MLB HOF 2007: Veteran's Vote?

[BigDogsHunt]

Vets Committee to vote on nominees
Forty-two players, execs and managers on ballot for Hall

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/...t_id=1777217&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

Nine former Most Valuable Player Award winners are among the 27 players on the 2007 Veterans Committee ballot that was announced on Sept. 28. In addition, 15 former managers, umpires and executives were named on a separate ballot that is part of the Veterans Committee election of Hall of Famers, Ford C. Frick Award winners for broadcasters and J.G. Taylor Spink Award winners for writers.

Along with two-time American League MVP Roger Maris (1960, '61), other former MVPs from that league on the ballot are Joe Gordon (1942), Dick Allen (1972) and Thurman Munson (1976). NL MVPs on the ballot are Marty Marion (1944), Don Newcombe (1956), Maury Wills (1962), Ken Boyer (1964) and Joe Torre (1971). Newcombe also won the first Cy Young Award in '56 and is the only player to have won MVP, Cy Young and Rookie of the Year (1949) Awards. Another Cy Young Award winner, Sparky Lyle (AL, 1977) is also on the ballot.

Former Dodgers first baseman Gil Hodges and Cubs third baseman Ron Santo, who tied for the most votes in the 2005 Veterans Committee election with 52 each (65 percent), are on the ballot for the third time. Hodges was also the leading vote-getter in 2003, the first year of the revised process, with 50 votes (61.7 percent).

The Veterans Committee elections are held every other year for players and every four years for the composite ballot. Former umpire Doug Harvey was the leading vote-getter on the 2003 ballot with 48 votes (60.8 percent). The 2007 ballot contains the same 15 names that were on it four years ago -- former managers Whitey Herzog, Billy Martin, Paul Richards and Dick Williams; former owners August Busch, Charles O. Finley, Walter O'Malley and Phil Wrigley; former general managers Buzzie Bavasi, Gabe Paul and Harry Dalton; former Commissioner Bowie Kuhn, former NL president Bill White, former Major League Players Association executive director Marvin Miller; and Harvey. The players' ballot includes former pitchers Carl Mays (five-time 20-game winner), Luis Tiant (two-time ERA leader), Mickey Lolich (1968 World Series MVP), Jim Kaat (283 victories, 16 Gold Gloves) and Wes Ferrell (.601 winning percentage and slugger of 37 home runs); first basemen Al Oliver (.303 career hitter with 2,743 hits) and Mickey Vernon (two batting titles); outfielders Bobby Bonds (five 30-30 seasons in homers and stolen bases), Tony Oliva (three batting titles), Lefty O'Doul (two batting crowns), Vada Pinson (four 200-hit seasons), Rocky Colavito (home run and RBI leader), Minnie Minoso (three-time steals leader) and Curt Flood (seven-time Gold Glove winner) and shortstop Cecil Travis (.314 career average), who died last month.

The 84 voting members are currently studying or have filed their ballots to Hall of Fame vice president Jeff Idelson. Results will be announced on Feb. 27 in Tampa. As in the BBWAA voting, a candidate must appear on 75 percent of the ballots cast to gain election and be inducted at ceremonies on July 29, 2007, at the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown.

So 63 out of the 84 voters have to agree.

 

[BigDogsHunt]

I think Newcombe, Hodges, and Santo might be the ones. Lots of great BaseBall names on this list. I do think this vote every two years is harder than the sportswriters have for regular guys.

 

[phunwin]

It's an embarassment that Santo never made the HOF. Hopefully the VC will vote him in this time around.

 

[BigDogsHunt]

It's an embarassment that Santo never made the HOF. Hopefully the VC will vote him in this time around.

Newcombe as well! I think his overall record (149-90) is used against him, but folks forget about his military career, etc.

The argument against Newcombe, of course, is that his career is just too short with 10years of pro baseball. But that's unfair to a guy who was excluded from the white major leagues in his early days and played in the Negro Leagues and white minor leagues. Then, he served in the armed forces in mid-career, something that has been looked upon quite favorably in the case of white prospects for the Hall of Fame whose careers were shortened by military service. One can compare him to Jackie Robinson, who played only 10 years in the majors due to racism, and Larry Doby, who was in the majors for 13 years.

His major league debut in 1949 was a shutout against the Cincinnati Reds. He went 17-8 in his first season and was a key factor in bringing the Brooklyn Dodgers the 1949 pennant. He led the team in wins (ahead of Preacher Roe, who had a 15-6 record).

Only player to ever win MVP, Cy Young, and Rookie of the Year. He was the first player to win the Cy Young Award when it was initiated in 1956.

He lost two years to the military (1952-53), something which is not usually counted into his record. In particular, he had won 20 games in 1951 before going into the military, and he won 20 games again in 1955, so one can only imagine how the 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers would have done if they had had him on the team. The 1953 Dodgers won 105 games without him, and with him they might have become one of the three or four winningest teams of all time.

After leaving the Dodgers, Newcombe had a good season with the 1959 Cincinnati Reds, where his 13 victories tied for the team lead with Bob Purkey - although Purkey went 13-18, while Newcombe went 13-8. His presence in Cincinnati gave the team three top black stars while still in the 1950's - Frank Robinson, Vada Pinson, and Newcombe.

Newcombe was one of the best hitters of all-time among pitchers. His .271 batting average in 878 life-time at-bats compared favorably to many position players of the time. He hit .319 in 1954, and then in 1955 hit .359 with 7 home runs - a .632 slugging percentage in 117 at-bats. Only Willie Mays, of all position players with enough plate appearances to qualify for the slugging championship, had a higher slugging percentage. Newcombe beat his teammate Duke Snider, who had a .628 slugging percentage in 538 at-bats. In 1958, Newcombe hit .361 in 72 at-bats, and in 1959 he hit .305.