Sunday, December 30, 2007

Hall of Famers?

UPDATED (01/09/08)

According to Baseball-Reference.com, the following players are on the ballot for membership in the Hall of Fame:
Brady Anderson
Harold Baines
Rod Beck
Bert Blyleven
Dave Concepcion
Andre Dawson
Shawon Dunston
Chuck Finley
Travis Fryman
Rich (Goose) Gossage
Tommy John
David Justice
Chuck Knoblauch
Don Mattingly
Mark McGwire
Jack Morris
Dale Murphy
Robb Nen
Dave Parker
Tim Raines
Jim Rice
Jose Rijo
Lee Smith
Todd Stottlemyre
Alan Trammell
The question I ask and answer here is this: Which of the candidates should be in the Hall of Fame, based on his performance -- regardless of the credentials of any players who are undeservedly in the Hall? Here are my criteria for Hall of Fame pitchers and batters (revised slightly since I first published them):

A pitcher must have at least 15 seasons of 30 or more games pitched, and must have recorded

  • at least 300 wins, or
  • at least 250 wins and an ERA+ of 120 or higher (go here and scroll down for the definition of ERA+), or
  • at least 200 wins and a W-L average of .600 or better and an ERA+ of 120 or higher, or
  • an ERA+ of 120 or higher while relieving in at least 750 games.
A batter must have recorded
  • an OPS+ of at least 150 (go here and scroll down for the definition of OPS+) in a career of least 15 seasons of 100 games or more, or
  • at least 2,800 lifetime hits and a lifetime batting average of at least .300, or
  • an OPS+ of at least 120 and at least 2,000 lifetime base hits and a lifetime batting average of at least .300.
I make an exception for a batter with at least 15 seasons of 100 game or more, if
  • he is among the top 20 in home runs per at-bat for a career of at least 5,000 at bats, or
  • he led his league in fielding percentage for his position in at least 10 seasons, or
  • he won at least 10 Gold Gloves.
Against my criteria, who among the current candidates belongs in the Hall of Fame? Answer:
Goose Gossage
Lee Smith
UPDATE (01/09/08): No player, regardless of his accomplishments, should be in the Hall of Fame if it is proved, to the satisfaction of the Commissioner of Baseball, that the player used performance-enhancing drugs for a cumulative period of more than half a baseball season, when such drugs were banned by baseball. Moreover, no coach, manager, or executive who placed bets on baseball games while active in baseball should be in the Hall of Fame if such betting activity is proved, to the satisfaction of the Commissioner of Baseball.

It should go without saying that the involvement of any player, manager, coach, or executive in the throwing of games or shaving of scores, when proved to the satisfaction of the Commissioner of Baseball, must lead to that person's immediate banishment from the game. No such person should ever be eligible for the Hall of Fame.