Cooperstown Chronicles – Veterans Committee Ballot

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.  Here is how I would weigh in if I had a vote.

Pre-1943
Bill Dahlen – 1500+ Runs should put him in, but not much else.  Accumulator.  Pass
Wes Ferrell – Under 200 Wins.  Six 20 Win Seasons.  Rotten ERA.  Not joing his brother Rick.  Pass
Joe Gordon – Seriously.  Only if he were Frankie Frisch’s teammate  Pass
Sherry Magee – Profiled him.  Great Hitter for his Era.  Gets my Vote.
Carl Mays – 200 Wins, Great Winning %.  Five 20 Win Seasons.  Gets my Vote.
Allie Reynolds – Under 200 Wins, One 20 Win Season, Not a great Adjusted ERA.  Great Winning % and 6 WS Rings, but not quite enough.  Pass.
Vern Stephens – Made a lot of All-Star games (8).  Nothing jumps out though.  Pass.
Mickey Vernon – Just passed away.  Accumulator.  Good not Great.  Pass.
Bucky Walters – Under 200 Wins.  Three 20 Win seasons, Not a great Adjusted ERA.  Pass.
Deacon White – Great average.  Not much else.  Pass

Post-1943
Joe Torre – As a Player – No.  As a Manager – Yes.  Gets my Vote.
Ron Santo – Profiled him.  Great with the Glove.  Great with the Stick.  Gets my Vote.
Gil Hodges – Profiled him.  Masher and a Winner.  8-time All-Star.  Gets my Vote.
Dick Allen – 351 HRs, 1119 RBI, 7-time All-Star.  Not enough.  Pass.
Jim Kaat – We profiled him.  283 Wins and 16 Gold Gloves.  Gets my Vote.
Luis Tiant – 229 Wins, Three 20 Win seasons, Not a great Adjusted ERA.  Pass.
Tony Oliva – We profiled him.  3 Batting titles.  Only injuries kept him from BWAA induction.  Gets my vote.
Al Oliver – We profiled him.  Great hitter.  Hall of Fame worthy hitter.  Gets my Vote.
Vada Pinson  – We profiled him.  An accumulator.  Good, not great.  Pass.
Maury Wills – We profiled him.  Tons of steals.  Not much else statistically.  Pass.

We’ll find out who the VC let in on December 8th at the Winter Meetings.