Oh NO! A Hall of Fame thread

Damn, that was more than four years ago? That doesn't seem possible.

 

One of the yearly SJ outings needs to be HOF weekend in Cooperstown.

 

Don't forget 1994. LaRussa and the Yankees would have willed the strike into oblivion and they would have swept the Expos. They still would have lost in 1995, but on purpose as LaRussa knew they'd need to get a brief taste of humility before winning the next 10 titles, so they could reign with empathy.

 

Or Canton depending on the city you are from.

 

I'd hate to have to pick just one. But I think it would have to be La Russa.

Love him or hate him, there were few better tacticians in the game's history.

 

What Cox did during that stretch was amazing, but they only won one series during that whole time.

So if it's between Torre and LaRussa, the tiebreaker for me is having to deal with everything from Steinbrenner to the media horde to the egos on that team to just having the focus on you 24-7. I don't think LaRussa was ever under the kind of pressure that Torre was.

 

I forgot Cox was the GM that built the Braves of the 1990s.

La Russa
Cox
Torre

 

Torre: In addition to his managerial accomplishments he was also a superior player in the major leagues for more than a few years.

Neither Cox nor LaRussa has that on the resume...

 

I think Thomas should be a lock on the first ballot. He's one of the most elite hitters this game has ever seen.

Most Batting Wins

Code:

Rk  Player  	BtWins    PA  	From  	 To
1 Babe Ruth 	130.36	10617	1914	1935
2 Barry Bonds 	122.35	12606	1986	2007
3 Ted Williams 	110.14	 9791	1939	1960
4 Ty Cobb 	109.93	13068	1905	1928
5 Stan Musial 	 93.97	12712	1941	1963
6 Hank Aaron 	 92.10	13940	1954	1976
7 Lou Gehrig 	 90.33	 9660	1923	1939
8 Tris Speaker 	 87.39	11988	1907	1928
9 Rogers Hornsby   85.31	 9475	1915	1937
10 Mickey Mantle   85.30	 9909	1951	1968
11 Willie Mays 	 83.88	12493	1951	1973
12 F. Robinson 	 78.62	11743	1956	1976
13 Mel Ott 	 77.01	11337	1926	1947
14 Honus Wagner    72.50	11748	1897	1917
15 Jimmie Foxx 	 71.91	 9670	1925	1945
16 Frank Thomas    69.48	10074	1990	2008
17 Eddie Collins   66.47	12037	1906	1930
18 Dan Brouthers   65.30	 7676	1879	1904
19 Manny Ramirez   64.16   9489	1993	2010
20 Nap Lajoie 	 61.83	10460	1896	1916
21 Cap Anson 	 60.91	11331	1871	1897
22 Jeff Bagwell    58.38	 9431	1991	2005
23 Mike Schmidt    58.08	10062	1972	1989
24 Roger Connor    56.83	 8847	1880	1897
25 W. McCovey 	 55.58	 9686	1959	1980

Highest OPS+, 7000+ PA

Code:

Rk  Player  	 OPS+  	  PA  	From  	 To
1 Babe Ruth 	 207	10617	1914	1935
2 Ted Williams 	 191	 9791	1939	1960
3 Barry Bonds 	 181	12606	1986	2007
4 Lou Gehrig 	 179	 9660	1923	1939
5 Rogers Hornsby   175	 9475	1915	1937
6 Mickey Mantle    172	 9909	1951	1968
7 Dan Brouthers    170	 7676	1879	1904
8 Ty Cobb 	 168	13068	1905	1928
9 Jimmie Foxx 	 163	 9670	1925	1945
10 Mark McGwire    162	 7660	1986	2001
11 Stan Musial 	 159	12712	1941	1963
12 Johnny Mize 	 158	 7371	1936	1953
13 Tris Speaker    157	11988	1907	1928
14 Frank Thomas    156	10074	1990	2008
15 Dick Allen 	 156 	 7314	1963	1977
16 Willie Mays 	 156	12493	1951	1973
17 Manny Ramirez   155	 9489	1993	2010
18 Hank Aaron 	 155	13940	1954	1976
19 Joe DiMaggio    155	 7671	1936	1951
20 Mel Ott 	 155	11337	1926	1947
21 F. Robinson     154	11743	1956	1976
22 Roger Connor    153	 8847	1880	1897
23 Ed Delahanty    152	 8400	1888	1903
24 Honus Wagner    150	11748	1897	1917
25 Nap Lajoie 	 150	10460	1896	1916

 

I remember years ago that Torre (before his Yankees success) was considered by some to be a HOF level player, but never got more than high teens in the vote because he didn't have a real set position (C, 1b, 3b all with more than 500 games) so it was tough to rate him.

I don't think anyone has gone into the Hall two ways for baseball. I know it has happened in other sports, but not baseball...

 

They'll all get in but its gotta be Cox first. Yes, the Braves only won one World Series but 14 consecutive division titles is a remarkable accomplishment regardless of how they did in the postseason. And when you consider they did it primarily with pitching in what was an offensive era it's even more remarkable.

Even with the wildcard baseball still has the toughest path to the playoff of the Big 4 sports. To navigate a 162-game schedule and come out as division champion every year for nearly a decade-and-a-half is a feat we probably won't see again for a long time. If ever.

 

What the hell is a batting win?