I get unreasonably worked up about the Hall of Fame voting process and glaring omissions combined with unworthy candidates. To be fair - some players who weren't all that great now in retrospect were elected many years ago when they were worthier, so this is weighted more towards the snubs. If given druthers, these would be my do-overs. I'll stick to offense since this is going to be long.
Catcher - Catcher is the least represented of the positions in the Hall (16 being in) and I think they get shafted for 3 reasons. a) Voters unrealistic offensive expectations compared to other positions, b) lack of counting stats/WAR accumulation due to fewer games being played, and c) imperfect valuation for defensive impact/intangibles.
Should be in: Ted Simmons is the most obvious one for me. Joe Torre should have been in as a player since he played more games at catcher than than other positions and managed 62 career WAR (7th all time). Gene Tenace was criminally snubbed. He's tied with Piazza for the highest wRC+ ever for a catcher (140).
1B - Dick Allen suffered from being a prick to the media, but putting up a wRC+ of 155 really should have nullified that and then some, considering that number is a point higher than Frank Thomas. He also had a relatively short career. I'm slightly biased as I did a fantasy camp a long time ago and he was super nice to me and the other kids. Frank Chance isn't the worst player in the hall - he was a really good hitter, but the cutesy Tinkers to Evers to Chance double play combo really shouldn't include the first baseman. That's more of a nitpick though.
2B - Bobby Grich is the sufferer of a lack of counting stats aside from his 68 career WAR which was heavily weighed by his defense. Lou Whitaker to a much lesser degree was overlooked as relative afterthoughts. Red Schoendienst was elected to the Hall in 1989. Red Schoendienst? It's not like he died 50 years ago. He's still alive.
SS - There are fewer than 5 well known names who managed a higher wRC+ of 120 prior to the late 90's offensive explosion. The bar is a bit too high now, and I think Alan Trammell suffered way too much because of that. I think if you put up an above league bat and are a gold glover, you deserve a closer look. Ozzie Smith didn't even manage that, but he was the greatest defensive shortstop (player?) of all time, so I have no issue with him being in.
3b - Third base and 2b are weighed the same when it comes to defensive impact but for some reason the offensive bar has been really high for candidates to get in. Otherwise it's hard to reconcile how many of them get in. Graig Nettles and Buddy Bell are maybe two guys who could have gotten a closer look, but were more hurt by being fantastic defenders and just good bats. Scott Rolen will be an interesting test. Again - Dick Allen shafted. Highest wRC+ ever by a 3b. Edgar Martinez - not really a 3b, but obviously deserving because of the bat.
RF - Dewey. The weird thing about Dewey is that fangraphs rated his defense as below average for his career and despite that he still 14th in WAR among right fielders http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=rf&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=y&type=8&season=2017&month=0&season1=1871&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&sort=21,d. Dave Winfield was a shoo in despite a comparable slash line and worse defense because of 3000 hits and counting stats. Larry Walker was a better all around player than both and will probably not get in until he's reconsidered way down the line.
CF - Centerfield - The defensive positional adjustment is 10 points higher than the other corner outfield spots. The weight can be argued, but Kenny Lofton deserved a closer look since he added the 5th highest defensive value of all time for a rightfielder. I hope Andruw Jones is shown some love for that. His gap between being the greatest and 2nd place is larger than any other position. http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=cf&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=y&type=8&season=2017&month=0&season1=1871&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&sort=20,d
LF - In general, I think voters have done well here. I don't think Lou Brock and his baserunning made him worthy on his own. He slashed .293/.343/.410 and was not a good defensive player. Steals were the shit back then, though.
DH - none other than Martinez mentioned above.
Who would you omit or add, or what would you change about inclusion?
Catcher - Catcher is the least represented of the positions in the Hall (16 being in) and I think they get shafted for 3 reasons. a) Voters unrealistic offensive expectations compared to other positions, b) lack of counting stats/WAR accumulation due to fewer games being played, and c) imperfect valuation for defensive impact/intangibles.
Should be in: Ted Simmons is the most obvious one for me. Joe Torre should have been in as a player since he played more games at catcher than than other positions and managed 62 career WAR (7th all time). Gene Tenace was criminally snubbed. He's tied with Piazza for the highest wRC+ ever for a catcher (140).
1B - Dick Allen suffered from being a prick to the media, but putting up a wRC+ of 155 really should have nullified that and then some, considering that number is a point higher than Frank Thomas. He also had a relatively short career. I'm slightly biased as I did a fantasy camp a long time ago and he was super nice to me and the other kids. Frank Chance isn't the worst player in the hall - he was a really good hitter, but the cutesy Tinkers to Evers to Chance double play combo really shouldn't include the first baseman. That's more of a nitpick though.
2B - Bobby Grich is the sufferer of a lack of counting stats aside from his 68 career WAR which was heavily weighed by his defense. Lou Whitaker to a much lesser degree was overlooked as relative afterthoughts. Red Schoendienst was elected to the Hall in 1989. Red Schoendienst? It's not like he died 50 years ago. He's still alive.
SS - There are fewer than 5 well known names who managed a higher wRC+ of 120 prior to the late 90's offensive explosion. The bar is a bit too high now, and I think Alan Trammell suffered way too much because of that. I think if you put up an above league bat and are a gold glover, you deserve a closer look. Ozzie Smith didn't even manage that, but he was the greatest defensive shortstop (player?) of all time, so I have no issue with him being in.
3b - Third base and 2b are weighed the same when it comes to defensive impact but for some reason the offensive bar has been really high for candidates to get in. Otherwise it's hard to reconcile how many of them get in. Graig Nettles and Buddy Bell are maybe two guys who could have gotten a closer look, but were more hurt by being fantastic defenders and just good bats. Scott Rolen will be an interesting test. Again - Dick Allen shafted. Highest wRC+ ever by a 3b. Edgar Martinez - not really a 3b, but obviously deserving because of the bat.
RF - Dewey. The weird thing about Dewey is that fangraphs rated his defense as below average for his career and despite that he still 14th in WAR among right fielders http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=rf&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=y&type=8&season=2017&month=0&season1=1871&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&sort=21,d. Dave Winfield was a shoo in despite a comparable slash line and worse defense because of 3000 hits and counting stats. Larry Walker was a better all around player than both and will probably not get in until he's reconsidered way down the line.
CF - Centerfield - The defensive positional adjustment is 10 points higher than the other corner outfield spots. The weight can be argued, but Kenny Lofton deserved a closer look since he added the 5th highest defensive value of all time for a rightfielder. I hope Andruw Jones is shown some love for that. His gap between being the greatest and 2nd place is larger than any other position. http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=cf&stats=bat&lg=all&qual=y&type=8&season=2017&month=0&season1=1871&ind=0&team=0&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&sort=20,d
LF - In general, I think voters have done well here. I don't think Lou Brock and his baserunning made him worthy on his own. He slashed .293/.343/.410 and was not a good defensive player. Steals were the shit back then, though.
DH - none other than Martinez mentioned above.
Who would you omit or add, or what would you change about inclusion?
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