I started watching baseball in September of 2004. Not long after my eyes were initially glued to the record books, I watched the superstars just before my time testify against the Federal Grand Jury in regards to their acknowledged steroid use. Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and Rafael Palmeiro famously denied their usage of performance enhancing drugs, and I didn’t know how to react.
Several years later, my Dad took me to the Baseball Hall of Fame for the first time. It was here where I first felt the connection between the generations of history and the countless numbers. I walked through the gallery of golden plaques, astonished by the glorified treatment these men were given just for playing a game. We took our trip through time from Babe Ruth to Cal Ripken Jr., and I left Cooperstown with a fresh mindset about the game I cherished above all others.
Over time, the aura of the Hall of Fame has seemed to have lost its touch. I came to the realization that not every inductee was a hero. Ty Cobb, perhaps the most electrifying player of the early 20th century; has been noted as a racist bigot rumored to have committed many violent crimes. He, along with fellow Hall of Famers Tris Speaker and Cap Anson, have been speculated members of the Ku Klux Klan. The class of 1991’s Gaylord Perry made a name for himself by doctoring balls with vaseline in order to gain extra movement on his pitches. Even Whitey Ford, widely regarded as the greatest Yankees starting pitcher, carved the diamond from his wedding ring into baseballs to enhance his grip.
Steroids did not become a theme in baseball until the late 1980’s, but athletes have searched for an edge for as long as the game has been recorded. Professional baseball hardly existed in 1889 when former pitcher Pud Galvin allegedly was injected with testosterone from living dog and sheep testicles, according to NPR. Amphetamines known as “greenies” were rampantly used among players for decades to give them the energy necessary to perform each day. Everyone from Mike Schmidt to Willie Stargell to the “Say Hey Kid”, Willie Mays have been accused of using them. Schmidt later admitted in his autobiography “Clearing the Bases” that these substances were “widely available in major league clubhouses,” and could easily be obtained with a prescription. Were these players “cheating”, too?
Now, it is important to note that steroids were not banned from the game until 1991, and weren’t even tested for until 2003. McGwire and Sosa became household names in 1998 when they battled for Roger Maris’ single season home run record. Hardly anyone hesitated when a reporter noticed an open bottle of androstenedione in McGwire’s locker (“Andro” was then legal in all professional sports except for the International Olympic Committee). The sport in its entirety turned a blind eye to the player’s exponentially growing bodies because it made the league exciting and generated more revenue than ever before.
Barry Bonds was well on his way to becoming one of baseball’s all time greats until he grew jealous of the limelight McGwire and Sosa shared. He supposedly began using steroids in response to their record breaking seasons, and wound up hitting the most home runs of all time.
Flash forward to today, where there are at least seven players on the upcoming 2016 Hall of Fame ballot who have previously been associated with performance enhancing drugs (PED’s). McGwire will be eligible for induction for the 10th time, having never received over 23 of the 75 percent necessary. Sosa, Bonds, and Roger Clemens have also been denied the past three years.
Former All Stars Mike Piazza and Jeff Bagwell, who are entering their fourth and sixth years on the ballot, respectively; have even been shut out solely based on suspicion of drug use. Bagwell was known for his intense weight lifting regimen during his career, and Piazza knowingly took a drug to improve a back acne issue (talk about humiliating). This information has been enough to keep them out of the Hall thus far, which is not fair on any level. Meanwhile, David Ortiz announced his impending retirement following the 2016 season on Wednesday. “Big Papi” would be a lock for Cooperstown if not for a shady report released by the New York Times in 2009 that claimed he was one of over 100 players who tested positive for PED’s. Without physical verified proof that they cheated, they should not be punished in any way. Isn’t one of our country’s most powerful principles “innocent until proven guilty”?
The Hall of Fame has maintained a firm stance on its issue of integrity, which creates a roadblock for suspicious cases. The Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) states on the Hall’s website that a player shall be voted based upon his “record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played”. However, it is contradictory of Major League Baseball to shun these athletes from its history considering their ignorance of the doping issue. All of the players who used PED’s, whether they did it to break records or simply make the team, helped baseball recover from the disastrous 1994 strike and rebuild its fanbase. We are all somewhat accountable for allowing the Steroid Era to occur, yet we continue to play the blame game and cannot take responsibility.
Baseball’s all time hits leader, Pete Rose, has been banished from the sport for over 25 years for betting on the outcomes of games while managing the Cincinnati Reds. Rose has maintained a positive relationship with fans over this time, and many feel that he has paid his dues despite breaking baseball’s cardinal sin. Commissioner Rob Manfred met with him this past summer to discuss the possibility of reinstatement and plans to decide his fate at some point this offseason. Forgiving him of his faults and acknowledging his tremendous on-field abilities would prove to fans that the sport is capable of moving forward.
Advancing beyond Rose’s crimes would not only benefit the state of baseball today, but would start a forgiveness movement critical to the future of the Hall of Fame. If the accusations against current members are true and there are already cheaters inducted, it would not be fair to outlaw the superstars from the past generation. I don’t condone cheating, but I do think justice needs to be served. Baseball made a mistake, and thus, cannot pretend that one of its most profitable eras never existed.
It’s a similar situation to people who, in order to recover from a difficult breakup, choose to delete every picture and disregard the entire period of their life. It helps quicken the healing process initially, but in most cases they cannot hold onto the burden forever. Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, and Roger Clemens are human after all. Humans are prone to mistakes, especially when fame takes over. They felt pressured to keep pace with the rest of their opponents, which sparked a rippling effect that was not contained until drug testing policies were tightened.
If and when I decide to have my own kids one day, I will take them to the Hall of Fame. Just like any of their favorite superhero movies, there are going to be heroes and villains. I will be proud to point out Ken Griffey Jr., Derek Jeter, and Chipper Jones and tell them about how they chose to play the game the way it was meant to be played. Yet, I will also wish to show them the hits and home run leaders, and explain what they did wrong in order to teach them an important lesson.
You may say that keeping them out would teach that lesson automatically. You may be right. Would inducting Bonds, Clemens, Sosa, McGwire, Palmeiro, Rodriguez, and Rose hurt baseball’s sanctity at first? Most likely, yes. People will continue to debate the purity of the game; which records should count; and how to penalize their actions for the rest of its existence, but the sport itself should not be allowed to pick a side. Not after they let this mess unfurl right before their own eyes. Let’s remember: the Hall of Fame is a museum, not a cathedral. The BBWAA, as well as the Hall itself, should not have the final say of what is right or wrong.
Hey everyone, Drew back here with the second installment of my 2015 East Coast National recap series. Before I begin, I just want to say that with all the stuff I need to catch up on, the Ten for Tuesday posts will start back up in September. I've got various new, great ideas ready to go, and I'm looking forward to sharing them with you all!
The big draws of the day at the Westchester County Center were Cal Ripken Jr. and Steelers greats Franco Harris and Hines Ward. I had already met Cal before, and with his expensive ticket prices, I decided to spend my money elsewhere, while the Steelers prices were far too high for a Jet fan to wish to pay. Instead, I bought tickets for three legendary players of their own rights; Al Kaline, Eddie Murray, and Brooks Robinson.
All three began signing at 12:00, and I immediately hopped on the Kaline line. I have heard some horror stories in the past about Mr. Tiger being moody, but luckily today he was all smiles. It was his first appearance at one of their shows, and I was towards the front of the line. He didn't say much to me, but was friendly, shaking my hand for the photo and thanking me for coming out.
I couldn't have received a better autograph from the man who once accumulated 3,000 hits and made 18 All Star teams. He inscribed his Hall of Fame year for free and gave me precisely what I was looking for. For 80 years old, he looks to be in excellent health, and it was nice to get a chance to meet him considering he seems to rarely make New York signings.
Eddie Murray was up next, and I could not wait to have a signed ball of his to add (along with Kaline's) to my Hall of Fame ball display. I've never heard anything particularly bad about him at signings, although he was once heralded as "bad with the media" during his career. After looking into it more, it just seems like he was a quiet, independent man that really just wasn't looking to be bothered. When I met him, I certainly got that vibe.
I didn't get much out of Murray either, but he was friendly enough to take a quick photo with me. Whenever I think of him, I think back to the days of the Grandpa Roy Column and the list we compiled of what is now 5 players in history who retired with over 3,000 hits and 500 home runs. Alex Rodriguez joined Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Rafael Palmeiro, and Murray when he recorded his 3,000th hit in 2015. It's an extra exclusive club that should warrant a Hall of Fame induction statistically, but most likely will not in the cases of Palmeiro and Rodriguez thanks to their ongoing PED allegations.
Murray really took his time in signing the ball as eloquently as possible. For the price I paid, he better have. It came out really well, and I'm glad I saved up to add him to my collection. This is now my 21st signed Hall of Fame baseball, and I believe that means I'm slowly but surely catching up to William. One day...
Finally, the player I had most been looking forward to shaking hands with. I always say how I forever have a deep love and respect for the third base position, and this man was the epitome of mastering the position. Some consider him the greatest to ever man the hot corner, but everyone calls him the best defensive player there without question. He's also one of William's favorite players, which gave me extra incentive to want to cough up the money to meet Brooks Robinson.
18 All Star Games. 16 Consecutive Gold Gloves. 2 World Series Rings. What didn't Brooks do? Beyond the numbers, the sparkling plays, and all of the trophies he can proudly display, what stands out over anything is the man that Brooks is. I was proudly wearing my Yankees gear, but that didn't keep him from treating me as if I were wearing his jersey and an Orioles cap. He has certainly seen his best years already, but he seemed to really want to make an impact on others as simply and sweetly as he could. The first two experiences were pretty quiet, but Brooks was as kind and polite as could be, and totally won me over for the day.
Props to Dad by the way for getting an awesome picture of Brooks and I.
Since my Dad bought me a signed baseball of his for my birthday a few weeks ago, I had to scramble to find something to have him sign. I mostly paid for his autograph to meet him rather than for the autograph, but I decided to have him sign an 8x10 of his famous World Series diving stop against the Cincinnati Reds in 1970. For his great all around performance (and especially phenomenal defensive plays), he was awarded the World Series MVP that year.
There was a free inscription along with any Brooks autograph, and I chose the 16 Gold Gloves over the Hall of Fame and World Series MVP because it says more about him than either of the other two. Many have been inducted into Cooperstown, and many have been named MVP of the Fall Classic. But no position player has ever won 16 Gold Gloves but Brooks (Greg Maddux and Jim Kaat did as pitchers, but that is besides the point).
Brooks was everything my Dad and I had hoped he would be, and then some. I'm going to proudly place my signed photo in my nice signed photo book to show off in the future.
Hey everyone, Drew back here. This week, I decided to write the riskiest post in the history of drewscards. Feelings will be hurt. People will be up in arms over some of what will soon follow. But I have to decided to make my case for ten players in the National Baseball Hall of Fame who I find overrated. Keep in mind, I already wrote a list a few weeks ago about who should not be in the Hall of Fame at all, and none of those players will be featured on this list today. Every single player on this list is worthy of induction, and some may very well be considered some of the greatest to ever play the game. You may not agree with everything I say, and you may let your biases and personal ties to players get in the way of the cold hard facts. However, if I can name three former Yankees on this list like I'm about to do, you are all more than capable of throwing all of your ties aside for the sake of what I'm attempting to achieve with this column.
There is a difference between being worthy and being overrated. Remember that.
Top 10 Overrated Players in the Hall of Fame
Honorable Mention - Pete Rose
Utility, Cincinnati Reds / Philadelphia Phillies / Montreal Expos
Pete Rose will have a place on this list if and when he is inducted into the Hall of Fame. This man's name alone has been hyped up ever since he was banned from baseball, and he even uses that to his own marketing advantage. He has built up a huge crowd of baseball fans, myself included, who view baseball as the villain after he broke the rules. Rose is a genius for what he has been able to do; parking next door to every Hall of Fame induction and constantly making headlines.
But if he never cheated, and he went into the Hall five years after his retirement on his first ballot, how often would he stand out to this extent? Sure, he is the all time hits leader, and there is something to be said about that. 3,215 of those 4,256 hits were singles, and he was never much of a power threat. He prolonged his career by becoming a player-manager, which helped him manipulate his team to collect more hits even if it meant benching someone more deserving of a place on the lineup card. He was never a great fielder, and despite playing like his hair was on fire for almost a quarter century, he came up short of 200 stolen bases.
I'm not trying to say this man is not a Hall of Fame caliber player. But only a select few players should receive the attention that Rose currently receives, and he does not belong in that upper echelon. Without cheating, he would get one of the better applauses at each year's Hall of Fame induction, but never much more than that. I hope Pete finally gets his wish from Commissioner Manfred one day for the sake for baseball, but it will forever be easy to call "Charlie Hustle" overhyped and overrated.
The first player on this week's list was one I had a very difficult time configuring. I have always loved watching Ozzie Smith's highlight reel plays, and I view him as the greatest defensive shortstop in history. But when comparing his statistics alongside Pee Wee Reese, who, although rated poorly with advanced fielding statistics, was a much better offensive producer with an above average glove, I could not keep "The Wizard of Oz" off this list. Smith's career on base percentage was .337, which ranks closely to Ernie Banks and Cal Ripken Jr. among shortstops, but when you fathom Banks' inclusion in the 500 Home Run Club and Ripken's in the 3000 Hit Club, their statuses are boosted up a notch.
Ozzie was a slightly above average hitter for shortstops of his era, and the best defensive player around. He is adored in St. Louis and is one of the nicest men I've ever met. Just watch the Pepsi Max commercial from a few years back and tell me he didn't steal the spotlight with his signature flip. And unfortunately, it's things like that which bring him onto the overrated lists. He is generally comparable to almost any other shortstop in the Hall, yet his persona and likeness as a Fan Favorite bring his stature to a level higher than what his performance may have yielded.
It isn't a bad thing for us to love Ozzie, just as it isn't for Brewers fans to love Robin Yount, Padres fans to love Tony Gwynn, and Tigers fans to love Al Kaline. But you need to be careful analyzing these players and avoid common biases when deciding who belongs more than another. Smith is an unquestionable Hall of Famer, well deserving of his place as an immortal. But every player has its downfall, and considering he only batted over .300 once in his illustrious 19 year career; offense was certainly that.
9 - Rollie Fingers
CP, Oakland Athletics / San Diego Padres / Milwaukee Brewers
Speaking of signature attributes, what would Rollie Fingers be without his handlebar mustache? Sure, Fingers had a dominant career, and was one of the first relievers to revolutionize the closer role into what it has since become. I view his career as perhaps the greatest of any of the closer-type pitchers currently in the Hall, as his period of dominance is the longest (until Mariano Rivera is inducted). Many know him for his impressive MVP and Cy Young victories in the 1981 season. What many don't realize is that he was 34 years old at that time, and had already pitched effectively for thirteen years!
I still haven't really made up my mind over how/if closers should be chosen for the Hall, but I think even if I tightened the group, Fingers would still make the cut. However, it must be said that he played in an excellent pitcher's park in Oakland and was a part of some fantastic teams. Winning does increases relevance in mainstream society, but closers typically don't have the biggest say in that (except when Kirk Gibson or Luis Gonzalez stepped up to the dish). I think the entire closer position is overrated, and this is coming from someone who watched Rivera pitch at the top of his game.
And, I'll ask again. How would Rollie Fingers be viewed today if he didn't have that mustache? Among the hardcore fans like myself and a majority of you, he is placed correctly in the Hall, despite what anyone says about the closer position. But it really surprises me how many non-hardcore, young baseball fans know about Rollie Fingers, and nothing in his statistics really prove why that may be. It may sound silly, but Fingers' career simply does not measure up to what grew above his upper lip.
8 - Reggie Jackson
OF/DH, Oakland Athletics / Baltimore Orioles / New York Yankees / California Angels
I can already smell the hatred spilling out of some of your eyes as you glance over the names I have thus far deemed to be overrated. The first Yankee to make the list, Mr. October transcended the game in a unique way. He, along with contemporaries Dave Kingman and Bobby Bonds, reinvented the slugger in the late 1970's and early 1980's. Players now did not have to excel defensively to earn playing time, as long as they were capable of hitting the ball out of the stadium at the right time. This change even called for the Designated Hitter rule in the American League, which some people have hated from the very start. Now, players did not even have to play the field if they were liabilities on the defensive side. Jackson was a horrible outfielder, retiring with 142 errors as an outfielder, despite playing over 600 of his 2,820 games as the DH.
Jackson's offense was completely one dimensional, as seen from his 563 career home runs, and all time record 2,597 strikeouts. Approximately 40% of his plate appearances resulted in either a home run, strikeout, or walk; the epitome of the three outcome slugger. Nowadays, the Chris Davis', Mark Reynolds', and Adam Dunn's of the world are keeping Jackson's legacy alive, and strikeouts are more prominent than ever before. He retired with a lifetime batting average of .262, one of the lowest career marks among position players inducted. His clutch performances and legendary moments, along with his absurd strength make Jackson a fan favorite, even through his terrible reputation with fans. His ego has clashed with some of baseball's finest, and on occasion his blunt comments have put his name in the next day's newspaper.
I grew up absolutely loving Reggie Jackson, especially after watching ESPN's "The Bronx is Burning" series. But after meeting him, I really changed my mind about the way I felt about October's former hero. My personal opinion about the man himself did not bring him onto this list, but it certainly made it easier for me to feel comfortable about the decision.
7 - Dennis Eckersley
CP, Cleveland Indians / Boston Red Sox / Chicago Cubs / Oakland Athletics / St. Louis Cardinals
The hate parade for closers is not finished yet, unfortunately, although I can say that Dennis Eckersley is ranked as my most overrated closer in the Hall of Fame. "Eck" was a troubled, inconsistent starting pitcher for much of the first half of his career, until Tony LaRussa moved him into the bullpen with the Oakland A's. From that point forward, he was indestructible for about a six year stretch. But like newly inducted HOF'er John Smoltz, he may receive a bit too much credit for having retired with almost 200 wins and 400 saves. Some give these pitchers credit for being able to make a "significant" adjustment, and if that is any part of the reason they are rewarded, that is absolutely bogus. Even Eckersley said that the closer position is overrated, saying that it isn't as hard to transition into as one may think.
Eckersley was not a Hall of Fame starting pitcher. He is a Hall of Fame reliever, but only for that six year span. He belongs as a whole, but was no Rivera, Fingers, or even Gossage.
Here is where things begin to get a little dicey. Don Drysdale was as dominant as can be when he was on his game. However, the simple fact that he shared the spotlight with Sandy Koufax is his ultimate downfall. Some may view Koufax as overrated because he didn't have the longevity, but this doesn't matter to me when it comes to starting pitchers. In fact, I'm much more content in knowing that we never got to experience Koufax past his prime, as it could have partially diminished his legacy.
As for Drysdale, he was always a very good pitcher, but he may have been forgotten had he pitched in almost any other city. His career ERA of 2.95 is good, but not great. His career record of 209-166 is good, but not great. With the exception of his fantastic 1962 campaign in which he finished with a 25-9 record, 2.83 ERA, and a league leading 232 strikeouts, Drysdale belonged in the Hall of Very Good. He wasn't the best postseason performer, either. Basically, the guy earned his place in the Hall, but he's closer to Juan Marichal and Fergie Jenkins than Whitey Ford and the aforementioned Koufax that he is more frequently mentioned among.
5 - Dizzy Dean
SP, St. Louis Cardinals / Chicago Cubs / St. Louis Browns
Dizzy Dean has one of the stranger stat-lines of any pitcher in the Hall of Fame. And, upon further review, it feels like something is left to be desired, especially since he has always been so highly regarded among baseball historians. Dean's career was ruined by injuries, and he only managed six full seasons. Granted, they were six phenomenal years, especially his MVP winning performance in 1934. He won 30 games that season with a 2.66 ERA, and followed up the next year with another 28 wins to bolster his statistics. But as we know, the "What Could Have Been" players generally have never produced enough to be considered for the Hall of Fame. Thurman Munson, Dwight Gooden, Dave Parker, and modern day stars like Josh Hamilton all had the talent to one day be enshrined, but the tragic truth to it is that they fell short.
It's one thing to feel for someone who was one of the more colorful men in the game in the early 20th century, but it's another to honor him for what he did not quite achieve. I have no problem with Dean being in the Hall of Fame for his dominant short career and legacy as a color commentator, but I do think he is over-recognized by fans. He may have been one of the best, but he wasn't, so he should not be spoken of as if he was.
Woah, boy. I bet you didn't see this coming. Joe DiMaggio is one of the most famous baseball players in history. Heck, he dated Marilyn Monroe and Paul Simon wrote a song about him! For a while after his retirement, he was voted baseball's greatest living player, ahead of Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Ted Williams. After comparing his statistics alongside those three, I would have to take all 3 before choosing DiMaggio. Now don't get me wrong, "Joltin' Joe" would easily fall in my All Time Top 25, but advanced metrics as well as a shortened career would move him closer to my #25 than to my #1. His 56 Game Hitting Streak is one of the most impressive milestones throughout sports history, but some of the older folk will say he is the greatest player of all time because they had the pleasure of watching him play. I've seen Derek Jeter do some impressive things at games I have attended, but I cannot say he was better than Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, or even Joe DiMaggio for that matter. Sabermetrics have also hurt his case for being one of the greatest to ever take the field, as they say he was not quite as spectacular a defender as he was praised to be. I always take sabermetrics with a grain of salt, but this may make sense considering how people have practically described the man as a superhero prior to these further evaluations.
If DiMaggio was able to play in his prime rather than serve in World War II, perhaps he would deserve the enormous amount of baseball respect he already has. This sacrifice he made should be recognized and appreciated; don't get me wrong. He's as surefire as it gets for the Hall of Fame, but his reputation as one of the most famous sports figures ever should be up for debate.
Sorry, Yankee fans. It hurt me to say all that. Sorry Joe.
3 - Cy Young
SP, Cleveland Spiders / St. Louis Perfectos / Boston Americans/Red Sox / Cleveland Naps / Boston Rustlers
Denton True Young was baseball's first ace. Perhaps this is why the annual Cy Young Award is named in his honor, but I always got the impression that it was because some believed he was the greatest pitcher of that era. Winning 500 games is a ridiculous accomplishment, one I believe will never be paralleled thanks to the way baseball has changed since his retirement over a century ago. When Young pitched, he would often pitch consecutive days in a row, not receiving much rest between games. He threw the most innings of all time at 7,356, and it really is marvelous that his arm didn't fall off (talk about Tommy John Surgery). Let's not forget that along with those 511 wins, he is one of only two pitchers to lose over 300 games (316) as well. There were some good hitters in that period of time, especially Ty Cobb, Nap Lajoie, Tris Speaker and Honus Wagner; but it was called "The Dead Ball Era" for a reason. Until Babe Ruth came around, pitchers rarely allowed home runs, which helped glorify their ERA's in the history books.
There is nothing we can change about Cy Young. We cannot say "He wouldn't be in the Hall of Fame if he played today," because we simply do not know that. Pitching has endured several recent hardships, but Young would appreciate some rest between starts. The Hall of Fame doesn't embark on hypothetical journeys. His 511 wins should not be held against him, as he did earn them, after all. But they should not help his case either.
What I'm trying to say is; if you think Cy Young is the greatest pitcher of all time just because the award is in his name, you're probably wrong. I understand that the award was named in his honor after his death, and I have no problem with that sentiment. But Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, and possibly even Grover Cleveland Alexander may rank above him on most all time pitcher rankings, so I in no means consider him the greatest pitcher in history.
Again, much like DiMaggio, his numbers were affected by his serving in World War II. There is no denying his legacy as an American citizen, but he should have been denied for the Hall of Fame. Some may say the Fame in Hall of Fame is what keeps him in ahead of Marty Marion and co., but fame should not be what bases upon player's election. There's Hollywood for things like that.
I slipped up by not mentioning Rizzuto in my Undeserving Hall of Fame players list, but this list applies equally as well. "Scooter" simply does not compare to the greatest shortstops of all time, and it's unfortunate considering how fantastic a person he was.
1 - Nolan Ryan
SP, New York Mets / California Angels / Houston Astros / Texas Rangers
I now introduce you to the most overrated player currently in the Hall of Fame. That, my friends; is Nolan Ryan. There is an aura surrounding the man who has struck out more batters than anyone before, and I'm going to testify against that very aura. I am well aware of his 7 no-hitters, long-term stability, and knack for the strikeout. There may have never been a more dominant pitcher when he was on his game. But let's take notice to how I worded that statement. When he was on his game.
"The Ryan Express" was a work horse like no other. He battled for every out, pitcher vs. batter; almost like something from an old western. If he didn't bring his best stuff to the ballpark, he was prone to being tossed around. If I could choose one pitcher to start a game deciding my fate, I would have a tough time choosing between Ryan and Bob Gibson.
This does not make Nolan Ryan the best pitcher of all time. Most competitive? Perhaps. But best? No. Ryan only won 20 games twice in his 27 year career that ended when he was 46 years young. He never won a Cy Young Award, ridiculous as it may sound, while his modern-day counterpart Roger Clemens (with the use of steroids) was awarded with 7 such trophies. He walked a ridiculous 4.67 batters per nine innings pitched, and retired with the all time record of 2,795 walks allowed. In 1974 and 1977, he walked over 200 batters! He tied or led the league in Wild Pitches in six seasons. His ERA often sat in the mid 3.00's by the conclusion of most years.
For anyone who claims Ryan to be the best they ever saw, they can say that. With his command, Nolan Ryan was as unstoppable as a pitcher could be, which led to some of the best pitching performances ever recorded. But someone with such wishy-washy command should not be viewed as the greatest hurler in the history of the game, because he was dependent on his control in order to determine how he would perform. The best pitchers in history did not need to depend on anything that critical in order to be successful.
Who is the most overrated player in the Hall of Fame?
Phew. The roast has finally come to a halt. Let me conclude by once again saying that I'm not trying to tear apart any of these players in this post, because they were all much better baseball players than I will ever be. All 11 should be in the Hall of Fame, but there should be some more attention spread out to other members of the Hall. I will soon return with a more positive spin on the Hall, focusing on which members are criminally underrated among their peers.
Hey everyone, Drew back here! This week in my new series, "Ten for Tuesday", we will venture into the hallowed halls of Cooperstown's Baseball Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame has been a controversial subject ever since its creation, and today we still see frequent debates over whether Pete Rose or any of the positively tested steroid players should be inducted. It makes for great conversation, which will be exactly the purpose of what I'm about to bring to you today.
10 Borderline Baseball Hall of Fame Members Who Shouldn't Be In
Let me be very clear with this before I begin: I am not saying that any of the following players were not good players. Every member of the Hall of Fame is in for one reason or another, however some of these reasons are more notable than others. Also, let us not forget that the Hall of Fame isn't always stats first. A guy like Ozzie Smith was a tremendous defensive player but generally an average offensive threat throughout his career with the Cardinals, however the impact he's made on baseball and on the city of St. Louis give him a larger than life persona than some of the players listed below. The players below may have been better all around players than Smith, but there is an element of character that should be slightly taken into consideration as well.
Also, this list is only for players who started their career 1950 or later. I personally do not know much about several of the players before that time period other than what Baseball Reference can tell me. Besides, the game was extremely different in that era, and it's difficult to compare the Deadball Era from any other era in the game's history. Lastly, I want to thank my Grandpa Roy and best buddy William of foul bunt for some advice in putting the list together!
Honorable Mentions - Billy Williams, Barry Larkin, Luis Aparicio
Something we took into consideration in building this list was name value, as cheap as that may seem. We questioned "Is this player an all time great?," and this question alone was helpful in picking apart the tiers of the Hall. Billy Williams was a great Cub, and after comparing him with the now 10th ranked player, I had to keep him out of the Top 10. He played in one playoff series for the A's in 1975, so it isn't fair to slight him for his lack of postseason accomplishments. There was a sizable gap between he and Larkin/Aparicio, who both came home with plenty of hardware and racked up solid statistics across the board. Aparicio is not a well known player to most because he played so long ago now, but was a fantastic defensive presence with a knack for stealing bases (sound familiar, Ozzie Smith?). The difference between Smith and Aparicio is the value to the game, and this may be biased due to Smith's younger age and increased popularity in comparison. But let's face it; a majority of fans would be shocked if Smith wasn't in, and Aparicio was, regardless of the statistics. But none of these players made the ultimate cut. 10 - Andre Dawson
OF, Montreal Expos / Chicago Cubs / Boston Red Sox / Florida Marlins
Tony Perez was a very productive player for what is arguably the greatest baseball team of the modern era, however, he appeared to play fourth fiddle on the "Big Red Machine"; behind Pete Rose, Johnny Bench, and Joe Morgan. He was a valuable run producer in the middle of the lineup, but it can be said that driving in runs for a team of this caliber was most likely easier than it would be if he played his prime years with any other team. He also was a victim of extending his career a bit too long, which is something you will see often on this list. Perez made 7 All Star teams in his 23 year career, and even won an All Star Game MVP in 1967. He went in on his final year on the ballot, and seemed to get a lot of sympathy votes from writers who didn't vote for him previously. It's difficult to place a guy who closely missed the 3,000 hit club and 400 home run club on this list, but due to the extended longevity along with his high powered team and lack of significant hardware; the Reds slugger is on my list.
8 - Gaylord Perry
SP, San Francisco Giants / Cleveland Indians / Texas Rangers / San Diego Padres / New York Yankees / Atlanta Braves / Seattle Mariners / Kansas City Royals
If you're among the fairly large crowd who never wishes to see Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, or Pete Rose in the Hall of Fame; you probably shouldn't be a fan of Gaylord Perry's, either. Perry is an admitted cheater, who frequently threw an illegal spitter pitch and doctored baseballs with lubricants and vaseline. Apparently, he was so proud of his system that he tried to land an endorsement deal with vaseline products! He seemed to be a hittable pitcher during his first few seasons until he started cheating his way all the way to the Hall of Fame. When it comes to his actual career statline, he pitched until he was 44 years old; which did not pay his career ERA dividends. Even while winning 314 games, Perry lost a whopping 265 games; posting a career winning percentage of .542. He struggled mightily in his only postseason appearance, and only made 5 All Star teams over his 22 seasons. His numbers were good, but not dominant, and lest we forget, he cheated. And from the looks of it, he liked it.
7 - Phil Niekro
SP, Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves / New York Yankees / Cleveland Indians / Toronto Blue Jays
"Knucksie" will forever be known for just that: his knuckleball. Niekro mastered the knuckleball well enough to pitch consistently well for 24 years; up until he was 48 years old. While there is something to be said for someone who is capable of performing well past his prime, he didn't exactly look like he belonged on the field at that point. It appeared as though he played in order to pad his statistics towards making a Hall of Fame case, and sure enough his plan worked out in his favor. Similarly to Perry, Niekro had a shaky winning percentage of .537, losing 274 games. Sure, Cy Young may have lost 316 games, but times were much different in the early 1900's than they were during his time. His saving grace helped him keep the legacy he has now, especially because it has been since passed down to Tim Wakefield and R.A. Dickey. But just because you have longevity on your side should not make you a lock for the Hall of Fame, because you're bound to reach significant milestones eventually. Niekro was a very good pitcher, better than anyone would have expected, and he makes for a fun story. But he's not a Hall of Famer in my book.
6 - Don Sutton
SP, Los Angeles Dodgers / Houston Astros / Milwaukee Brewers / Oakland Athletics / California Angels
You know those Golden Oreos? They're great in their own right, yet every time you eat them you wish for an original chocolate cookie instead. Don Sutton is the golden Oreo of Hall of Fame pitchers. Sutton pitched for 23 seasons, and many of those years were average or slightly above average. He won over 20 games once during an era where pitchers were more capable of achieving the feat. Wins can surely be a difficult category to inspect, because a lot of the problem could have been due to lack of run support. He compiled 324 of them eventually, after struggling to get through his age's 38-43 seasons. But when it comes to sheer dominance, Sutton and Niekro simply did not own the league. When I view a Hall of Fame player, I expect to see players who appear significantly better than the rest of the pack. Plus, he only made 4 All Star teams, showing that he was not someone who was viewed among the fans as highly as perhaps he should have. Sutton accomplished plenty throughout his career, but if we could just do away with the silly 300+ wins argument (that will be ruined anyway once Clemens doesn't make it), we would see that he may not appear as much of a lock as he was in 1998 when he was enshrined.
5 - Hoyt Wilhelm
P, New York Giants / St. Louis Cardinals / Cleveland Indians / Baltimore Orioles / Chicago White Sox / California Angels / Atlanta Braves / Chicago Cubs / Los Angeles Dodgers
There has been a lot of talk regarding why Jim Rice was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2009 alongside Rickey Henderson. Rice was a feared hitter without question in his prime with the Red Sox, but no matter how he performed, he never seemed to carry any of the spotlight. There's nothing wrong with that, but it doesn't put his case off to a good start. He was generally a solely power hitter, although he did bat over .300 seven times during his somewhat short 16 year career. Meanwhile, he produced significantly better at home in Fenway Park than on the road (.320 average at home, .277 on the road).
But my biggest problem with Rice, along with the aforementioned Andre Dawson; is that there a plethora of players from that general era who have comparable statistics. I call it the "If he's in, then he's in, then he's in" rule, and I know it's not a catchy name but it fulfills exactly my problem. If you're going to let Jim Rice and Andre Dawson in the Hall, then their contemporaries Tony Oliva, Dave Parker, George Foster, Dick Allen, and Dwight Evans all should have plaques in the museum as well. And for a museum that strives to honor the top percentage of players to ever play the game, it should not include so many similar players in and honor the ones who were able to stand out.
When a player takes the full 15 years on the ballot to be elected, it's clear how little his presence was felt against some of the other greats of his time.
3 - Bruce Sutter
CP, Chicago Cubs / St. Louis Cardinals / Atlanta Braves
When William and I discussed Jim Bunning's case, we initially were saying how he made it due to accumulating 300 wins. After researching his career, though, I noticed that he came nowhere close to 300 (224 total), and he shot up this list. I do not value 300 wins all that much, as you have read before with Sutton, Perry, and Niekro's respective cases, but that was why we thought he was in, which made his case more puzzling when I saw his overall numbers. The former Senator was a nine time All Star and pitched a no hitter, and other than that, he doesn't have much else to boast about. No World Series ring (or playoff experience), no Cy Young Awards, and although he was 2nd all time in strikeouts at the time of his retirement he has since been surpassed fifteen times. When you view Jim Bunning, do you see him as an all time great, better yet a legend? I didn't think so, and despite his consistent, solid career, it's hard for me to honor players that didn't have that "wow" factor.
I remember sitting in my basement years ago sorting through cards, only to come across a 1972 Topps Bill Mazeroski card. I recognized him for his iconic home run against the Yankees to win the 1960 World Series, but didn't know much else about him. I went on to research his career statistics, and then saw that he was elected into the Hall of Fame. And ever since that day, I've wondered why that could be. His career on base percentage was .299, which would be an excellent career batting average, but is a horrible OBP for one of Cooperstown's elite. He was a great defensive player, who came away with eight Gold Glove awards, but if it wasn't for his walkoff home run it could be easily said that he would never have been even regarded as a Hall of Famer. Putting him in means that Bobby Thomson, Joe Carter, and Kirk Gibson should be in as well, and that just doesn't make sense.
The goal of this post is to spark debate over which bottom tier of Hall of Fame players could be removed. There will always be marginal players who are comparable to other members, but there are simply too many of them inducted today. Of course, this will never happen, as you cannot take away such incredible honors from the players. All of these players were extremely good players, but as time goes on, the Hall of Fame has become less and less of an accomplishment. The honor stays the same, but the more marginal players are added to the roster, the less of a distinction it becomes.
Bill Simmons wrote an article in 2002 about how he views the Hall of Fame by five separate tiers of talent; the first tier being of players who barely made the cut, while the fifth tier contained the Ruth's and the Mays' and the Walter Johnson's. Looking back on history, I would have tried my best to avoid this classification and narrow down the standards necessary for entry. It's so hard to fathom being able to make this strategy work in this day of age, and I would never mean to take away from players who earned their place in the museum. If there was ever a time to reminisce on such a debate, it is now, because of the steroid era, the Pete Rose situation and so on. So, if we were to start all over, where would we go differently?
What would you do? How do you feel about the state of the Hall of Fame today?
Hey guys, Drew back here. When I first started my blog over 5 years ago (wow), this was one of the posts I had eventually anticipated to write. And even then, at the age of 12 did I know that this post had the potential to either be a horror story or a moment I'll never forget. It turned out to be a mix of both, but I was finally able to say that I met Reggie Jackson himself!
As he entered the building and I saw him among move towards his table, goosebumps filled in my bones. Perhaps the greatest postseason player of all time with the exception of Babe Ruth was right in front of me! All of a sudden, the collectors started chanting "REGGIE, REGGIE, REGGIE!" and I thought about his legendary World Series performance. He took notice of a little boy wearing a Yankee hat on the staircase, bent over and said hello, and I began to get the sense that this experience would be one I wouldn't forget.
Eventually we got our opportunity to say hello to Mr. October, and he was still in a decent mood by that point. He was caught up watching football on his iPad while trying to move the line along so he didn't speak much, but he gave us everything we asked for. He wasn't cheerful, but we hadn't expected him to be. I've heard so many horror stories about him signing in person, so I was more than happy with the way he treated us all. Oh, and the picture came out awesome.
But, it wasn't all good news. See if you can find Reggie's name on my Mantle photo. (Hint: try to find the worst possible location to sign in blue sharpie on the entire photo) The moment he saw my picture he immediately signed it without asking where to put his name, and signed right by Mantle's right knee. You can hardly see the autograph on the photo and it really is a shame given how much I paid for the autograph. Oh well. I thought about it, and really, it was fitting that Jackson and his big ego would do something stupid like this.
Along with my disappointing autograph though, I did at least get this free "Bobble Dobble" hand painted statue of Reggie! It's a pretty cool piece and I really appreciate JP's Sports giving everyone who bought Jackson tickets this for free. For all the money I've spent over the years, I've taken home a lot of memories and a lot of ink, but not a whole lot else. And it hasn't been cheap. Limited to 1008, this piece will certainly find a nice place in my mancave.
Overall, had Reggie just picked a different spot on my photo, this would've been a perfect moment with a player who certainly thought he was perfect. While I'm not normally a fan of cocky athletes, I think Reggie made up for his mouth with his performance, which is exceptionally rare. I'll always be a fan of his because he was a big part in helping the Yankees back up to the top.
Thanks Dad again for taking me down and helping me with some of the cost. I'll never forget this.
Hey guys, Drew back here. For the past week or so, most baseball fans heard about Harmon Killebrew going into hospice care after battling an incurable esophageal cancer since last December. Just today, Mr. Killebrew has passed away, at the age of 74. Harmon Killebrew was a heck of a hitter back in his days as a member of the Minnesota Twins. "The Killer" killed 573 baseballs in his career for home runs, which now ranks 11th of all time.
Beginning his career in 1954 for the then-Washington Senators, Killebrew struggled out of the get-go, and even had to be called down to the minors for a little while longer. Since he was still very young, he didn't let the tough start in the majors affect him, until 1958 when he was called up to become the Senators starting 3rd baseman. His first full season in the majors was 1959, where he again struggled early, but heated up extremely well by the All Star break, with 28 home runs at that point to his credit. At this time there were 2 All Star games in a season, and Killebrew started in the 1st and was a reserve on the 2nd team. By the end of the year, his 42 home runs were tied for the American League lead, and the single season record for home runs as a Senator. After battling a nose injury for much of 1960, he still managed to hit 31 home runs in 124 total games. After that year, the Senators were moved to Minnesota, becoming the Twins.
Soon after the move to Minnesota, he was named the team captain, and proved worthy of it by hitting over 40 home runs for 4 straight years, including 48 in 1962 and 49 in 1964! An injury set back Killebrew in 1965, however, they did go on to win the AL Pennant that season. Two more strong seasons followed in 1966 and 1967, but again followed by a serious hamstring injury that hurt him in 1968. Once again, he came back and dominated in 1968, hitting 49 home runs and driving in 140 runs! He won the American League MVP award that year, probably the best season he ever had.
His career began to take a downward spiral after his incredible 1969 season, with the home run totals slowly going down along with hits, RBI, and a batting average that in 1974 was a career low .222. After that season, he was released by Minnesota, and was signed by the Kansas City Royals to a 1 year deal. Playing in 106 games, he hit 14 home runs and drove in 44 runs. After that 1975 season, Killebrew decided to retire.
On Killebrew's accomplishment list is 13 All Star game appearances, an MVP award, over 500 home runs, and an induction into the Hall of Fame in 1984. Not only was he perhaps one of the best sluggers the game has ever seen, but he was also a great man. He broadcasted for several teams including the Twins following his retirement, until some health problems arose. Throughout the late 1980's and early 1990's, he almost passed away due to several surgeries. Many say he was an incredible and quiet gentleman, including former umpire Ron Luciano, who said of "The Killer":
"The Killer was one of the most feared sluggers in baseball history, but he was also one of the nicest people ever to play the game. He was one of the few players who would go out of his way to compliment umpires on a good job, even if their calls went against him. I'd call a tough strike on him and he would turn around and say approvingly, "Good call." And he was the same way in the field. And he never did this to get help on close plays, as some players do. The man hit 573 major league home runs and no umpire ever swung a bat for him."
So, rest in peace Mr. Killebrew, you will always be remembered and missed by the baseball world.
