Baseball Hall of Fame mailbag: Does fame matter? Should we value defense more? And more reader questions

The author discusses the Hall of Fame voting process, emphasizing the importance of both stats and reputation in determining a player’s candidacy. They highlight players like Sammy Sosa, Gary Sheffield, Ichiro Suzuki, and Kenny Lofton as examples of the “fame factor” playing a role in Hall of Fame cases. The author also addresses reader questions about players like Félix Hernández and David Wright, discussing the balance between stats and intangibles in evaluating their Hall of Fame worthiness. Ultimately, the author reflects on the complexities of the voting process and the subjective nature of determining a player’s Hall of Fame status. The summary discusses the Hall of Fame cases of several baseball players, including David Wright, Andruw Jones, Russell Martin, and Brian McCann. It also delves into the importance of defense, framing, and precedent when evaluating players for the Hall of Fame. The author emphasizes the need to balance established standards with personal beliefs and provides statistics on the percentage of big leaguers from each decade who have reached the Hall of Fame. The author discusses the percentage of MLB players that should be in the Hall of Fame, using WAR as a tool for comparison. They emphasize the importance of considering various factors beyond just one stat when evaluating players for the Hall of Fame, using examples like Lou Whitaker and José Abreu. The author also acknowledges that as a voter, they are part of a larger body and must consider the standards and preferences of other voters when making their selections. The writer outlines their thought process for voting for players with “issues” such as PED use and legal troubles. They have a consistent approach, not voting for players suspended for PEDs, but considering others based on their on-field performance. They do not believe players already in the Hall of Fame should be removed if found to have used PEDs. They also discuss the idea of including managers in Hall of Fame voting and are open to the idea if there are extra spots available. In support of managers being eligible for the Hall of Fame by a certain age, even if active, the argument is made for candidates like Dusty Baker, Bruce Bochy, and Terry Francona to be inducted sooner, especially as they reach older ages. Proposing that once a manager hits 65, they can be considered for the Hall of Fame without further waiting, allowing deserving candidates to be recognized before potential retirement or mortality concerns. The suggestion is based on the idea of honoring Hall of Famers while they are still alive, avoiding posthumous inductions like in the case of Dick Allen.

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