Congrats to Andruw Jones and Carlos Beltran! Reading all about the latest Hall of Fame vote got me thinking about who else probably deserves to be in there.
Methodology
- On baseball-reference.com, generated a list sorted by career WAR
- Saw who still wasn’t in the Hall (no little † next to their name)
- Eliminated any cheaters (Rose, PED types)
- Eliminated any players who aren’t eligible yet (Pujols, Kershaw, Greinke …)
- Stopped at 10 (around 70 career WAR), where HofF membership really starts to tail off
#10. Dwight Evans, OF
WAR: 67.2 / Pos: 128 / Comp: Don Drysdale
Decent offensive numbers – 385 HRs, 370 OBP, 1470 runs, 1384 RBIs – but nothing earth-shattering. Lead leaguer in 2 offensive categories (WAR & HRs), but 25 defensive ones. Superb right fielder in a very tough park (Fenway). 8-time Gold Glover & 3-time All Star. Poor postseason stats, including a 239 average over 113 at bats., though he did better in World Series & made a number of key defensive plays. Up 20 years, all but 1 with Boston.
#9. Kevin Brown, SP
WAR: 67.8 / Pos: 126 / Comp: Ernie Banks
Won only 211 games, but had a 594 winning percentage. Repeated the latter in postseason, where he went 6-2 in 8 series (but with only a 4.19 ERA). Up for 19 years, but played for 6 teams. 6-time ALL Star, leading league in WAR (2), ERA (2), WHIP (2), wins (1). Dings include a prickly personality (esp. with the media), ridiculously high paychecks (& subsequent expectations), contract disputes & a mention in the Mitchell Report.
#8. Greg Nettles, 3B
WAR: 68 / Pos: 123 / Comp: Ryne Sandberg
A low lifetime average of 248, but with 390 HRs and over 1000 runs & RBIs. Siimlarly low average in postseason (225), over 200+ PAs. 6-time All Star & 2-time Gold Glover. Lead league offensively only 3 times (once in HR & twice in WAR), but 21 times in defensive stats. 22 years total, mostly with Yankees. Quiet, overshadowed by star teammates.
#7. Kenny Lofton, OF
WAR: 68.4 / Pos: 120 / Comp: Edgar Martinez
A great career average (299) combined with incredible speed (622 SBs, 15th all time). Led league in SBs 5 times (all in a row). Only other league leaders were in WAR (1) & hits (1). 6-time All Star & 4-time Gold Glover. 17 years with 11 teams. Lots of postseason experience (not quite 400 ABs), but with so-so results (247 average).
He also was on an NCAA-winning Arizona basketball team
#6. Rick Reuschel, SP
WAR: 69.5 / Pos: 107 / Comp: Tony Gwynn
Finished barely over 500, at 214-191. Limited postseason experience, with a 2-3 record & 5.85 ERA over 32 IPs. 3-time All Star & 2-time Gold Glover. Led league only twice, in WAR & WHIP. Control pitcher & inning-eater. Decent fielder, leading the league 11 times in various defensive categories. Decent hitter & baserunner. 19 years, mostly with Cubs. Quiet, unemotional & totally lacking in flash. Weighing over 230 lbs & known as “Big Daddy,” he simply did not look like a ballplayer.
#5. Bobby Grich, 2B
WAR: 71.1 / Pos: 97 / Comp: Johnny Mize
All-arounder with great glove. Finished with 266 average, 371 OBP, 224 HRs & 104 SBs. Led league in offensive stats only twice (in WAR & HRs), but in defensive stats 22 times. 6-time All Star & 4-time Gold Glover. Limited & poor postseason results – 182 average in 88 ABs. 17 years, split pretty evenly between Angles and Orioles.
#4. Lou Whitaker, 2B
WAR: 75.1 / Pos: 85 / Comp: Reggie Jackson
Better than DP partner Alan Trammel (70.6 / 99). 19 years, all with Detroit. Career totals include 276 average, 244 HRs, 143 SBs, over 1000 runs & RBIs. Never led the league in any offensive stats, but did so 13 times in defensive ones. Rookie of the Year, 5-time All Star, 3-time Gold Glover. Good player at a weak position, with 4 Silver Slugger awards. 204 average in limited postseason (49 at bats). Quiet, private person who rarely spoke with the media.
Trammel, Whitaker
#3. Bill Dahlen, SS
WAR: 75.2 / Pos: 83 / Comp: Johnny Bench
Super old-timer, playing between 1891 & 1911. That’s 21 years (with 4 teams). Had 548 SBs (28th all time), 1590 runs, 2461 hits & 1234 RBIs. Led league in offensive stats only once, in RBIs, but defensive stats 21 times. In only 1 postseason, where he went a woeful 0 for 15. A rowdy with a serious attitude problem, he was ejected 65 times and came to be known as “Bad Bill.” Fell just short on a Veterans Committee vote.
#2. Jim McCormick, P
WAR: 76.2 / Pos: 78 / Comp: Molitor
Career goes even farther back, from 1878 to 1887. That’s only 10 years (but with 6 teams!). Finished 265-214, with a 2.43 ERA & 1.132 WHIP. 7-time league leader, including in WAR (2), wins (2), ERA (2) & WHIP (1). HoF stats are all above average. Rules of the time had him pitching from 50 feet, but forced him to pitch underhand. A notorious drinker.
#1. Curt Schilling
WAR: 79.5 / Pos: 68 / Comp: Joe DiMaggio
Yup, Joe DiMaggio. Only 216 wins, but with a great 597 percentage. Also finished with over 3000 K’s. 6-time league leader – wins (2), K’s (2), ERA (2). 6-time All Star. Excellent postseason stats – 11-2, with 2.23 ERA & 0.968 WHIP. 20 years with 5 different teams. Offseason antics – bankruptcy, far-right politics – have not helped his candidacy.
My Take
Well, it looks like a lot of these guys were nothing super-flashy. They tended to be league leaders only in defensive stats, as well as sporting low-key personalities. They were, however, steady performers across lengthy careers. Unfortunately, that may never get them in at this point.
