LestersLegends.com

Face of the Franchise

Garrett Anderson
Image courtesy of Icon SMI
 
Manager: Mike Scioscia

C – Bob Boone
1B – Rod Carew
2B – Bobby Grich
3B – Troy Glaus
SS – Jim Fregosi
OF – Vladimir Guerrero
OF – Garrett Anderson
OF – Darin Erstad
DH – Tim Salmon
Bench:  C/OF Brian Downing, 1B Wally Joyner, UTIL Chone Figgins OF Chili Davis

SP – Nolan Ryan
SP – Chuck Finley
SP – John Lackey
SP – Mike Witt
SP – Frank Tanana
P – Mark Langston
P – Dean Chance
P – Clyde Wright
P – Andy Messersmith
P – Scot Shields
RP – Troy Percival
RP – Francisco Rodriguez

That’s the team I came up with. Do you have any changes you’d like to suggest? I’m always open to them.

Past Teams
Yankees
Red Sox
Rays
Orioles
Blue Jays
Twins
White Sox
Indians
Tigers
Royals

Photo courtesy of TSN Archives/Icon SMI

The Veterans Committee is going to vote on twenty players for induction into the Hall of Fame.  There are ten players pre-1943 and ten post-1943.  Today I profile Luis Tiant from that group.

The Numbers
Played 1964-1982 (19 seasons)
573 Games
484 Starts (53rd All-time)
3486-1/3 Innings (72nd All-time)
229 Wins (63rd All-time) -172 Losses
.571 Winning %
3.30 ERA (3.78 League Average)
1.199 WHIP
2416 Ks (35th All-time)
187 Complete Games
49 Shutouts (21st All-time)
15 Saves

Four 20+ Win Seasons
Six sub-3.00 ERA Seasons (two sub-2.00)
Three 200+ Strikeout Seasons

Playoffs:  5 Games, 4 Starts, 34-2/3 Innings, 3-0, 2.86 ERA, 20 Ks, 3 Complete Games

Awards
1972 Comeback Player of the Year
1975 AL Babe Ruth Award
3 All-Star Game appearances
Cy Young Votes in 3 Seasons
MVP Votes in 4 Seasons

Top Ten Finishes
Starts – Twice
Innings – 3 Times
Wins – 5 Times
Winning % – 5 Times
ERA – 4 Times (Led league in 1968 & 1972)
WHIP – 5 Times (Led league in 1973)
Strikeouts – 5 Times
Complete Games – 6 Times
Shutouts – 7 Times (Led league in 1966, 1968, & 1974)

Hall of Fame Yardsticks:
Black Ink: Pitching – 13 (164) (Average HOFer ≈ 40)
Gray Ink: Pitching – 115 (165) (Average HOFer ≈ 185)
HOF Standards: Pitching – 41.0 (66) (Average HOFer ≈ 50)
HOF Monitor: Pitching – 97.0 (99) (Likely HOFer > 100)

As a Red Sox fan I would love to say El Tiante is Hall of Fame worthy, but I would be doing Coopestown a disservice.  Don’t get me wrong, Tiant was a great pitcher, he just comes up short in HOF material, as indicated in the Yardsticks above.  He recorded four 20+ seasons, which is good not great.  His adjusted ERA (114) is tied for 210th.  I do like the way he made the transition from fireballer to pitcher when arm troubles sapped his fastball, but that’s not enough to earn him a spot in Cooperstown. 

References
Baseball-reference.com

Past Chronicles
Roberto Alomar
Richie Ashburn*
Earl Averill*
Harold Baines
Dan Bancroft*
Jake Beckley*
Albert Belle
Jim Bottomley*
Pete Browning
Jim Bunning *
Bert Byleven
Joe Carter
Orlando Cepeda*
Rocky Colavito
Earle Combs*
Dave Concepcion
David Cone
Roger Connor*
Larry Corcoran
Mike Cuellar
George Davis*
Andre Dawson
Larry Doby*
Bobby Doerr*
Jimmie Dykes (Player/Manager)
Dwight Evans
Rick Ferrell*
Chuck Finley
Steve Finley
Nellie Fox*
John Franco
Gary Gaetti
Steve Garvey
Lefty Gomez*
Luis Gonzalez
Dwight Gooden
Mark Grace
Bobby Grich
Charlie Grimm (Player/Manager)
Ron Guidry
Chick Hafey*
Billy Herman*
Keith Hernandez
Orel Hershiser
Whitey Herzog (Manager)
Gil Hodges
Ralph Houk (Manager)
Shoeless Joe Jackson
Travis Jackson*
Tommy John
Bob Johnson
Addie Joss*
Jim Kaat
George Kell*
Joe Kelley*
George Kelly*
Tom Kelly (Manager)
Chuck Klein*
Jerry Koosman
Bill James & Pete Palmer
Barry Larkin
Tony Lazzeri*
Freddie Lindstrom*
Mickey Lolich
Ernie Lombardi*
Fred Lynn
Sherry Magee
Roger Maris
Rube Marquard*
Billy Martin (Player/Manager)
Dennis Martinez
Edgar Martinez
Bobby Matthews
Don Mattingly
Gene Mauch (Manager)
Bill Mazeroski*
Fred McGriff
Mark McGwire
Bid McPhee
Johnny Mize*
Paul Molitor*
Jack Morris
Tony Mullane
Dale Murphy
Graig Nettles
Hal Newhouser*
Lefty O’Doul
Tony Oliva
Al Oliver
Buck O’Neill & Minnie Minoso
Dave Parker
Wes Parker
Lance Parrish
Vada Pinson
Boog Powell
Tim Raines
Willie Randolph
Pee Wee Reese*
Jim Rice
Phil Rizzuto*
Brooks Robinson*
Pete Ro$e
Amos Rusie*
Jimmy Ryan
Ron Santo
Curt Schilling
Red Schoendienst* (Player/Manager)
Ted Simmons
Enos Slaughter*
Lee Smith
Rusty Staub
Dave Stieb
Mel Stottlemyre
Harry Stovey
Sam Thompson
Alan Trammell
George Van Haltren
Arky Vaughan*
Mo Vaughn
Bobby Veach
Frank Viola
Mickey Welch*
Lou Whitaker
Bernie Williams
Vic Willis*
Maury Wills 
Hack Wilson*
Ross Youngs*
Veterans Committee Ballot
 
* Signifies actual Hall of Famer

Photo courtesy of TSN Archives/Icon SMI

3rdStoneFromTheSun, a friend of mine from the Sporting News community, suggested Bobby Grich.  Here are my findings.

Played 1970-1986 (17 Seasons)
2008 Games
6890 At Bats
.266 Batting Average 
1033 Runs
1833 Hits
2919 Total Bases
320 Doubles
47 Triples
224 HRs
864 RBI
1087 Walks 
104 SBs

One .300 Season
Two 30 Double Seasons
One 30 HR Season
One 100 RBI Season

Playoffs:  24 Games, 16 for 88 (.182), 5 Runs, 3 Doubles, 3 HRs, 9 RBI, 5 Walks

Awards
4 Gold Gloves
1 Silver Slugger
6 All-Star Game Appearances
MVP Votes in 5 Seasons

Top Ten Finishes
On-base % - 5 Times
Slugging % – Twice (Led league in 1981)
OPS – Twice
Games - Twice (Led league in 1973)
At Bats – Once
Runs - Twice
Total Bases - Once
Extra-base Hits - 3 Times
Doubles - Twice
Triples -  Once
Home Runs – Twice (Led league in 1981)
RBI – Once
Walks – 6 Times
Hit by Pitch – 8 Times (Led league in 1974)

Hall of Fame Yardsticks:
Black Ink: Batting – 8 (273) (Average HOFer ≈ 27)
Gray Ink: Batting – 40 (600) (Average HOFer ≈ 144)
HOF Standards: Batting – 30.9 (254) (Average HOFer ≈ 50)
HOF Monitor: Batting – 42.5 (418) (Likely HOFer > 100)

Bobby Grich was an excellent fielding Second Baseman with a some Big League pop.  He twice set the fielding % record at Second Base.  First at .995 and later at .997.  He was named to six All-Star teams and took home four Gold Gloves.  Offensively, though, he never hit the milestones you need to.  He never scored 100 Runs in a season.  He never had more than 157 Hits in a season.  He had a couple of HOF worthy seasons in 1979 & 1981, but they were far too few.  I can see him in the Orioles and Angels Hall of Fames, but that’s as far as it goes.  His rankings in the HOF yardsticks support my claim that Cooperstown isn’t the right place for Bobby (unless they opened a Rawlings Wing in the HOF).

References
Baseball-reference.com
Baseball Library

Past Chronicles
Roberto Alomar
Richie Ashburn*
Harold Baines
Albert Belle
Pete Browning
Jim Bunning *
Bert Byleven
Joe Carter
Orlando Cepeda*
Rocky Colavito
Dave Concepcion
David Cone
Larry Corcoran
Mike Cuellar
George Davis*
Andre Dawson
Larry Doby*
Bobby Doerr
Jimmie Dykes (Player/Manager)
Dwight Evans
Rick Ferrell*
Chuck Finley
Steve Finley
Nellie Fox*
John Franco
Gary Gaetti
Steve Garvey
Luis Gonzalez
Dwight Gooden
Mark Grace
Charlie Grimm (Player/Manager)
Ron Guidry
Keith Hernandez
Orel Hershiser
Whitey Herzog (Manager)
Gil Hodges
Ralph Houk (Manager)
Shoeless Joe Jackson
Tommy John
Jim Kaat
George Kell*
Tom Kelly (Manager)
Jerry Koosman
Barry Larkin
Tony Lazzeri*
Mickey Lolich
Ernie Lombardi*
Fred Lynn
Sherry Magee
Roger Maris
Billy Martin (Player/Manager)
Dennis Martinez
Edgar Martinez
Bobby Matthews
Don Mattingly
Gene Mauch (Manager)
Bill Mazeroski*
Fred McGriff
Mark McGwire
Bid McPhee
Paul Molitor*
Jack Morris
Tony Mullane
Dale Murphy
Graig Nettles
Hal Newhouser*
Lefty O’Doul
Tony Oliva
Al Oliver
Buck O’Neill & Minnie Minoso
Dave Parker
Wes Parker
Lance Parrish
Boog Powell
Tim Raines
Willie Randolph
Pee Wee Reese
Jim Rice
Phil Rizzuto*
Brooks Robinson*
Pete Ro$e
Jimmy Ryan
Ron Santo
Curt Schilling
Red Schoendienst* (Player/Manager)
Ted Simmons
Enos Slaughter
Lee Smith
Rusty Staub
Dave Stieb
Harry Stovey
Alan Trammell
George Van Haltren
Arky Vaughan*
Mo Vaughn
Bobby Veach
Frank Viola
Lou Whitaker
Bernie Williams
Vic Willis*
Maury Wills 
 
* Signifies actual Hall of Famer

Photo courtesy of TSN Archives/Icon SMI

FeathersForever, a friend of mine from Sporting News, wanted me to profile Fred Lynn. 

The Numbers
Played 1974-1990 (17 Years)
1969 Games
6925 At Bats
.283 Batting Average
1960 Hits
1063 Runs 
388 Doubles 
43 Triples
306 HRs
3352 Total Bases
1116 RBI
72 SB 
857 Walks

Two 100 Run Seasons
Two 40 Double Seasons
One 30 HR Seasons
Two 100 RBI Seasons
Four .300 Seasons

Playoffs:  15 Games, 22 for 54 (.407), 8 Runs, 4 Doubles, 2 HR, 12 RBI, 5 Walks

Awards
1975 MVP
1975 Rookie of the Year
1982 ALCS MVP
1983 All-Star Game MVP
4 Gold Gloves
9 All-Star Appearances
MVP Votes in 4 Seasons

Top Ten Finishes
Batting Average – 4 Times (1979 Batting Crown)
On-base % – 3 Times (Led league in 1979)
Slugging % – Four Times (Led league in 1975 & 1979)
OPS – Five Times (Led league in 1975 & 1979)
Runs – Twice (Led league in 1975)
Hits – Once
Total Bases – Twice
Doubles - 5 Times (Led league in 1975)
Triples – Twice
HR – Twice
RBI – Twice
Walks – Twice

Fred Lynn had a couple of fabulous seasons in 1975 & 1979.  If he put together six to eight more years in that class he would either be in the HOF already or I’d be pushing for him to get in.  As it turns out, he didn’t have more than 161 Hits, 89 Runs, 38 Doubles, 25 HR, or 86 RBI in any season other than his top two.  He was a solid player, and a great fielder, but that’s where the superlatives stop.  He can enjoy the fact that he was an All-Star more times than Paul Molitor, but he won’t be joining him on the walls of Cooperstown anytime soon.   

The Hall of Fame yardsticks support my assessment.
Black Ink: Batting – 15  (Average HOFer ≈ 27)
Gray Ink: Batting – 69  (Average HOFer ≈ 144)
HOF Standards: Batting – 33.3  (Average HOFer ≈ 50)
HOF Monitor: Batting – 85.0  (Likely HOFer > 100)

References
Baseball-reference.com

Past Chronicles
Roberto Alomar
Harold Baines
Albert Belle
Pete Browning
Bert Byleven
Joe Carter
Orlando Cepeda*
Rocky Colavito
Dave Concepcion
David Cone
Larry Corcoran
Mike Cuellar
Andre Dawson
Jimmie Dykes (Player/Manager)
Dwight Evans
Chuck Finley
Steve Finley
John Franco
Gary Gaetti
Steve Garvey
Luis Gonzalez
Dwight Gooden
Mark Grace
Charlie Grimm (Player/Manager)
Ron Guidry
Keith Hernandez
Orel Hershiser
Whitey Herzog (Manager)
Gil Hodges
Ralph Houk (Manager)
Shoeless Joe Jackson
Tommy John
Jim Kaat
Tom Kelly (Manager)
Jerry Koosman
Barry Larkin
Mickey Lolich
Sherry Magee
Roger Maris
Billy Martin (Player/Manager)
Dennis Martinez
Edgar Martinez
Bobby Matthews
Don Mattingly
Gene Mauch (Manager)
Fred McGriff
Mark McGwire
Paul Molitor*
Jack Morris
Tony Mullane
Dale Murphy
Graig Nettles
Lefty O’Doul
Tony Oliva
Al Oliver
Buck O’Neill & Minnie Minoso
Dave Parker
Wes Parker
Lance Parrish
Boog Powell
Tim Raines
Willie Randolph
Jim Rice
Phil Rizzuto*
Brooks Robinson*
Pete Ro$e
Jimmy Ryan
Ron Santo
Ted Simmons
Lee Smith
Rusty Staub
Dave Stieb
Harry Stovey
Alan Trammell
George Van Haltren
Mo Vaughn
Bobby Veach
Frank Viola
Lou Whitaker
Bernie Williams
Maury Wills

* Signifies actual Hall of Famer