Rusty Staub on Hall of Fame Ballot
Mets favorite Rusty Staub is on the Hall of Fame ballot that used to be called the “Veterans Committee,” but now has the unfortunate name “Expansion Era ballot for the Committee to Consider Managers, Umpires, Executives and Long-Retired Players for Hall of Fame.”
After the old Veterans Committee was revamped a few years ago, the new Committee consisting of every living Hall of Famer failed to elect anyone, so this year it was revamped again. Here’s how it works –this year the Committee will consider players and executives from the Expansion Era (1973-present), next year will be the Golden Era (1947-1972), and 2012 will be Pre-Integration (1871-1946). Then the cycle starts all over again.
In addition to Rusty Staub, the ballot consists of players Vida Blue, Dave Concepcion, Steve Garvey, Ron Guidry, Tommy John, Al Oliver and Ted Simmons. Former manager Billy Martin and executives George Steinbrenner, Pat Gillick and Marvin Miller round out the ballot.
Although every Mets fan would love to see Staub elected, it’s just not going to happen. Staub had a fine career — 2716 hits, a .279 batting average, 292 homers and 1466 RBIs. It’s just not Hall of Fame worthy. If you want to make an argument for Staub, you could say he actually had very similar numbers to HOFer Tony Perez. They had the same career batting average and virtually the same number of hits. Of course, Perez had 379 homers and 1652 RBIs. But with that power came strikeouts — 1867, compared with Staub’s paltry 888. Still, Staub is not likely to get in.
Al Oliver also had similar numbers — 2743 hits, 219 home runs and 1326 RBIs, but he had a .303 average. Very good, but not Hall worthy, in my opinion.
Tommy John won 288 games and has a surgery named after him, but he was never a truly dominant pitcher.
Of all of these players, the only one who ever felt like a Hall of Famer to me was Steve Garvey. Ask anyone who watched him in the 70s, and they’ll tell you they were watching a future Hall of Famer. He was a ten-time All Star and an MVP winner. Yet his final numbers were surprisingly pedestrian — 272 home runs, 1308 RBIs, .294 with 2599 hits. It’s unlikely he’ll get in.
I think the executives have a better chance than the players. Marvin Miller just missed induction last time, and I think he’ll get in this time around. Pat Gillick has built several winners. And for all of his negatives, George Steinbrenner was a revolutionary owner who won seven World Series championships during his reign. He’ll get in for sure when the results are announced on December 6th.
Incidentally, the one retired player who is off the regular ballot who is most deserving of induction just missed being on the ballot by a year. The only players eligible for this ballot are those whose last seasons were 1989 or earlier. This particular player retired after the 1990 season. I will write more about why he deserves to be in the Hall of Fame in a future post. His name — Keith Hernandez.
the problem with everyone is they think a player has to be one of the best their ever was to make the hall of fame.leave that to the 15 years on the ballot hall of famers vets committee vote for hall of famers that are not elite but worthy of the hall of fame. can we argue some in their not has good as rusty? yes just like some not in who are better.is roberto clemente one of the greatest ever to play? yes would i start him in right field before babe ruth? no politics and arguements we all have. staub played reg for 4 teams all non contenders including the 500 pct 83 mets who won the nl.when on those 4 teams staub was the best hitter on all 4 teams he was the man other teams did not want to let beat them. when he came back to the mets his regular days where over in 1983 cause mets where a contender with hernandez at first straw in right.if it where 1975 they’d of found a spot for him to play.now he could of dh is last 4 years in al no injury boom 3000 hits no brainer but he stayed with mets and was pinch hitter.well when he was best on 4 teams as regular he now did best he could at end of career and was the best and most pinch hitter in baseball. how important was an asset like staub coming of the bench when baseball had that go to 24 man roster in 86 staub was odd man out cause he was not able to fill in on field. did mets miss him? yep enough to dump foster and get mazzilli to come of the bench. ok so staub did not win an mvp or get a series ring thanks yogi you don’t throw the cy young tom seaver in game 6 up 3 to 2 on short rest you roll the dice if you lose 6 seaver rested for 7 we win staub ws mvp plus ring we lose we went with are best on full rest can’t ask for more then that. just in case you think in 7 game series win staub would of not got ws mvp think again in 7 games with dislocated shoulder he had more hits rbi and over 100 points higher avg then the ws mvp mr. october reggie jackson.reggie who said in game 6 that was not the seaver i faced before,thanks yogi that’s my arguement staub writers vote hof no vets in due time maybe not now but in future yes just like phil rizzuto, mazoroski,pee wee reese and others who did not have numbers but where big enough parts of winners to get in by the vets don’t blame staub cause he was on losers in todays game he’d be a hitter a contender would trade for to finish the job. and at least he did not play the steroid era some of the best who ever played the game played tha era mcgwire,sosa,arod,palmeiro,bonds etc are they all going in? yes someday when we are all gone probably. hope i made a decent point staub as a starter today would be a starter on any team in baseball cause he was one of the best players in his era with the others on the vets list.thank god i only have to write this every 3 years next years list is on their own but good god when is jim kaat going in?
excuse some spelling on my comment and of cause it was 1973 not 83 on world series. i think most see my points who know baseball but still wanted to say excuse my spelling. also excuse my pounding of yogi he was a great hall of fame player just not a super manager.