Lucky Hall Of Famer Number 51 - Pie Traynor

Harold Joseph "Pie" Traynor was generally regarded as the dominant third baseman of his day, with some considering him the greatest of all time at the position until Brooks Robinson came into prominence. Traynor, a polite man and a leader on the Pirates back in his day, was a very good player, but was quite overrated. In fact, a case can be made that he shouldn't even be in the Hall of Fame. Let us examine his career more closely, and see just how good Traynor was. 

    Traynor was a Pirate for the entirety of his career (1920-1937), and was the most popular Pirate of his generation. While the Waner brothers were also local stars, they were often crass and impatient with fans, often unavailable to do small favors for them, like sign autographs. Traynor, on the other hand, was much more friendly toward the fans, often greeting them with a smile and an x. Generally regarded as the leader of the club, he led the team to two pennants, including a World Championship in 1925. He eventually took over as player-manager in 1934, piloting the club through 1939. As beloved for his nickname as for his play, Traynor often awed fans with clutch hits or acrobatic plays at the hot corner. Traynor was widely regarded as the best fielding third baseman of his generation, and his good reputation helped propel him to Cooperstown in 1948. 

    When taking a closer look at his numbers, however, Pie doesn't seem like one of the greatest players of his era. While he batted .320 for his career and had seven 100-RBI seasons, these numbers are only superficially impressive, largely the product of time and place; for what it's worth, he never finished higher than fifth in batting and only once finished in the top three in RBI's. His best season, statistically, was 1930 (.366 / .423 / .509, 119 RBI's), the year the entire National League batted .303. While Traynor's stats look impressive on paper, they need to be contextualized. 

    As for his defense, there are a lot of mixed reviews on how good a fielder Traynor actually was. Originally a shortstop, he was moved to third base in the minors. While his range was good, and he made many difficult looking plays ("A hitter doubled down the line and Pie Traynor threw him out"), Traynor's fielding percentage was merely average, and he led NL third basemen in errors five times. His arm was particularly wild; as contemporary second baseman Billy Herman once said, "You'd hit a shot at him, a play he could take his time on, and he'd catch it and throw it right quick, so that if his peg was wild, the first baseman had time to get off the bag, take the throw, and get back on again. It was the only way Traynor could throw; if he took his time, he was really wild." The numbers seem to back up Herman's claim; Traynor led the league in throwing errors three times between 1930 and 1933, the first years for which such error-type breakdowns are available. As I wrote in October 2021 (https://thecooperstownadvocate.blogspot.com/2021/10/a-couple-of-things-that-id-like-to-see.html), throwing errors are more costly than fielding errors, often leading to -1 out and +2 bases for the opposing team instead of -1 out and +1 base. While Traynor had some good defensive tools, his throwing was often a liability, and overall he was not the defender that a lot of his advocates like to say he was. 

My opinion: Pie Traynor is probably not a Hall of Famer. 

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. 

Lucky Hall Of Famer Number 46 - Jimmy Collins

    Jimmy Collins was a Major League third baseman from 1895 through 1908. He was a solid player throughout his career, but was only a big star for a few seasons. He was inducted in 1945 by the Old Timers Committee. 

    Collins made his debut in 1895, hitting .273 for two teams. In 1897, he had his first big season, batting .346 with 132 RBI's for Boston. The next season, Collins hit .328 and led the Majors with 15 home runs. It looked like a promising start to a long, successful career for the third baseman, but it never really panned out. His only other big year was 1901, when he batted .332 with 94 RBI's. He finished his career with a .294 / .343 / .409 slash line, which was good for a 113 OPS+, definitely a respectable figure, but not one that screams "HALL OF FAME!" throughout your eardrums. He wasn't typically a league leader in batting statistics, and his counting stats are nothing to fall in love with (1,999 hits, 983 RBI's). 

    Perhaps Collin's biggest claim to fame is his glove. He was a very good third baseman, fielding .929 (league average .907) with a 3.68 range factor / nine innings (league average 3.48). Sure he was terrible at every other position, but what was there to gain by taking him out of his happy place? However, I still don't think that his defense outweighs his lack of hitting; sure he was really good, but he wasn't Brooks Robinson; he probably wasn't even the best of his generation. And he wasn't bad with the bat - he just didn't make a serious Hall of Fame case with it. 

My opinion: Jimmy Collins is not a Hall of Famer. 

Requiescat In Pace, Brooks Robinson

In Memoriam

Brooks Robinson (1937-2023)

Hall of Fame 3B for Orioles from 1955-1977. 1964 AL MVP, 1966 ASG MVP, 1970 WS MVP. 18x All-Star, 16x Gold Glove winner. 2x World Series champion (1966, 1970). The Human Vacuum Cleaner.

Brooks Robinson, one of my favorite players of all time, has passed away at the age of 86.

https://thecooperstownadvocate.blogspot.com/2022/12/requiem-for-heavyweight.html

WHY I THINK ROBIN VENTURA SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK ROBIN VENTURA SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN 

By- Damien 

In an era clouded with steroid users, Robin Ventura’s name doesn’t really stand out. He wasn’t a walking heap of artificial muscle (he was 6’1”, 185 during his playing days), and he never hit 50 or 60 or 73 home runs in a single season (his season high was 34). Instead of impressing people with one tool power, Ventura made an impact with his consistency in all facets of the game, both offensively and defensively. He was probably the best defensive third baseman of his era, capturing six Gold Glove awards. Ventura was particularly adept at turning the double play, turning in eleven seasons with 20 or more, including 38 in 1998. At the plate, he was a catalyst in the middle of the lineup, contributing around 25 home runs and 80 walks year in and year out. A lefthanded batter, he hit well against both righties and lefties. One could only imagine how many all-star teams he could have made, or Silver Sluggers he could have won, if not for the power hitters who defined the “steroid era.” 

Robin Mark Ventura was born on July 14, 1967, in Santa Maria, California. The third of four brothers, who were always playing ball in the backyard, Robin started developing as a player from a very young age. Ventura first made his mark on the national scene in 1986, when he batted .469 as a freshman at Oklahoma State University (setting a new OSU batting mark) and led the nation in runs scored, RBI’s, and total bases. In 1987, Ventura had a 58 game hitting streak, a NCAA record at the time. In 1988, he won both the Dick Howser Trophy and the Golden Spikes Award. A three time All American, Ventura finished his college career with a .428 career batting average and three OSU career batting records. To cap off his amateur career, he batted .409 in the 1988 Olympics and took home a gold medal. 

After his success in both college and the Olympics, everyone expected Ventura to have a long, successful career ahead of him. He was drafted by the White Sox in the first round of the June 1988 amateur draft, and was up with the big club for a cup of coffee by 1989. Ventura reached rookie status in 1990, finishing seventh in the Rookie of the Year balloting, and had a breakout season in 1991, batting .284 with 23 home runs and 100 RBI’s. Proving he was the real deal, he made his first all-star team in 1992. In the midst of all the expansion, strikes, and steroid scandals that riddled the 1990’s, Ventura continued to flourish into one of the best players of the decade, providing the White Sox with stability in an era of uncertainty and instability. 

On December 1, 1998, Ventura signed as a free agent for the New York Mets. He immediately made an impact for his new team, batting .301 with 32 homers and 120 RBI’s, leading the Mets to the postseason. Ventura became a hero in Game 5 of the NLCS, recording a walk off hit in the bottom of the 15th inning. With the bases loaded, Ventura deposited a 2-1 offering from Kevin McGlinchy over the fence in right center, giving the Mets a dramatic victory. However, a wild on field celebration ensued, and Ventura was unable to complete his trek around the bases. In fact, only the lead runner, Roger Cedeño, was able to cross the plate, and so the final score was 4-3. Ventura, who never touched second base, was credited with an RBI single. 

Ventura had a career year in 1999, but couldn’t produce the same kind of numbers in 2000 (.232 - 24 - 84; I guess Y2K did affect some people). After a similar season in 2001, the Mets decided to let him go - but he didn’t go far, as he landed a deal with the cross town Yankees. Ventura had one last signature season in 2002, hitting 27 homers and making his second and final all-star team. He hung around for two more seasons, still producing in a reserve role, before he retired as a player. Ventura wasn’t through contributing to baseball, however, serving as the White Sox’s manager from 2012 through 2016. He led the team to an 85-77 season in 2012, finishing second in the AL Central. 

Although nobody ever advocates for Robin Ventura’s induction into the Hall of Fame, his case is actually quite compelling. He was a strong power hitter, hitting more than 20 homers in nine different seasons and driving in over 90 runs eight times. Ventura also had fine plate discipline, combining an above average walk rate with a below average strikeout rate for a healthy .362 OBP, 95 points higher than his batting average. His .806 career OPS was good for a 114 OPS+, a very respectable figure considering the era in which he played. His OPS+ could have been 125 or higher if not for the steroid eaters. In the field, he posted a .958 fielding percentage at the hot corner, seven points above the league average. He combined a strong arm and sure hands with above average range, helping him to six Gold Gloves. Later in his career, when his legs failed him, he split his time between first and third base, and was above average at both positions. His solid MLB career, combined with what he accomplished as an amateur, make him a worthy member of The Cooperstown Advocate and, hopefully someday, a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games career: 2,079 season high: 161 in 1998 and 1999 

At Bats career: 7,064 season high: 606 in 1991 

Hits career: 1,885 season high: 177 in 1999 

Doubles career: 338 season high: 38 in 1992 and 1999 

Triples career: 14 season high: 4 in 1998 

Home Runs career: 294 season high: 34 in 1996 

Runs Scored career: 1,006 season high: 96 in 1996 

Runs Batted In career: 1,182 season high: 120 in 1999 

Stolen Bases career: 24 season high: 4 in 1995 

Walks career: 1,075 season high: 105 in 1993 

Strikeouts career: 1,179 season high: 111 in 1998 

Batting Average career: .267 season high: .301 in 1999 

On Base Percentage career: .362 season high: .384 in 1995 

Slugging Percentage career: .444 season high: .529 in 1999 

Total Bases career: 3,133 season high: 311 in 1999 

Sacrifice Hits career: 33 season high: 13 in 1990 

Fielding Percentage career: .963 season high: .980 in 1999 led NL 3B: .980 in 1999 

Double Plays career: 430 season high: 38 in 1998 led AL 3B: 29 in 1992, 22 in 1994, 34 in 1996, 38 in 1998 

Putouts career: 2,215 season high: 253 in 2003 (Ventura’s season high as a third baseman was 141 in 1992) led AL 3B: 134 in 1991, 141 in 1992, 133 in 1996 

Assists career: 3,616 season high: 375 in 1992 (372 as a third baseman) led AL 3B: 372 in 1992, 330 in 1998 led NL 3B: 320 in 1999 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-finished sixth in the NL MVP voting in 1999 and 20th in the AL MVP voting in 1991 

-was a 1990 Topps All-Star Rookie 

-hit 2-for-3 with a double in all-star competition 

-pitched one game in 2004 (1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, GF) 

-led the AL with 15 intentional walks in 1999 

-led AL third basemen in games in 1992 (157), 1993 (155), and 1998 (161), and led NL third basemen in 1999 (160) 

-hit two grand slams in one game on September 4, 1995 

-is the only player in MLB history to hit a grand slam in both ends of a doubleheader (May 20, 1999) 

-batted .340 with the bases loaded in his career, and hit 18 career grand slams, fifth most in MLB history

-was inducted into the the inaugural class of the College Baseball Hall of Fame on July 4, 2006 

-was inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame on February 19, 2018 

problem with range factor: increased strikeouts

Chart for Third Basemen

Third basemen have always been in short demand among Hall of Fame voters, as just 13 MLB third sackers are enshrined in Cooperstown. The main reason to expect this would probably be that voters don’t know what to think of third basemen. Is third base a hitter’s position, or a fielder’s position? Should our third baseman be a power hitter or a gold glover? (If you’re special, like Brooks Robinson, Mike Schmidt, or Nolan Arenado, then it is possible to be both). As it is, third base is a unique defensive position, requiring many different skills, such as agility, good reflexes, and a strong arm. Third base is not an easy position to play, and there should be more third basemen in the Hall of Fame. 

Pre-1900 

Games  Slash Line     H     R   RBI HR SB F%

Deacon White            1,560     .312/.346/.393   2,067  1,140   988    24       70       .853 

Lave Cross                 2,277      .292/.329/.383   2,651  1,138  1,378  47      303     .938 

1900-1920 

                                     

                                    Games  Slash Line     H     R   RBI HR SB F%

Jimmy Collins           1,725      .294/.343/.409   1,999  1,055   983    65      194      .929

Frank Baker              1,575      .307/.363/.442    1,838   887     991    96      235     .943 

Heinie Groh                1,676      .292/.373/.384    1774    918     566    26      180     .967 

1920-1940 

                                    Games  Slash Line     H     R   RBI HR SB F%

Fred Lindstrom         1,438     .311/.351/.449    1,747  895     779    103      84      .959 

Pie Traynor                1,941     .320/.362/.435    2,416  1,183  1,273  58      158     .947 

Willie Kamm               1,693     .281/.372/.384    1,643   802      827    29     126     .967 

1940-1960 

                                    Games  Slash Line     H     R   RBI HR SB F%

Eddie Mathews         2,391    .271/.376/.509   2,315   1,509  1,453  512      68      .956 

George Kell               1,795    .306/.367/.414   2,054    880     870     78       51      .969 

Bob Elliott                    1,978    .289/.375/.440   2,061   1,064   1,195  170     60      .947 

Eddie Yost                  2,109     .254/.394/.371   1,863   1215     682    139     72      .957 

Stan Hack                  1,938     .301/.394/.397   2,193   1,239    642     57      165    .957 

Al Rosen                    1,044     .285/.384/.495   1,063     603     717     192     39     .961 

1960-1980 

                                   Games  Slash Line     H     R   RBI HR SB F%

Brooks Robinson     2,896     .267/.322/.401   2,848  1,232  1,357  268     28        .971 

Ron Santo                 2,243     .277/.362/.464   2,254  1,138  1,331  342     35        .954 

Ken Boyer                  2,034     .287/.349/.462   2,143  1,104   1,141  282    105      .952 

1980-2000 

                                    Games  Slash Line     H     R   RBI HR SB F%

George Brett              2,707    .305/.369/.487  3,154  1,583   1,596  317     201      .951 

Wade Boggs               2,439    .328/.415/.443  3,010  1,513   1,014  118      24       .962 

Mike Schmidt             2,404    .267/.380/.527  2,234  1,506   1,595   548    174      .955 

Buddy Bell                   2,405    .279/.341/.406  2,514  1,151   1,106   201     55       .964 

2000-present 

                                      Games  Slash Line     H     R   RBI HR SB F%

Chipper Jones             2,499    .303/.401/.529  2,726  1,619  1,623  468    150      .954 

Evan Longoria               1,823    .266/.335/.473  1,818   961    1,089  317     58       .966 

Nolan Arenado              1,236    .288/.345/.535   1,357   730     865    269     18       .972

WHY I THINK HARDY RICHARDSON SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK HARDY RICHARDSON SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

By- Damien 

Hardy Richardson was, first of all, a very versatile fielder, playing second base, third base, and the outfield, compiling a career fielding percentage 16 points above the league average. Anywhere his managers needed him, they could be sure that he would give them consistent defense. At the bat, Richardson was a great power hitter, twice leading the MLB in homers and driving in 152 runs in 1890 at the age of 35. Rather famous in his time, Richardson was one of the “Big Four” (along with Jack Rowe, Dan Brouthers, and Deacon White) who played together for many years with two teams, leading the Detroit Wolverines to a championship in 1887. Hardy Richardson started his career with the Buffalo Bisons in 1879, batting .283 as a rookie. In 1881, the Big Four came together, and would dominate the NL hitting leaderboards until 1888. From 1883 through 1887, Richardson had five consecutive .300 seasons, leading the NL in hits and home runs in 1886. Richardson missed 76 of the Wolverines’ 134 games in 1888, but regrouped in 1889, hitting .304 in 132 games. In 1890, he joined the one year Players' League, and probably would have been the league MVP considering that he led the Majors in homers (16) and RBI’s (152) and led the Boston Reds to the pennant. In 1891, Richardson broke his foot, which devastated the rest of his career. He was no longer a nimble fielder, so he had to knock the ball out of the park to stay in the lineup. Richardson played in 148 more games in 1891-92 before he called it quits. Hardy Richardson was a great hitter, a consistent run producer, and a terrific fielder. He helped his clubs very much on both offense and defense, and was considered an elite player during his career. He would be a good addition to the Hall of Fame. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games career: 1,334 season high: 133 in 1890 

At Bats career: 5,657 season high: 570 in 1890 led NL: 538 in 1886 

Hits career: 1,694 season high: 189 in 1886 led NL: 189 in 1886 

Doubles career: 305 season high: 34 in 1883 

Triples career: 126 season high: 18 in 1887 

Home Runs career: 73 season high: 16 in 1890 led NL: 11 in 1886 led PL: 16 in 1890 

Runs career: 1,127 season high: 133 in 1890 

Runs Batted In career: 828 season high: 152 in 1890 led PL: 152 in 1890 

Stolen Bases career: 207 season high: 47 in 1889 (Richardson’s stolen base information prior to 1886 is unavailable) 

Walks career: 377 season high: 52 in 1890 

Strikeouts career: 446 season high: 47 in 1890 

Batting Average career: .299 season high: .351 in 1886 

On Base Percentage career: .344 season high: .402 in 1886 

Slugging Percentage career: .437 season high: .511 in 1890 

Total Bases career: 2,470 season high: 291 in 1890 led PL: 291 in 1890 

Sacrifice Hits career: N/A 

Fielding Percentage career: .913 season high: .959 in 1890 

Double Plays career: 266 season high: 45 in 1889 led NL 3B: 13 in 1879 

Putouts career: 3,243 season high: 328 in 1887 led led NL 2B: 275 in 1882 

Assists career: 2,529 season high: 344 in 1883 led NL OF: 45 in 1881 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-nicknamed “Old True Blue” 

-led the NL in plate appearances (584) and singles (140) in 1886 

-led NL third basemen in games (78) in 1879 

-went 3-0 on the mound with six career strikeouts in 16 innings 

-homered in the 1887 World Series 

-set a Major League record with homers in five straight games in July of 1890 

-hit four home runs each off of Hall of Famers Hoss Radbourn and John Clarkson, three off of Jim McCormick, two off of Charlie Buffinton, and one each off of Tim Keefe, Mickey Welch, John Montgomery Ward, and George Van Haltren 

-his 45 outfield assists in 1881, accumulated in only 79 games, rank third in MLB history 

-also played six games at catcher, 16 at first base, and 21 at shortstop 

As a side note, in my book, I will consider more statistics, including range factor. What reminded me to bring this up was Hardy Richardson’s amazing range factor. His career mark of 6.40 per game at second base ranks second in MLB history (minimum of 500 games), behind Joe Gerhardt.