A Hall of Fame Second Look

It was shocking to find out that Bill Belichick wasn't selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  Most people had pretty much just assumed that was a given, but clearly at least 11 of the voters in the room didn't agree.  That'll certainly have an impact on my Pro Football Hall of Fame "ballot," which I'll post next week.  Because I'm one of those people who took it for granted that Belichick would get in.

Today, though, I'm gonna talk about some of the players who've been overlooked for another Hall of Fame...the Baseball Hall of Fame.  During my snow day, I watched the announcement of this year's class (congratulations to Carlos Beltran and Andruw Jones), as well as the show that preceded it.  On that preshow, they discussed this year's candidates, of course, but also how they compare to some of those players who've been overlooked in the past.  Essentially, the argument was that if the definition of what makes a "Hall of Famer" has evolved and will continue to evolve with the modern game, do those players from the 70s and 80s (and even the 90s) deserve to be looked at thru a different lens?

That, of course, is the entire point of the Eras Committees.  And those Eras Committees generally do evaluate those on the ballot differently than the BBWAA.  That doesn't mean some players haven't still fallen through the cracks, though.  Here are 10 players who will hopefully end up getting that Hall of Fame call after their careers are reevaluated by an Eras Committee.  (Please note this doesn't include anyone who's still eligible for the BBWAA ballot.)

Steve Garvey: Garvey peaked at 42.6 percent of the vote during his 15 years on the BBWAA ballot.  I have no idea why!  The fact that he never garnered the support of at least half the voters boggles my mind!  The dude was a 10-time All*Star, an MVP, a two-time NLCS MVP, played in over 1,200 consecutive games and was a monster in the postseason.  He was the anchor and biggest name on those outstanding Dodgers teams of the 70s.  It seriously makes no sense that he hasn't come close to induction.

Lou Whitaker: A lot of the talk about this year's vote surrounded around the fact that Chase Utley got significantly more support than Jimmy Rollins.  The argument was, basically, how can you separate them?  And it brought to mind another long-time double play tandem--Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker.  Trammell got voted in by the Eras Committee in 2018, and campaigned for Whitaker in his induction speech.  While I agree Trammell was the better player, Whitaker's definitely deserving of a second look.

Don Mattingly: There's still hope for Don Mattingly, and I do think an Eras Committee will eventually give him the nod.  He certainly checks all the boxes.  Mattingly was the best first baseman in the American League throughout the 80s and he was the face of the most famous franchise in the sport for most of his career.  So, he's definitely got the "fame" part covered.  And, while it shouldn't make a difference in terms of his playing career, the fact that he's been a successful manager, as well, does stand out.

Keith Hernandez: While we're talking about first basemen who played in New York in the 80s, let's go across town.  There's very little debate that Hernandez is the best defensive first baseman in history.  His hitting is underrated, though.  Hernandez won a batting title and two Silver Sluggers and had a .296 career average.  Then there's the leadership.  He won an MVP and was the heart and soul of two World Series-winning teams.  It was trading for Hernandez and Gary Carter, in fact, that set the Mets up for that legendary 1986 season.

Dale Murphy: Another player who'd get a lot more support if he were on the ballot today is Dale Murphy.  He was one of the best damn players in the entire National League playing for some bad Braves teams.  (Meanwhile, the 1997 Braves, who lost in the NLCS, now have six Hall of Fame players, as well as their manager and GM.)  Murphy was a two-time MVP and seven-time All*Star who won both the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger four years in a row.  And, as was mentioned multiple times after two center fielders were voted in, the position is greatly underrepresented in Cooperstown.

Bernie Williams: All six of those 90s Braves are absolutely Hall of Famers.  There's no doubt about that.  You know how many players from the 90s Yankees (who won four Word Series in five years) are in the Hall of Fame?  Two!  Tim Raines and Wade Boggs were there in 1996 and Mike Mussina was there in the early 2000s, but Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera were the only players who were there throughout the dynasty who have plaques in Cooperstown.  Hopefully Andy Pettitte will join them at some point, but Bernie Williams should, too.  He was a good center fielder for a long time and a consistent postseason performer for a team that won four championships (with him hitting in the middle of the lineup).  And, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't winning the entire point?  Yet he fell off the BBWAA ballot after just two years.

Tommy John: Appreciation has certainly grown for Tommy John's longevity.  He pitched for 26 seasons from 1963-89.  Did that longevity contribute to some of his career numbers?  Absolutely.  But, he was an ace during his prime with the Dodgers and won 13 games with the Yankees as a 45-year-old in 1987.  And let's not forget his namesake surgery, which changed baseball and has lengthened countless careers.  That only adds to his Hall of Fame case.

Vida Blue: Vida Blue had well-documented substance abuse problems, which might've been what led to his quick departure from the BBWAA ballot.  But Blue died in 2023, so maybe it's worth taking another look at his career posthumously.  Because he's another one who puts the "Fame" part in Hall of Fame.  There was no bigger name or personality in the early 70s than the ace of the Oakland A's.  He was the AL MVP and Cy Young winner in 1971, then Oakland won three straight championships from 1972-74.  Yes, he had only 209 career wins and his career ERA was 3.27.  So what?  At his peak, he was the best in the game.

Don Newcombe: Taking it way back, the late Don Newcombe never got the Hall of Fame love I feel he deserved.  Newcombe's MLB career was relatively short, but you also have to consider the fact that he played in the Negro Leageus for two years before joining the Dodgers, then missed time serving in the Korean War.  Anyway, Newcombe was the ace of those Brooklyn teams.  He was the 1949 NL Rookie of the Year, then won the NL MVP, as well as the first-ever Cy Young Award (which was one award that went to the best pitcher across both leagues at the time) in 1956.

Bob Meusel: I've made the case for Bob Meusel before, and I will again here.  Meusel played for the "Murderers' Row" Yankees in the 1920s, where he was obviously overshadowed by Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.  Those teams also featured other Hall of Famers Tony Lazzeri, Bill Dickey and Earle Combs in the lineup, but Meusel held his own.  He was a career .309 hitter, had the fourth-most RBIs in the American League during the 1920s and won the AL home run in 1925.

Are all 10 of the players Hall of Famers?  I don't know.  Will some of them eventually get in?  Hopefully.  My point is that their case should be heard.  And giving their careers another look could very well end up with a deserved plaque in Cooperstown.