes to be enshrined. At last check, even Craig Biggio - what many consider a HOF lock - is only hovering around 70% of the votes (75% is required to be inducted). It seems as though the voters are making a collective statement: Nobody gets in.
That's a shame, because there are at least a dozen (try fifteen) candidates that are worthy of Hall of Fame consideration; most notably:
Craig Biggio
Jeff Bagwell
Tim Raines
Alan Trammell
Fred McGriff
Larry Walker
Mike Piazza
Curt Schilling
Barry Bonds
Roger Clemens
Lee Smith
Dale Murphy
Don Mattingly
Edgar Martinez
Mark McGwire
I suppose if I were actually voting, I'd have to leave five of these selections off my ballot (ten is the maximum number of players allowed). Even though Bonds and Clemens have no chance of getting in, I'd still be compelled to cast my ballot in their favor. I'm not sure how much the PEDs padded their numbers, but I believe they had HOF credentials before they started juicing; besides, they weren't alone.
Actually, I wouldn't want to drop any of the above off my hypothetical ballot, so it's probably a good thing I don't get to vote.
In fact, it looks doubtful any of this year's new candidates - or holdovers from previous years for that matter - will be getting enough votes to be enshrined. At last check, even Craig Biggio - what many consider a HOF lock - is only hovering around 70% of the votes (75% is required to be inducted). It seems as though the voters are making a collective statement: Nobody gets in.
That's a shame, because there are at least a dozen (try fifteen) candidates that are worthy of Hall of Fame consideration; most notably:
Craig Biggio
Jeff Bagwell
Tim Raines
Alan Trammell
Fred McGriff
Larry Walker
Mike Piazza
Curt Schilling
Barry Bonds
Roger Clemens
Lee Smith
Dale Murphy
Don Mattingly
Edgar Martinez
Mark McGwire
I suppose if I were actually voting, I'd have to leave five of these selections off my ballot (ten is the maximum number of players allowed). Even though Bonds and Clemens have no chance of getting in, I'd still be compelled to cast my ballot in their favor. I'm not sure how much the PEDs padded their numbers, but I believe they had HOF credentials before they started juicing; besides, they weren't alone.
Actually, I wouldn't want to drop any of the above off my hypothetical ballot, so it's probably a good thing I don't get to vote.
Friday, January 4, 2013
Numbers Don't Lie - Morris Not HOF Material
Jack Morris had a nice career, but was it really a Hall of Fame career? His won-loss record (254-186 - .577) is just slightly below average for all pitchers who have been enshrined (251-176 - .588). What should keep him out is his mediocre career ERA of 3.90, which is nearly a run per nine-innings higher than the average ERA for Hall of Fame hurlers (2.96). In fact, Morris never even had a single season (he played for 18 seasons) when he was able to post an ERA under 3.00. Those don't sound like Hall of Fame numbers to me.
His supporters tout him as the Pitcher of the Eighties because he happened to win more games in that particular decade than anyone else. However, that was attributable more to his durability (and stellar defense behind him) than his pitching ability. Yes, he was a workhorse, but Morris never won a Cy Young Award (his best finish was third-place) and that high ERA is barely better than what an average run-of-the-mill pitcher posted during the time he played (1977-1994). It's not surprising that his ERA+ of 105 is likewise, only slightly above average (100). So far, he seems to be a good candidate for the Hall of Above Average to Pretty Good But Not Great.
Digging deeper into the sabermetric evidence, we find that his career WAR of 39.3 is lower than such above-average-to-pretty-good-but-not-great pitchers as Brad Radke, Kevin Brown and Kevin Appier - all solid performers with flashes of excellence who will never, ever be enshrined in Cooperstown.
It seems that the Morris Hall of Fame candidacy really comes down to that one legendary postseason game - Game Seven of the 1991 World Series - when Morris, pitching for the Minnesota Twins, squared off against a young John Smoltz of the Atlanta Braves in a truly classic duel. Morris would pitch ten shutout innings - good enough for the win - as the Twins finally broke through for the only run of the game in the bottom of the tenth-inning. As valiant as that effort was, Morris also had more than just a little bit of luck going for him, when the Braves hit him hard in the eighth-inning, but came up empty-handed - thanks in large part to a base-running gaffe by Lonnie Smith. Still, this effort by Morris on the grandest of all stages was certainly his most noteworthy episode - or flash - of excellence.
In the end, Morris became the iconic hero, as Minnesota won its second World Championship in five seasons; they've yet to win their third. The perception that Morris was a great postseason pitcher is largely based from that one sensational flash-in-the-pan performance; otherwise, his postseason career amounted to a fairly run-of-the-mill 7-4 record with a 3.80 ERA. Once again, not exactly Hall of Fame worthy.
If Morris does get the necessary support this year (2014 is his final year of eligibilty), he will supplant Red Ruffing (3.80 ERA) for the dubious distinction of having the highest ERA for any enshrined hurler. The fact that he managed to win 254 games (I thought 300 was the magic number?) is more a testament to the strength of the teams he spent time with - namely, three World Series champions - Detroit, Minnesota and Toronto.
In Detroit, where he spent the early years of his career, he had the good fortune of having one of the greatest (if not "the" greatest) double-play combinations of all-time playing behind him: Alan Trammell & Lou Whitaker - both of whom deserve more Hall of Fame consideration than Morris.
With all the controversy surrounding this new batch of Hall of Fame candidates emerging from the dreaded Steroids Era, the time may be right for Morris to sneak in the back door of Cooperstown; no doubt steroid-free and a pretty darn good pitcher with an engaging personality who was a fierce competitor, to boot.
Another fierce competitor - Roger Clemens - is on the ballot for the first time this year, along with a few others that have been linked to performance enhancing drugs. It's highly unlikely for Clemens to get voted in this time around; however, it's interesting to note that he managed to win exactly 100 more games than Jack Morris, and he also managed to lose two fewer games than Morris. Clemens' ERA is almost a point lower (3.12), and his ERA+ is a very Hall-of-Fame-like 143. I don't know how much of all that is inflated by any possible steroid use; but here's a guy who won seven Cy Young Awards and an MVP Award, and is perhaps the greatest pitcher who ever lived.
How strange it would be to see Morris getting voted into the Hall of Fame while Clemens is forced to wait; possibly for more than fifteen years.
His supporters tout him as the Pitcher of the Eighties because he happened to win more games in that particular decade than anyone else. However, that was attributable more to his durability (and stellar defense behind him) than his pitching ability. Yes, he was a workhorse, but Morris never won a Cy Young Award (his best finish was third-place) and that high ERA is barely better than what an average run-of-the-mill pitcher posted during the time he played (1977-1994). It's not surprising that his ERA+ of 105 is likewise, only slightly above average (100). So far, he seems to be a good candidate for the Hall of Above Average to Pretty Good But Not Great.
Digging deeper into the sabermetric evidence, we find that his career WAR of 39.3 is lower than such above-average-to-pretty-good-but-not-great pitchers as Brad Radke, Kevin Brown and Kevin Appier - all solid performers with flashes of excellence who will never, ever be enshrined in Cooperstown.
It seems that the Morris Hall of Fame candidacy really comes down to that one legendary postseason game - Game Seven of the 1991 World Series - when Morris, pitching for the Minnesota Twins, squared off against a young John Smoltz of the Atlanta Braves in a truly classic duel. Morris would pitch ten shutout innings - good enough for the win - as the Twins finally broke through for the only run of the game in the bottom of the tenth-inning. As valiant as that effort was, Morris also had more than just a little bit of luck going for him, when the Braves hit him hard in the eighth-inning, but came up empty-handed - thanks in large part to a base-running gaffe by Lonnie Smith. Still, this effort by Morris on the grandest of all stages was certainly his most noteworthy episode - or flash - of excellence.
In the end, Morris became the iconic hero, as Minnesota won its second World Championship in five seasons; they've yet to win their third. The perception that Morris was a great postseason pitcher is largely based from that one sensational flash-in-the-pan performance; otherwise, his postseason career amounted to a fairly run-of-the-mill 7-4 record with a 3.80 ERA. Once again, not exactly Hall of Fame worthy.
If Morris does get the necessary support this year (2014 is his final year of eligibilty), he will supplant Red Ruffing (3.80 ERA) for the dubious distinction of having the highest ERA for any enshrined hurler. The fact that he managed to win 254 games (I thought 300 was the magic number?) is more a testament to the strength of the teams he spent time with - namely, three World Series champions - Detroit, Minnesota and Toronto.
In Detroit, where he spent the early years of his career, he had the good fortune of having one of the greatest (if not "the" greatest) double-play combinations of all-time playing behind him: Alan Trammell & Lou Whitaker - both of whom deserve more Hall of Fame consideration than Morris.
With all the controversy surrounding this new batch of Hall of Fame candidates emerging from the dreaded Steroids Era, the time may be right for Morris to sneak in the back door of Cooperstown; no doubt steroid-free and a pretty darn good pitcher with an engaging personality who was a fierce competitor, to boot.
Another fierce competitor - Roger Clemens - is on the ballot for the first time this year, along with a few others that have been linked to performance enhancing drugs. It's highly unlikely for Clemens to get voted in this time around; however, it's interesting to note that he managed to win exactly 100 more games than Jack Morris, and he also managed to lose two fewer games than Morris. Clemens' ERA is almost a point lower (3.12), and his ERA+ is a very Hall-of-Fame-like 143. I don't know how much of all that is inflated by any possible steroid use; but here's a guy who won seven Cy Young Awards and an MVP Award, and is perhaps the greatest pitcher who ever lived.
How strange it would be to see Morris getting voted into the Hall of Fame while Clemens is forced to wait; possibly for more than fifteen years.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Deep Thoughts - Bob Costas Spouts Off
It's been two weeks since Ryan Braun won his appeal, overturning major league baseball's plan to suspend the reigning National League MVP for the first fifty games of the 2012 season, after testing (very) positive in that controversial urine sample, early last October. In case you weren't aware of this precedent-setting successful appeal, allow me to summarize what went down:
*Braun's sample was tainted since it sat in a cool, dry place for 44 unsupervised hours before being shipped off to the lab.
*The lab didn't know it was tainted, since all the tamper resistant seals had not been tampered with during that unsupervised 44 hour hiatus.
*The lab discovered the tainted sample was loaded with synthetic testosterone.
*Believing the tainted sample to be untainted, Braun was falsely accused by major league baseball of ingesting some type of banned, pharmaceutical product to produce all that synthetic testosterone.
*Some unknown blabbermouth leaked the news of the initial findings by the lab of the tainted sample to ESPN, who promptly spread the foreboding news to the rest of the world.
*Prior to the ESPN leak, Braun won the NL MVP Award, and appeared to be happy and synthetic testosterone-free during his congratulatory interviews with the media. My favorite - MLB Network's ebullient analyst, Harold Reynolds' exchange with Braunie: "Hey man, you look clean!" "Thanks, HR! Coming from you that means something; if it came from Ripken (Billy), not so much." Guffaws!
*When Braun formally accepted his Award at the subsequent MLB shin-dig, he nervously dished out an awkwardly tongue-tied and embarrassing speech, mentioning key words like "challenge" and "opportunity" way too many times to make any sense. Only his nervous laughter while stammering through the ordeal broke the dead silence among the wary gathering.
*During the long, drawn-out appeal process, Braun's crack team of legal experts proved to the arbitration panel that the sample was tainted; or at least possibly tainted (reasonable doubt!) by sitting around some guy's cool, dry basement for 44 unsupervised hours before being shipped off to the lab.
*A relieved, but indignantly bitter Ryan Braun held a fifteen minute press conference at his team's training facility in Peoria, AZ, citing the "fatally flawed" process which created the tainted sample that turned him into the falsely accused "victim". Not wanting to leave well enough alone, Braun rambled on about the questionable integrity and competency of the guy who collected the sample that fateful late Saturday afternoon in early October. Apparently, this collector has only done about 600 of these procedures without incident; but who's counting?
In the aftermath of this landmark decision, there was a flurry of media discussion and opinion - some "pro", and some "con" - along with the much-expected response from baseball fans everywhere - mostly "con" outside of greater Milwaukee. There may be some fans of the Milwaukee Brewers who think the panel goofed when they upheld Braun's appeal, but I haven't seen evidence of that, anywhere; from Twitter to Facebook and all points in between; the consensus in Brewer Nation: "He's innocent!" According to these unbiased character witnesses, anyone who thinks otherwise is either an idiot or a "hater" (I hate that stupid expression).
One thing is certain. Braun will be in the Brewers lineup now, for a possible full 162-game ride. Also, the initial widespread public outrage will gradually fade into apathetic acceptance (it may already have happened); by the All-Star break, it will be as far off the radar screen as the OJ trial.
While this story was still the hot topic on the national scene a couple of weeks ago, I happened to catch a brief telephone interview one of the hosts at the MLB Network was doing with long-time baseball purist and savant, Bob Costas. Old Bob is a highly respected source of wisdom, particularly within the realm of major league baseball. His commentary on a wide variety of topics - from Hall of Fame balloting to performance enhancing drug issues - is usually quite interesting; certainly, very well-prepared and at times, profound.
Costas was asked to expound upon Braun's overly zealous attempt to deny any wrongdoing; instead, pointing the finger at major league baseball's drug testing program, from top to bottom; finishing the tirade off with an assault on the guy who collected the sample; implying a wide variety of wrongdoings - from general incompetence to haphazard procedural methods to the possibility of deliberate sabotage. It seemed to be way over the top; borderline vindictive and somewhat paranoid; right Bob?
Nope. Bob didn't see it that way; his response was something to the effect: "Braun seemed more convincing in his defense than anyone else I can recall accused of using performance enhancing drugs. Overall, he presented his case well; that there's enough reasonable doubt in the way things were handled to justify the arbitrator's decision." Really?
I couldn't help but recall the harsh language Costas used when discussing the allegations against Barry Bonds: "For anyone to think Bonds did not use performance enhancing drugs when he was breaking all those home run records and winning all those MVP Awards; they would have to be deranged!" Okay; I tend to agree.
I suppose I was expecting him to say, with regard to the Ryan Braun case: "For anyone to think synthetic testosterone mysteriously manifested itself in a non-tampered urine sample; even after a so-called 44 hour unsupervised delay in getting it to the lab for analysis; they would have to be deranged!"
I couldn't help but think back to early January, when Costas offered his opinion on the first-ballot Hall of Fame credentials for Houston Astros retired slugger, Jeff Bagwell. Bob very solemnly and carefully crafted his pious response, which would be heard by millions of people throughout the world of baseball; including many Hall of Fame voters who possibly value his perspective:
"You have to take into consideration the fact that Bagwell played the bulk of his career in the Steroids Era; so there's some doubt about the authenticity of his career totals. I would rather err on the side of being overly careful, than letting a player in who may have used performance enhancing drugs."
Obviously, there were enough actual Hall of Fame voters sharing that same sentiment to keep Bagwell's inevitable Cooperstown induction on hold. Suspicions will automatically arise when any power hitter's career numbers are scrutinized for Cooperstown consideration; simply based on their physical appearance; in other words, they have strong arms? In Bagwell's case, there is no evidence linking him to any use of performance enhancing drugs. He never tested "positive" and was never named in any formal inquiry, unlike so many others who were caught red-handed. From all accounts, Bags developed those big strong arms by pumping iron; not by pumping pharmaceuticals into his system.
So, now that Bob Costas has apparently supported the decision ruling in favor of Braun, does that mean he would consider giving Braun a vote for Hall of Fame induction many years from now; assuming his career numbers look something like Bagwell's? Would that be suspicious or deranged?
The perplexing perspective of Bob Costas keeps getting more difficult to understand. I don't think I'm alone in that boat, either.
While this story was still the hot topic on the national scene a couple of weeks ago, I happened to catch a brief telephone interview one of the hosts at the MLB Network was doing with long-time baseball purist and savant, Bob Costas. Old Bob is a highly respected source of wisdom, particularly within the realm of major league baseball. His commentary on a wide variety of topics - from Hall of Fame balloting to performance enhancing drug issues - is usually quite interesting; certainly, very well-prepared and at times, profound.
Costas was asked to expound upon Braun's overly zealous attempt to deny any wrongdoing; instead, pointing the finger at major league baseball's drug testing program, from top to bottom; finishing the tirade off with an assault on the guy who collected the sample; implying a wide variety of wrongdoings - from general incompetence to haphazard procedural methods to the possibility of deliberate sabotage. It seemed to be way over the top; borderline vindictive and somewhat paranoid; right Bob?
Nope. Bob didn't see it that way; his response was something to the effect: "Braun seemed more convincing in his defense than anyone else I can recall accused of using performance enhancing drugs. Overall, he presented his case well; that there's enough reasonable doubt in the way things were handled to justify the arbitrator's decision." Really?
I couldn't help but recall the harsh language Costas used when discussing the allegations against Barry Bonds: "For anyone to think Bonds did not use performance enhancing drugs when he was breaking all those home run records and winning all those MVP Awards; they would have to be deranged!" Okay; I tend to agree.
I suppose I was expecting him to say, with regard to the Ryan Braun case: "For anyone to think synthetic testosterone mysteriously manifested itself in a non-tampered urine sample; even after a so-called 44 hour unsupervised delay in getting it to the lab for analysis; they would have to be deranged!"
I couldn't help but think back to early January, when Costas offered his opinion on the first-ballot Hall of Fame credentials for Houston Astros retired slugger, Jeff Bagwell. Bob very solemnly and carefully crafted his pious response, which would be heard by millions of people throughout the world of baseball; including many Hall of Fame voters who possibly value his perspective:
"You have to take into consideration the fact that Bagwell played the bulk of his career in the Steroids Era; so there's some doubt about the authenticity of his career totals. I would rather err on the side of being overly careful, than letting a player in who may have used performance enhancing drugs."
Obviously, there were enough actual Hall of Fame voters sharing that same sentiment to keep Bagwell's inevitable Cooperstown induction on hold. Suspicions will automatically arise when any power hitter's career numbers are scrutinized for Cooperstown consideration; simply based on their physical appearance; in other words, they have strong arms? In Bagwell's case, there is no evidence linking him to any use of performance enhancing drugs. He never tested "positive" and was never named in any formal inquiry, unlike so many others who were caught red-handed. From all accounts, Bags developed those big strong arms by pumping iron; not by pumping pharmaceuticals into his system.
So, now that Bob Costas has apparently supported the decision ruling in favor of Braun, does that mean he would consider giving Braun a vote for Hall of Fame induction many years from now; assuming his career numbers look something like Bagwell's? Would that be suspicious or deranged?
The perplexing perspective of Bob Costas keeps getting more difficult to understand. I don't think I'm alone in that boat, either.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Is Curt Schilling Hall of Fame Material?
A couple of notable players from baseball's Steroids Era - Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens - were at one time considered to be sure-fire-first-ballot Hall of Fame shoe-ins. Next year, their body of work (no pun intended) will be scrutinized by Cooperstown's Hall of Fame voters for the first time, as 2013 marks their first year of eligibility.
Of course, we all know there's no way Bonds nor Clemens stand a chance of sliding into Cooperstown any time soon; certainly not on that first ballot. Despite their remarkable career achievements, Barry and Roger are perceived to be two surly Poster Children for Performance Enhancing Drugs. In time, the voters will gradually parole the pair for their Crimes Against Baseball; after all, both performed at Hall of Fame standards for the bulk of their careers (no pun intended), without the juice. Had their careers ended the day before they began their performance enhancing regimen, they would already be enshrined, and I wouldn't have used this segue to examine the Hall of Fame credentials for Curt Schilling - a former right-handed pitcher who toiled for twenty major league seasons* (and has never been linked to performance enhancing drugs).
*Note: Although Schilling spent the first three years of his major league career with the Baltimore Orioles (1988-90), he is still credited with playing for a "major league team" (technically).
Curt Schilling was actually drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the second round of the January, 1986 amateur draft. After signing his first professional contract with those Bambino Cursed Bo-Sox on May 30, 1986, the young Schilling no doubt dreamed of joining a rotation featuring the aforementioned Roger Clemens; on a star-studded roster boasting other talented players such as Wade Boggs, Dwight Evans, Jim Rice, and Bill Buckner (the pre-World Series goat version).
Somehow, Schilling's dream job in Boston took a detour; by the time the hard throwing right-hander was given his shot in The Show late in the '88 season - it was with the hapless Orioles, working out of their hapless bullpen. Schilling's career seemed destined only for obscurity; by the time he was dealt to the Houston Astros after the 1990 season, Schilling had a lifetime 1-6 record, with three saves (only 600 behind Mariano Rivera's current total). He spent the entire '91 season working out of Houston's bullpen, notching eight saves in 56 appearances, with a so-so 3.81 ERA.
Schilling's next stop was to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1992, where he was gradually worked into the starting rotation, and flourished, on a team that floundered all season long; winning 14 games with an impressive 2.35 ERA and NL best 0.990 WHIP, Schilling was now a rising star.
The following season - 1993 - the Phillies shocked the baseball world by rising to the top of the National League, en route to their first World Series engagement in a decade; Schilling pitched well in one World Series outing vs the defending champion Toronto Blue Jays, and not so well in the other, posting a 1-1 record with a 3.52 ERA; Philly fell to Toronto in six games, highlighted by Joe Carter's dramatic 9th-inning World Series-winning home run off Mitch "Wild Thing" Williams in Game Six. Philadelphia would have to wait until 2008 to make it all the way back to the Fall Classic; beating Tampa Bay's Rays in convincing fashion - four games to one. Of course, Toronto has long been trying to figure out a way to once again get past the Yankees, Red Sox, and Rays; oh my; in its quest to grab Title Number Three.
Meanwhile, Curt Schilling would spend the rest of the '90s pitching well enough, when healthy; but was frequently frustrated by arm troubles, and even more frustrated by his team's inability to reach the post season again. The Atlanta Braves - the National League's Team of the Nineties - virtually owned the East; reaching the post season in Philadelphia simply wasn't going to happen, so Schilling lobbied for a change of venue, which was granted mid-way through the 2000 season. Next stop: The Arizona Diamondbacks.
Schilling's move to the Arizona desert was a fortuitous one; teaming up with the incredible Randy Johnson in 2001 to form one of the most imposing "one-two" pitching tandems in baseball history, the D-Backs captured their first National League pennant, then prevailed over the vaunted New York Yankees in a truly classic Seven Game World Series, as Johnson and Schilling were fittingly named co-MVPs. Curt pitched brilliantly for Arizona in his three World Series starts (1.69 ERA), winning once and getting a no-decision twice.
Schilling's regular season work in '01 was superb, finishing second in the NL Cy Young Award voting to - who else? - Randy Johnson. While Johnson's ERA was roughly half a run lower than Schilling's that season, Curt actually led the league in wins (22), games started (35), complete games (6), and innings pitched (256.2). On top of all that, Schilling's strikeout to walk ratio (7.51) was the best in baseball; a feat he would accomplish in four consecutive seasons.
While his regular season accomplishments are noteworthy, they may fall just a bit short in the voter's eyes when it comes to Cooperstown consideration:
216 wins - 146 losses (.597 winning percentage)
3.46 ERA
3116 strikeouts
128 ERA+
1.137 WHIP
Major League Baseball Network analyst Mitch Williams - a former teammate of Schilling's - contends that Schilling's 216 regular season wins during his 20-year big league career doesn't cut the mustard: "He only averaged about 10 wins per season!" According to the "Wild Thing", a player's post season accomplishments are meaningless; the only "true measurement" of a player's value is derived from regular season play: "It's not the Hall of Post Season Fame", is Williams' perplexing concluding argument in his case against Curt Schilling's Cooperstown credentials.
It should be noted that a line drive once smacked off the "Wild Thing's" skull during one of his (unsuccessful) relief appearances, back in the day. The only reason I know this is because Mitch has proudly repeated this story numerous times on the air, claiming no long-lasting ill-effects from the head whacking. I'm not so sure about that; better get that noggin x-ray-ed again, Mitch; I think they missed something that first time around, old bean.
Perhaps a player's post season accomplishments have no "Hall of Fame" value when they don't help his team win post season games (for example, Game Six of the '93 World Series). However, when a player performs at astounding levels during the post season, helping his team win not one, but three World Championships in seven years; that should count for something. Bonus points should be awarded for helping one of his teams break an 86-year old curse one year, then helping them win the whole she-bang three short years later.
In essence, playing a huge role in a team's successful World Championship run is what matters the most. Repeating that magic on three separate occasions is the stuff of legends. Curt Schilling was at his best when the games mattered the most - on baseball's grandest stage. He was on the winning side in three out of four World Series showdowns. Without his contributions, it is highly unlikely any of those teams would have even made it into the post season; let alone win it all.
In case anyone has forgotten, here's how Curt Schilling performed during his post season career:
11 wins - 2 losses (.846 winning percentage)
2.23 ERA
0.968 WHIP
In seven World Series starts, Schilling was 4-1 with a 2.06 ERA and 0.896 WHIP.
Curt Schilling belongs in the Hall of Fame. Anyone who thinks otherwise, should have their head examined.
Of course, we all know there's no way Bonds nor Clemens stand a chance of sliding into Cooperstown any time soon; certainly not on that first ballot. Despite their remarkable career achievements, Barry and Roger are perceived to be two surly Poster Children for Performance Enhancing Drugs. In time, the voters will gradually parole the pair for their Crimes Against Baseball; after all, both performed at Hall of Fame standards for the bulk of their careers (no pun intended), without the juice. Had their careers ended the day before they began their performance enhancing regimen, they would already be enshrined, and I wouldn't have used this segue to examine the Hall of Fame credentials for Curt Schilling - a former right-handed pitcher who toiled for twenty major league seasons* (and has never been linked to performance enhancing drugs).
*Note: Although Schilling spent the first three years of his major league career with the Baltimore Orioles (1988-90), he is still credited with playing for a "major league team" (technically).
Curt Schilling was actually drafted by the Boston Red Sox in the second round of the January, 1986 amateur draft. After signing his first professional contract with those Bambino Cursed Bo-Sox on May 30, 1986, the young Schilling no doubt dreamed of joining a rotation featuring the aforementioned Roger Clemens; on a star-studded roster boasting other talented players such as Wade Boggs, Dwight Evans, Jim Rice, and Bill Buckner (the pre-World Series goat version).
Somehow, Schilling's dream job in Boston took a detour; by the time the hard throwing right-hander was given his shot in The Show late in the '88 season - it was with the hapless Orioles, working out of their hapless bullpen. Schilling's career seemed destined only for obscurity; by the time he was dealt to the Houston Astros after the 1990 season, Schilling had a lifetime 1-6 record, with three saves (only 600 behind Mariano Rivera's current total). He spent the entire '91 season working out of Houston's bullpen, notching eight saves in 56 appearances, with a so-so 3.81 ERA.
Schilling's next stop was to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1992, where he was gradually worked into the starting rotation, and flourished, on a team that floundered all season long; winning 14 games with an impressive 2.35 ERA and NL best 0.990 WHIP, Schilling was now a rising star.
The following season - 1993 - the Phillies shocked the baseball world by rising to the top of the National League, en route to their first World Series engagement in a decade; Schilling pitched well in one World Series outing vs the defending champion Toronto Blue Jays, and not so well in the other, posting a 1-1 record with a 3.52 ERA; Philly fell to Toronto in six games, highlighted by Joe Carter's dramatic 9th-inning World Series-winning home run off Mitch "Wild Thing" Williams in Game Six. Philadelphia would have to wait until 2008 to make it all the way back to the Fall Classic; beating Tampa Bay's Rays in convincing fashion - four games to one. Of course, Toronto has long been trying to figure out a way to once again get past the Yankees, Red Sox, and Rays; oh my; in its quest to grab Title Number Three.
Meanwhile, Curt Schilling would spend the rest of the '90s pitching well enough, when healthy; but was frequently frustrated by arm troubles, and even more frustrated by his team's inability to reach the post season again. The Atlanta Braves - the National League's Team of the Nineties - virtually owned the East; reaching the post season in Philadelphia simply wasn't going to happen, so Schilling lobbied for a change of venue, which was granted mid-way through the 2000 season. Next stop: The Arizona Diamondbacks.
Schilling's move to the Arizona desert was a fortuitous one; teaming up with the incredible Randy Johnson in 2001 to form one of the most imposing "one-two" pitching tandems in baseball history, the D-Backs captured their first National League pennant, then prevailed over the vaunted New York Yankees in a truly classic Seven Game World Series, as Johnson and Schilling were fittingly named co-MVPs. Curt pitched brilliantly for Arizona in his three World Series starts (1.69 ERA), winning once and getting a no-decision twice.
Schilling's regular season work in '01 was superb, finishing second in the NL Cy Young Award voting to - who else? - Randy Johnson. While Johnson's ERA was roughly half a run lower than Schilling's that season, Curt actually led the league in wins (22), games started (35), complete games (6), and innings pitched (256.2). On top of all that, Schilling's strikeout to walk ratio (7.51) was the best in baseball; a feat he would accomplish in four consecutive seasons.
While his regular season accomplishments are noteworthy, they may fall just a bit short in the voter's eyes when it comes to Cooperstown consideration:
216 wins - 146 losses (.597 winning percentage)
3.46 ERA
3116 strikeouts
128 ERA+
1.137 WHIP
Major League Baseball Network analyst Mitch Williams - a former teammate of Schilling's - contends that Schilling's 216 regular season wins during his 20-year big league career doesn't cut the mustard: "He only averaged about 10 wins per season!" According to the "Wild Thing", a player's post season accomplishments are meaningless; the only "true measurement" of a player's value is derived from regular season play: "It's not the Hall of Post Season Fame", is Williams' perplexing concluding argument in his case against Curt Schilling's Cooperstown credentials.
It should be noted that a line drive once smacked off the "Wild Thing's" skull during one of his (unsuccessful) relief appearances, back in the day. The only reason I know this is because Mitch has proudly repeated this story numerous times on the air, claiming no long-lasting ill-effects from the head whacking. I'm not so sure about that; better get that noggin x-ray-ed again, Mitch; I think they missed something that first time around, old bean.
Perhaps a player's post season accomplishments have no "Hall of Fame" value when they don't help his team win post season games (for example, Game Six of the '93 World Series). However, when a player performs at astounding levels during the post season, helping his team win not one, but three World Championships in seven years; that should count for something. Bonus points should be awarded for helping one of his teams break an 86-year old curse one year, then helping them win the whole she-bang three short years later.
In essence, playing a huge role in a team's successful World Championship run is what matters the most. Repeating that magic on three separate occasions is the stuff of legends. Curt Schilling was at his best when the games mattered the most - on baseball's grandest stage. He was on the winning side in three out of four World Series showdowns. Without his contributions, it is highly unlikely any of those teams would have even made it into the post season; let alone win it all.
In case anyone has forgotten, here's how Curt Schilling performed during his post season career:
11 wins - 2 losses (.846 winning percentage)
2.23 ERA
0.968 WHIP
In seven World Series starts, Schilling was 4-1 with a 2.06 ERA and 0.896 WHIP.
Curt Schilling belongs in the Hall of Fame. Anyone who thinks otherwise, should have their head examined.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Will Door to Cooperstown Ever Open for Dick Allen?
Dick Allen is one of nine former major league players and one former executive eligible for Hall of Fame consideration - through the Veteran's Committee selection process. The committee has the authority to elect as many as five of the following (along with Allen): Ken Boyer, Luis Tiant, Jim Kaat, Maury Wills, Billy Pierce, Minnie Minoso, Tony Oliva, Gil Hodges and Bob Howsam (former general manager of both the Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds).
Dick Allen's Cooperstown Credentials:
His career spanned 15 seasons and two name changes. As "Richie", he was the NL Rookie of the Year in 1964. By the time he convinced most people he preferred to be called "Dick" (1972), he had become the American League's Most Valuable Player - and its most pre-Reggie Jackson-acclaimed slugger.
One thing is certain: Richie-call me-Dick Allen could hit a baseball very hard. So hard, in fact, it was almost beyond belief. And he did it with a piece of lumber so big and heavy it looked more like a telephone pole than bat.
Swinging that big stick, Allen had the 19th highest OPS+ in MLB history: 156. The eighteen players in front of him are either in the Hall of Fame or named Bonds or Pujols. The three players immediately behind him with an OPS+ of 155 are named Aaron, DiMaggio, and Mays. That's pretty impressive company.
However, the door to Cooperstown never opened for Dick Allen, who retired after the 1977 season with 351 home runs to his credit. Although he twice led the American League in home runs, Allen's swing usually produced vicious line drives that simply weren't hit high enough to clear the fences. Allen's specialty was denting the fences, which he did with eye-popping consistency during his career.
Still, this great slugger from Wampum, PA is not in the Hall of Fame. Why not? There are a few mitigating factors which may be working against him. In this recently enlightened age of saber-metrics, the most obvious reason past voters ignored his accomplishments: Nobody knew what OPS+ was thirty years ago, when Dick Allen's name first appeared on a Hall of Fame ballot. Home runs mattered most - 500 was the magic number, and he didn't extend his career long enough to reach that plateau.
Hall of Fame voters have typically been enamored with the .300 batting average. Case in point: George Kell, who averaged .306 during his well-traveled (five different teams) Hall of Fame career, which featured 78 home runs in 15 nondescript American League seasons during the '40s and '50s. Kell was a personable fellow - well-liked by just about everyone he knew, including the members of the Hall of Fame Veteran's Committee, who decided he was ready for Cooperstown membership in 1983.
Dick Allen "only" hit .292. Not good enough, according to the voters, who also seemed to ignore his .378 OBP and his .534 SLG - both Hall of Fame caliber numbers. How could this happen?
Unfortunately for Dick Allen, he was not universally admired by the "baseball establishment" - owners, front office executives, along with the media - were generally not enamored by the free-spirited antics of this enigmatic superstar. Since Allen didn't fit the conventional mold of what was considered "acceptable behavior" for superstar ballplayers - he liked to play the horses and hit the nightclub scene from time to time - he wasn't so well-liked (in contrast to the less-skilled but personable Hall of Famer George Kell).
Cooperstown shouldn't be a popularity contest - but let's face it - for players considered to have "borderline" qualifications, they need to have a lot more friends than enemies with the voters who make the decisions on who gets in and who doesn't. The truth of the matter is, Dick Allen's Hall of Fame credentials aren't "borderline". They're exemplary.
It's time to open the door to Cooperstown and let Dick Allen in where he belongs. Hopefully, the Veteran's Committee will get it right this time around.
The ballots will be cast by December 8.
Larry Underwood is a baseball historian - die-hard St Louis Cardinals fan - author: St Louis Cardinals IQ - The Ultimate Test of True Fandom - Volumes 1 & 2
http://www.amazon.com/St-Louis-Cardinals-IQ-Ultimate/dp/0983792259/ref=cm_pdp_books_itm_title_5
Dick Allen's Cooperstown Credentials:
His career spanned 15 seasons and two name changes. As "Richie", he was the NL Rookie of the Year in 1964. By the time he convinced most people he preferred to be called "Dick" (1972), he had become the American League's Most Valuable Player - and its most pre-Reggie Jackson-acclaimed slugger.
One thing is certain: Richie-call me-Dick Allen could hit a baseball very hard. So hard, in fact, it was almost beyond belief. And he did it with a piece of lumber so big and heavy it looked more like a telephone pole than bat.
Swinging that big stick, Allen had the 19th highest OPS+ in MLB history: 156. The eighteen players in front of him are either in the Hall of Fame or named Bonds or Pujols. The three players immediately behind him with an OPS+ of 155 are named Aaron, DiMaggio, and Mays. That's pretty impressive company.
However, the door to Cooperstown never opened for Dick Allen, who retired after the 1977 season with 351 home runs to his credit. Although he twice led the American League in home runs, Allen's swing usually produced vicious line drives that simply weren't hit high enough to clear the fences. Allen's specialty was denting the fences, which he did with eye-popping consistency during his career.
Still, this great slugger from Wampum, PA is not in the Hall of Fame. Why not? There are a few mitigating factors which may be working against him. In this recently enlightened age of saber-metrics, the most obvious reason past voters ignored his accomplishments: Nobody knew what OPS+ was thirty years ago, when Dick Allen's name first appeared on a Hall of Fame ballot. Home runs mattered most - 500 was the magic number, and he didn't extend his career long enough to reach that plateau.
Hall of Fame voters have typically been enamored with the .300 batting average. Case in point: George Kell, who averaged .306 during his well-traveled (five different teams) Hall of Fame career, which featured 78 home runs in 15 nondescript American League seasons during the '40s and '50s. Kell was a personable fellow - well-liked by just about everyone he knew, including the members of the Hall of Fame Veteran's Committee, who decided he was ready for Cooperstown membership in 1983.
Dick Allen "only" hit .292. Not good enough, according to the voters, who also seemed to ignore his .378 OBP and his .534 SLG - both Hall of Fame caliber numbers. How could this happen?
Unfortunately for Dick Allen, he was not universally admired by the "baseball establishment" - owners, front office executives, along with the media - were generally not enamored by the free-spirited antics of this enigmatic superstar. Since Allen didn't fit the conventional mold of what was considered "acceptable behavior" for superstar ballplayers - he liked to play the horses and hit the nightclub scene from time to time - he wasn't so well-liked (in contrast to the less-skilled but personable Hall of Famer George Kell).
Cooperstown shouldn't be a popularity contest - but let's face it - for players considered to have "borderline" qualifications, they need to have a lot more friends than enemies with the voters who make the decisions on who gets in and who doesn't. The truth of the matter is, Dick Allen's Hall of Fame credentials aren't "borderline". They're exemplary.
It's time to open the door to Cooperstown and let Dick Allen in where he belongs. Hopefully, the Veteran's Committee will get it right this time around.
The ballots will be cast by December 8.
Larry Underwood is a baseball historian - die-hard St Louis Cardinals fan - author: St Louis Cardinals IQ - The Ultimate Test of True Fandom - Volumes 1 & 2
http://www.amazon.com/St-Louis-Cardinals-IQ-Ultimate/dp/0983792259/ref=cm_pdp_books_itm_title_5
Friday, January 13, 2012
The Hall of Fame Case for Ted Simmons
I have to believe Ted Simmons' long, overdue inclusion into baseball's Hall of Fame will finally happen, as the Veteran's Committee will be reviewing his qualifications - which are decidedly Hall of Fame caliber - in time for the upcoming January selection process.
* His career began as a full-time catcher for the Cardinals in 1970, which happened to coincide with a prolonged period of mediocrity the team would endure throughout his tenure in St Louis, which came to an end ten years later, when he was traded to Milwaukee. Being stuck on a mediocre team wasn't his fault. In fact, without Ted Simmons in the lineup, the Cardinals would have been something far less than mediocre through the 1980 season - in other words, they would have really sucked.
* His career roughly coincided with the career of Johnny Bench, who was arguably, the greatest catcher in MLB history. Being second banana to the Great Bench unfairly diminished his performance, which was in fact, Hall of Fame caliber.
* Playing half his games for most of his career in cavernous Busch Stadium turned countless home runs into long outs. Few players in MLB history ever smashed baseballs with the degree of ferocity Simmons did in 21 big league seasons, so his relatively modest home run total of 248 is misleading.
The hard-hitting (switch-hitting) Simmons amassed 2472 hits (probably none of the "infield variety") - more than Bench, Carlton Fisk, Gary Carter, or Jorge Posada, for that matter. His lifetime .285 BA also leads that quartet, and his 1389 RBI total is close to the top of that heap, trailing only Bench by a mere seven runs batted in.
What about OPS+? This is perhaps the most accurate saber-metric measurement of a player's offensive production, taking into consideration "on base percentage" and "slugging percentage", while factoring in the "degree of difficulty" associated with the playing venue. As stated, old Busch Stadium was a pitcher's haven - not at all condusive to the long ball. Here's how Simmons stacked up against the three Hall of Famers and the one potential Hall of Famer:
Bench - 126
Posada - 121
Simmons - 117
Fisk - 117
Carter - 115
Of the three catchers already enshrined in Cooperstown, Bench played in four different World Series, winning twice; Carter and Fisk both played in one Fall Classic (both were very "classic" Fall Classics), as did Ted Simmons - ironically, as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers, playing against his old team - and losing in seven games - in 1982. Carter was on the winning side playing for the Mets in 1986, and we all know Fisk's Red Sox fell to Bench's Reds in 1975, although Carlton's memorable Game Six walk-off home run made him an instant legend in Bean Town.
If World Series success affects Hall of Fame voting, five-time winner Jorge Posada may find himself in Cooperstown some day; hopefully, by that time, Cooperstown will have already admitted the greatest Cardinal catcher in history - Ted Lyle Simmons.
Just ask Peter Gammons; he belongs.
Fascinated with St Louis Cardinals history? Test your Redbird IQ!
http://www.amazon.com/St-Louis-Cardinals-IQ-Ultimate/dp/0983792259/ref=cm_pdp_books_itm_title_5
* His career began as a full-time catcher for the Cardinals in 1970, which happened to coincide with a prolonged period of mediocrity the team would endure throughout his tenure in St Louis, which came to an end ten years later, when he was traded to Milwaukee. Being stuck on a mediocre team wasn't his fault. In fact, without Ted Simmons in the lineup, the Cardinals would have been something far less than mediocre through the 1980 season - in other words, they would have really sucked.
* His career roughly coincided with the career of Johnny Bench, who was arguably, the greatest catcher in MLB history. Being second banana to the Great Bench unfairly diminished his performance, which was in fact, Hall of Fame caliber.
* Playing half his games for most of his career in cavernous Busch Stadium turned countless home runs into long outs. Few players in MLB history ever smashed baseballs with the degree of ferocity Simmons did in 21 big league seasons, so his relatively modest home run total of 248 is misleading.
The hard-hitting (switch-hitting) Simmons amassed 2472 hits (probably none of the "infield variety") - more than Bench, Carlton Fisk, Gary Carter, or Jorge Posada, for that matter. His lifetime .285 BA also leads that quartet, and his 1389 RBI total is close to the top of that heap, trailing only Bench by a mere seven runs batted in.
What about OPS+? This is perhaps the most accurate saber-metric measurement of a player's offensive production, taking into consideration "on base percentage" and "slugging percentage", while factoring in the "degree of difficulty" associated with the playing venue. As stated, old Busch Stadium was a pitcher's haven - not at all condusive to the long ball. Here's how Simmons stacked up against the three Hall of Famers and the one potential Hall of Famer:
Bench - 126
Posada - 121
Simmons - 117
Fisk - 117
Carter - 115
Of the three catchers already enshrined in Cooperstown, Bench played in four different World Series, winning twice; Carter and Fisk both played in one Fall Classic (both were very "classic" Fall Classics), as did Ted Simmons - ironically, as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers, playing against his old team - and losing in seven games - in 1982. Carter was on the winning side playing for the Mets in 1986, and we all know Fisk's Red Sox fell to Bench's Reds in 1975, although Carlton's memorable Game Six walk-off home run made him an instant legend in Bean Town.
If World Series success affects Hall of Fame voting, five-time winner Jorge Posada may find himself in Cooperstown some day; hopefully, by that time, Cooperstown will have already admitted the greatest Cardinal catcher in history - Ted Lyle Simmons.
Just ask Peter Gammons; he belongs.
Fascinated with St Louis Cardinals history? Test your Redbird IQ!
http://www.amazon.com/St-Louis-Cardinals-IQ-Ultimate/dp/0983792259/ref=cm_pdp_books_itm_title_5
Saturday, December 31, 2011
The Greatest Cardinal NOT in Cooperstown
He played eleven seasons for the St Louis Cardinals, was an All-Star seven times, won five Gold Gloves, and was the NL Most Valuable Player in 1964, leading his team to its first World Championship in eighteen years.
He was such a revered player in St Louis, the Cardinals hierarchy retired his number (14), along with seven other Cardinal greats - Ozzie Smith (1), Red Schoendienst (2), Stan Musial (6), Enos Slaughter (9), Dizzy Dean (17), Lou Brock (20), and Bob Gibson (45). All have been inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame, in Cooperstown, New York - except number (14) - Ken Boyer.
Boyer has been dead now for nearly thirty years, passing away a little more than a month before the Cardinals would win the 1982 World Series. Boyer never received more than a handful of votes in his early years of Hall of Fame eligibility. Sadly, dying seems to work in favor of induction, tugging at the heart-strings of those otherwise callous voters; still, Boyer peaked out with only 25% of the vote in 1988 - a year in which the Cardinals made it to the World Series in three of the previous six years.
As the Cardinals faded from the national sports scene in the late '80s - early '90s, so too did the memory of Boyer's on-field accomplishments fade from the minds of the Hall of Fame voters.
Now, Boyer has another shot at Cooperstown, thanks to the Veteran's Committee selection process. Boyer is one of nine former players on the ballot, along with one former baseball executive - Bob Howsam - a general manager for both the St Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds of the '60's and '70's - helping both teams reach elite status during his tenure.
The other former players on the ballot include: Dick Allen, Minnie Minoso, Gil Hodges, Tony Oliva, Jim Kaat, Luis Tiant, Billy Pierce and Maury Wills.
The Veteran's Committe vote is how another great third baseman - Ron Santo - finally made it to Cooperstown three years ago.
Boyer's career numbers were similar to Santo's: .287 lifetime batting average - 282 home runs - 2143 hits - 1104 runs scored - 1142 runs batted in - however, Boyer trumps Santo in two categories: (1) He was a major contributor to a World Series championship and (2) he has a National League Most Valuable Player Award to his credit. All that happened fifty years ago - in 1964.
Santo, of course, played for the Chicago Cubs, so he never had a chance to play in a World Series, and winning an MVP Award on a losing team requires Ernie Banks-type numbers, which Ron Santo never quite achieved.
On the other hand, Boyer led the NL with 119 RBI in '64, while leading the Cardinals to a pennant and world championship - and being the main cog to a pennant-winning team did the trick, as far as the voters were concerned.
The Beginning:
After losing two years to military service, Boyer broke in with the Cardinals in 1955, as a slick fielding third baseman, hitting a respectable .264 with 18 home runs in 147 games. He improved to .306 with 26 home runs and 98 RBIs in his sophomore season. Only an aging Stan Musial posted better offensive numbers for the Cardinals, but not by much.
Meanwhile, the team itself wasn't very good, finishing well below .500 in each of Boyer's first two major league seasons. Then, some genius decided to convert the fleet-footed, uncomplaining Boyer into a center fielder in 1957. Although he fielded his position brilliantly, the transition clearly detracted from his offensive production, as Boyer regressed to hit .265 with only 19 home runs. Ironically, the Cardinals played well in '57, finishing in second place behind the Milwaukee Braves.
Luckily, the Cardinals acquired another player to patrol center field, beginning in 1958 - Curt Flood (who also belongs in the Hall of Fame) - allowing Boyer to return to third base - where he belonged. Over the next seven seasons, Boyer played brilliantly, with remarkable consistency, as the Cardinals gradually developed into a championship-caliber team.
After another second place finish in 1963, paced by Ken Boyer's then career-high 111 RBI the Cardinals were hopeful that 1964 was going to be "their year". Of course, the '64 Cardinals completed a dramatic late-season comeback to surge past the fading Phillies to capture their first NL pennant since 1946.
The remarkable Ken Boyer, playing in every inning of all 162 regular season games, received the NL Most Valuable Player Award for his efforts. The Cardinals would have finished in the second-division without his contributions in 1964.
World Series Performance:
Boyer's heroics didn't stop with the conclusion of the regular season. In the World Series against the New York Yankees, the Cardinals had their backs up against the wall early in the Series. Down two games to one, and losing 3-0 in the fifth inning of Game 4 at Yankee Stadium, Ken Boyer belted a grand slam home run down the left field line, giving the Redbirds a thrilling 4-3 win over the stunned Bronx Bombers.
It was the turning point of the World Series - instead of being down three games to one, the Cards had evened things up at two games apiece. Bob Gibson eventually won Game 7 for the Cardinals, 7-5. Boyer hit his second home run of the World Series, and wound up with a team-leading six RBI in the seven games.
Boyer was now 33 years of age; mentally and physically exhausted. The following season, he was unable to muster the energy and concentration necessary to continue producing as he had during the first ten years of his career. In 1965, his batting average dropped to a career low .260, with only 13 home runs and 75 RBIs. Shortly after the end of that dismal season, Ken Boyer was traded to the Mets for a third baseman by the name of Charley Smith.
Just like that, the Ken Boyer Era in St Louis Cardinals baseball was over. In time, his number would be retired by an appreciative Cardinals franchise. His legacy: The greatest Cardinal player not in Cooperstown.
Hopefully, that will change when the committee casts its votes by December 8.
He was such a revered player in St Louis, the Cardinals hierarchy retired his number (14), along with seven other Cardinal greats - Ozzie Smith (1), Red Schoendienst (2), Stan Musial (6), Enos Slaughter (9), Dizzy Dean (17), Lou Brock (20), and Bob Gibson (45). All have been inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame, in Cooperstown, New York - except number (14) - Ken Boyer.
Boyer has been dead now for nearly thirty years, passing away a little more than a month before the Cardinals would win the 1982 World Series. Boyer never received more than a handful of votes in his early years of Hall of Fame eligibility. Sadly, dying seems to work in favor of induction, tugging at the heart-strings of those otherwise callous voters; still, Boyer peaked out with only 25% of the vote in 1988 - a year in which the Cardinals made it to the World Series in three of the previous six years.
As the Cardinals faded from the national sports scene in the late '80s - early '90s, so too did the memory of Boyer's on-field accomplishments fade from the minds of the Hall of Fame voters.
Now, Boyer has another shot at Cooperstown, thanks to the Veteran's Committee selection process. Boyer is one of nine former players on the ballot, along with one former baseball executive - Bob Howsam - a general manager for both the St Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds of the '60's and '70's - helping both teams reach elite status during his tenure.
The other former players on the ballot include: Dick Allen, Minnie Minoso, Gil Hodges, Tony Oliva, Jim Kaat, Luis Tiant, Billy Pierce and Maury Wills.
The Veteran's Committe vote is how another great third baseman - Ron Santo - finally made it to Cooperstown three years ago.
Boyer's career numbers were similar to Santo's: .287 lifetime batting average - 282 home runs - 2143 hits - 1104 runs scored - 1142 runs batted in - however, Boyer trumps Santo in two categories: (1) He was a major contributor to a World Series championship and (2) he has a National League Most Valuable Player Award to his credit. All that happened fifty years ago - in 1964.
Santo, of course, played for the Chicago Cubs, so he never had a chance to play in a World Series, and winning an MVP Award on a losing team requires Ernie Banks-type numbers, which Ron Santo never quite achieved.
On the other hand, Boyer led the NL with 119 RBI in '64, while leading the Cardinals to a pennant and world championship - and being the main cog to a pennant-winning team did the trick, as far as the voters were concerned.
The Beginning:
After losing two years to military service, Boyer broke in with the Cardinals in 1955, as a slick fielding third baseman, hitting a respectable .264 with 18 home runs in 147 games. He improved to .306 with 26 home runs and 98 RBIs in his sophomore season. Only an aging Stan Musial posted better offensive numbers for the Cardinals, but not by much.
Meanwhile, the team itself wasn't very good, finishing well below .500 in each of Boyer's first two major league seasons. Then, some genius decided to convert the fleet-footed, uncomplaining Boyer into a center fielder in 1957. Although he fielded his position brilliantly, the transition clearly detracted from his offensive production, as Boyer regressed to hit .265 with only 19 home runs. Ironically, the Cardinals played well in '57, finishing in second place behind the Milwaukee Braves.
Luckily, the Cardinals acquired another player to patrol center field, beginning in 1958 - Curt Flood (who also belongs in the Hall of Fame) - allowing Boyer to return to third base - where he belonged. Over the next seven seasons, Boyer played brilliantly, with remarkable consistency, as the Cardinals gradually developed into a championship-caliber team.
After another second place finish in 1963, paced by Ken Boyer's then career-high 111 RBI the Cardinals were hopeful that 1964 was going to be "their year". Of course, the '64 Cardinals completed a dramatic late-season comeback to surge past the fading Phillies to capture their first NL pennant since 1946.
The remarkable Ken Boyer, playing in every inning of all 162 regular season games, received the NL Most Valuable Player Award for his efforts. The Cardinals would have finished in the second-division without his contributions in 1964.
World Series Performance:
Boyer's heroics didn't stop with the conclusion of the regular season. In the World Series against the New York Yankees, the Cardinals had their backs up against the wall early in the Series. Down two games to one, and losing 3-0 in the fifth inning of Game 4 at Yankee Stadium, Ken Boyer belted a grand slam home run down the left field line, giving the Redbirds a thrilling 4-3 win over the stunned Bronx Bombers.
It was the turning point of the World Series - instead of being down three games to one, the Cards had evened things up at two games apiece. Bob Gibson eventually won Game 7 for the Cardinals, 7-5. Boyer hit his second home run of the World Series, and wound up with a team-leading six RBI in the seven games.
Boyer was now 33 years of age; mentally and physically exhausted. The following season, he was unable to muster the energy and concentration necessary to continue producing as he had during the first ten years of his career. In 1965, his batting average dropped to a career low .260, with only 13 home runs and 75 RBIs. Shortly after the end of that dismal season, Ken Boyer was traded to the Mets for a third baseman by the name of Charley Smith.
Just like that, the Ken Boyer Era in St Louis Cardinals baseball was over. In time, his number would be retired by an appreciative Cardinals franchise. His legacy: The greatest Cardinal player not in Cooperstown.
Hopefully, that will change when the committee casts its votes by December 8.
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