Another New Idea For The Hall Of Fame

If you've been to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, you'd probably agree with me that it is a remarkable place. The museum houses many artifacts that I had only ever read about, and the plaque gallery is a place where history never dies. However, when I was there, I noticed something slightly irksome about the plaque gallery. Since it was organized by year, you couldn't really follow along with baseball's story as you made your way across. Almost every section has a player here, a manager there, an executive over here, and an umpire over there. When you start getting to the more modern players, you'll suddenly find yourself reading about some obscure old timer who was inducted by the Veterans Committee. 

    My idea is that, in order to properly represent baseball's greats in all facets of the game, the plaque gallery should be split into separate sections. There should be a separate wing for umpires, broadcasters, managers, executives, pioneers, Negro League greats, and minor league greats, along with the MLB stars. 

    The Hall's purpose is to honor the men who made the greatest contributions to the game. But not all contributions are equal; certainly Alexander Cartwright, Henry Chadwick, and Babe Ruth did more for the game than Bobby Cox did. Cartwright invented the game; Chadwick popularized it; and Ruth saved it. But managers are an essential part of the game, and Bobby Cox was one of the most successful managers of all time - shouldn't he be honored? If you agree with me that some non-players and -pioneers ought to be inducted, then you will probably understand my desire for separation. Each section shows you the cream of the crop among their own kind. That's what I think the Hall should be. It should honor as many managers as second basemen as catchers, looking to the top 1% from each tier rather than 1% of all players, disproportionate by position or role. 

    All these men made the game go. It's time we start looking for the best of the best. 

2024 Hall Of Fame Ballot

    The following players are on the BBWAA ballot for 2024. After I tell you who they are, I will tell you who I would vote for if given the chance. Let's start with the new names, and then go in alphabetical order among the holdovers from last year's ballot. They are -

Jose Bautista 

Adrian Beltre 

Bartolo Colon 

Adrian Gonzalez 

Matt Holliday 

Victor Martinez 

Joe Mauer 

Brandon Phillips 

Jose Reyes 

James Shields 

Chase Utley 

David Wright 

Gary Sheffield (10th year on the ballot) 

Billy Wagner (9th) 

Manny Ramirez (8th) 

Andruw Jones (7th) 

Omar Vizquel (7th) 

Todd Helton (6th) 

Andy Pettitte (6th) 

Bobby Abreu (5th) 

Mark Buehrle (4th) 

Torii Hunter (4th) 

Alex Rodriguez (3rd) 

Jimmy Rollins (3rd) 

Carlos Beltran (2nd) 

Francisco Rodriguez (2nd) 

     Each voter can vote for up to ten players for the Hall of Fame. If I were a voter, I'd cast my ballots for Gary Sheffield, Billy Wagner, Omar Vizquel, Bobby Abreu, Torii Hunter, Francisco Rodriguez, Adrian Beltre, and Joe Mauer. 

Gary Sheffield's Hall of Fame case is complicated. On the one hand, he was one of the most feared hitters of his era, batting .292 / .393 / .514 with 509 homers and 1,676 RBI's from 1988 through 2009. On the other hand, his defense was atrocious, whether he was playing shortstop, third base, or the outfield. However, the most difficult part of Sheff's case is the fact that he was named in the Mitchell Report as a possible steroid user. While I would be an adamant anti-steroid voter, I could condone Sheff for a few different reasons: (1), he admitted to using them briefly during the 2001-2002 offseason under the impression that they were something else, perfectly legal; (2), he was an advocate of mandatory steroid testing, claiming that those who don't have anything to hide wouldn't mind testing; and (3), Sheff's career path doesn't suggest him getting a significant boost from whatever he used in 2002. A top prospect coming up, he hit .330 with 33 home runs as early as 1992, and had already reached his career high in homers with 43 in 2000 (in fact, Sheffield's 2002 season was his worst in years). Overall, I think Gary Sheffield was a relatively clean player who had an authentic, Hall-worthy career. 

Billy Wagner was a dominant closer in his day. The owner of 422 Big League saves, he had a 2.31 lifetime ERA and a 33.2% strikeout rate. In his final season, 2010, Wagner had arguably the best year of his career, posting a 1.43 ERA in 69 1/3 innings with 104 strikeouts while converting 38 saves. 

Vizquel has another complicated case. When he debuted on the BBWAA ballot in 2018, he received 37.0% of the vote and made steady progress, peaking at 52.6% on his third ballot, making him a good bet for eventual induction. However, his support has since plummeted due to accusations of bad behavior off the field. Personally I want to ignore those things for two reasons: (1), as far as I know they are only accusations, and I am not fit to judge whether he was innocent or not; and (2), the character clause is the least criterion in the Hall of Fame voting guidelines, and many guys in Cooperstown today were perhaps not the nicest. On the field, Vizquel was a great player. He played more games, turned more double plays, and had a higher fielding percentage than any other shortstop in MLB history. Vizquel won eleven Gold Gloves and six fielding titles across his career, making him arguably the greatest defensive shortstop in history. At bat, Vizquel was no great shakes (.272 / .336 / .352 slash line), but he handled the bat well, was a very good baserunner, and batted as high as .333 in 1999. Because he played 24 Big League seasons, he compiled some impressive counting statistics, including 2,877 hits, 456 doubles, and 1,445 runs scored. In my mind this adds up to a Hall of Fame career. 

Bobby Abreu was one of the most underrated players of his day. A modern day Bob Johnson, Abreu quietly collected 2,470 hits, 400 stolen bases, and eight seasons with over 100 RBI's while rarely leading his league in offensive categories. His career slash line was .291 / .395 / .470, and he captured a Gold Glove in 2005. 

Torii Hunter was another underrated player. His offense was good (.277 / .331 / .461 with 353 homers and 1,391 RBI's), but his biggest claim to fame was his defense. Hunter won nine Gold Glove awards as a centerfielder, providing sure hands (.990 fielding percentage), a good arm (131 outfield assists), and tremendous range (2.53 RF/9). 

Francisco Rodriguez was one of the finest closers of all time. His 62 saves in 2008 are the all-time single season record, and his 437 across his career rank fourth on the all-time list behind Hall of Famers Mariano Rivera, Trevor Hoffman, and Lee Smith. K-Rod sported a 2.86 career ERA in 948 appearances and a strikeout rate of 28.5%. 

Adrian Beltre should be an easy Hall of Famer. A member of the 3,000 hit club, Beltre was perhaps the greatest defensive third baseman of his generation. 

Joe Mauer's case is a tale of two careers. From 2004 through 2013, he was an elite catcher. Across that decade, Mauer batted .323 with a .405 OBP and three AL Batting Titles. He was the AL MVP in 2009, batting .365 (the highest average ever by a catcher) with 28 home runs and 96 RBI's. Mauer was also an asset behind the plate, throwing out 33.2% of potential base thieves and winning three Gold Gloves. He looked like a surefire Hall of Famer until he suffered a concussion in 2013. After the injury, Mauer never caught another MLB game, and spent five seasons as the Twins' primary first baseman. He hit over .300 twice during that span, but overall those final five years were mostly a slog. Considering his overall batting numbers, and the fact that he caught over 60% of his defensive innings, I would give Joe Mauer my vote. 

That leaves me with two empty boxes on my make believe ballot. There are a few more players who I might consider including. Last year I voted for Jimmy Rollins, who wouldn't make a bad Hall of Famer but is not someone who the Hall needs. The same can be said about David Wright, who was on his way to Cooperstown until an injury devastated his career, and Chase Utley (although Utley may get an extra push for his very own rule change). Andruw Jones is a matter of personal taste - one of baseball's most exciting players in his youth, Jones was a consistent masher and a defensive stalwart from 1998 through 2006. After his 30th birthday however, he regressed mightily, batting .214 in six seasons and losing his everyday centerfield role. Overall, he batted .254 with 434 home runs and a whole mess of strikeouts. I could go either way on him. Finally, we must consider Todd Helton's case. He garnered 72.2% of the vote on last year's ballot, and is as good as in. However, I'd be extremely skeptical about his election. At a glance, Helton's batting stats seem convincing - .316 / .414 / .539 slash line, 369 homers, and 1,406 RBI's to go along with 1,401 runs scored. But his home-road splits tell a different story: he slashed .345 / .441 / .607 with 227 home runs at home, compared with .287 / .386 / .469 with 142 homers on the road. Helton seems to be a classic example of the Coors Field boost. A Colorado Rockie for life, Helton produced some monster numbers that may have been too good to be true. 

2024 Contemporary Era Hall Of Fame Ballot

Four managers, two umpires, and two executives are up for induction on the 2024 Contemporary Hall of Fame Ballot. They are: 

Cito Gaston 

Davey Johnson 

Jim Leyland 

Lou Piniella 

Joe West 

Ed Montague 

Bill White 

Hank Peters 

If I were a voter, I'd vote for Johnson, West, White, and perhaps Peters. 

The Hall of Fame doesn't really need more managers, but Johnson would be a good addition. He played 13 seasons in the Majors, making four all-star teams and hitting 43 homers in 1973. As a manager, he won 1,372 games and had a .562 winning percentage, way above the Hall of Fame average. Johnson led the Mets to a World Championship in 1986 and was twice the Manager of the Year, once in each league. 

Joe West has had his share of criticism for his temper, but he remains one of the finest umpires in history. Active from 1976 through 2021, West umpired 5,460 games across 44 seasons - both MLB records. He showed his dedication to the game by opting to work for free in 2020 and contributed to umpire safety by popularizing a new kind of chest protector. He's a no-brainer. 

I've advocated White's case before. See https://thecooperstownadvocate.blogspot.com/2022/04/why-i-think-bill-white-should-be-in.html 

Hank Peters was largely responsible for the Orioles' success under manager Earl Weaver (mediating between him and owner Edward Bennett Williams) and for turning the lackluster Indians of the early 1990's into one of baseball's best teams of the decade. 

As for the other three managers on the list, they all had winning percentages under .520. Gaston has only 894 wins to his credit; Piniella was renowned for throwing temper tantrums; and Leyland was perhaps a bit behind the times in terms of strategy. The Hall has no need for any of them. 

Ed Montague was a decent umpire who had a long career, but there are a lot of guys like that. There is nothing special about him in particular that really warrants his induction. 

Lucky Hall Of Famer Number 48 - George Kell

George Kell was a Major League third baseman from 1943 through 1957, most notably with the Detroit Tigers. One of the best contact hitters of his day, he finished up with a lifetime batting average of .306. Kell was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983 by the Veterans Committee. Since then, his selection has received much criticism. Let's see why. 

    Kell was brought up early during World War II and struggled as a rookie, batting .268 and grounding into a Major League high 28 double plays. He did a little better in 1945 but had a breakthrough season in 1946, batting .322, starting a streak of eight consecutive .300 seasons. Kell captured a Batting Title in 1949, hitting .343 to deprive Ted Williams of a third Triple Crown, and in 1950, he became the last player until 1985 to drive in 100 runs in a season with fewer than 10 home runs. Kell slipped to .276 in 1954 but had one more .300 season left, hitting .312 in 1955 for the White Sox. He played two more seasons after this, hanging up his spikes in 1957 at the age of 35. 

    Although he received many accolades during his career, Kell was probably overrated. His batting averages were always flashy, and he once hit 56 doubles in a season, but he didn't walk very much, wasn't a good runner, and didn't hit for power. Only once did he score 100 runs in a season, and only once did he knock in 100 (both in 1950). Kell wasn't really a compiler, either. He only played fourteen full seasons, collecting 2,054 hits, 880 runs scored, and 870 RBI's - good numbers but very modest in the context of the Hall of Fame. His defense was definitely good, but not enough to push him over the top. 

My opinion: George Kell is not a Hall of Famer. 

Nick Altrock

    Nick Altrock is one of my favorite players of all time. At first a good, but relatively ordinary, Big League pitcher, and then one of baseball's most famous entertainers, Altrock's antics have made him into a thing of legend. 

    Nicholas Altrock started his career in 1898, going 17-3 for Grand Rapids in the Interstate League. He earned a brief call up to the Majors later in the season with the Louisville Colonels, where he was a teammate of Honus Wagner. After a 28 win season in indy ball in 1902, he earned a contract with the Boston Americans, with whom he pitched a total of four games. Altrock found his footing the following year with the White Sox, posting a 2.15 ERA in 12 games. He won 19 games in 1904 and 23 in 1905. Altrock was a major contributor to the 1906 White Sox's historic World Series championship, winning 20 regular season games and allowing only two runs in the World Series (two complete games). Although 1906 was Altrock's last big season, the legend surrounding his name was just beginning. He became a coach for the Washington Senators in 1912, a job he would hold through the 1953 season, making him the longest tenured coach in MLB history. During that time he became the best known and loved coach of them all, famous for his comedy routines performed in the third base coach's box to distract the opponent. Whether it worked or not, it earned him the admiration of thousands of fans, first in the ballpark and later in vaudeville, where he was especially renowned for engaging in wrestling matches with Al Schacht, the "Clown Prince of Baseball". In 1918, a player shortage due to the war forced Altrock back into action, and he pitched five games for the Senators, going 1-2. At 41 years old, he was no longer an effective player, but he often made appearances for the fans. In 1924, he made his last career pitching appearance, pitching two innings and hitting a triple in his lone at bat. His pinch single on October 6, 1929 made him the first 50 year old player in American League history, and his last appearance on October 1, 1933 made him the oldest player in MLB history and the first of only two players to have played in the Majors in five different decades. 

    Although Altrock wasn't a big star for a long time, he was one of the most popular players in baseball. Everyone loved Altrock and always wanted to see him do something new. Despite his fame back in the day, Altrock's name has more or less faded into obscurity. No matter how long it's been since his last wrestling match, modern fans should know more about Nick Altrock, the most entertaining man in baseball. 

How Important Is FIP In The Hall Of Fame Discussion?

Fielding independent pitching (FIP) is a recently developed statistic that is based on the DIPS (defense-independent pitching statistics) theory, which is built upon the assumption that pitchers have little, if any, control over the outcomes of balls put into play against them. The theory was first developed in the 1990's, when an increased number of the three true outcomes (home runs, strikeouts, and walks, plus hit batsmen) were permeating the game, a trend that has continued to this day. Since the three true outcomes are impossible to defend against, they were used, in the form of FIP, as a new method of measuring a pitcher's ability. The formula for FIP is (13*HR + 3*BB - 2*K)/IP + C, where C is a constant term that re-centers the league-average FIP to match the league-average ERA. 

    If you've been reading this blog long enough, you are probably aware that I am very skeptical about advanced stats, especially those based on assumptions (DIPS theory) or using seemingly arbitrary methods of justification (such as the constants). FIP is typically used as a predictor of future success rather than an indication of past success, and rightly so. Even though I have serious doubts about the credibility of this statistic, I sometimes glance at the number for a pitcher who I'm considering adding to my fantasy team, just in case there's a big difference between his FIP and his ERA (in which case I check the components of FIP, home run rate, strikeout rate, and walk rate, just to put everything on game level). Other than that, though, I don't use it often. 

    Since FIP is a modern stat, designed for modern pitchers, I don't think it should be used in Hall of Fame debates. Take Lon Warneke as an example. He's a pitcher I'd be fine seeing in the Hall of Fame. Warneke had solid game level statistics: a won-lost record of 192-121 (good for a .613 winning percentage, way above the Hall of Fame average) and a 3.18 ERA. Twice he led the NL in homers allowed, but it didn't really matter, as he won 18 and 17 games in those two seasons, respectively. Warneke's career FIP was 3.77, significantly higher than his 3.18 ERA. Should this be held against him? FIP was invented roughly sixty years after he retired, and back in the day Warneke was considered a top pitcher, making five all-star teams and finishing second in the NL MVP voting in 1932. 

    I don't think FIP should ever be considered in the Hall of Fame discussion because Hall of Famers should be the ones who help their teams win the most games, and runs are what ultimately win and lose games. That's what ERA is for. It doesn't really matter how the runs came across; what matters is whether they did or not. FIP punishes Warneke for giving up homers and not striking people out, but he also didn't walk many and was a master of getting soft contact, the very definition of a finesse pitcher. Warneke's run prevention skills helped him win games, and in the end that's all his team can ask of him.