Catchers have historically been underrated both by the common fan and the Hall of Fame. Due to the physical and mental demands of catching a nine-inning game nearly every day, catchers tend to hit less than other fielders, making it harder for people to realize their true value. As it stands, there are only 18 catchers in Cooperstown, fewer than any other position except third base. However, due to the importance of a good catcher and the numerous demands of the position, more catchers should be considered by the Hall of Fame.
10. Jack Clements (1884-1900)
9. Johnny Kling (1900-1913)
Also a renowned billiards player in his day, Johnny Kling was a key player on the Cubs' pennant winners of 1906-08 and 1910. The premier defensive catcher of his time, Kling dominated NL catching leaderboards throughout his career and had a lifetime caught stealing percentage of 48.5. He also batted .272 over his career and set a record in 1902 with a hit in 12 straight plate appearances.
8. Gene Tenace (1969-1983)
7. Wally Schang (1913-1931)
A long-tenured catcher whose career spanned the dead-ball and live-ball eras, Schang batted .284 across 19 seasons with a .393 OBP and 121 stolen bases. A solid defender known for his strong arm, Schang led his teams to six World Series, winning three of them.
6. Jason Kendall (1996-2010)
A five-time .300 hitter despite playing in the steroid era, Jason Kendall ranks third among all catchers with 2,195 hits and first with 189 steals (since the modern stolen base rule was implemented in 1898). Although not a premier defender, Kendall led his league in games caught eight times, double plays six times, and assists and caught stealing five times apiece.
5. Thurman Munson (1969-1979)
Rifle-armed Thurman Munson was one of the most exciting players of the 1970's, earning a Rookie of the Year Award, an MVP, three Gold Gloves, and seven all-star selections during the decade. A .292 career hitter, he batted over .300 five times and knocked in 100 or more runs in three consecutive seasons. Sadly, he passed away partway through the 1979 season in a private plane crash.
4. Jorge Posada (1995-2011)
3. Sherm Lollar (1946-1963)
Despite being largely forgotten today, Sherm Lollar was an elite defender in the 1950's and early 1960's, throwing out an impressive 46.8% of stolen base attempts. A five-time fielding champion and three-time leader in double plays, he won the Gold Glove award in its first three years of existence. No slouch with the bat, Lollar hit 155 home runs and had a career OBP of .357.
2. Bill Freehan (1961-1976)
Famously described as "the thinking man's catcher" by Sports Magazine, Freehan was an eleven-time all-star and five-time Gold Glove winner. The holder of numerous fielding records, he was also a strong hitter who smacked an even 200 home runs, including 25 in 1968. Freehan finished third in the AL MVP voting in 1967 and second in 1968 behind teammate Denny McLain, whom he helped become the last man ever to win 30 games in a season.
1. Lance Parrish (1977-1995)
I always find these posts so darn intriguing. It genuinely blows my mind to see these players not in Cooperstown. I suppose every sport has its fair share of snubs but still.
ReplyDeleteGood list here. I will only comment on guys I saw play- Munson, Posada, Kendall, Parrish.
ReplyDeleteParrish to me was a guy at the very top of the Hall of Very Good. I can't deny the numbers, obviously, but watching him throughout his career never gave me the impression he was great. Again, that is purely impressionistic.
Very consistent power, but he could be pitched to. Once he got the ball in the air at Tiger Stadium, it was going out. Saw him do it at yankee stadium, where left field was no bargain then.
He was a good defensive catcher; never struck me as elite compared to other guys- except for blocking the plate. In an era where that really did still matter, you might as well tried smashing through a steel-reinforced wall trying to get to the plate with him in front of it.
Overall breadth of his career was excellent, and that gives him the edge over obviously Munson. He was never as impactful as Munson was during their peaks, if you watched him play. (full disclosure: Yankee fan here).
I do think Munson, like Mattingly, just didn't have enough great seasons and at the time of his tragic death he was declining pretty badly so I think the bulk of his production was over with.
I saw a decent amount of Kendall, he always seemed to be making things happen when I watched him and contributing to W's. My guess is he's a very interesting case if you look closely at him, I agree the steroid era numbers make him overshadowed.
as an aforementioned NYY supporter, I know a lot of fans of the team want him in Cooperstown; he was never a serious candidate for me. I never thought his D was good enough though he did work at it. I really wonder if he played in another era how much of his hitting numbers would have held up. Glad he was a part of those winning teams, though.
edit: last part was referencing Posada.
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