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123 position players in MLB history have posted career WARs north of 60.
88 are in, 35 aren’t.
7 are on the ballot right now: Bonds, Rolen, Ramirez, Jones, Helton, Sheffield, & Abreu.
2 are ineligible (Rose, Jackson) and 5 are active (Pujols, Trout, Cabrera, Cano, Votto).
88 are in, 35 aren’t.
7 are on the ballot right now: Bonds, Rolen, Ramirez, Jones, Helton, Sheffield, & Abreu.
2 are ineligible (Rose, Jackson) and 5 are active (Pujols, Trout, Cabrera, Cano, Votto).
Of the remaining 21, 4 are recently retired, and 2 more were kept out for steroid connections (Palmeiro and McGwire).
That leaves 15 players who put up 60+ rWAR who are not in the Hall of Fame.
Of those, 5 are 3B. 2B is next, with 3. All 6 other hitting positions have 7 TOTAL.
That leaves 15 players who put up 60+ rWAR who are not in the Hall of Fame.
Of those, 5 are 3B. 2B is next, with 3. All 6 other hitting positions have 7 TOTAL.
In fact, 12 of the 15 are at 4 positions. 3B is the most snubbed (4, not 5–my bad).
4* 3B (Nettles, B Bell, K Boyer, Bando)
3 2B (Whitaker, Grich, Randolph)
3 CF (Lofton, W Davis, Edmonds)
2 SS (Dahlen, Glasscock)
4* 3B (Nettles, B Bell, K Boyer, Bando)
3 2B (Whitaker, Grich, Randolph)
3 CF (Lofton, W Davis, Edmonds)
2 SS (Dahlen, Glasscock)
If you go back to the main list of 35, and JUST exclude anyone who admitted use/tested positive for steroids or who has been banned, we lose 9 players, including 6 of the top 15(!).
That leaves 26 players, including actives and recent retirees. 4 are on the 2021 ballot.
That leaves 26 players, including actives and recent retirees. 4 are on the 2021 ballot.
We lose Bonds, Ramirez, and Sheffield to admitted/positive steroid connections from the list of current guys.
The remaining 4 on the ballot and their rankings among those 26 are as follows:
Rolen — 8th (70.1)
Jones — 18th (62.7)
Helton — 21st (61.8)
Abreu — 26th (60.2)
The remaining 4 on the ballot and their rankings among those 26 are as follows:
Rolen — 8th (70.1)
Jones — 18th (62.7)
Helton — 21st (61.8)
Abreu — 26th (60.2)
There are 19 pitchers with 60+ WAR outside the Hall of Fame. 4 are active, and you can probably guess them all.
Sabathia is the only one who’s in the 5 year waiting period, and 5 pitched exclusively in the 19th century, which makes them hard to evaluate.
That leaves just 9.
Sabathia is the only one who’s in the 5 year waiting period, and 5 pitched exclusively in the 19th century, which makes them hard to evaluate.
That leaves just 9.
Of those 9 arms with 60+ War post-1900, 4 are on the ballot.
The 5 guys to put up 60+ WAR on the mound in the 20th/21st centuries and NOT make the Hall of Fame?
Kevin Brown (68.2), Rick Reuschel (68.1), Luis Tiant (65.6), Tommy John (62.1), and David Cone (61.6).
The 5 guys to put up 60+ WAR on the mound in the 20th/21st centuries and NOT make the Hall of Fame?
Kevin Brown (68.2), Rick Reuschel (68.1), Luis Tiant (65.6), Tommy John (62.1), and David Cone (61.6).
You know what really kills about those 5?
Tiant and John each got their full 15 year run on the ballot, but neither ever got above 31%.
But Brown, Reuschel, and Cone were all 1-and-done. They barely cleared 5% COMBINED.
Tiant and John each got their full 15 year run on the ballot, but neither ever got above 31%.
But Brown, Reuschel, and Cone were all 1-and-done. They barely cleared 5% COMBINED.
So between these two lists, we have 20 players and pitchers who cracked 60+ WAR, but couldn’t get across the finish line to Cooperstown.
Of those, a stunning 12 were 1-and-done. 3 went the distance, but couldn’t get in (Tiant, John, and Boyer). Davis never even got on a ballot.
Of those, a stunning 12 were 1-and-done. 3 went the distance, but couldn’t get in (Tiant, John, and Boyer). Davis never even got on a ballot.
