The election for the Hall of Fame was held last week. Scott Rolen was the only player getting the requisite 75 or more percent of the vote. Todd Helton, former Rockies’ first baseman, fell short by 11 votes. There were some who questioned Rolen’s Hall worthiness. Today’s voters value players much differently than in the past. Had he played in the 1960s, Fred McGriff most likely would have gone in simply on his power numbers. He has the same number of homers as Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig. But he had to wait until last December when the Golden Age committee called his name.
It is very easy to find a list of the members of the hall. Wikipedia has a full list. Not all of those players were solid citizens. And there is supposedly a criterion for voting that takes into account one’s character. But there are known bigots and drunks and others in the hall who were in no way, choirboys. Conversely, there are some genuinely solid character guys also. The first class was five players, Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, and Honus Wagner.
Mathewson and Johnson were known as solid citizens. They neither caroused nor had problems off of the field. Wagner was the son of German immigrants. But by most accounts, he neither smoked nor drank. He once had a cigarette company remove all of his baseball cards of him because he did not smoke. One reason the T-106 Honus Wagner card is so rare and worth millions.
Cobb was probably one of the most hated players ever to play the game. He is also probably the best hitter who ever lived. Up until Pete Rose passed his total hits of 4191 hits, he held the record. He also holds the record for the highest career batting average at .366. No one is close to that. He was a fiery competitor. He would sharpen his spikes and slide with his feet in the air. If an opposing player got spiked in the process, Cobb did not really care. He was all about winning. Off the field, he had more than his share of scrapes. In today’s game, that kind of behavior leads to bad PR. Back in his time, there was not much said about it.
Ruth was larger than life, and he, too, had many bad habits that caused his manager and owner to fine and suspend him more than a few times. But he almost single-handedly saved the game after the Black Sox scandal in 1919. Surprisingly, none of the first five who went in were voted in unanimously. Cobb had the most votes with 222 out of 226 ballots. Ruth and Wagner tied at 215.
But as one goes down the list, the line blurs some between greatness on the field and being merely very good. There are also executives in the hall, some umps, and a commissioner or two. One such commissioner is the very first one, Kennesaw Mountain Landis. Landis is known for his handling of the Black Sox scandal. It was the reason he was hired. But he demanded unlimited power and a lifetime appointment. That part came true as he stayed commissioner until his death. He was elected to the Hall in 1944. So, why am I talking about him? Landis was a known racist. He is one of the main reasons that blacks did not break into the majors long before Jackie Robinson.
There have been a few elected over the last several years that had some people shaking their heads. Harold Baines was one of those guys. His career slash line is .289/.356/.465. His OPS is .820. OPS+ 121. He was a career 38.8 WAR player. He had 2866 hits, 384 homers, and drove in 1628 runs. The only thing he ever led the league in during his 22-year career was slugging – once. He was an All-Star 5 times. He played more than half of his games as the DH. He never got more than 6.1% of the writers’ vote in the six years he was on the ballot. He went in when elected by the Today’s game committee in 2019. Baines was a very good hitter. He was not that great in the outfield, which is why his teams used him as a DH. You compare him to Edgar Martinez or David Ortiz; he is not in their league.
Bill Mazeroski was a career .260 hitter. He has a lower WAR than Baines, and he had little power, but he won 8 gold gloves in his 17-year career, and he was an 8-time All-Star. Maz got in because of his glove. He was one of the better fielding second basemen of his time. He was also noted for hitting a walk-off homer in the 1960 World Series that beat the Yankees in game seven and won the series for the Pirates. But a Hall of Famer? His percentage grew a little each of the 15 years he was on the ballot, but in his final year, it was only 42.3%. Nine years later, the Veterans Committee voted him in.
Hall players who had known drinking problems included sluggers Jimmy Foxx and Hack Wilson. Both were used as models for the Jimmy Dugan character in A League of Their Own. Grover Cleveland Alexander also was seen to have a drinking problem. It was magnified by the fact that Ol Pete also had been gassed in World War I, and it brought about epilepsy. He had fainting spells, and his seizures were often mistaken for drunkenness.
You could go through the list of members of the hall, and there are a few who probably would not be elected today with the emphasis on sabermetrics. Wilson’s WAR is 38.7. He played 12 years; his first seven were excellent, but his last five were not that good. Also, he hit 1/5th of his career total of homers in a single year, 56, in 1930. He never came close to that number again.
As for players who used PEDs, so far, none are in the hall. Piazza was on a list that said he used, but he never tested positive. Bonds, Clemens, McGwire, Sosa, Rodriguez, if any of those guys get in it, will be through the Golden Era committee. Their time on the writers’ ballot is done. Curt Schilling is deserving, but he basically shot himself in the foot with some of his comments. He still might make it through the committee.
I believe that somewhere down the line, Pete Rose will finally get in. But my feeling is that if he does, it will be after he has passed away. I do not think the powers that be want Pete to reap the monetary benefits associated with being a Hall of Famer. I also believe that none of the Black Sox players will ever get in, either. There was a lot of sympathy at one point after Field of Dreams for Shoeless Joe Jackson. But that has faded some. I think Gary Sheffield is going to have to wait for the election by the committee. Sheffield definitely has the numbers. But like Bonds and Kent, his relationship with the press has been a little tumultuous. Next year’s class features a lock, Adrian Beltre, and a couple of other strong candidates. Todd Helton, who missed by 11 votes this year, will most likely go in with Beltre next year. The outside shot goes to Billy Wagner, who will be in his last year of eligibility.
My final thought on the Hall is that it is not perfect. No person or thing is. There are some questionable personalities in the Hall. But there are those kinds of people everywhere. I just feel that sometimes those who are truly deserving, have to wait a long time. Sometimes they never know because they are no longer living. Gil Hodges deserved to be in with Pee Wee, Jackie, the Duke, and Campy. That it took until last year for a class person, and the best 1st baseman of his era, that long to get in was a travesty.
Discussion (18)
Disagree, not disagreeable
The hall voting system is not perfect. Nothing is. Some very good players have missed induction, and some who were way below borderline got in. It is always tough to get in on the writer’s ballot. A vast majority never make it past their first year. It is also becoming very difficult to get in on the Veteran’s committee. This year both Bonds and Clemens were on that ballot. They came nowhere near the 12 votes needed for election. McGwire missed his one time on the ballot. Next year will be the first time on the ballot for the following players, Beltre, Mauer, Utley, David Wright, Colon, Matt Holliday. Adrian Gonzalez, Jose Batista, Jose Reyes, Victor Martinez, James Shields, Chase Headley, Ryan Madson, and Brandon Morrow. Helton, Wagner, Sheffield, Jones, Beltran, Rodriguez, Manny, Vizquel, Rollins, Abreu, Petite, Buehrle, Francisco Rodriguez and Tori Hunter are the holdovers from this year’s vote. Sheffield will be on his last ballot, Wagner his 9th. Ichiro and CC Sabathia headline the 2025 ballot.
It’s always seemed to me that being on a major league roster all by itself means you are a Hall of damn good player. Most big leaguers were THE best (or one of THE best) everywhere they ever played since they were children.
Being a player that truly belongs in the bonafide Hall means you’ve proven over time to be noticeably better than the best of the best. You stood nearly alone among the position players or pitchers in your era-of-play and not just for one or two seasons.
Old Bear O been looking at players like Rolen who got in the Hall of Fame. So your telling me a Dale Murphy shouldn’t be in the Hall of Fame yet had better numbers the Rolen. Oh here’s another on Jeff Kent as a second baseman just how many homers did he had he hit alot and he played 2nd base his whole career never moved to another position. Paul O’Neil he is another player that should be in the Hall if Fame since Rolen got in. If your saying good hitter and position player I just mentioned a couple of guys that should be. I think Rolen was on the national league all-star team for the Reds look at that team and say is he the one who will make the Hall of Fame out if that roster. Barry Bonds Matt Williams Barry Larkin Larry Walker Craig Biggio Jeff Bagwell naw nobody would have picked Rolen they would have me thought those other guys. Which I do think Biggio and Bagwell did get in. Makes you think guys like Eric Karros Adrian Gonzalez an Todd Helton should diffentley be in they were on that all-star team to weren’t they. Hmm interesting.
DODGERS EXTEND TONY GONSOLIN
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers agreed to terms with All-Star right-handed pitcher Tony Gonsolin on a two-year contract through the 2024 season for $6.65 million dollars.
Gonsolin, 28, made 24 starts for the Dodgers in 2022, going 16-1 with a 2.14 ERA (31 ER/130.1 IP) and 119 strikeouts. He had a remarkable campaign in 2022, earning his first trip to the Midsummer Classic, going a perfect 11-0 with a 2.02 ERA and allowing 55 hits in 93.2 innings during the first half of the season and finished the season with the highest winning percentage in franchise history (.941), while finishing amongst the Major League leaders (min. 130 IP) in wins (T-5th), WHIP (0.87, 2nd), ERA (2nd), batting average against (.172, 2nd) and winning percentage (1st).
The Northern California native has been with the Dodgers parts of four seasons since being drafted in the ninth round out of Saint Mary’s College in 2016. In 59 games (51 starts), he is 26-6 with a 2.51 ERA (76 ER/272.2 IP) and 267 strikeouts. He finished fourth in the National League Rookie of the Year voting and was the Baseball America Rookie of the Year in 2020 after going 2-2 with a 2.31 ERA (12 ER/46.2 IP) and helping the Dodgers win the 2020 World Series.
Great stuff, Bear. As usual.
I would argue that Maz got in because of his bat–or more precisely, that one swing of his bat for the walk-off World Series championship. That was epic. Take away that one glorious moment, and then Maz was a good player, but he wouldn’t be in the Hall. (How many are in the HOF mostly because of their glove? Ozzie and Brooks come to mind–and both were pretty good hitters, too. Better than Maz.)
Maz, I’d say, is less deserving than his old keystone partner Dick Groat. Imagine if Groat had hit the walk-off: He’d have been a slam dunk. Hell, he was the NL MVP in 1960, and his career stats are far superior to Mazeroski’s.
Finally, I think Maz benefited from a pretty cool name and nickname. “Maz” has panache and pizazz. What if he was named Bill Jones? Or Dick Groat? Just ain’t the same.
And neither of these guys revolutionized the game the way Maury Wills did.
We wuz robbed!
Yes, a whole bunch, and apparently some saw Cobb beating up a handicapped man with no arms, others saw the man had one arm. Still others saw he had arms but no hands and then others said he was missing fingers.
Fighting a man it’s no arms is different than fighting the man who was missing fingers.
But most people regardless of the facts know that Ty Cobb just rushed into the stands and beat up an armless handicapped spectator.
My point is if we don’t really know the facts we shouldn’t really give them.
Over and out.
Or was it he had hands but missing fingers ?
Maybe it doesn’t matter to some people. But when dealing with another man’s reputation accuracy is important. Wikipedia, hmm.
I don’t know how to link it but @ mlb.com there is an interesting article.
“Ty Cobb history built on inaccuracies.”
Was there any truth that Cobb went into the stands to beat up on on an armless heckler? He did in fact file his spikes to instill fear before all games though at the time that was not considered cheating. I still have to say he wasn’t a man of great character. But times are different.
You nailed it BoBo. A lot of that comes from selfish ideological or political agendas with such cruelty there’s no care of damage done. It’s a scary thought where this world will be in fifty years. But on a different note I believe both Mookie and Freddie will have big years. It’s there team now with a little chip on shoulder and something to prove to go along with some breakout prospects. A good staff hopefully. We could just have a shot at it
Evan, thank you for referencing Leerhsen’s book on Cobb.
I think that any one who has an opinion about Ty Cobb that hasn’t read that book needs to.
It’s so typical of even what we are experiencing today. Rumors, lies and false accusations can ruin a man’s name and reputation. And in ignorance it is perpetuated without much concern whether true or not.
OB,
Charles Leerhsen’s scholarly book on Ty Cobb titled “A Terrible Beauty,” debunks a lot of false stories that have destroyed Cobb’s character. It was Al Stumpf who destroyed Cobb with what has been proven to be falsehoods in order to make a quick buck. Cobb had his flaws, and was far from perfect, but his reputation as being racist, bigoted, disliked, greedy, and dirty player that he is portrayed to be today was simply not accurate. It has been several years since I read the Leerhsen book, but it certainly opened my eyes. If there was one thing that a Cobb was, it was troubled and in need of psychological help after his father was killed by his mother. He suffered in silence while on the big stage, but considering what he went through mentally, it’s tough to fault the man for some of his missteps.
Ken Burns destroyed him in the “Baseball” series, and it was all from the Al Stumpf narrative. He was a product of his time and from the South, but the references to him as a racist are way off base as Cobb was always a vocal supporter of integrating the game, even back to his playing days.
Hall of Fame let’s see the players I saw that should be in the Hall. That were great players and good role models for kids. Larry Walker with the Colorado Rockies always a classy guy great hitter friendly to fans. Andy Van Slyke always a favorite of mine when he would come here for batting practice and talk to the fans of the home team at Dodgers Stadium. And one more player who was always a pain in the Dodgers and could hit well Rich Aurillia. Three guys that were great hitters and good embassadores of the gam. Oh I always liked to when the Expos came to town that team. Wow they had talent Tim Raines Andre Dawson Gary Carter Andres Galaraga talk about a team with Hall if Famers on it and fun to watch. When they visited Dodgers Stadium that was always fun players to see.
Yesterday I saw a MGM Vegas odds list for NL Cy Young and Julio wasn’t in the top ten. Found that strange since he been in the running last couple years and it’s his free agent year. Plus I didn’t see any signs of regression. Hmm? Mookie came in a distant second behind Soto for MVP and Freddie ninth. Predictions and odds don’t really amount to much. Been starting to think there’s a bias throughout the country towards the dodgers
Today is Jackie Robinson’s birthday. Born this date in 1919 in Cairo, Georgia.
Great write up Bear. I enjoy your posts about the former Dodger players.
How did Phil Rizzuto get into the HOF? What a joke.
Lets hope that the history lesson for 2023 is that the Dodgers rolled the dice with their young players and won a WS! Thx Bear. Always enjoy your articles as well.
Always enjoy your writing Bear, thank you