Startin' Trouble, HOF Style!

[quinnsryche]

Can someone give me a good explanation why the Meusel Bros. aren't in the HOF when guys like Kell and Kiner (just to name a few) are? Feel free to chime in on Steve Garvey's omission also. Ding, let the brawl begin!

[bcbgcbrcb]

Kiner - 7 HR titles in a row, never been done before or since

[quinnsryche]

HR's and BB's are the only things he's got over Bob Meusel. And don't forget a staggering .279 BA!

[mr2686]

I've always thought the Meusel bros should be in the hof, as well as Garvey. If you take Cepeda, Perez and Garvey's stats side by side I think you can make a great case for Garvey. Anyway, that's my opinion and I know one that's not always shared by the Bill James groupies.

[HexsHeroes]

.

. . . is a bunch of phooey, but personally, I give far more consideration to the ballplayer who performs batting within a weak order, and for a less talented team, than the individual who benefits from playing with a team laden with talent, and batting with equally or better hitting ballplayers around them.

Bob Meusel was a very talented ballplayer, but how noteworthy would his batting statistics been hitting in Kiner's Pittsburgh line-up, and would Meusel's presence made the Pirates a much better (successful ?) team ?

Without the talent playing with him, I doubt it. And without the talent around him in the batting order, I don't think he gets the stats he did with the Yankees.

Thanks.

[ls7plus]

I'm admittedly a little biased in favor of Kiner, but in addition to the seven consecutive homerun titles--including twice over 50 (51 in 1947, and 54 in 1949), which is truly impressive in the presteroid era (only Ruth, Foxx, Mantle and Mays had done that, to my recollection)--Kiner drew a veritable ton of walks. If anyone has read Bill James' material, you know that tends to create a lot of runs. Check out his runs scored totals--they are more than good for a player who certainly wasn't blessed with speed! Because of that, my recollection without checking is that his career on-base-percentage was right around .400--extraordinary for a .279 career hitter, and almost certainly better than either Meusel!
Plus, it took me about a decade to find an example of his true rookie, the 1947 Tip-Top Bread issue! Good thread, guys!