Eddie Cicotte's HOF chances - should he get in? Will he?

[ThomasL]

Originally Posted by nat

Faber played six more seasons after that. In which he won 49 more games, put up 15 more WAR, and pitched to a 111 ERA+. That's six more years of good pitching. (Not great pitching, but plenty good.) Cicotte may have had that in him - he was still a fine pitcher in 1920 - and if he could keep pitching effectively into his early 40s like Faber did, he would be well-qualified for the fall of fame (except for that whole throwing the world series thing). As it is, he's not a bad candidate, just not an especially good one either.

Yes, I only compared their first 14 season since Cicotte's career ended after his 14th...and through that point they are pretty comparable with Cicotte being the better of the two. Cicotte's durability was beginning to be an issue but he was a knuckleball pitcher who was putting together solid seasons when he was banned...so possibly could have extended the career with a year or two more of 20+ wins with that crazy Sox team and rotation...50 wins in the next 3 season would not have been unreasonable for Cicotte...but would never know obviously bc of his choices

Also I dont think he will get elected and shouldnt be elected bc he did throw at least 1 WS game (game 1) and very likely threw games in the 1920 season...his guilt is not debatable unlike Jackson's

[gregndodgers]

He was one of the best pitchers at the time of the scandal and he could have played another ten years or so, so he was a shoe in for the hall until he wasn’t.

[jayshum]

Originally Posted by gregndodgers

He was one of the best pitchers at the time of the scandal and he could have played another ten years or so, so he was a shoe in for the hall until he wasn’t.

He would have pitched until he was 46? Seems unlikely.

[gregndodgers]

Many of the pitchers from that era pitched into their 40s. Grover Cleveland Alexander (43), Cy Young (44), and Chief Bender (41) to name a few. He was a knuckleball specialist, and we know that many contemporary knuckleball pitchers pitched well into their 40s including Charlie Hough (46), Phil Niekro (48), and Hoyt Wilhelm (49). Father Time gives them a break.

[packs]

Cicotte was only getting better as he aged. He had a WAR of 57.9 for his career, but put up 40 WAR after age 30. He won 209 games, but 129 of those wins came after turning 30.

From age 33 to 36 he won 90 games with an ERA+ of 134.

There was no indication his career was nearly over.

[gregndodgers]

There are 27 pitchers who are in the HOF rated below him in terms of JAWS, so yea his chances are low. LoL

[campyfan39]

My only pre-war card!

[darwinbulldog]

Originally Posted by gregndodgers

There are 27 pitchers who are in the HOF rated below him in terms of JAWS, so yea his chances are low. LoL

Alright, fine, you can vote for him. But first you have to vote for Roger Clemens, Jim McCormick, Curt Schilling, Tommy Bond, Charlie Buffinton, Tony Mullane, Bob Caruthers, Wes Ferrell, Rick Reuschel, Kevin Brown, Jim Whitney, Luis Tiant, Bobby Mathews, David Cone, and Urban Shocker.