Who should be in the HOF, but is not?

[nosterbor]

"Shoeless" Joe Jackson

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Beat me to it.

 

[mrmopar]

I had to look up Mullane and Hines, as I had never heard of them, like a lot of pre 1900s players I suppose.

I'd like to see a number of better 60s-80s players get in, as the attitude towards the HOF seems to be getting more and elitist and restrictive. I still say at less than 2% of the all-time baseball rosters, the HOF has plenty of room for another 20-30 players.

You touched on a few and I'd add guys like Al Oliver, Willie Davis, Dave Parker, Steve Garvey, etc.

NOTE: I did zero research before typing this. so feel free to disagree with my opinion.

There has been a lot of posts lately regarding Tim Raines and whether or not he is a HOFer, so I decided to make my own "Not in the HOF, but should be lineup". I have left off those who will probably will get in (Bagwell, Hoffman, etc.) and those who are not yet eligible (Vlad, Pudge, etc.)


P Jack Morris/Tony Mullane
C Ted Simmons
1B Fred McGriff
2B Lou Whitaker
SS Alan Trammell
3B Dick Allen
OF Paul Hines
OF Vada Pinson
OF Tony Oliva

Who is on your team?

 

[Austin]

Can someone please help me understand why Sammy Sosa deserves HOF induction?
The guy needed juice just to be any good at baseball.
Before the HR chase of '98, he was basically a nobody.

Either you didn't watch baseball before '98, or you blocked it from your memory.

Before '98, Sosa was a rising superstar, already had two 30/30 seasons by age 26 and received MVP votes in '95, '96 and '97.

'93 - 33 homers, 36 steals, 93 rbi
'94 - 25 homers, 22 steals, 70 rbi (strike-shortened year)
'95 - 36 homers, 34 steals, 119 rbi
'96 - 40 homers, 18 steals, 100 rbi
'97 - 36 homers, 22 steals, 119 rbi

Sosa was certainly a star player and basically Bonds-lite before he got massive on steroids in '98.
Ironically, he became a one-trick player after he abused steroids because he couldn't run anymore.

 

[patrick182]

Either you didn't watch baseball before '98, or you blocked it from your memory.

Before '98, Sosa was a rising superstar, already had two 30/30 seasons by age 26 and received MVP votes in '95, '96 and '97.

'93 - 33 homers, 36 steals, 93 rbi
'94 - 25 homers, 22 steals, 70 rbi (strike-shortened year)
'95 - 36 homers, 34 steals, 119 rbi
'96 - 40 homers, 18 steals, 100 rbi
'97 - 36 homers, 22 steals, 119 rbi

Sosa was certainly a star player and basically Bonds-lite before he got massive on steroids in '98.
Ironically, he became a one-trick player after he abused steroids because he couldn't run anymore.

You've made a good point. <nod> I will agree with you; Sosa had potential but like Bonds, he blew it with the PED thing. Regardless, however, Sosa's stats are hardly acceptable for HOF consideration.

Honestly though, did anyone really care about him before '98? While I don't have any old price guides in front of me, I can feel at least partially confident in assuming that his cards really didn't even book until '98. I just think that the Sosa hype is primarily chalked up to the '98 HR chase.

I will say this, however, he and McGwire are to thank for maintaining our country's interest in baseball after the Ripken Gehrig 2131 game streak, which was exactly what we needed after the devastating Strike of '95 and for that I will always appreciate those guys. I don't even care about the HOF conversation as it relates to Sosa and McGwire because it's a moot point. Their importance relates to keeping baseball interesting.

 

[MetalAndy]

McGwire, Clemens, Bonds, and ARod would have all made the Hall without steroids. It's a shame they had to ruin it like that. Do they deserve to be in since they cheated? No, I guess not. But I feel like a lot of the older players that are in the Hall abused alcohol and drugs. Not to say this gave them an advantage. (well maybe the coke) But are these the kind of people that should be in the HOF? If you can be a drunk or use drugs and make it in, then let Pete Rose in too. Just my opinion.

 

[Jack Straw]

Interesting discussion on Sosa. I can say I never thought of him when I was collecting in those years heavy. Honestly I had to go and pull the 2 90 Topps Tiffanys out of their box pretty much untouched except for the Thomas and Griffey's.
I know you say they saved Baseball in 98 but if that was the case for Hall nomination then Canseco and Mattingly and heck Gooden and Strawberry pretty much carried Baseball from 83 to 95ish..

 

[patrick182]

Interesting discussion on Sosa. I can say I never thought of him when I was collecting in those years heavy. Honestly I had to go and pull the 2 90 Topps Tiffanys out of their box pretty much untouched except for the Thomas and Griffey's.
I know you say they saved Baseball in 98 but if that was the case for Hall nomination then Canseco and Mattingly and heck Gooden and Strawberry pretty much carried Baseball from 83 to 95ish..

While Sosa has exactly zero chance of making the HOF, he did play an important role in keeping baseball exciting during a time of recovery.

 

[matfanofold]

If PED users are being considered then the all but forgotten Rafael Palmeiro should be remembered.

 

[ChasHawk]

I think you put that nicely. I think Bonds, Clemens and Alex Rodriguez would have been in regardless of PEDs. Its a lot harder to argue that with Mac and Sosa but they were huge in bringing some fans back to baseball in 98

How do we know for sure when Bonds started doping? A-rod was busted twice, wasn't he?

 

[ChasHawk]

Either you didn't watch baseball before '98, or you blocked it from your memory.

Before '98, Sosa was a rising superstar, already had two 30/30 seasons by age 26 and received MVP votes in '95, '96 and '97.

'93 - 33 homers, 36 steals, 93 rbi
'94 - 25 homers, 22 steals, 70 rbi (strike-shortened year)
'95 - 36 homers, 34 steals, 119 rbi
'96 - 40 homers, 18 steals, 100 rbi
'97 - 36 homers, 22 steals, 119 rbi

Sosa was certainly a star player and basically Bonds-lite before he got massive on steroids in '98.
Ironically, he became a one-trick player after he abused steroids because he couldn't run anymore.

He also had 15, 10, and 8 from 90-92.

He didn't start using in 98.

 

[bongo870]

Ryan Howard

 

[WCTYSON]

How do we know for sure when Bonds started doping? A-rod was busted twice, wasn't he?

He also had 15, 10, and 8 from 90-92.

He didn't start using in 98.

Great point. I find it funny that people say so and so player started in year x because that is when his numbers were above career averages, while it is likely they doped long before. Players such as Sosa, Bonds, Clemens, etc. should never be inducted into the HOF but what they accomplished can certainly be noted there. Rose too, should never be inducted but should be noted and used as a cautionary tale.

 

[ChasHawk]

I'm fairly certain there is already plenty of Rose/Bonds/Clemens/Sosa/McGwire memorabilia in the hall.