Wait - didn't I write this already?
So the 2006 Baseball Hall of Fame class was announced yesterday, and for yet another year, Jack Morris (and Alan Trammell along with him) was left wanting. As Brian said at Beyond Boxscores, equally compelling arguments could probably be made for or against Morris (and Trammell) at this point. I'm surely looking at this through Tigers-colored glasses, but I just can't imagine that a pitcher as good as Morris isn't considered worthy of the Hall of Fame.
Maybe it's lazy of me, but I wrote about this last year when Morris was passed over, and nothing I could write now is different from what I wrote then.
Just substitute "2006" for "2005" and "Bruce Sutter" for "Ryne Sandberg" and "Wade Boggs," and the whole post is up to date. Next year, I'll try to write something fresh on the subject, if the matter comes up again (and it probably will).
In the meantime, ESPN's Buster Olney says Sutter's Hall of Fame induction could be an especially important one for two reasons:
1) It opens the doors for plenty of other closers now, as Sutter's career and statistics resemble those of several modern-day short relievers, such as Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman.
2) This was the last Hall of Fame class that won't have the question of steroids hanging over its career achievements. For instance, how do you think Mark McGwire will fare next year?
Maybe it's lazy of me, but I wrote about this last year when Morris was passed over, and nothing I could write now is different from what I wrote then.
But it really bothers me that pitcher Jack Morris wasn't among the class of 2005. I'm biased, to an extent, because Morris was the best pitcher the Detroit Tigers had during my lifetime as a Tigers fan. But I think fans of the Toronto Blue Jays and Minnesota Twins would agree with me, as well. Morris led all three of these teams to World Series championships as their ace starting pitcher. In the 1991 World Series, Morris pitched a 10-inning shutout for the Twins, beating the Atlanta Braves in Game 7. Considering the circumstances, it was one of the best pitching performances in the history of Major League Baseball. Morris didn't reach 300 wins, considered the gold standard for Hall of Fame starting pitchers, but his 254 shouldn't be dismissed - especially considering how significant many of those wins were for his teams. He won more games in the 1980s (162) than any other pitcher.
Just substitute "2006" for "2005" and "Bruce Sutter" for "Ryne Sandberg" and "Wade Boggs," and the whole post is up to date. Next year, I'll try to write something fresh on the subject, if the matter comes up again (and it probably will).
In the meantime, ESPN's Buster Olney says Sutter's Hall of Fame induction could be an especially important one for two reasons:
1) It opens the doors for plenty of other closers now, as Sutter's career and statistics resemble those of several modern-day short relievers, such as Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman.
2) This was the last Hall of Fame class that won't have the question of steroids hanging over its career achievements. For instance, how do you think Mark McGwire will fare next year?
Labels: Jack Morris
posted by Ian C. @ 12:00 PM
sweatymen[at]gmail[dot]com
4 Comments:
At January 11, 2006 1:52 PM,
the sports dude said…
Look, Morris was a dick to media and I think that may not be helping him very much. Regardless the cat should be in and that 1-0, ten inning game in the World Series is all the proof I need.
As far as Trammell is concerned I still don't get it. I mean, Ryne Sandberg got in and Tram is by far and away a better SS than that dude ever was... and that is not me drinking the hometown Tiger Kool-Aid, that is just the flat out truth.
At January 11, 2006 9:46 PM,
Anonymous said…
I think McGwire should, instead of being shown in an A's or Cards uniform, be shown in a labcoat in his Hall of Fame display. And if they do one of those neat exhibits where they replicate the player's locker, maybe they can have a false panel in the bottom with an assortment of pill bottles, patches, and creams filling the void. Sounds about right to me.
At January 14, 2006 1:13 AM,
twins15 said…
You forgot the real atrocity... Bert Blyleven is still not in the Hall!
At January 14, 2006 3:36 AM,
Jim said…
The fact that Jack Morris pitched 10 innings against the Braves in Game 7 of the 1991 World Series is precisely the reason he should NOT be in the Hall of Fame. ;)
On the other hand, the pitcher he out dueled that night, former Tiger farm hand, John Smoltz, should be a Hall of Famer. Whatever happened to Doyle Alexander?
Seriously, the Hall of Fame balloting is ridiculous. Each era has fewer and fewer players. I saw an article on ESPN.com last year that analyzed the number of players that made it by decade and it's dwindling.
Clearly, players like Andre Dawson, Dale Murphy, etc. were the class of the 1980's and were considered locks for the Hall of Fame during their playing days. They should be in the Hall. I would also put Fernando Valenzuela and Doc Gooden in too, because of their relative dominance albeit for a relatively short period of time.
If Rafael Palmeiro makes the Hall and Andre Dawson doesn't, it's a crock.
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