MLB: Hall of Fame All Snubbed Team

Creating a team of snubs from the Baseball Hall of Fame comes with more controversy than other sports. Baseball has always seemed to have an attitude that comes with more standards, a sense of tradition and certain culture about it.

Major League Baseball is the only sport that has kept players out of the Hall of Fame that have otherwise earned spots with their play on the field.  Pete Rose and the 1919 White Sox have been kept out for gambling and the steroid ERA has too many players to name. If football kept players out of Canton for Steriods and gambling that would eliminate a sizeable portion of the inductees.

Baseball’s higher standards provide far more controversy for who belongs in the Hall than other sports. Will the Black Sox, Rose and PED users ever get enshrined? Probably not anytime soon.

The Hall of Fame has a double standard. Mike Piazza is being inducted and in 2002 he admitted to the New York Times that he had tried Andro and that players had been using amphetamines for generations.  Bob Nightengale of USA Today talked about how players that used PEDs are being punished but not those that used Amphetamines.

Piazza has said he briefly used androstenedione early in his career, stopping when he did not see a drastic change in his muscle mass. He said he had never used steroids because ”I hit the ball as far in high school as I do now.” ”If being big and strong is a prerequisite to hitting 70 home runs,” Piazza said, ”you’d have every Mr. Olympian contestant coming out because God knows there’s no money in body building, at least not the money we make.” Piazza said the use of another drug, amphetamines, has been ”going on for decades” in the majors.

An entire book could be written about what the code of conduct should be and who belongs in the Hall. Players in the distant past were known to be racists and womanizers and the use of the amphetamines (AKA Greenies).

Author H.A. Goodman had an excellent piece on Huffington Post about Steriods and baseball.

For the purposes of this list, these are players that belong in Hall of Fame by position with regards to on-field performance.

Next: Catcher

Courtesy USA Today

Catcher: Bill Freehan 

This was a tight race. Freehan and Elston Howard were elite catchers in the 1960’s and Ted Simmons was one of the best catchers during the 1970s and early 1980’s. Simmons was a great hitter and among the leaders in many offensive categories for the position. Thurman Munson would likely get more consideration if his career wasn’t cut short by a fatal plane crash in his 11th season.

Ultimately Freehan put up the most impressive numbers. Howard would likely have gotten the nod, but he was behind Yogi Berra until his was 30.

Freehan’s 11 all-star appearances are tied for ninth among catchers.  He and Howard have the most All-Star appearances by a  catcher not in the Hall-of-Fame. His seven consecutive All-Star Starts as the All-Star catcher is third all-time. Only Ivan Rodriguez‘s nine and Yogi Berra’s eight are ahead of Freehan.

Freehan’s five Gold Gloves are the fifth most by a catcher. His .993 fielding percentage was the major league record for a catcher from 1967-94. He was also the active leader from 1967-76. That stretch was during the same era as Johnny Bench, Carlton Fisk, Howard, and Munson.

Next: RHP

Right Handed Pitcher: Roger Clemens

Clemens will always be tied to the Steroid scandal. Accusations flew back and forth between Clemens and former personal trainer Brian McNamee. McNamee claimed that he injected Clemens with Steriods, Clemens, and his attorneys said McNamee was “disturbed and manufactured evidence of steroids injections” 

Clemens was a Hall of Fame pitcher before he was alleged to have begun taking steroids. Athlon sports had an excellent 2013 article looking at Clemens and Barry Bonds careers pre-steroids. They did an excellent job breaking down the stats pre and post alleged steroid usage.

Clemens is unquestionably the best right-handed starter not in the Hall-of-Fame.

Next: LHP

Another tough decision. This came down to Kaat and Tommy John. John could make the Hall of Fame solely on the contribution the cutting edge surgery Dr. Frank Jobe performed on him in 1974.

Freelance Writer Glenn Miller had a good blog post during the 2014 Hall of Fame weekend comparing Kaat and John and their Hall of Fame Snubs. John won 288 games. Kaat won 283 games. Only one pitcher in Major League Baseball pitched longer than Kaat and John. Nolan Ryan pitched 27 years, John 26 years and Kaat 25…. Kaat,set an obscure 20th century record by pitching during parts of seven presidential administrations, starting with Dwight Eisenhower and ending with Ronald Reagan. Ryan later tied the presidential record. Kaat was 25-13 for the Twins in 1966, leading the American League in wins and innings pitched (304 2/3). Kaat won 16 Gold Gloves, a total exceeded only by Greg Maddux’s 18. They’re the only two pitchers to ever win 10 or more Gold Gloves. John In between he had 18 seasons of 10 or more wins, including three seasons with 20 or more Like Kaat, he never won a Cy Young Award but he was a four-time All-Star and twice finished second in Cy Young voting. He never led his league in ERA but was in the top 5 six times. John…never led his league in wins but was second twice and third once. I’m puzzled they never received as much as a third of the votes on any given year in their combined 30 years on the ballot.

The difference was the Gold Gloves. While Kaat’s ten set the record for a pitcher at the time of his retirement, John never won a gold glove. They both deserve to be enshrined in Cooperstown.

Next: Righty Out of the 'Pen

Lee Smith: Right Handed Closer

Smith passed Jeff Reardon as the all-time saves leader in 1993. He was the active leader until he retired in 1997 and held the MLB record until it was broken by Trevor Hoffman in 2007. He is currently third on the all-time list behind Hoffman and Mariano Rivera. Rivera is a future Hall of Famer and Hoffman was close in his first season of eligibility this year with 67.4 percent of the vote.

Smith was a seven-time all-star that three times led the league in saves. His first and last times as the season saves leader came 11 years apart. He led the National League in 1983 with the Cubs and in 1994 with Baltimore.

He toiled mostly on bad teams. In 18 major league seasons, Smith appeared in only two postseasons, 1984 with the Cubs and 1988 with Boston.

Smith wasn’t as dominating as Hoffman or Rivera, not as intimidating as Rich Gossage, but for 19 Major League seasons, he was the most consistent and reliable closer in the game. For that, he belongs in Cooperstown.

Next: Lefty Reliever

Left-Handed Reliever: Billy Wagner

Wagner is the most dominant left-handed closer of all-time and maybe the most dominant closer of all-time. He is fifth all-time in saves and second all-time behind John Franco among left-handers. He accomplished it in fewer seasons that the four players ahead of him, Rivera, Hoffman, Smith, and Franco. Franco played five more seasons, but only had two more saves.

Despite being only 5’10, Wagner threw over 100 miles per hour. Even Wagner couldn’t explain how he was able to throw so hard. He was quoted in the New York times in 2006 discussing his fastball “To look at me it doesn’t make a lot of sense.

Wagner averaged 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings and 3.99 strikeouts to walks. He pitched 903 career innings. If Wagner had pitched 97 more he would have the major league record for strikeouts per nine innings. Hoffman and Smith, among others, pitched enough innings to qualify to rank in the top 20 in K/9.

The majority of Wagner’s saves occurred in meaningful games. Seven times in his career, Wagner played on postseason teams and did so with four different organizations. Wagner was a seven-time all-star and finished in the top ten in the National League in saves six times.

Next: First Base

First Baseman: Jeff Bagwell

There are 21 first baseman in the Hall of Fame. That is the third most among positions players. First base might have the most eligible players that are not in the Hall that belong. Gil Hodges, Dick Allen, Keith Hernandez, Steve Garvey and Mark McGwire are just some first basemen that have put up career numbers worthy of enshrinement into Cooperstown.

Jeff Bagwell is the best all-around first baseman not in the Hall of Fame. Bagwell got 71.5 percent of a necessary in the most recent voting. Seventy-five percent is necessary to get elected into the Hall of Fame.

Bagwell’s 202 career stolen bases rank 20th all-time among first basemen all-time and are the most since 1934. His career 79.6 WAR is sixth all-time for the position. Four of the top five are in the Hall of Fame and future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols is the fifth.

He ranks 15th all-time for first basemen in slugging percentage, on-base percentage and OPS and 18th in OPS+. Bagwell hit .297 with 421 career home runs and 1529 career RBIs. He was the 1991 Rookie of the Year,  the 1994 National League MVP and gold glove first baseman, and finished in the top ten in NL MVP voting six times.

The Astros went to seven postseasons in Bagwell’s 15 years.

Next: Second Base

Second Baseman: Jeff Kent

Kent ranks among the greatest second basemen in most career offensive categories. He is first in home runs, third in RBIs, sixth in slugging and OPS. He was a six-time silver slugger, five-time all-star, and the 2000 National League Most Valuable Player.

Often pegged as a difficult teammate, Kent played in seven different post-seasons with four different franchises.

During the prime of his career between 1997-2005, Kent had seven 100 RBI seasons in eight years. In 2003, Kent missed 32 games and still drove in 93 runs.

Next: Shortstop

Shortstop: Alan Trammell

Shortstop has a lot of Hall of Fame candidates whose careers are borderline Hall of Famers. Trammell is one of only two players in the top 18 in WAR among shortstops that are eligible and not in the Hall.  Bill Dahlen who played in the late 1800s is the other. Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter are in the top 18 and not yet eligible.

Trammell went to six all-star games won four Gold Gloves, three Silver Sluggers, and finished in the top ten in MVP voting three times.

Next: Third Base

Third Baseman: Ken Boyer

Boyer was one of the best defensive third basemen of his era. He spent the first 11 years of his career in St. Louis. The best years of his career came with the Cardinals. Boyer hit .293 with 255 home runs and 1,001 RBIs with St. Louis. He finished his career hitting. 288 with 282 home run and 1,141 RBIs.

All of his award winnings seasons came with the Cardinals. Boyer’s five gold gloves are seventh among third basemen, he made seven all-star games, including six in a row from 1959-64 and won the 1964 MVP award.

He finished the final four seasons of his career with the Mets, White Sox, and Dodgers. His play fell off significantly after leaving St. Louis. He never made another all-star team or won another gold glove.

Next: Left Fielder

Left Fielder: Barry Bonds 

Bonds and Clemens were at the center of the steroid and PED issue in baseball. They are the two most well-known players that are being kept out of the hall of fame because of their alleged involvement with PEDS and steroids.

There is no denying Bonds success. Many argue he was a Hall of Famer before was supposedly on the juice. In the first 13 years of his career, three MVP awards, Bonds had 411 home runs, 445 stolen bases, eight gold gloves, eight all-star appearances and a .966 OPS.

He is arguably the greatest player in the history of baseball. Time hasn’t softened voting for the White Sox eight men out or Pete Rose, only time will determine if it will for the greatest players of the steroid Era.

Next: Centerfielder

Kenny Lofton played for 11 different teams in his 17-year career, including three stints with the Indians. Courtesy USA Today:(Photo: Jim Mone AP)

Centerfield: Kenny Lofton

In the early part of his career, Lofton was one of the best leadoff hitters in baseball and set the table for one of the all-time great offenses in Cleveland. Lofton’s 68.7 WAR is the highest of any players eligible for the Hall of Fame that have not been elected.

He finished his career with a with a .299 batting average, 130 home runs, 781 RBIs and 622 stolen bases and hit over .300 eight times.. He led the American League in stolen bases from 1992-94 and hits in 1994. He was on pace for over 200 hits when the MLBPA went on strike in ’94.

Lofton made six all-star appearances and won four gold gloves. What hurts Lofton is that all of his all-star appearances came in the first eight seasons of his career. His last appearance was in 1999.

He left Cleveland after the 2001 season and was a journeyman player the rest of his career. Lofton played for eight teams in the last seven years of his career. He returned to Cleveland for the 2007 season and retired after that season.

Next: Right Field

Right Field: Larry Walker

Right Field is one of the glamour positions. There are more than a few candidates that deserve election to the Hall of Fame from right field that are not in.

Larry Walker is one of the best two-way right fielders ever. Walker’s seven Gold Gloves as a Right Fielder ranks second only to Roberto Clemente.

In addition to his seven Gold Gloves, Walker played in five all-star games, he won the 1997 National League Most Valuable Player, and hit over .300 ten times, including six in a row from 1997-2002.

Next: Utility Man

Designated Hitter: Edgar Martinez

The voters for the Hall of Fame have almost continually disrespected Designated Hitter. Paul Molitor is the only player that played a high percentage of his games at DH that is in the Hall. He played 43 percent of his games as the DH.

Martinez played 68 percent of his games as the designated hitter. The Hall of Fame voters holding Dh’s out of induction is counter intuitive. Offensive numbers are what impress voters the majority of the time. Players like Ozzie Smith who primarily got in on their defense are rare.

Martinez was one of the best hitters in baseball for the majority of his career. He was a seven-time all-star. five-time Silver Slugger, won two batting titles and an RBI title. He played

He played in four postseasons with the Mariners, two after Ken Griffey Jr. was traded to Cincinnati. He hit eight home runs and drove in 24 in 34 career postseason games. The Mariners reached the 1995, 2000 and 2001 ALCS with Martinez in the heart of their order.

Next: Manager

Courtesy USA Today
Manager: Davey Johnson

Johnson is the most underrecognized managers ever. Johnson finished 301 games over .500 in 17 years. That comes out to an average of 91 wins per season. He the Mets, Reds, Orioles and Nationals to the playoffs.

He won the 1986 World Series with the Mets with one of the most eccentric teams ever, in one of the most memorable World Series ever. He made it back to the League Championship series with the ’88 Mets, ’95 Reds and ’96 and ’97 Orioles. He was never able to get back to the World Series.

He is the only manager in the top 19 in games over .500 not in the Hall. Tony LaRussa was inducted into the Hall three years after he retired, so Johnson is currently eligible for induction.

Next: Conclusion

This team would compete against any team that could be put together with Hall of Fame players, even without Bonds. Clemens and Rose. In 2013 no players received the necessary 75 percent of the vote for induction.

Next: MLN: What might the 2017 Baseball Hall of Fame Class Look like?

There has been and always will a debate over what constitutes a Hall of Famer and what that the criteria should be to get in the Hall. That will hopefully evolve as the makeup of the voters changes to more modern writers.