MLB Hall of Fame: New members selected, but not Lou Whitaker

Congratulations are in order for the two newly selected members of the MLB Hall of Fame.

Both Harold Baines and Lee Smith were chosen to enter the MLB Hall of Fame by the Today’s Game Era Committee.

This committee looks at players from 1988 to the present day who would not get in the Hall in the traditional way. Other committees select players from different eras including the Modern Era (1970-1987), the Golden Days (1950-1969), and Early Baseball (pre-1950).

But, while those two and their former teammates get to celebrate their enshrinement into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, one outstanding baseball player is still on the outside.

Lou Whitaker.

The outstanding Detroit Tiger second-baseman is still not in the Hall of Fame and that fact is an absolute travesty.

In 2001, he was on the BBWAA Hall of Fame ballot and receive a pathetic 2.9% of the vote. He and several other players from the 1984 Tigers team were snubbed by the writers. As it stands, only Jack Morris and Alan Trammell have been enshrined. But, only because of the Veteran’s Committee.

On August 26, 2018, I was fortunate to be in the seats of Comerica Park for the ceremony honoring Whitaker’s double-play partner. Whitaker was a gracious friend who honorably spoke to the crowd about Trammell.

Trammell needs to return the favor.

Whitaker and Trammell began their careers with the Tigers in 1977. Trammell ended his career in 1996, and Whitaker ended his a year earlier in 1995. They played short and second the entire time while also filling in at DH. Trammell was the World Series MVP in 1984 and Whitaker was the Rookie of the Year in 1978. They both earned numerous Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Awards.

When it comes to WAR as a position player, Whitaker ranks 49th. Only a few players above him in the ranking – Albert Pujols, Adrian Beltre, Pete Rose, and Bill Dahlen – are not in the Hall of Fame. And, many players ranked below him are also in the Hall including second basemen like Craig Biggio (94th in WAR), Roberto Alomar (86th in WAR), and Nellie Fox (204th in WAR).

More from Baseball Hall of Fame

• General manager vets who are candidates for the Baseball Hall of Fame’s executive suite
• How one writer ended June with a flurry of MLB games throughout the country
• Why Billy Wagner belongs in the Baseball Hall of Fame
• The Hall of Fame case for Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins
• San Francisco Giants star Jeff Kent deserved better on Hall of Fame ballot

Granted, Alomar was a better hitter than Whitaker. Biggio’s numbers were similar, but he never won a World Series ring. And, Fox played in an entirely different era.

When it comes to WAR, Whitaker’s is the fourth highest in Detroit Tigers history. The only players who were better were Ty Cobb, Al Kaline, and Charlie Gehringer. Even Alan Trammell’s WAR was a few points lower than Whitaker’s and Trammel played for one more season.

It is great that Harold Baines, who played primarily with the White Sox, was selected today. But, he was just a DH for the majority of his career. He was a good DH, but he did not win a Rookie of the Year award or a World Series ring. But, it’s still a good thing for the AL Central and baseball-in-general to have another player enshrined.

What would be even better for baseball is if Lou Whitaker could join his double-play partner and be selected for the Hall of Fame, too.