WHY I THINK LARRY DOYLE SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK LARRY DOYLE SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

By- Damien 

Larry Doyle was probably the NL’s best second baseman in the dead ball era. He slashed .290/.357/.408 for his career, a very solid mark for a second baseman in any era. Doyle set the MLB record for triples by a second baseman in 1911, was the NL MVP in 1912, and won the Batting Title in 1915. Larry Doyle started his career with the New York Giants in 1907, hitting .260 in 69 games and sharing second base duties with an aging Tommy Corcoran. He was the regular in 1908, hitting .308 as the Giants just missed the pennant, and led the league in base hits in 1909. Doyle had another fine season in 1910 but hit his stride in 1911, hitting .310 with 25 triples and 13 home runs en route to a .527 slugging percentage, second highest in the NL. His Giants made the World Series that year, and Doyle hit .304 in a losing cause against the Philadelphia A’s. He led the Giants to another pennant in 1912, hitting .330 as the league’s MVP in the regular season. Doyle batted .242 in the World Series with a home run in Game 7, but the Giants lost again, this time to the Red Sox. In 1913, they became the first NL team in history to lose the World Series three years in a row. At any rate, Doyle always produced, and was the league’s Batting Champion (.320) and hits leader in 1915. Doyle turned in another terrific season in 1916, but was traded to the Cubs near the end of the season. He hit .395 in nine games with them that season but slumped in 1917, hitting only .254 with 61 RBI’s. The Giants got him back and he had a renaissance season in 1919, hitting ten triples and seven homers in only 381 at bats - significant power numbers for the era. Doyle had one last vintage season in 1920, batting .285 in 137 games, but the emergence of a young Frankie Frisch ended his Big League career after that season. Still a top hitter, Doyle played a little in Cuba and some minor league ball, but it was becoming increasingly obvious that he wasn’t going to make it back to the MLB, so he quit after the 1922 season. Larry Doyle was a great hitter, a top slugger, and a dependable second baseman. At the time of his retirement, he was the greatest second baseman in NL history. If there had been a Hall of Fame back when he would have been on the ballot, he’d be in today, and as it is he should be there now. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games career: 1,766 season high: 151 in 1910 

At Bats career: 6,509 season high: 591 in 1915 

Hits career: 1,887 season high: 189 in 1915 led NL: 172 in 1909, 189 in 1915 

Doubles career: 299 season high: 40 in 1915 led NL: 40 in 1915 

Triples career: 123 season high: 25 in 1911 led NL: 25 in 1911 

Home Runs career: 74 season high: 13 in 1911 

Runs career: 960 season high: 102 in 1911 

Runs Batted In career: 794 season high: 91 in 1912 

Stolen Bases career: 298 season high: 39 in 1910 

Walks career: 625 season high: 71 in 1910 and 1911 

Strikeouts career: 378 season high: 42 in 1909 

Batting Average career: .290 season high: .330 in 1912 led NL: .320 in 1915 

On Base Percentage career: .357 season high: .397 in 1911 

Slugging Percentage career: .408 season high: .527 in 1911 

Total Bases career: 2,654 season high: 277 in 1911 

Sacrifice Hits career: 195 season high: 26 in 1917 

Fielding Percentage career: .949 season high: .967 in 1920 

Double Plays career: 698 season high: 68 in 1912 led NL 2B: 51 in 1909, 66 in 1915 

Putouts career: 3,635 season high: 315 in 1913 led NL 2B: 292 in 1909 

Assists career: 4,655 season high: 396 in 1915 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-nicknamed “Laughing Larry” 

-also finished third in the NL MVP Award voting in 1911 and 17th in 1913 

-led the NL in at bats per strikeout (27.9) in 1912 

-was the first player ever to hit a home run out of the Polo Grounds (1913) 

-hit a game winning home run in the top of the 21st inning on July 17, 1914, beating Babe Adams in the game when he set the record for most innings in a game without a walk 

-drove in the first run of the 1913 World Series 

-hit three home runs each off of Babe Adams and Bill Doak, two each off of Mordecai Brown and Eppa Rixey, and one each off of Cy Young, Burleigh Grimes, and Ed Reulbach 

-stole home plate 17 times in his career 

-among MLB second basemen, ranks 27th in career games, 28th in putouts, and 35th in assists 

-also played 43 games as a pinch hitter and one as a pinch runner

WHY I THINK TIM HUDSON SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK TIM HUDSON SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN 

By- Damien 

Tim Hudson was the epitome of a crafty righthander. He didn’t overpower hitters; instead he kept them off balance with a variety of breaking balls. Primarily a sinkerballer, Hudson induced a lot of ground balls, but he also struck out over 2,000 batters. Most of all, he was a big winner, pitching to a 222-133 lifetime record, good for an astronomical winning percentage of .625. He fell off the Hall of Fame ballot this year, and this seems ridiculous to me. Usually a player similar to Hudson would start out slow (maybe 10% of the vote or something) and steadily rise until he eventually made it to Cooperstown. In that case, why not Hudson? What did he do wrong? At any rate, I wrote about the last two Hall of Fame ballots and “voted” for Hudson each time. I wrote - 

Hudson had a terrific 222-133 (.625) lifetime record. He led the AL in wins and winning percentage in 2000 and was a two time league shutout champion. Wielding a fastball and four different breaking balls, Hudson recorded a 3.49 ERA, 2,080 strikeouts, and four all-star selections. 

Tim Hudson started his career with the Oakland A’s in 1999, striking out 11 batters on his MLB debut and finishing the year at 11-2. He was the runner up for the AL Cy Young Award in 2000, leading the league with a 20-6 record (i.e., led the league in both wins and winning percentage). Hudson continued to improve, shaving his ERA by 77 points in 2001, another 39 points in 2002, and still another 18 points in 2003, but never captured an ERA Title despite the big hitting environment. Hudson was traded to the Braves after the 2004 season, gave them an ace caliber season in 2005, but slipped to 13-12, 4.86 ERA in 2006. Hudson proved this to be a fluke season, as he went 16-10 with a 3.33 ERA in 2007 and stayed near the top of the Braves’ starting rotation until 2013. Hudson came over to San Francisco in 2014 and had a rewarding season, making the NL all-star team and helping the Giants to their third World Series Championship in five years. He played one last season in 2015, going 8-9, before retiring. Tim Hudson was a great pitcher, a consistent winner, and one of the best sinkerballers the game has ever seen. He’s a Hall of Famer. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games Pitched career: 482 season high: 35 in 2001 and 2006 

Starts career: 479 season high: 35 in 2001 and 2006 led AL: 35 in 2001 led NL: 35 in 2006 

Complete Games career: 26 season high: 4 in 2002 

Shutouts career: 13 season high: 2 in 2000, 2002, 2003, and 2004 led AL: 2 in 2003 and 2004 

Games Finished career: 0 

Wins career: 222 season high: 20 in 2000 led AL: 20 in 2000 

Losses career: 133 season high: 13 in 2014 

Winning Percentage career: .625 season high: .769 in 2000 led AL: .769 in 2000 

ERA career: 3.49 season low: 2.70 in 2003 

WHIP career: 1.239 season low: 1.075 in 2003 

Innings Pitched career: 3,126 ⅔ season high: 240 in 2003 

Strikeouts career: 2,080 season high: 181 in 2001 

Strikeouts Per Nine Innings career: 6.0 season high: 7.5 in 2000 

Walks career: 917 (84 intentional) season high: 82 in 2000 

Strikeouts Per Walk career: 2.27 season high: 3.53 in 2014 

Saves career: 0 

Fielding Percentage career: .969 season high: 1.000 in 2002, 2006, 2007, 2009, and 2015 led AL P: 1.000 in 2002 led NL P: 1.000 in 2006 and 2007 

Double Plays career: 35 season high: 4 in 2005, 2011, and 2015 

Putouts career: 258 season high: 27 in 2005 and 2007 led AL P: 26 in 2002 led NL P: 27 in 2005 and 2007 

Assists career: 492 season high: 57 in 2010 led AL P: 54 in 2003 led NL P: 57 in 2010 

Caught Stealing Percentage career: .315 season high: .714 in 2012 

Pickoffs career: 19 season high: 3 in 2003 and 2010 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-was the 2010 NL Comeback Player of the Year (17-9, 2.83 ERA after having been limited to just seven starts in 2009) 

-won the 2010 Hutch Award 

-finished 15th in the AL MVP Award voting in 2000 

-also finished fourth in the Cy Young Award voting in 2003 (AL) and 2010 (NL) and sixth in 2001 (AL) 

-finished fifth in the 1999 AL Rookie of the Year Award voting 

-won two career Pitcher of the Month awards and four Player of the Week awards 

-had a career ERA of 0.00 in all-star play 

-started the two longest postseason games in history 

-was the oldest pitcher ever to start Game 7 of the World Series (2014) 

-was the 15th pitcher to win a game against every MLB team 

-was the winning pitcher of the Braves’ 10,000th victory in franchise history (July 15, 2011) 

-hit a home run in the same game as his 200th Big League win 

-retired as the winningest pitcher in the MLB 

-finished second in the AL ERA race in 2003 

-allowed the fewest home runs per nine innings in the Majors in 2004 (0.4) 

-had a 1-4 record, 3.69 ERA, and 53 strikeouts in 75 ⅔ career postseason innings 

-batted .333/.429/.583 in 2009 

-had 67 career sacrifice hits, including 14 in 2006 

-had a career batting average of .333 in postseason play 

-also played three games as a DH, one as a pinch hitter, and six as a pinch runner 

pitchers differentiate between rh and lh 

disclaimer as to why i’m using era+, etc when i don’t like advanced stats (speak their language)

WHY I THINK MIKE GRIFFIN SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK MIKE GRIFFIN SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

By- Damien 

Mike Griffin was probably the most dominant defensive centerfielder of all time. I say dominant because, compared to the average defender of his time, Griffin was otherworldly. His overall fielding percentage in the outfield - recorded mostly without a glove - was .956, a whopping 40 points higher than the league average. If a team wants to have a shot at a championship, it is vitally important that the centerfielder, who has higher priority and more space than any other fielder, is doing a good job out there. However, no matter how good a defensive centerfielder you are, that alone won’t get you into Cooperstown. Griffin was one of the handful of players ever to bat .300 or better in his first and last MLB seasons, retaining a lifetime mark of .296 across twelve seasons. Mike Griffin started his MLB career with the Baltimore Orioles (AA) in 1887, batting .301 with 94 stolen bases. In a rather interesting statistical fluke, Griffin also had 94 RBI’s that season, and had the exact same totals (46 and 46) again the following season. Griffin led the Majors in runs scored in 1889 and jumped to the Players’ League in 1890. In its only season of operation, the PL welcomed an established star in Griffin, who put up a solid season with the Philadelphia Quakers. After the PL crumbled, Griffin found himself on the Brooklyn Grooms, and he led the MLB in doubles. After the mound was moved to its present distance in 1893, the whole league started hitting a lot more, and Griffin was no exception. In 1894 and 1895, he batted a combined .343 with a .453 on base percentage. Just think about what he could have done if the mound was never 50 feet away from the plate. You couldn’t afford to flinch if you wanted to hit the ball. Anyway, Griffin continued hitting steadily for the rest of his career, and was still at the top of his game in 1898, his age 33 season. He finished the year at .300 and filled in as an interim manager for a time, and signed a $3,500 contract to manage the club the following season. However, before the 1899 season started, Baltimore and Brooklyn merged together (as was not uncommon back then), and Ned Hanlon was named manager instead. Upset, Griffin sued the club and won $2,300. He then voluntarily retired from baseball. Mike Griffin was a fine hitter, a terrific defensive centerfielder, and a prolific base thief. Even though his lawsuit left a bad taste in everybody’s mouth and is what he’s best remembered for, we must not forget Mike Griffin the player, one of the greatest players of the 19th century and the game’s first great centerfielder. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games career: 1,513 season high: 137 in 1888 and 1889 

At Bats career: 5,923 season high: 542 in 1888 

Hits career: 1,755 season high: 174 in 1895 

Doubles career: 314 season high: 38 in 1895 led NL: 36 in 1891 

Triples career: 108 season high: 14 in 1889 

Home Runs career: 42 season high: 6 in 1890 and 1893 

Runs career: 1,406 season high: 152 in 1889 led AA: 152 in 1889 

Runs Batted In career: 720 season high: 94 in 1887 

Stolen Bases career: 473 season high: 94 in 1887 

Walks career: 809 season high: 93 in 1895 

Strikeouts career: 284 season high: 36 in 1892 

Batting Average career: .296 season high: .357 in 1894 

On Base Percentage career: .388 season high: .466 in 1894 

Slugging Percentage career: .407 season high: .485 in 1894 

Total Bases career: 2,411 season high: 238 in 1895 

Sacrifice Hits career: 38 season high: 12 in 1897 (Griffin’s sacrifice hit information prior to 1894 is unavailable) 

Fielding Percentage career: .950 season high: .977 in 1892 led NL OF: .960 in 1891, .986 in 1892, .965 in 1893, .969 in 1895, .974 in 1898 

Double Plays career: 83 season high: 13 in 1889 led PL OF: 10 in 1890 led NL OF: 12 in 1895 

Putouts career: 3,598 season high: 357 in 1895 led NL OF: 353 in 1891, 357 in 1895 

Assists career: 338 season high: 91 in 1889 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-led AA outfielders in games (137) in 1888 

-averaged better than a run scored per game in six of his twelve seasons 

-hit three home runs each off of Hall of Famers Kid Nichols and Amos Rusie and one each off of Hank O’Day, Vic Willis, Charlie Buffinton, Silver King, and John Clarkson 

-ranks 45th in career stolen bases 

-among MLB outfielders, ranks seventh in career double plays and 23rd in assists 

-his 12 double plays from the outfield in 1895 are the fourth most of all time, and his ten in 1890 rank 27th 

-also played 28 games at shortstop, seven at second base, 14 in rightfield, and seven in leftfield

WHY I THINK SHERRY MAGEE SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK SHERRY MAGEE SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN 

By- Damien 

Sherry Magee was one of the top hitters of the dead ball era. A .291 lifetime hitter, Magee led the NL in RBI’s four times. He stole 441 bases, including home plate 23 times. Magee was also a superb fielder, as he played first base and all three outfield positions, compiling a career fielding percentage seven points above the league average. He could also fill in at second, third, and short when called upon, and played each position brilliantly. Sherry Magee began his career with the Phillies in 1904, driving in 57 runs in 95 games. That excellent rookie season solidified Magee as the Phils’ regular leftfielder, and he proved his value by playing every game in 1905 and hitting .299. Magee established himself as one of the best hitters in the game. He finished in the NL’s top ten in batting, homers, and RBI’s a total of 22 times. Magee had the best season of his career in 1910, when he hit .331/.445/.507 and led the MLB in both runs scored and RBI’s. Magee played for Philadelphia until 1915, when he joined the Boston Braves. He hit well that season, but slumped in 1916. After Magee got off to a slow start in 1917, the Braves left him on waivers. He was claimed by the Cincinnati Reds and rallied to finish the season on a high note. Magee had one last great season in 1918 (.298, league leading 76 RBI’s) but was only a part time player in 1919, suffering from a serious illness. He pinch hit twice in the World Series that year, and went 1-for-2. Although 1919 was his last season in the Majors, Magee continued to play in the minors until 1927. He served as a NL umpire in 1928, but died of pneumonia before the start of the 1929 season. Sherry Magee was a great hitter, a consistent run producer, and a stellar fielder. A complete player, Magee should have been in Cooperstown by now. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games career: 2,087 season high: 156 in 1915 led NL: 155 in 1905 

At Bats career: 7,441 season high: 603 in 1905 

Hits career: 2,169 season high: 180 in 1905 led NL: 171 in 1914 

Doubles career: 425 season high: 39 in 1910 and 1914 led NL: 39 in 1914 

Triples career: 166 season high: 17 in 1905 and 1910 

Home Runs career: 83 season high: 15 in 1911 and 1914 

Runs career: 1,112 season high: 110 in 1910 led NL: 110 in 1910 

Runs Batted In career: 1,176 season high: 123 in 1910 led NL: 85 in 1907, 123 in 1910, 103 in 1914, 76 in 1918 

Stolen Bases career: 441 season high: 55 in 1906 

Walks career: 736 season high: 94 in 1910 

Strikeouts career: 624 season high: 60 in 1908 

Batting Average career: .291 season high: .331 in 1910 led NL: .331 in 1910 

On Base Percentage career: .364 season high: .445 in 1910 led NL: .445 in 1910 

Slugging Percentage career: .427 season high: .509 in 1914 led NL: .507 in 1910, .509 in 1914 

Total Bases career: 3,175 season high: 277 in 1914 led NL: 263 in 1910, 277 in 1914 

Sacrifice Hits career: 260 season high: 29 in 1912 

Fielding Percentage career: .971 season high: .987 in 1915 led NL LF: .981 in 1911 and 1916 led NL OF: .981 in 1911 

Double Plays career: 117 season high: 43 in 1918 led NL LF: 7 in 1905 and 1907 

Putouts career: 5,135 season high: 692 in 1918 led NL LF: 341 in 1905, 318 in 1906 

Assists career: 433 season high: 187 in 1914 led NL LF: 17 in 1906 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-finished seventh in the NL MVP Award voting in 1914 

-finished second in the 1907 NL Batting Race (.328) 

-led the NL in extra-base hits in 1906 (50), 1910 (62), and 1914 (65) 

-led the NL in times on base in 1910 (278) 

-drove in two runs on his MLB debut 

-hit five home runs off of Hall of Famer Rube Marquard, three off of Christy Mathewson, two off of Babe Adams, and one each off of Grover Cleveland Alexander, Mordecai Brown, Bill Doak, and Sam Leever 

-ranks 27th in career triples and 31st in sacrifice hits 

-also played 53 games as a pinch hitter

fix label outfielder

Why It's Important to Do Your Own Research

    It is always important to do your own research for anything, but especially with something like baseball where emotions play such a huge role and statistics can be twisted to make a certain, irrelevant argument. What you'll see sometimes is this - 

They have to put Patsy Donovan in the Hall of Fame. He played 17 years in the Majors, batted over .300 for his career with well over 2,000 hits, stole over 500 bases, never hit into a double play, hit like blazes in the World Series, and was a premier defensive rightfielder of his time. 

If you do your own research, you can see a problem with almost every one of these statements. All of them are true, but you have to put them in a context, and you have to ask certain, other questions about the player, such as "well, why isn't he in the Hall of Fame then?" In the case of Donovan, it is painfully obvious why he is not in the Hall of Fame, if you care to look it up. (By the way, I wrote the above quote about Patsy Donovan, and as yet haven't read such a "career summary" about Donovan in particular.) 

WHY I THINK BABE ADAMS SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK BABE ADAMS SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN 

By- Damien 

Babe Adams simply did not make mistakes on the mound. Opposing batters might sometimes beat him, but he never beat himself, and because of this he was able to pitch in the Majors until he was 44 years old. The batters never got any smarter, but he did. Adams was one of the greatest control pitchers of all time, issuing only 430 walks in nearly 3,000 innings - a ratio of 1.3 per nine innings, the second lowest in history since four balls constituted a walk (minimum 1,500 innings). Adams also had only two career balks, and only one in his 18 years with the Pirates. Babe Adams started his career with the Cardinals in 1906, pitching one game and taking home the loss. He struggled early in 1907 for the Pirates and was banished to the minor leagues. Adams returned to Pittsburg in 1909 and became one of the game’s top rookies, recording a 1.11 ERA in 130 innings. He beat Ty Cobb’s Tigers in the World Series three times that year, including a six-hitter in Game 7. Adams soon became a big winner, as he won 18 games in 1910 and 22 in 1911. He had an excellent season in 1913 (22-10, 2.15), but came to a crashing halt in 1916 (2-9). Adams was already 34 at the time, so the Pirates figured he was through and sent him back down. Instead, Adams tore up the minor leagues, and earned himself three starts with the big club again in 1918. Adams posted a 1.19 ERA in those three starts, and earned his spot in the rotation again in 1919. He turned in three great seasons in succession, tossing eight shutouts in 1920 and leading the NL in winning percentage in 1921. In 1920, Adams walked only 18 batters in 263 innings, making him the only player of the 20th century (and so far in the 21st) to pitch 250 innings in a season while allowing fewer than 20 walks. Adams posted a 3.57 ERA (115 ERA+) in 1922 and went 13-7 in 1923. Adams was moved to the bullpen in 1924, but took on his new role with success, producing a 1.13 ERA in just under 40 innings. He helped the Pirates to another World Series victory in 1925. In 1926, however, Adams finally ran out of steam, pitching to a 6.14 ERA, which marked the end of his career. Babe Adams was a great pitcher with control, guile, and wonderful longevity. If he’d gotten started a little earlier (he was 27 years old in 1909), then he certainly would have won 200 games, maybe 250. I think he belongs in the Hall of Fame. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games Pitched career: 482 season high: 43 in 1913 

Starts career: 354 season high: 37 in 1911 and 1913 

Complete Games career: 205 season high: 24 in 1911 and 1913 

Shutouts career: 44 season high: 8 in 1920 led NL: 8 in 1920 

Games Finished career: 90 season high: 14 in 1926 

Wins career: 194 season high: 22 in 1911 

Losses career: 140 season high: 16 in 1914 

Winning Percentage career: .581 season high: .737 in 1921 led NL: .737 in 1921 

ERA career: 2.76 season low: 1.98 in 1919 

WHIP career: 1.092 season low: 0.896 in 1919 led NL: 1.006 in 1911, 1.032 in 1914, 0.896 in 1919, 0.981 in 1920, 1.081 in 1921 

Innings Pitched career: 2,995 ⅓ season high: 313 ⅔ in 1913 

Strikeouts career: 1,036 season high: 144 in 1913 

Strikeouts Per Nine Innings career: 3.1 season high: 4.1 in 1911 and 1913 

Walks career: 430 (0 intentional) season high: 60 in 1910 

Strikeouts Per Walk career: 2.41 season high: 4.67 in 1920 led NL: 4.00 in 1919, 4.67 in 1920, 3.06 in 1921, 2.60 in 1922 

Saves career: 16 season high: 3 in 1925 and 1926 

Fielding Percentage career: .976 season high: 1.000 in 1912, 1914, 1915, 1919, and 1921 led NL P: 1.000 in 1912, 1914, 1915, 1919, and 1921 

Double Plays career: 17 season high: 5 in 1915 

Putouts career: 58 season high: 13 in 1914 

Assists career: 648 season high: 74 in 1913 

Caught Stealing Percentage career: .479 season high: .536 in 1920 (Adams’s CS information prior to 1916 is unavailable) 

Pickoffs career: 10 season high: 3 in 1920 and 1922 (Adams’s pickoff information prior to 1916 is unavailable) 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-finished 22nd in the NL MVP Award voting in 1913 and 27th in 1911 

-allowed the fewest walks per nine innings in the NL four times and the fewest homers per nine once 

-threw 18 complete games and allowed only 18 walks in 1920 

-pitched 21 innings without allowing a walk on July 17, 1914 

-had a career ERA of 1.29 in World Series play 

-was the only member of the 1909 Pirates who would later play for the 1925 team 

-batted .289 in 1913, .286 in 1922, and .273 in 1923 

-homered off of Hall of Famer Rube Marquard in 1914 

-had a career fielding percentage 24 points above the league average
-ranks 21st in career WHIP and 19th in the fewest walks per nine innings 

-served as a foreign correspondent during World War II