Jay Jaffe's book "The Cooperstown Casebook" addresses issues surrounding the Baseball Hall of Fame. It also chronicles Jaffe's ratings for the best players of all time at each position. The book provides an excellent primer for anyone looking to learn more about the Baseball Hall of Fame and some of it's members as well as those who may gain entrance in the future.
Jaffe points out that 220 players have been elected to the Hall of Fame, while 30 pioneers or executives have received entrance into the museum. Additionally, 20 managers have been chosen for induction, while 10 umpires have been selected as well. Also, 35 Negro Leagues Players, managers or executives have been voted in. So, there is a wide variety of people from the history of baseball who have made it to the hall of fame.
Jaffe explains that individuals enter the hall of fame through balloting from the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWA) or the Veterans Committee (VC). 440 baseball writers from the BBWA vote on the players, while the VC is a 10 to 20 member committee.
According to Jaffe, eligibility for election to the Baseball Hall of Fame has these requirements: First, "activity as a major league player at some point during a period beginning 15 years before and ending five years prior to election." Secondly, "activity in a minimum of 10 major league seasons." Finally, a player needs to be retired for "a minimum of five calendar years preceding the election."
However, there are exceptions. Jaffe points out that Babe Ruth was elected in 1936, the year after his last season. Lou Gehrig gained entrance to the Hall of Fame shortly after his medical diagnosis that forced him into retirement. Also, Roberto Clemente was elected three months after he died in 1973, and Thurman Munson and Darryl Kile were considered after their death, but were not elected.
Jaffe points out that a candidate cannot be on baseball's ineligible list and the candidate must be nominated by any two members of the BBWAA screening committee. Then after a person is nominated, the candidate get at least 5% of the vote in order to be eligible for the next year. In order to be elected, the candidate must receive at least 76% of the vote from the BBWA. Finally, voters can vote for no more than 10 candidates.
The statistics of a former player often determine whether a player gets into the Hall of Fame. Voters look for certain benchmarks for a career. For an everyday player, 500 homeruns or 3,000 hits are magical numbers that often assure entrance into the Baseball Hall of Fame. For a pitcher, 300 wins can assure an election to Cooperstown. Additionally, if a pitcher gets 3,000 strike outs it could help his case for election.
Due to the use of steroids by certain players, the numbers are slightly less magical. For instance, both Alex Rodriguez and Barry Bonds have well over 500 homeruns, but they may never be elected due to their association with steroids. Likewise, Roger Clemens, also associated with performance enhancing drugs, has 354 wins and 4,672 strikeouts, but remains outside of the Hall of Fame.
Nevertheless, the numbers matter. They often determine how baseball fans and observers judge a career. They become important benchmarkers and yardsticks to evaluate a career.
Jaffe points out that there is a lot to consider, however. Jaffe says "Going back to the numbers on the baseball card, the oft cited Triple Crown stats and their benchmark plateaus (a .300 batting average, 30 home runs, 100 RBI) aren't especially good at telling even the most basic stories. Counting stats like runs and RBI are highly context dependent and don't account for how many outs- how much of baseball's clock, so to speak- a player used." For instance, Jaffe points out that we also need to consider on base percentage. How many walks did a player draw? How often did a player reach base? These questions are important. Jaffe is not overlooking the importance of batting average, home runs and RBI's. He simply points out that there is more to consider.
Jaffe says that On Base Percentage, which "measures how well a player gets on base," and Slugging Percentage, "which measures how well a player moves others around the bases" are better indications than the traditional Triple Crown statistics and are not "subject to the influence of a player's teammates or his lineup slot." When I was growing up, I focused on the back of baseball cards to learn about a player's abilities. Slugging Percentage and On Base Percentage were not considered. So, I always focused on Batting Average, Home Runs and RBI's. However, Jaffe make a good point about the need to consider other statistics.
While historically, wins were considered very strong indicators of a pitcher's performance, Jaffe points out that there are other things to consider. Jaffe says "The first thing to know about pitching statistics is that wins and losses don't tell you all that much, particularly the later in baseball history that you go. Pitchers were expected to throw all nine innings or more, if the game went into extras- but those days have long since passed, thanks to higher scoring levels and strikeout rates, longer at bats, deeper lineups, pitch counts, and increased reliever specialization, all of which have cut into complete game rates." So, wins and losses are not the sole determination of whether or not a pitcher is successful. There are other factors to consider. Of course, wins and losses are also effected by the team that a player suits up for. Witness last season's performance by Jacob DeGrom of the New York Mets. While DeGrom had a stellar season, the Mets struggled. So, DeGrom put up good numbers, but ended with an unimpressive number of wins.
Jaffe also looks at defensive stats. Jaffe says "The mainstream numbers generally associated with defense, error totals and fielding percentage, tell only bits and pieces of the story, namely how many mistakes a player made and what percentage of time he avoided making them. What they don't reveal is how many plays per game he made successfully." So, the traditional numbers are not a comprehensive indication of a player's defensive skills.
Jaffe mentions that "Bill James introduced Range Factor(RF) as the number of putouts plus assists per game; as detailed by John Thorn and Pete Palmer in The Hidden Game of Baseball, that stat was around as far back as 1875 under the guise of 'fielding average.' Jaffe believes that
'Range Factor' is a better indication of a player's defensive skills. Jaffe also mentions other defensive metrics such as Defensive Efficiency, Total Zone System, Ultimate Zone Rating and Defensive Runs Saved as means of evaluating a player's defensive skills.
Jaffe suggests that the different statistics help us to determine which players are more valuable, which Jaffe acknowledges is not an easy thing to determine. Jaffe says each player should be measured "not against average but against replacement level , an approximation of what a minor league call-up or waiver wire pickup- a garden variety replacement - could provide." Replacement level statistics are part of the new way to evaluate players. It is a relatively new statistic that helps general managers, managers, baseball observers and fans evaluate players. Baseball statistics continue to evolve and develop. The evolution of baseball statistics helps us to understand the game better. These improved statistics help us to understand each player's overall contribution to the team and the overall abilities of each player. These new statistics also helps general managers and scouts to evaluate free agents who are seeking to join a new team or stay with their current one.
Jaffe also addresses other issues with the Hall of Fame. He dedicates an entire chapter on the hall's treatment of third baseman. Jaffe says "Alas, the BBWAA and VC voters have rarely gotten it right when it comes to third baseman. Through the 2017 election cycle, fewer major league third baseman are enshrined (13) that at any other position except relievers. Through eight decades of hall history, at no other position have voters' inconsistent standards and the messy, inefficient process been so readily apparent." Jaffe refers to the Cubs' Ran Santo as a good example of the Hall of Fame's inconsistency regarding third baseman. Jaffe suggests that Santo should have been in earlier.
Jaffe says "By the time Ron Santo became eligible in 1980, just five third basemen had been elected to the Hall, three of whom now look like strong choices and the other two...not so much. None of them had an easy time getting in, and taken together they illustrate some of the voting bodies' most maddening tendencies." The five players who had been elected before 1980 were Jimmy Collins, Pie Traynor, Home Run Baker, Fred Lindstrom and Eddie Mathews. Jaffe says that Collins, Baker and Mathews were good choices. However, Jaffe suggests that Traynor and Lindstrom were questionable ones.
Jaffe also is critical of the Veteran's Committee, which Jaffe says all too often displays cronyism. Jaffe says "All too often, the group scraped the bottom of the barrel by electing substandard candidates, many with clearly traceable connections to committee members, opening it up to charges of cronyism." Truthfully, cronyism is present in many different places, including the government, businesses, many workplaces and other areas of life. It's not hard to believe that the Veteran's Committee would give into cronyism. This is especially true considering that the committee only has 10 to 20 members who are voting on candidates.
One problem with the Veteran's Committee is the lack of transparency. Jaffe says "These committees have generally done their business in secret, meeting behind closed doors with very little public discussion of the proceedings or the results aside from who was elected and who came close. The Hall is said to have hundreds of bankers' boxes and other documents in remote storage, some of which may pertain to the VC but aren't available for public perusal." So, the Veteran's Committee does not necessarily explain why some players are chosen and others are not. The members of the Veteran's Committee do not explain the rationale for their choices. This lack of transparency or explanation makes the VC vulnerable to charges of cronyism.
Jaffe also addresses the hall's proverbial elephant in the room- performance enhancing drugs. Whether or not a player associated with steroids should be voted into the hall of fame has been a topic of discussion for some time now. Purists say that players who cheated have no business being elected. While others say, that we need to consider the context of the times. People who argue on behalf of an player being elected despite their association with steroids say that many others were using PED's so we should not penalize those who have been publicly associated with steroids. While purists say that the lack of integrity present in cheating makes a player ineligible for entrance to the hall of fame.
Jaffe suggests that players associated with steroids should still be considered for entrance to the hall of fame. Jaffe says "If baseball had no means to punish PED users for what they were doing - the case up until 2004, when testing began- then Hall of Fame voters should not, either. The lack of deterrence in the form of penalties meant that not only could players take the drugs without consequence(except to their own health) but that they might feel pressured into taking them to keep up with the pharmaceutical arms race." Jaffe actually points out that players may have used PED's as far back as 1889 when Pud Galvin was associated with the use of "Brown Sequard Elixir." This particular drug was supposed to slow down the aging process. According to Jaffe, even Babe Ruth was reported to have used a primitive form of PED's in 1925. This use may have caused Ruth to have an ulcer that required surgery and caused Ruth to miss 41 games that year.
Jaffe says that "My point is that when it comes to Hall of Fame voting, we should view players' drug usage in the context of this complete institutional failure." Jaffe points out that the players got away with using PED's in part because the owners may have looked the other way because home runs made the game more profitable. Jaffe also points out that the media's fascination with the home run may have caused journalists to look the other way or decide not to investigate why so many home runs were being hit. So, PED use occurred within the context of the owner's greed and the media's laxity.
Jaffe ranks his top players at each position. He looks at the teams that each player played for, the statistics, the rankings and the voting of the BBWAA for each player.
Jaffe says that Johnny Bench is the greatest catcher of all time. Jaffe says that Bench was "The Big Red Machine's most vital cog...Bench helped Cincinnati to six playoff appearances, four pennants and two championships while dominating on both sides of the ball from 1968-1980." Jaffe is impressed with Bench's offensive and defensive ability. Bench played from 1967-83 for the Cincinnati Reds.
Jaffe says that Gary Carter is the second best catcher of all time. Jaffe says that Carter was "outstanding both offensively and defensively." Regarding Carter, Jaffe says "his nine times among the league's top 10 in WAR (1977-1985, consecutively) are a record for catchers, and his peak actually eclipses that of Bench, ranking number one at the position." Carter played from 1974-1991. He played for the Montreal Expos, New York Mets, San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Jaffe says that Ivan Rodriguez is the third best catcher of all time. Of Rodriguez, Jaffe says "The man with the golden arm. Rodriguez set a new standard defensively thanks to his ability to stifle the running game, throwing out 45.7% of would be base thieves in his career en route to the position's highest total of fielding runs (+146)." Rodriguez played from 1991-2011. He played for the Texas Rangers, Florida Marlins, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Houston Astros and Washington Nationals.
Jaffe considers Carlton Fisk to be the fourth best catcher of all time. Regarding Fisk, Jaffe says "Nobody had more WAR from his age-30 season onward (at any position, not just catcher) than Fisk, whose 39.3 WAR outdistances second-ranked Gabby Hartnett's 31.8." Fish played from 1969-1993. He played for the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago White Sox.
Finally, according to Jaffe, Mike Piazza rounds out the top 5 for the catching position. Jaffe says "Piazza spent his entire career in pitchers' parks but nonetheless emerged as the best-hitting catcher of all time whether measured by OPS+, batting runs or homers." Jaffe points out that "His defense was roundly criticized due to his 23% caught stealing rate, but compelling sabermetric research places him among the best at pitch blocking (via Baseball-Reference's Sean Forman), framing, and staff handling (both via Baseball Prospectus's Max Marchi)." So, not only was Piazza a good hitter, some believe that he was a better defensive catcher than he was given credit for. Piazza played from 1992-2007. He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Florida Marlins, New York Mets and San Diego Padres.
Jaffe considers Lou Gehrig to be the best first baseman of all time. Jaffe says "Prorated to a 162 game basis, his 8.4 WAR is more than a win and a half above every other first baseman save for Dan Brouthers." Gehrig is considered one of the greatest Yankees' of all time and one of the best major league players of all time. Gehrig was known for his ability to drive in runs. He played from 1923-39 for the Yankees.
Jaffe puts Albert Pujols, who is still playing, as the second best first baseman of all time. Jaffe says "Through his first 11 seasons- the run of his career with the Cardinals - he generated more value (86.4 WAR) than any other player save for Willie Mays (87.4 WAR) had to that point in his career, and hit more homers (445) than anyone while helping the Cardinals to seven playoff berths, three pennants, and two championships, and dominating leaderboards." Pujols obviously has the credentials to be elected to the Hall of Fame. Pujols began his Major League career in 2001 and is still playing today. He has played for the St. Louis Cardinals and the Anaheim Angels.
According to Jaffe, Jimmie Foxx is the third best first baseman of all time. Jaffe says the following regarding Foxx: "Remembered primarily for battling Ruth and Gehrig on the home run leader-boards, "Double X" was far from one dimensional. In his younger days he offered speed and a strong arm as well as power, with the versatility to catch and play third base." Foxx played from 1925-1945. He played for the Philadelphia Athletics, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies.
Jaffe says Cap Anson is the fourth best first baseman of all time. Jaffe points out that Anson won the batting title four times and played until age 45. Anson collected 3,435 hits and is 4th all time in RBI's. He is also 7th all time in hits, 9th all time in runs scored and 17th all time for batting average. Anson played from 1871-1897. He played for the Rockford Forest Citys, Philadelphia Athletics, and Chicago White Stockings/Colts.
Roger Connor, according to Jaffe, is the fifth best first baseman of all time. Jaffe says "One of baseball's first great sluggers, Connor is among its most underappreciated figures, an early star who was somehow forgotten for decades." Connor played from 1880 to 1897. He played for the Troy Trojans, New York Gotham Giants, Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Browns.
Jaffe says that Rogers Hornsby is the best second baseman of all time. Hornsby had 6 seasons of at least 10.0 WAR. Jaffe says that Hornsby won 7 batting titles, hit .402 from 1921-25 and averaged 29 home runs over that time. Hornsby played from 1915-37. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Giants, Boston Braves, Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Browns.
Eddie Collins, is Jaffe's choice for the second best second baseman of all time. Jaffe says that "Collins starred for six pennant winners and four champions from 1910-19, most notably as the keystone of Connie Mack's "$100,000 Infield" that won four pennants and three World Series from 1910-14." Collins played from 1906-1926. He played for the Philadelphia Athletics and Chicago White Sox.
Jaffe says that Nap Lajoie is the third best second baseman to ever play. Jaffe says "Lajoie was the nascent AL's dominant player, winning the Triple Crown in 1901, and claiming it's first four batting titles." Lajoie finished with 3,243 hits and 380 stolen bases. He finished in the top 3 for slugging percentage 9 times. Lajoie played from 1896-1916. He played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Philadelphia Athletics and Cleveland Broncos/Naps
Joe Morgan, according to Jaffe, is the fourth best second baseman of all time. Jaffe points out that Morgan's 66.9 WAR was the highest in the 1970's. His 10.9 WAR was the best in 1975. Morgan was a big part of the Cincinnati Reds' success in the 1970's. Morgan was a 10 time All Star who had a high on base percentage for much of his career. He finished with 2,517 hits, 268 home runs and 689 stolen bases. Morgan played from 1963-1984. He played for the Houston Colt 45s/Astros, Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies and the Oakland Athletics.
Charlie Gehringer is considered by Jaffe to be the fifth best second baseman of all time. Jaffe says "Not only did he become the oldest player to win a batting title, at age 34, (1937, his MVP- winning year), he set career highs in homers(20) and walks(113) the next year." Clearly played his entire career with the Detroit Tigers from 1924-1942.
Jaffe says that Honus Wagner is the best shortstop of all time. Jaffe says that Wagner's "speed and athleticism made him the game's most dominant player before Babe Ruth. His run of eight straight league leads in WAR( 1902-09) is unmatched, while his 11 leads in the category is tied with the Bambino, Barry Bonds, and Rogers Hornsby for the most all-time, plus he had four other top-four finishes." Wagner played for the Louisville Colonels and the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Alex Rodriguez is Jaffe's choice for the second best shortstop of all time. Jaffe says "A-Rod's a shortstop by this system on the basis of 63.5 WAR through 2003, compiled while showing unprecedented power for the position via six straight seasons of at least 40 homers, two with at least 50, and three league leads. Rodriguez played for the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers and New York Yankees.
According to Jaffe, Cal Ripken, Jr. is the third best shortstop of all time. Regarding Ripken, Jaffe says "He's the only middle infielder among the eight players to reach the dual milestones of 3,000 hits and 400 homers, and third in fielding runs(+181), behind only Mark Belanger(+241) and Ozzie Smith(+239)." Ripken spent his entire career with the Baltimore Orioles from 1981-2001.
Jaffe says George Davis is the fourth best shortstop of all time. Jaffe says that Davis "could do it all: Among shortstops, he's third in both OPS+ and steals, and seventh in fielding runs (+146)." Davis played for the Cleveland Spiders, New York Giants and Chicago White Sox. He played from 1890 - 1909.
Robin Yount, according to Jaffe, is the fifth best shortstop of all time. Jaffe says that Yount "broke out in 1980, beginning a sizzling 10- year stretch (.305/365/.485/135 OPS+) where is 55.1 WAR was topped by only Ricky Henderson(70.8), Wade Boggs (59.9) and Mike Schmidt(56.4)." Yount spent his entire career with the Milwaukee Brewers from 1974-93.
Jaffe says that Mike Schmidt is the best third baseman of all time. According to Jaffe, "Thanks to his outstanding combination of power, patience (1,507 walks), and defense (+129 runs, ninth all time at the position), Schmidt not only has a claim as the game's greatest third baseman, but as it's most valuable player during the 1961-92 span, i.e. through the first three waves of expansion." Schmidt played for the Philadelphia Phillies for his whole career, from 1972-89.
Eddie Mathews is Jaffe's choice for the second best third baseman of all time. According to Jaffe, "Mathews was such a home run prodigy that after he bashed an NL-high 47 as a 21-year old in 1953, many went on record to suggest that he could break Ruth's single-season mark. He never did, of course, though he ranked in the NL's top five in homers in each of his first nine seasons while teaming with Hank Aaron to help the Braves to two pennants and a world championship." Mathews played for the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves, Houston Astros and Detroit Tigers. Mathews played from 1952-1968.
According to Jaffe, Wade Boggs is the third best third baseman of all time. Jaffe says "Boggs won five batting titles in his first six full seasons, all with averages of at least .357; among postwar players, only Tony Gwynn had more times above .350 (six)" Jaffe also points out that Boggs "led the AL in times on base in eight straight seasons (1983-90), and in OBP six times." Jaffe also says that Boggs was an excellent fielder. Boggs played for the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees and Tampa Devil Rays. He won a World Series with the Yankees in 1996. Boggs played from 1982-1999.
Jaffe says that George Brett is the fourth best third baseman of all time. Jaffe says "Though he was a three-time batting champion - once with a .390 average, the AL's highest since Ted Williams' .406 in 1941 - Brett didn't dominate the leaderboards to quite the same extent that Schmidt(chosen one pick behind him in the second round of the 1971 draft) or Boggs did. He was more of a fixture in the postseason, helping the Royals to seven division titles in a 10-year span." Brett played his entire career with the Kansas City Royals from 1973-93.
Jaffe chooses Adrian Beltre as the fifth best third baseman of all time. Beltre has recently retired, so he is not yet eligible for the Hall of Fame. However, he will get in eventually. Jaffe says that Beltre "posted a 133 OPS+ from 2010-16 with his age 31-36 seasons all worth at least 5.6 WAR." Beltre played with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox and Texas Rangers. He played from 1998-2018.
Jaffe says that Barry Bonds is the greatest left fielder of all time. According to Jaffe, "Bonds as a claim as the greatest position player of all time, given that Ruth played before integration, that neither he nor Williams were much on the bases or afield, and that Mays didn't dominate opposing pitchers to the same extent." Bonds played from 1986 - 2007. Bonds played with the Pittsburgh Pirates and the San Francisco Giants.
Ted Williams is Jaffe's choice for second best left fielder of all time. Jaffe addresses William's outstanding hitting ability and his service in World War II. Jaffe also points out that "Beyond his greatness, Williams had an outsized impact on the Hall via his 1966 induction speech, which called for the inclusion of Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson 'as great symbols of the great Negro players who are not here only because they weren't given the chance." Williams played from 1939-1960 with the Boston Red Sox. Williams did not play from 1943-1945 because of his service in World War II.
According to Jaffe, Rickey Henderson is the third best left fielder of all time. Jaffe says "Henderson's single-season and all - time stolen base records are his top calling card, but his dazzling speed and derring-do on the basepaths - wroth a record 145 runs on its own (you were expecting Bengie Molina?)- shouldn't obscure how complete a ballplayer he was." Henderson played from 1979-2003. Henderson played for the Oakland A's, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, San Diego Padres, California Angels, New York Mets, Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Jaffe says that Carl Yastrzemski is the fourth best left fielder of all time. Regarding Yastrzemski, Jaffe says "The Splendid Splinter's successor sometimes gets lost in his shadow, but Yaz deserves his own spotlight. Remarkably durable, he played in more games than anyone but Rose, and among post-nineteenth-century players is tied for second with Dave Winfield for the most batting-title-qualified seasons with an OPS+ of at least 100, at 19(Cobb had 21)." Yastrzemski played from 1961-1983 for the Boston Red Sox.
Jaffe chooses Pete Rose as the fifth best left fielder of all time. Jaffe points out that "Rose won the NL Rookie of the Year and MVP awards and three batting titles, tied an NL record with a 44- game hitting streak in 1978, helped his team to six pennants and three championships and started All-Star games at a record five different positions (first, second, and third base, and both left field and right field)" Jaffe acknowledges Rose's excellence as a player, but does not believe he should be enshrined in the hall of fame because of his gambling on baseball. Rose played from 1963-1986. He played for the Cincinnati Reds. Philadelphia Phillies and Montreal Expos.
Jaffe says Willie Mays is the best center fielder of all time. Jaffe says "The numbers are as impressive as the legend; Mays was every bit as good as you've been told, his case as the greatest all-around player supported by advanced stats. He's third all time in position player WAR behind only Babe Ruth and Barry Bonds, with far greater shares of his value coming from defense (+185 runs, second among centerfielders) and baserunning/double play avoidance (+69 runs) than the other two." Mays played from 1951-1973. He played with the New York Giants, San Francisco Giants and the New York Mets.
Jaffe considers Ty Cobb to be the second best center fielder of all time. Jaffe says "Statistically, Cobb's run of dominance is jaw-dropping; 11 AL batting titles and 10 OPS+ leads in a 13-year span (1907-19, not including the dismal 1910 title), with four slash stat Triple Crowns to go with his traditional one (1909); for that span he hit .377/.441/.527 en route to a 189 OPS+." Cobb played from 1905-28. He played for the Detroit Tigers and the Philadelphia Athletics.
According to Jaffe, Tris Speaker is the third best center fielder in the history of Major League Baseball. Jaffe says "Often overshadowed by Cobb- with whom he shared both position and league- "The Grey Eagle" led the AL in batting average and OPS+ only in 1916, when he took the slash stat Triple Crown (.386/.470/.502 with 186 OPS+) though he was perennially among the AL's elite. The speedy, strong armed Speaker revolutionized center field play with his shallow positioning, surrendering a few extra base hits to prevent a whole lot more singles." Speaker played from 1907-1928. He played with the Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, Washington Senators and the Philadelphia Athletics.
Mickey Mantle is Jaffe's choice for fourth best center fielder of all time. Jaffe says that Mantle "ranks third among centerfielders in peak score, in part because he owns two of the top four seasons at the position, with 11.3 WAR in 1957 (tied for first, via .365/.512/.665, 34 HR, 146 BB) and 11.2 in his Triple Crown '56 (tied for third, via .353/.464/.705, 52 HR, 130 RBI." Mantle played from 1951-68 for the New York Yankees.
Ken Griffey, Jr., was selected by Jaffe as the fifth best center fielder in the history of Major League Baseball. Jaffe says "Debating whether Griffey's smile or swing shone brighter is like comparing Mantle versus Mays... he soon became a human highlight film, clouting home runs (twice reaching 56 in a season) and stealing them." Griffey could hit for power and average. He was an excellent defensive center fielder who robbed players of home runs and extra base hits. Injuries effected the second half of his career, but Griffey was still one of the best players of his generation. Griffey, Jr. played from 1989-2008. He played with the Seattle Mariners, Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Sox.
Jaffe says that Babe Ruth is the best right fielder of all time. According to Jaffe, "By swinging for the fences, both literally and figuratively, the Sultan of Swat revolutionized baseball, offering a thrilling alternative to the one-run-at-a-time approach and popularizing the game both domestically and abroad." Ruth retired as the all time leader in home runs with 714. Ruth played from 1914-1935. Ruth played with the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees and Boston Braves.
Jaffe considers Hank Aaron to be the second best right fielder of all time. Jaffe says "Though he didn't dominate leagues or capture the public's imagination as Ruth or even Willie Mays did, Hammerin' Hank forged a remarkably consistent career, one that allowed him to overtake the Bambino on the all-time homme run list in 1974." Jaffe points to Aaron's consistency between 1955 and 1971. Jaffe also points out that Aaron hit 245 home runs after age 35. Only Bonds hit more after age 35 (317). Aaron played between 1954-1976. He played for the Milwaukee Braves, Atlanta Braves and the Milwaukee Brewers.
According to Jaffe, Stan Musial is the third best right fielder in the history of Major League Baseball. Jaffe says "Musial peppered NL leaderboards for two decades while leading the Cardinals to four pennants and three championships, and taking home three MVP awards. When he retired, he trailed only Cobb in hits, and even today he's second in total bases (6,134), the rare player to best Ruth in a power based category." Musial played from 1941-1963 with the St. Louis Cardinals. He missed the 1945 season while serving the United States in World War II.
Mel Ott is Jaffe's choice for the fourth best right fielder of all time. Regarding Ott, Jaffe says "He retired s the NL's all-time home run leader, third overall behind Ruth and Jimmie Foxx. He's one of just five players to gain induction before the now standard five-year waiting period, along with Ruth, Hornsby, longtime teammate Carl Hubbell, and Joe DiMaggio. Ott played from 1926-47 with the New York Giants.
Frank Robinson was selected by Jaffe as the fifth best right fielder of all time. Jaffe points out that Robinson "set a rookie record for homers(38) that stood until 1987, and bashed 324 homers in his decade with the Reds." Jaffe also points out that Robinson became the first African American manager in each league and has done important front office work in Major League Baseball. Robinson played from 1956-1976. He played for the Cincinnati Reds, Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Dodgers, California Angels and Cleveland Indians.
Jaffe says that Walter Johnson is the best starting pitcher of all time. Jaffe says "Blessed with the best fastball of his day, delivered sidearm, the Big Train tops the pitching list here because he missed bats like nobody else of his time, not even Cy Young. In 1910, Johnson became just the second post 1893 pitcher to strike out 300 in a season and led his league for the first of 12 times." Johnson played from 1907-27 for the Washington Senators.
According to Jaffe, Cy Young is the second best starting pitcher in the history of Major League Baseball. Jaffe says that Young "had exceptional control for his day, turning in the league's lowest walk rate 14 times and rarely allowing homers (0.2 per nine career).A true workhorse, he topped 400 innings fie times in his first six full seasons, and 300 innings in 15 straight years (1891-1905." Young played between 1890-1911. Young played for the Cleveland Spiders, St. Louis Perfectos/Cardinals, Boston Americans/Red Sox, Cleveland Indians and the Boston Braves.
Roger Clemens, according to Jaffe, is the third greatest starting pitcher of all time. Jaffe says that Clemens was "an imposing power pitcher whose splitter became his key pitch in the 2000s." Jaffe says that Clemens' "numbers and longevity are remarkable." Jaffe points out that Clemens "spread his seven ERA leads across 20 seasons (1986-2005), and his seven WAR leads and Cy Youngs across slightly staggered 19-season ranges as well." Clemens played from 1984-2006. Clemens played for the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees and Houston Astros.
Jaffe considers Kid Nichols to be the fourth best starting pitcher in the history of Major League Baseball. Jaffe says "Nichols was the staff ace for five pennant winners. He ranked among the top three in WAR eight times, and had a total of five seasons worth at least 10.0 WAR." Nichols played from 1890-1906. He played for the Boston Beaneaters, St. Louis Cardinals and the Philadelphia Phillies.
Jaffe says that Pete Alexander is the fifth best starting pitcher of all time. Jaffe points out that "From 1915-20, he (Alexander) won five ERA titles and four Triple Crowns while posting a combined 1.64 ERA (174+)." Alexander served in World War I and then came back home to continue his baseball career. Alexander played from 1911-1929. He played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals.
According to Jaffe, Dennis Eckersley is the greatest relief pitcher of all time. Jaffe says "From 1988-92, he averaged 72 innings, 44 saves (leading the AL twice) 9.5 K/9, 10.0 K/BB, 1.90 ERA, and 2.5 WAR while Oakland won four division titles, three pennants, and the 1989 World Series." Eckersley played from 1975-1997. He pitched for the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Oakland Athletics and St. Louis Cardinals.
While he lists Eckersley as the best reliever of all time, Jaffe acknowledges that Mariano Rivera has "solid claim as the greatest closer of all time." Jaffe says "Nobody closed the door like Mariano Rivera. The wiry, unflappable Panamanian not only set the all-time record for saves (652), he prevented runs at a greater clip relative to his league than any other pitcher - and he was even better in October. Regarding Rivera, Jaffe says "When he gains eligibility in 2019, he'll likely join Dennis Eckersley (2004) as the only relievers elected on the first ballot." Rivera helped the New York Yankees win 5 World Series championships. Rivera played from 1995-2013 for the New York Yankees.
According to Jaffe, Hoyt Wilhelm is the third best reliever of all time. Jaffe points out that "Over his first 14 seasons,(through 1965, his age-42 year) he (Wilhelm) delivered a 144+ ERA while averaging 2.6 WAR and topping 100 innings 11 times." Jaffe also says that "Though he (Wilhelm) never lead the league in saves, he held the all-time lead from 1964-80, and in games pitched from 1968-98 (1,070)." Wilhelm played from 1952-1972. He pitched for the New York Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox, California Angels, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers.
Jaffe chooses Rich Gossage as the fourth greatest relief pitcher in the history of Major League Baseball. Jaffe says "The intimidating Gossage wa a standard-setting reliever for a decade (1975-85, minus a year long experiment as a starter), blowing away hitters with 100 mph heat while helping his team to three pennants." Gossage played from 1972 -1994. He pitched for the Chicago White Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners.
Jaffe also discusses the careers of Bruce Sutter, Rollie Fingers, Lee Smith and others.
The Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York will always be the subject of fascinating conversations. Baseball observers will debate the worthiness of certain candidates for entrance into the Hall of Fame. Some will disagree with the election of certain players, while others may argue for the selection of other former players who have been denied entrance.
Not only does the Hall of Fame inspire impassioned debate and memorable dialogue, baseball itself, inspires worthwhile discussions about teams, players and memorable games.
The numbers of current players and former players will often be part of these discussions. Jay Jaffe's book "The Cooperstown Casebook" does a good job of adding to these debates and discussions.
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