A Tribute To Garret Anderson

Yesterday, the Angels announced the passing of Garret Anderson at age 53. 

A leftfielder whose career spanned from 1994 to 2010, Anderson spent 15 of his 17 seasons with the Angels, holding franchise records for most career hits and games played. He was the runner-up for AL Rookie of the Year in 1995 and was a key contributor to the team's lone World Series victory in 2002, driving in the winning runs in Game 7. All told, Anderson compiled 2,529 hits, 522 doubles, 287 home runs, 1,365 RBI's, and a .293 batting average. He was inducted into the Angels Hall of Fame in 2016. 

A quiet and unassuming player, Anderson was a consistent presence in the Angels' lineup during the franchise's golden years. Despite modest accolades, he rarely missed a game and could be counted on for a big hit in a key situation. He will be sorely missed. 

Eternal rest grant to him, Oh Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. 

Lucky Hall Of Famer Number 54 - Lou Brock (And a Word On the Traditional Hall Of Fame Benchmarks)

Throughout the history of the Hall of Fame, certain milestones have been considered enough for near-automatic induction. Other than the ineligible Pete Rose, until Bonds and Clemens made their debut on the BBWAA ballot in 2013, no player in history who had at least 3,000 hits, 500 home runs, 300 wins, or 3,000 strikeouts had ever been excluded from Cooperstown (although not all were first ballot selections). While Bonds, Clemens, and other steroid users have been excluded so far, the trend has continued even with clean players, such as Fred McGriff (who was inducted by the Veteran's Committee), Curt Schilling (who has been canceled by the liberal media), and now Gary Sheffield. Though the milestones are not a voting rule by any means, a longstanding baseball tradition is crumbling by ignoring them. Other than Rose and the steroid users, I think each player who has reached one of those milestones is deserving of his plaque in Cooperstown, as they are truly impressive achievements. Well, maybe not all of them deserve their plaques. Enter Lou Brock. 

    The heir to Stan Musial as the St. Louis Cardinals' leftfielder, Brock was one of the flashiest players of his era. An eight time leader in stolen bases, Brock set both the single season and career records for steals, both eventually falling to Rickey Henderson. Brock was also a World Series hero, batting .391 with 14 steals in three Series, taking home two rings. He collected his 3,000th hit in his final season, 1979. 

    While I hesitate to call Brock a lucky Hall of Famer because of his hit total, his Hall of Fame case has some serious drawbacks. Brock's signature talent was his stolen base prowess, which led to 938 thefts over his 19 year career. What voters failed to realize was that Brock was gunned down 307 times, second on the all-time list behind Rickey Henderson, who stole over 400 more bases. While Rickey had an 81% success rate, Brock only succeeded 75% of the time, meaning that, despite the hype, he actually provided little value on stolen base attempts. While Brock was an eight time stolen base champion, he also led the league in caught stealing seven times. 

    The other phases of Brock's game do not help his case for Cooperstown, either. At bat, he slashed .293 / .343 / .410, good for an OPS+ of 109, an extremely low number for a Hall of Fame leftfielder. He didn't walk much for a leadoff man, and although he wasn't a power hitter, he still managed to strike out 1,730 times (second on the all-time list at the time of his retirement), further convincing me that he was a weak hitter. On the defensive side, Brock had the range to get to the ball, but had a bad reputation as a fielder because he simply dropped a lot of fly balls. Over his career, Brock had a woeful .959 fielding percentage, leading the league in errors seven times. And outfielders' errors are typically more costly than infielders' errors, often counting for two bases instead of one. 

    Overall, it seems as though Brock wasn't really that good at anything. He wasn't an amazing hitter, he was a bad fielder, and his baserunning was less valuable than advertised. On the traditional five tool test for position players, Brock scores a lowly two (hitting for average, yes; speed / baserunning, yes; hitting for power, no; fielding, no; throwing, no). Yet he sailed into Cooperstown on his first ballot. 

    Brock was a decent player, fortunate enough to play for 19 years and compile some impressive counting statistics, such as 3,023 hits and 1,610 runs scored. He is also somewhat historically significant for his briefly held stolen base records. However, he is not an ideal Hall of Famer. Of all the players in Cooperstown who had either 3,000 hits, 500 homers, 300 wins, or 3,000 strikeouts, each is deserving of his plaque... except Brock. 

My opinion: The traditional Hall of Fame benchmarks are very strong indications that a player is Hall-worthy, but there can be exceptions, such as Brock. 

Requiescat In Pace, Frank Howard

 

Frank Howard passed away today at the age of 87. 

https://thecooperstownadvocate.blogspot.com/2020/08/why-i-think-frank-howard-should-be-in.html 

Jeff Burroughs

Almost nobody has ever heard of Jeff Burroughs, probably the most obscure MVP of all time. Burroughs was an outfielder with a pretty nice career and a few monster seasons for the Rangers and Braves in the 1970’s. As a fan of both teams, I feel obligated to at least spread the word about this little known star. 

Jeffrey Alan Burroughs was born in Long Beach, California, on March 7, 1951. He was a fairly normal child, a lover of pranks, and once glued geese to his neighbor's mailbox. He played both football and baseball at Woodrow Wilson High School, and was drafted by the Washington Senators in the 1969 amateur draft. 

A phenom in the minor leagues, Burroughs earned his first Big League call up in 1970, making his MLB debut at the age of 19. It took some time for his power to flourish, however, but after hitting 24 homers in 84 games for Denver in 1972, he was called back to the big club, which was playing its first season in Texas as the Rangers. Burroughs responded by hitting the first grand slam in Texas Rangers history, and blasted 30 homers as a regular in 1973. A first baseman in the minor leagues, Burroughs only played six games at first in the Big Leagues, instead patrolling left and rightfield. In 1974, Burroughs was the AL MVP, slashing .301/.397/.504 with 25 homers and a league high 118 RBI’s. His high water mark for homers was 41 in 1977, and his best overall season was probably 1978, when he hit 23 homers and led the Majors with 117 walks and a .432 OBP. 

Burroughs’s 1978 season was his last big season as a regular, but he was by no means ineffective in reserve roles. Three AL teams sought his powerful bat, using him as a DH, backup outfielder, and a pinch hitter. From 1979 through 1983, Burroughs reached double digit home run totals each season, extending his streak to eleven. He retired after a productive 1985 season (114 OPS+ in 86 games for Toronto) and reached the only postseason of his career. Although Burrough’s Blue Jays put up a valiant effort, they fell to the Royals in a seven game ALCS. 

For his career, Burroughs batted .261/.355/.439 with 240 home runs and 882 RBI’s. He had 1,443 base hits and 831 walks. These are impressive enough totals to be remembered, in my opinion. Burroughs was a very good player with imposing power and the first MVP in Rangers history. While he was certainly not a Hall of Famer, more people should know who he was and what he accomplished.

WHY I THINK JUAN GONZALEZ SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK JUAN GONZALEZ SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN 

By- Damien 

Almost all of the big power hitters of the 1990’s and early 2000’s are written off as potential cheaters, and Gonzalez is no exception. A lot of people dismiss this entire era (a terrible mistake no matter what happened) as “the steroid era”, an era which can be devoid of Hall of Famers. In my opinion, in order to rightly educate baseball fans and properly honor the game’s best players, each era should be represented fairly evenly (although, however, I have no tolerance for cheaters in the context of the Hall of Fame). But what about Gonzalez? Was he playing under the influence of illegal drugs? I think that there is good reason to doubt it. For one thing, Gonzalez’s career path is fairly normal for a Hall of Fame outfielder, with outstanding production for a while with a gradual decline at the end. He wasn’t a 30-homer man who suddenly hit 70 homers in his age 34 season. Gonzalez was far more consistent. Additionally, no evidence has really been related that Gonzalez may have been juiced. As far as I know, the only allegation against Gonzalez was a random accusation, which he denied. In the spirit of “innocent until proven guilty”, I feel comfortable including Gonzalez here. 

Juan Gonzalez was one of the best power hitters who ever lived. While his 434 homers suggest a very good career, his power numbers are best illustrated by his 6.62 home run percentage (the 15th highest of all time) and .561 career slugging percentage (18th). He had five seasons with 40 or more homers and eight with over 100 RBI’s. For every 162 games he played, Gonzalez averaged 42 home runs, 135 RBI’s, and 102 runs scored. Juan Gonzalez started his career with the Texas Rangers in 1989, hitting 9-for-60 at the age of 19. He had four homers in 25 games in 1990 and was a full time regular at the age of 21, hitting .264 with 27 homers and 102 RBI’s in 1991. Just entering his peak, Gonzalez led the Majors in homers in each of the next two seasons before being interrupted by the strike. In 1996, Gonzalez came back to hit .314 with 47 homers and 144 RBI’s, capturing the league MVP Award. In addition to his slugging, Gonzalez provided average defense at all three outfield positions, and occasionally took his turn at DH. He was a decent outfielder, known for his strong arm. After another strong offensive season in 1997, he repeated as the MVP in 1998 with a .318 mark and 157 RBI’s, including a record 101 ribbies in the first half. He reached his high water mark in batting in 1999 with a .326 mark and backed it up with 39 longballs. After the season, Gonzalez was traded to the Tigers, and didn’t produce at his usual pace (.289, 22 homers in 115 games). The Tigers made a deadly mistake in letting him go, as he had one of his biggest seasons with the Cleveland Indians in 2001 (.325-35-140). Gonzalez then spent a couple years back in Texas, producing one last big season in 2003 (70 RBI’s in 82 games). He hit .276 in limited action in ‘04 and played one game for the Indians in ‘05 before a season ending injury. The Cardinals invited Gonzalez to spring training in 2008, and Gonzalez performed well in those games, but didn’t make the regular season team. That marked the end of his MLB career, although he has taken part in Puerto Rican ball and the World Baseball Classic. 

Juan Gonzalez was a great power hitter, a two time MVP, and an adequate fielder. I think that one should look through Hall of Fame candidates from the 1990’s with caution, but Gonzalez would be a good choice for future induction. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games career: 1,689 season high: 155 in 1992 

At Bats career: 6,556 season high: 606 in 1998 

Hits career: 1,936 season high: 193 in 1998 

Doubles career: 388 season high: 50 in 1998 led AL: 50 in 1998 

Triples career: 25 season high: 4 in 1994 

Home Runs career: 434 season high: 47 in 1996 led AL: 43 in 1992, 46 in 1993 

Runs career: 1,061 season high: 114 in 1999 

Runs Batted In career: 1,404 season high: 157 in 1998 led AL: 157 in 1998 

Stolen Bases career: 26 season high: 6 in 1994 

Walks career: 457 season high: 51 in 1999 

Strikeouts career: 1,273 season high: 143 in 1992 

Batting Average career: .295 season high: .326 in 1999 

On Base Percentage career: .343 season high: .378 in 1999 

Slugging Percentage career: .561 season high: .643 in 1996 led AL: .632 in 1993 

Total Bases career: 3,676 season high: 382 in 1998 

Sacrifice Hits career: 2 season high: 2 in 1989 

Fielding Percentage career: .983 season high: .991 in 1994 

Double Plays career: 19 season high: 3 in 1999 and 2001 

Putouts career: 2,595 season high: 379 in 1992 

Assists career: 91 season high: 10 in 2001 and 2003 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-nicknamed “Juan Gone” and “Igor” 

-was a three time all-star (1993, 1998, and 2001) and a six time Silver Slugger 

-also finished fourth in the AL MVP Award voting in 1993, fifth in 2001, ninth in 1997, 13th in 1999, and 16th in 1992 

-won the Home Run Derby in 1993 

-won two career AL Player of the Month awards and five Player of the Week awards 

-slashed .290/.333/.742 with eight homers and 15 RBI’s in 15 career postseason games 

-hit a record five homers in the 1996 ALDS, a four game series 

-had the most RBI’s in the Majors from 1991 through 2001 (1,263) 

-three times had as many RBI as games played in a season (144 - 134 in 1996, 157 - 154 in 1998, 140 - 140 in 2001), and had 514 RBI’s in 511 games from 1995 through 1998 

-set the MLB record for RBI’s in the month of April (35) in 1998  

-had two 21-game hitting streaks in 1996 and a 15-game streak in 2001 

-had three career three homer games

-hit five home runs in three games in early 2003 

-hit his 300th career home run in his 1,096th game, the fewest in AL history 

-led the MLB with 16 sacrifice flies in 2001 

-topped the AL with an 8.58 home run percentage in 1993 

-ranks 48th in career home runs 

-also played 24 games as a pinch hitter and one as a pinch runner

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 I THINK BOBBY VEACH SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK BOBBY VEACH SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

By- Damien 

Bobby Veach was the regular Tiger leftfielder from 1913 through 1922. He shared the outfield with three Hall of Famers during that time (Ty Cobb, Sam Crawford, and later Harry Heilmann), and he often played in their long shadows. He was a fantastic hitter and the perhaps best fielder of the four, but he had the misfortune of being remembered as the worst outfielder in Detroit instead of as a member of the greatest outfield of all time. Bobby Veach began his career with the Tigers in 1912, batting .342 in 23 games near the end of the season. He took over as a regular in 1913 and established himself as a star in 1915 when he hit .313 and won his first of three RBI titles. Always a steady hitter, Veach had his best season to date in 1919, when he batted .355 and led the Majors in hits, doubles, and triples. As the dead ball era turned into the live ball era, Veach began to hit for power. His 16 home runs in 1921 was an impressive power number in those days, and it complemented a robust .338 batting average. In 1923, Veach shared playing time with yet another Hall of Famer - Heinie Manush - and seeing as how Veach was 35, he was the natural choice to go. He was sold to the Red Sox in the offseason. Veach still had some life in his bat, as he batted .295 in 1924 and drove in 99 runs. He played one last season in 1925, splitting his services between three teams, and batted a combined .323. He appeared in two World Series games with the Washington Senators, who fell to the Pirates in seven games. Bobby Veach was a marvelous hitter, a consistent run producer, and a solid defensive leftfielder. He would not at all be out of place if he were in the Hall of Fame. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games career: 1,821 season high: 155 in 1922 led AL: 154 in 1920, 155 in 1922 

At Bats career: 6,656 season high: 618 in 1922 

Hits career: 2,063 season high: 207 in 1921 led AL: 191 in 1919 

Doubles career: 393 season high: 45 in 1919 led AL: 40 in 1915, 45 in 1919 

Triples career: 147 season high: 17 in 1919 led AL: 17 in 1919 

Home Runs career: 64 season high: 16 in 1921 

Runs career: 957 season high: 110 in 1921 

Runs Batted In career: 1,174 season high: 128 in 1921 led AL: 112 in 1915, 110 in 1917, 84 in 1918 

Stolen Bases career: 195 season high: 24 in 1916 

Walks career: 571 season high: 68 in 1915 

Strikeouts career: 370 season high: 44 in 1917 

Batting Average career: .310 season high: .355 in 1919 

On Base Percentage career: .370 season high: .398 in 1919 

Slugging Percentage career: .442 season high: .529 in 1921 

Total Bases career: 2,942 season high: 324 in 1921 

Sacrifice Hits career: 271 season high: 36 in 1922 

Fielding Percentage career: .964 season high: .982 in 1922 led AL LF: .975 in 1915, .973 in 1921, .982 in 1922 

Double Plays career: 42 season high: 6 in 1914 and 1920 led AL LF: 6 in 1914, 4 in 1915, 5 in 1916 

Putouts career: 3,754 season high: 384 in 1921 led AL LF: 297 in 1915, 354 in 1917 and 1920, 277 in 1918, 335 in 1919, 370 in 1921, 366 in 1922 led AL OF: 384 in 1921 

Assists career: 207 season high: 26 in 1920 led AL LF: 19 in 1915, 24 in 1920 led AL OF: 26 in 1920 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-went 1-for-3 in his final regular season game 

-led the AL in hit by pitch (9) in 1917 

-led the AL in plate appearances (705) in 1922 

-finished second to Cobb in the AL Batting race in 1919 

-went 6-for-6 and hit for the cycle on September 17, 1920, the same day that George Burns hit for the cycle 

-pinch hit for Babe Ruth on August 9, 1925 

-hit three home runs each off of Urban Shocker and Stan Coveleski, two off of Waite Hoyt, and one each off of Carl Mays, Herb Pennock, Red Faber, and Jack Quinn 

-originally a pitcher, he pitched one game in 1918 and earned a save 

-seven times led AL leftfielders in games (and three times led all outfielders) 

-ended Babe Ruth’s 25 inning scoreless streak in 1916

WHY I THINK MOISES ALOU SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK MOISES ALOU SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN 

By- Damien 

Back in the 1960’s, three of the best outfielders in the game were all brothers - Felipe, Matty, and Jesus Alou. In 1963, the trio all played together in the Giants’ outfield. In 1990, one of baseball’s top prospects - Felipe’s son Moises - debuted with the Pirates. He became the fifth of six members in the Alou family tree to play in the MLB. By the time he was through he had established himself as the greatest member of the family dynasty, as he was one of the best hitters of his era. An adequate fielder who played all three outfield positions, Alou was one of the best sluggers of his time, nine times topping 20 homers in a season. He also hit for a high batting average, finishing up with a career mark of .303. Moises Alou started his career in 1990, making 21 plate appearances for two teams. He missed all of 1991 on account of injuries but came back in 1992 as the runner up for NL Rookie of the Year honors. He had a breakout year in 1994, when he batted .339 for the Montreal Expos with 22 homers and 78 RBI’s in the strike torn season. Alou played with the Expos until 1997, when he made his debut with the Florida Marlins. Although he stayed in Florida for only a season, he made the most of it, driving in 115 runs and leading the club to its first ever World Series Title. Alou had a career year for Houston in 1998 (.312, 38 homers) but missed another season to injuries in 1999. He came back with his best season to date in 2000 (.355, 30, 114 in 126 games) and followed up with a .331 season in 2001. Alou then played three seasons with the Cubs, hitting a career high 39 home runs in 2004 at the age of 37. Alou made headlines when he joined the Giants in 2005, as Felipe was the manager of the team (he had previously played several seasons under his father in Montreal). Seeing as how Felipe had been a famous player with the Giants in his day, some people figured that Moises was going to finish out his career in San Francisco. Instead, Alou topped .300 in 2005 and again in 2006, and played two partial seasons with the Mets afterwards. Each time he topped the .340 mark, including a 30 game hitting streak in 2007, and retired after the 2008 season. Moises Alou was a fine hitter, a powerful slugger, and one of the handful of players in the exclusive .300/300 club (.300 batting average and 300 home runs). It feels like there should be an Alou in the Hall of Fame, and Moises is the one who fits the mold. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games career: 1,942 season high: 159 in 1998 

At Bats career: 7,037 season high: 601 in 2004 

Hits career: 2,134 season high: 182 in 1998 

Doubles career: 421 season high: 36 in 2004 

Triples career: 39 season high: 6 in 1993 

Home Runs career: 332 season high: 39 in 2004 

Runs career: 1,109 season high: 106 in 2004 

Runs Batted In career: 1,287 season high: 124 in 1998 

Stolen Bases career: 106 season high: 17 in 1993 

Walks career: 737 season high: 84 in 1998 

Strikeouts career: 894 season high: 87 in 1998 

Batting Average career: .303 season high: .355 in 2000 

On Base Percentage career: .369 season high: .416 in 2000 

Slugging Percentage career: .516 season high: .623 in 2000 

Total Bases career: 3,629 season high: 340 in 1998 

Sacrifice Hits career: 9 season high: 5 in 1992 

Fielding Percentage career: .980 season high: .991 in 2002 led NL RF: .995 in 1996 led NL LF: .990 in 2002 

Double Plays career: 20 season high: 3 in 2001 and 2005 

Putouts career: 3,114 season high: 261 in 1996 

Assists career: 95 season high: 11 in 1993 and 1998 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-cousin of Jose Sosa and Mel Rojas 

-played under Felipe’s management during his tenure with the Giants 

-finished third in the NL MVP Award voting in both 1994 and 1998, tenth in 1997, 14th in both 2001 and 2004, 20th in 2000, and 24th in 1996 

-won the 1997 NL Babe Ruth Award 

-batted .500 in six all-star games, and had the winning hit for the NL in 1994 

-was a two time Silver Slugger (in 1994 and 1998) 

-won four career NL Player of the Week awards 

-his 30 game hitting streak in 2007 was the longest in the NL, set the Mets’ franchise record, and was the longest by any player age 40 or older 

-went 1-for-2 in his final MLB game 

-homered in his first at bat with the Marlins on Opening Day 1997 

-was the runner up for the NL Batting Title in 2000 

-batted .276 with five home runs and 24 RBI’s in 34 career postseason games, including .321 in his only World Series 

-also played 23 games as a DH, 66 as a pinch hitter, and nine as a pinch runner

WHY I THINK GEORGE VAN HALTREN SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK GEORGE VAN HALTREN SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN 

By- Damien 

George Van Haltren was easily one of the best players in baseball for most of his career, possessing all the skills that make for a superstar. He was remarkably consistent, with a .386 lifetime on base percentage, and very fast, with over 160 career triples and almost 600 stolen bases. He also had a very strong left arm, three times leading his league in outfield assists, and he also put it to use by pitching a few good ballgames in his time, with a 40-31 lifetime record. George Van Haltren started his career with the Chicago White Stockings in 1887, posting an 11-7 record and the most saves in the NL (one). He went 13-13 in 1888, leading the Majors in games finished, and also batted .283 in 81 games. In his first season as a regular outfielder, 1889, Van Haltren batted .322. He joined Brooklyn of the Players League in 1890, and after a year off he tried his hand at pitching again, recording a 15-10 mark, and additionally batted a lusty .335. In fact, Van Haltren topped .300 every season from 1889 through 1901 excepting a .293 in 1892. Despite hitting like nobody’s business, Van Haltren spent the next three seasons with three different teams. He settled down with the New York Giants in 1894, helped them win the Temple Cup, and made himself a fixture with the club for the next decade. Van Haltren continued his hitting ways throughout the 1890’s and led the Majors in steals in 1900. In 1901, his last year as a regular, he batted .335. Unfortunately, he broke his ankle early in 1902, ending his season and devastating the rest of his career. Van Haltren batted .257 in roughly half a season in 1903 before the Giants released him. He played for the PCL Seattle Siwashes in 1904, smacking 252 hits in 222 games and setting a few minor records, and hung around in class A ball through 1909, his age 43 season. George Van Haltren was an amazing hitter, a solid fielder, and a great baserunner. Again, not every .300 hitting outfielder can post a winning record on the mound. I cannot understand why he is not in the Hall of Fame today. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games career: 1,990 season high: 156 in 1898 led NL: 139 in 1894, 133 in 1896, 156 in 1898 

At Bats career: 8,043 season high: 654 in 1898 led NL: 566 in 1897, 654 in 1898 

Hits career: 2,544 season high: 204 in 1898 

Doubles career: 286 season high: 30 in 1900 

Triples career: 161 season high: 21 in 1896 led NL: 21 in 1896 

Home Runs career: 69 season high: 9 in 1889 and 1891 

Runs career: 1,642 season high: 136 in 1891 and 1896 

Runs Batted In career: 1,015 season high: 105 in 1894 

Stolen Bases career: 583 season high: 75 in 1891 led NL: 45 in 1900 

Walks career: 871 season high: 82 in 1889 

Strikeouts career: 498 season high: 46 in 1891 

Batting Average career: .316 season high: .351 in 1896 

On Base Percentage career: .386 season high: .422 in 1893 

Slugging Percentage career: .418 season high: .503 in 1895 

Total Bases career: 3,359 season high: 272 in 1896 

Sacrifice Hits career: 65 season high: 13 in 1894 and 1900 (Van Haltren’s sacrifice hit information prior to 1894 is unavailable) 

Games Pitched career: 93 season high: 30 in 1888 

Starts career: 68 season high: 25 in 1890 

Complete Games career: 65 season high: 

Shutouts career: 5 season high: 4 in 1888 

Games Finished career: 23 season high: 5 in 1888 and 1891 led NL: 5 in 1888 

Wins career: 40 season high: 15 in 1890 

Losses career: 31 season high: 13 in 1888 

Winning Percentage career: .563 season high: .611 in 1887 

ERA career: 4.05 season low: 3.52 in 1888 

WHIP career: 1.528 season low: 1.315 in 1888 

Innings Pitched career: 689 ⅓ season high: 245 ⅔ in 1888 

Strikeouts career: 281 season high: 139 in 1888 

Strikeouts Per Nine Innings career: 3.7 season high: 5.1 in 1888 

Walks career: 244 (0 intentional) season high: 89 in 1890 

Strikeouts Per Walk career: 1.15 season high: 2.32 in 1888 

Saves career: 4 season high: 2 in 1890 led NL: 1 in 1887 

Fielding Percentage career: .908 season high: .952 in 1896 

Double Plays career: 94 season high: 22 in 1891 

Putouts career: 3,761 season high: 325 in 1900 

Assists career: 750 season high: 185 in 1891 led NL CF: 23 in 1901 led NL OF: 31 in 1897, 28 in 1900, 23 in 1901 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-nicknamed “Rip” 

-was once traded for Hall of Famer Joe Kelley and $2,000 (a testament to who was considered superior at the time) 

-led the NL in plate appearances (722) in 1898 

-four times led NL outfielders in games and led NL centerfielders in 1901 (135) 

-scored over 100 runs in a season eleven times 

-hit more triples than doubles in 1888 (14 to 9), 1890 (9 to 8), 1891 (15 to 14), 1896 (21 to 18), and 1902 (2 to 1) 

-managed the NL Baltimore Orioles for eleven games in 1892 (1-10) 

-hit two home runs each off of Hoss Radbourn, Clark Griffith, and Silver King and one each off of Kid Nichols and Bob Caruthers 

-ranks 21st in career stolen bases, 38th in both runs scored and triples, and 45th in singles (2,028) 

-among MLB outfielders, ranks 13th in career double plays and fourth in assists 

-also played 79 games at shortstop, two at first base, five at second base, and three at third base