redsmetz
12-21-2008, 09:26 AM
A controversial suggestion in a column in today's NY Times. But it's interesting to see players who didn't make the initial cut juxtaposed with their contemporaries. Another player not mentioned is my wife's second cousin, Tom Henke, who finished his career in the top ten of lifetime saves leaders, but garnered a paltry number of votes for the HOF when it came time. Now I don't think he's a Hall of Famer, but I was surprised at the complete lack of any note of his accomplishments.
I do like what the writer says at the end about adding some voters from the non-print community.
Keeping Score
Baseball Hall of Fame Needs to Change 5 Percent Rule
By DAN ROSENHECK
Hall of Fame voters are a fickle bunch. Neither Jim Rice nor Bert Blyleven has done anything to bolster his candidacy for enshrinement in Cooperstown since retiring. Yet their shares of the vote have increased to 72.2 percent and 61.9 percent last year from 29.4 percent and 14.1 percent 10 years ago. Clearly, the hundreds of baseball writers who determine who receives a plaque need every one of the 15 years they are given to consider each player to render their verdict.
Yet a little-noticed quirk of the Hall’s voting procedures has denied a vast majority of candidates their due period of deliberation. To prevent the electorate from being swamped by an overwhelmingly long list of choices, the organization permanently removes everyone from the ballot who fails to attain 5 percent of the vote in any year. This condemns those players to obscurity because their names will be excluded from the annual ballot debate among baseball pundits nationwide.
As mainstream baseball reporters have become more familiar with the sophisticated quantitative tools now available to assess players’ value, their collective judgment has evolved. As a result, some players whose skills have been underappreciated would probably benefit from strong campaigns of support today. Unfortunately, many have been dropped from the ballot, and their omissions are no less glaring than the current statistical causes célèbre of Blyleven, Alan Trammell and Tim Raines.
Perhaps the single most egregious victim of the 5 percent rule is Bobby Grich, who makes for a fascinating comparison with Rod Carew, his rival for the title of top American League second baseman of the 1970s.
Carew was unusual for the concentration of his value in a single skill, batting average. Grich did absolutely everything in the game brilliantly — except hit for average.
Although Carew actually spent more time at first base than at second, and was merely adequate at second, Grich was one of the top defenders at his position. Carew’s aggressive style limited his ability to draw walks, but Grich was one of his era’s most patient hitters. And although Carew had little extra-base pop, Grich was a feared slugger.
On balance, Grich and Carew were equally useful to their teams over their careers. Yet Carew was chosen for the Hall on the first ballot in 1991, and Grich dropped off after receiving 2.6 percent of the vote in his first year of eligibility, 1992.
Another player who suffered because of the policy is Ted Simmons, who is almost certainly one of the 10 most valuable catchers in major league history. His combined on-base and slugging percentages were 24 percent above the league average, a figure surpassed by only six players with more than 1,400 games caught in the majors. And his defense behind the plate was roughly average, which is hardly a strike against him. Perhaps because he was overshadowed by a remarkable crop of catchers in the 1970s, led by Johnny Bench, Carlton Fisk and Gary Carter, Simmons too lasted just one year on the ballot, receiving 3.7 percent of the vote in 1994.
Lost in the (highly justified) clamor for the selection of Trammell is the case of his double-play partner, Lou Whitaker. Although Whitaker was less valuable than Trammell in the field because he played second base rather than shortstop, he was superior with the bat, bettering Trammell’s career on-base and slugging percentages by 11 points each. In Trammell’s and Whitaker’s first 11 years together, the Tigers never finished below .500. Both members of their keystone combination deserve enshrinement, but only one is regularly mentioned as a candidate: Whitaker received 2.9 percent of the vote when he hit the ballot in 2001.
Finally, the fates of Darrell and Dwight Evans have been intertwined by more than their names. For about 20 major league seasons, they were tremendously disciplined hitters, regularly appearing on walk leader boards. They had good power but fell short of 500 home runs. And they made significant contributions with the glove: Dwight’s arm in right field was justifiably celebrated, and modern fielding statistics show Darrell had excellent range as a young third baseman.
The Evanses were probably more valuable than their contemporary Dave Winfield. But Winfield’s 3,000 hits punched his ticket to the Hall, and neither Evans remains on the ballot. Darrell lasted one year, receiving 1.7 percent of the vote in 1995, and Dwight held on for three, being eliminated after a 3.6 percent showing in 1999.
Grich and Simmons have been retired for 20 years, so their cases will have to be taken up by the veterans committee no matter what. But by eliminating the 5 percent rule, the Hall could give Whitaker and the Evanses another shot, as well as other candidates deserving of consideration, like Will Clark, Keith Hernandez, Willie Randolph, Bret Saberhagen and Dave Stieb. As the Baseball Writers’ Association of America finally begins to open its doors to more statistically savvy Internet journalists — Rob Neyer and Keith Law of ESPN.com were admitted this year — it should give such journalists the chance to express their support for every player worthy of induction.
I do like what the writer says at the end about adding some voters from the non-print community.
Keeping Score
Baseball Hall of Fame Needs to Change 5 Percent Rule
By DAN ROSENHECK
Hall of Fame voters are a fickle bunch. Neither Jim Rice nor Bert Blyleven has done anything to bolster his candidacy for enshrinement in Cooperstown since retiring. Yet their shares of the vote have increased to 72.2 percent and 61.9 percent last year from 29.4 percent and 14.1 percent 10 years ago. Clearly, the hundreds of baseball writers who determine who receives a plaque need every one of the 15 years they are given to consider each player to render their verdict.
Yet a little-noticed quirk of the Hall’s voting procedures has denied a vast majority of candidates their due period of deliberation. To prevent the electorate from being swamped by an overwhelmingly long list of choices, the organization permanently removes everyone from the ballot who fails to attain 5 percent of the vote in any year. This condemns those players to obscurity because their names will be excluded from the annual ballot debate among baseball pundits nationwide.
As mainstream baseball reporters have become more familiar with the sophisticated quantitative tools now available to assess players’ value, their collective judgment has evolved. As a result, some players whose skills have been underappreciated would probably benefit from strong campaigns of support today. Unfortunately, many have been dropped from the ballot, and their omissions are no less glaring than the current statistical causes célèbre of Blyleven, Alan Trammell and Tim Raines.
Perhaps the single most egregious victim of the 5 percent rule is Bobby Grich, who makes for a fascinating comparison with Rod Carew, his rival for the title of top American League second baseman of the 1970s.
Carew was unusual for the concentration of his value in a single skill, batting average. Grich did absolutely everything in the game brilliantly — except hit for average.
Although Carew actually spent more time at first base than at second, and was merely adequate at second, Grich was one of the top defenders at his position. Carew’s aggressive style limited his ability to draw walks, but Grich was one of his era’s most patient hitters. And although Carew had little extra-base pop, Grich was a feared slugger.
On balance, Grich and Carew were equally useful to their teams over their careers. Yet Carew was chosen for the Hall on the first ballot in 1991, and Grich dropped off after receiving 2.6 percent of the vote in his first year of eligibility, 1992.
Another player who suffered because of the policy is Ted Simmons, who is almost certainly one of the 10 most valuable catchers in major league history. His combined on-base and slugging percentages were 24 percent above the league average, a figure surpassed by only six players with more than 1,400 games caught in the majors. And his defense behind the plate was roughly average, which is hardly a strike against him. Perhaps because he was overshadowed by a remarkable crop of catchers in the 1970s, led by Johnny Bench, Carlton Fisk and Gary Carter, Simmons too lasted just one year on the ballot, receiving 3.7 percent of the vote in 1994.
Lost in the (highly justified) clamor for the selection of Trammell is the case of his double-play partner, Lou Whitaker. Although Whitaker was less valuable than Trammell in the field because he played second base rather than shortstop, he was superior with the bat, bettering Trammell’s career on-base and slugging percentages by 11 points each. In Trammell’s and Whitaker’s first 11 years together, the Tigers never finished below .500. Both members of their keystone combination deserve enshrinement, but only one is regularly mentioned as a candidate: Whitaker received 2.9 percent of the vote when he hit the ballot in 2001.
Finally, the fates of Darrell and Dwight Evans have been intertwined by more than their names. For about 20 major league seasons, they were tremendously disciplined hitters, regularly appearing on walk leader boards. They had good power but fell short of 500 home runs. And they made significant contributions with the glove: Dwight’s arm in right field was justifiably celebrated, and modern fielding statistics show Darrell had excellent range as a young third baseman.
The Evanses were probably more valuable than their contemporary Dave Winfield. But Winfield’s 3,000 hits punched his ticket to the Hall, and neither Evans remains on the ballot. Darrell lasted one year, receiving 1.7 percent of the vote in 1995, and Dwight held on for three, being eliminated after a 3.6 percent showing in 1999.
Grich and Simmons have been retired for 20 years, so their cases will have to be taken up by the veterans committee no matter what. But by eliminating the 5 percent rule, the Hall could give Whitaker and the Evanses another shot, as well as other candidates deserving of consideration, like Will Clark, Keith Hernandez, Willie Randolph, Bret Saberhagen and Dave Stieb. As the Baseball Writers’ Association of America finally begins to open its doors to more statistically savvy Internet journalists — Rob Neyer and Keith Law of ESPN.com were admitted this year — it should give such journalists the chance to express their support for every player worthy of induction.