Baseball Toaster: Mike's Baseball Rants : Killer Bigs

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Killer Bigs—Big Hurt & Biggio

2007-06-29 12:32

by Mike Carminati

As I am sure you are aware, yesterday Frank Thomas became the 21st member of the 500-home run club and Craig Biggio became the 27th member of the 3000-hit club.

Over at ESPN Rob Neyer opines that Biggio is a lock for the Hall while Thomas is a borderline candidate at best. Actually, I don't really know what Neyer said—I can just read the first paragraph since I refuse to pay for Joe Morgan's clichéd aphorisms.

In the first paragraph, at least, Neyer somehow goes on ad nauseum about 500 home runs are not what they used to be. It seems that there once was a time when home runs were rationed. I think it was during the war, Double-Ya Double-Ya Two, to quote Archie Bunker. We needed to save our home runs to fight Gerry.

Really, does Neyer have to remind us that we are in the midst of the greatest offensive explosion since right after Doctor Phil's last feeding. I think the guy is morphing into a post-sabermetric Tim McCarver.

Anyway, in my humble opinion, Thomas and Biggio are easily first-ballot Hall-of-Famers, if for no other reason, at least in Thomas' case, since he has the minty scent of a power hitter who is steroid free. He is perhaps the only 500-guy who is free of the 'roid taint (which sounds like a obscene medical condition stemming from too many performance enhancers), which should appease the knee-jerk baseball writers. Biggio, seemingly, gets a free pass since the 3000-hit club has not yet been tainted though its membership is still larger than the 500-tater club.

I have a quick test to see if a player has that certain Wessonality to get into the Hall, Win Shares. The average Hall of Famer has 337 Win Shares, and every player with 400 Win Shares is in Cooperstown. So let's see how our current players rate.

Here are the players NOT in the Hall of fame that would be a better-than average HoFer based on Win Shares. For each, they are designated either Elig(ible), Not Yet Eligible (NYE) or Inelig(ible) for the Hall. (Rose is the only ineligible player on the list due to his ban.):

Name	First Yr	Last Yr	Win Shares	POS	HoF?
Barry Bonds	1986	2007	706	OF	NYE
Pete Rose	1963	1986	547	OF	Inelig
Rickey Henderson	1979	2003	535	OF	NYE
Roger Clemens	1984	2007	436	P	NYE
Craig Biggio	1988	2007	429	2B	NYE
Gary Sheffield	1988	2007	416	RF	NYE
Tony Mullane	1881	1894	399	P	Elig
Rafael Palmeiro	1986	2005	395	1B	NYE
Bill Dahlen	1891	1911	394	SS	Elig
Tim Raines	1979	2002	390	OF	NYE
Frank Thomas	1990	2007	390	DH	NYE
Jeff Bagwell	1991	2005	388	1B	NYE
Greg Maddux	1986	2007	385	P	NYE
Ken Griffey	1989	2007	380	CF	NYE
Roberto Alomar	1988	2004	376	2B	NYE
Darrell Evans	1969	1989	363	3B	Elig
Alex Rodriguez	1994	2007	360	SS	NYE
Rusty Staub	1963	1985	358	OF	Elig
Sherry Magee	1904	1919	354	OF	Elig
Lou Whitaker	1977	1995	351	2B	Elig
Manny Ramirez	1993	2007	348	RF	NYE
Dwight Evans	1972	1991	347	OF	Elig
Barry Larkin	1986	2004	346	SS	NYE
George Van Haltren	1887	1903	344	OF	Elig
Mark McGwire	1986	2001	343	1B	Elig
Dick Allen	1963	1977	342	1B	Elig
Fred McGriff	1986	2004	341	1B	NYE
Andre Dawson	1976	1996	340	OF	Elig
Bert Blyleven	1970	1992	339	P	Elig
Jimmy Sheckard	1897	1913	339	OF	Elig
Bob Caruthers	1884	1893	337	OF	Elig

Note there are four active players over 400 Win Shares, which should be a lock. Thomas is just ten Win Shares from 400.

Since I love tables, here are all the HoF players by Win Shares:

Name	First Yr	Last Yr	Win Shares	POS	HoF?
Babe Ruth	1914	1935	756	OF	1936
Ty Cobb	1905	1928	722	OF	1936
Honus Wagner	1897	1917	655	SS	1936
Hank Aaron	1954	1976	643	OF	1982
Willie Mays	1951	1973	642	OF	1979
Cy Young	1890	1911	634	P	1937
Tris Speaker	1907	1928	630	OF	1937
Stan Musial	1941	1963	604	OF	1969
Eddie Collins	1906	1930	574	2B	1939
Mickey Mantle	1951	1968	565	OF	1974
Walter Johnson	1907	1927	560	P	1936
Ted Williams	1939	1960	555	OF	1966
Mel Ott	1926	1947	528	OF	1951
Frank Robinson	1956	1976	519	OF	1982
Joe Morgan	1963	1984	512	2B	1990
Rogers Hornsby	1915	1937	502	2B	1942
Nap Lajoie	1896	1916	496	2B	1937
Lou Gehrig	1923	1939	489	1B	1939
Carl Yastrzemski	1961	1983	488	OF	1989
Kid Nichols	1890	1906	478	P	1949
Pete Alexander	1911	1930	476	P	1938
Mike Schmidt	1972	1989	467	3B	1995
Eddie Mathews	1952	1968	450	3B	1978
Sam Crawford	1899	1917	446	OF	1957
Reggie Jackson	1967	1987	444	OF	1993
Al Kaline	1953	1974	443	OF	1980
Eddie Murray	1977	1997	437	1B	2003
Jimmie Foxx	1925	1945	435	1B	1951
George Brett	1973	1993	432	3B	1999
Cal Ripken	1981	2001	427	SS	2007
Christy Mathewson	1900	1916	426	P	1936
Paul Waner	1926	1945	423	OF	1952
Robin Yount	1974	1993	423	SS	1999
Dave Winfield	1973	1995	415	OF	2001
Paul Molitor	1978	1998	414	DH	2004
Tim Keefe	1880	1893	413	P	1964
Warren Spahn	1942	1965	412	P	1973
John Ward	1878	1894	409	SS	1964
Willie McCovey	1959	1980	408	1B	1986
Pud Galvin	1875	1892	403	P	1965
Fred Clarke	1894	1915	400	OF	1945
George Davis	1890	1909	398	SS	1998
Tony Gwynn	1982	2001	398	OF	2007
John Clarkson	1882	1894	396	P	1963
Wade Boggs	1982	1999	394	3B	2005
Charley Radbourn	1880	1891	391	P	1939
Lefty Grove	1925	1941	391	P	1947
Jesse Burkett	1890	1905	389	OF	1946
Tom Seaver	1967	1986	388	P	1992
Joe DiMaggio	1936	1951	387	OF	1955
Rod Carew	1967	1985	384	1B	1991
Charlie Gehringer	1924	1942	383	2B	1949
Cap Anson	1871	1897	381	1B	1939
Zack Wheat	1909	1927	380	OF	1959
Luke Appling	1930	1950	378	SS	1964
Roberto Clemente	1955	1972	377	OF	1973
Al Simmons	1924	1944	375	OF	1953
Yogi Berra	1946	1965	375	C	1972
Billy Williams	1959	1976	374	OF	1987
Phil Niekro	1964	1987	374	P	1997
Harmon Killebrew	1954	1975	371	1B	1984
Willie Stargell	1962	1982	370	OF	1988
Gaylord Perry	1962	1983	369	P	1991
Carlton Fisk	1969	1993	368	C	2000
Frankie Frisch	1919	1937	366	2B	1947
Steve Carlton	1965	1988	366	P	1994
Roger Connor	1880	1897	363	1B	1976
Eddie Plank	1901	1917	361	P	1946
Harry Heilmann	1914	1932	356	OF	1952
Brooks Robinson	1955	1977	356	3B	1983
Arky Vaughan	1932	1948	356	SS	1985
Johnny Bench	1967	1983	356	C	1989
Dan Brouthers	1879	1904	355	1B	1945
Ed Delahanty	1888	1903	355	OF	1945
Goose Goslin	1921	1938	355	OF	1968
Mickey Welch	1880	1892	354	P	1973
Duke Snider	1947	1964	352	OF	1980
Max Carey	1910	1929	351	OF	1961
Tony Perez	1964	1986	349	1B	2000
Lou Brock	1961	1979	348	OF	1985
Ryne Sandberg	1981	1997	346	2B	2005
Bobby Wallace	1894	1918	345	SS	1953
Robin Roberts	1948	1966	339	P	1976
Johnny Mize	1936	1953	338	1B	1981
Billy Hamilton	1888	1901	337	OF	1961
Gary Carter	1974	1992	337	C	2003
Nolan Ryan	1966	1993	334	P	1999
Willie Keeler	1892	1910	333	OF	1939
Joe Cronin	1926	1945	333	SS	1956
Ernie Banks	1953	1971	332	1B	1977
Richie Ashburn	1948	1962	329	OF	1995
Sam Rice	1915	1934	327	OF	1963
Gabby Hartnett	1922	1941	325	C	1955
Ozzie Smith	1978	1996	325	SS	2002
Enos Slaughter	1938	1959	323	OF	1985
Fergie Jenkins	1965	1983	323	P	1991
Red Ruffing	1924	1947	322	P	1967
Harry Hooper	1909	1925	321	OF	1971
Don Sutton	1966	1988	319	P	1998
Jake Beckley	1888	1907	318	1B	1971
Bob Gibson	1959	1975	317	P	1981
Eppa Rixey	1912	1933	315	P	1963
Bill Dickey	1928	1946	314	C	1954
Edd Roush	1913	1931	314	OF	1962
Pee Wee Reese	1940	1958	314	SS	1984
Ted Lyons	1923	1946	312	P	1955
Joe Medwick	1932	1948	312	OF	1968
Jim Palmer	1965	1984	312	P	1990
Orlando Cepeda	1958	1974	310	1B	1999
Early Wynn	1939	1963	309	P	1972
Jim O'Rourke	1872	1904	305	OF	1945
Carl Hubbell	1928	1943	305	P	1947
Joe Kelley	1891	1908	305	OF	1971
Bid McPhee	1882	1899	305	2B	2000
Nellie Fox	1947	1965	304	2B	1997
Rabbit Maranville	1912	1935	302	SS	1954
Frank Baker	1908	1922	301	3B	1955
Dennis Eckersley	1975	1998	301	P	2004
Billy Herman	1931	1947	298	2B	1975
Mordecai Brown	1903	1916	296	P	1949
Hugh Duffy	1888	1906	295	OF	1945
Amos Rusie	1889	1901	293	P	1977
Luis Aparicio	1956	1973	293	SS	1984
Vic Willis	1898	1910	293	P	1995
George Sisler	1915	1930	292	1B	1939
Bob Feller	1936	1956	292	P	1962
Red Faber	1914	1933	292	P	1964
Kiki Cuyler	1921	1938	292	OF	1968
Elmer Flick	1898	1910	291	OF	1963
Burleigh Grimes	1916	1934	286	P	1964
Heinie Manush	1923	1939	285	OF	1964
Bobby Doerr	1937	1951	281	2B	1986
Kirby Puckett	1984	1995	281	OF	2001
Earl Averill	1929	1941	280	OF	1975
King Kelly	1878	1893	278	OF	1945
Bill Terry	1923	1936	278	1B	1954
Lou Boudreau	1938	1952	277	SS	1970
Joe Sewell	1920	1933	277	SS	1977
Mickey Cochrane	1925	1937	275	C	1947
Jimmy Collins	1895	1908	274	3B	1945
Pie Traynor	1920	1937	274	3B	1948
Joe McGinnity	1899	1908	269	P	1946
Dave Bancroft	1915	1930	269	SS	1971
Johnny Evers	1902	1929	268	2B	1946
Larry Doby	1947	1959	268	OF	1998
Hank Greenberg	1930	1947	267	1B	1956
Ed Walsh	1904	1917	265	P	1946
Hal Newhouser	1939	1955	264	P	1992
Juan Marichal	1960	1975	263	P	1983
Waite Hoyt	1918	1938	262	P	1969
Red Schoendienst	1945	1963	262	2B	1989
Whitey Ford	1950	1967	261	P	1974
Joe Tinker	1902	1916	258	SS	1946
Jim Bottomley	1922	1937	258	1B	1974
Don Drysdale	1956	1969	258	P	1984
Jackie Robinson	1947	1956	257	2B	1962
Jim Bunning	1955	1971	257	P	1996
Hoyt Wilhelm	1952	1972	256	P	1985
Tony Lazzeri	1926	1939	252	2B	1991
Lloyd Waner	1927	1945	245	OF	1967
Stan Coveleski	1912	1928	245	P	1969
Ralph Kiner	1946	1955	242	OF	1975
Buck Ewing	1880	1897	241	C	1939
Dazzy Vance	1915	1935	241	P	1955
Rube Waddell	1897	1910	240	P	1946
Herb Pennock	1912	1934	240	P	1948
Chuck Klein	1928	1944	238	OF	1980
Frank Chance	1898	1914	237	1B	1946
Sam Thompson	1885	1906	236	OF	1974
Bob Lemon	1941	1958	232	P	1976
Roger Bresnahan	1897	1915	231	C	1945
Chief Bender	1903	1925	231	P	1953
Phil Rizzuto	1941	1956	231	SS	1994
George Kell	1943	1957	229	3B	1983
Earle Combs	1924	1935	227	OF	1970
Hack Wilson	1923	1934	224	OF	1979
Bill Mazeroski	1956	1972	219	2B	2001
Ernie Lombardi	1931	1947	218	C	1986
Hughie Jennings	1891	1918	214	SS	1945
Travis Jackson	1922	1936	211	SS	1982
Jack Chesbro	1899	1909	209	P	1946
Rube Marquard	1908	1925	208	P	1971
Roy Campanella	1948	1957	207	C	1969
Jesse Haines	1918	1937	207	P	1970
Ross Youngs	1917	1926	206	OF	1972
Rick Ferrell	1929	1947	206	C	1984
Catfish Hunter	1965	1979	206	P	1987
Sandy Koufax	1955	1966	194	P	1972
George Kelly	1915	1932	193	1B	1973
Freddie Lindstrom	1924	1936	193	3B	1976
Ray Schalk	1912	1929	191	C	1955
Addie Joss	1902	1910	191	P	1978
Rollie Fingers	1968	1985	188	P	1992
Chick Hafey	1924	1937	186	OF	1971
Lefty Gomez	1930	1943	185	P	1972
Dizzy Dean	1930	1947	181	P	1953
Tommy McCarthy	1884	1896	170	OF	1946
Bruce Sutter	1976	1988	168	P	2006

Comments

2007-06-30 18:58:27

1. Murray

Fitting to see Bagwell and Thomas back-to-back on your first list. They share the same exact birthday, you know.

2007-07-02 07:27:33

2. Mike from Hoboken

The 'Roid Taint.
Is that anything like the Heartbreak of Psoriasis?

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