Top 25 Worst MLB HOFER’S

[paul]

I'd take Pie Traynor off the list. Until Brooks Robinson's performance in the 1970 World Series, Traynor was almost universally ranked as the greatest third baseman of all time. Everyone couldn't have been that wrong for so long.

I was surprised not to see Tinker or Evers or Chance. I know there are some Evers fans on the board, but Tinker?

[G1911]

Originally Posted by paul

I'd take Pie Traynor off the list. Until Brooks Robinson's performance in the 1970 World Series, Traynor was almost universally ranked as the greatest third baseman of all time. Everyone couldn't have been that wrong for so long.

I was surprised not to see Tinker or Evers or Chance. I know there are some Evers fans on the board, but Tinker?

The list is just sorting by WAR rate, but I agree. WAR absolutely hates Traynor, and there may be a lesson that he’s been overrated, but I have a hard time seeing how he isn’t a hall of famer at all by the standards of his time and his election time.

I wouldn’t put in Evers or Tinker, personally.

Baines and Lloyd Waner are hard to top in my book as the worst choices. As I understand it Tommy McCarthy was inducted more for his inventive plays and innovations and role as the anti-Oriole when baseball was getting a thuggish reputation. A lot of the bad picks were elected for reasons other than the numbers we are looking at. Baines wasn’t, and Waner was because he hit .300 and his brother was great.

[ejharrington]

Originally Posted by G1911

The list is just sorting by WAR rate, but I agree. WAR absolutely hates Traynor, and there may be a lesson that he’s been overrated, but I have a hard time seeing how he isn’t a hall of famer at all by the standards of his time and his election time.

I wouldn’t put in Evers or Tinker, personally.

Baines and Lloyd Waner are hard to top in my book as the worst choices. As I understand it Tommy McCarthy was inducted more for his inventive plays and innovations and role as the anti-Oriole when baseball was getting a thuggish reputation. A lot of the bad picks were elected for reasons other than the numbers we are looking at. Baines wasn’t, and Waner was because he hit .300 and his brother was great.

I think Tinker, Evers, and Chance are all UNDERRATED.

The Cubs were a powerhouse with them and then became losers after they left. Also, Evers went to the Braves and was the MVP of the whole league and helped that sorry franchise win the WS.

[G1911]

Originally Posted by ejharrington

I think Tinker, Evers, and Chance are all UNDERRATED.

The Cubs were a powerhouse with them and then became losers after they left. Also, Evers went to the Braves and was the MVP of the whole league and helped that sorry franchise win the WS.

Don’t think it has more to do with the pitching staff leaving or falling apart then too? I don’t see a mathematical argument for Evers. Perhaps I am missing something. He’s slightly above league average at the plate, excellent glove. I’m not seeing much to make a HOFer, using the modern analytics or the traditional. Tinkers bat was below league average. I personally don’t find poetic/romantic arguments compelling and I don’t see one besides this.

Chance was a regular for like 6 years, but he gets major points for his managerial success and I’m fine with him overall. If a player only, he’s an egregious choice.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by paul

I'd take Pie Traynor off the list. Until Brooks Robinson's performance in the 1970 World Series, Traynor was almost universally ranked as the greatest third baseman of all time. Everyone couldn't have been that wrong for so long.

There was that long-forgotten guy in between Pie and Brooks who was always touted as the greatest defensive 3B of his era. Many who saw him actually said he was the best, and many of those also saw Traynor! See my username.

I have a handwritten letter written to me from none other than that wonderful man, Brooksie, letting me know that he concurred about Cox' prowess (although Brooks would have never seen Cox in his prime as far as I know).

[Mike D.]

Just interested on Sutter...do people think that relievers other than the top few shouldn't go in, or that there are more deserving closers than Sutter NOT in, or both?

[Yoda]

Originally Posted by BillyCox3

There was that long-forgotten guy in between Pie and Brooks who was always touted as the greatest defensive 3B of his era. Many who saw him actually said he was the best, and many of those also saw Traynor! See my username.

I have a handwritten letter written to me from none other than that wonderful man, Brooksie, letting me know that he concurred about Cox' prowess (although Brooks would have never seen Cox in his prime as far as I know).

I saw Billy play at Ebbets Field a couple of times in the '50's. He played a mean 'hot corner'. There were a couple of rifle arms playing with Brooklyn in those days; Billy and Carl Furillo.
Ebbets is now a project and not a very nice one.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Originally Posted by Yoda

I saw Billy play at Ebbets Field a couple of times in the '50's. He played a mean 'hot corner'. There were a couple of rifle arms playing with Brooklyn in those days; Billy and Carl Furillo.
Ebbets is now a project and not a very nice one.

Two incredibly gifted Pennsylvania boys. Billy let his arm do the talking; Carl should have taken from Cox' example!

You're so lucky to have seen them play; I had the misfortune of being born too late and too far away. I did visit the Jackie Robinson Housing Project about 30 years ago; it wasn't too bad at that time, although the surrounding neighborhood was pretty dangerous.

While I never did get a chance to meet Billy, I did speak with his widow and became good buddies with his closest lifelong friend.

[Yoda]

Originally Posted by BillyCox3

Two incredibly gifted Pennsylvania boys. Billy let his arm do the talking; Carl should have taken from Cox' example!

You're so lucky to have seen them play; I had the misfortune of being born too late and too far away. I did visit the Jackie Robinson Housing Project about 30 years ago; it wasn't too bad at that time, although the surrounding neighborhood was pretty dangerous.

While I never did get a chance to meet Billy, I did speak with his widow and became good buddies with his closest lifelong friend.

I do remember well one play that encapsulated both Billy and Carl, who I heard ended up being a janitor in a building. If so, how sad. I think the Dodgers were playing the Phillies and Ashburn hit a long single into the right corner of Ebbets. The next batter hit another deep single between center and right. Ashburn decided to go to 3rd, Carl made a nice backhanded pickup and rifled the ball to Billy who easily tagged out Ritchie.
They both made it look so easy and natural.

I literally cried when O'Mally moved 'Dem Bums' to LA. I think my mother had to console me. If you lived in the NY area in the 50's, it was a Golden Age for baseball. Right, Ted?