Eli Cash - contributing reporter
AND THE CROWD GOES WILD, no Dizzy Leonard in the Hall voting. Let's see if we can do these players right with our Hall of Fame voting. VOTE HERE.
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 we saw Carlos Colome become a first ballot Hall of Famer with 18 votes, just slipping into the Hall. While Raul Galvez fell just one vote short. Come on man, you could be that one vote that gets him in where he belongs! Only five players received more than 5 votes but there are plenty of names that deserve your vote. This year will be Edinson Hernandez, Don Sparks, Haywood Swan, Ernie McEnerney, and Alving Palmeiro last year on the ballot, so if you are going to vote for them; now is the year to do it! Let's dive into the hitters first...
Players ranked by Monitor score
Sean Gosling - received Eli Cash's voteIn his 2nd year - This one is for those who like the power hitters.
Stat Chasers: 22 HR shy of 600. 11 seasons with 100+ RBI. 12 with 30+ HR (10 were 40+), 9 seasons with 100+ R
Trophy Chasers: 2x MVP, 9x All-Star, 3x World Series ring (3B)
Season averages: 157 H, 39 HR, 14 SB, 94 R, 107 RBI
MLB (Monitor) Comparisons: Sammy Sosa, Vladimir Guerrero, Roberto Alomar
Raul Galvez - received Eli Cash's voteIn his 4th 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
In his 5th and final year - 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
In his 5th and final year - Donny Sparky is definitely a candidate and I wouldn't question if voters wanted him in. But his low Test score and the inclusion of better players on the ballot hurt his chances.
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
Wiki Unamuno - if Eli has one more vote, he'd receive it.
In his 4th year - A lot has changed for Wiki. he secures the ballot in every ranking system but just didnt' get the love last year. 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
In his 5th and final year - 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
In his 5th and final year - 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
VOTE HERE
Part Two coming later for pitchers...
