For the first time since 1996, the baseball writers didn’t elect a single player for the Baseball Hall of Fame. Much of the shun was due to the high volume of players from “the steroid era”.
I reflected on those players that are almost good enough, but not quite up to Hall of Fame standards, due to on-field performance or off-field matters, according to the writers. I compiled a list of the best players who have not made the Hall of Fame. My criteria for the list is that the player must still be living, is no longer eligible, or has only a few years left of eligibility on the ballot. Each position is represented with an extra player as “bat off the bench”. Some players played more than one position. None of the outfielders on the list played left field, so I placed them at the best position possible to fill out the roster.
First base: Don Mattingly, 1982 – 1995
Don Mattingly played his entire 13-year career with the New York Yankees. He was one of the best defensive first basemen of his time, and won the Gold Glove Award 9 times. Injuries shortened Mattingly’s career, but he still had 2,153 hits, 442 doubles, 222 home runs, 1,099 runs batted in, 1,007 runs scored and a .307 batting average. Had it not been for injuries, Mattingly would undoubtedly be a member of the Hall of Fame.
Second base: Lou Whitaker, 1977 – 1995
Lou Whitaker played his entire career with the Detroit Tigers. Whitaker was a 5-time All-Star and 3-time winner Gold Glove Award winner. Very consistent with the bat, Whitaker is in the top 10 home run hitters of all time for a second baseman. He finished his career with 2,369 hits, 244 home runs, 420 doubles, 1,386 runs scored, 1,084 runs batted in and a .276 batting average.
Alan Trammell played his entire career with the Detroit Tigers. He was part of the double-play combination with Lou Whitaker for all but his last season. Trammell was a 6-time All-Star and 4 time Gold Glove Award winner. He finished his career with 1,231 runs scored, 2,365 hits, 185 home runs, 1,003 runs batted in and a .285 batting average.
Third base: Pete Rose, 1963 – 1986
Pete Rose played in 3,562 games over a 24-year career. Rose was a 17-time All-Star, won the Rookie of the Year Award, Most Valuable Player Award and 2 Gold Glove Awards. The all-time leader in hits with 4,256 also had 746 doubles, 135 triples, 1,314 runs batted in, 2,165 runs scored, 1,566 walks and a .303 batting average. Had it not been for his post-playing career ban for betting, Rose would have been a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
Left field: Dave Parker, 1973 – 1991
Dave Parker played for 6 teams over his 19-year career. Parker, known as “The Cobra”, was a 7-time All-Star and 3-time Gold Glove Award winner. He was a fearsome left-handed hitter with a tremendous arm in the outfield. Parker spent his last few seasons in the American League as a designated hitter. He finished his career with a .290 batting average, 1,272 runs scored, 2,712 hits, 525 doubles, 339 home runs, and 1,493 runs batted in.
Center field: Dale Murphy, 1976 – 1993
Dale Murphy spent most of his 18-year career with the Atlanta Braves. He also played for the Philadelphia Phillies and briefly with the Colorado Rockies. Murphy was a 7-time All-Star, the winner of back-to-back Most Valuable Player Awards, and a 5-time Gold Glove Award winner. Dale Murphy finished his career with 1,197 runs scored, 2,111 hits, 350 doubles, 398 home runs, and 1,266 runs batted in.
Dwight Evans played 19 of his 20 seasons with the Boston Red Sox. He was a 3-time All-Star and 8-time Gold Glove Award winner. During his time, Evans was known as having one of the best outfield arms in the game. He finished his career with 1,470 runs, 2,446 hits, 483 doubles, 385 home runs, 1,384 runs batted in and 1,391 walks.
Catcher: Ted Simmons, 1968 – 1988
Ted Simmons played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee Brewers and Atlanta Braves during his 21-year career. He was an 8-time All-Star who was primarily a designated hitter and pinch hitter in the latter stages of his career. Simmons ended his career with 1,074 runs scored, 2,472 hits, 483 doubles, 248 home runs, and 1,389 runs batted in.
Designated hitter: Harold Baines, 1980 – 2001
Harold Baines played for 5 teams during his 22-year career. Baines, who also played many games in the outfield earlier in this career, was a 6-time All-Star. With a great eye of the strike zone and bat control, Baines hit for power and average. He finished his career with 1,299 runs scored, 2,866 hits, 488 doubles, 384 home runs, 1,628 runs batted in, 1,062 walks and a .289 batting average.
Bat off the bench: Dick Allen, 1963 – 1977
Dick Allen played for the Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox and Oakland A’s during his 15-year career. Allen won the Rookie of the Year Award in 1963 and the Most Valuable Player Award in 1972. He was also a 7-time All-Star. Allen finished his career with 1,099 runs scored, 1,848 hits, 353 home runs, 1,119 runs batted in, and a .292 batting average.
Jim Kaat pitched for 5 teams over his 25-year career. Kaat won the Gold Glove Award 16 times, including 12 consecutive seasons from 1962 through 1973. Jim Kaat, a 3-time All-Star, was a relief pitcher late in his career but started 625 games. He finished his career with 283 wins, 180 complete games, 31 shutouts, 4530 1/3 innings pitched, 2,461 strikeouts, and an earned run average of 3.45.
Starting pitcher: Tommy John, 1963 – 1989
Tommy John pitched for 6 teams during his 27-year career. John was a 4-time All-Star who started 700 games. He missed the entire 1975 season due to an injury but came back from the surgery which is now named after him. Tommy John finished his career with 288 wins, 162 complete games, 46 shutouts, 4,710 1/3 innings pitched, 2,245 strikeouts, and an earned run average of 3.34.
Closer: Lee Smith, 1980 – 1997
Lee Smith pitched for 8 teams during his 18-year career. Smith was a 7-time All-Star and led the league in saves 4 times. He finished his career with 1,022 games, 802 games finished, 1,251 strikeouts in 1,289 1/3 innings, 478 saves and an earned run average of 2.57.
There are many other players who had very good careers that fall just a bit short of Hall of Fame status. This is my list of the best players not to make the Hall of Fame based on the criteria I presented.
