From the All-Time seasons' team series emerges the All-Time not-in-HOF team! But before we get into the good stuff, here are some rules. This is a general and vague idea that needs some ironing out to avoid confusion. We're focusing on non-steroid users and non-gamblers, so no Barry, Pete, or Shoeless Joe. Sorry.
We're also only focusing on guys who have fallen off the ballot, not guys who aren't eligible yet. So, no, Mike Trout and Clayton Kershaw, because those guys are first-ballot HOF players, defeating the exercise's purpose.
Also, I'll include a little info on each player and decide whether I think he should be in the HOF or not because while every player on this list is great, unfortunately not everyone can be HOF-great.
So, without further ado, we'll discuss a standard lineup and a starting and relief pitcher, with each receiving an honorable mention.
Catcher: Jorge Posada
Unfortunately, this list will include many Yankees, so I'll try not to throw up while I'm writing this. Posada was a winner. The catcher of the Jeter-era Yankees dynasty of the late 90s, Posada sported a robust 121 OPS+ and made five All-Star teams while winning five Silver Sluggers. But where Posada lacked is in the counting stats and any stellar defensive reputation.
So, I'm going to thumbs down Posada's HOF case. Score one for Yankees haters.
HM: Thurmon Munson
A career tragically cut short, Munson was very well on track to making the HOF but simply didn't play long enough to make it in via the voters. But despite Munson being my "Honorable Mention" on this team, I'd be inclined to let him in because his death was so tragic and untimely. He won an MVP, and he still amassed 46.1 WAR over a decade of playing time.
Give Munson his due, let him get a plaque in the Hall.
First Base: Don Mattingly
One of the biggest head-scratching snubs on this list regarding being let into the Hall, Mattingly was considered one of the best players in his time. He was elite defensively at first and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting in four consecutive years, winning one in '85 and coming in second the next season with hitting numbers that put him at or near the top of the league almost across the board. What he lacks is the longevity many seek, as injuries derailed what was an otherwise legendary career.
Mattingly's standing in baseball makes me question why he hasn't been let in yet. He's considered one of the OGs of the game, widely respected by everyone and not a negative thing has been said about him. So why isn't he in yet?
HM: Keith Hernandez
Another confusing omission by the voters, Hernandez shares a similar profile to Mattingly in that he was elite defensively, had a ridiculous peak with an MVP sprinkled in, and multiple Gold Gloves and Silver Sluggers.
Hernandez actually has a higher WAR total at 60.3, which might convince some that he is even more deserving than Mattingly. I'm not going to push back on that too much. I just enjoy Mattingly's peak more than Hernandez's longevity.
2B: Bobby Grich
Almost everyone on this list will mention this, but Grich is 100% a slam-dunk HOF-caliber player. He had a 71.1 WAR, six All-Star teams, and a season in 1981 that might be one of the best ever for the position in terms of rate stats, with a league-leading OPS+ and his usual elite defense. The issue is that he only played in 100 games that year, leading to his being left off the All-Star team that year but getting some down-ballot MVP votes.
HM: Lou Whitaker
Another personal favorite of mine in terms of historic players, Whitaker formed a dynamic middle infield duo in Detroit during the 80s with HOF shortstop Alan Trammell. Whitaker racked up a 75.1 WAR by contributing world-class defense at second and consistently above-average hitting, with both slug and on-base skills.
His being overshadowed by Trammell might have something to do with voters not giving Whitaker the respect he deserves, but isn't that what Veteran's Committees are for?
3B: Buddy Bell
Third is probably the thinnest position on this list, as neither Bell nor the honorable mention is likely to earn much of a HOF argument from me, but I'm also not one to shame celebrating as many players as possible.
Bell (father of Reds manager David Bell) had a long, fantastic career at the hot corner where, if it weren't for Brooks Robinson rightfully winning the award every year for the first part of Bell's time in the majors, Bell might have cracked double digits in the Gold Glove count.
He combined that elite defense with slightly above-average offense, even being an MVP candidate for a few years in his prime, but never quite being elite offensively, holding back quite a bit of his value and candidacy in my eyes.
HM: Graig Nettles
The other slick-fielding third baseman of the '70s and '80s comes in the form of Mr. Nettles, who coupled that great glove work at the hot corner with quite a bit of thump, nearly cracking the 400-home run mark.
Nettles might have a stronger case for the Hall than Bell if you focus more on his offense and the fact that he played for the Yankees (writers love New York), but, like Bell, I think he might still fall a bit short.
SS: Bert Campaneris
A pure, glove-first shortstop, Campaneris roamed the field during the times of light-hitting, defensive-minded middle infielders. And while he was light-hitting, Campaneris was also as solid as they come at the shortstop position.
Unfortunately, Campaneris's lackluster bat is not entirely compensated for by that other-worldly defense (unlike the GOAT Ozzie Smith), and I think he's just shy of making it into Cooperstown.
HM: Jim Fregosi
The good news about the shortstop position is that voters were not overly picky. This position is thin in regard to players who slipped through the cracks, and while Fregosi had a wonderful, prominent career, he, too, falls short of my HOF standards.
Playing mostly for the Angels and Rangers in the 1960s and 1970s, Fregosi made six All-Star teams while out west and did so in a similar fashion to Campaneris, mostly through his defensive prowess.
His bat lagged and lacked thump, so Fregosi sits in the Hall of Very Good, but he is worth a mention on this team.
Main Image via
Comments