Let's talk about Hall of Fame candidates who have been "neglected"

[boysblue]

Whenever one of these types of 'conversations' starts up I always mention Dave Steib. I admit my bias as a Blue Jays fan, but to me he was--along with Jack Morris, I suppose--the dominant AL starter of the '80s.

A horse who got absolutely robbed in '84 Cy Young voting (fourth? seriously?!). Check it out: Pete Vukovich had nowhere near the year Steib had. There was a five-year stretch where everytime he took the ball there was a chance that he might toss a no-no. He did: once. Though he lost a couple of others in the ninth, and came within a whisker of tossing back-to-back no-hitters if memory serves. And all of this with a lousy team behind him and an equally lousy bullpen to save games for him (that might explain why he threw so many innings and so many complete games).

Never had a real shot at the post-season either: he was past-it by the time the Jays got good as team. I have always maintained that had he played for a quality team--especially one with a large following--Dave Steib would be a borderline HOFer.

[Topnotchsy]

I'll echo some of the names already mentioned:

- Lefty O'Doul - Playing career + huge role in baseball's popularity in Japan + PCL manager
- Kenny Lofton - Way better career than Lou Brock. Much better fielder, way better baserunner (Brock's caught stealing's almost completely mitigated the value of his stolen bases
- Minnie Minoso - Think he warrants entry, particularly when combining his Negro League career (which was short) with his career in the MLB. (Using MLB in the way it was used then. I recognize that the Negro Leagues are now officially a Major League).
- Johan Santana - I much prefer a Hall-of-Fame with the players who were elite, even if only for a shorter period of time. Santana was the best pitcher in baseball for roughly 5 years. I'll take him in over Jack Morris personally (though I am sure others disagree).
- Andruw Jones - Arguably the best defensive centerfielder ever. 400+ home runs.
- Dick "Cannonball" Redding - One of the greatest pitchers to ever play in the Negro Leagues.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Rick Reuschel or however you spell it might have been a bit better than his counting stats.

Dewey Evans had a nice career.

There are the usual suspects like Gil Hodges and Dale Murphy and Tony Oliva and Dick Allen.

One of my favorites, Luis Tiant.

Jim Kaat and Tommy John with close to 300 wins each.

[egri]

Billy Pierce.

[Mike D.]

I believe there are a bunch of 2nd basemen who deserve enshrinement.

In rough order, Whitaker, Grich, Randolph, Kent, Utley, Pedroia, maybe Kinsler.

Cano would also be on the list if he hadn't been stupid and popped for steroids (and twice, no less).

[G1911]

Minoso really should be in, it's long overdue at this point.

Curt Schilling is clearly a HOFer, I'm fine with a world where a pitcher of his quality is not in, but by the Hall's standards with their SP picks the last decade, he belongs.

Jeff Kent has a very good case as one of the best hitting 2B ever, but seems to be getting little real consideration and is going to fall off the ballot.

For the pre-war side, Larry Doyle has a good case and has not been mentioned, I think.

[Peter_Spaeth]

If you think 3B is underrepresented, Ken Boyer.

[Orioles1954]

Cecil Travis

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Orioles1954

Cecil Travis

I don't think you can make assumptions about years someone never played, although obviously before the war he was headed in that direction. If I recall Kenny Cole and I debated this one a while back. Knowing Kenny, he probably thinks he won lol.

[bbcard1]

The problem with Lefty O'Doul is the problem with Buck O'Neil. They made significant contributions, but their contributions do not fit within the parameters of the way hall of fame voters are instructed to cast their votes. Of course, Curt Schilling is a case in point that many of the voters don't care.

[packs]

Originally Posted by bbcard1

The problem with Lefty O'Doul is the problem with Buck O'Neil. They made significant contributions, but their contributions do not fit within the parameters of the way hall of fame voters are instructed to cast their votes. Of course, Curt Schilling is a case in point that many of the voters don't care.

I don't believe this to be true for O'Doul. The Japanese / MLB / Asian pipeline is new and ever evolving but I don't think MLB ever gets to see talents like Ichiro, Hideki Matsui, or Ohtani without O'Doul.

[tedzan]

"Turkey Mike" Donlin is one of my favorite T206 subjects. His life story is part of the reason why I like him.
In 1905, John McGraw made Donlin the Captain of the New York Giants....and Mike enjoyed his best season, batting a career-high .356, with 216 Hits
and Mike led the NL with 124 Runs. Mike's career BA = .333, if he had taken his BB career more seriously.... "he would have been a contender" …..for
the Hall of Fame. Instead, he and his wife were very much devoted to Vaudeville. In New York City they were the "Talk of the Town".

Hey Guys.... you can catch "Turkey Mike" on the TCM Channel when they are featuring the old Silent Movies. Donlin appeared in 65 movies from 1914
to 1933. Including, the movie classic "The General", and the 1927 very popular BB movie...."Slide Kelly Slide".


. .
SWEET CAPORAL 350-460 Factory #30


TED Z

T206 Reference
.

[G1911]

Donlin is an interesting guy, but he was a starter for 5 seasons. For a guy whose claim to baseball greatness is a .333 batting average, 1,282 hits is a very small amount.

I'd put him in the "great talent, wasted his career and much of his life" category of what-could-have-been's.

Chick Hafey was a starter for 7 years, the player I can think of with the shortest real tenure in the modern major leagues who made the Hall (and whose election is almost universally derided).

[Harliduck]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

There are the usual suspects like Gil Hodges and Dale Murphy and Tony Oliva and Dick Allen.

I'm on Team Peter...and his additional comment on Ken Boyer. Add Minnie Minoso...


It would be nice if a few already in the HOF could be traded out...several simply don't belong.

Gil Hodges for Barry Larkin??? And so on....

[pitchernut]

First off, I don't believe this player is a HOFer. What I find interesting is that the second article assures the player into the HOF. I have a couple pre-1936 articles that assure the "no-no" pitcher a place in the HOF. What baffles me is what "HOF" are they talking about in 1916? I was always under the impression the HOF was created around 1936... Was there a HOF back then? Also, is the T-200 of Boston AL the only publicly available ephemera of George "Rube" Foster?.
PS sorry for sideways pics, and Smokey Joe should be in.

[G1911]

Originally Posted by pitchernut

First off, I don't believe this player is a HOFer. What I find interesting is that the second article assures the player into the HOF. I have a couple pre-1936 articles that assure the "no-no" pitcher a place in the HOF. What baffles me is what "HOF" are they talking about in 1916? I was always under the impression the HOF was created around 1936... Was there a HOF back then? Also, is the T-200 of Boston AL the only publicly available ephemera of George "Rube" Foster?.
PS sorry for sideways pics, and Smokey Joe should be in.

The Hall of Fame was not a physical place or entity then; just a turn of phrase meaning a players greatness will be remembered, often in the context of a singular achievement like in this example. The term used in this sense predates baseball

[benge610]

Curve Ball.

With just 84 more hits in 2012 (of 2769 Career):
Johnny Damon would have joined Hank Aaron and Derek Jeter;
as the only players in MLB history to have at least 130 hits in 17 consecutive seasons. A true mark of a consistent and excellent hitter.

But alas, only 16 consecutive seasons; "17" truly was The Number. I am not introducing this for debate or analysis; just a statement of baseball stat fact.