WHY I THINK ROGER PECKINPAUGH SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK ROGER PECKINPAUGH SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN 

By- Damien 

Roger Peckinpaugh was one of the finest fielding shortstops that the game has ever seen. Almost all of the best fielding shortstops that the game has ever seen haven’t been inducted into Cooperstown, and that is a travesty. Not only was he one of the best fielders of all time, but Peckinpaugh was also a great hitter for a middle infielder, a fine bunter, and a keen base thief. He was the AL MVP in 1925 and the leader of the World Series Champion Washington Senators in 1924. He also played on the Yankee pennant winners of 1921 and the Senator pennant winners of 1925. Roger Peckinpaugh started his career with the Cleveland Naps in 1910 for 15 games. He spent the 1911 season in the minors and played in 70 games for Cleveland in 1912, but batted only .212 in his rookie season. He played in 96 games in his sophomore season and batted .268, mostly with the Yankees. Peckinpaugh slipped to .223 in 1914 but stole a career best 38 bases and, for his fielding prowess, got his first career MVP votes. He managed the club for 20 games that season and became the youngest manager in MLB history up to that point. He would manage until 1941, going 500-491-4 during that span. Peckinpaugh remained only slightly above average as a hitter until 1919, when he recorded his first .300 season. Peckinpaugh refused to slow down, as he batted .288 and .270 in his next two seasons while still being a constant stolen base threat. He led the Senators to the World Series victory in 1924 with a .272 season average and he batted .417 with a pair of doubles in the Fall Classic. Peckinpaugh was the league’s MVP in 1925 with a .294 batting average, 64 RBI’s, and effortless play at shortstop. The most ironic statistic of his is that he never led the league in fielding percentage at shortstop, though he had a career fielding percentage nine points above the league average (he finished in second place four times). Peckinpaugh could make plays that other players thought impossible, so the numbers mostly fail to tell of his excessive talent. Unfortunately, his MVP season in 1925 was his last as a regular, and was out of the MLB as a player by 1928 after batting .295 in 68 games in 1927. Roger Peckinpaugh was a fine fielder, a marvelous baserunner, and a very good hitter. For his downright baseball talent, he belongs in Cooperstown. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games career: 2,012 season high: 157 in 1914 

At Bats career: 7,233 season high: 577 in 1921 

Hits career: 1,876 season high: 166 in 1921 

Doubles career: 256 season high: 26 in 1920 

Triples career: 75 season high: 8 in 1916 

Home Runs career: 48 season high: 8 in 1920 and 1921 

Runs career: 1,006 season high: 128 in 1921 

Runs Batted In career: 740 season high: 73 in 1924 

Stolen Bases career: 205 season high: 38 in 1914 

Walks career: 814 season high: 84 in 1921 

Strikeouts career: 670 season high: 73 in 1916 

Batting Average career: .259 season high: .305 in 1919 

On Base Percentage career: .336 season high: .390 in 1919 

Slugging Percentage career: .335 season high: .404 in 1919 

Total Bases career: 2,426 season high: 229 in 1921 

Sacrifice Hits career: 314 season high: 40 in 1923 led AL: 40 in 1923 

Fielding Percentage career: .949 season high: .963 in 1924 

Double Plays career: 966 season high: 105 in 1923 led AL SS: 84 in 1917, 75 in 1918, 64 in 1919, 95 in 1922, 105 in 1923, 81 in 1924 

Putouts career: 3,930 season high: 318 in 1921 

Assists career: 6,338 season high: 527 in 1922 led AL SS: 468 in 1916, 439 in 1918, 434 in 1919, 510 in 1923 

Games Managed career: 995 season high: 155 in 1928 and 1941 

Wins career: 500 season high: 87 in 1932 

Losses career: 491 season high: 92 in 1928 

Ties career: 4 season high: 1 in 1928, 1931, 1932, and 1941 

Winning Percentage career: .505 season high: .572 in 1932 

Ejections career: 7 season high: 2 in 1931 

DID YOU KNOW?

-was the team captain of the Yankees from 1914 through 1921 

-set the MLB record for assists by a shortstop (nine) in one game in 1921 

-finished 13th in the AL MVP voting in 1923, 21st in 1922, and 23rd in 1914 

-batted .250 with a home run and a double in the 1925 World Series against the Pirates 

-led AL shortstops in games in 1914 (157), 1916 (145), 1923 (154), and 1924 (155) 

-also played two games at first base, 30 as a pinch hitter, and two as a pinch runner 

-ranks eighth in career sacrifice hits and 32nd in assists 

-among MLB shortstops, ranks 20th in career games, 15th in putouts, 13th in assists, and 42nd in double plays 

WHY I THINK DOM DIMAGGIO SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

 WHY I THINK DOM DIMAGGIO SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN 

By-Damien 

Dom DiMaggio was one of the best all around players in all of baseball during his time. He was the brother of Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio, and not being the best in the family hurt. Joe was easily the better hitter, and he is far ahead of Dom in that sense, but he was not as good as his younger brother in anything else. That statement is bold, but correct - Dom was a better defensive centerfielder, had a better arm, and was a better baserunner than the immortal Joe DiMaggio was. Based on what each of their teammates said, Dom was also a much better teammate than Joe. Dom started his career with the Red Sox in 1940, the club with which he would play for throughout his career, and batted .301. He hit for his lowest average in 1941 (.283), but reached his career high in home runs in 1942. He was an all-star in each season. DiMaggio heroically sacrificed his age 26-28 seasons in military service, defending America from the greatest threat that the world has ever seen, but came back alive and well in 1946. Most players have to get back into the zone after three years of intense pressure, but DiMaggio batted .316 in 1946 and earned the third of his seven all-star selections. He stayed around .285 with 80 RBI’s in 1947 and 1948, and he batted .307 in 1949. DiMaggio had his best season in 1950, when he batted .328 and led the league with 131 runs scored. He led the AL in runs again in 1951, and had a career rate of 121 runs scored per 162 games, which is almost 30 more than the Hall of Fame average. DiMaggio batted .296 in 1951 and .294 in 1952, and finished up with a .333 average in three games in 1953. Dom DiMaggio was a fine hitter, a great fielder, a fantastic baserunner, and a complete player. For all of his achievements and the impact that he had on his club, DiMaggio really should be in the Hall of Fame. 

                                         

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games career: 1,399 season high: 155 in 1948 led AL: 155 in 1948 

At Bats career: 5,640 season high: 648 in 1948 led AL: 648 in 1948, 639 in 1951 

Hits career: 1,680 season high: 193 in 1950 

Doubles career: 308 season high: 40 in 1948 

Triples career: 57 season high: 11 in 1950 led AL: 11 in 1950 

Home Runs career: 87 season high: 14 in 1942 

Runs career: 1,046 season high: 131 in 1950 led AL: 131 in 1950, 113 in 1951 

Runs Batted In career: 618 season high: 87 in 1948 

Stolen Bases career: 100 season high: 16 in 1942 led AL: 15 in 1950 

Walks career: 750 season high: 101 in 1948 

Strikeouts career: 571 season high: 68 in 1950 

Batting Average career: .298 season high: .328 in 1950 

On Base Percentage career: .383 season high: .414 in 1950 

Slugging Percentage career: .419 season high: .464 in 1940 

Total Bases career: 2,363 season high: 272 in 1942 

Sacrifice Hits career: 57 season high: 9 in 1946 and 1947 

Fielding percentage career: .978 season high: .987 in 1942 led AL CF: .978 in 1949 

Double Plays career: 32 season high: 7 in 1942 led AL CF: 7 in 1942, 4 in 1947, and 1952 

Putouts career: 3,859 season high: 503 in 1948 led AL CF: 394 in 1947, 481 in 1948, 424 in 1949 

Assists career: 147 season high: 19 in 1942 and 1947 led AL CF: 19 in 1942 and 1947, 14 in 1949, 17 in 1951 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-brother of Joe and Vince DiMaggio 

-nicknamed “The Little Professor” 

-had a Red Sox record setting 34 game hitting streak in 1949 

-led the AL in plate appearance in 1942 (702), 1948 (756), and 1951 (718) 

-led the AL in hit by pitch in 1941 (7) 

-finished ninth in the AL MVP Award voting in 1946, 14th in 1950, 16th in 1949, 19th in 1951, 27th in 1941, and 29th in 1948 

-outhit Hall of Famers Ted Williams and Stan Musial in the 1946 World Series and contributed with seven hits, three doubles, two walks, and three RBI’s 

-caught the last ball in the last game Lefty Grove ever pitched, which was also his 300th win 

-Hall of Famer Ted Williams once said that it was a travesty that Dom was not in the Hall of Fame 

-led AL centerfielders in games in 1948 (155) and 1951 (146) 

-also played 12 games in leftfield, 26 in rightfield, 23 as a pinch hitter, and four as a pinch runner 

-among MLB centerfielders, ranks 46th in career games, 25th in double plays, 41st in putouts, and 12th in assists 

-was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in 1995 and into the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame in 1992 

WHAT I SAY IS TRUE 

Joe DiMaggio was a much better hitter than Dom, but Dom was a better fielder, thrower, and baserunner.

Batting Average 

Joe - .325 

Dom - .298 

Fielding Percentage 

Dom - .978266178 

Joe - .978065594 

Assists Per 154 Games On Defense

Dom - 16.48798252  

Joe - 13.68292683 

Stolen Bases Per 154 Games 

Dom - 11.57969979 

Joe - 2.661290323 

WHY I THINK GAVY CRAVATH SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

 WHY I THINK GAVY CRAVATH SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

By- Damien 

Gavy Cravath was the dominant slugger of the dead-ball era.The powerful rightfielder was a six time NL leader in homers and a two time MLB RBI champion. Compared with the other two famous sluggers of the dead-ball era, Hall of Famers Sam Crawford and Frank “Home Run” Baker, Cravath beats them both out decisively in home runs despite playing many, many fewer games than either of them. He was also a good high average hitter and an on base machine. Gavy Cravath started his career with the Red Sox in 1908, with ten triples in 94 games. He played in 23 games between the White Sox and the Washington Senators in 1909, going a dismal 9-for-56, and stayed in the minor leagues until 1912. That season, with the Phillies, Cravath hit a stunning eleven homers, and brought the storm in 1913. The MVP runner-up batted .341 and led the NL in six different offensive categories. He led the MLB in home runs and drove in at least 100 runs in each season from 1913 through 1915. Cravath’s 1916 season was strangely similar with his 1912 year, as he batted .283/11/70 that year after hitting .284/11/70 in 1912. He led the NL in home runs three more times after 1917, including in 1919 when, at 38, he batted .341 and smashed a league leading 12 home runs in only 83 games. Cravath batted .289 in 46 games in 1920 before retiring. Gavy Cravath was a great hitter and a legendary slugger whose dominance as a slugger is in the realm of comparable with that of Babe Ruth. The Babe had an enormous impact on baseball during his prime, and Cravath, despite missing out on his age 29 and 30 seasons, also enjoyed sheer dominance throughout his career. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games career: 1,220 season high: 150 in 1915 

At Bats career: 3,951 season high: 525 in 1913 

Hits career: 1,134 season high: 179 in 1913 led NL: 179 in 1913 

Doubles career: 232 season high: 34 in 1913 

Triples career: 83 season high: 16 in 1917 

Home Runs career: 119 season high: 24 in 1915 led NL: 19 in 1913 and 1914, 24 in 1915, 12 in 1917, 8 in 1918, 12 in 1919 

Runs career: 575 season high: 89 in 1915 led NL: 89 in 1915 

Runs Batted In career: 719 season high: 128 in 1913 led NL: 128 in 1913, 115 in 1915 

Stolen Bases career: 89 season high: 15 in 1912 

Walks career: 561 season high: 86 in 1915 led NL: 86 in 1915 

Strikeouts career: 578 season high: 89 in 1916 led NL: 89 in 1916 

Batting Average career: .287 season high: .341 in 1913 

On Base Percentage career: .380 season high: .407 in 1913 led NL: .393 in 1915, .379 in 1916

Slugging Percentage career: .478 season high: .568 in 1913 led NL: .568 in 1913, .510 in 1915

Total Bases career: 1,889 season high: 298 in 1913 led NL: 298 in 1913, 266 in 1915

Sacrifice Hits career: 105 season high: 16 in 1912 and 1917

Fielding Percentage career: .944 season high: .966 in 1912 and 1916

Double Plays career: 28 season high: 8 in 1914

Putouts career: 1,681 season high: 233 in 1915

Assists career: 176 season high: 34 in 1914 led NL RF: 26 in 1912, 34 in 1914, 28 in 1915

DID YOU KNOW?

-nicknamed “Cactus” and “Gavvy” (like “savvy”) 

-finished second in the 1913 NL batting race to league MVP Jake Daubert (.350), who was featured in an earlier article 

-also finished 22nd in the 1914 NL MVP Award voting  

-hit a double and a triple in the 1915 World Series

-led the NL in homer percentage every year from 1912 through 1918 except for 1916, when he finished second 

-was the oldest player in the NL in 1919 and 1920 (he didn’t make his debut until age 27)

-led the NL in extra-base hits in 1913 (67), 1915 (62), 1917 (57), and 1918 (40) 

-led the NL in times on base in 1913 (237) and 1915 (241) 

-led the NL in OPS in 1913 (.974), 1914 (.901), and 1915 (.902) 

-hit three home runs each off of Rube Marquard and Hippo Vaughn, two each off of Mordecai Brown, Christy Mathewson, Ed Reulbach, and Wilbur Cooper, and one each off of Jack Coombs, Dolf Luque, and Art Nehf

-among MLB rightfielders, ranks 46th in career double plays and 14th in assists 

-also played three games at third base, 109 in leftfield, 38 in centerfield, and 134 as a pinch hitter 

WHY I THINK ALLIE REYNOLDS SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

 WHY I THINK ALLIE REYNOLDS SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN 

By- Damien 

Allie Reynolds was one of the top pitchers of his era. He had many great accomplishments, including an ERA title, two league strikeout crowns, six all-star selections, six World Series rings, and a pair of no-hitters in 1951. Throughout his career he was known as a right handed cannon and was feared as such. Allie Reynolds started his career by tossing five innings in relief for the Indians in 1942. He went 11-12 with a 2.99 ERA in 1943 and went 11-8 in 1944. After winning 18 and 11 games in the next two seasons, Reynolds was traded to the Yankees. Reynolds won 19 games his first season in New York and 16 his next before the all-important 1951 season where he went 17-8, allowed the fewest hits per nine innings in the AL (7.0) for the second time, and led also with seven shutouts. His no-hitter on September 28 clinched the AL pennant, the first time in MLB history that a pennant was clinched by a no-hitter. In 1952 Reynolds again led in whitewashes with a 20-8 record and AL best marks in ERA and strikeouts. Reynolds went 13-7 and 13-4 after that before retiring. Allie Reynolds was a dominant power pitcher for his whole career, a no-hit legend, and a great World Series performer. It is too bad that he had to he retired after such good seasons in succession. A guy with credentials such as those of Reynolds deserves a spot in Cooperstown.

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games Pitched career: 434 season high: 44 in 1945 

Starts career: 309 season high: 31 in 1948 and 1949 

Complete Games career: 137 season high: 24 in 1952 

Shutouts career: 36 season high: 7 in 1951 led AL: 7 in 1951, 6 in 1952 

Games Finished career: 97 season high: 23 in 1953 

Wins career: 182 season high: 20 in 1952 

Losses career: 107 season high: 15 in 1946 

Winning Percentage career: .630 season high: .739 in 1949 

ERA career: 3.30 season low: 2.06 in 1952 led AL: 2.06 in 1952 

WHIP career: 1.386 season low: 1.191 in 1952 

Innings Pitched career: 2,492 ⅓ season high: 247 ⅓ in 1945 

Strikeouts career: 1,423 season high: 160 in 1952 led AL: 151 in 1943, 160 in 1952 

Strikeouts Per Nine Innings career: 5.1 season high: 6.8 in 1943 led AL: 6.8 in 1943 

Walks career: 1,261 season high: 138 in 1950 led AL: 130 in 1945 

Strikeouts Per Walk career: 1.13 season high: 1.65 in 1952 

Saves career: 48 season high: 13 in 1953 

Fielding Percentage career: .935 season high: 1.000 in 1954 led AL P: 1.000 in 1954 

Double Plays career: 22 season high: 3 in 1943, 1944, and 1945 

Putouts career: 111 season high: 17 in 1951 

Assists career: 349 season high: 44 in 1945 

DID YOU KNOW?

-nicknamed “Superchief” 

-pitched four scoreless innings in his MLB debut and won his final MLB game 

-batted .308 in in six World Series wins and had a 7-2 record on a 2.79 ERA with four saves and a pair of shutouts 

-beat Hall of Famer Robin Roberts in Roberts’s only World Series start 

-faced 1,000 or more batters in a season five times and struck out over 100 ten times 

-finished second in the 1952 AL MVP voting, third 1951, 12th in 1953, 15th in 1947, and 26th in 1949

-had a career rate of 7.9 hits per nine innings, and allowed the fewest in the AL in 1943 (6.3) and 1951

-struck out 14 batters in the 1949 World Series and 18 in the 1952 Series 

-slugged a double in the 1949 World Series 

WHY I THINK RUDY YORK SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

 WHY I THINK RUDY YORK SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

By- Damien 

Whenever I look at Rudy York’s career numbers and accomplishments, I am almost completely in awe. For example, he had 35 home runs and 101 RBI’s in just 104 games as the Detroit catcher in 1937, including 18 homers in August, the one-month record. He also hit .316 with 33 homers, 46 doubles, and 134 RBI’s throughout his MVP-calibre 1940 season. The most important thing was that he was a slugger who could hit for a high average. The best hitters in baseball history were like that. York hit 30 or more home runs four times and batted over .300 three times. Besides his hitting skills, York was also a marvelous fielder with a cannon arm who fielded exceptionally well at both catcher and first base. After his 1937 season, York came back in 1938 to hit .298 with 33 homers and 126 RBI’s. He played in only 102 games in 1939, but still batted .307 and knocked in 68 runs with 20 homers. He then had statistically his best season, 1940, when he finished eighth in the MVP voting. In 1941, he returned with 27 homers and 111 RBI’s. After another fine season York came back to lead the majors in homers and the AL in RBI’s, total bases, and slugging percentage while finishing third in the MVP polls. He hit 18 homers in each of the next two years and slammed 30 doubles and 17 homers to help him drive in 119 runs in 1946. Suddenly, York couldn’t hit good pitching anymore, and despite hitting 21 homers and driving in 91 runs in 1947, he batted only .233 on the season. After 31 games in 1948 the great Rudy York retired. He did come back as a manager in 1959, but for only one game. Despite the brutal finish, Rudy York is still regarded as one of the top hundred all around hitters in baseball history, a wonderful fielder, and a guy who played to win, which is what makes a player a Hall of Famer. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS

Games career: 1,603 season high: 155 in 1940, 1941, 1943, and 1945 led AL: 155 in 1940, 1943, and 1945 

At Bats career: 5,891 season high: 595 in 1945 

Hits career: 1,621 season high: 186 in 1940 

Doubles career: 291 season high: 46 in 1940 

Triples career: 52 season high: 11 in 1943 

Home Runs career: 277 season high: 35 in 1937 led AL: 34 in 1943 

Runs career: 876 season high: 105 in 1940 

Runs Batted In career: 1,149 season high: 134 in 1940 led AL: 118 in 1943 

Stolen Bases career: 38 season high: 6 in 1945 

Walks career: 792 season high: 92 in 1938 and 1941 

Strikeouts career: 867 season high: 93 in 1946 

Batting Average career: .275 season high: .316 in 1940 

On Base Percentage career: .362 season high: .417 in 1938 

Slugging Percentage career: .483 season high: .651 in 1937 led AL: .527 in 1943 

Total Bases career: 2,847 season high: 343 in 1940 led AL: 301 in 1943 

Sacrifice Hits career: 25 season high: 5 in 1943 

Fielding Percentage career: .989 season high: .995 in 1947 led AL 1B: .995 in 1947

Double Plays career: 1,098 season high: 163 in 1944 led AL 1B: 163 in 1944, 154 in 1946 

Putouts career: 12,308 season high: 1,464 in 1945 led AL 1B: 1,464 in 1945, 1,327 in 1946 

Assists career: 1,167 season high: 149 in 1943 led AL 1B: 146 in 1942, 149 in 1943, 116 in 1946 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-tied the MLB record with four grand slams in 1938 

-hit his 40th career home run in the fewest games in MLB history (129) 

-led AL in home run percentage (9.3) in 1937 and extra-base hits (67) in 1943 

-hit three home runs in one game on September 1, 1941 

-hit two grand slams and had ten RBI’s on July 27, 1947 

-scored three runs, drew four walks, and hit a triple and a homer in the 1940 World Series 

-hit a double, scored three runs and drew three walks in the 1945 World Series win 

-batted .261 with a double, a triple, six runs scored, two homers, five RBI’s, and six walks in the 1946 World Series 

-his 1937 home run percentage is the 43rd highest of all time 

-led AL first basemen in games in 1940, 1941, 1943, 1945, and 1946 

-was a seven time all-star 

-led AL first basemen in games in 1940, 1941, 1943, 1945, and 1946 with 155 in each year 

-had 1,300 plus putouts eight times and a .990 fielding percentage four times 

-batted in over 100 runs six times and 98 once 

-was second in fielding percentage at first base in 1946 and at catcher in 1938 

-owns a .382 career caught stealing percentage 

-set the single season record for double plays turned by a first baseman (163) in 1944