Call to the pen
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MLB Hall of Fame: Ballot not so sweet for Lou Whitaker

ByBobMueller|
DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 16: Brayan Pena
DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 16: Brayan Pena
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LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 08: Former Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Steve Garvey takes the field against the New York Yankees for an Old Timers game before the game betweenthe Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on June 8, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 08: Former Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Steve Garvey takes the field against the New York Yankees for an Old Timers game before the game betweenthe Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on June 8, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

Steve Garvey: Played from 1967 to 1987

  • .294/.329/.446, 116 wRC+, 37.8 WAR
  • All-time rank at position: 53rd
  • Positional rank from 1970-1987: 11th

Steve Garvey fits better than Mattingly on the Modern MLB Hall of Fame ballot because nearly his entire career occurred during this time period. He was a very dependable bat for the Los Angeles Dodgers who made the All-Star team eight straight years from 1974 to 1981. He also received NL MVP votes in each of those years, which included winning the award in 1974 and finishing second in 1978. From 1974 to 1977, he won the Gold Glove Award four straight years for his play at first base.

In some ways, Garvey is a victim of the statistical analysis movement. When he played, getting hits, hitting for average and driving in runs were awarded by All-Star appearances and MVP votes. Garvey hit over .300 seven times in eight years during his peak. He also had 200 hits six times and drove in 100 or more runs five times.

Despite excelling in these traditional statistics, Garvey value takes a hit because of a relatively low career on-base percentage (.329) and slugging percentage (.446) and a negative view of his defense. He ranks 53rd all-time among first baseman in Fangraphs WAR, where he’s tied with Adrian Gonzalez. Is Adrian Gonzalez a Hall of Famer? I say no and Steve Garvey isn’t either.

My Verdict: No on Steve Garvey for MLB Hall of Fame

Ballot Snubs: Darrell Evans (61.2 WAR), Keith Hernandez (59.4 WAR)

Darrell Evans and Keith Hernandez are both more deserving of a spot on the Modern Baseball ballot than Mattingly and Garvey. Evans ranks 21st all-time among first baseman, and Hernandez is close behind him, at 23rd all-time.

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