Quote:
Originally Posted by G1911
I don’t support his candidacy, but he’s close enough among 3B that his NY fan favorite status will get him considerable votes.
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Sometimes being a NY fan favorite can help (Rizzuto, Hodges, Lazzeri, Combs, Gomez) but other times it doesn't help (Munson, Mattingly, Posada, Bernie Williams, Pettite, Hernandez). [Not meant as an extensive list...just names that came to mind.]
According to Baseball Reference, the most similar player to Kirby Puckett (first ballot) was Don Mattingly (topped out at 28%). I give credit to Puckett for playing a more important defensive position and for the post season...but Mattingly has an MVP and he was (and remains) a very popular player among Yankee fans.
Edited to add: I think it may help more in the Veteran's Committee where you basically need a favorable balance of people to get you in (like the Frankie Frisch years that got in Jesse Haines and George Kelly). I don't think it helps with the writers, who are from all over the country and where a pro-NY bias may be balanced by some anti-NY votes (or non-votes).