Commentary by Sanford D. Horn
January 19, 2021
The 2020 Major League Baseball season, we hardly knew ye. Thanks to the evil Covid, the home plate umpires were not the only ones who donned masks. The 60 game season came and went in an instant, with the Los Angeles Dodgers winning their first World Series since 1988. With the 2020 season in the books, let’s hope 2021 will be a complete 162 game season, attended by at least some fans, and with a return to the traditional rules of the game.
Gone should be seven inning doubleheaders, extra innings beginning with a runner on second base, relief pitchers required to pitch to either three batters or end the inning, circumstances where the home team bats in the tops of innings and a visiting team has the opportunity for the very unusual walk-off. Also, the designated hitter should be dropped from the National League, and quite frankly the American League as well, but that seems like a pipedream.
Now with the rather active Hot Stove season underway, with no umpires or players on the fields, many of which are blanketed under a bed of smooth, white, crusted snow - silent, slightly more silent than they were during the regular season. Yet while the ballparks enjoy their winter slumber, there is business of the utmost importance emerging from Cooperstown on Tuesday, January 26.
The Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) is finalizing their votes to determine who will fill the Hall of Fame Class of 2021. Is this the year for Curt Schilling? How about the likes or Barry Bonds or Roger Clemens - tainted by substance allegations? The only way steroid/HGH-addled balloteers should be admitted to the Hall of Fame is with a paid ticket for admission to the museum.
“We hope the day never comes when known steroid users are voted into the Hall of Fame. They cheated. Steroid users don’t belong here,” wrote late Hall of Famer Joe Morgan in a November 2017 letter to the BBWAA, hoping to influence their Hall votes in 2018. Hopefully Morgan’s letter continues to resonate in 2021 as cheaters such as Bonds and Clemens inch closer to the magic number of 75 percent - enough to grant one admission to the Hall.
The cloud of controversy has been dark and heavy, while initially eliminating some from Hall of Fame contention. Yet in the cases of Bonds and Clemens, the BBWAA voters’ support of Bonds rose from 59.1 percent in 2019 to 60.7 percent in 2020, and Clemens’ totals jumped from 59.5 percent in 2019 to 61 percent in 2020. Fortunately, remaining in low numbers are Sammy Sosa and Manny Ramirez. Sosa’s support moved from 8.5 percent in 2019 to 13.9 percent in 2020, while voting for Ramirez moved from 22.8 percent in 2019 to 28.2 percent in 2020, his fourth year on the ballot. Bonds, Clemens, and Sosa are on the ballot for their penultimate ninth year, and hopefully they will not reach the vaunted 75 percent by 2022.
The voting results are due to be released on Tuesday, January 26. What is not released are the ballots of the voting members of the BBWAA. Those votes should be disclosed to the public. Let the BBWAA voters defend their votes as I defend mine, even if not as a member of the BBWAA.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame has a so-called character clause. “Voting shall be based upon the player’s record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character and contribution to the team(s) on which the player played.” So-called because it has existed since 1945 and more than a fair share of miscreants have found their way to Cooperstown. (https://baseballhall.org/hall-of-famers/bbwaa-rules-for-election)
With voting in mind, were I a privileged member of the BBWAA charged with the task of electing the Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2021, only three former major leaguers would earn my votes - all three, holdovers. Of those three, maybe one will be enshrined on July 25. Candidates must receive at least five percent of the vote in order to remain on the ballot should they not attain 75 percent the previous year.
Curt Schilling could finally reach 75 percent in this, his ninth year on the ballot. Schilling’s stock rose more than nine points from 60.9 percent in 2020, up to 70 percent in 2020. Schilling, bloody sock and all, is a six-time All Star who pitched 20 seasons in the big leagues – three with the Orioles, one with the Astros, eight-plus with the Phillies, three-plus with the Arizona Diamondbacks, then calling it a career with the Boston Red Sox. Schilling tossed 83 complete games, appeared in three World Series, and had three 20-plus win seasons within a four year span at ages 36, 38, and 39. Schilling should have his ticket stamped this summer – was my mistaken prediction the last eight years, and while I believe some members of the BBWAA are holding his politics against him, Schilling still belongs among those earning a plaque in Cooperstown.
Omar Vizquel, was the quintessential shortstop of a generation, having won 11 Gold Glove awards during his 24 year career, second most at that position all time. Vizquel was also the oldest shortstop to win a Gold Glove, having done so at age 39 in 2006. After five years with the Seattle Mariners, Vizquel took his talents to Cleveland continuing to be the defensive gem that will vault him into Cooperstown.
Vizquel was three times an All Star, overshadowed by Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees, who was elected to Cooperstown in a near-unanimous vote in 2020. On the field, Vizquel led the league in Fielding Percentage six times as a shortstop and is the all time leader in Fielding Percentage at .985. Vizquel shares the season record with Cal Ripken, Jr. for committing the fewest errors by a shortstop playing in at least 150 games with a paltry three. Additionally, Vizquel is first all time in double plays turned by a shortstop, third all time in assists at shortstop, and 11th all time in putouts made by a shortstop.
At bat, Vizquel compares rather favorably to Hall of Fame shortstops Ozzie Smith, Luis Aparicio, and Luke Appling. Vizquel hit more home runs than Smith and Appling, trailing Aparicio by only three. Vizquel drove in more runs than Smith and Aparicio, stole more bases than Appling, hit for a higher batting average than Smith and Aparicio, while collecting more hits than all three. This is the fourth year on the ballot for Vizquel, having earned 52.6 percent of the vote in 2020.
In his third year on the ballot, Todd Helton has earned my support. The 17-year MLB veteran played his entire career with the Colorado Rockies (1997-2013) batting .316 in 2,247 games with 2,519 hits, 369 home runs, scoring 1,401 runs, and driving in 1,406 runs. The Knoxville native finished second in the 1998 Rookie of the Year balloting, earning five All Star game selections in consecutive years, from 2000 through 2004. Appearing on MVP ballots in six years, Helton’s breakout season was in 2000, leading the National League in hits with 216 and all of MLB with 59 doubles, 147 RBI and a .372 batting average, yet could only manage a fifth place finish in the MVP race that season. Earning 29.2 percent of the votes in 2020, Helton will more than likely not earn induction this summer.
While it is important to not sully the Baseball Hall of Fame with the likes of Bonds, Clemens, Ramirez, and Sosa, the focus must be on the greats who will be enshrined this July and how they will continue to be the true ambassadors to the community as so many before them have been. Sadly, this is an ever shrinking community. The Class of 2020, Derek Jeter, Marvin Miller, Ted Simmons, and Larry Walker, to be enshrined this July, as Covid “rained out” last summer’s ceremony, raised the total membership to 333, of which, as of March 20, 2020, 82 were living. Sadly, as of January 20, 2021, that number has dwindled to 73. A daunting record seven Hall of Famers passed away in 2020, five within a 42 day period.
Al Kaline, “Mr. Tiger,” who never played a game in the minor leagues, and spent the entirety of his MLB career with Detroit, lived December 19, 1934 to April 6, 2020. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980, Kaline accumulated 3,007 hits, 399 home runs, 1,582 RBI, and scored 1,622 runs during a career that ran from 1953 through 1974. The right fielder earned 10 Gold Glove Awards, was voted into 18 All Star games, and garnered MVP votes in 14 seasons. In 1955, Kaline led the American League with 200 hits and a .340 batting average. Kaline was particularly effective in the postseason, batting .379 in the 1968 World Series win over the St. Louis Cardinals. In seven games Kaline had 11 hits, cracked two home runs, and drove in eight runs.
“Tom Terrific, The Franchise,” Tom Seaver, who put the then hapless New York Mets on the map lived November 17, 1944 to August 31, 2020. Seaver pitched 12 of his 20 year career, from 1967 through 1986, with the Mets achieving fame as the ace of the staff recording 311 wins and 205 loses, with a 2.86 ERA and 3,640 strikeouts. Seaver, a US Marine, earned election into the Hall of Fame in 1992, with the then highest percentage of the vote at 98.8 percent. Along the way, Seaver won Rookie of the Year honors in 1967, three Cy Young Awards, selected to 12 All Star games, earned MVP votes in 10 years, and was the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year in 1969. Although he pitched many gems while with the Mets, it was not until Seaver became a member of the Cincinnati Reds that he finally tossed his lone no-hitter, on June 16, 1978 in a 4-0 win against the St. Louis Cardinals, at Riverfront Stadium. Seaver won 20 or more games in five seasons while leading the National League in wins three times and in strikeouts five times.
Lou Brock, the “Rocket,” who retired leading all Major League Baseball with 938 stolen bases, and still ranks number two, lived June 18, 1939 to September 6, 2020. The speedy left fielder played from 1961 through 1979, was selected to six All Star games and entered the Hall of Fame in 1985. In a record 12 consecutive years Brock stole 50 or more bases and stroked 200 or more hits four times, amassing 3,023 hits for his career, batting .293. In 1968 Brock led the National League with 46 doubles, 14 triples, and 62 stolen bases. Brock put up prolific numbers in three World Series, batting .391 in 21 games with 34 hits seven doubles, two triples, four homeruns, 13 RBI, while scoring 16 runs and stealing 14 bases.
Bob “Gibby” Gibson, who pitched with such ferocity he would have thrown at his own mother, or so the myth went. The career St. Louis Cardinal, who played from 1959 through 1975, lived November 9, 1935 to October 2, 2020. Elected to the Hall of Fame in 1981, the right-hander won 251 games and lost 174 with an ERA of 2.91, while striking out 3,117 batters. Gibson won an MVP Award, two Cy Youngs, an impressive nine Gold Gloves, while also being named to nine All Star teams. So dominant was Gibson in 1968 with a miniscule 1.12 ERA, that Major League Baseball lowered the pitcher’s mound from 15 inches to 10 inches after his brilliant season. During the 1968 campaign, Gibson won 22 games while losing an astounding nine - talk about a lack of run support. Gibson led the National League with 13 shutouts and 268 strikeouts, along with the almost invisible ERA, en route to capturing the Gold Glove, Cy Young, and MVP awards that year. Gibson also put up solid postseason numbers, pitching in three World Series, winning seven games, losing but two, with a 1.89 ERA. He started nine games, completed eight, striking out 92 batters in just 81 innings.
Edward Charles “Whitey” Ford a.k.a. The “Chairman of the Board,” lived October 21, 1928 to October 8, 2020. He played the entirety of his career, 1950 through 1967, with the New York Yankees, earning induction into the Hall of Fame in 1974. Ford won 236 games and lost 106, with an ERA of 2.75. Throughout his career, the southpaw Ford averaged 230 innings pitched per season and was selected to 10 All Star games. He led the American League in wins three times and in ERA twice. Ford posted career highs in 1961 with 25 wins, 283 innings pitched, and 209 strike outs, on his way to winning the Cy Young Award. He followed up his regular season by winning the World Series MVP winning two games, losing none, with a spotless ERA of 0.00. In total Ford won 10 and lost eight in 11 World Series with a 2.71 ERA.
Joe Morgan, “Little Joe,” the “Little General,” lived September 19, 1943 to October 11, 2020. He played the bulk of his 22 year career with the Houston Astros and Cincinnati Reds, which ran from 1963 through 1984. At the time of his death, Morgan had been serving as Vice Chairman of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum Board of Directors. An integral part of the Big Red Machine and a slick fielding second baseman, Morgan won five consecutive Gold Gloves, one each in 1975 and 1976 while winning the National League MVP both years. In those two years Morgan batted .327 and .320, stole 67 and 60 bases, drove in 94 and 111 runs - all career highs. His defensive career at second base continues to hold up, even 34 years after his retirement. Morgan ranks second in games played at the keystone sack, third in assists, fourth in putouts, and sixth in double plays turned. Morgan also successfully worked in the ESPN booth with Jon Miller calling Sunday Night Baseball for a number of years.
Phil “Knucksie” Niekro, who pitched until he was 48, looked every bit the part while still just in his 30s. Niekro lived April 1, 1939 to December 26, 2020. Niekro spent 21 of his 24 years in the majors with the Braves - the first two while the team still played in Milwaukee. The righthander pitched from 1964 through 1987, and was enshrined in the Hall of Fame in 1997. Niekro won 318 games and lost 274, pitching 245 complete games with 3,342 strikeouts in 5,404 innings - fourth all time. The knuckleball will take a pitcher a long way for a long time. He earned five Gold Gloves, votes for the Cy Young five times, and selected to five All Star games. Niekro worked like a veritable horse from 1977 through 1979, during his ages 38-40. In those three seasons, he pitched an average of 335 innings totaling 1,006, 18.6 percent of his career total, with 65 complete games. Niekro won 20 or more games three times, while losing 20 or more twice, including 1979 when he led the National League in both wins and loses, going 21-20, the last pitcher to win and lose 20-plus in the same season.
May their memories be for a Blessing, and may 2021 be a better year for one and all.
Sanford D. Horn is a writer and educator living in Westfield, IN. He has been a Patron-level member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame since 2007.
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