Season 57
Since I started using the combination of the new WAR totals and the previous season's voting results we have had a 53% success rate at electing candidates to Virtual Cooperstown. In other words, we have put 8 of a possible 15 candidates into the Hall in the three seasons that I've been using this method. That's a very good success rate, so I am going to continue to use this method this season. To that end, here are the voting results from last year:
With Tatis in, we move onto the next five names on the list to see how well they stack up: Alex Mack (1 vote short), Brandon Smith (4 votes short), Ivan Osoria (6 votes short), Harry Reynoso (7 votes short) and Eswalin Valentin (8 votes short.) This group has one new name in it thanks to Brandon Smith, but otherwise it's the same group that ended up in HOF purgatory last year.
To date, I've been using the general MLB guidelines to judge HOF Worthiness in terms of WAR, but during the season last year I spent some time evaluating the FYC Hall of Fame so that we can judge future candidates (including the five above) on their peers rather than 100+ years of MLB history. The results of this investigation are below:
Since I have adopted this method, I have broken the candidates into four categories: Slam Dunk HOF'er, Definite HOF'er, Strong HOF Argument and Weak HOF Argument. As I mentioned above, these categories had been based on MLB numbers up until now but the data table above allows me to create those categories for each position and evaluate the candidates against their peers as accurately as possible. Here's how the five candidates named above stack up using this new method:
Alex Mack, SP (50.77 Estimated WAR): Weak HOF Case
Slam Dunk HOF SP = 151.65 Estimated WAR
Definite HOF SP = 131.65 Estimated WAR
Strong HOF SP Case = 111.65 Estimated WAR
Weak HOF SP Case = 91.65 Estimated WAR
Brandon Smith, CF (57.81 Estimated WAR): No HOF Case at all
Slam Dunk HOF CF = 135.15 Estimated WAR
Definite HOF CF = 115.15 Estimated WAR
Strong HOF CF Case = 95.15 Estimated WAR
Weak HOF CF Case = 75.15 Estimated WAR
Ivan Osoria, SS (71.69 Estimated WAR): No HOF Case at all
Slam Dunk HOF SS = 149.64 Estimated WAR
Definite HOF SS = 129.64 Estimated WAR
Strong HOF SS Case = 109.64 Estimated WAR
Weak HOF SS Case = 89.64 Estimated WAR
Harry Reynoso, C (65.85 Estimated WAR): Strong HOF Case
Slam Dunk HOF C = 105.51 Estimated WAR
Definite HOF C = 85.51 Estimated WAR
Strong HOF C Case = 65.51 Estimated WAR
Weak HOF C Case = 45.51 Estimated WAR
Eswalin Valentin, SP (38.00 Estimated WAR): No HOF Case at all
Slam Dunk HOF SP = 151.65 Estimated WAR
Definite HOF SP = 131.65 Estimated WAR
Strong HOF SP Case = 111.65 Estimated WAR
Weak HOF SP Case = 91.65 Estimated WAR
Since the five players listed above only produced one viable candidate for me to use, I am going to evaluate the rest of the field by position to see who else meets the standards set above. Here's how that turned out:
Catcher
Slam Dunk HOF = 105.51 Estimated WAR
Definite HOF = 85.51 Estimated WAR
Strong HOF Case = 65.51 Estimated WAR
Weak HOF Case = 45.51 Estimated WAR
Juan Santana, 68 Estimated WAR, Strong HOF Case
Esteban Ramirez, 64 Estimated WAR, Weak HOF Case
First Base
Slam Dunk HOF = 94.93 Estimated WAR
Definite HOF = 74.93 Estimated WAR
Strong HOF Case = 54.93 Estimated WAR
Weak HOF Case = 34.93 Estimated WAR
Andres Colome, 40 Estimated WAR, Weak HOF Case
Second Base
Slam Dunk HOF = 133.62 Estimated WAR
Definite HOF = 113.62 Estimated WAR
Strong HOF Case = 93.62 Estimated WAR
Weak HOF Case = 73.62 Estimated WAR
Tucker House, 66 Estimated WAR, No HOF Case at all
Third Base
Slam Dunk HOF = 84.96 estimated WAR
Definite HOF = 64.96 estimated WAR
Strong HOF Case = 44.96 estimated WAR
Weak HOF Case = 24.96 estimated WAR
Malachi Calhoun, 42 estimated WAR, Weak HOF Case
Oswaldo Estrada, 41 estimated WAR, Weak HOF Case
William Farrell, 27 estimated WAR, Weak HOF Case
Shortstop
Slam Dunk HOF = 149.64 estimated WAR
Definite HOF = 129.64 estimated WAR
Strong HOF Case = 109.64 estimated WAR
Weak HOF Case = 89.64 estimated WAR
Hooks Collins, 42 estimated WAR, No HOF Case at all
Jamey Carr, 27 estimated WAR, No HOF Case at all
Left Field
Slam Dunk HOF = 88.08 Estimated WAR
Definite HOF = 68.08 Estimated WAR
Strong HOF Case = 48.08 Estimated WAR
Weak HOF Case = 28.08 Estimated WAR
Bruce Milton, 46 Estimated WAR, Weak HOF Case
Relief Pitchers
Slam Dunk HOF = 140.58 Estimated WAR
Definite HOF = 120.58 Estimated WAR
Strong HOF Case = 100.58 Estimated WAR
Weak HOF Case = 80.58 Estimated WAR
Tony Barry, 29 Estimated WAR, No HOF Case at all
Charlie Hoffman, 48 Estimated WAR, No HOF Case at all
Leo Jones, 81 Estimated WAR, Weak HOF Case
Starting Pitchers
Slam Dunk HOF SP = 151.65 Estimated WAR
Definite HOF SP = 131.65 Estimated WAR
Strong HOF SP Case = 111.65 Estimated WAR
Weak HOF SP Case = 91.65 Estimated WAR
Bruce Latham, 69 Estimated WAR, No HOF Case at all
Felix Waters, 22 Estimated WAR, No HOF Case at all