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The Baseball #HallOfFame is not doing a good job modifying its criteria to the modern game, and looks like it will leave out an entire generation of great starting pitchers. It would be a disservice to the rich history of the game to do so.
A thread.
A thread.
In the last ten years, the Hall has inducted 26 players, but only 8 SP:
Dawson
Alomar
*Blyleven
Larkin
*Maddux
*Glavine
Thomas
*Johnson
*Martinez
*Smoltz
Biggio
Griffey
Piazza
Bagwell
Raines
Rodriguez
Jones
Guerrero
Thome
Hoffman
Rivera
Martinez
*Halladay
*Mussina
Jeter
Walker
Dawson
Alomar
*Blyleven
Larkin
*Maddux
*Glavine
Thomas
*Johnson
*Martinez
*Smoltz
Biggio
Griffey
Piazza
Bagwell
Raines
Rodriguez
Jones
Guerrero
Thome
Hoffman
Rivera
Martinez
*Halladay
*Mussina
Jeter
Walker
The 16 hitters had an average WAR of 70.8, while the pitchers averaged WAR of 85.6(!).
The SP figure includes John Smoltz (who totaled only 69 WAR) and Roy Halladay (64.2 WAR, posthumously).
The other 6 pitchers averaged 91.6 WAR. Inner circle.
The SP figure includes John Smoltz (who totaled only 69 WAR) and Roy Halladay (64.2 WAR, posthumously).
The other 6 pitchers averaged 91.6 WAR. Inner circle.
Of the eight starters inducted, only two had to wait a while: Mussina (82.8 WAR, 6th ballot) and Blyleven (94.5 WAR, 14th ballot).
Meanwhile, Thomas, Jeter, Thome, Rodriguez, Alomar, Biggio, Guerrero, all with less than 80 WAR, got in on first three tries.
Meanwhile, Thomas, Jeter, Thome, Rodriguez, Alomar, Biggio, Guerrero, all with less than 80 WAR, got in on first three tries.
Worse are all the starters on the outside, looking in.
Clemens (139 WAR), Schilling (79 WAR), Pettitte (60 WAR), Santana (52 WAR), Brown (68 WAR). Santana and Brown were both one-and-done on the ballot, as well, which is absurd.
Clemens (139 WAR), Schilling (79 WAR), Pettitte (60 WAR), Santana (52 WAR), Brown (68 WAR). Santana and Brown were both one-and-done on the ballot, as well, which is absurd.
I understand that the #HallOfFame is subjective, and reasonable minds can disagree. But it is only getting harder to put up big numbers as a starting pitcher as velocity increases and usage patterns change.
I know that guys like Verlander, Kershaw and Greinke will get in.
I know that guys like Verlander, Kershaw and Greinke will get in.
But I hope that other players who helped to define a generation, amazing talents who dominated for long stretches of time, are similarly recognized.
Scherzer, Sale, Lester, deGrom, Sabathia, etc. are all part of the story of today's game.
Scherzer, Sale, Lester, deGrom, Sabathia, etc. are all part of the story of today's game.
