Lucky Hall of Famer Number 59 - Hal Newhouser

Hal Newhouser pitched for the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians from 1939 through 1955. A six-time all-star, two-time MVP, and four-time 20-game winner, Newhouser finished with 207 wins and a 3.06 career ERA. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1992. 

    Despite the accolades he earned, I believe Newhouser's career was a little short of the Hall's standards. Both of his MVP Awards (including his 1945 Triple Crown) came in the midst of World War II, when many of baseball's best players were serving overseas and inferior players were brought up to replace them. While these seasons are still valid, they need to be properly contextualized, which makes them appear more impressive at face value than they really were. Newhouser did have a spectacular season in 1946 (league-leading 26 wins and 1.94 ERA), but afterward lost effectiveness due to arm trouble. 

    Overall, while he was a fine pitcher, I think Newhouser's career lacks the volume required for the Hall of Fame. Due to his injuries, he was mostly finished by age 30, and he retired at 33 with fewer than 3,000 career innings. He struggled to gain traction with the BBWAA, but found luck with the VC. 

My opinion: Hal Newhouser is probably not a Hall of Famer.