Eli Cash - contributing reporter
I could be mistaken but I believe this is the last year, last chance, last hurrah for the Dizzy 'My First Name is a Nickname' Leonard. Will he get the 17 votes needs to be inducted? He fell 14 votes shy each of the last two years. If not, he's always got the Hall of Dizzy Leonard to fall back on.
For a refresher for those new voters, be sure to skim past articles; particularly the primer for a detailed explanation of the three scoring system we use. As a quick reminder, a sure thing for a hitter is 60/130/500, for a starter its 60/130/420 and for a reliever (who doesn't use the Test Score) is 130/250. You'll see them highlighted in blue below.
Last year Amrando Merced led all votes with 11 and he hopes to gain those 6 more required for enshrinement. Raul Galvez is shortly behind and only needs 7 additional votes to make it in. Good luck to both players. Alright, let's take a look at the Position Players.
Players ranked by Monitor score
Raul Galvez - received Eli Cash's voteIn his 2nd year
Stat Chasers: 2 HR shy of 600. 12 seasons with 100+ RBI. 12 with 30+ HR (6 were 40+), 2500+ H
Trophy Chasers: 2x MVP, 6x All-Star, 2x World Series ring (CF)
Season averages: 150 H, 35 HR, 13SB, 92 R, 100 RBI
MLB (Monitor) Comparisons: Sammy Sosa, Vladimir Guerrero, Roberto Alomar
Edinson Hernandez - received Eli Cash's vote
Saw a slight improvement from his first year on the ballet, but still needs 12 more votes. One of few players to walk more than they struck out and with his speed that caused a lot of issues for the fielding team. Fantastic lead-off hitter that often times would find himself in scoring position either by a double or a single and a stolen base.
Stat Chasers: 1 SB shy of 600, 2nd all time in 2Bs, 13 seasons with 100+ R, 6 with 30+ HR (once with 40+), 14 seasons with 35+ 2Bs (3 were 45+) - no other HoF comes even close, 2500+ H, 400+ HR, 500+ 2B
Trophy Chasers: RotY, 7x All Star, 2x World Series rings (RF)
Season averages: 172 H, 27 HR, 40 SB, 117 R, 86 RBI
MLB (Monitor) Comparisons: Paul Molitor, Kirby Puckett, Ernie Banks
Don Sparks
Donny Sparky is definitely a candidate and I wouldn't question if voters wanted him in. But his low Test score and the other players eligible might just ruin his chances. He slipped from 5 to 2 votes last year.
Low Test & Cash Score
Stat Chasers: 7 seasons with 100+ R, 7 with 100+ RBI, 10 with 30+ HR(3 were 40+), 2500+ H, 500+ HR
Trophy Chasers: 2x MVP, 2x Gold Glove 1B, 2x All Star, RotY, 2x World Series rings (1B/LF)
Season averages: 158 H, 32 HR, 17 SB, 90 R, 98 RBI
MLB (Monitor) Comparisons: Billy Hamilton, Jim Thome, Dave Winfield
Dennis Jefferies
Fell 12 HR shy of 500 which seems to be a theme - just shy overall.
Low Test & Cash Score
Stat Chasers: 8 seasons with 100+ RBI, 9 seasons with 30+ HR (5 were 40+)
Trophy Chasers: 1x MVP, 5x All Star, 1x World Series ring (1B)
Season averages: 145 H, 33 HR, 0 SB, 79 R, 96 RBI
MLB (Monitor) Comparisons: Don Mattingly, Bernie Williams, Edgar Martinez
Wiki Unamuno - received Eli Cash's vote
In his first year he nabbed 6 votes, just 11 more and he's in. If he doesn't make the Hall, it will be because of his limited number of seasons played. But the ones he did play, he was great as you can tell by the 542 Cash points a season. His average seasons ranks up there above Edinson Hernandez, but the counting stats just aren't quite there. Imagine having a 30 HR / 40 SB / 40 2B threat at the top of your lineup in his prime.
Stat Chasers: Feel just shy of 2500 H by 59, 500+ 2B, .300+ career AVG, 11 seasons with 100+ R, 7 with 100+ RBI, 9 with 35+ 2B (4 were 40+), 4 seasons 30+ HR
Trophy Chasers: 6x All Star, 1x World Series ring (RF)
Season averages: 188 H, 26 HR, 36 SB, 118 R, 99 RBI
MLB (Monitor) Comparisons: Gary Carter, Ozzie Smith, Edgar Martinez
Wandy Guillen
No current Cobbfather Hall of Fame position player has a Monitor score lower for Wandy or the names below him. Surprising to see him above .300 for his career when he only averaged 160 hits a season - only played more than 145 games a season 3 times.
Low Monitor & Cash Score
Stat Chasers: .300+ career AVG, 9 seasons with 100+ R, 12x greater than .300 AVG.
Trophy Chasers: 7x All Star, RoyT, 1x World Series ring (2B)
Season averages: 159 H, 13 HR, 41 SB, 111 R, 62 RBI
MLB (Monitor) Comparisons: Sam Rice, Orlando Cepeda, Ted Simmons
Haywood Swan
Biggest decline in voting that this writer has seen. Down from 10 votes in S46 to only 3 votes last year. Not saying voters got it wrong, just stating facts. I'm with the voters on this one, he's close but not there. Least amount of seasons played for any current Hall of Famer, though also has one of the higher OPSs.
Low Test and Monitor Score
Stat Chasers: 9 seasons with 100+ R, 8 with 100+ RBI, 8 with 30+ HR (4 were 40+),
Trophy Chasers: 2x MVP, 7x All Star
Season averages: 150 H, 32 HR, 22 SB, 104 R, 97 RBI
MLB (Monitor) Comparisons: Jeff Kent, Barry Larkin, Andre Dawson
Ernie McEnerney
Wandy Guillen was the better 2B, but similar to Swan, both lost votes last year. McEnerney also struck out a ton.
Low Monitor & Cash Score
Stat Chasers: 10 seasons with 30+ HR, 500 HR
Trophy Chasers: 2x All Star, 1x Gold Glove (2B)
Season averages: 157 H, 28 HR, 17 SB, 87 R, 87 RBI
MLB (Monitor) Comparisons: Earle Combs, Pee Wee Reese, Roger Connor
Dorssys Tatis
Low on all three tests but some how managed 4 votes last year.
Stat Chasers: 7 seasons with 100+ RBI, 12 with 30+ HR (3 were 40+), 2500+ H, 500+ HR
Trophy Chasers: RotY
Season averages: 141 H, 31 HR, 0 SB, 77 R, 90 RBI
MLB (Monitor) Comparisons: Scott Rolen, Lance Berkman, Bobby Abreu
Benny Franco
We don't have a Catcher elected to the Hall of Fame yet, at least not one that spent the majority of his years behind the plate.
Low Monitor & Cash Score
Stat Chasers: 6 seasons with 100+ RBI
Trophy Chasers: 7x All Star, 1x World Series Ring (1B)
Season averages: 141 H, 28 HR, 1 SB, 73 R, 88 RBI
MLB (Monitor) Comparisons: Joe Torre, Jorge Posada, Tim Raines
Had Alex Tarraga decided to retire instead of running for another 5 years to Buffalo, his Test Score would be 49, Monitor Score 252, and his Cash Score 601! He is on the sure path to first ballet Hall of Fame in just 9.5 seasons that he's played. Most players need 16-17 seasons to accrue those numbers.
VOTE HERE
Part Two coming tomorrow for pitchers...
