A Case for Moose
Mike Mussina’s retirement will set up an interesting choice for baseball writers in five years. While his last year will go down as his only 20-win season, there are reasons to cut him some slack on that front.
Why? The baseball strike of 1994-’95 that cancelled the ‘94 World Series. The strike also cut short two of Mussina’s finest seasons, when he easily could have won 20. In 1994, Moose’s 16 wins in a 112-game season ranked near the top of the American League. With nine more starts – a distinct possibility in a normal season – the magic 20-win plateau was within reach.
The strike also did Moose no favors in 1995. When players returned to work, the new season was set at only 144 games. Mussina did his part, leading the league with 19 wins on a losing team. He also topped the AL with 4 shutouts that year. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to guess that he might have won 20 with three or four more turns in the rotation.
With 270 career wins and a .638 win percentage, Mussina has a strong case for the Hall. The fact that he played his entire career in the American League East of the 1990s and 2000s is another plus. While not a first-ballot selection, Mussina has a compelling Hall of Fame resume that is hard to ignore.
Friday
Vets Tap Gordon for Honor
The Hall’s Veterans Committee took a step back in time this week when it honored the ‘other Joe’ from the 2nd Yankee dynasty (1930s-early 40s). Not talking about DiMaggio, of course, but about the committee’s selection of 2B Joe Gordon for 2009.
The recent vets’ ballot had 20 former players, and only Gordon made the cut. He has some impressive accomplishments: 1942 AL MVP and a leader on many championship teams, though he never gained election from the baseball writers. Still, his path to Cooperstown was probably inevitable once the veterans elected his chief competitor for 2B glory, Bobby Doerr, in 1986.
Doerr and Gordon were the best AL second basemen of the 1940s. Though both played in the shadow of superstars (Ted Williams in Boston and DiMaggio in New York), each made nine appearances on the All-Star team. Playing half his games at Fenway, the Red Sox’ Doerr had a distinct edge in batting average and RBIs. But it’s clear that on several key markers, Gordon had an advantage:
MVP vote: Gordon finished in the top 10 five times, winning in 1942. Doerr was in the top 10 twice but never won the award.
Power: Both had strong HR power for their position. But Gordon hit 30 more dingers in about 1,400 fewer at-bats.
Championships: Gordon was a key player on 5 World Champions (4 in N.Y. and 1 in Cleveland), while Doerr’s Sox lost in his only visit to the Series.
Are their infielders with better numbers than Gordon who aren’t in the Hall? Yes. But in an often subjective veterans’ voting system over many decades, it’s no surprise that Gordon finally got his due.
As for Ron Santo, this blogger's choice among those on the latest ballot, it's still a waiting game.
The Hall’s Veterans Committee took a step back in time this week when it honored the ‘other Joe’ from the 2nd Yankee dynasty (1930s-early 40s). Not talking about DiMaggio, of course, but about the committee’s selection of 2B Joe Gordon for 2009.
The recent vets’ ballot had 20 former players, and only Gordon made the cut. He has some impressive accomplishments: 1942 AL MVP and a leader on many championship teams, though he never gained election from the baseball writers. Still, his path to Cooperstown was probably inevitable once the veterans elected his chief competitor for 2B glory, Bobby Doerr, in 1986.
Doerr and Gordon were the best AL second basemen of the 1940s. Though both played in the shadow of superstars (Ted Williams in Boston and DiMaggio in New York), each made nine appearances on the All-Star team. Playing half his games at Fenway, the Red Sox’ Doerr had a distinct edge in batting average and RBIs. But it’s clear that on several key markers, Gordon had an advantage:
MVP vote: Gordon finished in the top 10 five times, winning in 1942. Doerr was in the top 10 twice but never won the award.
Power: Both had strong HR power for their position. But Gordon hit 30 more dingers in about 1,400 fewer at-bats.
Championships: Gordon was a key player on 5 World Champions (4 in N.Y. and 1 in Cleveland), while Doerr’s Sox lost in his only visit to the Series.
Are their infielders with better numbers than Gordon who aren’t in the Hall? Yes. But in an often subjective veterans’ voting system over many decades, it’s no surprise that Gordon finally got his due.
As for Ron Santo, this blogger's choice among those on the latest ballot, it's still a waiting game.
Vets Ballot: The Candidates, Please
The Baseball Hall of Fame Veterans Committee is getting ready to report on its most recent work – evaluating 20 retired players for possible inclusion in the Hall. Some musings on a few of the candidates:
Vern Stephens, SS
As a history-minded fan, I’m excited to see Stephens’ name on the ballot. It’s overdue credit for the best power-hitting shortstop before the likes of Ernie Banks and Cal Ripken, Jr. How good was Stephens? From 1948-1950, he posted seasons of 137, 155 and 144 RBI, averaging more than 30 HRs a year (in hitter-friendly Fenway, admittedly). Before that, however, he was a perennial MVP candidate on the backwater St. Louis Browns. It’s amazing that he never received any serious consideration from writers after his retirement in 1955. Still, his career totals fall a little short of Hall caliber. Like many very good actors who finally get an Oscar nod but don’t win, Stephens’ nomination this year is the award.
Gil Hodges, 1B / Mgr.
An eight-time All Star as a player and the manager of the ’69 Miracle Mets, Hodges has strong credentials so it’s curious that he never gained entrance in the past. His power numbers (370 HR, 1,274 RBI) are strong but not dazzling, especially with so many at-bats in cozy Ebbets Field. His overall record as a manager is sub-.500, but he had some tough assignments (Washington Senators and the Mets of the 1960s). What’s interesting is that his woeful Senators’ teams always showed improvement from year to year, and the Mets’ title remains a miracle given their offense. Still, I think he falls a little short of the honor.
Allie Reynolds, P
A well-known pitcher on many high-profile Yankee teams, Reynolds won 182 regular season games plus 7 more in the World Series. But like popular TV star James Garner’s 1985 Best Actor nod for the movie Murphy’s Romance, the nomination is the award (see Stephens, above).
Ron Santo, 3B
OK, this is the guy who should get in. Voters are notoriously stingy about placing third basemen in the Hall of Fame, while they always seem overly generous with shortstops, outfielders and first basemen. For those who played since the Great Depression, it seems third basemen need 500 HRs (Mathews and Schmidt), 3,000 hits (Boggs and Brett) or record-breaking defense (Brooks Robinson) to make the Hall. There's simply no nuance there for guys who are just short of those very high standards (with the curious exception of George Kell, a Vet Committee choice). Santo's 342 HRs, 1,300+ RBIs, nine All-Star games and 5 Gold Gloves at a demanding position -- most of it during the pitching-friendly 1960s -- are worthy of the game's highest honor. The fact that he accomplished this in 15 seasons while battling diabetes makes it all the more impressive.
The Baseball Hall of Fame Veterans Committee is getting ready to report on its most recent work – evaluating 20 retired players for possible inclusion in the Hall. Some musings on a few of the candidates:
Vern Stephens, SS
As a history-minded fan, I’m excited to see Stephens’ name on the ballot. It’s overdue credit for the best power-hitting shortstop before the likes of Ernie Banks and Cal Ripken, Jr. How good was Stephens? From 1948-1950, he posted seasons of 137, 155 and 144 RBI, averaging more than 30 HRs a year (in hitter-friendly Fenway, admittedly). Before that, however, he was a perennial MVP candidate on the backwater St. Louis Browns. It’s amazing that he never received any serious consideration from writers after his retirement in 1955. Still, his career totals fall a little short of Hall caliber. Like many very good actors who finally get an Oscar nod but don’t win, Stephens’ nomination this year is the award.
Gil Hodges, 1B / Mgr.
An eight-time All Star as a player and the manager of the ’69 Miracle Mets, Hodges has strong credentials so it’s curious that he never gained entrance in the past. His power numbers (370 HR, 1,274 RBI) are strong but not dazzling, especially with so many at-bats in cozy Ebbets Field. His overall record as a manager is sub-.500, but he had some tough assignments (Washington Senators and the Mets of the 1960s). What’s interesting is that his woeful Senators’ teams always showed improvement from year to year, and the Mets’ title remains a miracle given their offense. Still, I think he falls a little short of the honor.
Allie Reynolds, P
A well-known pitcher on many high-profile Yankee teams, Reynolds won 182 regular season games plus 7 more in the World Series. But like popular TV star James Garner’s 1985 Best Actor nod for the movie Murphy’s Romance, the nomination is the award (see Stephens, above).
Ron Santo, 3B
OK, this is the guy who should get in. Voters are notoriously stingy about placing third basemen in the Hall of Fame, while they always seem overly generous with shortstops, outfielders and first basemen. For those who played since the Great Depression, it seems third basemen need 500 HRs (Mathews and Schmidt), 3,000 hits (Boggs and Brett) or record-breaking defense (Brooks Robinson) to make the Hall. There's simply no nuance there for guys who are just short of those very high standards (with the curious exception of George Kell, a Vet Committee choice). Santo's 342 HRs, 1,300+ RBIs, nine All-Star games and 5 Gold Gloves at a demanding position -- most of it during the pitching-friendly 1960s -- are worthy of the game's highest honor. The fact that he accomplished this in 15 seasons while battling diabetes makes it all the more impressive.
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