hall of fame

Jeff Bagwell: An all-time great batting eye

A Very Simple Game Miscellaneous Articles
Jeff Bagwell: An all-time great batting eye

On Sunday, the Houston Astros’ Jeff Bagwell will enter the Hall of Fame. We’re particularly pleased with Bagwell’s election, since it seemed for a little while that he might unduly suffer from PED speculation (while in a certain sense it’s reasonable to suspect any player from the era, there is *zero* evidence specifically against Bagwell). Bagwell is a clear Hall of Famer, 6th all time in WAR among first basemen and possessed of one of the best batting eyes in Major League history. Read more

Underrated: Lou Whitaker

A Very Simple Game Underrated
Underrated: Lou Whitaker

Other than players still playing, still eligible for eventual BBWAA voting into the Hall, or banned from the game, Lou Whitaker has the highest WAR total of any player not yet in the Hall of Fame. By either calculation of WAR, Whitaker ranks in the Top-100 of all players (both position and pitchers) since the beginning of the game, so it’s mind-boggling that not only is he not in the Hall of Fame, he didn’t even receive 5% of the vote in his first year – dropping him off the ballot entirely. How was/is such a productive player so underrated? Well, there are several reasons, some better than others. Read more

Mike Piazza – much better Dodger than a Met

A Very Simple Game Quick Takes (Blog)
Mike Piazza – much better Dodger than a Met

Mike Piazza enters the Hall of Fame as the best offensive catcher in baseball history. He also enters as the subject of a “Hat Policy” conversation. Though he spent his best years with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Piazza will enter the Hall as a member of the New York Mets. This makes a good amount of sense: he did spend more time with the Mets and has long held bad feelings toward the Los Angeles Dodgers over the way he left the team. But, while it’s certainly not as contentious as the inclusion of Gary Carter or Andre Dawson as Expos (against both of their wishes), there is little question that Piazza’s greatest years were spent as a Dodger. Read more

Ken Griffey Jr.’s Decline was Unique

A Very Simple Game Best of AVSG, Quick Takes (Blog)
Ken Griffey Jr.’s Decline was Unique

Ken Griffey Jr., one of the greatest natural talents that baseball has ever seen, will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Sunday. Despite his greatness and the heights of his achievements, Junior is also one of the game’s greatest “what if?” players. Injuries ravaged the second half of his career and left many fans wondering what might have been. The stark divide in Griffey’s career production makes him essentially unique among position players in the Hall. Read more

Overrated: Pete Rose

A Very Simple Game Overrated
Overrated: Pete Rose

As Ichiro nears 3000 hits in MLB and tops 4256 for his professional career, we’re reminded (by no one more than the man himself) that Pete Rose is MLB’s “Hit King.” Never forget, however, that Pete Rose (the player) only has that record because Pete Rose (the manager) placed his personal interests above those of his team. We begin Hall of Fame week with a close look at the most prominent player barred from entry. Read more