We here at Notinhalloffame.com thought it would be fun to take a look at the major awards in North American team sports and see how it translates into Hall of Fame potential.
Needless to say, different awards in different sports yield hall of fame potential. In basketball, the team sport with the least number of players on a roster, the dividend for greatness much higher. In baseball, it is not as much as a great individual season does not have the same impact.
For our next selection we return to the National Football League after a long absence with a major accolade in the Offensive Player of the Year. Considering this is a very important award, it is a little surprising that this has only been in existence since 1972. Not surprising, is that with the exception of Jerry Rice, it has only gone to Quarterbacks and Running Backs; basically, the sexy skill positions of football. Frankly, we don’t think we will ever see an Offensive Lineman win this regardless of how impressive a season he has.
So, how many Offensive Players of the Year have been enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?
Let’s find out!
The following are the past players who have won the AP Offensive Player of the Year in the NFL who are eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame and have been enshrined.
O.J. Simpson, Buffalo Bills, Running Back (1973)
Who else could possibly win it in 1973? O.J. Simpson made history as the first player to exceed 2,000 Rushing Yards (2,003), and while he now has company in the 2,000 club, it is still exclusive company. This was Simpson’s second rushing title and he would win it two more times (1975 & 1976). He would also win the Bert Bell Award and the AP MVP. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985.
Ken Stabler, Oakland Raiders, Quarterback (1974)
Stabler was a First Team All-Pro in 1974, and was chosen for the Pro Bowl for the second year in a row. The Quarterback threw for 2,469 Yards and a league leading 26 Touchdowns. He would have a record of 11-2 this year and was also named the AP MVP. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016.
Fran Tarkenton, Minnesota Vikings, Quarterback(1975)
Prior to this year, “Scrambling” Fran Tarkenton was chosen for seven Pro Bowls and 1975 was his eighth. This was the first and only year that he would be named a First Team All-Pro and would the NFL in Touchdown Passes with 25. The Minnesota Viking would also be named the AP MVP, PFWA MVP and the Bert Bell Award Winner. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986.
Walter Payton, Chicago Bears, Running Back (1977)
This was Payton’s third season in the NFL, and the only one where he would win the Rushing Title with 1,852 Yards and lead the NFL in Rushing Touchdowns (14). Payton would have eight more years where he would have 1,200 or more yards on the ground and he retired with 16,726, which as of this writing is second all-time. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985.
Earl Campbell, Houston Oilers, Running Back (1978)
Campbell was a rookie in 1978 and the number one pick from Texas lived up to the hype. Campbell had a league leading 1,450 Rushing Yards and he punched 13 into the end zone. He would also win the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year and was named the PFWA MVP. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985.
Earl Campbell, Houston Oilers, Running Back (2) (1979)
The Houston Oiler made history as the first ever repeat winner of the Offensive Player of the Year, and he would again win the Rushing Title with increased production of 1,697 Yards. This time, Campbell would also finish atop the leaderboard in Rushing Touchdowns (19) and he repeated his PFWA MVP while adding the AP Player of the Year and Bert Bell Award. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985.
Earl Campbell, Houston Oilers, Running Back (3) (1980)
Making waves as the first ever repeat winner of the Offensive Player of the Year, Campbell set a new standard with his third straight win. Campbell again raised his game by setting a career high 1,934 Rushing Yards with his 13 Rushing TDs leading the NFL. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985.
Dan Fouts, San Diego Chargers, Quarterback (1982)
Fouts was on his fourth straight year of leading the NFL in Passing Yards and he would throw for 2,883 in the strike-shortened campaign of 1982. The Quarterback would be invited to the fourth of what would be six Pro Bowls and he would also lead in Touchdown Passes with 17. He would also win the PFWA MVP. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993.
Dan Marino, Miami Dolphins, Quarterback (1984)
Marino turned the football world on its head by becoming the first Quarterback to throw for over 5,000 Yards (5,084) and would also throw for a then record 48 Touchdown passes. He would take Miami to the Super Bowl (they didn’t win) and he would also win the PFWA and AP MVP as well as the Bert Bell Award. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005.
Marcus Allen, Los Angeles Raiders, Running Back (1985)
Marcus Allen had without a doubt the best regular season of his career with an NFL leading and career-high 1,759 Rushing Yards and 2,314 Yards From Scrimmage. Allen, who had previously propelled the Raiders to a Super Bowl win, was also in 1985 named the AP and PFWA MVP. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003.
Eric Dickerson, Los Angeles Rams, Running Back(1986)
Eric Dickerson easily could have been considered a contender for this award in 1983 and/or 1984, but it would have to wait until 1986 before he won the Offensive Player of the Year. This year would see Dickerson win his third Rushing Title with 1,821 Yards and it would be his third of five First Team All-Pro Selections. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999.
Jerry Rice, San Francisco 49ers, Wide Receiver(1987)
We think we can agree that of this writing the greatest Wide Receiver of all-time is Jerry Rice. Whether you agree with that or not, Rice made history in 1987 as he first Wide Receiver to win the Offensive Player of the Year and he did so with 22 Touchdown Receptions, which set a record at the time (since eclipsed by Randy Moss). As we all know, this was only the beginning for Rice who was in the second of 11 straight Pro Bowls. Rice also won the PFWA MVP and the Bert Bell Award. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010.
Joe Montana, San Francisco 49ers, Quarterback (1989)
How loaded were the San Francisco 49ers in late 80s? Montana was the third different 49er to win the Offensive Player of the Year following Jerry Rice and Roger Craig. In this season, Montana would lead the NFL in Completion Percentage (70.2) while throwing for 3,521 Yards and 26 Touchdowns and more importantly he would win his fourth Super Bowl. The legendary Quarterback would also win the AP MVP as well as the Bert Bell Award. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000.
Warren Moon, Houston Oilers, Quarterback (1990)
At age 34, Warren Moon proved that he should have been in the NFL years before after having to prove himself as a black Quarterback in the Canadian Football League. Moon would lead all passers with 4,689 Yards and 33 Touchdown Passes. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.
Thurman Thomas, Buffalo Bills, Running Back (1991)
Thurman Thomas would lead the NFL in Yards From Scrimmage four years in a row, and in 1991 it was the third of that streak. Thomas was a First Team All-Pro for the second and last time this season and he would also be selected as the AP and PFWA MVP. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007.
Steve Young, San Francisco 49ers, Quarterback (1992)
Steve Young replicated what his predecessor did (Joe Montana) by winning the Offensive Player of the Year. Young would be chosen this year for his first of seven Pro Bowls and he was the NFL leader in Completion Percentage (66.7) and Touchdown Passes (25). He would also capture the AP MVP, PFWA MVP and the Bert Bell Award. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005.
Jerry Rice, San Francisco 49ers, Wide Receiver (2) (1993)
This was the fourth of six seasons where Rice would lead the NFL in Receiving Yards (1,503) and the final one of six where he was at the top in Receiving Touchdowns (15). This would be the only major individual award that Rice would win in 1993. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010.
Barry Sanders, Detroit Lions, Running Back (1994)
Sanders would win the Rushing Title for the second time with 1,883 Yards and would also finish atop the Yards From Scrimmage leaderboard with 2,166 Yards. This was his third First Team All-Pro Selection. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.
Brett Favre, Green Bay Packers, Quarterback (1995)
Surprisingly, this was the only time that Brett Favre would win this award. In 1995, Favre would lead the NFL in Passing Yards (4,413) and Touchdown Passes (38), the former being a career high. In this season he would win the AP MVP, PFWA MVP and Bert Bell Award and took the Packers to a Super Bowl win the following year. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016.
Terrell Davis, Denver Broncos, Running Back (1996)
This year began Davis’ three years of dominance in the AFC running game and he would rush for 1,538 Yards and catch another 36 passes for 310 Yards. He would be named a First Team All-Pro for the first of three straight seasons. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.
Barry Sanders, Detroit Lions, Running Back (2)(1997)
This was Sanders’ second Offensive Player of the Year Award, and he would shatter the accomplishments of his first win. The Lions Running Back rushed for a career high 2,058 Yards joining the exclusive “2,000 Club” and his 2,358 Yards From Scrimmage was easily the best in the NFL. Sanders also won the AP MVP, PFWA MVP and the Bert Bell Award. This would be his sixth and last First Team All-Pro Selection. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.
Terrell Davis, Denver Broncos, Running Back (2) (1998)
We will argue (and have often) that this is the season that put Terrell Davis in the Hall of Fame. In 1998, T.D., rushed for a league leading 2,008 Yards and 21 Touchdowns and led the Broncos to their second consecutive Super Bowl win. In ’98, Davis also won the AP and PFWA MVP Awards. After this season, injuries would decimate him but that three-year stint was so good that Canton could not ignore him. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.
Marshall Faulk, St. Louis Rams, Running Back (1999)
Marshall Faulk began his run of three First Team All-Pro Selections and this would be his first year in St. Louis after five seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. Faulk was the ground attack for what would be “The Greatest Show on Turf” and in 1999, he would rush for 1,381 Yards, catch 87 passes for another 1,048 Yards and led the NFL with 2,429 Yards from Scrimmage. Faulk would win the Super Bowl that year. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011.
Marshall Faulk, St. Louis Rams, Running Back (2) (2000)
Faulk would again exceed 1,300 Rushing Yards, though he would not hit the 1,000 Receiving Yard mark, landing at “only” 830. Faulk would however have more Touchdowns than the previous season, as his 18 Rushing Touchdowns (league leading) and another 8 from the air, which totaled 26, again a league leading. Faulk would also win the AP and PFWA MVP. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011.
Marshall Faulk, St. Louis Rams, Running Back (3) (2001)
Faulk became the second player since Earl Campbell to win the Offensive Player of the Year Award, and like the former Houston Oiler, he did it consecutively. Faulk put up his fourth straight 2,000 plus Yards From Scrimmage year and again led the NFL in Touchdowns with 21. He would also win the PFWA MVP and the Bert Bell Award. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011.
LaDainian Tomlinson, San Diego Chargers, Running Back (2006)
By this time, LaDainian Tomlinson had already established himself as an elite NFL Running Back and he would win his first Rushing Title with 1,815 Yards and his second Rushing Touchdown title with a career high 28 Touchdowns. He would have another three TDs for 31 total. In 2006, he would also win the AP MVP, PFWA MVP, Walter Payton Man of the Year and the Bert Bell Award. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.
The following are the players who have won the AP Offensive Player of the Year in the NFL who are eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame and have not been selected:
Larry Brown, Washington Redskins, Running Back(1972)
This was the last great year of Larry Brown’s career and this would be his fourth straight and final Pro Bowl and we would set a career high with 1,216 Rushing Yards and his 1,689 Yards From Scrimmage would lead the NFL. Brown also would lead the league in Approximate Value and would win the AP MVP and Bert Bell Award. Unrankedon Notinhalloffame.com.
Bert Jones, Baltimore Colts, Quarterback (1976)
Bert Jones had only one Pro Bowl Season, and needless to say it was in 1976. Jones led the NFL with 3,104 Passing Yards and had an 11-3 season. He threw for 24 Touchdowns, which was a career high. He would also win the AP MVP. Unrankedon Notinhalloffame.com.
Ken Anderson, Cincinnati Bengals, Quarterback (1981)
Anderson would throw for career highs of 3,754 Passing Yards, 29 Touchdowns and a league leading 98.4 Quarterback Rating and he was on his third of what would be four Pro Bowls. He would take the Bengals to their first Super Bowl, albeit in a losing effort to the San Francisco 49ers. He would also win the AP MVP, the PFWA MVP and the Bert Bell Award. Ranked #12 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Joe Theismann, Washington Redskins, Quarterback (1983)
The year after Theismann Quarterbacked the Redskins to the Super Bowl, Theismann had the best regular season of his career with career highs in Passing Yards (3,714) and Touchdown Passes (29). This year, Theismann would also win the PFWA and AP MVP. Unrankedon Notinhalloffame.com.
Roger Craig, San Francisco 49ers, Running Back(1988)
Craig was an absolute beast at Running Back in 1988 and he would lead the National Football League in Yards from Scrimmage with 2,036 Yards. This was three years after he became the first ever player to eclipse four digits in Rushing and Receiving Yards. He would go on to have 13,100 Yards from Scrimmage over his career. Ranked #6 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Priest Holmes, Kansas City Chiefs, Running Back (2002)
Holmes was in the middle of a three-year run of three straight Pro Bowls and First Team All-Pro Selections and in this season he would rush for 1,615 Yards an NFL leading 21 Touchdowns. He would also have another 687 Receiving Yards, which would tally 2,287 Yards From Scrimmage, his career high. Unrankedon Notinhalloffame.com.
Jamal Lewis, Baltimore Ravens, Running Back (2003)
While Jamal Lewis had many good seasons in the National Football League, there was one that was unquestionably incredible. That season (2003), Lewis would join the very exclusive 2,000 Yard Rushing Club (2,066) and he would also win the PFWA MVP. Unrankedon Notinhalloffame.com.
Shaun Alexander, Seattle Seahawks, Running Back (2005)
Shaun Alexander led the NFL in Rushing Yard (1,880) and Rushing Touchdowns (27) and this was easily the best season of his career. It was also his last decent season. Forgetting that, Alexander would in 2005 also win the AP and PFWA MVP and the Bert Bell Award. Unrankedon Notinhalloffame.com.
Let’s update our tally, shall we?
Award in Question |
Percentage of recipients who have entered the HOF |
Percentage of recipients by year who have entered the HOF. |
NBA MVP |
100% |
100% |
NHL Norris |
90.5% |
96.4% |
NBA All Star Game MVP |
89.5% |
91.7% |
NHL Conn Smythe |
74.2% |
85.4% |
NFL AP Offensive Player of the Year |
73.1% |
79.4% |
NHL Lady Byng |
63.8% |
76.0% |
NFL Super Bowl MVP |
60.6% |
64.9% |
NBA Defensive Player of the Year |
58.3% |
56.5% |
NBA Rookie of the Year |
56.5% |
56.5% |
NFL Pro Bowl MVP |
52.3% |
54.8% |
MLB Lou Gehrig Award |
51.9% |
51.9% |
MLB Roberto Clemente Award |
47.4% |
47.4% |
MLB/NL/AL Cy Young Award |
44.4% |
55.4% |
MLB Babe Ruth Award |
37.0% |
39.3% |
NHL Frank J. Selke Trophy |
33.3% |
36.7% |
MLB Hutch Award |
33.1% |
33.1% |
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year |
28.6% |
28.6% |
MLB Edgar Martinez Award |
26.7% |
17.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Designated Hitter) |
25.0% |
30.8% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Shortstop) |
23.5% |
52.6% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove |
21.7% |
36.8% |
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year |
20.6% |
20.6% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Catcher) |
20.0% |
22.5% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Second Base) |
18.8% |
39.8% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Shortstop) |
18.2% |
35.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Pitcher) |
18.2% |
20.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Second Base) |
16.7% |
32.7% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Outfield) |
16.7% |
30.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Outfield) |
15.7% |
25.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Third Base) |
14.3% |
14.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Third Base) |
13.6% |
14.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (First Base) |
13.6% |
13.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Rookie of the Year |
13.3% |
13.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Catcher) |
10.3% |
15.2% |
NBA Most Improved Player of the Year |
5.3% |
3.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (First Base) |
3.8% |
3.2% |
So, who is up next?
The following are the players who have won the Offensive Player of the Year Award in the National Football League who have retired but have not met the mandatory years out of the game to qualify for the Pro Football Hall of Fame:
Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts, Quarterback(2004)
This was the second of Peyton Manning’s seven First Team All-Pro Selections and he would do so by throwing a league-leading 49 Touchdown Passes on 4,557 Yards. The OPOY was one of many awards that the Colts Quarterback would collect in 2004 as he was also the PFWA MVP, AP MVP and the Bert Bell Award winner. Manning is eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2021.
Chris Johnson, Tennessee Titans, Running Back(2009)
The 2,006 Rushing Yards would bring Chris Johnson to the exclusive 2G Rushing Club, but while he wasn’t expected to repeat it, he never came very close. No matter. In this season, Johnson also led the NFL in Yards From Scrimmage with 2,509 Yards. Johnson is eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2023.
Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos, Quarterback (2)(2013)
Manning was in his second season with the Denver Broncos and he would set a career-high with 5,477 Passing Yards and 55 Touchdown Passes. This year would be his seventh and final First Team All-Pro and he would also win the AP MVP, PFWA MVP and the Bert Bell Award. Manning is eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2021.
DeMarco Murray, Dallas Cowboys, Running Back(2014)
Murray would lead the NFL in Rushing Yards (1,845), Rushing Touchdowns (13) and Yards From Scrimmage (2,261). This would be his only season as a First Team All-Pro and he would retire with 9,339 Yards From Scrimmage. Johnson is eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2023.
The following are the players who have won the Offensive Player of the Year Award who are still active.
Tom Brady, New England Patriots, Quarterback (2007)
In 2007, Tom Brady would lead the NFL in Passing Yards with a career high 4,806 and 50 Touchdown Passes. By this time, Brady already has won three Super Bowls and in 2007, he would win the AP and PFWA MVP as well as the Bert Bell Award. 41 Years Old, Playing for the New England Patriots.
Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints, Quarterback (2008)
Brees threw for his first 5,000 Yard Season (5,069) and this was the first time that he led the NFL in Touchdown Passes (34). This was the season that cemented Brees as a bona fide elite Quarterback in the National Football League. 40 Years Old, Playing for the New Orleans Saints.
Tom Brady, New England Patriots, Quarterback (2) (2010)
Brady returns to this accolade with an NFL leading 36 Touchdown Passes. This was also his second First Team All-Pro Selection and he would also win the AP and PFWA MVP. 41 Years Old, Playing for the New England Patriots.
Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints, Quarterback (2) (2011)
In 2011, Brees threw for a career-highs of 5,476 Yards and 46 Touchdown Passes and took the Saints to a 13-3 record. The Quarterback was also chosen for his seventh Pro Bowl. 40 Years Old, Playing for the New Orleans Saints.
Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings, Running Back (2012)
This was the season where Adrian Peterson would become one of the members of the 2,000 Rushing Yard Club with a season of 2,097 Yards. A.P. was not surprisingly also the NFL leader in Yards From Scrimmage (2,314) and the Running Back would also win the AP and PFWA MVP and the Bert Bell Award. This season would see him also make his third of four First Team All-Pros. 34 Years Old, Playing for the Washington Redskins.
Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers, Quarterback (2015)
Newton would take the Panthers to the Super Bowl that season and he would earn what is to date his first First Team All-Pro Selection. Newton threw for 3,837 Yards and 35 Touchdowns and also rushed for another 636 Yards and 10 TDs. Newton would also be awarded the AP MVP, PFWA MVP and Bert Bell Award. 31 Years Old, Playing for the Carolina Panthers.
Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons, Quarterback (2016)
Ryan set career-highs with 4,944 Passing Yards and 38 Touchdown Passes and to date this is the only First Team All-Pro Selection. He would also win the AP MVP, PFWA MVP and the Bert Bell Award. 34 Years Old, Playing for the Atlanta Falcons.
Todd Gurley, Los Angeles Rams, Running Back (2017)
Gurley was a First Team All-Pro for the first time in his career, and he would lead the NFL in Rushing Touchdowns with 13. He would also top the NFL with 2,093 Yards From Scrimmage, 19 Touchdowns and an Approximate Value of 19. 25 Years Old, Playing for the Los Angeles Rams.
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs, Quarterback (2018)
In his first season as a starting Quarterback, Mahomes shattered all lofty expectations with a league leading 50 Touchdown passes on 5,097 Passing Yards. He would also be named the AP and PFWA Player of the Year. 24 Years Old, Playing for the Kansas City Chiefs.
It certainly appears that the Offensive Player of the Year Award is a huge springboard to Canton immortality.
How do you do the Offensive Player of the Year without going to the defensive side of the same idea? That is what we are doing next!
As always, we thank you for that support and look for that soon!
Welcome to a new feature on Notinhalloffame.com, where I, the Committee Chairman, come up with random pop-culture lists of drunken ramblings.
This is the kind of useless tripe that I excel at, though it did nothing to help me with high school English class, nor did it impress any of the ladies, but as a middle-aged married guy, who still consumes alcoholic beverages that rivals anyone on Celebrity Rehab, I can say with full Joe Walsh meaning that "Life's Been Good To Me So Far".
With that all being said, here is the first one, which was created after binge-watching all eleven seasons of M*A*S*H. I did this with the help of local Barbadian beer and rum. I have ten musings while watching the show that only comes with an increased blood alcohol level.
Before I do that, I am ignoring the most obvious observations, the most glaring of which being that the Korean War lasted two and a half years and M*A*S*H ran for 11 seasons. Yeah, this led to continuity errors as when they occasionally mentioned dates or actual events both Henry Blake and Sherman Potter would have been the commanding officer for. Every season, the sitcom had a Christmas episode, and in an early episode where they are looking for a Rabbi, Hawkeye and Trapper refer to (Duke) Forrest, who Hawkeye recalled left two years ago. Hell, when Potter arrived, they said it was September of 1952, and they did one episode that went from New Year's to New Year's that spanned the entire year of 1951! If we are to believe the timeline, this is some severe Rick and Morty parallel universe shit that no amount of booze can help me comprehend.
Another obvious one was the recycling of Asian-American actors. I know that it was a different time, but you can't tell me that there weren't enough of them so that they did not have to regurgitate the same people. I will grant that watching Mako in anything is good, but he played four different officers over two countries. It wasn't just him as an actor named Richard Lee Sung was in eleven various episodes, never playing the same role.
I have more.
Byron Chung was in seven episodes (again playing seven different roles), and you may have seen him as Jin's dad in Lost. Soon Tek-Oh, who was the evil Colonel in Missing in Action 2, was in it five times (five different roles). For what it's worth, he was in four different Magnum P.I. episodes and again never playing the same character.
For those of you under 20, I am referring to the original Magnum P.I. and not this reboot where the lead character has no mustache!
I don't know why I bothered typing that earlier sentence. Nobody under 20 knows what M*A*S*H is so nobody from that demographic clicked here.
Here are my ten drunken observations of M*A*S*H:
1. Hawkeye treated Radar like shit.Now he treated a lot of people horribly, and most have them deserved it, but without Radar, many of his plans could not have occurred. Besides that, picking on Radar was low-hanging fruit. He was also especially condescending, mainly when the company clerk spoke to a patient and tried to help. Hawkeye would get on his high horse and not so subtly relate to Radar who was the surgeon and who was the Corporal. I wager that when they reunited in the States (if they did), he still enforced that hierarchy.
Oh, and I know there were times when Hawkeye successfully acted as Radar's older brother/father figure, but often it was because he did something to bring him down in the first place. Oh, and that final salute that he gave Radar before shipping out does not make up for his overall dickishness.
2. Jamie Farr was 38 years old when he was cast as Corporal Klinger, thus making his 49 when the show ended.Wasn't he way too old from the beginning to play a corpsman? So was Johnny Haymer, who played Supply Sgt. Zale. He was 53 when he was first cast! More often than not, the wounded soldiers who were shown as casualties were young, why not the enlisted men behind the lines? The average age of the 4077th must have been close to 40…especially by the series end in '83.
3. There is not one plotline involving Father Mulcahey that was interesting.He holds the distinction of being my least favorite billed character in one of my top 100 television shows, and yes, I have counted 100. The only time I got a remote chuckle was in the show's pilot where the priest won a date for two to Tokyo with the appropriately named Lt. Dish. Incidentally, that episode, Mulcahey was played by another actor, and not the mopey looking William Christopher who would adopt the role in all other episodes.
4. M*A*S*H may have had the most annoying laugh track of any sitcom.I don't know this for sure, but I am convinced they recycled the same five "laughs" over and over again
5. "Hot Lips" really hit the wall following the seventh season.No wonder Lt. Colonel Donald Penobscott dumper her expanding mommy ass in the seventh season. I think (not coincidentally) this is also why the nurses would become progressively less hot.
6. Radar's voice was rarely heard on the public address speaker but was the only one shown visually making the announcements.Who was that guy?
7. The best guest star was unquestionably Edward Winter as an intelligence officer, Colonel Flagg.The worst was Robert Alda (Alan Alda's real dad) as Dr. Anthony Borelli. Hawkeye was sanctimonious enough…two Aldas was unbearable…which brings me to…
8. Now it may seem I hate Hawkeye.I don't detest him at all. He is the guy that I want to party with in the early episodes of the show. Sanctimonious Hawkeye is a drag, and the latter half of the series saw that happen as often as a Three's Company misunderstanding.
9. How many times did Hawkeye operate while legally drunk? The answer is probably as many times as I wrote a chapter drunk.
10.The most underrated character in all of sitcom history is Charles Emerson Winchester III.He arrived at the perfect time to replace Major Burns who left the show knowing that the persona he created had no redeemable qualities and it could not grow with how the show was progressing. Winchester fit in perfectly, and David Ogden Stiers correctly earned two consecutive Emmy nominations, though he lost (and I have no problem with this) to Taxi stars. He lost to Danny DeVito and Christopher Lloyd for their portrayals of Louie DePalma and Reverend Jim Ignatowski respectively.
If (When) I drink more, I am confident I can puke out ten more of these, but this will have to do for now.
Look for more of these soon, as my beer fridge is full.
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Many popular US sportsbooks offer guides and tutorials that can help you to become more familiar with betting practices and the way sports betting is conducted. Some sites even provide free advice for increasing your chances of winning.
Before you start making bets, it’s important for you to properly manage your bankroll. Money management is essential to becoming a successful sports betting professional. Determine how much of your own money you can afford to set aside specifically for betting. Then, decide ahead of time how much you can stake on your bets. Making these decisions before you get started can help you avoid making disastrous financial decisions.
Additionally, when first starting out as a sports better, no matter how seriously it’s taken, it’s recommended that you don’t immediately quit your regular job. It can take a while to get started as a professional sports better and the last thing you want it to dig yourself a financial hole. Before you give up your job, consider the inconsistent income that comes with sports betting, as well as all the bills you still have to pay. Wait until you can truly rely on your winnings from sports betting before quitting your job and betting on sports full-time.
Becoming a professional sports better comes with its own set of risks. If it were easy, everyone would do it. When it comes to betting on sports, especially in a professional setting, you can and will lose real money that you can’t immediately get back. Additionally, being a professional sports better doesn’t typically provide a consistent flow of income. You may go through periods where you win big, or you may experience a frustrating losing streak. It’s all part of the process, but you should be aware of the risks beforehand.
One of the most important decisions you will make as a professional sports better is where to place your bets. There are so many sportsbooks to choose from, it can be overwhelming trying to figure out which one is right for you. Do a bit of research into online sportsbooks to see what they have to offer, as well as what other customers are saying about them.
Many popular online casinos support sports betting and with the numerous bonuses and rewards they offer you could get a great head start by choosing the right site on which to place your bets. Consider some of the top online casinos with sports betting and pay close attention to how to unlock a casino welcome bonus so you get started right away with real money.
Especially if you are just starting out, understand that it may take some time before you truly understand how things operate and feel comfortable placing different types of bets. Professional sports betters find a method that works best for them and then stick with it. The more you practice, the better understanding you will gain of what method and which types of bets are most beneficial for you.
Think with your head, not your heart. There’s nothing wrong with being passionate about what you do, but to be a successful sports better, you need to be able to think logically and leave emotions out of it. To do this, you should identify your own emotional weaknesses and take note of how they influence your bets.
For example, perhaps you tend to pull for the underdogs, feeling the need to give them the benefit of the doubt. Logically speaking, an underdog is less likely to win. So unless your bet is backed by real logic, betting on a team or a person just because you “feel” for them, isn’t a good idea.
When it comes to professional sports betting, the hard work never ends. As fun as it can be, to be a true professional, you can never get too comfortable. Athletics are always changing and evolving, which means you must always be open and willing to learn more and adjust as time goes on.
Join a community where you can talk to and learn from other sports betters. Keep up with any relevant news and information, as it is released, because you never know what effect it can have on your bets.
Additionally, continue learning from your own experiences. Consider how things have gone in the past and what you could have or should have done differently to get a better result. To become a truly successful professional sports better, you should never stop learning.
We here at Notinhalloffame.com thought it would be fun to take a look at the major awards in North American team sports and see how it translates into Hall of Fame potential.
Needless to say, different awards in different sports yield hall of fame potential. In basketball, the team sport with the least number of players on a roster, the dividend for greatness much higher. In baseball, it is not as much as a great individual season does not have the same impact.
For our next selection we look at the Hutch Award. This award is given annually to the player who “best exemplifies the fighting spirit and competitive desire” of Fred Hutchinson. Hutchinson was a former player and manager who died in 1964 after a long battle with lung cancer. This award was created a year later by his friends and reporters who covered him to honor his memory.
So, how many Hutch Award winners have been enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame?
Let’s find out!
*Please note that as statistics are not as relevant for this award so as opposed to how we normally list players, we will simply just list the winners as opposed to go into that year’s accomplishments. This is the same position that we took with the Roberto Clemente Award.
The following are the past players who have won the Hutch Award in the MLB who are eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame and have been enshrined.
Mickey Mantle, New York Yankees (1965)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1974.
Sandy Koufax, Los Angeles Dodgers (1966)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1972.
Carl Yastrzemski, Boston Red Sox (1967)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1989.
Al Kaline, Detroit Tigers (1969)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980.
Joe Torre, St. Louis Cardinals (1971)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
Willie McCovey, San Francisco Giants(1977)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986.
Willie Stargell, Pittsburgh Pirates(1978)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988.
Lou Brock, St. Louis Cardinals(1979)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985.
George Brett, Kansas City Royals(1980)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999.
Johnny Bench, Cincinnati Reds(1981)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1989.
Paul Molitor, Milwaukee Brewers(1987)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.
Andre Dawson, Boston Red Sox(1994)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010.
Trevor Hoffman, San Diego Padres(2004)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018.
Craig Biggio, Houston Astros(2005)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.
The following are the players who have won the Hutch Award in MLB who are eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame and have not been selected:
Pete Rose, Cincinnati Reds (1968)
Rose has been banned from the Baseball for gambling and the Baseball Hall of Fame has not allowed him on the ballot. Ranked #1A on Notinhalloffame.com
Tony Conigliaro, Boston Red Sox (1970)
Conigliaro did not play the mandatory ten seasons to qualify for the Baseball Hall of Fame. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Bobby Tolan, Cincinnati Reds (1972)
Tolan was on the ballot for one year in 1985 but he did not receive any votes. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
John Hiller, Detroit Tigers (1973)
Hiller was on the ballot for one year and received 2.6% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Danny Thompson, Minnesota Twins (1974)
Thompson did not play the mandatory ten seasons to qualify for the Baseball Hall of Fame. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Gary Nolan, Cincinnati Reds (1975)
Nolan was on the ballot for one year in 1983 but he did not receive any votes. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Tommy John, Los Angeles Dodgers (1976)
John was on the ballot for 15 years and finished as high as 31.7% in 2009. Ranked #12 Notinhalloffame.com.
Andre Thornton, Cleveland Indians (1982)
Thornton was on the ballot for one year in 1993 and received 0.5% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Ray Knight, New York Mets (1983)
Knight was on the ballot for one year in 1994 and received 0.2% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Don Robinson, Pittsburgh Pirates (1984)
Although Robinson was eligible for the Hall of Fame in 1998, he was not on the ballot. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Rick Reuschel, Pittsburgh Pirates (1985)
Reuschel was on the ballot for one year in 1997 and received 0.4% of the vote. Ranked #93 Notinhalloffame.com.
Dennis Leonard, Kansas City Royals (1986)
Leonard was on the ballot for one year in 1992 and received 0.2% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Ron Oester, Cincinnati Reds (1988)
Although Oester was eligible for the Hall of Fame in 1996, he was not on the ballot. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Dave Dravecky, San Francisco Giants (1989)
Dravecky did not play the mandatory ten years to qualify for the Hall of Fame. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Sid Bream, Pittsburgh Pirates (1990)
Although Bream was eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2000, he was not on the ballot. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Bill Wegman, Milwaukee Brewers (1991)
Although Wegman was eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2001, he was not on the ballot. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Carney Lansford, Oakland Athletics (1992)
Lansford was on the ballot for one year in 1998 and received 0.6% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
John Olerud, Toronto Blue Jays (1993)
Olerud was on the ballot for one year in 2011 and received 0.7% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jim Abbott, Chicago White Sox (1995)
Abbott was on the ballot for one year in 2005 and received 2.5% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Omar Vizquel, Cleveland Indians (1996)
Vizquel has been on the ballot for two years and finished as high as 42.8% in 2019. Ranked #51 Notinhalloffame.com.
Eric Davis, Baltimore Orioles (1997)
Davis was on the ballot for one year in 2007 and received 0.6% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
David Cone, New York Yankees (1998)
Cone was on the ballot for one year in 2009 and received 3.9% of the vote. Ranked #48 Notinhalloffame.com.
Sean Casey, Cincinnati Reds (1999)
Casey was on the ballot for one year in 2014 but did not receive any votes. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jason Giambi, Oakland Athletics (2000)
Giambi is entering his first year of eligibility. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Curt Schilling, Arizona Diamondbacks (2001)
Schilling has been on the ballot for seven years and has finished as high as 60.9% in 2019. Ranked #5 Notinhalloffame.com.
Tim Salmon, Anaheim Angels (2002)
Salmon was on the ballot for one year in 2012 and received 0.9% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jamie Moyer, Seattle Mariners (2003)
Moyer was on the ballot for one year in 2018 and received 2.4% of the vote. Ranked #105 Notinhalloffame.com.
Mark Loretta, Boston Red Sox (2006)
Although Loretta was eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2015, he wasn’t on the ballot. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Mike Sweeney, Kansas City Royals (2007)
Sweeney was on the ballot for one year in 2016 and received 0.7% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Mark Teahen, Kansas City Royals (2009)
Teahen did not play the mandatory ten years to qualify for the Hall of Fame. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Raul Ibanez, Seattle Mariners (2013)
Ibanez is entering his first year of eligibility. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Let’s update our tally, shall we?
Award in Question |
Percentage of recipients who have entered the HOF |
Percentage of recipients by year who have entered the HOF. |
NBA MVP |
100% |
100% |
NHL Norris |
90.5% |
96.4% |
NBA All Star Game MVP |
89.5% |
91.7% |
NHL Conn Smythe |
74.2% |
85.4% |
NHL Lady Byng |
63.8% |
76.0% |
NFL Super Bowl MVP |
60.6% |
64.9% |
NBA Defensive Player of the Year |
58.3% |
56.5% |
NBA Rookie of the Year |
56.5% |
56.5% |
NFL Pro Bowl MVP |
52.3% |
54.8% |
MLB Lou Gehrig Award |
51.9% |
51.9% |
MLB Roberto Clemente Award |
47.4% |
47.4% |
MLB/NL/AL Cy Young Award |
44.4% |
55.4% |
MLB Babe Ruth Award |
37.0% |
39.3% |
NHL Frank J. Selke Trophy |
33.3% |
36.7% |
MLB Hutch Award |
33.1% |
33.1% |
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year |
28.6% |
28.6% |
MLB Edgar Martinez Award |
26.7% |
17.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Designated Hitter) |
25.0% |
30.8% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Shortstop) |
23.5% |
52.6% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove |
21.7% |
36.8% |
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year |
20.6% |
20.6% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Catcher) |
20.0% |
22.5% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Second Base) |
18.8% |
39.8% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Shortstop) |
18.2% |
35.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Pitcher) |
18.2% |
20.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Second Base) |
16.7% |
32.7% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Outfield) |
16.7% |
30.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Outfield) |
15.7% |
25.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Third Base) |
14.3% |
14.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Third Base) |
13.6% |
14.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (First Base) |
13.6% |
13.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Rookie of the Year |
13.3% |
13.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Catcher) |
10.3% |
15.2% |
NBA Most Improved Player of the Year |
5.3% |
3.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (First Base) |
3.8% |
3.2% |
So, who is up next?
The following are the players who have won the Hutch Award in the Major League Baseball who have retired but have not met the mandatory years out of the game to qualify for the Baseball Hall of Fame:
Tim Hudson, Atlanta Braves(2010)
Hudson is eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2021.
Billy Butler, Kansas City Chiefs(2011)
Hudson is eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2022.
Barry Zito, San Francisco Giants(2012)
Zito is eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2021.
Dustin McGowan, Miami Marlins(2016)
McGowan is eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2023.
The following are the players who have won the Hutch Award who are still active.
Jon Lester, Boston Red Sox (2008)
35 Years Old, Playing for the Chicago Cubs.
Alex Gordon, Kansas City Royals (2014)
35 Years Old, Playing for the Kansas City Royals.
Adam Wainwright, St. Louis Cardinals (2015)
37 Years Old, Playing for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Jake Diekman, Texas Rangers (2017)
32 Years Old, Playing for the Oakland Athletics.
Stephen Piscotty, Oakland Athletics (2018)
32 Years Old, Playing for the Oakland Athletics.
The Hutch Award winners don’t focus on elite players like other tertiary, or any other baseball related award. Since its namesake was not a Hall of Famer himself, this is not exactly a surprise.
We are finally finished with the tertiary Baseball Awards and we are going to go back to Football with a major award in the Offensive Player of the Year.
As always, we thank you for that support and look for that soon!
We here at Notinhalloffame.com thought it would be fun to take a look at the major awards in North American team sports and see how it translates into Hall of Fame potential.
Needless to say, different awards in different sports yield hall of fame potential. In basketball, the team sport with the least number of players on a roster, the dividend for greatness much higher. In baseball, it is not as much as a great individual season does not have the same impact.
For our next selection we look at the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award. Created by the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity, it is designed to be given annually to the baseball player who is recognized for his work in his community and through his philanthropic work. Think of this as the Baseball equivalent to the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award.
So, how many Lou Gehrig Memorial Award winners have been enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame?
Let’s find out!
*Please note that as statistics are not as relevant for this award so as opposed to how we normally list players, we will simply just list the winners as opposed to go into that year’s accomplishments. This is the same position that we took with the Roberto Clemente Award.
The following are the past players who have won the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award in the MLB who are eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame and have been enshrined.
Pee Wee Reese, Brooklyn Dodgers (1956)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1984.
Stan Musial, St. Louis Cardinals (1957)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1969.
Warren Spahn, Milwaukee Braves (1961)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973.
Robin Roberts, Baltimore Orioles (1962)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1976.
Brooks Robinson, Baltimore Orioles (1966)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983.
Ernie Banks, Chicago Cubs (1967)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1977.
Al Kaline, Detroit Tigers (1968)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980.
Hank Aaron, Atlanta Braves (1970)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982.
Harmon Killebrew, Minnesota Twins (1971)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1984.
Ron Santo, Chicago Cubs (1973)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012.
Willie Stargell, Chicago Cubs (1974)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988.
Johnny Bench, Cincinnati Reds (1975)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1989.
Don Sutton, Los Angeles Dodgers (1976)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998.
Lou Brock, St. Louis Cardinals (1977)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985.
Phil Niekro, Atlanta Braves (1979)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997.
Tony Perez, Boston Red Sox (1980)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2000.
Mike Schmidt, Philadelphia Phillies (1983)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995.
George Brett, Kansas City Royals (1986)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999.
Ozzie Smith, St. Louis Cardinals (1989)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002.
Cal Ripken Jr., Baltimore Orioles (1992)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007.
Barry Larkin, Cincinnati Reds (1994)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012.
Paul Molitor, Minnesota Twins (1997)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.
Tony Gwynn, San Diego Padres (1998)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012.
Jim Thome, Philadelphia Phillies (2004)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018.
John Smoltz, Atlanta Braves (2005)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.
Trevor Hoffman, San Diego Padres (2006)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018.
The following are the players who have won the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award in MLB who are eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame and have not been selected:
Al Dark, New York Giants (1955)
Dark was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 18.5% in 1979. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Gil McDougald, New York Yankees (1958)
McDougald was on the ballot for nine years and finished as high as 1.7% in 1966. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Gil Hodges, Los Angeles Dodgers (1959)
Hodges was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 63.4% in 1983. Ranked #11 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Dick Groat, Pittsburgh Pirates (1960)
Groat was on the ballot for nine years and finished as high as 1.8% in 1973. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Bobby Richardson, New York Yankees (1963)
Richardson was on the ballot for three years and finished as high as 2.0% in 1972. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Ken Boyer, St. Louis Cardinals (1964)
Boyer was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 25.5% in 1983. Ranked #49 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Vern Law, Pittsburgh Pirates (1965)
Law was on the ballot for seven years and finished as high as 2.4% in 1973. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Pete Rose, Cincinnati Reds (1969)
Rose has been banned from the Baseball for gambling and the Baseball Hall of Fame has not allowed him on the ballot. Ranked #1A on Notinhalloffame.com
Wes Parker, Los Angeles Dodgers (1972)
Parker did not play the mandatory ten seasons to qualify for the Baseball Hall of Fame. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Don Kessinger, Chicago White Sox (1978)
Kessinger was on the ballot for one year and received 0.5% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Tommy John, New York Yankees (1981)
John was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 31.7% in 2009. Ranked #12 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Ron Cey, Los Angeles Dodgers (1982)
Cey was on the ballot for one years and finished with 1.9% in 1993. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Steve Garvey, San Diego Padres (1984)
Garvey was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 42.6% in 1995. Ranked #12 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Dale Murphy, Atlanta Braves (1985)
Murphy was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 23.2% in 2000. Ranked #12 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Rick Sutcliffe, Chicago Cubs (1987)
Sutcliffe was on the ballot for one year and finished with 1.8% in 2000. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Buddy Bell, Texas Rangers (1988)
Bell was on the ballot for one year and finished with 1.7% in 1995. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Glenn Davis, Houston Astros (1990)
While Davis played the minimum 10 years, he was not on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Kent Hrbek, Minnesota Twins (1990)
Hrbek was on the ballot for one year and finished with 1.0% in 2000. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Don Mattingly, New York Yankees (1993)
Murphy was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 28.2% in 2001. Ranked #40 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Curt Schilling, Philadelphia Phillies (1995)
Schilling has been on the ballot for seven years and finished as high as 60.9% in 2019. Ranked #5 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Brett Butler, Los Angeles Dodgers (1996)
Butler was on the ballot for one year and finished with 0.4% in 2003. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Mark McGwire, St. Louis Cardinals (1999)
McGwire has been on the ballot for ten years and finished as high as 23.7% in 2010. Ranked #16 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Todd Stottlemyre, Arizona Diamondbacks (2000)
Stottlemyre was on the ballot for one year and finished with 0.2% in 2008. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
John Franco, New York Mets (2001)
Franco was on the ballot for one year and finished with 4.6% in 2011. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Danny Graves, Cincinnati Reds (2002)
Although Graves was eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2012, he was not on the ballot.
Jamie Moyer, Seattle Mariners (2003)
Moyer was on the ballot for one year and finished with 2.4% in 2018. Ranked #105 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Mike Timlin, Boston Red Sox (2007)
Timlin was on the ballot for one year but did not receive any votes in 2007. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers (2013)
Hamilton did not play the minimum ten years to qualify for the Baseball Hall of Fame. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Let’s update our tally, shall we?
Award in Question |
Percentage of recipients who have entered the HOF |
Percentage of recipients by year who have entered the HOF. |
NBA MVP |
100% |
100% |
NHL Norris |
90.5% |
96.4% |
NBA All Star Game MVP |
89.5% |
91.7% |
NHL Conn Smythe |
74.2% |
85.4% |
NHL Lady Byng |
63.8% |
76.0% |
NFL Super Bowl MVP |
60.6% |
64.9% |
NBA Defensive Player of the Year |
58.3% |
56.5% |
NBA Rookie of the Year |
56.5% |
56.5% |
NFL Pro Bowl MVP |
52.3% |
54.8% |
MLB Lou Gehrig Award |
51.9% |
51.9% |
MLB Roberto Clemente Award |
47.4% |
47.4% |
MLB/NL/AL Cy Young Award |
44.4% |
55.4% |
MLB Babe Ruth Award |
37.0% |
39.3% |
NHL Frank J. Selke Trophy |
33.3% |
36.7% |
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year |
28.6% |
28.6% |
MLB Edgar Martinez Award |
26.7% |
17.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Designated Hitter) |
25.0% |
30.8% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Shortstop) |
23.5% |
52.6% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove |
21.7% |
36.8% |
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year |
20.6% |
20.6% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Catcher) |
20.0% |
22.5% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Second Base) |
18.8% |
39.8% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Shortstop) |
18.2% |
35.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Pitcher) |
18.2% |
20.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Second Base) |
16.7% |
32.7% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Outfield) |
16.7% |
30.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Outfield) |
15.7% |
25.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Third Base) |
14.3% |
14.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Third Base) |
13.6% |
14.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (First Base) |
13.6% |
13.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Rookie of the Year |
13.3% |
13.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Catcher) |
10.3% |
15.2% |
NBA Most Improved Player of the Year |
5.3% |
3.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (First Base) |
3.8% |
3.2% |
So, who is up next?
The following are the players who have won the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award in the Major League Baseball who have retired but have not met the mandatory years out of the game to qualify for the Baseball Hall of Fame:
Shane Victorino, Philadelphia Phillies (2008)
Eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2021.
Derek Jeter, New York Yankees (2010)
Eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020.
Barry Zito, San Francisco Giants (2012)
Eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2021.
Adrian Beltre, Texas Rangers (2014)
Eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014.
The following are the players who have won the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award who are still active.
Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals (2009)
39 Years Old, Playing for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Ryan Zimmerman, Washington Nationals (2011)
34 Years Old, Playing for the Washington Nationals.
Curtis Granderson, New York Mets (2015)
38 Years Old, Playing for the Miami Marlins.
Jose Altuve, Houston Astros (2016)
29 Years Old, Playing for the Houston Astros.
Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds (2017)
35 Years Old, Playing for the Cincinnati Reds.
Corey Kluber, Cleveland Indians (2018)
33 Years Old, Playing for the Cleveland Indians.
The Lou Gehrig Memorial Award winners seems to lean toward elite players and we suspect that this will be a pattern to continue.
Up next, we are going to stay within the tertiary Baseball Awards and look at the Hutch Award Winner.
As always, we thank you for that support and look for that soon!
We here at Notinhalloffame.com thought it would be fun to take a look at the major awards in North American team sports and see how it translates into Hall of Fame potential.
Needless to say, different awards in different sports yield hall of fame potential. In basketball, the team sport with the least number of players on a roster, the dividend for greatness much higher. In baseball, it is not as much as a great individual season does not have the same impact.
For our next selection we look at the Roberto Clemente Award. Originally, this was called the Commissioners Award, the accolade is given annually to the player who best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual’s contribution to the team. It was renamed the Roberto Clemente Award following the death of Clemente who died in a plane crash while on the way to Nicaragua to deliver supplies to victims of the Nicaragua Earthquake.
So, how many Roberto Clemente Award winners have been enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame?
Let’s find out!
*Please note that as statistics are not as relevant for this award so as opposed to how we normally list players, we will simply just list the winners as opposed to go into that year’s accomplishments.
The following are the past players who have won the Roberto Clemente Award in the MLB who are eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame and have been enshrined.
Willie Mays, San Francisco Giants (1971)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.
Brooks Robinson, Baltimore Orioles (1972)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983.
Al Kaline, Detroit Tigers (1973)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980.
Willie Stargell, Pittsburgh Pirates (1974)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988.
Lou Brock, St. Louis Cardinals (1975)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985.
Rod Carew, Minnesota Twins (1977)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991.
Phil Niekro, Atlanta Braves (1980)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997.
Gary Carter, New York Mets (1989)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003.
Cal Ripken Jr., Baltimore Orioles (1992)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007.
Barry Larkin, Cincinnati Reds (1993)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012.
Dave Winfield, Minnesota Twins (1994)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.
Ozzie Smith, St. Louis Cardinals (1995)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002.
Kirby Puckett, Minnesota Twins (1996)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.
Tony Gwynn, San Diego Padres (1999)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007.
Jim Thome, Cleveland Indians (2002)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018.
Edgar Martinez, Seattle Mariners (2004)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019.
John Smoltz, Atlanta Braves (2005)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.
Craig Biggio, Houston Astros (2007)
Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.
The following are the players who have won the Roberto Clemente Award in MLB who are eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame and have not been selected:
Pete Rose, Cincinnati Reds (1976)
Rose is banned from the Hall of Fame. Ranked #1A on Notinhalloffame.com.
Greg Luzinski, Philadelphia Phillies (1978)
Luzinski was on the ballot for one year in 1990 and received 0.2% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Andre Thornton, Cleveland Indians (1979)
Thornton was on the ballot for one year in 1993 and received 0.5% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Steve Garvey, Los Angeles Dodgers (1981)
Garvey was on the ballot for fifteen years in and finished as high as 42.6% in 1995. Ranked #25 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Ken Singleton, Baltimore Orioles (1982)
Singleton was on the ballot for one year in 1990 but did not receive any votes. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Cecil Cooper, Milwaukee Brewers (1983)
Cooper was on the ballot for one year in 1993 and received 0.5% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Ron Guidry, New York Yankees (1984)
Guidrey was on the ballot for nine years in and finished as high as 8.8% in 2000. Ranked #54 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Don Baylor, New York Yankees (1985)
Baylor was on the ballot for two years in 1993 and received 2.6% of the vote in both years. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Garry Maddox, Philadelphia Phillies (1986)
Maddox was on the ballot for one year in 1990 but did not receive any votes. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Rick Sutcliffe, Chicago Cubs (1987)
Sutcliffe was on the ballot for one year in 2000 and received 1.7% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Dale Murphy, Atlanta Braves (1988)
Murphy was on the ballot for fifteen years in and finished as high as 23.2% in 2000. Ranked #30 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Dave Stewart, Oakland Athletics (1990)
Stewart was on the ballot for two years and finished as high as 7.4% in 2001. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Harold Reynolds, Seattle Mariners (1991)
Although Reynolds was eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2000 he was not on the ballot. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Eric Davis, Cincinnati Reds (1997)
Davis was on the ballot for one year in 2007 and received 0.6% of the ballot. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Sammy Sosa, Chicago Cubs (1998)
Sosa has been on the ballot for seven years and finished as high as 12.5% in 2013. Ranked #29 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Al Leiter, New York Mets (2000)
Leiter was on the ballot for one year in 2011 and received 0.7% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Curt Schilling, Arizona Diamondbacks (2001)
Schilling has been on the ballot for seven years and finished as high as 60.9% in 2019. Ranked #5 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jamie Moyer, Seattle Mariners (2003)
Moyer was on the ballot for one year and finished with 2.4% in 2018. Ranked #105 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Carlos Delgado, New York Mets (2006)
Delgado was on the ballot for one year and finished with 3.8% in 2015. Ranked #79 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Tim Wakefield, Boston Red Sox (2010)
Wakefield was on the ballot for one year in 2017 and received 0.2% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Let’s update our tally, shall we?
Award in Question |
Percentage of recipients who have entered the HOF |
Percentage of recipients by year who have entered the HOF. |
NBA MVP |
100% |
100% |
NHL Norris |
90.5% |
96.4% |
NBA All Star Game MVP |
89.5% |
91.7% |
NHL Conn Smythe |
74.2% |
85.4% |
NHL Lady Byng |
63.8% |
76.0% |
NFL Super Bowl MVP |
60.6% |
64.9% |
NBA Defensive Player of the Year |
58.3% |
56.5% |
NBA Rookie of the Year |
56.5% |
56.5% |
NFL Pro Bowl MVP |
52.3% |
54.8% |
MLB/NL/AL Cy Young Award |
44.4% |
55.4% |
MLB Roberto Clemente Award |
47.4% |
47.4% |
MLB Babe Ruth Award |
37.0% |
39.3% |
NHL Frank J. Selke Trophy |
33.3% |
36.7% |
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year |
28.6% |
28.6% |
MLB Edgar Martinez Award |
26.7% |
17.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Designated Hitter) |
25.0% |
30.8% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Shortstop) |
23.5% |
52.6% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove |
21.7% |
36.8% |
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year |
20.6% |
20.6% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Catcher) |
20.0% |
22.5% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Second Base) |
18.8% |
39.8% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Shortstop) |
18.2% |
35.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Pitcher) |
18.2% |
20.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Second Base) |
16.7% |
32.7% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Outfield) |
16.7% |
30.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Outfield) |
15.7% |
25.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Third Base) |
14.3% |
14.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Third Base) |
13.6% |
14.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (First Base) |
13.6% |
13.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Rookie of the Year |
13.3% |
13.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Catcher) |
10.3% |
15.2% |
NBA Most Improved Player of the Year |
5.3% |
3.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (First Base) |
3.8% |
3.2% |
So, who is up next?
The following are the players who have won the Roberto Clemente Award in the Major League Baseball who have retired but have not met the mandatory years out of the game to qualify for the Baseball Hall of Fame:
Derek Jeter, New York Yankees (2009)
Eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020.
David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox (2011)
Eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022.
Carlos Beltran, New York Mets (2013)
Eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2023.
Jimmy Howard, Philadelphia Phillies (2014) (Co-Winner)
Eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022.
Paul Konerko, Chicago White Sox (2014) (Co-Winner)
Eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020.
The following are the players who have won the Roberto Clemente Award who are still active.
Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals (2008)
39 Years Old, Playing for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers (2012)
31 Years Old, Playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh Pirates (2015)
32 Years Old, Playing for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Curtis Granderson, New York Mets (2016)
38 Years Old, Playing for the Miami Marlins.
Anthony Rizzo, Chicago Cubs (2017)
29 Years Old, Playing for the Chicago Cubs.
Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals (2018)
36 Years Old, Playing for the Philadelphia Phillies.
The Roberto Clemente Award winners seems to lean toward elite players and we suspect that this will be a pattern to continue.
Up next, we are going to stay within the tertiary Baseball Awards and look at the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award.
As always, we thank you for that support and look for that soon!
With heightened competition triggered by an influx of casinos in the United States, there is speculation that NetEntertainment gaming sites will add sports betting into their business to help them remain popular and profitable. With the casino business seemingly dipping in Las Vegas over the last few months of 2019, and Chinese enclave Macau experiencing declining numbers, NetEnt powered casinos believe that sports betting is the silver lining to help them prosper.
For years, sports betting in the US has been an afterthought for most casino operators because of the legal system's tough stance on it. Casinos purely considered sportsbooks as an extra amenity for players as sports betting gave the house a minimal edge all the same - an advantage of less than 10%. Casino operators, therefore, didn't gawk at sports betting too fondly.
Following the US Supreme Court's rulingon legalization of sports betting back in 2018, several casino operators have added sportsbooks into their works. Most casinos in the Las Vegas area, are quickly strategizing on how to tap into the proliferating market and are looking up to providers like NetEnt to make their dreams come true. Casino software developers and igaming providers like IGT gaming, Playtech, Yggdrasil, Betsoft, Nextgen Gaming, Microgaming, RTG, and Rival are already providing comprehensive coverage of sports betting to casinos and bookmakers.
So, will the US NetEnt casinos follow suit and add sports betting options anytime soon?
Before delving into NetEnt's decision to dive into the world of sports betting, it is crucial to take a look at just how big the online casino software provider is in the country and why it is a big deal for it to provide sports betting. So, how big is NetEnt in the United States?
The entry of the company from Sweden into the gambling industry of the United States back in 2013 was part of the company's expansion plan to tap into the North American Market. NetEnt acquired its license in New Jersey and officially started operations in the country in 2015.
Although the legal structure governing gambling was still shaky in the country, New Jersey had already defined gambling legislation, and NetEnt used the state as the entry point into the vast US casino market. NetEnt acquired its first license and a transactional waiver in New Jersey and immediately started partnering with local casinos providing them with online casino software solutions. Today, NetEnt has a permanent Casino Service Industry License which allows it to operate full-time in the market.
NetEnt first partnered with Tropicana Casinos and instantly made a name for itself. Although the company had already earned a reputation from its excellent service delivery in the European gambling industry, NetEnt brought a new dimension into the US online casino industry. It attracted several casinos and casino operators who were looking to adopt its services. The NetEnt brand and portfolio proliferated.
It has been a little over five years since NetEnt launched its services in the United States. And today, NetEnt powers some of the best online casinos in the country. Casinos like Pokerstars, Virgin Casino, Mohegan Sun Casino, Caesars Casino, Party Casino, 888 Casino, BGO Casino, Casumo Casino, Dream Vegas, Leovegas Casino, Vegas Luck Casino, Mr Green Casino, Videoslots Casino, Fun Casino, and Golden Nugget Casinos are all powered by NetEnt. The number of US casinos employing NetEnt's services is growing by the day as the existing customers are reaping big from NetEnt's platform.
How did this meteoritic rise come to be? Why did NetEnt grow tremendously in the United States? What are some of the features of NetEnt that saw it partner with so many American customers? Here are the top reasons why NetEnt found a lot of joy in the American market.
NetEnt introduced a host of exclusive new games into the online gaming industry which players found to be fun and exciting. They also promised more winnings. NetEnt slots, in particular, brought a new lease of life to the casino industry which was stale with traditional table games. Customers were tired of the leading games casinos offered and were looking for something fun that would enhance their gaming experience.
Some of the top NetEnt games released and which players enjoy to date include top slot video games such as Starburst, variants of baccarat, blackjack, Guns n Roses slots, video poker, progressive jackpots, Gonzo's Quest, Mega Fortune, roulette, and other top casino games. And this is not the full range of NetEnt casino games offers listed by the best casinos.
NetEnt casinos understand the value of rewarding customers and came up with some of the best promotions and huge offers to lure players to different websites that use NetEnt’s software. From giving customers free bets, free spins upon sign up like the popular 100 welcome bonus, free spins on Starburst, awarding 20 free spins for roulette, offering 100, 200, 500 free spins for registering to specific casino games, casino 10 free spins on several slot games, matching deposits made through Skrill, PayPal, and Neteller. The unique NetEnt bonuses and promotions awarded on a variety of games earned casinos new customers and helped retain existing customers.
NetEnt is not only about developing excellent casino games; their websites and mobile applications are worth attention too. Casino sites are no longer bland; the platforms have fantastic graphics with an intricate placement of a variety of features to enhance the gaming experience of players. Wagering in online casinos is not limited to casino websites on desktops; customers can play casino games through Android and iOS apps on their mobile devices.
Registration at new casinos, safe depositing of money, playing live casino games, reading terms and conditions, and instant withdrawal of funds are now effortless. Any player could do this with relative ease. The apps and casino websites have extra features like blogs for reading the latest casino news, articles with fresh casino content every month, contacts for customer support, and other options meant to optimize the user experience.
With the help of website cookies, NetEnt casinos personalize the browsing and playing experience for the players giving them classic entertainment while they play for real money. NetEnt casinos take advantage of their blogs to educate players on privacy policy, and advise players to gamble responsibly with the help of specific gambling organizations such as BeGambleAware.
Now that we have seen why NetEnt casinos are so popular, what are the chances of these online casinos venturing into sports betting? What will be the impact of NetEnt casinos subscribing to sports betting? Is the US market ready for sports betting?
If the evolution of sports betting in the US is anything to go by, then it won't be long before we start hearing of NetEnt casinos venturing into the sports betting industry. In fact, sports betting is not all too new for NetEnt. Back in 2018, NetEnt launched an innovative widgetenabling casino players to bet on sports and play other quality live casino games simultaneously.
NetEnt launched the widget in a bid to capitalize on the 2018 FIFA World Cup, but it also served as a test of how sports betting could benefit NetEnt casinos. Casinos outside the US that adopted the trial widget reported increased revenues during the showpiece tournament. The profits from sports betting during the period supplemented the income from other regular casino games. Some operators recorded their highest earnings during the same period.
Even before the introduction of the widget, most NetEnt casinos outside the US were already incorporating sportsbooks into their business models. The profit margins from these casinos suggest that sports betting is a ripe growth frontier and a safe haven which will add value to stakeholders. NetEnt casinos, especially in Europe, are raking in billions by providing sports betting markets to UK players who love sports betting more than their American counterparts. The thing is that such casinos are not powered by NetEnt purely; they incorporate software solutions from different providers.
Following the legalization of online betting in the United States by the Supreme Court on May 14, 2018, many casinos will start to venture into the untapped industry. Different states can now regulate sports betting, and already more than seven states have opened up their borders for bookmakers and casinos to offer betting options.
Negative legislation was one of the hindrances cited by many casino operators who dreaded investing in sports betting. Now that the legal environment is better, casinos have already started giving sports betting a go in the United States.
With other casinos expanding into sports betting, NetEnt casinos in the US will be forced to also dive into the deep end to be able to compete with rival casinos and bookmakers.
Gone are the days when boxing, basketball, and football were the only sports Americans could gamble on for cash. The sports industry, as a whole, has grown tremendously over the last two decades and the interest in these games has also hit record numbers. With the increased interest in modern-day sports, comes a rise in the number of people willing to wager on the games and try their luck.
Soccer, in particular, has attracted lots of attention in the last decade as the United States grapple with matching the standards of soccer in other established countries like the UK, Malta, Spain, etc. Soccer betting within the nation is snowballing, and casinos are looking to tap into that market.
The sports gaming industry is already huge in the country. For example, players wagered close to $5 billion in Las Vegas' sportsbooks back in 2017. Gambling compliance office estimates that the US sports betting industry will be worth $3 bn by December 2023, which is telling in itself. The size of the criminal underworld of illegal betting is even bigger and accounts for more than $70 billion wagering on sports events offered by international casinos and bookies.
Any wise casino operator will put measures into place to ensure that sports betting is part and parcel of their business. NetEnt casinos are not an exception and will want a piece of the global sports betting pie.
The other reason why NetEnt casinos will hop onto the sports betting wagon is the fact that the legalization of sports betting in the country is expected to impact gambling stocks positively. Since NetEnt is listed on the stock market, they'll want their company to benefit from sports betting by offering sports betting in the US.
Other gambling stocks in the same category including IGT, MGM and Playtech have already started reaping the benefits of the legalization of sports betting, and it won't be long before NetEnt starts looking fondly at the possibility of offering the same services and goes on an adventure.
These are all speculations though, and the official word from NetEnt is yet to trickle down to the press. It is crucial to note that adopting sports betting is a sensitive subject which requires careful planning and a large amount of money. So, there’s still much room for consideration. From meeting the minimum requirements to get licenses to certifying of the licenses by the relevant bodies and laws like DMCA, it will take a lot of time before NetEnt actualizes the dream of sports bettors.
With the revenue of traditional online casinos tumbling by the day, NetEnt will eventually have to venture into sports betting to supplement their income. It will only be a matter of time, but American customers are eager for the service to be released soon.
Now that the NBA Finals are over and the 2018/19 Season has officially been brought to a close, we can turn our attention to what we always do here at Notinhalloffame.com, look at the next Basketball Hall of Fame Class!
People who thought the 2018 Hall of Fame class was stacked, with Jason Kidd, Steve Nash, Grant Hill, and Ray Allen, will gawk at the 2020 eligibles say Paruk from SBD. The top-three players in this class -- Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Garnett -- are arguably the three most-accomplished players ever to become eligible at the same time. The trio has 11 NBA titles and 48 All-Star Game nods between them, and they are all 100%, iron-clad locks to be inducted in their first year of eligibility.
Every single one of them is bona fide headliners but if you are looking for a quadruple threat like 2018 remember that the forced end of Chris Bosh’s career in 2016 makes him also Hall of Fame eligible for 2020 and he too has a first ballot resume.
Even with the retirements this year of Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki and Tony Parker (all of whom will be eligible for the Class of 2023) we may never see a more loaded group in any Basketball Hall of Fame Class.
We will go one step further and state that this is the most star-studded group of any North American Athletic Hall of Fame Class in the 21stCentury.
One thing is for sure is that this will be the hottest Hall of Fame ticket of any kind in the year of 2020!
There are a but a few sporting events that have such a massive following in the western world as the Baseball World Series. Just like the NBA is to basketball and the NFL to football, Major League Baseball has tremendous appeal not only in The United States of America but also in countries such as Canada and Japan.
We here at Notinhalloffame.com thought it would be fun to take a look at the major awards in North American team sports and see how it translates into Hall of Fame potential.
Needless to say, different awards in different sports yield hall of fame potential. In basketball, the team sport with the least number of players on a roster, the dividend for greatness much higher. In baseball, it is not as much as a great individual season does not have the same impact.
For our next selection we look at the Babe Ruth Award, which until 2007 only constituted the MVP of the World Series, which may seem like overkill considering it is secondary to the World Series MVP, which is awarded right after the World Series. The Babe Ruth Award is given a few weeks after. Incidentally, the Babe Ruth Award is older than the World Series MVP, but as it is not sanctioned by Major League Baseball it is not considered nearly as prestigious, but we aren’t letting that stop us here at Notinhalloffame.com!
So, how many Babe Ruth Award winners have been enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame?
Let’s find out!
The following are the past players who have won the Babe Ruth Award in the MLB who are eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame and have been enshrined.
Phil Rizzuto, New York Yankees (1951)
The first Hall of Famer who was also a Babe Ruth Award winner is fittingly a New York Yankee. Phil Rizzuto played his entire career with the Yankees and he would win the World Series seven times, this being his fifth. In the Fall Classic, “Scooter” would bat .320 with 8 Hits and a Home Run in New York’s six game win over their crosstown rival, the New York Giants. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1994.
Johnny Mize, New York Yankees (1952)
The Yankees would generate their fourth (in four) straight Babe Ruth winner and this one is especially sweet. Mize was very late in his career and was a bench player at this stage but he was still clutch and in the 1952 World Series five game win over the Brooklyn Dodgers, he batted .400 with 3 Home Runs and 6 Runs Batted In. He would only play one more year in the Majors. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1981.
Bill Mazeroski, Pittsburgh Pirates (1960)
Bill Mazeroski batted .320 in the World Series with a pair of Home Runs, one of which being the most famous in World Series history as he blasted a walk-off dinger in Game 7, to date the only one of its kind. Despite the heroics and overall good series (he also had 5 Runs Batted In and a .960 OPS) Bobby Richardson of the New York Yankees (.367 and 12 RBIs) won the World Series MVP despite being on the losing team. As for Mazeroski, he was a seven-time All-Star, eight-time Gold Glove recipient but only had a career On Base Percentage of .299. The chances are that had Mazeroski not had that World Series winning Home Run we have to wonder if he would have gotten into the Hall of Fame without it. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.
Whitey Ford, New York Yankees (1961)
This was the best season of Whitey Ford’s career, though this was 1961 where most people remember the Roger Maris home run chase. Ford went 25 and 4 won the Cy Young Award and in the 1961 World Series he went 2 and 0 with 14 Innings of scoreless baseball with a 0.500 WHIP. Ford would also win the World Series MVP this year. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1974.
Sandy Koufax, Los Angeles Dodgers (1963)
This was about as good as a season as you can get as Sandy Koufax won the National League’s Triple Crown with 25 Wins, a 1.88 ERA, 306 Strikeouts and he also had a 0.875 WHIP. Not only did Koufax win the Cy Young, he was also the MVP. He kept his dominance in the post-season going 2 and 0 with a 1.50 ERA in their win over the Minnesota Twins. Koufax also won the World Series MVP. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1972.
Bob Gibson, St. Louis Cardinals(1964)
Gibson had a good 1964 but this year’s World Series was arguably the coming out party of the dominance that was to come as he would go on to win the Cy Young Award twice and the MVP once. Gibson would go 2 and 1 completing all three games with a 3.00 ERA. He would also win the World Series MVP. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1981.
Sandy Koufax, Los Angeles Dodgers (2) (1965)
This was almost a carbon copy season of 1963 where Koufax again won the Pitcher’s Triple Crown (26 Wins, 2.04 ERA and 382 Strikeouts) and he would again win the Cy Young and have a WHIP under 0.900. The only thing he didn’t so was win the MVP (he was second) but in the 1965 World Series he went 2 and 1 over 24 Innings and an ERA of 0.38. Koufax played one more year in baseball before retiring at the peak of his career. Historically speaking this is the first time that there was a repeat winner for the Babe Ruth Award. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1972.
Frank Robinson, Baltimore Orioles(1966)
Robinson made a lot of history in 1966 as in his first season in Baltimore he won the MVP, making him the first player in baseball history to win the MVP in both leagues (he won the NL version in Cincinnati in 1961). He would also lead his Orioles to their first World Series win since they moved east from St. Louis. In the World Series, Robinson batted .286 with a pair of Home Runs in their sweep over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982.
Lou Brock, St. Louis Cardinals(1967)
Lou Brock is without question one of the greatest tablesetters in baseball history and he did exactly what you would expect him to do in the World Series where he batted .414, had 7 Stolen Bases and 8 Runs. This year was his first of six All-Star trips and he retired with the all-time record in Stolen Bases. With all due respect to Brock, the World Series MVP was awarded to Bob Gibson who won three Games with a 1.00 ERA and a 0.704 WHIP. That was the better choice. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985.
Brooks Robinson, Baltimore Orioles(1970)
Brooks Robinson is one of the best defensive players the game of baseball has ever seen and his bat wasn’t too shabby either. In the 1970 World Series, Robinson batted .429 with a pair of Home Runs and six RBIs. He would simultaneously win the World Series MVP. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983.
Roberto Clemente, Pittsburgh Pirates(1971)
Roberto Clemente is one of the few players who when you say the word, “legend”, there is no inaccuracy in the statement. Clemente was a 12-time All-Star who had an even 3,000 Hits and probably would have had more had he not perished in a plane crash in 1972. In 1971, Clemente would lead Pittsburgh to the World Series (his second) and he would bat .414 with two Home Runs in Pittsburgh’s win over Baltimore. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973.
Johnny Bench, Cincinnati Reds(1976)
The Catcher of “The Big Red Machine” was in the middle of a career that had already seen him win two National League MVP Awards and a World Series the year before. Bench would bat .533 with a pair of Home Runs in this version of the Fall Classic. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1989.
Reggie Jackson, Oakland Athletics(1977)
Reggie Jackson had already won the World Series MVP (but not the Babe Ruth Award) in 1973 as an Oakland Athletic, but it was his 1977 performance as a New York Yankee that made him forever a legend. Jackson blasted five Home Runs in the World Series, including three in Game 6, making him the first to do that since Babe Ruth did it in 1928. Jackson also batted .450 with a 54 On Base Percentage. This is where he got the nickname of “Mr. October”. Jackson of course would also win the World Series MVP. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993.
Willie Stargell, Pittsburgh Pirates(1979)
Willie Stargell was deep into back nine of his career but he shot an eagle in 1979 winning the National League MVP and in the World Series he batted .400 with three Home Runs in their seven game win over the Baltimore Orioles. He would notably also win the NLCS MV batting .455 with two Home Runs against Cincinnati. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988.
Bruce Sutter, St. Louis Cardinals(1982)
Bruce Sutter was one of the most dominating closers of his day and he was named the Cy Young Award winner in 1979. In 1982 he would lead the National League in Saves for the fourth straight year and in the World Series he had two more, but had an ERA of 4.70. Sutter would not win the World Series MVP as Darrell Porter would earn that accolade along with the NLCS MVP. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.
Jack Morris, Detroit Tigers(1984)
The Detroit Tigers were the dominating team of 1984 and Jack Morris was their ace. In the 1984 World Series he would win both his starts with 13 Strikeouts, a 2.00 ERA and a WHIP of 0.889. He would not win the World Series MVP as that went to the Tigers’ Shortstop, Alan Trammell. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018.
Jack Morris, Minnesota Twins (2)(1991)
In the thrilling seven game series against the Atlanta Braves, Jack Morris would win his second Babe Ruth Award when he went 2 and 0 over 23 Innings and a 1.17 ERA. His heroic 10 Inning shutout win in Game 7 will never (and should never) be forgotten. This time, Morris would be named the World Series MVP. It should be mentioned that whether or not the Baseball Hall of Fame Veteran’s Committee were on the fence about his overall stats, his post-season exploits had to put him over the top. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018.
Dave Winfield, Toronto Blue Jays(1992)
For the first time ever the World Series Championship left the United States as the Toronto Blue Jays would win it all in 1992. Winfield batted .227 with 5 RBs, including the series winning double in Game 6. Winfield did not win the World Series MVP as that went to Jays Catcher, Pat Borders who batted .450. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.
Paul Molitor, Toronto Blue Jays(1993)
For the second year in a row the Babe Ruth Award winner was a Toronto Blue Designated Hitter. Paul Molitor would bat .500 with half of his hits being of the extra-base variety. He would also accumulate eight RBIs and he was also named the World Series MVP. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.
Tom Glavine, Atlanta Braves(1995)
The Atlanta Braves finally won a World Series, though I think we can agree that they should have won a lot more in the 1990s. Glavine won the Cy Young Award in 1991 and would again in 1998 but in 1995 the Babe Ruth Award and World Series MVP where he went 2 and 0 with a 1.29 ERA, 0.714 WHIP and 11 Strikeouts. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees(1999)
This would be the third of Mariano Rivera’s five World Series Championships and in this World Series he appeared in three games, winning one Game, saving two and allowing zero runs. Rivera is not just the greatest Relief Pitcher of all-time, he is also the greatest post-season closer. His overall playoff numbers (all for the Yankees) is 8 and 1 with 42 Saves, 78 Games Finished an ERA of 0.70 and WHIP of 0.759. Is there any wonder that he would become the first person to enter the Baseball Hall of Fame on a perfect ballot. He would also win the World Series MVP. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019.
Randy Johnson, Arizona Diamondbacks(2001)
In 2001, both the Babe Ruth Award and World Series MVP were co-awarded to Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling. Johnson’s 2001 World Series would see him win all three of his starts with a 1.04 ERA, 0.692 WHIP and strikeout 19 batters. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.
The following are the players who have won the Babe Ruth Award in MLB who are eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame and have not been selected:
Joe Page, New York Yankees (1949)
Joe Page was one of the game’s first relief pitchers of note and in 1949 he had already been to three All-Star Games. 1949 was the third and final straight year that he would finish first in Games Finished and he would record 27 Saves with a 13 and 8 record while also finishing third in MVP voting. In the World Series five game win over the Brooklyn Dodgers, Page pitched in three games winning one, and saving another with a 2.00 ERA and 1.000 WHIP. Page did not play enough seasons to qualify for the Baseball Hall of Fame. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jerry Coleman, New York Yankees (1950)
For the second year of the award’s inception, a New York Yankee would win the award and like the first winner he did not play enough seasons to be on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot. This was the second year for Jerry Coleman in the Majors and it was last (and arguably only) good season. Coleman was an All-Star for what would be the only time in his career and is 150 Hits and .287 Batting Average were career highs. The Yankees would win the World Series sweeping the Philadelphia Phillies and he would bat .286 with 4 RBIs. That was not spectacular, but it was enough. Notably, this was the second of four World Series that he would win, which was all with the Yankees. Coleman did not play enough seasons to qualify for the Baseball Hall of Fame. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Billy Martin, New York Yankees (1953)
Five Babe Ruth Awards and five New York Yankees. This one was one by Billy Martin, who would become more associated with the team later as a Manager. In 1953, the Second Baseman hit 2 Home Runs with 8 RBIs and a .500 Batting Average in their six-game win over Brooklyn. Martin was on the ballot for one year in 1967 and received 0.3% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Dusty Rhodes, New York Giants (1954)
For the first time ever the Babe Ruth Award did not go to a New York Yankee and of course it couldn’t as the Yanks did not make the post-season for the first time in the awards existence. Rhodes was a clutch Pinch Hitter throughout the series and while he only batted seven times he had a .667 Batting Average with 2 Home Runs and 7 Runs Batted In. Rhodes did not play enough seasons to qualify for the Hall of Fame. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Johnny Podres, Brooklyn Dodgers (1955)
This is an important year in regards to the Babe Ruth Award as this is the first year that the World Series MVP was also issued. This year’s winner (and also of the inaugural World Series MVP) was Johnny Podres who would later be a three time All-Star and would help the Dodgers win two more World Series titles after they relocated to Los Angeles. In this World Series, Podres threw for 18 Innings with a 2 and 0 record and a 1.00 ERA. This was the only title that the Dodgers would win when the team was located on the East Coast. Podres was on the ballot for three years and finished as high as 0.8% in both 1975 & 1977. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Don Larsen, New York Yankees (1956)
The Babe Ruth Award returned to the New York Yankees and it went to Don Larsen who made history by throwing what has been to date the only perfect game in World Series history. The Yankees would beat the Brooklyn Dodgers in seven games and Larsen would go on to have a journeyman’s career going 81 and 91 over 14 seasons and nine teams. Of course, Larsen would also win the World Series MVP. Larsen was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 12.3% in 1979. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Lew Burdette, Milwaukee Braves (1957)
1957 was the first and only time that the Braves would win the World Series while playing in Milwaukee thus making Lew Burdette the only Babe Ruth Award winner (and World Series MVP) who was a Milwaukee Brave. Burdette had a really good season as he was an All-Star this year and would go 3 and 0 with a 0.67 ERA in the World Series. Milwaukee’s opponents, the New York Yankees, could only muster two runs over 27 Innings. Burdette was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 23.2% in 1987. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Elston Howard, New York Yankees (1958)
The choice of Elston Howard for the Babe Ruth Award was a little curious as he only batted .222 in the World Series and none of his four Hits were for extra bases. He did hit the series winning RBI, which may have been why he won the award. The World Series MVP was given to Bob Turley, who went 2-1 with a Save and he was also named the Cy Young Award winner that year. This marked the first time that the Babe Ruth Award winner and the World Series MVP went to two different people. He would later be named the American League MVP in 1963. Howard was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 20.7% in 1981. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Larry Sherry, Los Angeles Dodgers (1959)
This was the official rookie season for Larry Sherry (he played five games the year before) and he would go on to have a good career as a Relief Pitcher securing 82 Saves. Sherry assisted the Dodgers in winning the 1959 World Series where he pitched in four games, winning two and saving another two. Over 12.2 Innings he had an ERA of 0.71 and a WHIP of 0.789. Sherry was also named the World Series MVP. Although Sherry was eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974, he was not on the ballot. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Ralph Terry, New York Yankees (1962)
This was the best year by far for Ralph Terry who in the regular season won a league leading 23 Games and was an All-Star for the only time in his career. Terry went 2 and 1 with a 1.80 ERA in their World Series win over the San Francisco Giants. He was also named the World Series MVP. Although Terry was eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973, he was not on the ballot. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Mickey Lolich, Detroit Tigers (1968)
The 1968 World Series was expected to be the battle between Bob Gibson of the St. Louis Cardinals and Denny McClain of the Detroit Tigers but the best hurler of the World Series was Mickey Lolich who went 3 and 0 with a 1.67 ERA. Lolich would go on to participate in three All-Star Games and win 217 Games in baseball. He was also the World Series MVP. Lolich was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 25.5% in 1988. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Al Weis, New York Mets (1969)
This is one of the most unlikely winners of the Babe Ruth Award, which was fitting considering that the New York Mets were the most unlikely World Series Champions. Weis, who never had more than 81 Hits in a season and a career Batting Average of .219. In the 1969 World Series, Weis batted .455 with a Home Run and had an OBP of .529. Donn Clendenon would be named the World Series MVP as he hit three Home Runs with a Batting Average of .357. With these two heroes, the name “Miracle Mets” really makes a lot of sense. Although Weis was eligible for the ballot in 1977 he was not on the ballot. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Gene Tenace, Oakland Athletics (1972)
Gene Tenace had only 51 Hits in the regular season but by the playoffs he was the team’s Catcher and in the World Series he would bat .348 with four Home Runs and nine Runs Batted In. Tenace would later be an All-Star in 1985. Tenace was on the ballot for one year in 1989 and received 0.2% of the ballot. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Bert Campaneris, Oakland Athletics (1973)
Bert Campaneris was a very good player who had 2,249 Hits, which chances are most of you may not have been aware that he is a member of the 2,000 Hit Club. In the 1973 World Series he batted .290 with three RBIs. He did not win the World Series MVP as it was given to Reggie Jackson with a .310 Batting Average with six RBIs. Campaneris was on the ballot for one year in 1989 and received 3.1% of the ballot. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Dick Green, Oakland Athletics (1974)
While Dick Green had a good defensive series engineering six double plays, he didn’t have a hit in the World Series and only had one walk in fifteen Plate Appearances with one Run and one RBI. Green retired after the World Series but was not the World Series MVP. That honor was given to Rollie Fingers who pitched in four of the five games with a Win and two Saves. Although Green was eligible for the Hall of Fame in 1980, he was not on the ballot. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Luis Tiant, Boston Red Sox (1975)
A lot of history with this award took place in 1975 as for the third year in a row the Babe Ruth winner did not match the World Series MVP. Also for the first and only time this award was given to the losing team of the World Series. The winner, Luis Tiant went 2 and 0 in three games, pitching 25 Innings with a 3.60 ERA. Pete Rose was named the World Series MVP. Tiant was on the ballot for 15 years finishing as high as 30.9% in 1988. Ranked #34 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Bucky Dent, New York Yankees (1978)
Bucky Dent was not known for being a great hitter but in 1978 he was clutch. Prior to the World Series, Dent hit a three run Home Run to win a one game playoff against the Boston Red Sox to get them into the playoffs. In the World Series, Dent batted .417 with seven Runs Batted In and he would also be named the World Series MVP. Dent was on the ballot for one year in 1990 and received 0.7% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Tug McGraw, Philadelphia Phillies (1980)
Tug McGraw went 1 and 1 with a 1.17 ERA where he pitched in four of the games in the Phillies’ first World Series win. This was McGraw’s second World Series championship as he would win his first with the New York Mets in 1969. McGraw would not win the World Series MVP as that went to Mike Schmidt who batted .381 with two Home Runs and seven RBIs. McGraw was on the ballot for one year in 1990 and received 1.4% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Ron Cey, Los Angeles Dodgers (1981)
Arguably, the best seasons of Ron Cey were behind him as his six All-Star Games were behind him but the Third Baseman was still good and in the 1980 World Series, he would bat .350 with a Home Run and six Runs Batted In. Cey would also be named the World Series MVP. Cey was on the ballot for one year in 1993 and received 1.9% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Rick Dempsey, Baltimore Orioles (1983)
Light hitting but defensively brilliant, Rick Dempsey was an unlikely post-season hero but in the 1983 World Series the Catcher would bat .385 with all five of his hits being extra bases (four doubles and a home run). Dempsey would also be named the World Series MVP. Cey was on the ballot for one year in 1998 and received 0.2% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Bret Saberhagen, Kansas City Royals (1985)
Saberhagen would win the first of two Cy Youngs in 1985 and he took the Royals to win their first World Series. He would win both of his starts in the World Series with a 0.50 ERA and a WHIP of 0.667. Saberhagen was on the ballot for one year in 2007 and received 1.3% of the vote. Ranked #67 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Ray Knight, New York Mets (1986)
Ray Knight would bat .391 in the World Series and he would hit the series winning Home Run in the 7thInning of Game 7. Knight, who would have five Runs Batted In would also win the World Series MVP. Knight was on the ballot for one year in 1994 and received 0.2% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Frank Viola, Minnesota Twins (1987)
Viola finished 6thin Cy Young voting this year and would hurl the Twins to their first World Series win since they relocated to Minnesota from Washington. Viola went 2 and 1 with 16 Strikeouts and would also be the World Series MVP. Viola would win the American League Cy Young the year after. Viola was on the ballot for one year in 2002 and received 0.4% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Orel Hershiser, Los Angeles Dodgers (1988)
1988 was a dream season for Orel Hershiser as he would win the National League Cy Young Award and would follow that up with the NLCS and World Series MVP. In the World Series, Hershiser won both of his starts with a 1.00 ERA, 17 Strikeouts and a 0.722 WHIP. Hershiser was on the ballot for two years and finished as high as 11.2%. Ranked #70 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Dave Stewart, Oakland Athletics (1989)
1989 was the third of four straight 20 Win seasons for Dave Stewart who was the ace of a potent offensive Oakland Athletics team. In the 1989 World Series, he would win both his starts with a 1.69 ERA, 0.750 WHIP and 14 Ks. He would also win the World Series MVP and would also be named the ALCS MVP the following year. Stewart was on the ballot for two years and finished as high as 7.4% in 2001. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Billy Hatcher, Cincinnati Reds (1990)
How fitting that the 1990 Babe Ruth Award went to a surprise player considering that the Reds were a surprise themselves sweeping the heavily favored Oakland Athletics. In the 1990 World Series, Hatcher batted .750 with four Doubles but was not the World Series MVP. That would go to Jose Rijo who went 2 and 0 with a sparkling Earned Run Average of 0.59. Although Hatcher was eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2001 he was not on the ballot. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Cecil Fielder, New York Yankees (1996)
Cecil Fielder was traded from the Detroit Tigers midway through the season and though his best years were behind him, his greatest team accomplishments were still to come. Fielder would bat .391 with 2 Runs Batted In in the World Series. He was not named the World Series MVP as that would go to John Wetteland who saved all four of New York’s wins. Fielder was on the ballot for one year in 2004 and received 0.2% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Moises Alou, Florida Marlins (1997)
Moises Alou was a Florida Marlin for only one season and it was a World Series winning one, the first in franchise history. Alou would bat .321 with three Home Runs and nine RBIs in the World Series. Livan Hernandez would win the World Series MVP however as the rookie won both of his starts, though had an ERA of 5.27. Alou was on the ballot for one year in 2014 and received 1.1% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Scott Brosius, New York Yankees (1998)
The New York Yankees would sweep the San Diego Padres, and in the Fall Classic Scott Brosius would bat .471 with a pair of Home Runs. Brosius would help New York win two more World Series Titles. Brosius was on the ballot for one year in 2007 but did not receive any votes. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Curt Schilling, Arizona Diamondbacks (2001)
Like with the 2001 World Series MVP, Curt Schilling would share the Babe Ruth MVP with Randy Johnson. Schilling went 1 and 0 with a 1.69 ERA, a 0.656 WHIP with 26 Strikeouts. Schilling has been on the ballot for seven years and has finished as high as 60.9% in 2019. Ranked #5 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Troy Glaus, Anaheim Angels (2002)
A four-time All-Star, Glaus was enjoying his third straight 100 RBI season. Glaus would bat .385 with 3 Home Runs and 8 Runs Batted In in the 2002 World Series, which brought the Angels their first title. Glaus would also be named the World Series MVP. Glaus was on the ballot for one year in 2016 but did not receive any votes. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Keith Foulke, Boston Red Sox (2004)
The curse ended with the Red Sox sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals and he would finish all four of Boston’s games with one Save and a 1.80 ERA. Foulke would not be named the World Series MVP as that would go to Manny Ramirez. Although Foulke was eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2014 he was not on the ballot. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jermaine Dye, Chicago White Sox (2005)
Also winning the World Series MVP, Jermaine Dye had a really good career where he would have 1,779 Hits and 325 Home Runs. In the 2005 World Series, he would bat .438 with the series winning RBI. Dye was on the ballot for one year in 2015 but he did not receive any votes. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
David Eckstein, St. Louis Cardinals (2006)
Eckstein was a two-time All-Star and 2006 was the second of them. The infielder was already a World Series Champion (Anaheim in 2002) and in this World Series he would bat .364 with 4 Runs Batted In. He would also win the World Series MVP. Dye was on the ballot for one year in 2015 but he did not receive any votes. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Let’s update our tally, shall we?
Award in Question |
Percentage of recipients who have entered the HOF |
Percentage of recipients by year who have entered the HOF. |
NBA MVP |
100% |
100% |
NHL Norris |
90.5% |
96.4% |
NBA All Star Game MVP |
89.5% |
91.7% |
NHL Conn Smythe |
74.2% |
85.4% |
NHL Lady Byng |
63.8% |
76.0% |
NFL Super Bowl MVP |
60.6% |
64.9% |
NBA Defensive Player of the Year |
58.3% |
56.5% |
NBA Rookie of the Year |
56.5% |
56.5% |
NFL Pro Bowl MVP |
52.3% |
54.8% |
MLB/NL/AL Cy Young Award |
44.4% |
55.4% |
MLB Babe Ruth Award |
37.0% |
39.3% |
NHL Frank J. Selke Trophy |
33.3% |
36.7% |
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year |
28.6% |
28.6% |
MLB Edgar Martinez Award |
26.7% |
17.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Designated Hitter) |
25.0% |
30.8% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Shortstop) |
23.5% |
52.6% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove |
21.7% |
36.8% |
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year |
20.6% |
20.6% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Catcher) |
20.0% |
22.5% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Second Base) |
18.8% |
39.8% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Shortstop) |
18.2% |
35.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Pitcher) |
18.2% |
20.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Second Base) |
16.7% |
32.7% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Outfield) |
16.7% |
30.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Outfield) |
15.7% |
25.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Third Base) |
14.3% |
14.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Third Base) |
13.6% |
14.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (First Base) |
13.6% |
13.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Rookie of the Year |
13.3% |
13.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Catcher) |
10.3% |
15.2% |
NBA Most Improved Player of the Year |
5.3% |
3.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (First Base) |
3.8% |
3.2% |
So, who is up next?
The following are the players who have won the Babe Ruth Award in the Major League Baseball who have retired but have not met the mandatory years out of the game to qualify for the Baseball Hall of Fame:
Derek Jeter, New York Yankees (2000)
This was the Yankees fourth World Series win in five years and this one was the battle of New York. The Yankees defeated the Mets in five games and he batted .409 with two Home Runs. Jeter would also win the World Series MVP. Eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020.
Josh Beckett, Florida Marlins (2003)
In the second World Series Championship for the Marlins, Josh Beckett went 1 and 1 with a 1.10 ERA, 19 Strikeouts and a WHIP of 0.714. Beckett would go on to win the ALCS MVP for Boston and help the team win the 2007 World Series. He would win 138 Games over his career. Eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020.
Jonathan Papelbon, Boston Red Sox (2007)
This was the start of a new era for the Babe Ruth Award now covered the entire post-season as opposed to just the World Series. Papelbon was in his second season as Boston’s closer and in the post-season he would win one game, record four Saves and would not allow a run in 10.2 Innings of work. Mike Lowell would be named the World Series MVP. Eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022.
Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees (2009)
Alex Rodriguez was often criticized for his lack of playoff success but in 2009 he was a huge part of the Yankees’ success in the 2009 World Series. A-Rod’s playoffs would see him bat .365 with 6 Home Runs and 18 Runs Batted In, but he would not win the World Series MVP as that would go to Mariano Rivera. Eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2021.
Tim Lincecum, San Francisco Giants (2010)
Tim Lincecum finished 10thin Cy Young voting this year and he won the award the two years previously. Lincecum would have an excellent playoff with a 4 and 1 record and 2.43 ERA with 43 Strikeouts. Lincecum would be a member of San Francisco’s 2012 and 2014 World Series wins but he was not nearly as productive as he was here. Eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022.
David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox (2013)
“Big Papi” would win his third World Series ring and he saved the best for last. Ortiz would hammer five playoff Home Runs with a .353 Batting Average. He would also win the Worod Series MVP Award. Eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022.
The following are the players who have won the Babe Ruth Award who are still active.
Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies (2008)
In Cole Hamels’ five post-season starts he would go 4 and 0 with a 1.80 ERA. He would also win the World Series MVP and the National League NLCS MVP. 35 Years Old, Playing for the Chicago Cubs.
David Freese, St. Louis Cardinals (2011)
Who else could win this in 2011 other than David Freese? Freese, who would also win the NLCS and World Series MVP would set playoff records with 50 Extra Base Hits and 21 RBIs and he would bat .397 with five Home Runs. 36 Years Old, Playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Pablo Sandoval, San Francisco Giants (2012)
“Panda” captured the imagination of the Baseball world in 2012 where the popular figure had six post-season Home Runs with 13 RBIs and a .364 Batting Average. The Third Baseman would also win the World Series MVP and was a member of both the 2010 and 2014 World Series Title with the Giants. 32 Years Old, Playing for the San Francisco Giants.
Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco Giants (2014)
Bumgarner was in the second year of a four-year All-Star stretch and like many of his teammates, he was a part of San Francisco’s 2010 and 2012 World Series wins. Bumgarner, who also won the World Series and NLCS MVP went 4 and 1 with a 1.03 ERA over 52.2 Innings Pitched. He would also record the Save in Game 7 of the World Series,. 29 Years Old, Playing for the San Francisco Giants.
Wade Davis, Kansas City Royals (2015)
Davis pitched in eight games, recording a Win, four saves and striking out 18 batters over 10.2 scoreless Innings. Salvador Perez would be named the World Series MVP. 33 Years Old, Playing for the Colorado Rockies.
Jon Lester, Chicago Cubs (2016)
Lester was named to his third All-Star game and he was already a two-time World Series Champion with the Boston Red Sox. Lester was a vital part of the Cubs first win in over a century and he was the NLCS MVP while going 3 and 1 with a 2.02 ERA with 30 Strikeouts. The World Series MVP would not go to Lester but to Ben Zobrist. 35 Years Old, Playing for the Chicago Cubs.
Jose Altuve, Houston Astros (2017)
The Babe Ruth Award had a co-winner for the first time since 2001 and in the first World Series win for the Houston Astros, Jose Altuve would go yard seven times in the playoffs with 14 RBIs and a .310 Batting Average. Neither Altive or his co-winner, Justin Verlander would win the World Series MVP, as that would go to George Springer. 29 Years Old, Playing for the Houston Astros.
Justin Verlander, Houston Astros (2017)
Verlander accomplished what he could not do in Detroit by winning a World Series with the Houston Astros and the move was a rejuvenation of sorts as he returned to elite form. Verlander went 4 and 1 over 36.2 Innings with 38 Strikeouts. He did not win the World Series MVP as that would go to George Springer, but he was the ALCS MVP. 35 Years Old, Playing for the Houston Astros.
David Price, Boston Red Sox (2018)
David Price had a bad appearance in the ALDS against the New York Yankees, but he rebounded with three wins in the rest of the playoffs including wins in Game 2 and 5 in the World Series. Price would not be named the World Series MVP, as that would go to Steve Pearce. 32 Years Old, Playing for the Boston Red Sox.
The Babe Ruth Award winners are all over the map in terms of legends, one-offs and everything in between.
Up next, we are going to stay within the tertiary Baseball Awards and look at the Roberto Clemente Award.
As always, we thank you for that support and look for that soon!
We here at Notinhalloffame.com thought it would be fun to take a look at the major awards in North American team sports and see how it translates into Hall of Fame potential.
Needless to say, different awards in different sports yield hall of fame potential. In basketball, the team sport with the least amount of players on a roster, the dividend for greatness much higher. In baseball, it is not as much as a great individual season does not have the same impact.
For our next selection we look at the Pro Bowl MVP, which admittedly does not mean so much as the game is not exactly hotly contested but you have to be a really good player to get there. How many of these past winners have made the Pro Football Hall of Fame?
Let’s find out!
But before we do that…
Usually when we isolate the winner, we mention the accomplishments of the year. We will do that in addition to what transpired in the Pro Bowl Game itself…if there is any reason to in this annual dud of a game.
The following are the past players who have been named the Pro Bowl MVP in the NFL who are eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame and have been enshrined.
Otto Graham, Cleveland Browns (1950)
The Pro Bowl was resurrected after last being played in the form of an All Star Game in 1942. Graham had just taken the Cleveland Browns to the NFL Championship and was a First Team All Pro the three years before. The Browns were previously in the AAFC and had won the title the last four years. This was the icing on the cake that showed that the Cleveland Browns belonged in the NFL and Graham was one of the game’s biggest stars. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1965.
Chuck Bednarik, Philadelphia Eagles (1953)
This was Chuck Bednarik fourth of eight Pro Bowls and he had already helped the Philadelphia Eagles win the NFL Championship as a rookie in 1949. He was a two way player (one of the last who did so regularly and “Concrete Charlie” was also a First Team All Pro six times. He helped the Eagles win the title again in 1960. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1967.
Ollie Matson, Chicago Cardinals (1955)
In his first five seasons in the NFL, Matson was a Pro Bowler and a First Team All Prom this being the third year of that run. Matson was also an Olympian, winning a bronze medal in the 400m sprint and a silver in 4 x 400 relay at the 1952 Helsinki Games. He would later play for the Los Angeles Rams, Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1972.
Ernie Stautner, Pittsburgh Steelers (1956)
Stautner was named the Co-MVP as the game’s outstanding lineman. This was his fourth Pro Bowl and he would go to five more. He was a First Team All Pro in 1958 and he played all 173 of his Games as a Pittsburgh Steeler. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1969.
Hugh McElhenny, San Francisco 49ers (1957)
This was the fourth Pro Bowl for McElhenny who would go to two more after this one. He rushed for 478 Yards and caught 37 passes for 458 Yards in 1957. He would have over 10,000 Yards from Scrimmage, which was a really good number for that era. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1970.
Frank Gifford, New York Giants (1958)
This would be Gifford’s seventh of eight straight Pro Bowls and he was a First Team All Pro for the fifth time and he would add a sixth the following season. Gifford was a Champion in 1956, which was the year he also won the MVP. He would become better known as a commentator for Monday Night Football for 27 years. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1970.
Doug Atkins, New York Giants (1958)
The Co MVP of the 1958 Pro Bowl, Doug Atkins would be named the most Outstanding Lineman of the game. Atkins went to the Pro Bowl for the second of seven straight (he went to eight overall) and this was also his first of four First Team All-Pro Selections. Atkins was a champion in 1954 with the Cleveland Browns and would later help the Chicago Bears win it all in 1963. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1970.
Johnny Unitas, Baltimore Colts (1959)
1959 was the year of Johnny Unitas. In 1958 he took the Baltimore Colts to the NFL Championship and he would do it again in 1959 where he was also named the MVP of the NFL. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1970.
Johnny Unitas, Baltimore Colts (2) (1960)
Johnny Unitas would become the first player to win the Pro Bowl MVP twice though it was a questionable decision as Norm Van Brocklin threw for a then record 288 Yards and three Touchdowns and this was his last game ever. Jim Taylor also had three TDs, yet somehow the accolade went to the very popular Johnny Unitas. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1970.
Sam Huff, Baltimore Colts (1960)
Sam Huff was the fifth and final player to be named the (co)-MVP of the Pro Bowl when they were giving that out to the best Lineman of the game. Huff would help the New York Giants win the 1956 Championship as a rookie and this would be his third of five Pro Bowls. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982.
Jim Brown, Cleveland Browns (1961)
We will (again) go on record and state that Jim Brown is the greatest Running Back who ever played. Brown played nine seasons in the NFL and he was named to the Pro Bowl in every single one of them. This was his fifth year in the league and he won the Rushing Title in every single one of them as well as being named a First Team All-Pro. Brown had was named the MVP in 1957 and 1958. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1971.
Jim Brown, Cleveland Browns (2) (1962)
Brown won his second Pro Bowl MVP and this was the only season that he was not named a First Team All-Pro or win the Rushing Title, though he would in his next three seasons in the NFL. He would win his third MVP in 1965, his last in the NFL and he would also help the Cleveland Browns in 1964. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1971.
Johnny Unitas, Baltimore Colts (3) (1963)
Johnny Unitas made history again by winning his third Pro Bowl MVP, becoming the first person to do so. Unitas was named “Back of the Game” while fellow Baltimore Colt, Gino Marchetti was named the “Lineman” of the Game. Over his career, Unitas would go to 10 Pro Bowls and was a five time First Team All-Pro. He would also be a three-time NFL Champion and three-time MVP. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1970.
Gino Marchetti, Baltimore Colts (1963)
Named the Lineman of the Game (thus Co-MVP) Gino Marchetti won this along with another Colt, Johnny Unitas. Marchetti was chosen for 11 Pro Bowls, all consecutive and this was his tenth. Marhcetti was a two-time NFL Champion and a seven-time First Team All-Pro. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1972.
Fran Tarkenton, Minnesota Vikings (1964)
Tarkenton threw for 172 Yards earning him “Back of the Game”. The “Scrambler’s” career was just getting going as this was his first of nine Pro Bowls. Tarkenton would take the Vikings to three Super Bowl appearances and he was the MVP in 1975. He retired with 47,003 Passing Yards and rushed for another 3,674. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1970.
Jim Brown, Cleveland Browns (3) (1965)
This was the last game that Jim Brown would ever play and he went out like the Football God he was. He rushed for 65 Yards and was the Back of the Game, A.K.A., the Co-MVP. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1971.
Gale Sayers, Chicago Bears (1966)
This was Gale Sayers’ second Pro Bowl selection and arguably it was the finest season of his career. The Chicago Bear would lead the NFL in Rushing Yards (1,231), Yards from Scrimmage (1,678) and All-Purpose Yards (2,440) and he was named to his second First Team All-Pro in as many years. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1977.
Gale Sayers, Chicago Bears (2) (1967)
Sayers was the Back of the Game for the second year in a row and again he was named a First Team All-Pro. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1977.
Dave Robinson, Green Bay Packers (1967)
Dave Robinson went to three Pro Bowls this being his second one. Robinson would be named a First Team All-Pro this season and he was a three-time NFL Champion with the Green Bay Packers. His Hall of Fame induction would take place via the Senior Committee. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013.
Merlin Olsen, Los Angeles Rams (1968)
Merlin Olsen was named the Lineman of the Game and it was an all-Ram affair as his Quarterback, Roman Gabriel was named the “Back of the Game”. The Defensive Tackle went to 14 straight Pro Bowls (1962-75) and he was in the middle of five straight First Team All-Pro Selections. He entered the Pro Football Hall of Fame on his first year of eligibility. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982.
Gale Sayers, Chicago Bears (3) (1969)
Gale Sayers became the third player to be named a Pro Bowl MVP three times. This was the end of an era for Sayers as this was his fifth and final Pro Bowl and he would also win his second Rushing Title. Sayers would suffer a severe injury and was limited in what he could do. He retired after the 1971 season and he would be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. He was the youngest person ever to enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1977.
Mel Renfro, Dallas Cowboys (1970)
In 1970, the Pro Bowl began instituting a new Co-MVP system where there was one winner on offense and one on defense. Renfro was the 1970’s offensive winner and this was his seventh Pro Bowl of what would be ten straight. The Defensive Back played his entire career with the Dallas Cowboys and he would help bring the team two Super Bowls (VI & XII). It should be noted that this is no misprint in terms of offense as he also was a Punt Returner taking two back for a Touchdown in the game. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1996.
Jan Stenerud, Kansas City Chiefs (1971)
Jan Stenerud went to six Pro Bowls, four of which being consecutive and this was the last of that stretch. Stenerud would four times lead the NFL in Field Goal Percentage. In this Pro Bowl he had three field goals and two extra points. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991.
Willie Lanier, Kansas City Chiefs (1971)
It was a sweep for the Kansas City Chiefs as his Willie Lanier’s teammate, Jan Stenerud won the Offensive Player MVP to match Lanier’s Defensive Player MVP. The Linebacker went to eight straight Pro Bowls and this was his fourth. He had previously aided the Chiefs win Super Bowl IV and he was chosen for three First Team All-Pros, this year being one of them. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986.
O.J. Simpson, Buffalo Bills (1972)
From 1972 to 1976, O.J. Simpson was the top Running Back in the National Football League and this was the beginning of that stretch. The Juice won the Rushing Title this year and in the Pro Bowl he rushed for 116 Yards and a Touchdown and caught three passes for 56 Yards. He was a First Team All-Pro this year and the four years after and he rushed for 11,236 Yards over his career. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985.
Mel Blount, Pittsburgh Steelers (1976)
The Pittsburgh Steelers were the dynasty of the 1970’s and they generated many Hall of Fame inductees, one of which being Cornerback, Mel Blount. In this season, he was chosen for his second of five Pro Bowls and he helped them win four Super Bowls, two prior and two after this year. In this Pro Bowl he would record two Interceptions. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1989.
Walter Payton, Chicago Bears (1977)
Walter Payton was one of the greatest Running Backs ever and this was his second of what worked out to be nine Pro Bowls. “Sweetness” played his entire career with the Chicago Bears and 1977 would see him set his career high of 1,852 Rushing Yards and 2,121 Yards from Scrimmage, both were league leading. This was also his second of five First Team All-Pro Selections. In this particular Pro Bowl he rushed for 77 Yards and a Touchdown. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993.
Kellen Winslow, San Diego Chargers (1981)
Kellen Winslow spent his entire career with the San Diego Chargers where he was a five time Pro Bowl, this being his second trip to the dance. Winslow was a three time a First Team All-Pro with this being the second of the two years where he led the NFL in Receptions. In this Pro Bowl there was two game MVPs and he was the offensive winner. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995.
Lee Roy Salmon, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1981)
Lee Roy Salmon was the co-winner of the Pro Bowl MVP and was the first Tampa Bay Buccaneer to win the Pro Bowl MVP. Salmon went to six Pro Bowls, and this was his third. He was also named the 1979 AP Defensive Player of the Year. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995.
Dan Fouts, San Diego Chargers (1982)
Dan Fouts is one of the best Quarterbacks of his day and this was the fourth of his sixth Pro Bowls. The Quarterback spent his entire NFL career with the San Diego Chargers and he was a First Team All Pro this year. In this Pro Bowl he would throw for 274 Yards and a Touchdown and was the Co-MVP. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993.
Reggie White, Philadelphia Eagles (1986)
This was the first Pro Bowl for Reggie White and it would mark the beginning of a streak that went on until 1998. White had 18 Quarterback Sacks in 1986 and he would lead the NFL in that category the next two years where “The Minister of Defense” would also be named the Defensive Player of the Year. Named an eight-time First Team All Pro, White would later in the Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.
Bruce Smith, Buffalo Bills (1987)
Bruce Smith was chosen to play in 11 Pro Bowls and this would be the first one for him. The Buffalo Bill was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Year and would twice become the NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He holds the record for Quarterback Sacks with 200 and in the Pro Bowl he would have two. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009.
Jim Kelly, Buffalo Bills (1990)
Jim Kelly would take the Bills to four straight Super Bowls but the infamously lost them all but this year would be the first of them. The Bills Quarterback would find some solace winning the Pro Bowl MVP in a game where he threw for 210 Yards and a Touchdown. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002.
Michael Irvin, Dallas Cowboys (1991)
Playing his entire career with the Dallas Cowboys, Michael Irvin was chosen for five straight Pro Bowls and this was his first one, which would also be the year that he was named a First Team All-Pro and would lead the NFL in Receiving Yards. He would be a huge part of the Cowboys winning three of the next four years. Irvin caught eight passes for 125 Yards and a Touchdown. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002.
Marshall Faulk, Indianapolis Colts (1994)
Named to the Pro Bowl as a rookie, Marshall Faulk would go to the Pro Bowl six more times, two with Indianapolis and four with St. Louis. Faulk rushed for 12,279 Yards and was a true dual threat as he also caught 767 receptions for 6,875 Yards. Winning a Super Bowl later in his career with the Rams, in this Pro Bowl he rushed for 180 Yards and a Touchdown while also catching two passes for 27 more Yards. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011.
Jerry Rice, San Francisco 49ers (1995)
What didn’t Jerry Rice do? By this time, Rice had been named to his tenth of eleven straight Pro Bowls and he would go two more after. He had already won the Super Bowl three times with the San Francisco 49ers and was the MVP in one of them. This year would be the sixth (and final) time that he led the NFL in Receiving Yards and he was on his eighth of nine First Team All-Pro Selections. Rice is the all-time leader in Receiving Yards with 22,895 and it will be a long time before anyone touches that. In the Pro Bowl he caught six passes for 82 Yards and a Touchdown. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010.
Warren Moon, Seattle Seahawks (1997)
Warren Moon had a very long career in football where he was a five time Grey Cup Champion with the Edmonton Eskimos prior to getting his chance at the NFL. He would go to eight straight Pro Bowls (1988-1995) and in 1997 he went to his last one. He would throw for 49,325 Yards in the NFL, an incredible amount considering how late he joined. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.
Ty Law, New England Patriots (1998)
Ty Law was the Co-MVP of this Pro Bowl, which he shared with Keyshawn Johnson. This was Law’s first of five Pro Bowls and he was the league leader in Interceptions this year. Law would later help the New England Patriots win three Super Bowls and in this Pro Bowl he returned an Interception for a Touchdown. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019.
Randy Moss, Minnesota Vikings (1999)
Randy Moss is one of the game’s most exciting players ever in 1999 he was in his second year in football. He went to six Pro Bowls, this being his second and he had 15,292 Receiving Yards with 156 Touchdowns over one hell of a career. In the game, Moss caught 9 passes for 212 Yards with a Touchdown. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018.
Derrick Brooks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2005)
One of the greatest (if not the greatest) defensive players in Buccaneer history, Derrick Brooks won this accolade in what was his tenth of eleven straight Pro Bowls. Brooks (who would also go to another one before his career ended) led the Buccaneers to their first Super Bowl and in this season, he was chosen for his fifth and final First Team All-Pro. In this Pro Bowl, the Linebacker had a pick six. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
The following are the players who have won the Pro Bowl MVP in the NFL who are eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame and have not been selected:
Dan Towler, Los Angeles Rams (1951)
Towler would also be chosen for the next three Pro Bowls with the season after seeing him being named a First Team All Pro and win the Rushing Title. The Fullback did not have a long career only playing six years all with Los Angeles. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Don Doll, Detroit Lions (1952)
Doll was in his third season of his four year Pro Bowl streak and he would become the first defensive player to be named the Pro Bowl MVP. Doll was a member of the Detroit Lions 1952 NFL Championship Team though he would be a Washington Redskin the following year. He only played six years in the NFL. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Billy Wilson, San Francisco 49ers (1954)
Billy Wilson was chosen for his first of what would be six consecutive Pro Bowls and he would lead the NFL in Receptions this year. He would do the same again in 1956 and 1957, the latter being a good enough year to warrant a First Team All Pro nod. Wilson retired after 1960 playing his entire career with San Francisco. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Bert Rechichar, Baltimore Colts (1956)
Rechichar was the Co-MVP of the Pro Bowl and he was a Defensive Back/Kicker for the Colts. Rechichar would go to three Pro Bowls, this being his second and at the time of his appearance he held the since broken record of the longest Field Goal of 56 Yards. He had four Interceptions that year. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Gene Brito, Washington Redskins (1957)
Brito was the Co-MVP as he was named the most Outstanding Lineman. Brito was chosen for five Pro Bowls, this being the fourth and his third and final First Team All-Pro Selection. He was named the NFL Player of the Year in 1955. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Gene Lipscomb, Baltimore Colts (1959)
This was the fourth time that the Pro Bowl would have a Co-MVP that would be given to the best Lineman of the game. Fittingly, it went to another Baltimore Colt as Johnny Unitas was the other Pro Bowl MVP. The Colts would win the NFL Championship that year and he was also a First Team All Pro. This was Lipscomb’s second of three Pro Bowls. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Gene Lipscomb, Pittsburgh Steelers (2) (1962)
Lipscomb was a Pittsburgh Steeler making him the first person to win a Pro Bowl MVP with two different teams. The NFL brought back giving a Co-MVP to the Lineman of the Game, which Lipscomb certainly deserved as he blocked two Field Goals. This was the last game that “Big Daddy” would play as he dies of a cocaine overdose in May of 1963. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Terry Barr, Detroit Lions (1964)
Barr would go to two Pro Bowls, this being the second where he won the Lineman of the Game Award. He would play all nine of his seasons with the Detroit Lions and as a rookie he helped the Lions win the NFL Championship. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Dale Meinart, St. Louis Cardinals (1965)
Named the Lineman of the Game, Meinart played nine seasons all with the Cardinals and this was his first of what would be three Pro Bowls. The Linebacker had previously won two Grey Cups with the Edmonton Eskimos. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Floyd Peters, Philadelphia Eagles (1966)
Named the Lineman of the Game, Peters was chosen for the second of his three Pro Bowls. He would later be a successful Defensive Coordinator for twenty years in the NFL. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Roman Gabirel, St. Louis Rams (1968)
This Pro Bowl was all about the St. Louis Rams as Roman Gabriel and Merlin Olsen were named the Back of the Game and Lineman of the Game respectively. Gabriel would go to four Pro Bowls, this being the second and he would later be would be the MVP the year after. He threw for 29,444 Yards over his career. Ranked #37 on Notinhalloffame.com.
George Andrie, Dallas Cowboys (1969)
George Andrie was the first Dallas Cowboy to be named a Pro Bowl MVP when he was named the Lineman of the Game for the 1969 version. Andrie was a five time Pro Bowl, this being his fifth trip. He would later help Dallas win Super Bowl VI. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Fred Carr, Green Bay Packers (1970)
Fred Carr would go to three Pro Bowls with this being his first. Carr was chosen as the Defensive MVP and this was the first year where they have an offensive and defensive MVP of the Pro Bowl. He played all ten of his seasons in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Garo Yepremian, Miami Dolphins (1973)
Yepremian set a still standing record of booting five Field Goals in a Pro Bowl. The Place Kicker went to three Pro Bowls, this being his second and the first and only year that he would be chosen a First Team All-Pro. The native of Cyprus would help the Dolphins win two Super Bowls. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
James Harris, Los Angeles Rams (1974)
This was the only Pro Bowl that James Harris was selected for and he threw for two Touchdowns and 119 Yards. Harris threw for 1,544 Yards and 11 Touchdowns in 1974 with a 7 and 2 record. He would later play for the San Diego Chargers and prior to his stint with L.A. was a backup for the Buffalo Bills. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Billy Johnson, Houston Oilers (1975)
Billy “White Shoes” Johnson was one of the greatest return specialists of his day and easily the most exciting. This was Johnson’s first of what would be three Pro Bowls, the second also coming as an Oiler the last one as an Atlanta. In the game, Johnson would return a Punt for a 90 Yard Touchdown Return and he also had another return of 55 Yards. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Ahmad Rashad, Minnesota Vikings (1978)
Ahmad Rashad went to four straight Pro Bowls and this was the first of them. In his 10 year career he caught 495 passes for 6,831 Yards for 44 Touchdowns and in this Pro Bowl he caught five passes for 85 Yards. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Chuck Muncie, New Orleans Saints (1979)
For it was worth, this would be the first of 30 straight Pro Bowls to take place in Honolulu and for the first time a New Orleans Saint would be named the Pro Bowl MVP. This was the first of three Pro Bowl selections for the Running Back with the other two coming as a San Diego Charger. Muncie rushed for 1,198 Yards this season and in the Pro Bowl he had rushed for two touchdowns, threw for one and had 79 Yards from Scrimmage. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Eddie Murray, Detroit Lions (1980)
Murray was a rookie this year and he won this award by making four Field Goals in the game. Murray would later go to two more Pro Bowls and would later win a Super Bowl with the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl XXVIII. He is the first Canadian to win this award. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
John Jefferson, Green Bay Packers (1982)
This was John Jefferson’s fourth and final Pro Bowl appearance and he was the leader in Receiving Yards in 1980. Jefferson was named the Co-MVP along with his former Quarterback, Dan Fouts, who he played with in San Diego. In this game he caught four passes for 66 Yards and a Touchdown. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Joe Theismann, Washington Redskins (1983)
This was Joe Theismann’s second and last Pro Bowl but it was capping off the best season he ever had. The Quarterback was named the NFL Offensive Player of the Year, the MVP and took the Redskins to the a win at Super Bowl XVII. In Hawaii, he went 21 for 27 for 242 Yards and three Touchdowns. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Mark Gastineau, New York Jets (1984)
At this point Mark Gastineau was one of the most popular defensive players in the NFL and one of the best. In 1984 he went to the fourth of five straight Pro Bowls and this was his third and final First Team All Pro Selection. Gastineau played his entire career with the Jets and in 1984 he led the NFL with 22 Quarterback Sacks. In the Pro Bowl, Gastineau recorded seven Tackles, and four Sacks. Ranked #46 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Phil Simms, New York Giants (1985)
Simms only went to two Pro Bowls but he was always considered one of the better Quarterbacks of his day. Simms would throw for 212 Yards and three TDs in the Pro Bowl. He would later take the Giants to two Super Bowl wins. Ranked #57 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Randall Cunningham, Philadelphia Eagles (1988)
One of the most exciting players of his time, Randall Cunningham went to four Pro Bowls with this being his first. Cunningham would win the Bert Bell Award this year and would win it again two more times. He would throw for 83 Yards and rush for 49 in this game. Ranked #33 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jerry Gray, Los Angeles Rams (1989)
Gray would go to four Pro Bowls, and this was his fourth. Gray had six picks in the season returning one for a pick six. The Defensive Back would have six tackles and an interception in the game. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Steve Tasker, Buffalo Bills (1992)
A seven-time Pro Bowl selection, Steve Tasker is considered one of the greatest Special Teams player ever. Tasker helped the Bills reach four straight (losing) Super Bowls and in this Pro Bowl he recorded four tackles, forced a fumble and blocked a Field Goal. Ranked #88 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Andre Rison, Atlanta Falcons (1993)
Rison was a five time Pro Bowler and this was his fourth of what would be four straight. The Wide Receiver had a career high of 1,242 Yards and topped the 10,000 mark in total. Rison had six catches for 86 Yards in the game. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Mark Brunell, Jacksonville Jaguars (1996)
Mark Brunell would become the first Jacksonville Jaguar to win the Pro Bowl MVP on what would be his first of three selections. 1996 was an interesting year for Brunell’s as he threw for a league leading 4,367 Yards but also had a TD-INT ratio of 19-20. In the Pro Bowl he would throw for 236 Yards and a Touchdown. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Keyshawn Johnson, New York Jets (1998)
Keyshawn Johnson went to three Pro Bowls and this was his first as well it being the first season, he had over 1,000 Receiving Yards (1,131). He would accumulate 10,571 Receiving Yards with 64 Touchdowns over his career and he was a key member of Tampa Bay’s first Super Bowl win. In the Pro Bowl, Johnson had seven Receptions for 87 Yards. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Rich Gannon, Oakland Raiders (2000)
Rich Gannon would go to four straight Pro Bowls (this being his second) but he did so in a somewhat unique fashion as he was in his early 30’s when it started. Quarterbacking for the Oakland Raiders, in 2000 he would go also be chosen for a First Team All-Pro. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Rich Gannon, Oakland Raiders (2) (2001)
A back-to-back winner, Gannon would have the best season the year after as he was again a First Team All-Pro and he would lead the National Football League in Completions (418) and Passing Yards (4,689) and led the Raiders to the Super Bowl…where they were thrashed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Gannon would suffer injuries in the next two seasons and his career was essentially over after it. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Ricky Williams, Miami Dolphins (2002)
Ricky Williams was known for an awful lot in his career, which included the idiotic trade the New Orleans Saints made to draft him, his pot use and his eccentricities but this was also a Running Back who is a member of the 10,000 Yard club and in 2002 he was a Pro Bowl and First Team All-Pro Selection and his 1,853 Yards won him the Rushing Title. He would score two Touchdowns in the Pro Bowl. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Marc Bulger, St. Louis Rams (2003)
Marc Bulger went to two Pro Bowls, this being his first where he did not have the best TD-INT line of 22-22 but threw for 3,845 Yards and won 12 Games and took the Rams to the playoffs. In the game Bulger three for three Touchdowns. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Let’s update our tally, shall we?
Award in Question |
Percentage of recipients who have entered the HOF |
Percentage of recipients by year who have entered the HOF. |
NBA MVP |
100% |
100% |
NHL Norris |
90.5% |
96.4% |
NBA All Star Game MVP |
89.5% |
91.7% |
NHL Conn Smythe |
74.2% |
85.4% |
NHL Lady Byng |
63.8% |
76.0% |
NFL Super Bowl MVP |
60.6% |
64.9% |
NBA Defensive Player of the Year |
58.3% |
56.5% |
NBA Rookie of the Year |
56.5% |
56.5% |
NFL Pro Bowl MVP |
52.3% |
54.8% |
MLB/NL/AL Cy Young Award |
44.4% |
55.4% |
NHL Frank J. Selke Trophy |
33.3% |
36.7% |
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year |
28.6% |
28.6% |
MLB Edgar Martinez Award |
26.7% |
17.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Designated Hitter) |
25.0% |
30.8% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Shortstop) |
23.5% |
52.6% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove |
21.7% |
36.8% |
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year |
20.6% |
20.6% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Catcher) |
20.0% |
22.5% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Second Base) |
18.8% |
39.8% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Shortstop) |
18.2% |
35.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Pitcher) |
18.2% |
20.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Second Base) |
16.7% |
32.7% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Outfield) |
16.7% |
30.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Outfield) |
15.7% |
25.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Third Base) |
14.3% |
14.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Third Base) |
13.6% |
14.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (First Base) |
13.6% |
13.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Rookie of the Year |
13.3% |
13.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Catcher) |
10.3% |
15.2% |
NBA Most Improved Player of the Year |
5.3% |
3.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (First Base) |
3.8% |
3.2% |
So, who is up next?
The following are the players who have won the Pro Bowl MVP in the NFL who have retired but have not met the mandatory years out of the game to qualify for the Pro Football Hall of Fame:
Peyton Manning, Indianapolis Colts (2004)
One of the most prolific Quarterbacks of all-time, Peyton Manning went to 13 Pro Bowls with this being his fourth. This was also his second of seven First Team All-Pro Selections and he would lead the NFL in Touchdown Passes with 49. Over his career he would throw for 71,940 Yards and 539 Touchdowns while also taking the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos to Super Bowl wins. He would score three Touchdowns in the game. Eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021.
Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals (2006)
Carson Palmer went to three Pro Bowls, this being his second also being the second with the Bengals with the third coming as an Arizona Cardinal. Palmer threw for 28 Touchdowns and 4,035 Yards this year and would accumulate 46,247 Yards in total. Eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023.
DeAngelo Hall, Washington Redskins (2010)
This was the third and final Pro Bowl that DeAngelo Hall would be chosen for and Hall had six Interceptions that season. In the game Hall returned a fumble for a Touchdown. Eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023.
Derrick Johnson, Kansas City Chiefs (2013)
In 2013, the Pro Bowl began issuing offensive and defensive Pro Bowl MVPs like they had in the past and Derrick Johnson was the first defensive winner of this new run. Johnson would go to four Pro Bowls and this was his third. Eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2024.
The following are the players who have won the NFL Pro Bowl MVP who are still active.
Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings (2007)
Adrian Peterson went to the Pro Bowl as a rookie and has gone to six more. This was his rookie season and he rushed for 1,341 Yards and 12 Touchdowns. To date he has over 13,000 Rushing Yards and has well over 100 Touchdowns. He ran for two Touchdowns in the game. 33 Years Old, Playing for the Washington Redskins.
Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals (2008)
Larry Fitzgerald was chosen for one First Team All-Pro roster and this was the year. The Wide Receiver however has been a Pro Bowl fixture as he was named to 11 Pro Bowls, with this being the third. In this game, Fitzgerald caught five passes for 81 Yards and a pair of TDs. 35 Years Old, Playing for the Arizona Cardinals.
Matt Schaub, Houston Texans (2009)
Matt Schaub went to two Pro Bowls with 2009 being the first. The Houston Texan led the NFL in Completions (396) and Passing Yards (4,770) and in the Pro Bowl he threw for two Touchdowns. 37 Years Old, Playing for the Atlanta Falcons.
Brandon Marshall, Houston Texans (2011)
Brandon Marshall went to six Pro Bowls and this was his third trip and the only one he would go to as a Miami Dolphin. The Wide Receiver had a 1,214 Yard Season and to date has over 12,000 Yards. In this Pro Bowl he would catch a record four Touchdown Passes. 35 Years Old, Free Agent.
Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota Vikings (2012)
This was the first Pro Bowl of Kyle Rudolph’s career and in the game he caught five passes for 129 Yards and a TD. 29 Years Old, Playing for the Minnesota Vikings.
Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles (2013)
To date, this is the only Pro Bowl that Nick Foles has gone to. Foles left Philadelphia for two years and came back where he led them to a surprise Super Bowl win when he was their back-up. 29 Years Old, Playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
J.J. Watt, Houston Texans (2014)
Watt was the Defensive MVP of the Pro Bowl and this was his third of five Pro Bowls, all of which would see him be named a First Team All-Pro. 29 Years Old, Playing for the Houston Texans.
Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions (2014)
Matthew Stafford has been one of the better Quarterbacks since he arrived in Detroit but to date 2014 has been his only Pro Bowl arrival. He had seven straight seasons where he threw for over 4,200 Yards. 31 Years Old, Playing for the Detroit Lions.
Michael Bennett, Seattle Seahawks (2015)
This was Michael Bennett’s first of three straight Pro Bowls and earlier in his career he assisted the Seahawks win the Super Bowl. 33 Years Old, Playing for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks (2015)
Wilson joined his teammate, Michael Bennett in being the Co-MVP of the Pro Bowl. The Quarterback led the Seahawks two years before to a Super Bowl win and this was to date the third of five Pro Bowls. 30 Years Old, Playing for the Seattle Seahawks.
Lorenzo Alexander, Buffalo Bills (2016)
Lorenzo Alexander went to his second Pro Bowl and at the age of 33 this was probably the best year of his career. Alexander was named the Co-MVP as the defensive player of the game. 35 Years Old, Playing for the Buffalo Bills.
Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs (2016)
The Tight End was in his second of four straight Pro Bowls and this year he was named a First Team All-Pro after having his first 1,000 Yard Season. 29 Years Old, Playing for the Kansas City Chiefs.
Von Miller, Denver Broncos (2017)
Miller was named the Defensive MVP this year of the Pro Bowl. Miller had already won a Super Bowl for the Broncos and this was his sixth of what has been seven Pro Bowls thus far. 30 Years Old, Playing for the Denver Broncos.
Delanie Walker, Tennessee Titans (2017)
This is what was Delanie Walker’s third straight and likely last Pro Bowl appearance. The Tight End had four consecutive seasons (this being the fourth) of 800 Yards or more. 34 Years Old, Playing for the Tennessee Titans.
Jamal Adams, New York Jets (2018)
This was in Adams’ second year in the NFL and it was his first Pro Bowl appearance, which netted him the Defensive Co-MVP. He had 115 Combined Tackles this season. 23 Years Old, Playing for the New York Jets.
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs (2018)
This was his second season in the NFL and first as a starter and you could state that it is one of the best years ever by a Quarterback. Mahomes threw for 50 Touchdowns and 5,097 Yards and was named the AP MVP. 23 Years Old, Playing for the Kansas City Chiefs.
From what we can see in terms of the Pro Bowl MVP winners you have someone who at one time was considered an elite player. While we can all agree that the game itself is meaningless getting there means something but essentially, we are looking at a high-end crapshoot here.
Up next we are going to back to the MLB and the Babe Ruth Award.
As always, we thank you for that support and look for that soon!
We here at Notinhalloffame.com thought it would be fun to take a look at the major awards in North American team sports and see how it translates into Hall of Fame potential.
Needless to say, different awards in different sports yield hall of fame potential. In basketball, the team sport with the least amount of players on a roster, the dividend for greatness much higher. In baseball, it is not as much as a great individual season does not have the same impact.
For our next selection we go back to the National Hockey League with the Calder Trophy, which is awarded annually to the league’s top rookie. Does being a top rookie put you in line for the Hockey Hall of Fame?
Let’s find out!
The following are the past players who have won the Calder Trophy in the NHL who are eligible for the Hockey Hall of Fame and have been enshrined.
Syl Apps, Toronto Maple Leafs (1937)
16 Goals, 29 Assists, 45 Points, 6.1 Point Shares. This is off to an excellent start at Syl Apps would lead the National Hockey League in Assists as a Rookie and he built on that to be named a post season All Star five times. More importantly for Apps and the Maple Leafs he would help them win three Stanley Cups and he would retire as a Point per Game player. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1961.
Frank Brimsek, Boston Bruins (1939)
33 Wins, 9 Losses 1 Tie, 1.56 GAA, 11.3 Goalie Point Shares. Very few players had a start to their career like Frank Brimsek as not only was the Calder Trophy winner, he also was the Vezina Trophy winner, a First Team All Star and he took the Boston Bruins to the Stanley Cup. The native of Eveleth, Minnesota would lead the Bruins to another Cup win in 1941 and he was also a Vezina Trophy winner in 1942. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1966.
Edgar Laprade, New York Rangers (1946)
15 Goals, 19 Assists 34 Points, 2.9 Point Shares. Edgar Laprade played his entire career with the New York Rangers and he would finish third in Lady Byng balloting that year. He would win the Lady Byng in the 1949/50 season. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993.
Terry Sawchuk, Detroit Red Wings (1951)
44 Wins, 13 Losses 13 Ties, 1.56 GAA, 17.0 Goalie Point Shares. In what would be a huge opening year, Terry Sawchuk would lead the National Hockey League in Goalie Point Shares and was also a First Team All Star. Sawchuk was the leader in Wins his year and would be the next four seasons. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1971.
Bernie Geoffrion, Montreal Canadiens (1952)
30 Goals, 24 Assists 54 Points, 7.0 Point Shares. The future Hockey Hall of Famer would lead the NHL in Power-Play Goals. The future Hart Trophy winner would win six Stanley Cups with a Hart and Art Ross Trophy win in 1961. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1972.
Gump Worsley, New York Rangers (1953)
13 Wins, 29 Losses 8 Ties, 3.02 GAA, 4.4 Goalie Point Shares. The “Gump” would lose way more games than he won in this season (16) and this would be a theme for Worsley but he gave it everything he always had, which was why he would enter the Hockey Hall of Fame and would win two Vezina Trophies. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1971.
Glenn Hall, Detroit Red Wings (1956)
30 Wins, 24 Losses 16 Ties, 2.10 GAA, 14.5 Goalie Point Shares. As a rookie, Glenn Hall was not only the Calder Trophy winner but was a Second Team All Star and the leader in Shutouts and Minutes Played and a second place finish in Point Shares. Hall would later be a multi time post season All Star and was a first ballot Hall of Famer. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1975.
Frank Mahovolich, Toronto Maple Leafs (1958)
20 Goals, 16 Assists 37 Points, 3.3 Point Shares. The “Big M” had a. good rookie season but he would later become a six time Stanley Cup winner and also a nine time post season All Star. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1972.
Dave Keon, Toronto Maple Leafs (1961)
20 Goals, 25 Assists 45 Points, 4.2 Point Shares. With the Toronto Maple Leafs for most of his career, Dave Keon would later be a two time Lady Byng Trophy winner and was the Conn Smythe Trophy winner for the last Toronto Maple Leaf Stanley Cup Championship team. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986.
Jacques Laperriere, Montreal Canadiens(1964)
2 Goals, 28 Assists, 30 Points, 6.7 Point Shares. Laperriere was another great Quebecer to play for his home province team where he was immediately one of the better Defenseman in the NHL. Playing for the Montreal Canadiens his entire career be was a Second Team All Star as a rookie and would be a First Team All Star the next two seasons after, which included a Norris Trophy win in 1966. Laperriere would help the Habs win five Stanley Cups. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1987.
Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins(1967)
13 Goals, 28 Assists, 41 Points, 6.0 Point Shares. Any chance we have here to talk about Bobby Orr is always a blessing to us! Orr is without question the greatest Defenseman that ever lived and some will go as far to say is the best hockey player period. As a rookie, the Boston Bruin was a member of the Second Team All Star roster. Orr finished third in Norris Trophy voting but would go on to win the next eight. He was such a great player that he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame without the mandatory three year wait. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.
Tony Esposito, Chicago Blackhawks(1970)
38 Wins, 17 Losses 8 Ties, 2.17 GAA, 14.7 Goalie Point Shares. This would be an incredible career for Tony Esposito who as a rookie would not only win the Calder but the Vezina Trophy First Team NHL and was the league leader in Wins and Save Percentage. He would win the Vezina two more times. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988.
Gilbert Perreault, Buffalo Sabres(1971)
38 Goals, 34 Assists, 72 Points, 6.5 Point Shares. One of the greatest Buffalo Sabres of all time, Gilbert Perreault played his entire career in Western New York. The Quebecer would later be named a Second Team All Star on two occasions and a later Lady Byng Trophy winner. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1990.
Ken Dryden, Montreal Canadiens(1972)
38 Wins, 8 Losses 15 Ties, 2.24 GAA, 15.0 Goalie Point Shares. In terms of a brief career, there is nobody in any team sport that equals that if Ken Dryden. Prior to winning the Calder, Ken Dryden would win the Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe, which made him more successful than any other Calder Trophy winner. Dryden would later win four Vezina Trophy wins and would hoist the Stanley Cup five more times. Long story short, Ken Dryden was the best NHL Goalie of the 1970’s. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983.
Denis Potvin, New York Islanders(1974)
17 Goals, 37 Assists, 54 Points, 6.5 Point Shares. Denis Potvin was the first piece in what would eventually become the New York Islanders dynasty that would win four Stanley Cups in the 1980’s. Potvin anchored the Islanders blueline where he would win three Norris Trophies and was a five time First Team All Star. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991.
Bryan Trottier, New York Islanders(1976)
32 Goals, 63 Assists, 95 Points, 8.6 Point Shares. See above! With the Denis Potvin entry we talked about him being the building block for the Islanders dynasty. Here was the next massive piece of the puzzle was Bryan Trottier who was eighth in the NHL in Assists as a Rookie and had an excellent finish of 95 Points. Trottier would later win the Hart Trophy (1979), was a four time post season All Star and in addition to the four Stanley Cups he won with the Islanders, he would help the Pittsburgh Penguins two Cups in the early 1990’s. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997.
Mike Bossy, New York Islanders(1978)
53 Goals, 38 Assists, 91 Points, 10.3 Point Shares. See above! Again! Potvin. Trottier. Mike Bossy. Three Calder trophy winners in five years and all three Hall of Famers resulting in four Stanley Cups. As a rookie, Mike Bossy scored 53 Goals and was second in that metric. With the exception of his final season he never had a year where he dipped below 50. A Second Team All Star as a Rookie, Bossy would later be a First Team All Star five times. His excellent career ended early at the age of 30 due to back issues. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991.
Ray Bourque, Boston Bruins(1980)
17 Goals, 48 Assists, 65 Points, 10.3 Point Shares. When you had Bobby Orr, how lucky are you as an organization to land Ray Bourque? The Boston Bruins Defenseman was a First Team All Star as a rookie and he would be named to either a First or Second Team All Star every year after until the 1996/97 season. Bourque would later win the Norris Trophy five times. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.
Peter Stastny, Quebec Nordiques(1981)
39 Goals, 70 Assists, 109 Points, 8.6 Point Shares. While some might point to Stastny’s age (24) and that he had already been playing in his native Czechoslovakia for a while to paint this Calder win as tainted, this was a huge deal as Stastny had already established himself as the best player on the Czechoslovakian team and his defection (along with his brother Anton) ushered in others from the Iron Curtain to do the same. As an NHL rookie, he scored 109 Points and would have five more 100 Point seasons. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998.
Dale Hawerchuk, Winnipeg Jets(1982)
45 Goals, 58 Assists, 103 Points, 7.9 Point Shares. Scoring 103 Points as a rookie, Hawerchuk would later be a Second Team All Star and runner-up for the Hart Trophy in the 1984/85 season. He would score 1,409 Points over his National Hockey League career. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.
Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins(1985)
43 Goals, 57 Assists, 100 Points, 7.9 Point Shares. With a 100 Point season as a rookie, Mario Lemieux was just getting started. He would win the Hart Trophy three times, the Art Ross six times, was a post season NHL All Star nine times and took the Pittsburgh Penguins to a Stanley Cup win in 1991 and 1992. He would become the player to rival Wayne Gretzky. Lemieux retired in 1997 but returned in 2000 as a player owner and retired again in 2006. Lemieux would later win three more Stanley Cups as an owner and is the only man in history to have his name etched on the Cup as a player and as an owner. Had the Penguins never drafted him there is a very good chance that Pittsburgh would not have an NHL team today. He was inducted immediately after his first retirement and he would become the first player to win the Calder, was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame and return to action. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997.
Luc Robitaille, Los Angeles Kings(1987)
45 Goals, 39 Assists, 84 Points, 6.8 Point Shares. In addition to winning the Calder, Luc Robitaille would be named a Second Team All Star. This was just the beginning for a great career that was spent predominantly with Los Angeles and he would be named a First Team All Star five times and a Second Team All Star three times. He retired with 1,394 Points and he entered the Hockey Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.
Joe Nieuwendyk, Calgary Flames(1988)
51 Goals, 41 Assists, 92 Points, 8.7 Point Shares. Nieuwendyk would lead the NHL in Power Play Goals as a rookie and later in his career would win the Stanley Cup with three different teams; 1989 with Calgary, 1999 with Dallas (where he won the Conn Smythe) and 2003 with New Jersey. He finished his career with 1,126 Points. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011.
Brian Leetch, New York Rangers(1989)
23 Goals, 48 Assists, 71 Points, 9.0 Point Shares. Brian Leetch had an exceptional career in the NHL and securing the Calder Trophy was just the beginning. Leetch played for the Rangers most of his career where he would win the Norris Trophy twice and lead his team to win the Stanley Cup in 1994 where he was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner. He scored 1,028 Points and entered the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011.
Sergei Makarov, Calgary Flames(1990)
24 Goals, 62 Assists, 86 Points, 6.8 Point Shares. This is the most controversial Calder Trophy winner as Makarov was over 30, but this was in fact his professional season as he played for the Soviet Union and was a star for the Red Army throughout the 1980’s and through Canada Cups and other small tournaments he had played against the NHL’s best many times. Still, by the definition of what a rookie is, he qualified though he entered the Hockey Hall of Fame more on what he did Internationally. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016.
Ed Belfour, Chicago Blackhawks(1991)
43 Wins, 19 Losses 7 Ties, 2.47 GAA, 14.0 Goalie Point Shares. Ed Belfour had many excellent seasons in the National Hockey League and the argument can certainly be made that this was his best one. Belfour won the Vezina and William M. Jennings trophy and was the leader in Goals Against Average, Save Percentage and Minutes Played. Belfour would later earn his second Vezina as a Blackhawk two years later, and he was also a William M. Jennings Trophy winner three more times. More importantly, “Eddie the Eagle” would backstop the Dallas Stars to a Stanley Cup win in 1999. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011.
Pavel Bure, Vancouver Canucks(1992)
34 Goals, 26 Assists, 60 Points, 6.8 Point Shares. This was a good season for “The Russian Rocket” but he would later have five 50 Goal Seasons, two of which would see him net 60. Bure a First Team All Star with the Canucks and later for the Florida Panthers would have back-to-back Second Team All Star Selections and Maurice Richard Trophy wins as the NHL’s leading Goal Scorer. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016.
Teemu Selanne, Winnipeg Jets(1993)
76 Goals, 56 Assists, 132 Points, 13.4 Point Shares. Wow!!! First off Selanne was the first player from Finland to win the Calder but there is so much more here. Selanne scored 76 Goals and 132 Points, both of which are by the far most of any rookie and Calder winner. Considering the current landscape, this could be untouchable. Selanne would score the most goals this year but this would be his best season by far of his career though “The Finnish Flash” was no flash in the pan (sorry, couldn’t resist). Selanne would have three more 100 Point seasons and would play into his early 40’s and scored 1,457 Points over his career. He would win a Stanley Cup with the Ducks and was a first ballot Hall of Famer. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.
Martin Brodeur, New Jersey Devils(1994)
27 Wins, 11 Losses, 8 Ties, 8.9 Point Shares. Martin Brodeur is one of the most successful Goalies of all-time and save for seven games with the St. Louis Blues it was done with the Devils. Brodeur had a good rookie year but unlike other Calder winners who were Goalies, Brodeur’s Calder year was not even in his top ten. Brodeur would later win four Vezina Trophies, five William M. Jennings Trophies and four Stanley Cups. He is the all time leader in Wins, Saves, Games Played (by a Goalie) and Minutes Played and that may not change in 50 years. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018.
Peter Forsberg, Quebec Nordiques(1995)
15 Goals, 35 Assists, 50 Points, 8.2 Point Shares. When the Philadelphia Flyers traded for Eric Lindros there was piece of the puzzle that was an unknown factor. That was the rights to Peter Forsberg, who would turn out (we think) to best player in the deal. The Swedish star would later help the Colorado Avalanche win two Stanley Cups and for his own trophy case the Hart Trophy and Art Ross in 2002/03. He would also be a three First Team All Star. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
The following are the players who have won the Calder Trophy in the NHL who are eligible for the Hockey Hall of Fame and have not been selected:
Cully Dahlstrom, Chicago Blackhawks (1938)
10 Goals, 9 Assists, 19 Points, 1.3 Point Shares. Dahlstrom would have better seasons in the National Hockey League but he would never have a season that could be considered great. He would however win the Stanley Cup as a rookie with the Blackhawks and his 206 Points in 345 Games were perfectly decent. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Kilby MacDonald, New York Rangers (1940)
15 Goals, 13 Assists, 28 Points, 3.8 Point Shares. This would be the best season of Kilby MacDonals’s brief career as he would bounce back and forth between the Rangers and the minors after. MacDonald who also won a Stanley Cup with the Rangers this year also served in the Army in between stints in professional hockey. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
John Quilty, Montreal Canadiens (1941)
18 Goals, 16 Assists, 34 Points, 3.8 Point Shares. This was by far and away the best season of John Quilty’s career and after another season for the Montreal Canadiens he would join the Canadian military. Quilty would later return but did not do much and retired with only 81 Points in 125 NHL Games. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Grant Warwick, New York Rangers (1942)
16 Goals, 17 Assists, 33 Points, 3.0 Point Shares. Warwick would play for nine seasons in the NHL and peaked with 42 Points in the 1944/45 Season. He would play most of his career with the New York Rangers with two seasons with Boston and a year with Montreal following. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Gaye Stewart, Toronto Maple Leafs (1943)
24 Goals, 23 Assists, 47 Points, 4.0 Point Shares. The Calder Trophy win for Gaye Stewart had so much historical meaning. The first is that he would become the first player to win the Calder after he won the Stanley Cup as he played for the Maple Leafs in three games in the 1942 Playoffs. Like so many, Stewart’s career took on a sabbatical as he joined the Royal Canadian Navy during World War II but he returned in the 1945/46 Season to lead the National Hockey League in Goals and he was the runner-up for the Hart Trophy and the year after he helped Toronto win the 1947 Stanley Cup. He was traded the following season to Chicago and was a Second Team All Star that season. He finished his career with 344 Points in 502 Games. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Gus Bodnar, Toronto Maple Leafs (1944)
22 Goals, 40 Assists, 62 Points, 4.5 Point Shares. Bodnar’s 62 Points was the best of his career and that was likely because it occurred in the depleted talent pool that was the World War II NHL. Bodnar’s career was not Hall of Fame worthy but it was a good one that spanned 12 years long and he would win two Stanley Cups with Toronto in 1945 and 1947. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Frank McCool, Toronto Maple Leafs (1945)
24 Wins, 22 Losses 4 Ties, 3.22 GAA, 10.1 Goalie Point Shares. Frank McCool had a very interesting and brief career. The Goalie played hockey at Gonzaga and would join the Canadian Military to serve in World War II. He would return to hockey and this time it was at the professional level where he would serve between the pipes for the Toronto Maple Leafs and take them to the Finals and win the Cup. In the process he recorded four Shutouts in the post season and three straight, which still is tied for the record today. So what did Frank McCool do for an encore? Nothing really. He would play 22 more games for the Leafs and retire shortly after due to ulcers. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Howie Meeker, Toronto Maple Leafs (1947)
27 Goals, 18 Assists, 45 Points, 4.5 Point Shares. The first season of Howie Meeker’s career was arguably his finest as he had career highs with 27 Goals and 45 Points as a rookie and would help the Toronto Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup. Meeker would win two more Stanley Cups with Toronto and retired with 185 Points in 346 Games. Meeker would later become more famous as a broadcaster. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jim McFadden, Detroit Red Wings (1948)
24 Goals, 24 Assists, 48 Points, 5.7 Point Shares. In terms of traditional statistics, Jim McFadden’s best season was his rookie year where he had career highs in Goals, Assists and Points. McFadden’s career was not a long one as it lasted seven seasons, four with Detroit and three with Chicago. His last season in Motown would see him win the Stanley Cup. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Pentti Lund, New York Rangers (1949)
14 Goals, 16 Assists, 30 Points, 2.6 Point Shares. This was the best season of Lund’s career where he had career highs in Points and would become the first European born to win the Calder. Lund was born in Finland, although arrived in Canada at the age of six. The Forward would last five years in the NHL. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jack Gelineau, Boston Bruins (1950)
22 Wins, 30 Losses, 15 Ties, 3.28 GAA, 7.3 Point Shares. Jack Gelineau may have had a losing record but he was a machine in terms of work load. The Boston Bruin was fifth in Goalie Point Shares this season and he was third in the season after but his overall career ended shortly after. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Camille Henry, New York Rangers (1954)
24 Goals, 15 Assists, 39 Points, 5.4 Point Shares. Camille Henry’s rookie season would see him lead the National Hockey League in Power Play Goals (20). Henry would regress and would bounce around in the AHL but would return wo have a Second Team All Star and Lady Byng winning season in 1957/58. Henry would finish in the top five in Lady Byng voting five more times and would also finish first in Power Play Goals two more times and he would retire with 528 Points in 727 Games. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Ed Litzenberger, Montreal Canadiens/Chicago Blackhawks (1955)
23 Goals, 28 Assists, 51 Points, 5.8 Point Shares. According to the story, the Montreal Canadiens “gifted” Litzenberger in a trade to the Chicago Blackhawks in an attempt to keep the team viable in the NHL; basically so that they would not go under! He would score 51 Points as a rookie and would later be a Second Team All Star in 1957 where he was sixth in Hart Trophy voting. He retired with 416 Points in 619 Games. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Larry Regan, Boston Bruins (1957)
14 Goals, 19 Assists, 33 Points, 2.8 Point Shares. With all due respect to Larry Regan, he had a pedestrian career in professional hockey and he did nothing more than what you saw in this season. The forward would only score 136 Points over his career in the NHL Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Ralph Backstrom, Montreal Canadiens (1959)
18 Goals, 22 Assists, 40 Points, 3.8 Point Shares. Ralph Backstrom would win six Stanley Cup Rings with the Montreal Canadiens and was also a six time All Star. Ranked #34 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Bill Hay, Chicago Blackhawks (1960)
18 Goals, 37 Assists, 50 Points, 4.9 Point Shares. Bill Hay played all of his eight seasons in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks where he would win a Stanley Cup and a Calder, but this would be the only awards he would win. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Bobby Rousseau, Montreal Canadiens (1962)
21 Goals, 24 Assists, 45 Points, 4.3 Point Shares. Rousseau would lead the NHL in Short-Handed Goals and he would later help the Montreal Canadiens win four Stanley Cups in the 1960’s. In the 1965/66 season he would lead the NHL in Assists and was named a Second Team All Star. He would score 703 Points over his career. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Kent Douglas, Toronto Maple Leafs (1963)
7 Goals, 15 Assists, 22 Points, 6.6 Point Shares. While Kent Douglas would have better individual stats in later years, his first season in the NHL was a special one as he not only won the Calder but was a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 1963 Stanley Cup win. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Roger Crozier, Detroit Red Wings (1965)
40 Wins, 22 Losses, 7 Ties, 2.42 GAA, 14.4 Point Shares. The rookie season of Roger Crozier was also the best of his career as he was the league leader in Wins, Saves, Shutouts and Minutes Played while also being named a First Team All Star. Crozier was named the Conn Smythe winner the next year but he never had a season like this again though is still a 200 Game winner. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Brit Selby, Toronto Maple Leafs (1966)
14 Goals, 13 Assists, 27 Points, 2.0 Point Shares. Considering that he was a Calder Trophy winner, Brit Selby did not have a great career as he would be sent down to the minors the year after and never had a season higher than 30 Points. He isn’t the worst player to win the Calder but is in the top ten. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Derek Sanderson, Boston Bruins (1968)
24 Goals, 25 Assists, 49 Points, 4.8 Point Shares. Many books can be written on the career of Derek Sanderson but for this purpose we have an exciting Calder Trophy winner who had the tiger by the tail. Sanderson would later win the Stanley Cup twice with the Boston Bruins but would never win another individual accolade again. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Danny Grant, Minnesota North Stars (1969)
34 Goals, 31 Assists, 65 Points, 6.8 Point Shares. Danny Grant had an understated career which was spent predominantly with the Minnesota North Stars and Detroit Red Wings. Grant would have four 60 Point Seasons, this being the first of them, but overall it was not one that warranted serious Hall of Fame consideration. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Steve Vickers, New York Rangers (1973)
30 Goals, 23 Assists, 53 Points, 5.9 Point Shares. Steve Vickers made history as the first rookie to score consecutive hat tricks and he would overall put the puck in the net 30 times in his Calder Trophy winning season. Vickers would later be named a Second Team All Star two season later with a 41 Goal year but by age 30 he was out of the NHL after his play dropped off considerably. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Eric Vail, Atlanta Flames (1975)
39 Goals, 21 Assists, 60 Points, 6.1 Point Shares. Eric Vail’s best goal scoring season was as a rookie (39) and he would become the first player in Flames franchise history to win the Calder. Vail would have two more 30 Goal seasons and when the team moved to Calgary he was the leading goal scorer in franchise history. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Willi Plett, Atlanta Flames (1977)
33 Goals, 23 Assists, 56 Points, 6.1 Point Shares. This was the second Calder trophy in three years for the Atlanta Flames but unlike the Islanders who had the same earlier with Potvin and Trottier, Eric Vail and Willi Plett were not in that league. Still, Plett had 33 Goals as a rookie and would have another 30 goal season when he scored 38 the year the Flames moved to Calgary. This would be the only individual award that Plett would win the NHL. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Bobby Smith, Minnesota North Stars (1979)
30 Goals, 44 Assists, 74 Points, 6.1 Point Shares. Bobby Smith had a really good career where he would score 1,036 Points and would be a four time All Star. His best individual seasons were with the Minnesota North Stars but he would later win the Stanley Cup with the Montreal Canadiens in 1986. Ranked #22 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Steve Larmer, Chicago Blackhawks (1983)
43 Goals, 47 Assists, 90 Points, 8.4 Point Shares. Steve Larmer was a Point per Game player in the National Hockey League, which was very good for the 1980’s but not what it means today. Larmer would go to two All Star Games and late in his career he would assist the New York Rangers would win the Stanley Cup. Ranked #32 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Tom Barrasso, Buffalo Sabres (1984)
26 Wins, 12 Losses, 3 Ties, 2.85 GAA, 7.5 Point Shares. Tom Barrasso would have a very long career in the National Hockey League (19 years) but like other Calder winning Goalies his best season professionally was as a rookie. He would not only win the Calder but was a First Team All Star and would win the Vezina. Barrasso would later win the William M. Jennings Trophy and two Second Team All Star nods and overall won 369 Games in the NHL. Ranked #12 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Gary Suter, Calgary Flames (1986)
18 Goals, 50 Assists, 68 Points, 8.0 Point Shares. Gary Suter would score well for a Defenseman and in his third season he scored 91 Points en route to a third place finish in Norris Trophy voting and a Second Team All Star Selection. Suter would help the Flames win the Stanley Cup the year after and overall would score 844 Points in his NHL career. Ranked #27 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Daniel Alfredsson, Ottawa Senators (1996)
26 Goals, 35 Assists, 61 Points, 5.3 Point Shares. Daniel Alfredsson was the second straight Swedish player to win the Calder (following Peter Forsberg) and the Ottawa Senator would go on to lead the team to what is their greatest success to date. The greatest player in franchise history would score 1,157 Points and was named a Second Team All Star in 2005/06. Ranked #4 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Bryan Berard, New York Islanders (1997)
8 Goals, 40 Assists, 48 Points, 7.6 Point Shares. The native of Rhode Island would never have a season where he had more Points or Point Shares but he still had a good career, especially considering it was almost over after getting slashed in the eye by a stick in 2000 that almost caused him to lose it. The fact that he came back at all to be effective was a testament to who Berard was and he would win the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy in the 2003/04 Season. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com
Sergei Samsonov, Boston Bruins (1998)
22 Goals, 25 Assists, 47 Points, 5.5 Point Shares. Sergei Samsonov would have a pretty good career in the NHL with 571 Points in 888 Games but when you a teen sensation from Russia winning the Calder you expected something more and likely the Bruins faithful hoped for the same. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com
Chris Drury, Colorado Avalanche (1999)
20 Goals, 24 Assists, 44 Points, 5.0 Point Shares. Drury would go on to have a solid career where he helped the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in 2001. He would later blossom into a strong defensive forward and for five years in a row (2005-06 to 2009-10) he would receive votes for the Frank J. Selke. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Scott Gomez, New Jersey Devils (2000)
19 Goals, 51 Assists, 70 Points, 7.3 Point Shares. From the great state of Alaska, Scott Gomez scored 70 Points as a rookie and would hit that mark three more times. Gomez helped the Devils win the Stanley Cup as a rookie and again in 2003 and he would be a two time All Star. He scored 756 Points over his career. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Evgeni Nabokov, San Jose Sharks (2001)
32 Wins, 21 Losses, 7 Ties, 11.7 Point Shares. Evgeni Nabokov finished fourth in Vezina Trophy as a rookie, and would finish in the top six five more times. He would also be a First Team All Star in 2007/08 when he led the Goalies in Wins. He would have a career record of 353-227-86. Ranked #124 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Dany Heatley, Atlanta Thrashers (2002)
26 Goals, 41 Assists, 67 Points, 6.8 Point Shares. Heatley had a great start to his career but a car crash that killed a teammate necessitated a change of scenery and he would be traded to the Ottawa Senators who would later have a pair of 100 Point Seasons where he was named a First Team and Second Team All Star. He would score 791 Points in 869 Games. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Barret Jackman, St. Louis Blues (2003)
3 Goals, 16 Assists, 19 Points, 5.4 Point Shares. Barret Jackman would have a good career as a stay-at-home Defenseman and his was spent with the St. Louis Blues for all but one season. Jackman never would come close to winning an individual award but the fact that the Blues held on to him for 13 seasons show what kind of asset he was. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Andrew Raycroft, Boston Bruins (2004)
29 Wins, 18 Losses, 9 Ties, 12.6 Point Shares. Other than his Calder trophy win, Raycroft only had one good season of note which was with the Toronto Maple Leafs three years after his Calder win. Those two years comprised well over half of Goalie Point Shares over his 11 seasons in the National Hockey League. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Let’s update our tally shall we?
Award in Question |
Percentage of recipients who have entered the HOF |
Percentage of recipients by year who have entered the HOF. |
NBA MVP |
100% |
100% |
NHL Norris |
90.5% |
96.4% |
NBA All Star Game MVP |
89.5% |
91.7% |
NHL Conn Smythe |
74.2% |
85.4% |
NHL Lady Byng |
63.8% |
76.0% |
NFL Super Bowl MVP |
60.6% |
64.9% |
NBA Defensive Player of the Year |
58.3% |
56.5% |
NBA Rookie of the Year |
56.5% |
56.5% |
MLB/NL/AL Cy Young Award |
44.4% |
55.4% |
NHL Calder |
44.1% |
44.1% |
NHL Frank J. Selke Trophy |
33.3% |
36.7% |
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year |
28.6% |
28.6% |
MLB Edgar Martinez Award |
26.7% |
17.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Designated Hitter) |
25.0% |
30.8% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Shortstop) |
23.5% |
52.6% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove |
21.7% |
36.8% |
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year |
20.6% |
20.6% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Catcher) |
20.0% |
22.5% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Second Base) |
18.8% |
39.8% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Shortstop) |
18.2% |
35.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Pitcher) |
18.2% |
20.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Second Base) |
16.7% |
32.7% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Outfield) |
16.7% |
30.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Outfield) |
15.7% |
25.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Third Base) |
14.3% |
14.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Third Base) |
13.6% |
14.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (First Base) |
13.6% |
13.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Rookie of the Year |
13.3% |
13.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Catcher) |
10.3% |
15.2% |
NBA Most Improved Player of the Year |
5.3% |
3.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (First Base) |
3.8% |
3.2% |
So who is up next?
The following are the players who have won the Calder Trophy in the NHL who have retired but have not met the mandatory years out of the game to qualify for the Hockey Hall of Fame:
Steve Mason, Columbus Blue Jackets (2009)
33 Wins, 20 Losses, 7 Ties, 11.2 Point Shares. Mason’s Calder Trophy winning season was his best year and he was also the runner-up for the Vezina and fourth place finish in Hart Trophy voting. Mason would have a 205-183-64 record. Eligible for the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2021.
The following are the players who have won the NHL Calder Trophy who are still active.
Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals (2006)
52 Goals, 54 Assists, 106 Points, 12.7 Point Shares. Ovechkin was the first Washington Capital to win the Calder and he did so with a 50 Goal and 100 Point Season which is no small feat in the dead puck era. Since that win Ovechkin took the Capitals to their first Stanley Cup win in 2018 and along the way he has won seven Maurice Richard Awards, three Hart Trophies and one Art Ross. 33 Years Old, Playing for the Washington Capitals.
Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh Penguins (2007)
33 Goals, 52 Assists, 85 Points, 9.4 Point Shares. Evgeni Malkin would be the second straight Russian to win the Calder and to date he has had a spectacular career where he has been a four time All Star, a Hart Trophy winner and two time Art Ross winner. Malkin would also take the Penguins to three Stanley Cups continuing the winning tradition of the Western Pennsylvania team. 32 Years Old, Playing for the Washington Capitals.
Patrick Kane, Chicago Blackhawks (2008)
21 Goals, 51 Assists, 72 Points, 7.2 Point Shares. Patrick Kane has to date an incredible career where he has won three Stanley Cups with the Blackhawks and was also a three time First Team All Star. He would win the Hart Trophy in 2015/16. 30 Years Old, Playing for the Chicago Blackhawks.
Tyler Myers, Buffalo Sabres (2010)
11 Goals, 37 Assists, 48 Points, 9.8 Point Shares. As of this writing, Tyler Myers’ rookie season was his best by far as his Goals, Assists, Points and Point Shares were all career highs. It has been a good career but not what you would hope for considering his start. 28 Years Old, Playing for the Buffalo Sabres.
Jeff Skinner, Carolina Hurricanes (2011)
31 Goals, 32 Assists, 63 Points, 8.1 Point Shares. To date Skinner has been named an All Star twice and has equaled his rookie point total in 2016/17 but has not eclipsed it. 26 Years Old, Playing for the Buffalo Sabres.
Gabriel Landeskog, Colorado Avalanche (2012)
22 Goals, 30 Assists, 52 Points, 6.8 Point Shares. From Sweden, Gabirel Landeskog has performed well and went to his first All Star Game in 2019. He does have a way to go to get onto a Hockey Hall of Fame trajectory. 26 Years Old, Playing for the Colorado Avalanche.
Jonathan Huberdeau, Florida Panthers (2013)
14 Goals, 17 Assists, 31 Points, 3.3 Point Shares. Huberdeau has thus far had a good career though it has been spent exclusively in Florida and he has not been showcased much on a national level. 25 Years Old, Playing for the Florida Panthers.
Nathan McKinnon, Colorado Avalanche (2014)
24 Goals, 39 Assists, 63 Points, 3.3 Point Shares. Since his Calder Trophy win McKinnon has had two 90 Point Seasons and in 2017/18 was a Second Team All Star and the runner-up for the Hart Trophy. 23 Years Old, Playing for the Colorado Avalanche.
Aaron Ekblad, Florida Panthers (2015)
12 Goals, 27 Assists, 39 Points, 8.5 Point Shares. A better than you think blueliner, Ekblad finished 22ndin Norris Trophy voting as a rookie and was 16thas a sophomore. 22 Years Old, Playing for the Florida Panthers.
Artemi Panarin, Chicago Blackhawks (2016)
30 Goals, 47 Assists, 77 Points, 9.8 Point Shares. Panarin played in the KHL a little longer and did not arrive in the NHL until he was 23 making him a little older than most rookies so perhaps he had a bit of an advantage, but he was great as a rookie and he would be named a Second Team All Star in his second season. 27 Years Old, Playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs (2017)
40 Goals, 29 Assists, 69 Points, 9.7 Point Shares. Maple Leafs fans were thrilled when Matthews scored five goals in his first game and overall in his rookie year he had a 40 Goal season that was good enough for second overall. The American was also named an All Star and he led the NHL in Even Strength Goals. 22 Years Old, Playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Mathew Barzal, New York Islanders (2018)
22 Goals, 63 Assists, 85 Points, 8.2 Point Shares. Barzal finished fifth in the NHL in Assists as a rookie. 21 Years Old, Playing for the New York Islanders.
From what we can see in terms of the Calder Trophy winners there are some solid Hall of Fame potential but like so many sports injuries can derail such great starts. This looks to be our favorite to monitor as we go forward.
Up next we are going to back to the NFL to the Pro Bowl MVP.
As always, we thank you for that support and look for that soon!
The outcome of Sunday’s match between the Saints and the Rams has shown that the 53rd Super Bowl is still very much up in the air. The Rams won by a mere three points, which was about as expected, but this kind of margin certainly suggests that both teams are playing at roughly the same level, with no real indication of which of these NFL heavyweights will take the gold this year as last night’s winners will go head to head with the Patriots in football’s biggest night.
No Sure Thing
Punters are, as always, trying to look for something of a sure thing to place the big bucks on for the coming Super Bowl but, because the L.A Rams have brought their a-games so far this season, the competition is simply far too close to call. Nonetheless, the Patriots’ are still the bookies’ favourites to win again this year. But other teams will make it really difficult this time. The outcome will be highly unpredictable this year so punters would be wise to make use of the free Super Bowl Bets on offer.
The Patriots currently stand at 11-6 for taking the Bowl but they hardly demolished the Chiefs in their match against them and with Sunday’s solid but unspectacular win, the Rams aren’t exactly scoring much lower. The money may be on the Patriots but it’s really all up in the air right now. What this means, though, is that exciting, unpredictable games makes for exciting betting that can result in fairly big wins, even with fairly modest bets placed. It’s this sort of game, in fact, that is ideal for free bets from online bookies the results are so unpredictable and the payout will more than do justice to the modest amount that is placed with a free bet. In short, what we’re looking at here is low to no risk resulting in solid payouts if the Patriots do, indeed, demolish the competition and even bigger payouts if you bet on them not to and they don’t. It’s exciting stuff regardless.
The Revenge of the Rams?
It will be interesting to see how the Rams will look to disrupt the Patriot and Brady’s passing. The Patriot’s offense will have their work cut out as the Rams’ defensive partnership has been in excellent form off late. Torry Holt, in particular, has proven himself time and time again to be one of the NFL’s unsung secret weapons and if anyone is going to challenge the Patriot’s current hot streak it will no doubt be any team that has Holt as a member.
Still, the bookie’s favourite remains the Patriots even in the face of stiff competition from the Rams. They have had an incredible past season and should, if nothing else, provide an exciting game against the newly intimidating Rams.
Sports and gambling have long had a favourable relationship. Irrespective of the fact that a person is a fan or not, there is a sense of excitement, associated with sports, that is infectious. People around the world partake in games of different kinds with players ending up as Gods of their respective arenas.
The arrival of mobile gaming and online casinos has brought about a new trend that is spreading wide in the gambling community. Among all the games that are available to play online, slots have captured the fancy of novices as well as professionals. Consisting of different themes based on films, music, sports, adventure, or anything that your mind can imagine, slots are indeed a bag full of money-making entertainment.
One key feature in selected slots is progressive jackpots. Some of the main progressive-jackpot slots now famous include Mega Moolah, Mega Fortune, and Hall of Gods. A progressive slot accumulates a certain percentage of every spin to a giant pool with life-changing amounts. The winner of this jackpot can bet as little as 0.25p and become a multimillionaire in less than 10 seconds.
To get the most out of these games, it is crucial to hit only the best and most trustworthy online casinos. The best of these normally update their software and layout fairly often. Take , for example, Dunder Casino, which recently offered a fresh take on Dunder that offers more games than ever, a wider variety of the kinds of games on offer and some mouth-watering bonus and introductory offers. They have a particularly excellent selection of progressive slot machines and offer some of the lowest wager requirements around.
Now, take out your sports shoes and get the ball spinning for some mega wins.
If snooker is your game of choice, then you will know the greatness of Ronnie O’Sullivan. Considered as one of the greatest players ever, he is an English professional who even has a bunch of video games to his name. He is the current World Grand Prix, Players Championship, and UK Championship winner. The progressive slot has 5 reels, 3 rows, and 25 paylines with the jackpot at over £500,000 and rising. There are scatter symbols and bonuses aplenty in the game which features snooker balls, word symbols, and Ronnie in various snooker poses.
Football, or soccer if you may, is the world’s most watched and loved sport. So, it comes as no surprise that this progressive slot that features greats like Messi and Ronaldo as symbols is popular with fans of the game. The most exciting aspect of the game is that it has not one or two, but three jackpots. The main progressive-jackpot slots are an excellent opportunity to make some big moolah especially with the highest prize presently at a whopping £245,000. So, take out your kicks, dribble through your daily routine, warm up your fingers, and get ready for a game of slots that you are never going to forget.
Technically this is not a progressive slot, but the pay-out is still huge at $240,000 using bonus games, multipliers, free spins and the likes, making this a must play on our list. Basketball, once again, is a much-loved game that is full of tact and skill. The slot has the court in the background and fans cheering with every spin. There are 5 reels and 243 ways to win, which places the odds in favour of the player. For anyone remotely interested in basketball, this is definitely the one to look out for.
We here at Notinhalloffame.com thought it would be fun to take a look at the major awards in North American team sports and see how it translates into Hall of Fame potential.
Needless to say, different awards in different sports yield hall of fame potential. In basketball, the team sport with the least amount of players on a roster, the dividend for greatness much higher. In baseball, it is not as much as a great individual season does not have the same impact.
After completing the Gold Gloves (thank God!) we wanted to do something away from Baseball and we picked a relatively new award, The NBA Most Improved Player of the Year.
On the surface, it would seem like anyone who improved enough to get this award likely had less than auspicious beginnings, which may mean that not very many of these players are Hall of Famers, but this is why we do this process!
Let’s find out!
The following are the past players who have won the Most Improved Player in the NBA who are eligible for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and have been enshrined.
Tracy McGrady, Orlando Magic (2001)
26.8 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 4.6 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1.5 BPG. It took the award seventeen years of existence before we found our first Hall of Fame inductee (unless previous inductee Kevin Johnson gets in) but regardless if what happens with KJ, this is the first real NBA superstar we are talking about here. McGrady was with the Toronto Raptors the season before where he started nearly half of his games but this year he was Orlando’s starting Shooting Guard and his Minutes per Game increased from 31.2 to 40.1 with a PPG rise from 15.4 to 26.8 and a PER increase from 20.0 to 24.9. He would be named a Second Team All NBA member and would later win two scoring titles in his career. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2017.
The following are the players who have won the NBA Most Improved Player of the Year Award who are eligible for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and have not been selected:
Alvin Robertson, San Antonio Spurs (1986)
17.0 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 5.5 APG, 3.7 SPG, 0.5 BPG. This was the sophomore season for Alvin Robertson whose minutes shot up from 21.3 to 35.1 per Game. Increased time certainly led to the increased production as he increased his PPG from 9.2 to 17.0 and more notably would win the Steals Title with a career high of 3.7 per Game. For his efforts this year, the San Antonio Spur would be chosen for his first All Star Game, would also win the Defensive Player of the Year and was a Second Team All NBA Selection. This would be his best season as he had a career high 19.5 PER, 6.2 VORP and 8.6 Win Shares. Robertson would go to three more All Star Games and make more All-Defensive Selections, but he never had a better regular season than this in the NBA. Ranked #47 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Dale Ellis, Seattle Supersonics (1987)
24.9 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.4 BPG. Dale Ellis played for the Dallas Mavericks for the first three seasons of his career where he came off of the bench but in his first season with the Supersonics he was a starter and he more than tripled his Points per Game from 7.1 to 24.9 and in the next three seasons he would equal his 20 PP and 19.0 plus PER. However, he was only an All Star once. Ranked #97 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Kevin Duckworth, Portland Trail Blazers (1988)
15.8 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 0.8 APG, 0.4 SPG, 0.4 BPG. Kevin Duckworth would be later go to two All Star Games and in this season, which was his third in the NBA he was a starter for the first time doubling his minutes from 14.8 and 28.6. Playing for Portland, the Center would increase his PPG from 6.0 to 15.8 and doubled his Rebounds per Game from 4.8 to 7.4 but his Blocks per Game remained at 4.0. His PER was also only 14.9 but this was actually his career high and he had a VORP of -0.5. Duckworth actually NEVER had a VORP that had a positive integer. I guess we are saying that he really didn’t improve by much! Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Kevin Johnson, Phoenix Suns (1989)
20.4 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 12.2 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.3 BPG. Kevin Johnson was in his sophomore season and as a rookie he was traded from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Phoenix Suns where he would become the starting Point Guard. K.J. now played nearly 40 Minutes per Game (up from 24.0) and this would be his first of four straight 10 Assist seasons, and the 12.2 he had this year would be his highest. Johnson would be named a Second Team All NBA Selection this year, and he would earn that honor again three more times. While the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame does not yet inducted him, he is a strong contender to enter in the future. Ranked #9 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Rony Seikaly, Miami Heat (1990)
16.6 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 1.1 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.7 BPG. Rony Seikaly was in his second season and he had a modest increase in Minutes per Game from 25.2 to 32.6 and he increased his PPG from 10.9 to 16.6 and his boards per Game went from 7.0 to 10.4. In the next four seasons he would average a double-double per season. This would be the only individual accolade (other than two Player of the Weeks) that Seikaly would win. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Scott Skiles, Orlando Magic (1991)
17.2 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 8.4 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.1 BPG. This would be the only individual accolade for Scott Skiles who had his best season in almost every metric. This was a significant jump from the previous season in regards to his stats but in what was his fifth season in the NBA was also his halfway point of his professional career. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Pervis Ellison, Washington Bullets (1992)
20.0 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 2.9 APG, 0.9 SPG, 2.7 BPG. There is no argument that in what was the third NBA season of Pervis Ellison’s career that it was not just a warranted Most Improved Player of the Year Award year but it was by far and away the best campaign of his career. This was the only double-double season of the Center’s career but also the only 20 PPG season for Ellison who nearly doubled his Points from the year before. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, Denver Nuggets (1993)
19.2 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.1 BPG. Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf had his first of three 18.0 Points per Game Seasons, this one being a 19.2 PPG, which was a career high. This was his third season in the NBA and he had a significant increase in all stats, but as this was his highlight and it was not an All Star worthy one, we don’t have much of a Hall of Fame threat here. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Don MacLean, Washington Bullets (1994)
18.2 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 2.1 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.3 BPG. Hmmm. This was the best season by far of Don MacLean’s career but if this was the best are we even close to a Hall of Fame career? We are not! After this season (he won his award in his second year) he never had a statistical campaign like this again and he would never come close to any award. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Dana Barros, Philadelphia 76ers (1995)
20.6 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 7.5 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.0 BPG. This was the sixth season of Dana Barros’ career and by leaps and bounds the best. The above stats destroyed anything else he did before or after and this was also his only All Star campaign. Barros would never come close to another individual award again. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Gheorghe Muresan, Washington Bullets (1996)
14.5 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 0.7 APG, 0.7 SPG, 2.3 BPG. The star of Billy Crystal’s “My Giant” would win what would be his only individual award here and this was also his best season in the NBA. All of the above stat line would be career highs and he would finish first in Field Goal Percentage and was eighth in Blocks per Game. He would only be in the NBA for four years after this, one of which he had to sit out due to injury. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Isaac Austin, Miami Heat (1997)
9.7 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 1.2 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.5 BPG. This was the sixth professional season of Isaac Austin’s career however it needs to be noted that the previous two seasons Austin played overseas and was in the Turkish League the year before. Was anyone really aware of how he improved from the season before? For what it is worth, he improved the next two years as an NBA player. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Alan Henderson, Atlanta Hawks (1998)
14.3 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.5 BPG. Henderson would start 33 Games this year as opposed to the zero from the year before and the Power Forward would see his minutes increase from 16.7 to 29.0 per Game. His 14.3 PPG would be a career high and he would be a starter the next three years. This would be the only award he would win in the NBA. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Darrell Armstrong, Orlando Magic (1999)
13.8 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 6.7 APG, 2.2 SPG, 0.1 BPG. In this season, Darrell Armstrong would also be named the NBA Sixth Man of the Year. Armstrong only went from 25.8 to 30.0 Minutes per Game but it was a disproportional increase in terms of his Points per Game (13.8 from 9.2) Assists (6.7 from 4.9) and Steals (2.2 from 1.2). His PER shot up from 15.7 to what would be a career high of 22.2. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jalen Rose, Indiana Pacers (2000)
18.2 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 4.0 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.6 BPG. This was the sixth season for Jalen Rose and his fourth in Indiana. In his first two seasons, he was a starter in Denver, but wet to Indiana on a bench role. This season, Rose returned as a starter and he put up the best numbers (up until that point) this year. The former member of Michigan’s “Fab Five” raised his PPG over 7 Points and doubled his Assists. His PER went up from 14.4 to 16.7. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jermaine O’Neal, Indiana Pacers (2002)
19.0 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 1.6 APG, 0.6 SPG, 2.3 BPG. For the second time in three years, our NBA Most Improved Player of the Year is an Indiana Pacer with Jermaine O’Neal winning this award. The Center/Power Forward only played five more Minutes per Game (32.6 to 37.6) but he increased his PPG from 12.9 to 19.0 and with a now 10.5 RPG, he was a double-double player. He was named to the Al Star Team and would be the next five years after. Ranked #69 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Gilbert Arenas, Golden State Warriors (2003)
18.3 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 6.3 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.2 BPG. “Agent Zero” was in his second season in the NBA where he improved his numbers from 24.6 Minutes per Game to 35.0, which resulted in an increase of Points per Game from 10.9 to 18.3. Arenas would later go to three All Star Games after signing with the Washington Wizards. Ranked #69 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Bobby Simmons, Los Angeles Clippers (2005)
16.4 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.2 BPG. For the first time Simmons was a regular starter and he went from 24.6 to 37.3 Minutes per Game. This resulted in a 7.8 to 16.4 increase in Points per Game and he would have a career high 16.1 PER. He would sign with the Milwaukee Bucks the year after and he would never win another individual award again. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.
Let’s update our tally shall we?
Award in Question |
Percentage of recipients who have entered the HOF |
Percentage of recipients by year who have entered the HOF. |
NBA MVP |
100% |
100% |
NHL Norris |
90.5% |
96.4% |
NBA All Star Game MVP |
89.5% |
91.7% |
NHL Conn Smythe |
74.2% |
85.4% |
NHL Lady Byng |
63.8% |
76.0% |
NFL Super Bowl MVP |
60.6% |
64.9% |
NBA Defensive Player of the Year |
58.3% |
56.5% |
NBA Rookie of the Year |
56.5% |
56.5% |
MLB/NL/AL Cy Young Award |
44.4% |
55.4% |
NHL Frank J. Selke Trophy |
33.3% |
36.7% |
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year |
28.6% |
28.6% |
MLB Edgar Martinez Award |
26.7% |
17.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Designated Hitter) |
25.0% |
30.8% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Shortstop) |
23.5% |
52.6% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove |
21.7% |
36.8% |
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year |
20.6% |
20.6% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Catcher) |
20.0% |
22.5% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Second Base) |
18.8% |
39.8% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Shortstop) |
18.2% |
35.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Pitcher) |
18.2% |
20.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Second Base) |
16.7% |
32.7% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Outfield) |
16.7% |
30.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Outfield) |
15.7% |
25.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Third Base) |
14.3% |
14.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Third Base) |
13.6% |
14.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (First Base) |
13.6% |
13.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Rookie of the Year |
13.3% |
13.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Catcher) |
10.3% |
15.2% |
NBA Most Improved Player of the Year |
5.3% |
3.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (First Base) |
3.8% |
3.2% |
So who is up next?
The following are the players who have won the Most Improved Player in the NBA who have retired but have not met the mandatory years out of the game to qualify for the Basketball Hall of Fame:
Boris Diaw, Phoenix Suns (2006)
13.3 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 6.2 APG, 0.7 SPG, 1.0 BPG. In his third year in the NBA, Boris Diaw would nearly double his minutes but he would see his Points per Game almost triple from 4.8 to 12.3 and it was the same for Rebounds (2.6 to 6.9), Assists (2.3 to 6.2) and Blocks (0.3 to 1.0). His PER shot up from 10.0 to 17.3 with a VORP of -0.5 to 3.7. Diaw will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2021.
Monte Ellis, Golden State Warriors (2007)
16.5 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.3 BPG. This was Ellis’ second season in the NBA and his Minutes per Game nearly doubled from 18.1 to 34.3. He responded well with his shooting with the increased minutes going from 6.8 to 16.5 in Points per Game and his PER increased from 11.1 to 15.0. Ellis will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2021.
Hedo Turkoglu, Orlando Magic (2008)
19.5 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 5.0 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.3 BPG. At age 28, Hedo Turkoglu only increased his Minutes per Game from 31.1 to 36.9 but his Points per Game shot up to 19.5 from 13.3. This would be the native of Turkey’s best season in the NBA as this season would be career highs in PPG and PER (17.8). Turkoglu will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2019.
Danny Granger, Indiana Pacers (2009)
25.8 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.4 BPG. While Granger only played .2 minutes from the season before he increased an already good 19.6 Points per Game to an excellent 25.8. That PPG would be a career high as would his PER of 21.8 and this would see Granger go to his first and only All Star Game. He would have two more 20 PPG seasons after. Granger will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2019.
Aaron Brooks, Houston Rockets (2010)
19.6 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 5.3 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.2 BPG. This was the third season of Aaron Brooks’ career and it would be by far his best. With an increase of 10.6 Minutes per Game, Brooks went from 11.2 Points per Game to 19.6 and had a PER of 16.0, which again was a career high. Brooks will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2022.
The following are the players who have won the NBA Most Improved Player who are still active.
Zach Randolph, Portland Trail Blazers (2004)
20.1 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 2.0 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.5 BPG. Zach Randolph had a monstrous statistical increase from the season before. Randolph became a starter and more than doubled his minutes from 16.9 to 37.9 and he was now a double-double player with 20.1 Points and 10.5 Rebounds per Game. His PER actually was a little lower from the season before going from 19.9 to 19.6 essentially indicating he could have produced this in 2003. 37 Years Old, Playing for the Sacramento Kings.
Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves (2011)
20.2 PPG, 15.2 RPG, 2.5 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.4 BPG. Love shot up in both Points and Rebounds in what was his third season improving 6.2 and 4.2 respectively in those categories per Game, with a 7.2 Minutes per Game increase. Love would be chosen for his first of five All Star Games and his 15.2 Rebounds per Game would be a career high and would give him the Rebounding title. The Power Forward also saw a decent rise in his PER from 20.7 to 24.3 and more than doubled his Win Shares going from 4.9 to 11.4. 30 Years Old, Playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Ryan Anderson, Orlando Magic (2012)
16.1 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 0.9 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.4 BPG. Ryan Anderson was in his fourth season in the NBA and what would be his last in Orlando as he would be traded to New Orleans the year after. With a 10 Minutes per Game gain, he went from 10.6 to 16.1 in Points per Game and had a career high 7.7 Rebounds per Game. He would have a career high PER of 21.2 this season. 30 Years Old, Playing for the Phoenix Suns.
Paul George, Indiana Pacers (2013)
17.4 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.6 BPG. George’s Minutes per Game went up from 29.7 to 37.6 and he responded with increase of 2.0 Rebounds, 1.7 Assists and 5.3 Points per Game. He arguably had a bigger improvement the next season when he went up to a PPG and PER over 20. This would be the first of many All Star Game seasons for George. 28 Years Old, Playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Goran Dragic, Phoenix Suns (2014)
20.3 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 5.9 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.3 BPG. In his seventh season in the National Basketball Association, Goran Dragic did not play much more than the season before (only 1.6 Minutes per Game) but his Points per Game went up from 14.7 to 20.3 and he had sizable increase Field Goal Percentage going from .443 to .505. The Slovenian would also raise his PER from 17.5 to 21.4. 32 Years Old, Playing for the Miami Heat.
Jimmy Butler, Chicago Bulls (2015)
20.0 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.6 BPG. Jimmy Butler played 38.7 Minutes per Game this year, the exact amount he played the season before but he increased his effectiveness as a shooter going to .462 from .397, which resulted into a rise from 13.1 to 20.0 Points per Game. 29 Years Old, Playing for the Philadelphia 76ers.
C.J. McCollum, Portland Trail Blazers (2016)
20.8 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.3 BPG. Statistically speaking, this might be the most deserving winner of this award. McCollum more than doubled his minutes (15.7 to 34.8) and more than triples his Points per Game going from 6.8 to 20.8. His PER also went from 13.1 to 17.7. 27 Years Old, Playing for the Portland Trail Blazers.
Giannis Antetokounmpko, Milwaukee Bucks (2017)
22.9 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 5.4 APG, 1.6 SPG, 1.9 BPG. With only a .3 Minute per Game increase look what the “Greek Freak” did per Game. He raised his Points by 6.0, his Rebounds by 1.1, his Assists by 0.9, his Steals by 0.4 and his blocks by 0.5. Even more his PER went from 18.8 to 26.1! This would be the first of many All Star Games for Antetokounmpko. 24 Years Old, Playing for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Victor Oladipo, Indiana Pacers (2018)
23.1 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 4.3 APG, 2.4 SPG, 0.8 BPG. How frustrated must Orlando Magic fans have been when they saw Oladipo break out like this? This was the season they always thought he was capable of and it happened in his first season in Indiana. With only a Minutes per Game increase from 33.2 to 34.0 he shot up from 15.9 Points to 23.1 Points per Game and doubled his Steals from 1.2 to 2.4 per Game, which was enough to earn him the Steals Title. Oladipo was a Third Team All-NBA Selection and he went to his first All Star Game. His PER also had a massive increase from 13.6 to 23.1. 26 Years Old, Playing for the Indiana Pacers.
As you can see the current result with only one player (Tracy McGrady) who has made the Hall of Fame but with the recent winners who are still active we could easily see this percentage rise. We initially thought that we would see a higher number as if you are the winner of this award you must be pretty good but there were a few winners here that we openly question and with the recent winners there seems to be an overall improvement, which we think will result in a higher percentage of Hall of Famers.
Up next we are going to back to the National Hockey League and the Calder Trophy, which is presented annually to the league’s top rookie.
As always, we thank you for that support and look for that soon!
Football is about to enter the ‘business end’ of the season, with several sides already punching their tickets to the playoffs and some even knowing that they will go straight to the divisional round It hasn’t been an up and down season by any means, with the majority of predicted contenders in September essentially being the same clutch of teams that are ‘real’ contenders as we push towards Christmas.
There has, of course, been some evolution throughout the season. The Ravens, for example, have been taken more seriously as we moved from fall to winter. The Chargers, too, seem to have a lot more respect now. However, by and large, pundits and sportsbooks have stuck with a clutch of teams as the main Super Bowl LIII contenders throughout the season: the Patriots, Rams, Chiefs and Saints.
Of that quartet, the candidacy of the favorite has changed between them at different junctures. The Patriots were the preseason favorites, but were soon usurped by the Rams and, for a while, the Chiefs. However, as divisions have started to be clinched, it’s now clear that the sportsbooks have settled on a favorite that they are likely to stick with – New Orleans Saints.
This is being written just before Week 16, so you can follow the link for the latest updated NFL odds, but at the moment the Saints are coming in at around +275 with William Hill and others. At almost half the odds of the chasing pack, that’s the first time there has been clear daylight between a team at the top and the other contenders. Both the Rams and Chiefs can be found at odds of about +600, with the erratic Patriots further back at +800. The Chargers have also been recently put in around +800 with some bookmakers, with the Bears (+1200) the only other side less than +1600.
The pertinent question, however, is have the sportsbooks called it correctly? On one hand, it’s hard to argue with the idea that the Saints should be favorites to win their first Super Bowl since 2010. The haven’t missed a beat all season, matching scintillating offense with decent(ish) defense. Drew Brees looks once again like the sprightly 31-year-old who took the MVP trophy at Super Bowl XLIV. Crucially for a championship chasing team, the Saints look just as comfortable on the road as they do at home. Things just seem right with Brees, Sean Payton and co.
However, if this was a horse race, we would very much hold the rest of the field in respect. A run to the Super Bowl will likely entail a showdown with the Rams in the NFC Championship game. Home advantage is still up for grabs at the time of writing, but even if it was played at the Superdome, where they defeated the Rams earlier in the season, a win is by no means guaranteed. When you consider a date with the Chiefs, Patriots are some AFC team with a lot of momentum, +275 looks a little short at this point of the season.
We here at Notinhalloffame.com thought it would be fun to take a look at the major awards in North American team sports and see how it translates into Hall of Fame potential.
Needless to say, different awards in different sports yield hall of fame potential. In basketball, the team sport with the least amount of players on a roster, the dividend for greatness much higher. In baseball, it is not as much as a great individual season does not have the same impact.
We are now taking a look at the Gold Glove Award, given annually to the best defensive player in MLB in each respective position.
We have finished our run around the bases and checked out the Outfield, which leaves the least interesting position left in regards to the Gold Glove, the Pitcher.
With this position there are less tangible statistics to look at and more what they do in terms of what they do to backup their teammates or holding runners.
Apologies ahead of time if there are limited commentary! Actually it will be quite limited!
The following are the past players who have won the Gold Glove at Pitcher who are eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame and have been enshrined.
Bob Gibson, NL St. Louis Cardinals (1965)
0.0 dWAR Bob Gibson was coming off his first World Series win and in 1965 he went to his second All Star Game. Gibson was third in Putouts with a .952 Fielding Percentage with only a 20% Caught Stealing Percentage. This wasn’t terrible but fine for a Gold Glove, especially when he was as dominating as Gibson was with his arm. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1981.
Bob Gibson, NL St. Louis Cardinals (2) (1966)
0.0 dWAR Now a three time All Star, Gibson’s percentages increased to a 50% Caught Stealing and a .964 Fielding Percentage. This would be the first and only time where he would finish first in Putouts among National League Pitchers. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1981.
Bob Gibson, NL St. Louis Cardinals (3) (1967)
0.0 dWAR This season, Bob Gibson would again go to the All Star Game while finishing fourth in Putouts with a perfect Fielding Percentage and a 67% Caught Stealing Percentage. This seems like a Gold Glove win to us! Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1981.
Bob Gibson, NL St. Louis Cardinals (4) (1968)
0.1 dWAR Bob Gibson would win the National League MVP and Cy Young and netted his first and surprisingly only Pickoff of his career. He would have a more than respectable .980 Fielding Percentage and 45% Caught Stealing Percentage. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1981.
Bob Gibson, NL St. Louis Cardinals (5) (1969)
0.0 dWAR Gibson was third in Putouts with a somewhat average .946 Fielding Percentage and 33% Caught Stealing Percentage. This is not exactly screaming Gold Glove. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1981.
Bob Gibson, NL St. Louis Cardinals (6) (1970)
0.0 dWAR From the limited metrics we have, Bob Gibson was not exactly Gold Glove worthy as he had only a .931 Fielding Percentage and 23% Caught Stealing Percentage but he would win his second Cy Young this year, and honestly this didn’t hurt. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1981.
Bob Gibson, NL St. Louis Cardinals (7) (1971)
0.0 dWAR Again from what limited data we have Bob Gibson’s eighth Gold Glove win only saw him accrue a .942 Fielding Percentage and 23% Caught Stealing Percentage. We aren’t seeing defensive greatness here. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1981.
Bob Gibson, NL St. Louis Cardinals (8) (1972)
0.0 dWAR This would be the final All Star Game appearance for Bob Gibson and in terms of Fielding Percentage he had a decent .983. Still, with the data we have this is not spectacular. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1981.
Bob Gibson, NL St. Louis Cardinals (9) (1973)
0.0 dWAR 1973 would be the ninth and final Gold Glove win for Bob Gibson and again we don’t see anything notable with his .946 Fielding Percentage and 40% Caught Stealing Percentage. Again, he was not in the top five in Putouts and he was never in the top five in Range Factor per Game. What we can say is that overall he had a 31% Caught Stealing Percentage, which was lower than the league average of 37%. Is nine Gold Gloves correct here? Probably not. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1981.
Jim Palmer, AL Baltimore Orioles (1976)
0.0 dWAR 1976 would see Jim Palmer win his third and final Cy Young and he was already at this point was already a two time World Series Champion. Palmer was fourth in Range Factor per Game in the AL and for the third and final time he would finish first in Putouts. He would have a solid .987 Fielding Percentage and had three Pickoffs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1990.
Jim Palmer, AL Baltimore Orioles (2) (1977)
0.0 dWAR Palmer was the American League Cy Young runner-up in 1977 and in regards to his defensive prowess he had a decent .971 Fielding Percentage and a 67% Caught Stealing Percentage. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1990.
Jim Palmer, AL Baltimore Orioles (3) (1978)
0.0 dWAR Jim Palmer would finish third in Putouts and fifth in Range Factor per Game and he would also finish third in Cy Young Voting. He had a solid .972 Fielding Percentage with a 49% Caught Stealing Percentage. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1990.
Phil Niekro, NL Atlanta Braves (1978)
0.0 dWAR Phil Niekro by this time had already led the National League Pitchers in Fielding Percentage three times yet in this year he was fourth in Range Factor per Game and second in Assists. 1978 would see him with a .978 Fielding Percentage but only had a 26% stat in Caught Stealing Percentage. He would also have four Pickoffs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997.
Jim Palmer, AL Baltimore Orioles (4) (1979)
0.0 dWAR This would be the fourth and final Gold Glove for Jim Palmer who would eventually enter the Baseball Hall of Fame on his first try. It should be mentioned that he would have a perfect 1.000% Fielding Percentage here, but his overall body of work does not showcase a four time Gold Glove recipient. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1990.
Phil Niekro, NL Atlanta Braves (2) (1979)
0.0 dWAR Niekro turned 40 this year but was still a very good Pitcher who for the second year in a row would finish sixth in Cy Young voting. Defensively he would have a .989 Fielding Percentage with a very low 22% Caught Stealing Percentage, although he was second in Range Factor per Game among all of the National League Pitchers, which would be the last time that Niekro would be in the top five. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997.
Phil Niekro, NL Atlanta Braves (3) (1980)
0.0 dWAR Niekro had a .983 Fielding Percentage, which was good enough for fourth overall. He also had a Caught Stealing Percentage of 43 with two Pickoffs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997.
Steve Carlton, NL Philadelphia Phillies (1981)
0.0 dWAR Steve Carlton won his only Gold Glove in a season that was sandwiched between his third and fourth Cy Young Award, but a deeper look shows that Carlton possibly should have won more than just one. Carlton had five Pickoffs that year and he would have 146 in total, by far and wide the most of all-time. Carlton had five full seasons where he had a perfect Fielding Percentage and 1981 was one of those seasons. He had a 60% Caught Stealing Percentage and had a career 42% against the league average of 34%. Carlton should have won many more. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1994.
Phil Niekro, NL Atlanta Braves (4) (1982)
0.0 dWAR Phil Niekro would finish fifth in Cy Young voting, an amazing feat for a 43 year old. Defensively he had three Pickoffs with a 48% Caught Stealing Percentage and a .982 Fielding Percentage. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997.
Phil Niekro, NL Atlanta Braves (5) (1983)
0.0 dWAR This would be the final Gold Glove for Niekro and it would see him with a .955 Fielding Percentage but only 29 in Caught Stealing Percentage. Amazingly, this would not be the last individual accolade for Phil Niekro as he was a New York Yankee the following season and was named to the American League All Star Team. Overall, Niekro had 51 Pickoffs in his career. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997.
Greg Maddux, NL Chicago Cubs (1990)
0.0 dWAR Greg Maddux was a first ballot Hall of Fame inductee and is regarded as the finest defensive Pitcher of all time as evident by his record 18 Gold Gloves. Again, let’s say that again...18! However, this is the Gold Glove after all and we know that there are many suspect wins, however with Maddux this looks pretty solid. In what was his first win, he finished first in Putouts, Assists, Range Factor per Game and Fielding Percentage. Other than a 24% in Caught Stealing Percentage, this was a near perfect start to a defensive dynasty! Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
Greg Maddux, NL Chicago Cubs (2) (1991)
0.0 dWAR 1991 would see the then Chicago Cub finish first in Putouts and Range Factor while landing second in Assists. Maddux had a decent Fielding Percentage of .978 with a low 22 in Caught Stealing Percentage but did have 5 Pickoffs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
Greg Maddux, NL Chicago Cubs (3) (1992)
0.0 dWAR The dominance on the mound for Greg Maddux begun here as he would win his first of four straight Cy Young Awards. Maddux was first in Assists, Putouts and Range Factor per Game with a .969 Fielding Percentage and 33 in Caught Stealing Percentage. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
Greg Maddux, NL Atlanta Braves (4) (1993)
0.0 dWAR Now an Atlanta Brave after signing a Free Agent deal, Maddux would have a low .933 Fielding Percentage with 18% on Caught Stealing but he was again first in Assists, Putouts and Range Factor per Game. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
Greg Maddux, NL Atlanta Braves (5) (1994)
0.0 dWAR This season, Greg Maddux was fifth in Putouts, second in Assists and again was the National League leader in Range Factor per Game. Maddux would have a .935 Fielding Percentage and 21 in Caught Stealing Percentage. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
Greg Maddux, NL Atlanta Braves (6) (1995)
0.0 dWAR Greg Maddux would win his fourth straight and final Cy Young in 1995 and more importantly would win the World Series. Defensively, he had a low 19 in terms of Caught Stealing Percentage but he had a perfect Fielding Percentage and was also first in Assists and Range Factor per Game while finishing third in Putouts. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
Greg Maddux, NL Atlanta Braves (7) (1996)
0.0 dWAR With his seventh straight Gold Glove win, Greg Maddux again finished first in Range Factor per Game for the eighth consecutive season and he was again first in Assists and Putouts. He had a strong .991 Fielding Percentage with a weak Caught Stealing Percentage of 19%. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
Greg Maddux, NL Atlanta Braves (8) (1997)
0.0 dWAR For the first time there are some serious holes in a Gold Glove win for Greg Maddux. The Cy Young Award runner-up had a .956 Fielding Percentage but his streak of Range Factor per Game wins ended with a fifth place finish. He was also not in the top five in Assists and Putouts, the first time since 1987. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
Greg Maddux, NL Atlanta Braves (9) (1998)
0.0 dWAR Maddux returned to his defensive dominance with a first place finish in Putouts, Assists and Range Factor per Game and he had a .959 Fielding Percentage. He still had a bad Caught Stealing metric with only 28%. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
Greg Maddux, NL Atlanta Braves (10) (1999)
0.0 dWAR Greg Maddux did it again as he finished atop the leaderboard in Range Factor per Game and was second in Assists and Putouts. He would have a Fielding Percentage of .956 and had a Caught Stealing Percentage of 32%. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
Greg Maddux, NL Atlanta Braves (11) (2000)
0.0 dWAR Maddux finished third in Cy Young voting, which would be the last time that he would receive votes for this accolade. He would have a .979 Fielding Percentage with 18% in Caught Stealing and was first in Assists, Range Factor per Game and was fourth in Putouts. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
Greg Maddux, NL Atlanta Braves (12) (2001)
0.0 dWAR Once again, Greg Maddux would finish first in Range Factor per Game and Assists and was third in Putouts. His Fielding and Caught Stealing Percentage was .986 and 37 respectively. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
Greg Maddux, NL Atlanta Braves (13) (2002)
0.0 dWAR Maddux did not finish first in Range Factor per Game this season but he was still very good with a third place finish and a fourth place rank in Assists. He would have a .986 Fielding Percentage and again a below league average of 14% in Caught Stealing. Notably, this was his last season with the Atlanta Braves. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
Greg Maddux, NL Chicago Cubs (14) (2004)
0.0 dWAR Maddux would finish second in Range Factor per Game and Assists and for the last time in his career was first in Putouts. The legend would have a .987 Fielding Percentage with a Caught Stealing Percentage of 32. He may have missed out on the 2003 Gold Glove after winning 13 straight, but here he is starting a new one. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
Greg Maddux, NL Chicago Cubs (15) (2005)
0.0 dWAR In what would be his final full season with the Chicago Cubs he was second in Assists and third in Range Factor per Game. His Fielding and Caught Stealing Percentage was .958 and 20 respectively. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
Greg Maddux, NL Chicago Cubs/Los Angeles Dodgers (16) (2006)
0.0 dWAR Maddux turned 40 this year and he split his season between the Cubs and Dodgers. Despite his older age, he was still a good defensive contributor and for the third time he would have a perfect Fielding Percentage (although it was again a low Caught Stealing Percentage with only 19). He was third in Range Factor per Game and was the leader in Putouts. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
Greg Maddux, NL San Diego Padres (17) (2007)
0.0 dWAR First the bad. We have been ragging on Maddux’s inability to assist his Catchers in stopping baserunners and this was his worst season yet with a paltry 5% in that statistic. Still, we don’t have any problem with this, as his fielding was again great as he finished first in Range Factor per Game and Assists. He had a Fielding Percentage of .986. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
Greg Maddux, NL San Diego Padres/Los Angeles Dodgers (18) (2008)
0.0 dWAR As we have done this process, we have encountered many Hall of Fame players who won Gold Gloves late in their career who had no business winning that final award, or in some cases final ones. For Greg Maddux, who again we need to say “18 time Gold Glove winner Greg Maddux” was one of the most deserving multi-time winners ever. In his last win, Maddux had a .961 Fielding Percentage with a first place finish in both Range Factor per Game and Putouts. A nice finish for a defensive superstar. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.
The following are the players who have won the Gold Glove at Pitcher who are eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame and have not been selected:
Bobby Schantz, ML New York Yankees (1957)
0.0 dWAR. In 1952, Bobby Schantz had the season of his life winning 24 Games and leading the American League in WHIP and SO/BB and the then Philadelphia Athletic would win the American League MVP Award. He would never have a season like that again, but he had a long career and the converted Third Baseman was known throughout baseball for his defensive skill, so naturally he won the first Gold Glove awarded to a Pitcher. Schantz was second in Range Factor per Game and he would go to his third and final All Star Game this year. He also would have three Pickoffs this year, a career high. Schantz was on the ballot for five years and finished as high as 2.3% in both 1970 and 1972.
Bobby Schantz, AL New York Yankees (2) (1958)
0.0 dWAR. Schantz again made history as the first player to win the Gold Glove at Pitcher in the American League, however he only played 126 Innings this year. This trend will continue as Schantz would continue to collect Gold Gloves. Schantz was on the ballot for five years and finished as high as 2.3% in both 1970 and 1972.
Harvey Haddix, NL Cincinnati Reds (1958)
0.0 dWAR. Harvey Haddix in terms of the defensive stats showed him to be average but he was already at this point in his career a three time All Star. Haddix was on the ballot for ten years and finished as high as 3.8% in both 1985.
Bobby Schantz, AL New York Yankees (3) (1959)
0.0 dWAR. By this stage of his career, Schantz was now coming out of the bullpen and he threw for 94.2 Innings. Schantz was on the ballot for five years and finished as high as 2.3% in both 1970 and 1972.
Harvey Haddix, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (2) (1959)
0.0 dWAR. Haddix had a perfect Fielding Percentage, but 1959 for Harvey Haddix was all about the 12 perfect innings he threw in a game, and lost in the 13th. Nobody will ever do that again. Haddix was on the ballot for ten years and finished as high as 3.8% in both 1985.
Bobby Schantz, AL New York Yankees (4) (1960)
0.0 dWAR. Schantz would not start a game this year and he was now reduced to 67.2 Innings. While he may have been still solid with the glove, when you are playing a third of what other Pitchers are could there be a hole in this voting? There will be more of this to come. Schantz was on the ballot for five years and finished as high as 2.3% in both 1970 and 1972.
Harvey Haddix, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (3) (1960)
0.0 dWAR. This was the third and final Gold Glove win of Harvey Haddix’ career where he would finish fifth among National League Pitchers in Range Factor per Game. Haddix was on the ballot for ten years and finished as high as 3.8% in both 1985.
Frank Lary, AL Detroit Tigers (1961)
0.0 dWAR. This was unquestionably the greatest season of Frank Lary’s career where he was an All Star and a third place finisher in Cy Young voting. Defensively he was first in Putouts and Range Factor per Game by a Pitcher and he had 2 Pickoffs with a 64% Caught Stealing Percentage. Although Lary was Hall of Fame eligible in 1971 he was not on the ballot.
Bobby Schantz, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (5) (1961)
0.0 dWAR. This would be the first Gold Glove win for Schantz in the National League in what would be his only season in Western Pennsylvania. Schantz threw for 89.1 Innings this year. Schantz was on the ballot for five years and finished as high as 2.3% in both 1970 and 1972.
Jim Kaat, AL Minnesota Twins (1962)
-0.1 dWAR. Jim Kaat is regarded as one of the greatest defensive Pitchers ever and he certainly has a mantle of Gold Glove trophies to back it up. Kaat would have a good 75% Caught Stealing Percentage and had 1 Pickoff. He finished first among American League Pitchers in Assists and Range Factor Per Game. Kaat was on the ballot for 15 years finishing as high as 29.6% in 1993. He is ranked #29 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Bobby Schantz, NL Houston Astros/St. Louis Cardinals (6) (1962)
0.0 dWAR. Splitting his season between Houston and St. Louis, Schantz won his sixth straight Gold Glove and again did so in under 100 Innings. Schantz was on the ballot for five years and finished as high as 2.3% in both 1970 and 1972.
Jim Kaat, AL Minnesota Twins (2) (1963)
0.0 dWAR. Kaat was second in the American League in Range Factor per Game and he recorded two Pickoffs. Nothing special on the surface here. Kaat was on the ballot for 15 years finishing as high as 29.6% in 1993. He is ranked #29 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Bobby Schantz, NL St. Louis Cardinals (7) (1963)
0.0 dWAR. Again from the pen, Schantz won his seventh straight Gold Glove while pitching 79.1 Innings. Schantz was on the ballot for five years and finished as high as 2.3% in both 1970 and 1972.
Jim Kaat, AL Minnesota Twins (3) (1964)
-0.1 dWAR. Kaat had one pickoff but only a .928 Fielding Percentage and a pedestrian 38% Caught Stealing Percentage. He was third in Assists and fourth in Range Factor per Game. Kaat was on the ballot for 15 years finishing as high as 29.6% in 1993. He is ranked #29 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Bobby Schantz, NL St. Louis Cardinals/Chicago Cubs (8) (1964)
0.0 dWAR. In what would be his final Gold Glove win, Bobby Schantz spread 60.2 Innings between the Cardinals and Chicago Cubs. Should Schantz have won eight Gold Gloves? Probably not, as we will employ a reliever bias (or rather Innings bias) but there was no mistake to be made that by all accounts of his peers that he was very good with his glove. Schantz was on the ballot for five years and finished as high as 2.3% in both 1970 and 1972.
Jim Kaat, AL Minnesota Twins (4) (1965)
0.0 dWAR. While we have stated that the defensive skills of a Pitcher are harder to substantiate, we have going forward some statistical issues that should question whether or not he should have won so many Gold Gloves. This season would be the last in which Kaat would finish in the top five in Assists (third) and Range Factor per Game (fourth). He also finished first in Errors, picked off nobody, had only 27% in Caught Stealing Percentage and had a .929 Fielding Percentage. There will be a lot of living off reputation (or just using the same ballot as the year before) with Kaat as we continue…which will be a lot. Kaat was on the ballot for 15 years finishing as high as 29.6% in 1993. He is ranked #29 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jim Kaat, AL Minnesota Twins (5) (1966)
-0.1 dWAR. This was Kaat’s best year as a Pitcher winning 25 Games and going to his second All Star Game. Defensively, he had three Pickoffs with a .958 Fielding Percentage. Kaat was on the ballot for 15 years finishing as high as 29.6% in 1993. He is ranked #29 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jim Kaat, AL Minnesota Twins (6) (1967)
-0.1 dWAR. Kaat had no Pickoffs, a 30% Caught Stealing Percentage and a .952 Fielding Percentage. This certainly wasn’t spectacular. Kaat was on the ballot for 15 years finishing as high as 29.6% in 1993. He is ranked #29 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jim Kaat, AL Minnesota Twins (7) (1968)
0.0 dWAR. Kaat did have a better Fielding Percentage than the year before with a .976 and he did have a much better Caught Stealing Percentage of 67% but there was only six attempts. Again, there was nothing spectacular in term of his numbers. Kaat was on the ballot for 15 years finishing as high as 29.6% in 1993. He is ranked #29 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jim Kaat, AL Minnesota Twins (8) (1969)
0.0 dWAR. Jim Kaat’s Fielding Percentage plummeted to .826 and he had an American League leading 8 Errors for a Pitcher. He also had a 15% Caught Stealing Percentage with zero Pickoffs. There just doesn’t seem to be any statistical justification for this Gold Glove win, so what are we missing here? Kaat was on the ballot for 15 years finishing as high as 29.6% in 1993. He is ranked #29 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jim Kaat, AL Minnesota Twins (9) (1970)
0.0 dWAR. Kaat would again have a low Fielding Percentage (.935) and Caught Stealing Percentage (20) there is not a lot here. Kaat was on the ballot for 15 years finishing as high as 29.6% in 1993. He is ranked #29 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jim Kaat, AL Minnesota Twins (10) (1971)
0.0 dWAR. Kaat recorded a pair of Pickoffs this season with an improved Fielding Percentage of .982 but he did have a Caught Stealing Percentage of 20%. Kaat was on the ballot for 15 years finishing as high as 29.6% in 1993. He is ranked #29 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jim Kaat, AL Minnesota Twins (11) (1972)
0.0 dWAR. Again we don’t see anything special here. He did have a Fielding Percentage of .923 and tied his career high of three Pickoffs but again he had a below league average Caught Stealing Percentage of 33%. Keep in mind that we haven’t in a while talked about his position in awhile in terms of Range Factor per Game because he was not in the top five. He won’t be again when we are done talking about him either. Kaat was on the ballot for 15 years finishing as high as 29.6% in 1993. He is ranked #29 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jim Kaat, AL Minnesota Twins/Chicago White Sox (12) (1973)
0.0 dWAR. Kaat was traded to the Chicago White Sox midway through the season and while he had a .973 Fielding Percentage with a 20% Caught Stealing Percentage with no Pickoffs. Kaat was on the ballot for 15 years finishing as high as 29.6% in 1993. He is ranked #29 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jim Kaat, AL Chicago White Sox (13) (1974)
0.0 dWAR. While it seems like we have been picking on the Gold Glove wins, there are some positives in this win. He tied his season high in Pickoffs (3) with a 69% Caught Stealing Percentage. Kaat was on the ballot for 15 years finishing as high as 29.6% in 1993.
Andy Messersmith, NL Los Angeles Dodgers (1974)
0.0 dWAR. Messersmith would lead the National League in Wins (20) and he was second in Cy Young voting, although his defensive numbers seemed below average with a .873 Fielding Percentage and 46% in Caught Stealing Percentage. Messersmith was on the ballot for 2 years finishing as high as 0.8% in 1985
Jim Kaat, AL Chicago White Sox (14) (1975)
0.0 dWAR. Kaat had a great season where he went to his third All Star Game and finished fourth in Cy Young voting and defensively he had two Pickoffs with a 75% Caught Stealing Percentage and .982 Fielding Percentage. Kaat was on the ballot for 15 years finishing as high as 29.6% in 1993. He is ranked #29 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Andy Messersmith, NL Los Angeles Dodgers (2) (1975)
0.0 dWAR. This would be the third and final time that Andy Messersmith would finish in the top five in Cy Young voting (he was fifth this year) and he would finish fourth in Assists, which was the only time that he ever did that. Worth mentioning is that Messersmith was in the top five in Errors seven times. Perhaps we don’t have a two time Gold Glove winner here? Messersmith was on the ballot for 2 years finishing as high as 0.8% in 1985
Jim Kaat, NL Philadelphia Phillies (15) (1976)
0.0 dWAR. While Jim Kaat was now in the National League his streak of consecutive Gold Gloves continued, though again there was not a lot to point at statistically to justify this win. He had no Pickoffs with a 33% Caught Stealing Percentage and a .949 Fielding Percentage. Kaat was on the ballot for 15 years finishing as high as 29.6% in 1993. He is ranked #29 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jim Kaat, NL Philadelphia Phillies (16) (1977)
0.0 dWAR. We end our look at Jim Kaat who would win his sixteenth straight and final Gold Glove. We have certainly questioned many of those wins and this one is no different as his Fielding Percentage dipped back below .900 with .897%. A quick look overall sees that Kaat’s overall Range Factor per Game is not in the top 100 overall and over his career he had a below league average Caught Stealing Percentage of 34% compared to the rest of the league of 37%. He also had a career Defensive bWAR of -0.4. Honestly, does this seem like a 16 time Gold Glove winner to you? Kaat was on the ballot for 15 years finishing as high as 29.6% in 1993. He is ranked #29 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Mike Norris, AL Oakland Athletics (1980)
0.0 dWAR. Mike Norris was the runner-up for the Cy Young this season having by far his best season in the Majors with 22 Wins, leading the AL in H/9 and he was second in ERA. Defensively, he was good too as he led all of the American League Pitchers in Range Factor per Game and he was second in Assists and third in Putouts. Although Norris was Hall of Fame eligible in 1996 he was not on the ballot.
Mike Norris, AL Oakland Athletics (2) (1981)
0.0 dWAR. Mike Norris parlayed the success from the previous year to an All Star appearance, though his second Gold Glove was hard to find merit in. He was not in the top five in Range Factor per Game, Assists or Putouts and his decent .976 Fielding Percentage was offset by his 27 in Caught Stealing Percentage. They probably should have done better this year. Although Norris was Hall of Fame eligible in 1996 he was not on the ballot.
Ron Guidry, AL New York Yankees (1982)
0.0 dWAR. Oh Boy. This will be a bit of a mess in our eyes as Ron Guidry would go on a streak here that may be a little hard to justify, although we do our best. In 1982, Ron Guidry was already a Cy Young winner (1978) and in 1982 he would have his second perfect Fielding Percentage. He also had a 40% metric in Caught Stealing Percentage. Guidry was on the ballot for nine years and finished as high as 8.8% in 2000. Guidry is ranked #60 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Ron Guidry, AL New York Yankees (2) (1983)
0.0 dWAR. Finishing fifth in Cy Young voting this year, Guidry would have his third straight season where he had a perfect Fielding Percentage, although notably he was never in the top five in Range Factor per Game in ANY of his five Gold Glove wins. In this season, he would have a 34 in Caught Stealing Percentage. Guidry was on the ballot for nine years and finished as high as 8.8% in 2000. Guidry is ranked #60 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Ron Guidry, AL New York Yankees (3) (1984)
0.0 dWAR. This was the fourth straight and final time that “Louisiana Lightning” Ron Guidry would go perfect in Fielding Percentage. He would go 45% in Caught Stealing. Guidry was on the ballot for nine years and finished as high as 8.8% in 2000. Guidry is ranked #60 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Joaquin Andujar, NL St. Louis Cardinals (1984)
0.0 dWAR. This was arguably the best season of Joaquin Andujar’s career as he was a 20 Game Winner and he finished fourth in Cy Young Award voting. Andujar would finish first in Assists, third in Range Factor per Game and had 5 Pickoffs with a .954 Fielding Percentage. Although Andujar was eligible for the Hall of Fame in 1994 he was not on the ballot.
Ron Guidry, AL New York Yankees (4) (1985)
0.0 dWAR. The streak of perfect Fielding Percentage was over and Ron Guidry would finish with a .976. This season he was second in Cy Young voting and arguably this was his last really good season as a Pitcher. Again, he was not in the top five in Assists, Putouts and Range Factor per Game. Guidry was on the ballot for nine years and finished as high as 8.8% in 2000. Guidry is ranked #60 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Rick Reuschel, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (1985)
0.0 dWAR. Also the winner of the Hutch Award, Rick Reuschel was first in Range Factor per Game with a perfect Fielding Percentage. He was also second in Putouts and had a Caught Stealing Percentage of 47. Reuschel was on the ballot for one year in 1997 and received 0.4% of the vote. He is ranked #96 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Ron Guidry, AL New York Yankees (5) (1986)
0.0 dWAR. Like many of the Gold Glove wins by Ron Guidry, his fifth and final one probably should not have happened. Guidry (as you would expect from the previous wins) was not a top five finisher in Range Factor per Game, Assists and Putouts and his .968 and 28 in Fielding and Caught Stealing Percentage do not echo what a Gold Glove winner should have. Guidry was on the ballot for nine years and finished as high as 8.8% in 2000. Guidry is ranked #60 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Fernando Valenzuela, NL Los Angeles Dodgers (1986)
0.0 dWAR. Fernando Valenzuela was an above average defensive hurler and in 1986 he was the Cy Young runner-up while leading the NL in Wins. The popular Mexican led the league in Range Factor per Game, the third and final time that he did so and he was also the leader in Assists, which was the second time he did that. He was also second in Putouts and had a .987 Fielding Percentage with an above average 42 in Caught Stealing Percentage. Overall, it was good that Valenzuela won at least one Gold Glove and he probably should have won more. Valenzuela was on the ballot for two years and finished as high as 6.2% in 2004.
Mark Langston, AL Seattle Mariners (1987)
0.0 dWAR. Mark Langston was fifth in American League Cy Young voting but defensively he was not in the top five in Assists, Putouts or Range Factor per Game. His Fielding Percentage was a decent .961 and his Caught Stealing Percentage was 30, which was essentially the American League average. Langston was on the ballot for one year in 2005 but did not receive any votes.
Rick Reuschel, NL San Francisco Giants (2) (1987)
0.0 dWAR. Reuschel was named an All Star this year and he finished third in Cy Young Voting. Defensively, he was not in the top five in Range Factor per Game, but he was second in Putouts and had an excellent 67 in Caught Stealing Percentage. This would be the last Gold Glove for Reuschel who over his career was solid. Four times he would have a perfect Fielding Percentage and he would finish first in Range Factor per Game three times and was second twice. Reuschel was on the ballot for one year in 1997 and received 0.4% of the vote. He is ranked #96 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Orel Hershiser, NL Los Angeles Dodgers (1988)
0.0 dWAR. This was a dream season for Hershiser would win the Cy Young, the World Series and the World Series and NLCS MVP in 1988 and defensively he had a case here for what would be his only Gold Glove. While Hershiser led all National League Pitchers in Errors but he did finish first in Putouts, Assists and Range Factor per Game and had 5 Pickoffs. Hershiser was on the ballot for two year and finished as high as 11.2% in 2006. Hershiser is ranked #75 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Bret Saberhagen, AL Kansas City Royals (1989)
0.0 dWAR. Bret Saberhagen had an incredible pitching performance in 1989 where he would win his second Cy Young Award with an eighth place finish in American League MVP voting. That success apparently parlayed into a great defensive season but did he really have one? The Kansas City Royal would have 3 Pickoffs and a high 64% in regards to his Caught Stealing Percentage, however he was not in the top five in Assists, Putouts and Range Factor per Game. For that matter, he only ever had a top five finish once in Assists (3rd in 1994) and Range Factor per Game (4th in 1995). He did however have a career high 4 Errors and his Fielding Percentage of .934 was not special. This was clearly the wrong choice here. Saberhagen was on the ballot for one year and finished with 1.3% in 2001. Saberhagen is ranked #69 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Ron Darling, NL New York Mets (1989)
0.0 dWAR. This might be a little suspect as Darling was not in the top five in any significant defensive metrics and he had a pedestrian .929 and 30 Fielding Percentage and Caught Stealing Percentage respectively. Darling was on the ballot for one year and finished as high as 0.2% in 2001.
Mike Boddicker, AL Boston Red Sox (1990)
0.0 dWAR. Mike Boddicker has some seasons in the mid 1980’s where he should have won a Gold Glove or two but in 1990, while still decent was not at the level he had in previous season. In 1990 he would finish fifth in Range Factor per Game, third in Putouts and had a .966 Fielding Percentage with a Caught Stealing Percentage of 47%. At least he won one, albeit in the wrong year. Boddicker was on the ballot for one year in 1999 but did not receive any votes.
Mark Langston, AL California Angels (3) (1991)
0.0 dWAR. Mark Langston was an All Star for the second time in his career. Defensively he had a .942 Fielding Percentage but a solid 60% in Caught Stealing. The California Angel was fourth in Assists. Langston was on the ballot for one year in 2005 but did not receive any votes.
Mark Langston, AL California Angels (4) (1992)
0.0 dWAR. Langston regressed from the season before as he had a .941 Fielding Percentage and only a 32% in Caught Stealing. Langston was on the ballot for one year in 2005 but did not receive any votes.
Mark Langston, AL California Angels (5) (1993)
0.0 dWAR. For the third and final time Mark Langston would finish first in Assists among the American League Pitchers. He would have a .966 Fielding Percentage and a 55% in Caught Stealing. Langston was on the ballot for one year in 2005 but did not receive any votes.
Mark Langston, AL California Angels (6) (1994)
0.0 dWAR. Langston again was a strange winner for the American League Gold Glove for a Pitcher as not only he was not in the top five in any major defensive category for an AL Pitcher his .938 Fielding Percentage was nothing spectacular. Langston was on the ballot for one year in 2005 but did not receive any votes.
Mark Langston, AL California Angels (7) (1995)
0.0 dWAR. This was the final Gold Glove for Mark Langston and realistically we have to ask how he won one, let alone seven. He would have a solid 75% Caught Stealing Percentage this year. Langston was on the ballot for one year in 2005 but did not receive any votes.
Mike Mussina, AL Baltimore Orioles (1996)
0.0 dWAR. Mike Mussina would finish sixth in Cy Young voting in what would be his first Gold Glove win Mussina would have a perfect Fielding Percentage this season, the third time he would do so. Buckle up, as we have a lot more to do with Mike Mussina to come. Mussina has been on the ballot for five years and finished as high as 63.5% in 2018.
Mike Mussina, AL Baltimore Orioles (2) (1997)
0.0 dWAR. This year Mike Mussina would finish sixth in Cy Young voting and for the fourth time he had a 1.000 Fielding Percentage. Mussina also had a 40% in Caught Stealing. Mussina has been on the ballot for five years and finished as high as 63.5% in 2018.
Mike Mussina, AL Baltimore Orioles (3) (1998)
0.0 dWAR. For the third season in a row, Mussina would have a 1,000 Fielding Percentage while finishing fifth in Range Factor per Game. Mussina has been on the ballot for five years and finished as high as 63.5% in 2018.
Mike Mussina, AL Baltimore Orioles (4) (1999)
0.0 dWAR. An All Star for the fifth time of his career and the Cy Young Award runner-up, Mike Mussina had a good season in terms of his glove. Mussina was third in Range Factor per Game with a second place finish in Assists and he had a respectable 56% in Caught Stealing and a .984 Fielding Percentage. Mussina has been on the ballot for five years and finished as high as 63.5% in 2018.
Kenny Rogers, AL Texas Rangers (2000)
0.0 dWAR. “The Gambler” already had a case for Gold Gloves in the past and he was certainly worthy in 2000 when he won his first of five. Rogers would pick off nine runners, matching his career high and he had a decent .970 Fielding Percentage. For the second time (the first being 1998) he finished first in Assists and Range Factor per Game and he was also fifth in Putouts. Rogers was on the ballot for one year in 2014 and he finished with 0.2% of the ballot.
Mike Mussina, AL New York Yankees (5) (2001)
0.0 dWAR. This was the first Gold Glove for Mike Mussina as a New York Yankee and he was fifth place in Cy Young voting. Mussina was not in the top five in Range Factor per Game, Assists and Putouts and he had a strong Fielding and Caught Stealing Percentage of .977% and .59% respectively. Mussina has been on the ballot for five years and finished as high as 63.5% in 2018.
Kenny Rogers, AL Texas Rangers (2) (2002)
0.0 dWAR. Rogers again finished first in Range Factor per Game and he was second in Putouts and fifth in Assists. He had a .954 Fielding Percentage and NOBODY stole a base on him this year. Rogers was on the ballot for one year in 2014 and he finished with 0.2% of the ballot.
Mike Mussina, AL New York Yankees (6) (2003)
0.0 dWAR. Mike Mussina would return to the top of Fielding Percentage leaderboard as for the sixth time he was perfect. He had a respectable Caught Stealing Percentage of 53% but he was not in the top five in Assists, Putouts and Range Factor per Game. Mussina has been on the ballot for five years and finished as high as 63.5% in 2018.
Mike Hampton, NL Atlanta Braves (2003)
0.0 dWAR. Mike Hampton was the only National League Pitcher to win a Gold Glove in a nineteen year stretch who was not named Greg Maddux. Hampton, who was in his first season as an Atlanta Brave had a 67% Caught Stealing rate and a .985 Fielding Percentage and for the first and only time in his career was a first place finisher in Range Factor per Game. He was also second in Assists. Hampton was on the ballot for one year in 2000 but did not receive any votes.
Kenny Rogers, AL Texas Rangers (3) (2004)
0.0 dWAR. This was another good season with the glove for Kenny Rogers. He would finish fourth in both Range Factor per Game and Assists. This was a good match with his six Pickoffs, .985 Fielding Percentage and 71% Caught Stealing Percentage. Rogers was on the ballot for one year in 2014 and he finished with 0.2% of the ballot.
Kenny Rogers, AL Texas Rangers (4) (2005)
0.0 dWAR. For the first time, Rogers’ Catchers were unable to stop any runners from stealing bases (0 for 3) and also for the first time he recorded no Pickoffs in a Season. He did have a quality .985 Fielding Percentage and he was second in both Range Factor per Game and Assists. Rogers was on the ballot for one year in 2014 and he finished with 0.2% of the ballot.
Kenny Rogers, AL Detroit Tigers (5) (2006)
0.0 dWAR. Now a Detroit Tiger, Kenny Rogers had a fourth place finish in Range Factor per Game with a third place rank in Assists. “The Gambler” had a low .912 Fielding Percentage but he rebounded with a rate of 86% in Caught Stealing. It is also worth noting that Rogers was 41 and he had a fifth place finish in Cy Young voting, which was by far his best performance. This would be the final Gold Glove for Kenny Rogers and he finished his career with 79 Pickoffs and runners being Caught Stealing 59% of the time. This is definitely a worthy multi-time recipient of the Gold Glove. Rogers was on the ballot for one year in 2014 and he finished with 0.2% of the ballot.
Johan Santana, AL Minnesota Twins (2007)
0.0 dWAR. By this point, Johan Santana had already won his two Cy Young Awards however he never once finished in the top five in Assists, Putouts or Range Factor per Game. 2007 would be the first and only time he had a perfect Fielding Percentage, which coincidently was the only time he would win the Gold Glove. He had a 45% Caught Stealing Percentage this year. Santana was on the ballot for one year in 2018 and he finished with 2.4% of the ballot. Santana is ranked #64 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Mike Mussina, AL New York Yankees (7) (2008)
0.0 dWAR. This was Mike Mussina’s final season in the Majors and he ended on a great note with a sixth place Cy Young finish. He was decent this year defensively but he may not have been the best choice. Mussina again was not in the top five in Assists, Putouts and Range Factor per Game and he had a decent Fielding Percentage of .976. Overall, Mike Mussina was decent with his glove but we have to question whether he was worthy of seven Gold Gloves. Mussina has been on the ballot for five years and finished as high as 63.5% in 2018.
Let’s update our tally shall we?
Award in Question |
Percentage of recipients who have entered the HOF |
Percentage of recipients by year who have entered the HOF. |
NBA MVP |
100% |
100% |
NHL Norris |
90.5% |
96.4% |
NBA All Star Game MVP |
89.5% |
91.7% |
NHL Conn Smythe |
74.2% |
85.4% |
NHL Lady Byng |
63.8% |
76.0% |
NFL Super Bowl MVP |
60.6% |
64.9% |
NBA Defensive Player of the Year |
58.3% |
56.5% |
NBA Rookie of the Year |
56.5% |
56.5% |
MLB/NL/AL Cy Young Award |
44.4% |
55.4% |
NHL Frank J. Selke Trophy |
33.3% |
36.7% |
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year |
28.6% |
28.6% |
MLB Edgar Martinez Award |
26.7% |
17.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Designated Hitter) |
25.0% |
30.8% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Shortstop) |
23.5% |
52.6% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove |
21.7% |
36.8% |
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year |
20.6% |
20.6% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Catcher) |
20.0% |
22.5% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Second Base) |
18.8% |
39.8% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Shortstop) |
18.2% |
35.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Pitcher) |
18.2% |
20.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Second Base) |
16.7% |
32.7% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Outfield) |
16.7% |
30.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Outfield) |
15.7% |
25.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Third Base) |
14.3% |
14.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Third Base) |
13.6% |
14.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (First Base) |
13.6% |
13.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Rookie of the Year |
13.3% |
13.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Catcher) |
10.3% |
15.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (First Base) |
3.8% |
3.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Catcher) |
20.0% |
22.5% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Second Base) |
18.8% |
39.8% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Shortstop) |
18.2% |
35.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Pitcher) |
18.2% |
20.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Second Base) |
16.7% |
32.7% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Outfield) |
16.7% |
30.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Outfield) |
15.7% |
25.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Third Base) |
14.3% |
14.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Third Base) |
13.6% |
14.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (First Base) |
13.6% |
13.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Rookie of the Year |
13.3% |
13.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Catcher) |
10.3% |
15.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (First Base) |
3.8% |
3.2% |
So who is up next?
The following are the players who have won the Gold Glove at Pitcher who have retired but have not met the mandatory years out of the game to qualify for the Baseball Hall of Fame:
Mark Buehrle, AL Chicago White Sox (2009)
0.0 dWAR Mark Buehrle went to his fourth All Star Game this year and the 2005 World Series winner would be first this season among the American League Pitchers in Range Factor per Game and Assists with a .982 Fielding Percentage. Buehrle will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2021.
Mark Buehrle, AL Chicago White Sox (2) (2010)
0.0 dWAR In what would be his second Gold Glove win, Mark Buehrle would for the third time have a perfect Fielding Percentage and he was also third in Assists for an American League Pitcher. Buehrle will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2021.
Bronson Arroyo, NL Cincinnati Reds (2010)
0.0 dWAR 2010 was the best year of Bronson Arroyo’s career as he had a 12th place finish in Cy Young voting and had 17 Wins. He would have a perfect Fielding Percentage. Arroyo will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2023.
Mark Buehrle, AL Chicago White Sox (3) (2011)
0.0 dWAR Mark Buehrle would for the second time in his career was the American League leader in Range Factor per Game and he was also second in Assists. Buehrle would have 6 Pickoffs with a 70% Caught Stealing Percentage with a .982 Fielding Percentage. Buehrle will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2021.
Jake Peavy, AL Chicago White Sox (2012)
0.0 dWAR The National League Cy Young Award winner from 2007 would win his only Gold Glove as a member of the Chicago White Sox in the American League. Peavy would sport a .973 and 47 in Fielding and Caught Stealing Percentage but was not in the top five in Assists, Putouts or Range Factor per Game. Peavy will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2022.
Mark Buehrle, NL Miami Marlins (4) (2012)
0.0 dWAR Buehrle was only in the National League for one season but he would go “one for one” in terms of Gold Gloves. He would finish this season with a perfect Fielding Percentage and he was the league leader in Assists. Beuhrle also second in Range Factor per Game with 4 Pickoffs and a Caught Stealing Percentage of 38%. Buehrle would record an even 100 Pickoffs of his career and his Caught Stealing Percentage of 58% percent was well above the league average of 29%. Buehrle will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2021.
R.A. Dickey, AL Toronto Blue Jays (2013)
0.0 dWAR The knuckleballer was the surprise National League Cy Young Award winner the season before after seemingly coming out of nowhere. Dickey would win the Gold Glove in his first season as a Toronto Blue Jay and his resume showed him finish third in Range Factor per Game and was first in Assists. He had a .962 Fielding Percentage. Dickey will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2023.
The following are the players who have won the Gold Glove at Pitcher who are still active.
Adam Wainwright, NL St. Louis Cardinals (2009)
0.0 dWAR. Wainwright would finish among all of the National League Pitchers in Putouts and Field Percentage while ranking third in Range Factor per Game. 37 Years Old, Playing for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Clayton Kershaw, NL Los Angeles Dodgers (2011)
0.0 dWAR. To say that Clayton Kershaw would become one of the most dominant Pitchers form this point on and to the rest of the decade would be an understatement. Seriously, he was just that good! In regards to his season defensively in 2011, Kershaw would win his first Cy Young and he had a perfect Fielding Percentage with a fifth place finish in Assists. 31 Years Old, Playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Jeremy Hellickson, AL Tampa Bay Rays (2012)
0.0 dWAR. The co-winner of the Gold Glove, Hellickson won this Gold Glove the year after being named the Rookie of the Year. The Tampa Bay Ray had a .950 Fielding Percentage, although he would bookend those seasons with a perfect 1,000. He was not in the top five in Assists, Putouts or Range Factor per Game. 31 Years Old, Playing for the Washington Nationals.
Adam Wainwright, NL St. Louis Cardinals (2) (2013)
0.0 dWAR. Wainwright was the second place finisher in the Cy Young voting while having a 50% Caught Stealing Percentage. Wainwright would have a perfect Fielding Percentage, while finishing second in Range Factor per Game and third in Putouts. 37 Years Old, Playing for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Dallas Kuechel, AL Houston Astros (2014)
0.0 dWAR. This would be the first individual award for Kuechel and he really earned this Gold Glove. The Houston Astro was first in Range Factor per Game and Assists with a fourth place rank in Putouts. He had a .985 Fielding Percentage with only one runner successfully stealing a base on him (75% Caught Stealing Percentage rate). 30 Years Old, Playing for the Houston Astros.
Zack Greinke, NL Los Angeles Dodgers (2014)
0.0 dWAR. Greinke won a Cy Young Award with the Kansas City Royals in 2009, but it would not be until 2013 where he would receive votes again for that prestigious accolade. In 2014, Greinke finished with a .983 Fielding Percentage and he finished first in both Putouts and Range Factor per Game. He was seventh in Cy Young voting this year. 35 Years Old, Playing for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Dallas Kuechel, AL Houston Astros (2) (2015)
0.0 dWAR. Keuchel would win the Cy Young this year and he was the fifth place finisher in MVP voting. He would finish first in both Assists and Range Factor per Game with a fourth place finish in Putouts while having a .986 Fielding Percentage. He would however fail to have ant runner not steal a base. 30 Years Old, Playing for the Houston Astros.
Zack Greinke, NL Los Angeles Dodgers (2) (2015)
0.0 dWAR. Greinke was an All Star for the third time this year and he was the Cy Young Award runner-up. Greinke finished second in Range Factor per Game and was fourth in both Putouts and Assists. He would have a Fielding and Caught Stealing Percentage of .968 and 46 respectively. 35 Years Old, Playing for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Dallas Kuechel, AL Houston Astros (3) (2016)
0.0 dWAR. For the second time, Dallas Kuechel had a perfect Fielding Percentage and he would have a 50% record in Caught Stealing. He did however fail to finish in the top five in Assists, Putouts and Range Factor per Game. 30 Years Old, Playing for the Houston Astros.
Zack Greinke, NL Arizona Diamondbacks (3) (2016)
0.0 dWAR. Greinke would not finish in the top five in Range Factor per Game but he was named a Wilson Defensive Player. He had a Fielding Percentage of .980 and a Caught Stealing record of 57%. 35 Years Old, Playing for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Marcus Stroman, AL Toronto Blue Jays (2017)
0.0 dWAR. Stroman finished eighth in Cy Young voting this year and he was the leader in Assists while finishing second in Range Factor per Game. He had a .979 Fielding Percentage. 27 Years Old, Playing for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Zack Greinke, NL Arizona Diamondbacks (4) (2017)
This would be the third season that Zack Greinke would have a 0.0 dWAR.perfect Fielding Percentage, which was complimented by a second place finish in Range Factor per Game. His Caught Stealing Percentage was an excellent 64. 35 Years Old, Playing for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Dallas Kuechel, AL Houston Astros (4) (2018)
0.0 dWAR. Kuechel had a perfect Fielding Percentage again with a second place in both Range Factor per Game in Putouts. 30 Years Old, Playing for the Houston Astros.
Zack Greinke, NL Arizona Diamondbacks (5) (2018)
0.0 dWAR. Grienke would go back-to-back in terms of a perfect Fielding Percentage and he would also lead all of the National League Pitchers in Putouts and Range Factor per Game. Throw in a 71% in Caught Stealing and you are talking about an extraordinary defensive year! 35 Years Old, Playing for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
We have to be honest, as when we started this we never would have thought that the most successful Gold Glove position to enter the Baseball Hall of Fame would be the Pitcher! We do however think that this could change with increased sabremetrics in the future!
Honestly, we are happy to be done with the Gold Glove and since we have worked on this for so long, we want leave Baseball for a while.
Up next we are going to the hard court and look at the NBA with a relatively new Award, the Most Improved Player of the Year.
Look for that soon!
We here at Notinhalloffame.com thought it would be fun to take a look at the major awards in North American team sports and see how it translates into Hall of Fame potential.
Needless to say, different awards in different sports yield hall of fame potential. In basketball, the team sport with the least amount of players on a roster, the dividend for greatness much higher. In baseball, it is not as much as a great individual season does not have the same impact.
We are now taking a look at the Gold Glove Award, given annually to the best defensive player in MLB in each respective position.
This will take awhile, so be patient with us!
We have just tackled Catcher, First, Second Base, Shortstop and Third Base
As you can imagine, we are continuing with Outfield and this will take a long time. Dig in your cleats for this one!
The following are the past players who have won the Gold Glove at Outfield who are eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame and have been enshrined.
Willie Mays, ML New York Giants (1957)
0.2 dWAR. “Say Hey!” The problem with running a website that discusses those who are not in the Hall of Fame is that you don’t get to discuss legends like Willie Mays often. Now we get too! By this time, Mays had already been cemented as one of the most complete baseball players in the game. Already a past MVP, this year he finished fourth. Having said that, this was just an average year defensively for a Centerfielder and sub par for Mays based on his history. In 1957, Mays did not finish first in any defensive statistic and was not in the top five in Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game. Having said that, is it wrong here that our first instinct is to give this a pass because it is Willie Mays? Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.
Al Kaline, ML Detroit Tigers (1957)
1.4 dWAR. The career Detroit Tiger finished tenth in MVP voting and was ninth in Defensive bWAR, As we look at Kaline (he won ten Gold Gloves) you will see some deserving, some not so deserving and some where the voters would have been blind and thought they were voting for either his bat, his legacy or a concoction of both. The first one we have no problem with, as not only did Kaline lead ALL Outfielders in Total Zone Runs, he was also first among the American League Rightfielders in Fielding Percentage. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980.
Al Kaline, AL Detroit Tigers (2) (1958)
2.2 dWAR. In terms of Defensive bWAR, this would be tied for the best season that Al Kaline ever had (we will get to the other). The famed slugger would also be first amongst the American League Rightfieders in Putouts, Assists, Total Zone Runs, Range Factor per Game and Fielding Percentage. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980.
Hank Aaron, NL Milwaukee Braves (1958)
0.2 dWAR. The season after “Hammerin” Hank Aaron won the National League MVP, he would win his first Gold Glove. He would finish second in Total Zone Runs and Fielding Percentage while also finishing third in Range Factor per Game among the National League Rightfielders. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982.
Willie Mays, NL San Francisco Giants (2) (1958)
1.5 dWAR. Mays would finish second in MVP voting and 10th in Defensive bWAR in the 1958 season, the first for the Giants in San Francisco. Like ’57, Mays did not finish first in any defensive category at Centerfield but he was in the hunt for many of them. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.
Frank Robinson, NL Cincinnati Reds (1958)
-0.1 dWAR. Frank Robinson was one of the greatest hitters of all-time but he was far from the best defensively. Robinson never had an outstanding defensive year and in the year he won his lone Gold Glove was no exception. The future two time MVP did not come close to appearing in the top five in any defensive category. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982.
Al Kaline, AL Detroit Tigers (3) (1959)
0.4 dWAR. The first two Gold Gloves for Al Kaline were worthy. This wasn’t one of them. Kaline was not in the top five in any defensive category among the AL Rightfielders in any category. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980.
Hank Aaron, NL Milwaukee Braves (2) (1959)
-1.1 dWAR. While Hank Aaron remained the offensive juggernaut that we remember this was not a season that showed off his defensive skills. Aaron would finish first in Assists and was also third in Fielding Percentage among the National League Rightfielders but he was not able to crack the top five in Total Zone Runs or Range Factor per Game. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982.
Willie Mays, NL San Francisco Giants (3) (1959)
0.4 dWAR. In what would be his third consecutive Gold Glove win Mays would repeat more of 1957 as this was an average defensive season for anyone but not for Willie Mays. Finishing sixth in MVP voting, Mays was not a factor in any defensive lead among any National League Centerfielders. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.
Hank Aaron, NL Milwaukee Braves (3) (1960)
0.8 dWAR. This would be the third and final Gold Glove for Hank Aaron and in this season he would finish first in Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game among the Rightfielders in the National League. He would do the same in 1961 but he would not win the Gold Glove that year or ever again. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982.
Willie Mays, NL San Francisco Giants (4) (1960)
1.4 dWAR. Mays finished third in National League MVP voting and he was fourth in Defensive bWAR in the NL. This year he was first in Assists and Total Zone Runs at Centerfield (in the NL) and was and in Range Factor per Game. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.
Al Kaline, AL Detroit Tigers (4) (1961)
2.2 dWAR. Kaline made a huge defensive comeback this season as in 1960 (Kaline had a negative Defensive bWAR and did not win a Gold Glove) and finished third overall in the AL in Defensive bWAR. This would be the last time that Kaline would be a top ten finisher in that stat. Kaline was first among his American League peers in Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game and was also first overall among all of the AL Outfielders in Total Zone Runs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980.
Roberto Clemente, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (1961)
-0.6 dWAR. Roberto Clemente is the most important Latino player of all-time, there is no doubt of that and he was a good defensive player. Saying all of that this was not the season for him to receive what would be the first of twelve straight Gold Gloves. Clemente, who had already established himself as an excellent offensive player and in 1961 he won his first Batting Title. Somehow this translated into a Gold Glove though he did play the most games at Right, which aided him in finishing first in Assists and Putouts at his position. Still, he was not in the top five in Total Zone Runs though he was second in Range Factor per Game. Based on traditional metrics, this made sense. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973.
Willie Mays, NL San Francisco Giants (5) (1961)
1.4 dWAR. In what would be his fifth straight Gold Glove win the Say Hey kid would finish tenth in Defensive bWAR in the NL. Mays did not top the National League Centerfielders in any defensive metric but was third in Total Zone Runs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.
Al Kaline, AL Detroit Tigers (5) (1962)
0.3 dWAR. Kaline dropped significantly in Defensive bWAR but he was still the first place finisher among the American League Rightfielders in Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game. This win might be more of a reflection of the existing competition. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980.
Mickey Mantle, AL New York Yankees (1962)
-1.8 dWAR. Mickey Mantle was one of the greatest offensive baseball players of all time but defensively this wasn’t the case at all. In 1962, Mantle would win his third American League MVP and came off a pair of runner-ups to his teammate, Roger Maris, however he was nowhere close to finishing anywhere near the top of any defensive stat for a Leftfielder. This feels like a gift. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980.
Roberto Clemente, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (2) (1962)
1.0 dWAR. Clemente did not lead the National League Rightfielders in Assists and Putouts like he did in 1961, but he was a far more efficient defensive player in 1962. The legend from Puerto Rico was at the top in Total Zone Runs for NL Rightfielders and was third overall among all Outfielders in the league. He was again second in Range Factor per Game. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973.
Willie Mays, NL San Francisco Giants (6) (1962)
2.1 dWAR. Mays was second overall in the National League in Defensive bWAR, which was the highest of his career. The “Say Hey Kid” was first amongst the NL Centerfielders in Putouts, Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game and was tops in the latter two among all of the National League Outfielders. Arguably, this was his finest defensive season. He would finish second in National League MVP voting. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.
Al Kaline, AL Detroit Tigers (6) (1963)
-0.4 dWAR. Kaline was the runner-up for the American League MVP this year though he had much better years in his career offensively. He also had much better years with the glove, though he did finish atop the AL Rightfielders in Fielding Percentage. Having said that, Kaline was not a top five finisher in Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980.
Roberto Clemente, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (3) (1963)
-0.6 dWAR. Clemente may have won his first Gold Glove with a -0.6 Defensive bWAR but his accumulation of games allowed him to lead in some traditional defensive metrics. That did not happen in 1963 where his highest finish in any defensive stat was third (Assists and Putouts) and he led the NL Rightfelders in Errors. This was a poor choice. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973.
Willie Mays, NL San Francisco Giants (7) (1963)
1.4 dWAR. While Willie Mays did not finish first in any defensive category among the National Centerfielders, he was in contention for many of them. This was a decent season by any defensive category. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.
Willie Mays, NL San Francisco Giants (7) (1963)
1.4 dWAR. While Willie Mays did not finish first in any defensive category among the National Centerfielders, he was in contention for many of them. This was a decent season by any defensive category. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.
Carl Yastrzemski, AL Boston Red Sox (1963)
0.4 dWAR. 1963 would be the year of many first for Carl Yaztrzemski. He would win his first Batting Title, his first On Base Percentage Title, lead the league in Hits for the first time, go to his first All Star Game and win his first Gold Glove. The latter might be considered a little suspect as though he did finish first among the American League Leftfielders in Assists while finishing second in Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game. Realistically based on his competition Yaz was a perfectly fine choice. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983.
Al Kaline, AL Detroit Tigers (7) (1964)
0.9 dWAR. This was certainly a better Gold Glove winning season for the Hall of Famer as Kaline finished first at his position in Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game. Notably, he was first in Total Zone Runs among all of the Outfielders in the American League. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980.
Roberto Clemente, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (4) (1964)
0.2 dWAR. Clemente finished second amongst the NL Rightfieders in Total Zone Runs however again was first in Errors. This would be the fourth time he would do so. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973.
Willie Mays, NL San Francisco Giants (8) (1964)
1.9 dWAR. Once again Willie Mays finished sixth in MVP voting and was a third place finisher in Defensive bWAR. Like the season before, Mays was not first in any defensive category amongst National League Centerfielders (though he was second in Total Zone Runs) but this was still a very good season with his glove. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.
Al Kaline, AL Detroit Tigers (8) (1965)
-1.3 dWAR. Horrible. Just horrible. While we love Kaline, we do not have any respect for his Gold Glove win of 1965. The Detroit Tiger was not in the top five in any defensive metric among the AL Rightfielders. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980.
Carl Yastrzemski, AL Boston Red Sox (2) (1965)
-1.0 dWAR. While Yastrzemski would still have an overall good year and again finish first among his league peers in Assists he was not in the top five in Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game. His second Gold Glove should not have happened this year. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983.
Roberto Clemente, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (5) (1965)
1.2 dWAR. While Roberto Clemente would once again suffer a National League Rightfield lead in Errors, he was also the leader in Total Zone Runs not only among NL Rightfielders but all Outfielders. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973.
Willie Mays, NL San Francisco Giants (9) (1965)
1.6 dWAR. Willie Mays would win his second and final National League MVP award in 1965, though under modern thinking he likely would have won more. This year Mays finished eighth in Defensive bWAR and again was not the first place finisher though again was not the National League leader in any defensive statistic among the National League Centerfielders. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.
Al Kaline, AL Detroit Tigers (9) (1966)
-0.5 dWAR. Kaline again had another season where he was not close to the league lead in any defensive category. Perhaps, they forgot to refresh the ballot from the previous years. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980.
Roberto Clemente, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (6) (1966)
1.3 dWAR. Clemente would repeat with the same amount of Total Zone Runs (17) that he did in ’65, though this time it was only enough for second among all National League Outfielders, though first for Rightfielders. He also would lead in Assists, though again in Errors. It also needs to be noted that this year Clemente was named the National League MVP. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973.
Willie Mays, NL San Francisco Giants (10) (1966)
2.1 dWAR. Arguably this was the last great season for Willie Mays defensively but not the last time he would win a Gold Glove, though this is far from a pattern. Finishing third in Defensive bWAR in the National League, Mays would top the Centerfielders in the NL in Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game. It would actually be the final year where he would finish first defensively in any category. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.
Al Kaline, AL Detroit Tigers (10) (1967)
0.4 dWAR. With the tenth and final Gold Glove of Al Kaline’s career we can safely say that he probably deserved three of them or five at the most, though he bucked the trend of a legend usually saving his worst Gold Glove winning performance as his last. 1967 would see Kaline lead the AL Rightfielders in Total Zone Runs, the last time he would in his career. The next season, he would win his first and only World Series. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980.
Carl Yastrzemski, AL Boston Red Sox (3) (1967)
1.7 dWAR. This would be the first of two times where Yastrzemski would finish in the top ten in the AL in Defensive bWAR (he was seventh) and would also finish first among the Leftfielders in Total Zone Runs and was second overall in the league. Notably Yastrzemski would win the Triple Crown and would be named the American League Most Valuable Player. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983.
Roberto Clemente, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (7) (1967)
-0.1 dWAR. Clemente dropped to fourth in Total Zone Runs but did finish first in Assists. Still, this was not one of those seasons where he should have won a Gold Glove. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973.
Willie Mays, NL San Francisco Giants (11) (1967)
0.3 dWAR. As you could wager by the 1966 paragraph, the 1967 defensive campaign from Mays would be sub-par…and it was. Mays was also regressing at this stage with his bat and was not in the mix for any top metric in defense. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979.
Carl Yastrzemski, AL Boston Red Sox (4) (1968)
2.0 dWAR. 1968 would arguably be the best defensive season of Yastrzemski’s career as he had career highs in defensive bWAR and Total Zone Runs (25), the former being good enough for eighth in the latter positioning him third in those respective stats in the AL. Yaz was also first at his league position in Putouts. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983.
Roberto Clemente, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (8) (1968)
2.5 dWAR. This was a strange year for Roberto Clemente as for the first time since 1960 he was not named an All Star. He also did not receive any votes for MVP and batted under .300, the first time since 1959 (though his .291 was still good enough for 10th in the NL). Still he was still good enough offensively and put up a career high 2.5 in Defensive bWAR, which actually made 1968 the only year that finished first and only time in bWAR in the league! Clemente would put up a career high 25 Total Zone Runs, which was the most among everyone in the NL and he also finished first among all National League Outfielders in Range Factor per Game. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973.
Willie Mays, NL San Francisco Giants (12) (1968)
0.4 dWAR. In what was Willie Mays’ final season as a Gold Glove recipient, it was also his last year that the legend had a positive Defensive bWAR, albeit a 0.4. Like 1967, Mays probably should not have won this Gold Glove but his overall defensive metrics were strong and when Mays is spoke of as one of the best defensive players ever a case can be made. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1979
Carl Yastrzemski, AL Boston Red Sox (5) (1969)
0.4 dWAR. In terms of Defensive bWAR Yastrzemski tumbled from the previous year and also did so in Total Zone Runs. However his 11 TZR was still decent enough for a third place finish among the American League Leftfielders and he was first in Assists. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983.
Roberto Clemente, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (9) (1969)
0.7 dWAR. Roberto Clemente could not duplicate defensively what he did the season before (though his offense returned to form) but his 11 Total Zone Runs were still enough to lead all National League Rightfielders in that stat. This would be the only defensive metric he would. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973.
Roberto Clemente, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (10) (1970)
0.1 dWAR. This was definitely one of those incorrect selections of a Gold Glove recipient, as Clemente would become one of the many winners of this award to do so on reputation. He would not finish in the top three in any defensive statistic. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973.
Carl Yastrzemski, AL Boston Red Sox (6) (1971)
0.8 dWAR. Yaz was first at his league position in Assists with a second place finish in Total Zone Runs. It was not a spectacular year defensively but he did play the most games at this position and it was not a terrible win. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983.
Roberto Clemente, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (11) (1971)
1.8 dWAR. Clemente rebounded with his glove as he finished eighth in the National League in Defensive bWAR. The future Hall of Famer would also again lead the National League Outfielders in Total Zone Runs (20) while also finishing first in Range Factor per Game among the NL Rightfielders. Far more important to Clemente, he would lead his Pittsburgh Pirates to a World Series (his second) and was named the World Series MVP. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973.
Roberto Clemente, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (12) (1972)
1.1 dWAR. In what would be his final year in baseball, Roberto Clemente would have a good year defensively as he finished first amongst the National League Rightfielders in Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game. As baseball fans know, Clemente’s career ended after the 1972 season as he died in a plane crash while on his way to bring relief and aid to the victims of an earthquake in Nicaragua. Clemente probably should not have won a dozen Gold Gloves but overall the Hall of Famer was well above average in terms of defensive acumen. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973.
Carl Yastrzemski, AL Boston Red Sox (7) (1977)
0.5 dWAR. In between what would be his final Gold Glove and the one he won in 1971 Yastrzemski would play both Leftfield and in First Base. 1977 would see a full time return to Left and would again lead in Assists. He would also finish first amongst his AL contemporaries in Total Zone Runs and for the first and only time he would be a top Leftfield leaderboard in Fielding Percentage, where had a perfect 1.000. Overall Carl Yastrzemski had a decent defensive career though seven Gold Gloves was a little excessive. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983.
Dave Winfield, NL San Diego Padres (1979)
0.6 dWAR. To be clear, we are fans of Dave Winfield as an entrant to the Baseball Hall of Fame, though it may not seem that way after we talk about his seven Gold Glove wins, none of which we think he should have won. For what it is worth his first Gold Glove win would at least see him do so with a positive Defensive bWAR, something he did not do in the next six. In 1979 the then San Diego Padre Winfield did finish first in Putouts and was second among the National League Rightfielders in Total Zone Runs. Overall, this is not bad, but not Gold Glove worthy and sadly the best of his seven. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.
Andre Dawson, NL Montreal Expos (1980)
0.9 dWAR. This would be the first of eight Gold Gloves for the “Hawk” and this was not a terrible way to start. Dawson was second in Assists and Putouts while finishing fourth at his league position in Total Zone Runs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010.
Dave Winfield, NL San Diego Padres (2) (1980)
-1.4 dWAR. Winfield played more games than anyone else in the National League at Rightfield and he would lead all in his position at Assists. Saying that he was not in the top five in Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game, which will be a pattern as we continue to look at Winfield’s defense. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.
Rickey Henderson, AL Oakland Athletics (1981)
2.0 dWAR. When you think of Rickey Henderson, you think of his speed, his unequaled eccentricity and his longevity. You generally don’t think of his defensive skills and with a career Defensive bWAR in the negative that makes sense. However, we have a case here of a Hall of Famer who had a great (and rare) defensive gem of a campaign and was rewarded for that season and that season only. In 1981, Henderson’s 2.0 Defensive bWAR was good enough for fourth overall in the AL and he would also finish second overall in the League in Total Zone Runs. In terms of his position (Leftfield) Henderson was first in Putouts, Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009.
Andre Dawson, NL Montreal Expos (2) (1981)
2.2 dWAR. While it was a strike-shortened season, Andre Dawson still netted a Defensive WAR over 2.0! In what could be argued as the Hawk’s best defensive year, he would finish first in the NL in Total Zone Runs while also leading his position in Putouts, Assists and Range Factor per Game. Notably this was his first All Star game and he would finish second in MVP voting. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010.
Dave Winfield, AL New York Yankees (3) (1982)
-1.3 dWAR. This was Dave Winfield’s first Gold Glove in the American League and he failed to finish in the top five in any significant defensive stat among the Rightfielders. Why is this happening other than rewarding a great offensive player? Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.
Andre Dawson, NL Montreal Expos (3) (1982)
2.1 dWAR. Dawson would rank sixth in Defensive WAR in the National League while finishing second in Total Zone Runs in the NL and first at his position. Dawson was also first at his position in Range Factor per Game. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010.
Dave Winfield, AL New York Yankees (4) (1983)
-2.2 dWAR. Not only did Dave Winfield not finish in the top five in any defensive category, he played multiple positions in the Outfield that year and was mediocre everywhere. His -2.2 is one of the worst Defensive bWARs to win a Gold Glove. This is horrible. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.
Andre Dawson, NL Montreal Expos (4) (1983)
1.2 dWAR. Andre Dawson finished second in the National League MVP race and with his glove he had a respectable third and fourth place at his position in Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game. Perhaps this was not a Gold Glove worthy season but it is in terms of what was typical! Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010.
Dave Winfield, AL New York Yankees (5) (1984)
-1.1 dWAR. Winfield at least finished first among the American League Rightfielders in Fielding Percentage but was not in the top five in anything else. For a Winfield Gold Glove win, this is actually good, not that we expected much. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.
Andre Dawson, NL Montreal Expos (5) (1984)
0.7 dWAR. Dawson had moved to Rightfield this season and was second in Total Zone Runs and overall among all Outfielders was fifth. Perhaps this wasn’t the net win that should occur, but intangibles might allow this to be not be a mess of a win like we will see later. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010.
Dave Winfield, AL New York Yankees (6) (1985)
-0.7 dWAR. Dave Winfield played more games in the American League at Rightfield but he was not first at his position in any defensive stat. He finished second in Assists and Fielding Percentage, was fifth in Range Factor per Game but as expected (especially if you have been following here) was not in the mix in Total Zone Runs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.
Andre Dawson, NL Montreal Expos (6) (1985)
-0.1 dWAR. We now have our first Andre Dawson Gold Glove as a Montreal Expo that is impossible to defend. Dawson not only had a negative Defensive WAR but also was not in the top five in any defensive category. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010.
Kirby Puckett, AL Minnesota Twins (1986)
-0.5 dWAR. This one is going start a little strange. Kirby Puckett’s rookie year did not set anyone on fire, although he did finish third in American League Rookie of the Year voting and while he did not display the offense he would late in his career he had an exemplary 3.3 Defensive bWAR. He would never come close to that again. While his offense exploded in 1986 with a 30 Home Run and .300 season, his defense was not great but the fact that he was now an All Star and Silver Slugger did not hurt. Again we have offense rewarding defense in the Gold Glove awards. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.
Tony Gwynn, NL San Diego Padres (1986)
0.7 dWAR. Tony Gwynn proved to be one of the greatest spray hitters in Baseball and in 1986 after already establishing himself as a multi-time All Star he would lead the NL on Putouts among the National League Outfielders and was also first in Fielding Percentage at his outfield position at Right. He was however first among those in the National League in regards to Outfielders in Total Zone Runs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007.
Kirby Puckett, AL Minnesota Twins (2) (1987)
-0.7 dWAR. Puckett’s defense did not improve in his second Gold Glove win as among all of the American League Centerfielders he was not in the top five in Total Zone Runs, Range Factor per Game or Fielding Percentage. Still, this was a star, which was cemented by taking Minnesota to their first World Series win. Ask anyone in Minnesota if they care that Puckett was not a legit Gold Glover in 1987. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.
Dave Winfield, AL New York Yankees (7) (1987)
-1.5 dWAR. This would be the seventh and final Gold Glove for Winfield and the last of these abominations. Sorry, but it was. Winfield’s overall Defensive bWAR was a disgusting -22.7 and he is a seven time Gold Glove winner? Appalling! The only top five finish was third in Fielding Percentage for American League Rightfielders and nowhere in any other top five in a defensive stat. Again, et us state that Winfield BELONGS in the Baseball Hall of Fame, but his trophy case should have never obtained one Gold Glove Award. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.
Andre Dawson, NL Chicago Cubs (7) (1987)
-0.6 dWAR. The 1987 MVP Award for Andre Dawson was honestly a bit fraudulent. This was the year of collusion where Dawson took a substantially lower pay as a Free Agent that he should have receiver and put forth an exceptional offensive season…though it was not great with the glove. Dawson had great offensive metrics but was not a top five finisher in any defensive one other than a second place one in Fielding Percentage. This felt like an apology on behalf of the colluding owners. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010.
Tony Gwynn, NL San Diego Padres (2) (1987)
0.1 dWAR. This was the second Gold Glove for Tony Gwynn and while he proved himself to be an offensive juggernaut his defensive statistics at this stage was not Gold Glove worthy. He finished fourth in Range Factor per Game and Total Zone Runs among the National League Rightfielders, so at least there is that. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007.
Kirby Puckett, AL Minnesota Twins (3) (1988)
1.0 dWAR. This was the third of six Gold Gloves that Puckett would win and sadly his 1.0, which while decent should not be the best Defensive bWAR season when you win six. Still, this is what it is and Puckett finished second among the American League Centerfielders in Range Factor per Game and Fielding Percentage and was fourth in Total Zone Runs. At least a case can be made this season. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.
Andre Dawson, NL Chicago Cubs (8) (1988)
-0.4 dWAR. Again we state how much we love Andre Dawson for the Baseball Hall of Fame, but he should not have been an eight time Gold Glove winner, and maybe four at tops. In what would be his last award he was not in the mix for any Defensive title but he did have some good will that carried over. Make no mistake as this helped him here! Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2010
Kirby Puckett, AL Minnesota Twins (4) (1989)
-0.1 dWAR. While Puckett had a negative bWAR in terms of his defense he actually was his league’s position leader in Range Factor per Game. This would also be the third and final time he would finish first in Putouts. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.
Tony Gwynn, NL San Diego Padres (3) (1989)
-2.8 dWAR. What a mess. Let us first state how much we love Tony Gwynn as a hitter but this Gold Glove win marks one of the worst Defensive bWARs ever to win a Gold Glove with a sad -2.8. While Gwynn was coming off his third straight Batting Title, his highest defensive finish was fourth in Assists and he was not close to the top five among his league peers in anything else. This was an atrocious choice. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007.
Ken Griffey Jr., AL Seattle Mariners (1990)
0.5 dWAR. Ken Griffey Jr. began his decade of domination where not only would he be named an All Star throughout the 1990’s he would also named a Gold Glove winner each year. Some were more deserving then others, in the future first ballot Hall of Famer did not get off to the best start as in 1990 he did not finish in the top five in Range Factor per Game, Total Zone Runs and Fielding Percentage. Watch this as this will be a pattern for the first few Ken Griffey Jr. Gold Glove wins. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016.
Tony Gwynn, NL San Diego Padres (4) (1990)
0.3 dWAR. This was certainly a lot better than his last Gold Glove win, but again we don’t have a Gold Glove worthy season from Gwynn, although he was the leader among the National League Rightfielders in Range Factor per Game. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007.
Ken Griffey Jr., AL Seattle Mariners (2) (1991)
1.0 dWAR. Griffey Jr.’s second season would also see him not finish in the top five among his league position in Range Factor per Game, Total Zone Runs and Fielding Percentage but he showcased his powerful arm with 15 Assists. That netted him the American League lead among the Centerfielders. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016.
Kirby Puckett, AL Minnesota Twins (5) (1991)
0.1 dWAR. In 1991, Kirby Puckett was not able to crack the top five in Range Factor Per Game, Fielding Percentage, Total Zone Runs or even Putouts. This was not a spectacular season for Puckett with his glove but again his bat was string and more importantly he led the Twins to their second World Series where he was the ALCS MVP. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.
Tony Gwynn, NL San Diego Padres (5) (1991)
2.6 dWAR. Based on the first four Gold Gloves that Tony Gwynn won, did you think that he had this defensive season in him? In 1991, Gwynn led everyone in the National League with 28 Total Zone Runs and his 2.6 Defensive bWAR placed him second overall in the National League. Interestingly enough Tony Gwynn had another good defensive campaign in 1992 with 19 Total Zone Runs (third overall) and a Defensive bWAR of 1.7 (seventh overall). That season warranted a Gold Glove, so of course he did not get one. This was the last of five Gold Gloves he would win. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2007.
Ken Griffey Jr., AL Seattle Mariners (3) (1992)
-0.1 dWAR. While Ken Griffey Jr. continued to provide great offense his defense was not impeccable. He did for the first and only time finish first at his position in Fielding Percentage but again he was absent in the top five in Range Factor per Game and Total Zone Runs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016.
Kirby Puckett, AL Minnesota Twins (6) (1992)
0.6 dWAR. This would be the final Gold Glove win of Kirby Puckett’s career and again we state that he was only worthy of one, which was in the rookie season that he didn’t win the award. Puckett was the runner-up for the American League MVP award this year (his highest) was fourth among the AL Centerfielders in Fielding Percentage did not finish in the top five in any other category. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.
Ken Griffey Jr., AL Seattle Mariners (4) (1993)
0.9 dWAR. This was the first season that Griffey Jr. would finish in the top five at his position in Total Zone Runs and it was also his first of seven 40 Home Run seasons. The Seattle Mariner was about to hit is stride defensively but arguably he went four for four in curious Gold Glove selections up until tis point. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016.
Ken Griffey Jr., AL Seattle Mariners (5) (1994)
1.2 dWAR. In the strike-shortened 1994 season Ken Griffey Jr. finished ninth overall in Defensive bWAR, which as he first time he finished in the top ten in that sabremetric category. Griffey Jr. He would finish in second among the AL Centerfielders in Total Zone Runs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016.
Ken Griffey Jr., AL Seattle Mariners (6) (1995)
1.5 dWAR. This one is fascinating. In regards to Defensive bWAR he recorded what was then a career high 1.5 and his 15 Total Zone Runs led the American League Centerfielders. Amazingly, he did this in only 72 Games played yet this was to date the easiest Gold Glove win to defend. Only a freak athlete like Ken Griffey Jr. can accomplish this. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016.
Ken Griffey Jr., AL Seattle Mariners (7) (1996)
3.4 dWAR. Without question there is no doubt that this was the best defensive season of the career of Ken Griffey Jr. He would be the American League leader in Total Zone Runs with 32, which would be by far the highest of his career. Griffey Jr. was also first among all of the AL Outfielders in Range Factor per Game. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016.
Ken Griffey Jr., AL Seattle Mariners (8) (1997)
1.9 dWAR. Ken Griffey Jr. was named the American League MVP where he set career highs in Home Runs (56), Runs Batted In (147) and Slugging Percentage .646). Defensively he was strong with a second place at his league position in Total Zone Runs and third in Range Factor per Game. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016.
Ken Griffey Jr., AL Seattle Mariners (9) (1998)
0.1 dWAR. While Griffey’s offense remained on an elite level (he equaled the 56 Home Runs from the year before) his defense took a tumble as he fell out of the top five in Total Zone Runs though he was second in Range Factor per Game. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016.
Ken Griffey Jr., AL Seattle Mariners (10) (1999)
-0.9 dWAR. Griffey slid defensively again with a -.0.9 and a failure to reach the top ten among the AL Centerfielders in Range Factor per Game, Total Zone Runs and Fielding Percentage. While we feel that Griffey Jr. should be a three time Gold Glove winner as opposed to a ten time recipient he did have an overall Defensive bWAR as a Mariner of 9.2, so he was certainly more than adequate with his glove. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016.
The following are the players who have won the Gold Glove at Outfield who are eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame and have not been selected:
Minnie Minoso, ML Chicago White Sox (1957)
-0.2 dWAR. Finishing 8th in MVP voting, Minoso was an All Star for the fifth time in 1957. Minoso did not exactly put up good defensive metrics but in terms of his peers at Leftfield he was second in Total Zone Runs, third in Range Factor per Game and second in Assists. He did play the most games at Left, which at least showed he finished first at something. Minoso was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 21.1% of the ballot. Ranked #23 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jim Piersall, AL Boston Red Sox (1958)
1.5 dWAR. Piersall was the American League leader in Defensive bWAR in both 1955 and 1956 and was the fifth place finisher in 1958. Piersall was first among the AL Centerfielders in Total Zone Runs and was second in Range Factor per Game. Despite being eligible for the Hall of Fame in 1973 he was not on the ballot.
Norm Siebern, AL New York Yankees (1958)
0.6 dWAR. In terms of Defensive bWAR, this was the best season of Norm Siebern’s career, however it was the only one where he had a positive number and it was only 0.6. Siebern would finish first among the AL Leftfielders in Total Zone Runs but this was hardly a great defensive year. It likely didn’t hurt that he was a popular rookie on what would be a World Series Championship team. Despite being eligible for the Hall of Fame in 1974 he was not on the ballot.
Jackie Jensen, AL Boston Red Sox (1959)
0.3 dWAR. Jackie Jensen (historically speaking anyway) was a surprise MVP winner the year before and Jensen would win his only Gold Glove the year after. While the 0.3 Defensive bWAR isn’t great, it was actually the highest of his career and he would finish first in Range Factor per Game and second in Total Zone Runs among the AL Rightfielders. Jensen would retire the year after, though would make a comeback for one season in 1961. Jensen was on the ballot for six years and finished as high as 1.1% in 1968.
Minnie Minoso, AL (2) Cleveland Indians (1959)
0.7 dWAR. Minoso would finish first amongst American League Leftfielders in Assists and Total Zone Runs while being second in Range Factor per Game and Fielding Percentage. Minoso was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 21.1% of the ballot. Ranked #23 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jackie Brandt, NL San Francisco Giants (1959)
-0.6 dWAR. This was a very strange Gold Glove win as Jackie Brandt was not exactly a superstar and only led the National League Leftfielders in Fielding percentage. This was not a special defensive year and realistically Brandt never had one with the possible exception of 1964 as a Baltimore Oriole. Despite being eligible for the Hall of Fame in 1973 he was not on the ballot.
Jim Landis, AL Chicago White Sox (1960)
0.4 dWAR. Jim Landis had a case for the Gold Glove in 1959 where he finished 7th in MVP voting and led the AL in Total Zone Runs while finishing second in Defensive bWAR. This would not be the case for any of Landis’ five Gold Glove wins. In his first win Landis was not in the top two in any defensive stat for an American League Centerfielder. Despite being eligible for the Hall of Fame in 1973 he was not on the ballot.
Roger Maris, AL New York Yankees (1960)
1.4 dWAR. Roger Maris was known for a lot of things but his defensive skills were not often talked about. Maris’ best year with the glove was in fact this year, which was also his first of two straight MVPs. He would finish first among the AL Leftfielders in Total Zone Runs and Fielding Percentage and if he was ever going to be a Gold Glove winner, this was the year. Maris was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 43.1% of the ballot in 1988. Ranked #25 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Minnie Minoso, AL (3) Chicago White Sox (1960)
-1.5 dWAR. This definitely was not a Gold Glove worthy season and overall his career Defensive bWAR was -5.7, a number that does not scream defensive excellence. The only metric that Minoso finished first in 1960 was Assists and he was not a top five finisher in Total Zone Runs. A better choice could have been made here. Minoso was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 21.1% of the ballot. Ranked #23 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Wally Moon, NL Los Angeles Dodgers (1960)
0.4 dWAR. Wally Moon won the World Series was named an All Star and finished 4th in National League MVP voting and that might have bled into a strange Gold Glove win for him in 1960. This wasn’t the best year that a Leftfielder had but Moon led the National League Leftfielders in Total Zone Runs and Fielding Percentage. Moon was on the ballot for one year in 1971 and received 0.6% of the ballot.
Jim Landis, AL Chicago White Sox (2) (1961)
0.0 dWAR. Although Landis had a lower Defensive bWAR (0.0 from 0.4, he did finish first at his position in Range Factor per Game. Despite being eligible for the Hall of Fame in 1973 he was not on the ballot.
Jim Piersall, AL Cleveland Indians (2) (1961)
1.6 dWAR. Piersall finished ninth in the AL in Defensive bWAR and was also 13th overall in MVP voting. In terms of his position, he was first in Total Zone Runs, Range Factor per Game and Fielding Percentage. Despite being eligible for the Hall of Fame in 1973 he was not on the ballot.
Vada Pinson, NL Cincinnati Reds (1961)
1.8 dWAR. In terms of Defensive bWAR this was by far the best season defensively that Vada Pinson would have in his career. He finished first amongst the National League Centerfielders in Range Factor per Game and Total Zone Runs. He would never come close to doing that again. While Pinson will never be known for his defense this was the season he should have been. Pinson was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 15.7% in 1988. Pinson is ranked #85 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jim Landis, AL Chicago White Sox (3) (1962)
0.0 dWAR. Landis did not finish at the top among the American League Centerfielders but he was second in Range Factor per Game and Fielding Percentage. Notably, this was the only year where he was named an All Star. Despite being eligible for the Hall of Fame in 1973 he was not on the ballot.
Bill Virdon, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (1962)
0.3 dWAR. Bill Virdon was the National League Rookie of the Year for the Cardinals in 1955 and this would be his second and final individual accolade as a player. Virdon was a decent player over his long career but if he was meant to be a Gold Glove winner, this wasn’t the year. He was not in the mix to lead any Rightfielders in any defensive metric. Virdon was on the ballot for two years and finished as high as 0.8% in 1974.
Jim Landis, AL Chicago White Sox (4) (1963)
0.5 dWAR. For the first and only time in his career, Jim Landis would lead the American League Centerfielders in Fielding Percentage. Despite being eligible for the Hall of Fame in 1973 he was not on the ballot.
Curt Flood, NL St. Louis Cardinals (1963)
1.8 dWAR. While this was the first Gold Glove for Curt Flood, this was the fourth time he finished in the top ten in Defensive bWAR; this year he was eighth. Flood finished first amongst the National League Centerfielders in Putouts, Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game. Flood was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 15.1% in 1996.
Vic Davalillo, AL Cleveland Indians (1964)
-0.7 dWAR. There might have been some seasons where Vic Davalillo was Gold Glove material but 1964 was not one of them. While he did finish first among the American League Centerfielders in Fielding Percentage he would also finish first in Errors. He was also not in the top four in Range Factor Per Game or Total Zone Runs. Ideally, the bookend years (1963 or 1965) he might have had a case for the trophy. Davalillo was on the ballot in 1986 but did not receive any votes.
Jim Landis, AL Chicago White Sox (5) (1964)
0.2 dWAR. In what would be the last Gold Glove of Jim Landis’ career, the Centerfielder failed to finish in the top five in any significant defensive statistic, which has been a trend in Gold Glove recipients. We will see this again soon. Despite being eligible for the Hall of Fame in 1973 he was not on the ballot.
Curt Flood, NL St. Louis Cardinals (2) (1964)
1.4 dWAR. 1964 was a special year for Curt Flood as he went to his first All Star Game, won his first World Series and finished eleventh in MVP voting, Defensively Flood finished eighth overall in the NL in Defensive bWAR but did not finish first in any defensive category. He did however finish second amongst his peers in Total Zone Runs, Range Factor per Game and Fielding Percentage. Flood was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 15.1% in 1996.
Tom Tresh, AL New York Yankees (1965)
-1.4 dWAR. A former Rookie of the Year (1962) Tresh would have a few good defensive seasons in baseball but 1965 was not one and he was nowhere close to finishing in the top three in any major defensive metric. This was a horrible choice and you have to wonder if there was a Yankee bias in play. Tresh did not play the mandatory ten seasons to qualify for Hall of Fame consideration.
Curt Flood, NL St. Louis Cardinals (3) (1965)
-0.2 dWAR. While Curt Flood was a deserving winner for his two Gold Gloves, Flood did not really earn this one. The St. Louis Cardinal was nowhere near the top in any defensive statistic. Flood was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 15.1% in 1996.
Tony Oliva, AL Minnesota Twins (1966)
0.8 dWAR. Tony Oliva is accurately applauded for his offensive skills but there were a few seasons where his defensive metrics were pretty good. The Minnesota Twin would win his only Gold Glove in 1966 where he was tops among the American League Rightfielders in Putouts, Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game. Oliva was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 47.3% in 1988. Ranked #31 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Tommie Agee, AL Chicago White Sox (1966)
1.7 dWAR. Named the American League Rookie of the Year Agee finished ninth overall in Defensive bWAR in the league. Agee finished first in Putouts and Total Zone Runs. Agee was on the ballot for one year in 1979 but did not receive any votes.
Curt Flood, NL St. Louis Cardinals (4) (1966)
1.2 dWAR. Flood would go to his second All Star Game and he would rebound defensively. He would lead the Centerfielders in the NL in Putouts and Fielding Percentage. Flood was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 15.1% in 1996.
Paul Blair, AL Baltimore Orioles (1967)
2.4 dWAR. Paul Blair had already assisted the Baltimore Orioles in winning the World Series the year before but it was in ’67 where he cemented himself as an everyday player. Blair would finish third overall in the AL in Defensive bWAR and in Total Zone Runs. At his league position he was first in Putouts, Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game. Blair was on the ballot for one year and finished in 1986 and received 1.9% of the vote.
Curt Flood, NL St. Louis Cardinals (5) (1967)
0.6 dWAR. This year would see Flood finish first in Range Factor per Game among not only the National League Centerfielders but all NL Outfielders. Flood was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 15.1% in 1996.
Reggie Smith, AL Boston Red Sox (1968)
0.7 dWAR. Reggie Smith would become a feared power hitter but he wasn’t considered a defensive superstar. He did however in 1968 lead all of the American League Outfielders in Putouts and had a respectable second place finish in Total Zone Runs among those at his position in the AL. Smith was on the ballot for one year in 1988 and finished with 0.7% of the vote.
Mickey Stanley, AL Detroit Tigers (1968)
1.0 dWAR. Everything was coming up Detroit in 1968 and Mickey Stanley would ride that to his first Gold Glove and a World Series ring. Stanley had a perfect Fielding Percentage and finished third in Total Zone Runs. Stanley was on the ballot for one year in 1984 and finished with 0.5% of the vote.
Curt Flood, NL St. Louis Cardinals (6) (1968)
-0.4 dWAR. Arguably, this would be the best season of Curt Flood’s career as in 1968 he was named to his third (and final) All Star Game, would help the Cardinals win the World Series and was fourth in MVP voting. Although Flood had a negative Defensive bWAR he was still first among all of the National League Centerfielders in Putouts and Range Factor per Game. Flood was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 15.1% in 1996.
Paul Blair, AL Baltimore Orioles (2) (1969)
2.8 dWAR. Arguably this was the best season of Paul Blair’s career. He would set career highs in bWAR, Hits and Home Runs and would go to jhis first of two All Star Games. He would also finish eleventh in MVP voting (another career high). Specifically in regards to his defensive statistics Blair was fourth overall in Defensive bWAR and was first overall in the American League in Total Zone Runs. In terms of American League Centerfielders he was the leader in Putouts, Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game. Blair was on the ballot for one year and finished in 1986 and received 1.9% of the ballot.
Mickey Stanley, AL Detroit Tigers (2) (1969)
0.2 dWAR. While it would be possible to defend the Mickey Stanley’s first Gold Glove, his second one is difficult to justify. He did not finish in the top five in any defensive category. Stanley was on the ballot for one year in 1984 and finished with 0.5% of the vote.
Curt Flood, NL St. Louis Cardinals (7) (1969)
0.7 dWAR. This would be the seventh and final Gold Glove for Flood and overall he was a decent defensive player he was not worth a touchdown worth of defensive hardware. In this year he would finish first in Putouts and Fielding Percentage. Now we have to look at doing a piece on players who were more influential than you think! Free agency is because of Curt Flood! But that is another story… Flood was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 15.1% in 1996.
Pete Rose, NL Cincinnati Reds (1969)
-1.1 dWAR. Anyone who has visited this site on even a semi-regular basis knows that we are huge advocates of Pete Rose entering the Baseball Hall of Fame. At no point have we ever said it was because of his defense. Rose played multiple positions in the field and bluntly he was not a great player with the glove during the bulk of his career. In what would be his first of two Gold Gloves. Rose would finish second among the National League Rightfielders in Range Factor per Game, but he was not in the mix anywhere else. Pete Rose is currently banned from the Baseball Hall of Fame. Rose is ranked #1A on Notinhalloffame.com.
Ken Berry, AL Chicago White Sox (1970)
0.2 dWAR. This was a very strange selection as Ken Berry was not in the top five in any defensive statistic, nor was he basking in the glow of a championship team or the overflow of an All Star year. We will need a lot of help to understand what went wrong here. Berry was on the ballot for one year in 1981 but did not receive any votes.
Paul Blair, AL Baltimore Orioles (3) (1970)
2.7 dWAR. Paul Blair has another incredible year with his glove and would finish third overall in Defensive WAR and was second in Total Zone Runs. Amongst the AL Centerfielders Blair would be atop the leaderboard in Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game. More importantly to Blair and the Baltimore Orioles, he would win the World Series for the second time. Blair was on the ballot for one year and finished in 1986 and received 1.9% of the ballot.
Mickey Stanley, AL Detroit Tigers (3) (1970)
-0.4 dWAR. Despite the negative Defensive bWAR Stanley had a perfect Fielding Percentage, the second of his career. This was however a player who could not save runs by doing anything extraordinary in the field. This does, and should matter. Stanley was on the ballot for one year in 1984 and finished with 0.5% of the vote.
Tommie Agee, NL New York Mets (1970)
1.3 dWAR. Winning his second and final Gold Glove the year after he was part of the Miracle Mets, Tommie Agee would actually lead the National League Centerfielders in Errors but was also the top finisher in Putouts and Total Zone Runs. Agee was on the ballot for one year in 1979 but did not receive any votes.
Pete Rose, NL Cincinnati Reds (2) (1970)
-0.3 dWAR. Rose would win his second straight (and final) Gold Glove where he was not exactly a worthy recipient, though this was light years better than the first. He would actually finish first among all National League Outfielders in Fielding Percentage and was a respectable third amongst the NL Rightfielders in Total Zone Runs. It is certainly worth noting that when he switched to Leftfield, he would drastically improve with a first place finish in Total Zone Runs in 1973, which was bookended by third place finishes. All of these years also had a positive Defensive bWAR. Essentially what we are saying is that if you are to give Pete Rose two Gold Gloves you picked the wrong two years. Pete Rose is currently banned from the Baseball Hall of Fame. Rose is ranked #1A on Notinhalloffame.com.
Paul Blair, AL Baltimore Orioles (4) (1971)
0.8 dWAR. While this was statistically a down year for Paul Blair defensively, he would be named an All Star for the second and final time. While he had much fewer Total Zone Runs (8 from 26 from the previous year), it was still enough to lead all the Centerfielders of the American League. He would also finish first for the second time in Fielding Percentage (the first being 1965). Blair was on the ballot for one year and finished in 1986 and received 1.9% of the ballot.
Amos Otis, AL Kansas City Royals (1971)
0.7 dWAR. In the early 1970’s Amos Otis became a popular player despite being on an awful Kansas City team, and offensively he was very good…however his speed masked a defensive career that was average at best. 1971 would mark Otis’ first Gold Glove and it wasn’t a bad year for the Kansas City Royal with the glove. He would lead all American League Outfielders in Putouts, while also finishing second in Range Factor per Game among Centerfielders. This was not a Gold Glove worthy year, bit we have seen worse…and will from Otis himself. Otis was on the ballot for one year in 1990
Willie Davis, NL Los Angeles Dodgers (1971)
0.7 dWAR. Before we talk about Willie Davis’s 1971 defensive season, there are two things that stand out. The first is that in 1964 he was first overall in the National League in Defensive WAR and Total Zone Runs and he did not win the Gold Glove. Ok…those were not stats yet, but even more notable is that Willie Davis who has over 2,500 career Hits and a bWAR over 60 never even made the Hall of Fame ballot! This makes Davis the best player ever not to make a Baseball Hall of Fame ballot. In regards to 1971 Davis would go to his first All Star Game and was first among the National League Centerfielders in Putouts and was second in Total Zone Runs. This was not a bad year, but not the campaign where he broke his Gold Glove cherry! Although Davis was eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985, he was not on the ballot.
Ken Berry, AL California Angels (2) (1972)
0.8 dWAR. The second and final Gold Glove win of Ken Berry’s career at least had something you could argue for. Berry had a perfect 1.000 Fielding Percentage and he had a league leading 13 Assists among all American League Outfielders. He should not have won this one either, but at least a statistical argument could be made from some point of view. Berry was on the ballot for one year in 1981 but did not receive any votes.
Paul Blair, AL Baltimore Orioles (5) (1972)
2.1 dWAR. Once again, Paul Blair finished in the top five in the American League in Defensive bWAR (fourth) and Total Zone Runs (third) though this would be the last time he would accomplish either. For the sixth season in a row he was number one amongst the AL Centerfielders in Total Zone Runs. Blair was on the ballot for one year and finished in 1986 and received 1.9% of the ballot.
Bobby Murcer, AL New York Yankees (1972)
0.1 dWAR. Huh? Bobby Murcer had a career Defensive bWAR of -15.8 and all of the pertinent statistics show that at his best he could only be considered average. This was one of those “average” seasons actually as Murcer would have the most Putouts among all American League Outfielders and he was fourth amongst the Centerfielders in Range Factor per Game but he was also not in the top five in Total Zone Runs. In fact, he never was. Notably, 1972 was one of his best offensive seasons where he finished second in Home Runs (33) and fourth in OPS (.898) and finished fifth in MVP voting. Apparently this made him a better fielder too. Murcer was on the ballot for one year in 1989 and received 0.7% of the vote.
Cesar Cedeno, NL Houston Astros (1972)
0.3 dWAR. Cesar Cedeno was certainly the spark plug of the Astros’ offense in the 1970’s and in 1972 he had one of his best seasons posting career highs in Hits (179), Batting Average (.320), Slugging Percentage (.537) and OPS (.921) en route to a sixth place finish in National League MVP voting (also a career high). He was however just average in the outfield and the excitement of his offense brought him an award on defense. His highest defensive stat was a third place finish in Putouts for National League Centerfielders. Cedeno was on the ballot for one year in 1992 and finished with 0.5% of the vote.
Willie Davis, NL Los Angeles Dodgers (2) (1972)
1.5 dWAR. David finished tenth overall in Defensive bWAR and second in Total Zone Runs in the National League. At his position, he would finish first in Total Zone Runs. Although Davis was eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985, he was not on the ballot.
Paul Blair, AL Baltimore Orioles (6) (1973)
2.2 dWAR. While we said previously that he would never again crack the top five in American League Defensive bWAR he was still good enough for seventh overall. Amongst his league peers at his position Blair was second in Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game. Blair was on the ballot for one year and finished in 1986 and received 1.9% of the ballot.
Amos Otis, AL Kansas City Royals (2) (1973)
-1.3 dWAR. While Amos Otis would go to his fourth All Star Game and post some of his best offensive numbers, his defense was not anywhere close to what a Gold Glove recipient should be. Otis did not even sniff the top of any defensive metric for AL Centerfielders and again might have won this based on his overall athleticism and not actual defensive performance. Otis was on the ballot for one year in 1990 but did not receive any votes.
Mickey Stanley, AL Detroit Tigers (4) (1973)
-0.3 dWAR. Stanley’s highest finish was second among his position in Fielding Percentage but again this was not a dynamic defensive player by any means. While he did win four Gold Gloves it was four too many. Stanley was on the ballot for one year in 1984 and finished with 0.5% of the vote.
Cesar Cedeno, NL Houston Astros (2) (1973)
0.9 dWAR. Cedeno would go to his second of four All Star Games but this is the first and only time he would be voted in. Cedeno posted a very similar offense to the year before. Defensively Cedeno was third amongst the National League Centerfielders in Fielding Percentage and Total Zone Runs and second in Range Factor per Game. Cedeno was on the ballot for one year in 1992 and finished with 0.5% of the vote.
Willie Davis, NL Los Angeles Dodgers (3) (1973)
1.0 dWAR. For what would be his third and final Gold Glove, Willie Davis would finish second among all of the NL Centerfielders in Total Zone Runs, which would be his highest finish. Three Gold Gloves for Davis seems accurate, though like so many here we have to dispute the years in which we won them. Although Davis was eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985, he was not on the ballot.
Paul Blair, AL Baltimore Orioles (7) (1974)
1.7 dWAR. For the seventh and final time Paul Blair would be first among all of the AL Centerfielders in Total Zone Runs. He would also finish second in Range Factor per Game. Blair was on the ballot for one year and finished in 1986 and received 1.9% of the ballot.
Amos Otis, AL Kansas City Royals (3) (1974)
0.6 dWAR. In what was the third and final Gold Glove win for Amos Otis, we again see a player who was nowhere close to being at the top of his peers in a defensive category. This was a case of looking good, but not necessarily performing good. Incidentally, had he won this in 1978 where he was the league leaser in Total Zone Runs he would at least have a Gold Glove in his trophy case that was warranted. Otis was on the ballot for one year in 1990 but did not receive any votes.
Joe Rudi, AL Oakland Athletics (1974)
-0.5 dWAR. The Oakland A’s in 1974 won their third straight World Series and Joe Rudi might have benefited from this success by winning a trio of Gold Gloves. Rudi may have been the American League MVP runner-up but defensively he wasn’t up to snuff. He was second overall in Fielding Percentage among the Leftfielders of the AL but he was not in the top five in any other category. Rudi was on the ballot for one year in 1988 but did not receive any votes.
Cesar Cedeno, NL Houston Astros (3) (1974)
0.9 dWAR. Cedeno would lead all National League Outfielders in Putouts while finish second in Range Factor per Game and third in Total Zone Runs among those playing Center. This was not a terrible year but not exactly screaming Gold Glove either. Cedeno was on the ballot for one year in 1992 and finished with 0.5% of the vote.
Cesar Geronimo, NL Cincinnati Reds (1974)
2.4 dWAR. A member of Cincinnati’s famed “Big Red Machine”, Cesar Geronimo won his first of four Gold Gloves in convincing fashion. He would place fifth and first in Defensive bWAR and Total Zone Runs respectively while also finishing first among all National League Outfielders in Range Factor per Game. Geronimo was on the ballot for one year in 1989 but did not receive any votes.
Paul Blair, AL Baltimore Orioles (8) (1975)
1.4 dWAR. It can certainly be argued that Paul Blair should not have won all eight of his Gold Gloves, there was still no bad win like others who have won as many Gold Gloves as he did. In regards to 1975, Blair finished first among the Centerfielders of the AL in Fielding Percentage with a second place rank in Total Zone Runs. Overall, Paul Blair is tenth all-time in Total Zone Runs, sixtieth in Defensive bWAR and has a claim as being one of the elite defensive outfielders in the game’s history. Blair was on the ballot for one year and finished in 1986 and received 1.9% of the ballot.
Fred Lynn, AL Boston Red Sox (1975)
0.9 dWAR. This was Fred Lynn’s famed rookie season where he won not only the Rookie of the Year but was named the American League Most Valuable Player. Lynn’s hype may have led him to a Gold Glove that he wasn’t quite ready for as he finished fifth in Total Zone Runs among the American League Centerfielders and was third in Range Factor per Game. This isn’t bad, but not exactly Gold Glove worthy. Lynn was on the ballot for two years finishing as high as 5.5% in 1996.
Joe Rudi, AL Oakland Athletics (2) (1975)
-0.5 dWAR. Rudi’s second Gold Glove win was just as inexplicable as his first as he did not finish in the top five in any defensive statistic. Rudi was on the ballot for one year in 1988 but did not receive any votes.
Cesar Cedeno, NL Houston Astros (4) (1975)
-0.5 dWAR. This was a terrible choice. Cedeno finished fifth in Range Factor per Game among his NL peers but was in no other top five defensive list. This is another example of winning a Gold Glove on reputation though Cedeno probably never should have such a reputation in the first place. Cedeno was on the ballot for one year in 1992 and finished with 0.5% of the vote.
Cesar Geronimo, NL Cincinnati Reds (2) (1975)
2.7 dWAR. Geronimo had an even better defensive season with Cincinnati than in his first win in ’74. Geronimo increased his Defensive bWAR from 2.4 to 2.7 while also increasing his Total Zone Runs from 22 to 25. This put him second and first respectively in those statistics in the National League. In addition he was second among his league position (Centerfield) in Range Factor per Game and Fielding Percentage. However, most important for Geronimo, the Reds would win the World Series this year. Geronimo was on the ballot for one year in 1989 but did not receive any votes.
Garry Maddox, NL San Francisco Giants/Philadelphia Phillies (1975)
1.3 dWAR. Garry Maddox would be traded early in the season from the Giants to Philadelphia and thus would begin eight straight Gold Gloves. In what would be his first Gold Glove, Maddox would finish first among the National Centerfielders in Assists while finishing second in Range Factor per Game and Total Zone Runs. Maddox was on the ballot for one year in 1992 but did not receive any votes.
Dwight Evans, AL Boston Red Sox (1976)
1.1 dWAR. Buckle up buckaroo...We love Dwight Evans but not his eight Gold Gloves. Evans would have a plus 2 Defensive bWAR in both 1974 and 1975 so of course he did not win a Gold Glove in those seasons. 1976, which was his first Gold Glove win was still decent defensively. Splitting time between Rightfield and Centerfield, he was fourth overall among all Outfielders in Total Zone Runs and had the highest Fielding Percentage at Right. Evans was on the ballot for three years and finished as high as 10.4% in 1998. He is ranked #21 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Rick Manning, AL Cleveland Indians (1976)
-0.2 dWAR. Rick Manning’s best season in baseball was in 1976 but to say that this was a great defensive year would be a fallacy. Actually Rick Manning was never a very good defensive player. In what would be his only Gold Glove, Manning would finish in the top five in only one stat, Fielding Percentage where he was fourth among American League Centerfielders. Although Manning was eligible for the Hall of Fame in 1993 he was not on the ballot.
Joe Rudi, AL Oakland Athletics (3) (1976)
-0.6 dWAR. At least in 1976 Joe Rudi is the American League Leftfielder leader in Fielding Percentage. That is the good news, but you probably see where we are going here. Rudi failed to crack the top five in Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game. For what it is worth, Rudi DID lead the AL Leftfielders in Total Zone Runs (1971 & 1973), years in which he had a positive Defensive bWAR and you could have made a stronger case. Such is life for the Gold Glove. Rudi was on the ballot for one year in 1988 but did not receive any votes.
Cesar Cedeno, NL Houston Astros (5) (1976)
-0.1 dWAR. 1976 would see Ceasr Cedeno go to his last All Star Game and win his fifth and final Gold Glove, though this would be another suspect win. He played the most games defensively at Center and also made the most Errors. He also failed to land in the top five at his position in Range Factor per Game and Total Zone Runs. With a career Defensive bWAR of -4.3 and -0.5 as an Astro it is difficult to justify Cedeno as a five time Gold Glove recipient. Cedeno was on the ballot for one year in 1992 and finished with 0.5% of the vote.
Cesar Geronimo, NL Cincinnati Reds (3) (1976)
-0.7 dWAR. This was actually a good year overall for Cesar Geronimo. He batted over .300 for the first and only time and also had career highs in OBP (.382), Slugging Percentage (.414), Hits (149) and Stolen Bases (22). He actually received a vote for the MVP Award and the Reds repeated as World Series Champions. This did however cloud the fact that his 1976 season was not great defensively and apart from a third place finish in Fielding Percentage among the National League Centerfielders there was nothing remotely good here. Geronimo was on the ballot for one year in 1989 but did not receive any votes.
Garry Maddox, NL Philadelphia Phillies (2) (1976)
2.3 dWAR. 1976 was Garry Maddox’ first full season and it was arguably his best. This would see Maddox set career highs in all Slash Line components (.330/.377/.456) Hits (175) and Doubles (37) while solidifying himself as one of the elite defensive Outfielders in the game. Maddox become known in Philadelphia as the “Secretary of Defense” and a famed line emerged that “two thirds of the planet are covered by water and the rest by Garry Maddox”. Finishing fifth in MVP voting and first in Defensive WAR, Maddox also was the National League leader in Total Zone Runs. At his position he also was tops in Putouts, Assists and Range Factor per Game. Maddox was on the ballot for one year in 1992 but did not receive any votes.
Juan Beniquez, AL Texas Rangers (1977)
1.0 dWAR. In 1976, Juan Beniquez had the best defensive season of his career. He finished fifth in the AL in Defensive bWAR and would lead all of the American League Centerfielders in Total Zone Runs. So of course, he would win the Gold Glove in the SEASON AFTER, where he did not accomplish those feats. Instead in 1977 he was decent defensively with a fourth place finish among Centerfielders in Total Zone Runs. This win was clearly one year too late! Although Beniquez was Hall of Fame eligible in 1993 he was not on the ballot.
Al Cowens, AL Kansas City Royals (1977)
0.2 dWAR. 1977 was by far the greatest offensive season that Al Cowens would have as he would be the American League MVP runner-up and set career highs in Hits (189), Home Runs (23) Runs Batted In (112) and every aspect of the Slash Line (.312/.361/525). Apparently this meant that he was better with his glove that season though he was essentially average at playing Rightfield. That was however good enough to lead the AL in that position in Total Zone Runs, which can somewhat justify this award. Although Cowens was Hall of Fame eligible in 1992 he was not on the ballot.
Cesar Geronimo, NL Cincinnati Reds (4) (1977)
0.3 dWAR. The goodwill of the Reds success continued as Geronimo obtained a fourth Gold Glove, the second straight one that was unwarranted. Like his last win, the defensive highlight here was a third place finish among his league peers in Fielding Percentage. This would be the final Gold Glove of Cesar Geronimo’s career. Geronimo was on the ballot for one year in 1989 but did not receive any votes.
Garry Maddox, NL Philadelphia Phillies (3) (1977)
1.4 dWAR. While this wasn’t that close to what Garry Maddox accomplished in the previous season this was still a good defensive campaign. Maddox still was second in Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game among all of the Centerfielders of the National League. Maddox was on the ballot for one year in 1992 but did not receive any votes.
Dave Parker, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (1977)
2.0 dWAR. When you think of Dave Parker you think of the Pittsburgh Pirates, offense and cocaine, though probably not in that order. Defense is not something Parker was known for and with a career Defensive WAR of -14.3 he shouldn’t be, though this did not stop him from winning three Gold Gloves, though the first of which was completely earned. In 1977 “The Cobra” had a Defensive bWAR of 2.0, which was only one of three positive seasons in that metric he had. He was first in the National League in Total Zone Runs, sixth in Defensive WAR and was first among the RIghtfielders in the NL in Range Factor per Game. To ice the cake he was also first at his league position in Putouts and Assists. These however are all things we won’t be able to say again. Parker was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 24.5% in 1998. He is ranked #24 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Dwight Evans, AL Boston Red Sox (2) (1978)
-0.1 dWAR. 1978 would see Dwight Evans go to his first All Star Game and defensively he would finish first among all of the AL Rightfielders in Putouts but was only fifth in Range Factor per Game and did not place in the top five in Total Zone Runs. This is a hard one to justify. Evans was on the ballot for three years and finished as high as 10.4% in 1998. He is ranked #21 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Fred Lynn, AL Boston Red Sox (2) (1978)
-0.3 dWAR. While Fred Lynn’s bat remained strong in the 70’s, his defense was still average on a good day. Lynn’s highest defensive stat was second among AL Centerfielders in Assists. There was not anything else close. This isn’t exactly a Gold Glove season is it? Lynn was on the ballot for two years finishing as high as 5.5% in 1996.
Rick Miller, AL California Angels (1978)
0.1 dWAR. There are some players who win a Gold Glove because they are offensive superstars and it floats over to Gold Glove voting. This isn’t the case for Rick Miller who did not display anything in any season to warrant a Gold Glove. In this season, Miller was third amongst the American League Rightfielders but that was about it. This is one of the stranger Gold Glove wins in an award that excels at finding strange homes. Although Miller was Hall of Fame eligible in 1991 he was not on the ballot.
Garry Maddox, NL Philadelphia Phillies (4) (1978)
2.2 dWAR. For the third and final time Maddox would receive MVP votes (21st overall) and he was fourth in the NL in Defensive bWAR and second in Total Zone Runs. Amongst the National League Centerfielders Maddox was the leader in Putouts, Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game. Maddox was on the ballot for one year in 1992 but did not receive any votes.
Dave Parker, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (2) (1978)
-0.6 dWAR. This would be the season where Dave Parker won the National League MVP Award and some of that shine extended to an unwarranted second Gold Glove. Parker was second at Range Factor per Game but was not a top five finisher in Total Zone Runs. Parker was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 24.5% in 1998. He is ranked #24 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Ellis Valentine, NL Montreal Expos (1978)
1.4 dWAR. An All Star in 1977, Ellis Valentine had an even better 1978 as he recorded career highs in both Offensive (3.5) and Defensive bWAR (1.4). The Montreal Expos Rightfielder led all NL Outfielders with 25 Assists and was position leader in Total Zone Runs. Valentine would never have a season like this again. Valentine was on the ballot for one year in 1991 and received 0.2% of the vote.
Dwight Evans, AL Boston Red Sox (3) (1979)
1.5 dWAR. Evans rebounded defensively leading all of the AL Rightfielders in Putouts, Assists, Fielding Percentage and Total Zone Runs. Evans would actually finish fourth overall in the American League in Total Zone Runs. Evans was on the ballot for three years and finished as high as 10.4% in 1998. He is ranked #21 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Sixto Lezcano, AL Milwaukee Brewers (1979)
-1.1 dWAR. 1979 would see Sixto Lezcano post career highs offensively in Hits (152), Home Runs (28) and the triumvirate of the Slash Line (.321/.414/.573) and he finished fifteenth in American League MVP voting. You already know where we are going here don’t you? Lezcano also set a career low in Defensive bWAR and he failed to finish in the top five in Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game. This award almost feels like it was a consolation prize. Although Lezcano was Hall of Fame eligible in 1991 he was not on the ballot.
Fred Lynn, AL Boston Red Sox (3) (1979)
1.0 dWAR. Fred Lynn’s 1975 rookie season might be the most ballyhooed but his best year was actually 1979 where he set career highs in Home Runs (39), Runs Batted In (122), Batting Average (.333), On Base Percentage (.423), Slugging Percentage (.637), WAR (8.9) and even Defensive WAR (1.0). Lynn probably should not have won this Gold Glove either but he was second overall among the AL Centerfielders in Total Zone Runs and with the success of his overall year you could see how he won this award. Lynn was on the ballot for two years finishing as high as 5.5% in 1996.
Garry Maddox, NL Philadelphia Phillies (5) (1979)
2.8 dWAR. In terms of his overall defensive play, 1979 was the best ever for Garry Maddox. For the second time he was the National League leader in Defensive WAR and Total Zone Runs, but he had approximately 25 percent higher numbers than he did when he first accomplished that in 1976. Topping it off for the sixth (and final) time he was first among all of the NL Outfielders in Range Factor per Game. Sadly, when you say this was the “best season of a career” you know it can only go down from there. Maddox was on the ballot for one year in 1992 but did not receive any votes.
Dave Parker, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (3) (1979)
-0.5 dWAR. 1979 wasn’t much different than the year before as Parker had good offense, the Pirates were good and Parker did not do much defensively. His highlight was a third place finish in Range Factor per Game among the National League Rightfielders but this was the year of Pirates, as the team would win the World Series. Parker would decline until a two year rejuvenation with Cincinnati took place in the mid-80’s but he would never win another Gold Glove again. Parker was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 24.5% in 1998. He is ranked #24 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Fred Lynn, AL Boston Red Sox (4) (1980)
0.9 dWAR. In what was Fred Lynn’s fourth and final Gold Glove he would finish first in Fielding Percentage amongst the American League Centerfielders and was also second in Assists and Total Zone Runs. Arguably this is his best Gold Glove win and possibly the only one that can be justified. Lynn was on the ballot for two years finishing as high as 5.5% in 1996.
Dwayne Murphy, AL Oakland Athletics (1980)
2.5 dWAR. Dwayne Murphy would have what has to be regarded as his finest defensive campaign of his career and he was second overall in the AL in Defensive bWAR with his career high of 2.5. In this season he would also have a career high 22 Total Zone Runs (good enough for second overall in the AL) and he would also lead the American League Centerfielders in Range Factor per Game. This was his first of six Gold Gloves and as we will see by far the most deserving. Although Murphy was Hall of Fame eligible in 1995 he was not on the ballot.
Willie Wilson, AL Kansas City Royals (1980)
2.2 dWAR. Willie Wilson finished fourth in American League MVP voting and he earned it as he led the AL in Hits (230), Runs Scored (130), Triples (15) and he batted .326. Defensively, he was also excellent with a career high Defensive bWAR of 2.2, which was good enough for third overall and he led the AL in Total Zone Runs with a career high of 24. Wilson was on the ballot for one year in 2000 and finished with 2.0% of the vote.
Garry Maddox, NL Philadelphia Phillies (6) (1980)
1.3 dWAR. While he did drop off defensively his defensive campaign was nothing to sneeze at. While he dropped from 26 to 12 Total Zone Runs, that still led all of the National League Centerfielders. In addition Maddox was a more than respectable second at his league position in Range Factor per Game. However the most important factor of all was that the Philadelphia Phillies finally put it altogether and won the World Series. Fittingly it was Garry Maddox who recorded the final out. Maddox was on the ballot for one year in 1992 but did not receive any votes.
Dwight Evans, AL Boston Red Sox (4) (1981)
1.1 dWAR. Even though this was a strike-shortened season, 1981 might have been the best of “Dewey’s” career. Evans won the Home Run and OPS Title while going to his second All Star Game and finishing a career high third in American League MVP voting. In terms of his glove, Evans would finish second in Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game at his league position. Evans was on the ballot for three years and finished as high as 10.4% in 1998. He is ranked #21 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Dwayne Murphy, AL Oakland Athletics (2) (1981)
1.1 dWAR. In the strike-shortened season of 1981, Dwayne Murphy would have his only season where he received MVP votes (he finished eleventh). He would again lead the AL Centerfielders in Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game. Although Murphy was Hall of Fame eligible in 1995 he was not on the ballot.
Dusty Baker, NL Los Angeles Dodgers (1981)
-0.7 dWAR. Dusty Baker would have a solid career in Major League Baseball but there is no reason to think that he was ever a Gold Glove worthy Outfielder. Baker went to the All Star Game and helped the Dodgers win the World Series but he did not do anything that should have helped him win Gold Glove hardware. Sometimes, the good guys win! Davis was on the ballot for one year in 1992 and finished with 0.9% of the ballot.
Garry Maddox, NL Philadelphia Phillies (7) (1981)
0.7 dWAR. This was the season where Maddox’s skills were in obvious decline but he still had the name value to get a seventh (and as will be mentioned an eighth) Gold Glove. His Total Zone Runs dropped in half (12 to 6) from the previous year yet this was still good enough for second at his league position. He was also third at Range Factor per Game. Maddox was on the ballot for one year in 1992 but did not receive any votes.
Dwight Evans, AL Boston Red Sox (5) (1982)
-0.5 dWAR. This would begin a four year run of negative bWAR Gold Glove wins by Evans. While he finished 7th in MVP voting and did play the most games in the AL at Rightfield he would lead his peers in only two categories: Putouts and Errors. Evans was on the ballot for three years and finished as high as 10.4% in 1998. He is ranked #21 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Dwayne Murphy, AL Oakland Athletics (3) (1982)
1.3 dWAR. For the third season in a row, Dwayne Murphy would lead the American League Centerfielders in Putouts, Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game. He would also for the first and only time finish first among his league peers in Assists. Although Murphy was Hall of Fame eligible in 1995 he was not on the ballot.
Garry Maddox, NL Philadelphia Phillies (8) (1982)
0.3 dWAR. In 1982 Garry Maddox would for the first and only time in his career lead his position in Fielding Percentage, but this was a far more careful Garry Maddox who took far less chances. He was no longer in the top five in Total Zone Runs or Range Factor per Game and never would be again. This would be his last Gold Glove and while he didn’t win this award at the top of his defensive game, he earned a lot of these awards, which is more than be can said about many other eight or more time Gold Glove winners. Maddox was on the ballot for one year in 1992 but did not receive any votes.
Dale Murphy, NL Atlanta Braves (1982)
0.0 dWAR. Oh boy. Buckle up, as this one is about to get messy, especially considering he won five Gold Gloves and should not have won any of them! Don’t get us wrong as we love Murphy but it was his offense that stirred his drink and he was not an exceptional defensive player. Murphy was named the National League Most Valuable Player but defensively he was not in the top five in any category. Get used to that as we continue. Murphy was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 23.2% in 2000. He is ranked #33 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Dwight Evans, AL Boston Red Sox (6) (1983)
-1.0 dWAR. Dwight Evans would finish second in Range Factor per Game but that was it as he was not in the top five in any other category among the American League Rightfielders. Evans was on the ballot for three years and finished as high as 10.4% in 1998. He is ranked #21 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Dwayne Murphy, AL Oakland Athletics (4) (1983)
0.7 dWAR. Murphy regressed defensively in 1983 and he did not finish first in any major defensive category. That being said, Murphy was still second among the American League Centerfielders in Range Factor per Game and he was fourth in Total Zone Runs. Although Murphy was Hall of Fame eligible in 1995 he was not on the ballot.
Willie McGee, NL St. Louis Cardinals (1983)
0.3 dWAR. Willie McGee of the St. Louis Cardinals went to his first All Star Game in 1983 and would also earn his first Gold Glove this year. McGee was not exactly worthy this year as his best defensive statistic was finishing fifth in Range Factor per Game amongst the National League Centerfielders. McGee was on the ballot for two years and finished as high as 5.0% in 2005.
Dale Murphy, NL Atlanta Braves (2) (1983)
0.1 dWAR. Murphy repeated as the National League MVP in 1983 but he also repeated with mediocre defensive play. This season he would at least finish fifth among the National League Centerfielders in Total Zone Runs (with a whopping 3) and was also fifth in Fielding Percentage. Let’s just say that it this point Murphy was two for two in unwarranted Gold Gloves. Murphy was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 23.2% in 2000. He is ranked #33 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Dwight Evans, AL Boston Red Sox (7) (1984)
-1.6 dWAR. Evans played the most game at Rightfield and expectedly led everyone in the AL at that position in Putouts and was second in Fielding Percentage. While he did finish fourth in Total Zone Runs (remember he played the most games) he failed to crack the top five in Range Factor per Game. Evans was on the ballot for three years and finished as high as 10.4% in 1998. He is ranked #21 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Dwayne Murphy, AL Oakland Athletics (5) (1984)
-0.1 dWAR. Murphy regressed again and with a negative Defensive bWAR if you assumed that he did not finish first in any Defensive metric you would be right. He also did not finish in the top five in among the AL Centerfielders in Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game and of the six Gold Gloves he would win, this is one he should return. Although Murphy was Hall of Fame eligible in 1995 he was not on the ballot.
Bob Dernier, NL Chicago Cubs (1984)
0.2 dWAR. Relatively speaking this would be the only season of note for Bob Dernier as he accumulated 149 Hits and won a Gold Glove, which was by far the best season he had in the Majors. How he won the Gold Glove in 1984 (or really any season) is a mystery as he did not do anything defensively worthy. While Bernier was eligible for the Hall of Fame in 1995 he was not on the ballot.
Dale Murphy, NL Atlanta Braves (3) (1984)
-0.7 dWAR. While Dale Murphy played the most games in the National League at Centerfield, beyond a first place finish in Assists he was not in the top five in anything else. Offensively, he was still excellent and he was good enough to finish ninth in MVP voting. Murphy was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 23.2% in 2000. He is ranked #33 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Dwight Evans, AL Boston Red Sox (8) (1985)
-0.9 dWAR. Wrapping up Dwight Evans’ final Gold Glove we see him finish third in Fielding Percentage but again fail to make the top five in Range Factor per Game and Total Zone Runes. Evans overall eight Gold Gloves probably should have been three at best and that might be generous. Dwight, we love you for Cooperstown but not a mantle full of Gold Gloves. Evans was on the ballot for three years and finished as high as 10.4% in 1998. He is ranked #21 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Dwayne Murphy, AL Oakland Athletics (6) (1985)
0.4 dWAR. While Dwayne Murphy had a better season (marginally) defensively than he did the year before, this was also not a Gold Glove worthy season and we will argue that his last two Gold Gloves should not have found his way to his trophy case. The best defensive stat he had was a second place finish in Putouts among his American League peers. For what it is worth, his next season was in fact Gold Glove worthy as he had 17 Total Zone Runs with a 1.9 Defensive bWAR. Although Murphy was Hall of Fame eligible in 1995 he was not on the ballot.
Gary Pettis, AL California Angels (1985)
1.4 dWAR. This would be the first of many Gold Glove wins by the fleet footed Gary Pettis. In this season, Pettis was second in Stolen Bases and he finished second in Total Zone Runs amongst the American League Centerfielders. He was also first in Range Factor per Game. Although Pettis was Hall of Fame Eligible in 1998 he was not on the ballot.
Willie McGee, NL St. Louis Cardinals (2) (1985)
0.7 dWAR. In 1985, Willie McGee was named the National League MVP and took the Cards to the World Series. Defensively, McGee was OK, though a Gold Glove win might seem a little peculiar here. He would finish this season third among the NL Centerfielders in Total Zone Runs. McGee was on the ballot for two years and finished as high as 5.0% in 2005.
Dale Murphy, NL Atlanta Braves (4) (1985)
-2.2 dWAR. With a -2.2 Defensive bWAR, Dale Murphy sabremetrically posted one of the worst defensive seasons that ever won a Gold Glove. The Atlanta Brave still finished seventh in MVP voting based on his offensive strength but his defense was horrific and despite playing the most games in the Outfield in all of the National League he was not able to finish in the top ten in any defensive metric. This is one of the worst choices of all time! Murphy was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 23.2% in 2000. He is ranked #33 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jesse Barfield, AL Toronto Blue Jays (1986)
1.7 dWAR. Jesse Barfield would become the first Toronto Blue Jay to sack 40 Home Runs and he would also lead the AL in that category while going to his first All Star Game. He would finish fifth in MVP voting. Defensively, Barfield was also good and he finished second overall in the American League in Total Zone and along with leading his position in that metric he was also the top finisher in Putouts, Assists and Range Factor per Game. Although he was eligible for the Hall of Fame in 1998 he was not on the ballot.
Gary Pettis, AL California Angels (2) (1986)
2.4 dWAR. In terms of Defensive bWAR Gary Pettis would have his best defensive season with his 2.4 and fourth place finish in that metric. The California Angel was the American League leader in Total Zone Runs (22) and was also the AL Leader among all of the Outfielders in Range Factor per Game. Although Pettis was Hall of Fame Eligible in 1998 he was not on the ballot.
Willie McGee, NL St. Louis Cardinals (3) (1986)
1.0 dWAR. This would be the third and final Gold Glove win for Willie McGee and in this season McGee would lead the National League Centerfielders in Putouts, Range Factor per Game and Fielding Percentage. Arguably, this was the best defensive season that Willie McGee would have. McGee was on the ballot for two years and finished as high as 5.0% in 2005.
Dale Murphy, NL Atlanta Braves (5) (1986)
-1.8 dWAR. This was the fifth and final Gold Glove win for Dale Murphy and we can firmly state that he went five for five in unwarranted Gold Glove wins. Murphy was again terrible this season and he failed to finish in the top five in any defensive statistic. In his overall five Gold Glove seasons Dale Murphy posted a -4.0 Defensive bWAR, one of the worst in that period yet apparently Gold Glove worthy. Again, we love you Dale, but not for these awards. Murphy was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 23.2% in 2000. He is ranked #33 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jesse Barfield, AL Toronto Blue Jays (2) (1987)
1.9 dWAR. While this was till a decent offensive season for Barfield (28 Home Runs with 84 RBI) his defensive season was still good and his 1.9 Defensive bWAR equaled the mark he set in 1985 (when he didn’t win) and was good enough for fourth overall in the AL. Barfield had a career high Total Zone Runs of 25 (which was third overall) and like 1986 he was second among his league position in Fielding Position. Although he was eligible for the Hall of Fame in 1998 he was not on the ballot.
Eric Davis, NL Cincinnati Reds (1987)
0.9 dWAR. Eric Davis went to his first All Star Game in 1987, which would be largely based on his offensive production. Davis blasted 37 Home Runs and defensively he was adequate this year as he led the National League Centerfielders in Putouts, Assists and Range Factor per Game. Davis was on the ballot for one year in 2007 and received 0.6% of the vote.
Gary Pettis, AL Detroit Tigers (3) (1988)
1.3 dWAR. In 1987, Gary Pettis finished eighth in Defensive bWAR (1.7) and fifth in Total Zone Runs but was not named a Gold Glove recipient. Those were the last two season in which Pettis would be in the top ten in either category. Now a Detroit Tiger, he would still have a decent season with a second place finish among his league peers in Total Zone Runs, but it wasn’t what he accomplished the year before. Although Pettis was Hall of Fame Eligible in 1998 he was not on the ballot.
Devon White, AL California Angels (1988)
1.4 dWAR. Devon White probably should have won his first Gold Glove in his rookie season (he had a 2.3 Defensive bWAR) but this is not bad especially considering many of the other first time Gold Glove winners on this list. White was first among all of the American League Centerfielders in Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game. White was on the ballot for one year in 2007 but did not receive any votes.
Eric Davis, NL Cincinnati Reds (2) (1988)
-0.6 dWAR. While Davis remained a potent force with his bat, his defensive season was not great in 1988. Davis was at least fifth in Fielding Percentage but he was not in the top five in Range Factor per Game and Total Zone Runs. This was a bad choice but it will get worse. Davis was on the ballot for one year in 2007 and received 0.6% of the vote.
Andy Van Slyke, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (1988)
0.9 dWAR. Andy Van Slyke went to his first All Star Game and he finished fourth in National League MVP voting. This wasn’t a bad season defensively for Van Slyke as he led the National League Centerfielders in Putouts, Assists and Range Factor per Game with a second place finish in Total Zone Runs. Van Slyke was on the ballot for one year in 2001 but did not receive any votes.
Gary Pettis, AL Detroit Tigers (4) (1989)
0.3 dWAR. While the 0.3 in Defensive bWAR is not the greatest, he did at least finish third among the AL Centerfielders in Range Factor per Game. This would be the best finish defensively for Gary Pettis and of his five Gold Gloves the least deserved one. Although Pettis was Hall of Fame Eligible in 1998 he was not on the ballot.
Devon White, AL California Angels (2) (1989)
2.8 dWAR. White put forth another good defensive season and his speed and skill helped him finish second overall in the AL in Defensive bWAR. He finished second overall in Total Zone Runs with 22 and also led his league position (and of course in TZR) in Range Factor per Game. White was on the ballot for one year in 2007 but did not receive any votes.
Eric Davis, NL Cincinnati Reds (3) (1989)
-2.2 dWAR. As we said in the last Eric Davis entry, it got worse. Davis returned to the All Star Game in 1989 and that year he would return to the 30 Home Run and 100 RBI club. Defensively however he was atrocious and was not in the top five in any defensive category. He wasn’t even close. Having said that, he was an integral part of Cincinnati’s surprise 1989 World Series win, an accolade he did deserve. Davis was on the ballot for one year in 2007 and received 0.6% of the vote.
Andy Van Slyke, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (2) (1989)
1.6 dWAR. Andy Van Slyke would post career highs in Defensive bWAR (1.6) and Total Zone Runs (13), though the latter was not good enough for first among his league position, rather it netted him third. He was also second in Range Factor per Game. Van Slyke was on the ballot for one year in 2001 but did not receive any votes.
Ellis Burks, AL Boston Red Sox (1990)
-0.6 dWAR. Ellis Burks was a good baseball player over his career but should he have won a Gold Glove? Probably not, but even more strange was the season in which he did win it where he had a negative Defensive bWAR and he was not in the top five in Range Factor per Game or Total Zone Runs. He was first among all of the American League Centerfielders in Fielding Percentage, which might have been enough for some to have voted for him in the first place. Burks was on the ballot for one year in 2010 and received 0.4% of the ballot.
Gary Pettis, AL Detroit Tigers (5) (1990)
0.6 dWAR. This would be the fifth and final Gold Glove win for Gary Pettis and while he was the American League leader among the Centerfielders with 10 Assists and second in Fielding Percentage, he was not in the top five in Total Zone Runs or Range Factor per Game. While he is a five time Gold Glove recipient realistically he should have been a three time winner at best. Although Pettis was Hall of Fame Eligible in 1998 he was not on the ballot.
Barry Bonds, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (1990)
2.5 dWAR. This is actually refreshing for us to talk about his glove rather than his bat and well…other things. At this point, Bonds already had two seasons where he finished in the top ten in Defensive bWAR (1987 & 1989) the latter of which saw him accrue a career high of 3.6. In 1990, he finished at 2.5, which was good enough for second overall in the National League and he exploded offensively where he would win his first MVP Award. Bonds would for the third (and final) time lead the National League in Total Zone Runs and at his league position (Leftfield) in Putouts, Assists and Range Factor per Game. Frankly his first Gold Glove should have been his third, but as you will see it will even out at the end. Bonds has been on the ballot for six years and finished as high as 56.4% in 2018. He is ranked #2 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Andy Van Slyke, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (3) (1990)
0.0 dWAR. Andy Van Slyke did not have a great season with his glove as the only thing he could point to was a third place finish in Putouts and fifth place finish in Fielding Percentage among National League Centerfielders. Van Slyke was on the ballot for one year in 2001 but did not receive any votes.
Devon White, AL Toronto Blue Jays (3) (1991)
2.8 dWAR. White put forth another good defensive season and his speed and skill helped him finish second overall in the AL in Defensive bWAR. He finished second overall in Total Zone Runs with 22 and also led his league position (and of course in TZR) in Range Factor per Game. Not bad for his first season with the Toronto Blue Jays. White was on the ballot for one year in 2007 but did not receive any votes.
Barry Bonds, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (2) (1991)
1.5 dWAR. The 1.5 Defensive bWAR of Barry Bonds was good enough for ninth overall in the NL, though this would be the last time that he would finish in the top ten. Bonds would also for the final time that he would finish in the top ten in Total Zone Runs with his fourth place finish with 19. At his position, Bonds again led the National League Leftfielder in Putouts and Assists and he was second in Range Factor per Game and Fielding Percentage. He would finish second in MVP voting this year. Bonds has been on the ballot for six years and finished as high as 56.4% in 2018. He is ranked #2 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Andy Van Slyke, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (4) (1991)
-0.3 dWAR. Andy Van Slyke finished second in Fielding Percentage among the Centerfielders in the National League but that was about it. He was not able to finish in the top five in any other defensive category. Van Slyke was on the ballot for one year in 2001 but did not receive any votes.
Devon White, AL Toronto Blue Jays (4) (1992)
3.9 dWAR. With an incredible 3.9 in Defensive bWAR, Devon White was the American League leader in that metric. What else did he do? His 33 Total Zone Runs led the AL and most importantly he helped Toronto win their first World Series. White was on the ballot for one year in 2007 but did not receive any votes.
Barry Bonds, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (3) (1992)
0.0 dWAR. This would be the beginning of Bonds’ run of questionable Gold Glove wins and while his hitting was reaching the stratosphere, his defense was clearly in decline. He would fail to reach the top five among National League Leftfielders in Total Zone Runs and was only fourth in Range Factor per Game. He would however finish first in Putouts. Bonds would win his second MVP this season. Bonds has been on the ballot for six years and finished as high as 56.4% in 2018. He is ranked #2 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Andy Van Slyke, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (5) (1992)
-0.1 dWAR. This would be the final of five Gold Gloves that Andy Van Slyke would win and it can be easily argued that the last three were certainly not up to the par of what should be a Gold Glove winning season. Van Slyke finished fifth among National League Centerfielders in both Range Factor per Game and Fielding Percentage but again did not have a top finish in Total Zone Runs. Van Slyke was on the ballot for one year in 2001 but did not receive any votes.
Kenny Lofton, AL Cleveland Indians (1993)
2.2 dWAR. In 1992, Kenny Lofton was the runner-up for the American League Rookie of the Year and he was the league leader in Stolen Bases. He also should have won a Gold Glove as he had a 2.3 Defensive bWAR and finished third overall in the AL. In 1993, Lofton was an All Star, again led the AL in swipes and had a Defensive bWAR over 2 (2.2, which was good enough for fifth in the American League). The Centerfielder would also lead his position in Total Zone Runs (18) and was third in Range Factor per Game. Lofton was on the ballot for one year in 2013 and received 3.2% of the ballot. He is ranked #51 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Devon White, AL Toronto Blue Jays (5) (1993)
2.1 dWAR. This was the second time (and final) that Devon White would be named an All Star. He would also help the Jays win their second World Series. Defensively speaking, Devon White was still strong with an eighth place finish in Defensive bWAR in the AL and he was third in his position in Total Zone Runs. White was on the ballot for one year in 2007 but did not receive any votes.
Barry Bonds, NL San Francisco Giants (4) (1993)
0.4 dWAR. Now a San Francisco Giant, Bonds would win the National League MVP award for the third time in a four year period though perhaps the Gold Glove for this season should not have joined the MVP award in the trophy case. Bonds was fourth among all of the National League Leftfielders in Total Zone Runs, Range Factor per Game and Fielding Percentage which isn’t bad but it doesn’t scream defensive excellence. Bonds has been on the ballot for six years and finished as high as 56.4% in 2018. He is ranked #2 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Marquis Grissom, NL Montreal Expos (1993)
1.8 dWAR. In the two seasons prior to his first Gold Glove win Marquis Grissom was the National League Stolen Base leader. While he would never lead the league in that category again he used his speed in Centerfield and in this season he would finish eighth in Defensive bWAR in the NL while finishing first in Total Zone Runs. Grissom was on the ballot for one year in 2011 and received 0.7% of the vote.
Kenny Lofton, AL Cleveland Indians (2) (1994)
1.5 dWAR. Lofton’s 1.5 was enough for fourth overall in the AL during the strike-shortened season of ’94. Lofton, who again repeated as the American League Stolen Base leader and also was first among all of the Centerfielders in his league in Total Zone Runs. He was also first in Assists. Lofton was on the ballot for one year in 2013 and received 3.2% of the ballot. He is ranked #51 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Devon White, AL Toronto Blue Jays (6) (1994)
1.0 dWAR. White regressed somewhat this year with his defense and he was ok with a fifth place and third place finish among AL Centerfielders in Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game respectively. Basically this was decent but there were better choices this year for a Gold Glove. White was on the ballot for one year in 2007 but did not receive any votes.
Barry Bonds, NL San Francisco Giants (5) (1994)
0.1 dWAR. Bonds won his fifth Gold Glove in a row and while this still wasn’t stellar with his defense, his 5 Total Zone Runs was still good enough to finish second overall among National League Leftfielders in that stat. He did however finish first in Assists this year and he was also third at his league position in Range Factor per Game. Bonds has been on the ballot for six years and finished as high as 56.4% in 2018. He is ranked #2 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Marquis Grissom, NL Montreal Expos (2) (1994)
2.2 dWAR. 1994 would be by far the best defensive season of his career and considering it was reduced due to the strike it makes it far more impressive. Grissom had a career high of 2.2 Defensive bWAR (2nd overall in the NL) and his 19 Total Zone Runs was league leading. He would also finish first in Putouts and Range Factor per Game among the Centerfielders of the National League. Grissom was on the ballot for one year in 2011 and received 0.7% of the vote.
Darren Lewis, NL San Francisco Giants (1994)
0.0 dWAR. Darren Lewis only won one major award, but that was more than he should have…or at least not in the year he did win it. Lewis would have some good defensive numbers in 1995 and 1999. Lewis was the leader among all of the NL Centerfielders in Fielding Percentage he was not in the top five in Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game. Had this been 1995, it would have made more sense. Although Lewis was Hall of Fame eligible in 2008, he was not on the ballot.
Kenny Lofton, AL Cleveland Indians (3) (1995)
1.1 dWAR. In 1995, Lofton again was the Stolen Base leader and an All Star but while he did win his third Gold Glove, perhaps he should not have. Lofton would lead all of the Centerfielders in Assists but was not a top five finisher in Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game. Despite this, Lofton still had a decent season with his glove but there were more successful players at his position this year. Lofton was on the ballot for one year in 2013 and received 3.2% of the ballot. He is ranked #51 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Devon White, AL Toronto Blue Jays (7) (1995)
-0.2 dWAR. This would be Devon White’s final Gold Glove, but it should not have been as he should not have been awarded this year. With a sub zero Defensive bWAR and only 101 Games Played, White was not in the top five in any defensive category and this was clearly an oversight. Still he earned five of those seven, which for a Gold Glove is more than decent. White was on the ballot for one year in 2007 but did not receive any votes.
Steve Finley, NL San Diego Padres (1995)
-1.8 dWAR. Wow. Just Wow. For a first time Gold Glove winner, Steve Finley’s -1.8 Defensive bWAR is pretty bad. Finley’s defensive career was all over the place but this beginning is about as bad is gets for a multiple Gold Glove winner. Prior to this season, Steve Finley had respectable defensive seasons in MLB but this was not one of them. Considering this debut on the Gold Glove scene, it is surprising that we will see him again more than once. Finley was on the ballot for one year in 2013 and received 0.7% of the votes.
Marquis Grissom, NL Atlanta Braves (3) (1995)
0.7 dWAR. Marquis Grissom was now an Atlanta Brave but he regressed from his previous two All Star seasons both offensively and defensively. Grissom dropped to fourth in Total Zone Runs at his Centerfield position and was not in the top five in Range Factor per Game. That being said, Grissom also celebrated his third Gold Glove with a World Series ring. Grissom was on the ballot for one year in 2011 and received 0.7% of the vote.
Raul Mondesi, NL Los Angeles Dodgers (1995)
0.5 dWAR. Raul Mondesi was the National League Rookie of the Year in 1994 and in 1995 he would go to his first and only All Star Game while also earning what would be his first of two Gold Gloves. Mondesi did not always possess the full compliment of defensive skills but he did have a cannon for an arm. In 1995, he would lead all National League Outfielders in Assists and was third in Range Factor per Game at his Rightfield position. Mondesi was on the ballot for one year in 2011 but did not receive any votes.
Jay Buhner, AL Seattle Mariners (1996)
-0.7 dWAR Jay Buhner was a star at this stage (especially if you ask George Costanza’s dad) but realistically he was not a Gold Glove winner despite what occurred this season. An All Star for the first and only time this year, Buhner’s popularity allowed him to win an award that he should not have based on his defensive metrics.. Buhner was on the ballot for one year in 2007 and received 0.2% of the votes.
Kenny Lofton, AL Cleveland Indians (4) (1996)
0.6 dWAR. 1996 was a lot like 1995 in that Lofton again used his speed to lead the AL in Stolen Bases but again his defense was ok but he did not land in the top five in Range Factor per Game or Total Zone Runs among the Centerfielders. Lofton would again exceed the 2.0 mark in Defensive bWAR in 1997 and 1998 but as his offence slid a bit, this apparently affected his defense, at least in the eyes of some of those who voted for the Gold Glove. This was the final Gold Glove for Kenny Lofton retired with an overall Defensive bWAR of 15.5. Lofton was on the ballot for one year in 2013 and received 3.2% of the ballot. He is ranked #51 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Barry Bonds, NL San Francisco Giants (6) (1996)
0.3 dWAR. While this was again was not spectacular he was second among all of the National League Leftfielders in Total Zone Runs (12) and had a third place finish in Range Factor per Game. Bonds has been on the ballot for six years and finished as high as 56.4% in 2018. He is ranked #2 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Steve Finley, NL San Diego Padres (2) (1996)
-0.1 dWAR. Steve Finley’s second Gold Glove win was light years better than his first but if you look at his 1995 win it doesn’t say that much. The second Gold Glove win of Steve Finley’s career was not spectacular but like the year previous it was not worthy of a Gold Glove. We will come back to Finley again. Finley was on the ballot for one year in 2013 and received 0.7% of the votes.
Marquis Grissom, NL Atlanta Braves (4) (1996)
0.9 dWAR. This would be the fourth and final Gold Glove for Grissom but like the last one it was a little suspect. He was second in Fielding Percentage but was not a top five finisher in Total Zone Runs or Range Factor per Game. Still his “two out of four” are not bad based on what we have seen here. Grissom was on the ballot for one year in 2011 and received 0.7% of the vote.
Jim Edmonds, AL Anaheim Angels (1997)
0.5 dWAR. This one will be interesting overall. Jim Edmonds had a decent career in terms of his offense and defense, but as we will see his defensive Gold Glove acumen might be a little suspect. In what was first Gold Glove, Edmonds he would finish second in Range Factor per Game but was not a top five finisher in any other category. Edmonds was on the ballot for one year in 2016 and received 2.5% of the ballot. He is ranked #50 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Bernie Williams, AL New York Yankees (1997)
-0.3 dWAR. For the record, we have always been a fan of the bat of Bernie Williams and his work during the Yankees dynasty of the late 90’s. Having said that, there was nothing special about his defense and in all four Gold Glove wins, he was rewarded for his offense and overall skill of the team. In his first Gold Glove (and also first All Star season) Williams was second in Fielding Percentage among American League Centerfielders but was not a top five finisher in Range Factor per Game or Total Zone Runs. Williams was on the ballot for two years and finished as high as 9.6% in 2012. He is ranked #38 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Barry Bonds, NL San Francisco Giants (7) (1997)
0.7 dWAR. Bonds would finish first in Total Zone Runs among the National League Leftfielders and was first in Putouts. He would also finish third in Range Factor per Game. Bonds has been on the ballot for six years and finished as high as 56.4% in 2018. He is ranked #2 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Raul Mondesi, NL Los Angeles Dodgers (2) (1997)
0.4 dWAR. Raul Mondesi’s second and final Gold Glove probably should not have occurred. While he still had that stellar arm he did not finish first in any defensive statistic among the National League Rightfielders, and was not in the top five in Total Zone Runs. He did however finish second in Range Factor per Game. Mondesi was on the ballot for one year in 2011 but did not receive any votes.
Larry Walker, NL Colorado Rockies (3) (1997)
0.3 dWAR. 1997 would be a magical year for the Canadian as he would not only win his first Gold Glove with Colorado but would also win the National League Most Valuable Player of the Year. While he won the Gold Glove in 1997 he did not exactly light up the league with his defensive skills. He was fifth among the NL Rightfielders in Total Zone Runs but was not top five in Range Factor per Game. He did however for the first and only time he finished first at his league position in Fielding Percentage. Walker has been on the ballot eight years and finished as high as 34.1% in 2018. He is ranked #13 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jim Edmonds, AL Anaheim Angels (2) (1998)
0.0 dWAR. Look for a pattern here as this what will see. Edmonds hat a flat Defensive bWAR in 1998 where he was neither spectacular nor crap in regards to his defensive acumen. We have a lot more to go with Jim Edmonds so buckle up buttercup! Edmonds was on the ballot for one year in 2016 and received 2.5% of the ballot. He is ranked #50 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Bernie Williams, AL New York Yankees (2) (1998)
-1.1 dWAR. Bernie Williams did not finish in the top five in any defensive metric among the Centerfielders of the AL but in 1998 he would win the Batting Title and finished with a career high 7th place finish in MVP voting. More importantly, he helped the Bronx Bombers win the World Series, which was his second. Williams earned many accolades in ’98 but this wasn’t one of them. Williams was on the ballot for two years and finished as high as 9.6% in 2012. He is ranked #38 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Barry Bonds, NL San Francisco Giants (8) (1998)
0.3 dWAR. This would be the last Gold Glove of Barry Bonds career, and there were some other lasts of Bonds’ defensive career. This was the final time that he would lead the National League Leftfielders in Total Zone Runs, Range Factor per Game and Putouts. Arguably, he would never have any season with his glove that could even be described as decent. However following this season, Bonds’s offense would reach Playstation numbers, while his defensive skills became lumbering “Cansecolike”. Bonds would not win another Gold Glove and realistically he should not have won that many but for those who remember the last five years of his career and can’t imagine how he would have won so many, this was a player who deserved to me a multi-time winner when he was a Pittsburgh Pirate. Eight however doesn’t compute but he is a lot closer to it than many others who won five or more. Bonds has been on the ballot for six years and finished as high as 56.4% in 2018. He is ranked #2 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Andruw Jones, NL Atlanta Braves (1998)
3.9 dWAR. This will be a joy. Andruw Jones won ten Gold Gloves and he is a player who deserved to win that amount though perhaps the years could have been different but no matter…as this is a player who was far more deserving than almost everyone else we spoke about in terms of Gold Glove winning Outfielders. Jones had a strong case in his rookie of year (1997) as he had a 2.5 Defensive bWAR but in 1998 his 3.9 was league leading and was the best of his career. The Atlanta Brave would also have a career high (and league leading among NL Outfielders) 20 Assists and was also the National League Leader in Total Zone Runs with 35. This is a great start for a decade of defensive excellence. Jones has been on the ballot for one year and received 7.3% of the vote. He is ranked #46 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Larry Walker, NL Colorado Rockies (4) (1998)
-0.5 dWAR. Walker would repeat as the National League Batting Champion and also the Gold Glove winner. The former he earned, the latter he didn’t. While you could find some case to be made for the first three, you can’t for this one. Walker was not in the top five in Range Factor per Game, Total Zone Runs or Putouts. The best he had was a fourth place finish in Fielding Percentage. This is still better than his next Gold Glove win. Walker has been on the ballot eight years and finished as high as 34.1% in 2018. He is ranked #13 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Shawn Green, AL Toronto Blue Jays (1999)
0.1 dWAR. In 1999, Shaun Green was in his last year as a Toronto Blue Jay and he had his first of three 40 Home Run seasons with a career high .309 Batting Average and would be chosen for his first of two All Star Games. He would also have a career high 0.1 Defensive bWAR, which as you are reading isn’t that great. Green likely won based on his American League Rightfield leading Fielding Percentage. He was also fifth in Total Zone Runs. While this wasn’t great, this was his best defensive season in the American League. Green was on the ballot for one year in 2013 and he received 0.4% of the vote.
Bernie Williams, AL New York Yankees (3) (1999)
-1.1 dWAR. Williams would win his third World Series ring in 1999 and he would post a career high .342 Batting Average. Williams was again great offensively but his skills with the glove were nothing special as once again he was not in the top five in Total Zone Runs or Range Factor per Game. The best he could say that among his league position he was third in Putouts and fifth in Fielding Percentage. Williams was on the ballot for two years and finished as high as 9.6% in 2012. He is ranked #38 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Steve Finley, NL Arizona Diamondbacks (3) (1999)
1.9 dWAR. Steve Finley had no business winning his first two Gold Gloves but his third win was certainly reasonable. Finley, who was now an Arizona Diamondback would have a career high 1.9 Defensive bWAR and 17 Total Zone Runs though based on his league position he still may not have been the most worth recipient of the Gold Glove. Finley was on the ballot for one year in 2013 and received 0.7% of the votes.
Andruw Jones, NL Atlanta Braves (2) (1999)
3.8 dWAR. Jones retuned with another monster defensive season with a 3.8 Defensive bWAR that had him finish second overall in the National League. Jones would also have a career high of 36 Total Zone Runs, which unsurprisingly was National League Leading. Jones would again the lead all of the National League Centerfielders in Assists and for the third season in a row he was the league leader at his position in Putouts and was also first among all of the NL Outfielders in Range Factor per Game. Jones has been on the ballot for one year and received 7.3% of the vote. He is ranked #46 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Larry Walker, NL Colorado Rockies (5) (1999)
-1.2 dWAR. Walker’s third straight Gold Glove with the Rockies showed his continued defensive decline but unlike his fourth place finish in Fielding Percentage in 1998, he didn’t accomplish that in 1999. He again failed to reach the top five in Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game. Walker has been on the ballot eight years and finished as high as 34.1% in 2018. He is ranked #13 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jermaine Dye, AL Kansas City Royals (2000)
-0.6 dWAR. Jermaine Dye went to his first All Star Game and had a career high Batting Average of .321 with his first 30 Home Run season. Dye’s offense was good, but again this is a case where he was rewarded with a Gold Glove because of offensive accomplishments. The Kansas City Royal actually had the most errors of any American League Rightfielder and was nowhere near close to get to the top five in Range Factor per Game and Total Zone Runs. He also was not in the top five in Fielding Percentage. Dye was on the ballot for one year in 2015 but did not receive any votes.
Darin Erstad, AL Anaheim Angels (2000)
2.3 dWAR 2000 was arguably the best season of his career as he had career highs in Hits (240), Home Runs (25), Runs Batted In (100) and all parts of the Slash Line (.355/.409/.541). He also went to All Star Game for the second time, but more importantly this was not the case of increased offensive numbers leading to an unwarranted Gold Glove win. Erstad finished third in the American League in Defensive bWAR and was the league leader in Total Zone Runs. He would also lead everyone in his league position in Range Factor per Game. Erstad was on the ballot for one year in 2015 and received 0.2% of the ballot.
Bernie Williams, AL New York Yankees (4) (2000)
0.0 dWAR. Again an All Star (this would be his fourth of five straight appearances), Bernie Williams again won the World Series and had a Batting Average over .300. He also failed to be in the top five at his position in Range Factor per Game and Total Zone Runs. He would however finish first in Fielding Percentage with a perfect 1.000. Perhaps that can justify to some this win, which is more than can be said in the previous three. This was the fourth and final Gold Glove for Bernie. Williams was on the ballot for two years and finished as high as 9.6% in 2012. He is ranked #38 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jim Edmonds, NL St. Louis Cardinals (3) (2000)
0.4 dWAR Hmmm. Jim Edmonds had already proved himself to be a star player but was he a third time Gold Glove recipient at this stage? Probably not but either way, he was at that place and had more to prove. Edmonds was on the ballot for one year in 2016 and received 2.5% of the ballot. He is ranked #50 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Steve Finley, NL Arizona Diamondbacks (4) (2000)
0.0 dWAR. Finley won his fourth Gold Glove, though this one probably should not have given to him just like the first two. The then Arizona Diamondback would go this year to his second (and final All Star Game) but defensively he was not worthy. In 2000, he was not in the top five in Total Zone Runs nor Range Factor per Game. Finley was on the ballot for one year in 2013 and received 0.7% of the votes.
Andruw Jones, NL Atlanta Braves (3) (2000)
2.7 dWAR. For the second time, Andruw Jones finished atop the National League in Defensive bWAR and for the first time he was named an All Star. For the fourth consecutive season he finished first in Total Zone Runs (25) and he would lead all of the National League Centerfielders in Putouts and Range Factor per Game. Jones has been on the ballot for one year and received 7.3% of the vote. He is ranked #46 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jim Edmonds, NL St. Louis Cardinals (4) (2001)
0.7 dWAR While this was relatively a decent defensive campaign for Jim Edmonds like every other Gold Glove winning season for Edmonds there were certainly defensive metrics that would reflect why he should not have won it. Again, this was not terrible, but not Gold Glove worthy. This will be a pattern as we continue with Edmonds. Edmonds was on the ballot for one year in 2016 and received 2.5% of the ballot. He is ranked #50 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Andruw Jones, NL Atlanta Braves (4) (2001)
3.0 dWAR. Jones does it again! For the third time in four years the Atlanta Brave would lead the National League in Defensive bWAR and for the fifth consecutive season he was first amongst everyone in the NL in Total Zone Runs. He also continued his streak with his fourth straight year leading the NL Centerfielders in Putouts. He was also first among his position and all Outfielders in Range Factor per Game. Jones has been on the ballot for one year and received 7.3% of the vote. He is ranked #46 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Larry Walker, NL Colorado Rockies (6) (2001)
0.8 dWAR. Larry Walker returned to the Gold Glove circle with a decent positive Defensive bWAR. The Colorado Rockie went to his fifth and final All Star Game and he would also win his third and final Batting Title. This was somewhat of a rebound defensively as Walker finished second among all of the National League Rightfielder in Total Zone Runs. Walker has been on the ballot eight years and finished as high as 34.1% in 2018. He is ranked #13 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Mike Cameron, AL Seattle Mariners (2001)
1.5 dWAR Mike Cameron went to one All Star Game, and this was the year. Cameron was third among the American League Centerfielders in Total Zone Runs and second in Range Factor per Game. He was also 16th in American League MVP voting. Cameron was on the ballot for one year in 2017 but did not receive any votes.
Jim Edmonds, NL St. Louis Cardinals (5) (2002)
1.2 dWAR Edmonds would secure a Defensive bWAR over 1.0 and while that is decent the St. Louis Cardinal was not in the top three at his position in Range Factor per Game or Total Zone Runs. Edmonds was on the ballot for one year in 2016 and received 2.5% of the ballot. He is ranked #50 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Darin Erstad, AL Anaheim Angels (2) (2002)
2.3 dWAR This would be by far the greatest defensive season of Darin Erstad’s career and one of the best one by an Angel period. Erstad had a career high 4.2 Defensive bWAR and 39 Total Zone Runs, all of which were enough to lead the American League. Erstad played Centerfield this season and he would also finish first at his league position in Fielding Percentage and Range Factor per Game. Erstad would win a third Gold Glove in 2004 at First Base. Erstad was on the ballot for one year in 2015 and received 0.2% of the ballot.
Andruw Jones, NL Atlanta Braves (5) (2002)
2.3 dWAR. For the fourth and final time, Andruw Jones would lead the National League in Defensive bWAR. While he would never finish first again, there is a lot of good defense from Jones to come! This season would see Jones continue his streaks, but they would all come to an end after this year. For the sixth and final year he would lead the league in Total Zone Runs and for the fifth and final year he would finish first in Putouts among the Outfielders. He was also second in Range Factor per Game among the NL Centerfielders in Range Factor per Game. Jones has been on the ballot for one year and received 7.3% of the vote. He is ranked #46 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Larry Walker, NL Colorado Rockies (7) (2002)
0.3 dWAR. This would be the seventh and final Gold Glove of Larry Walker’s career and frankly this is not the defensive resume of a seven time Gold Glove winner, thought as you have read there have been worse at the Outfield position and realistically the Canadian should have won maybe three at best. No matter. In this last win he would finish fourth in Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game among the National League Rightfielders and was first in Assists. Walker has been on the ballot eight years and finished as high as 34.1% in 2018. He is ranked #13 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Mike Cameron, AL Seattle Mariners (2) (2003)
1.5 dWAR While Mike Cameron had the exact same Defensive bWAR that he had in his first 2001 Gold Glove win, he increased his other sabremetric numbers with a first place finish among American League Centerfielders in both Range Factor per Game and Total Zone Runs. He was also the leader among AL Outfielders in Putouts. Cameron was on the ballot for one year in 2017 but did not receive any votes.
Jose Cruz, NL San Francisco Giants (2003)
0.9 dWAR In the lone season he was a Giant, this would be without question the best defensive season of Jose Cruz’s career. While he was not a top ten performer in terms of Defensive bWAR, he had an incredible National League leading 38 Total Zone Runs. He would also finish first in Double Plays among all of the National League Outfielders and was his position leader in Putouts and Range Factor per Game. We have to say this, if they were only going to give Cruz one Gold Glove (which was the correct amount he deserved) they picked the correct year to do it. Although Cruz was eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2014 he was not on the ballot
Jim Edmonds, NL St. Louis Cardinals (6) (2003)
1.0 dWAR This would be the first time that Jim Edmonds would finish first among all of the National League Centerfielders in Total Zone Runs. This was also the first and only season where Edmonds would land first among his position in Range Factor per Game. Edmonds was on the ballot for one year in 2016 and received 2.5% of the ballot. He is ranked #50 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Andruw Jones, NL Atlanta Braves (6) (2003)
1.7 dWAR. While we mentioned in Jones’ 2002 Gold Glove win that some impressive defensive streaks ended, the “regression” of Andruw Jones was still better than most of the Majors. Jones still finished seventh in the NL in Defensive bWAR (1.7) and was second in Total Zone Runs among the National League Centerfielders (19). He was also fourth in Range Factor per Game at his position. Jones has been on the ballot for one year and received 7.3% of the vote. He is ranked #46 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jim Edmonds, NL St. Louis Cardinals (7) (2004)
0.4 dWAR Edmonds would finish first among Assists and fifth in Total Zone Runs among all of the National League Centerfielders. Edmonds was on the ballot for one year in 2016 and received 2.5% of the ballot. He is ranked #50 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Steve Finley, NL Arizona Diamondbacks/Los Angeles Dodgers (5) (2004)
0.8 dWAR. This was the fifth and final Gold Glove of Steve Finley’s career which probably should not have had won one. Finley did not finish first in any significant defensive statistic. Finley was on the ballot for one year in 2013 and received 0.7% of the votes.
Andruw Jones, NL Atlanta Braves (7) (2004)
1.1 dWAR. For the first time in his Gold Glove wins, Andruw Jones was not in the top ten in Defensive bWAR and based on other statistics, if Jones was omitted from winning a Gold Glove it would not have been a crime. It wasn’t a crime that he won it either. In 2004 his 17 Total Zone Runs were good enough for fourth in the National League and second amongst the Centerfielders. Jones was fourth at his position in Range Factor per Game. Jones has been on the ballot for one year and received 7.3% of the vote. He is ranked #46 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Jim Edmonds, NL St. Louis Cardinals (8) (2005)
0.5 dWAR This was the eighth and final time that Jim Edmonds won the Gold Glove and realistically it could be argued that he never should have won any of them. Edmonds was slightly above average defensively in his seasons but in all eight? He probably wasn’t but there likely have been worse eight time Gold Glove winners. The main difference is that they probably at least warranted one of them. Edmonds was on the ballot for one year in 2016 and received 2.5% of the ballot. He is ranked #50 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Andruw Jones, NL Atlanta Braves (8) (2005)
2.0 dWAR. Before we get to the defensive accomplishments this was the best offensive year for Andruw Jones as he led the NL in Home Runs (51) and Runs Batted In (128). As a result he was the runner-up for the MVP Award and he would also win his first and only Silver Slugger. Defensively he was tenth overall in Defensive bWAR with a third place finish at Centerfield in Total Zone Runs (19). He was also fourth in Range Factor per Game and for the final time he led his position in Assists. Jones has been on the ballot for one year and received 7.3% of the vote. He is ranked #46 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Mike Cameron, NL San Diego Padres (3) (2006)
1.5 dWAR This would be the third and final Gold Glove for Mike Cameron and the only one in the National League. Realistically there should not have been any in the NL. Cameron was second among National League Centerfielders in Range Factor per Fame but was not a top five finisher in Total Zone Runs or Fielding Percentage. Cameron was on the ballot for one year in 2017 but did not receive any votes.
Andruw Jones, NL Atlanta Braves (9) (2006)
1.5 dWAR. While Jones was not league leading in any defensive statistic he still had a decent year with the glove. He would finish second among the NL Centerfielders in Total Zone Runs (19) and was third in Range Factor per Game. Jones has been on the ballot for one year and received 7.3% of the vote. He is ranked #46 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Andruw Jones, NL Atlanta Braves (10) (2007)
2.2 dWAR. This was the last Gold Glove win of Andruw Jones’ career and unlike other double digit Gold Glove winners his last win was decent. Jones finished sixth overall in Defensive bWAR in the National League and he would again finish first in Putouts among the NL Centerfielders and was third in Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game. Jones has been on the ballot for one year and received 7.3% of the vote. He is ranked #46 on Notinhalloffame.com.
Aaron Rowand, NL Philadelphia Phillies (2007)
0.7 dWAR. Aaron Rowand was also named an All Star this season and had he would have his best offensive season of his career with a .309 Batting Average with 27 Home Runs. Defensively however, he was just average. He was first amongst the Centerfielders in the National League in Fielding Percentage and was fifth in Range Factor per Game. Rowand was eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2017 but was not on the ballot.
Let’s update our tally shall we?
Award in Question |
Percentage of recipients who have entered the HOF |
Percentage of recipients by year who have entered the HOF. |
NBA MVP |
100% |
100% |
NHL Norris |
90.5% |
96.4% |
NBA All Star Game MVP |
89.5% |
91.7% |
NHL Conn Smythe |
74.2% |
85.4% |
NHL Lady Byng |
63.8% |
76.0% |
NFL Super Bowl MVP |
60.6% |
64.9% |
NBA Defensive Player of the Year |
58.3% |
56.5% |
NBA Rookie of the Year |
56.5% |
56.5% |
MLB/NL/AL Cy Young Award |
44.4% |
55.4% |
NHL Frank J. Selke Trophy |
33.3% |
36.7% |
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year |
28.6% |
28.6% |
MLB Edgar Martinez Award |
26.7% |
17.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Designated Hitter) |
25.0% |
30.8% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Shortstop) |
23.5% |
52.6% |
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year |
20.6% |
20.6% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Catcher) |
20.0% |
22.5% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Second Base) |
18.8% |
39.8% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Shortstop) |
18.2% |
35.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Pitcher) |
18.2% |
20.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Second Base) |
16.7% |
32.7% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Outfield) |
16.7% |
30.1% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Outfield) |
15.7% |
25.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Third Base) |
14.3% |
14.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Third Base) |
13.6% |
14.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (First Base) |
13.6% |
13.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Rookie of the Year |
13.3% |
13.3% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Catcher) |
10.3% |
15.2% |
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (First Base) |
3.8% |
3.2% |
So who is up next?
The following are the players who have won the Gold Glove at Third Base who have retired but have not met the mandatory years out of the game to qualify for the Baseball Hall of Fame:
Torii Hunter, AL Minnesota Twins (2001)
2.4 dWAR This would be the first of nine straight Gold Gloves for Torii Hunter and he started it off with a bang. Hunter’s Defensive bWAR of 2.4 would be a career high and food enough for second overall in the American League. Hunter had 14 Assists, which led the American League Centerfielders and he would also finish first in Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game. Hunter will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2021.
Ichiro Suzuki, AL Seattle Mariners (2001)
1.0 dWAR It is not erroneous to suggest that Ichiro Suzuki took the North American baseball world by storm the second he arrived. In his “rookie” year, he would not only win the American League Rookie of the Year, he would lead his league in Hits, Batting Average and Stolen Bases while also capturing the Silver Slugger and MVP. Should he have won the Gold Glove? This year (and there will be many we will talk about) we will say yes as he led the American League Rightfielders in Total Zone Runs, Range Factor per Game, Putouts and Fielding Percentage, so by those accounts it is a good start for what will be a ten year streak. Suzuki will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2024.
Torii Hunter, AL Minnesota Twins (2) (2002)
-0.2 dWAR Torii Hunter duplicated (actually improved on what was already good) his offensive performance but his defense tumbled quite a bit and his second Gold Glove was certainly suspect. The Centerfielder was fifth in Range Factor per Game and Fielding Percentage but that was about it. Hunter would however finish sixth in MVP voting, which would be his highest ever. Hunter will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2021.
Ichiro Suzuki, AL Seattle Mariners (2) (2002)
-0.7 dWAR Perhaps the mania surrounding Ichiro Suzuki was still strong as his defense was not the same as it was in his rookie year. While he was the American League Rightfield leader in Putouts he was not in the top five in Total Zone Runs though he was first in Fielding Percentage and Range Factor per Game. The latter two notes likely won Suzuki this award. Suzuki will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2024.
Torii Hunter, AL Minnesota Twins (3) (2003)
2.0 dWAR In terms of defensive statistics, this was a little strange as his 2.0 Defensive bWAR was strong and was good enough for fourth overall in his league. Having said that he was not in the top five in Total Zone Runs at his position and he was only fifth in Range Factor per Game. Hunter will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2021.
Ichiro Suzuki, AL Seattle Mariners (3) (2003)
1.0 dWAR Ichiro returned as a Gold Glove winner and at his American League position he was first in Total Zone Runs and in Fielding Percentage. He was also second in Range Factor per Game and notably his 23 TZR was second overall in the AL. Suzuki will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2024.
Torii Hunter, AL Minnesota Twins (4) (2004)
2.1 dWAR In what would be Torii Hunter’s fourth Gold Glove win, this would be his last top ten finish in Defensive bWAR with a third place finish. Again, like the year before despite the solid number in Defensive bWAR he was not a top five finisher at his position in Total Zone Runs, though he was fifth in Range Factor per Game. Hunter will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2021.
Ichiro Suzuki, AL Seattle Mariners (4) (2004)
2.5 dWAR In terms of Defensive bWAR, this was by far the greatest defensive season of Ichiro’s career with a 2.5 that landed him second overall. This was also the first and only season where the superstar from Japan finished first in Total Zone Runs with 27 and he was also first among AL Rightfielders in Range Factor per Game. Suzuki will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2024.
Vernon Wells, AL Toronto Blue Jays (2004)
1.7 dWAR While Vernon Wells was not in the top five in Total Zone Runs (likely because he did not play 135 Games) his 1.7 Defensive bWAR was a career high. Wells was first among American League Centerfielders in Fielding Percentage and fourth in Range Factor per Game. He was notably eighth in Defensive bWAR in the AL. Wells will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2019.
Torii Hunter, AL Minnesota Twins (5) (2005)
1.1 dWAR While this was not a bad season defensively for Hunter he only played 98 Games and was not in the top five in any defensive category making this a difficult one to justify. Hunter will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2021.
Ichiro Suzuki, AL Seattle Mariners (5) (2005)
2.5 dWAR In terms of Defensive bWAR, this was by far the greatest defensive season of Ichiro’s career with a 2.5 that landed him second overall. This was also the first and only season where the superstar from Japan finished first in Total Zone Runs with 27 and he was also first among AL Rightfielders in Range Factor per Game. Suzuki will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2024.
Vernon Wells, AL Toronto Blue Jays (2) (2005)
0.9 dWAR Wells had a perfect Fielding Percentage in this season but in terms of any other stat, he was nowhere close to the top. Having said that, the Toronto Blue Jay had a respectable defensive season though it may not have been Gold Glove worthy. Wells will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2019.
Bobby Abreu, NL Philadelphia Phillies (2005)
-1.5 dWAR Hmmmm. While Bobby Abreu was known for his plate patience his defense was not spectacular especially in the season where he win a Gold Glove. Abreu, who was at this time a second time All Star was not in the midst of any glove related season that made sense. With all due respect to Bobby Abreu, his career was solid bit not in respect to his defensive skill. Abreu will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2020.
Torii Hunter, AL Minnesota Twins (6) (2006)
0.1 dWAR Torii Hunter again won the Gold Glove, but this is was another win where the defensive metrics don’t justify the trophy. Again, Hunter failed to finish in the top five in any defensive statistic, although he would finish first in Assists among American League Centerfielders with 8. Hunter will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2021.
Ichiro Suzuki, AL Seattle Mariners (6) (2006)
1.0 dWAR While Suzuki’s Defensive bWAR went up, for the first time as a Gold Glove winner he was not in the top five in Total Zone Runs among the American League Rightfielders, although he was second in Range Factor per Game. Suzuki will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2024.
Vernon Wells, AL Toronto Blue Jays (3) (2006)
1.5 dWAR This would be the third and final Gold Glove for Vernon Wells and he would finish tenth in Defensive bWAR in the American League. Wells would finish first among all of the AL Centerfielders in Total Zone Runs. Wells will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2019.
Carlos Beltran, NL New York Mets (2006)
1.6 dWAR Often when a player significantly increases their offensive output they can get rewarded with an unwarranted Gold Glove. In the case of Carlos Beltran’s first Gold Glove it took place in a season where he achieved many offensive highs, but his defense really stepped this year as well. Beltran was the National League Centerfielder leader in Range Factor per Game and he had a respectable 15 Total Zone Runs, which was good enough for fourth at his position. He would finish a career high fourth in MVP voting. Beltran will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2023.
Torii Hunter, AL Minnesota Twins (7) (2007)
0.3 dWAR Hunter’s final season as a Twin and second All Star nod likely should not have saw him win this Gold Glove…much like some of the others before. Again, Hunter was not in the top five in Range Factor per Game or Total Zone Runs at his position, though he was fourth in Fielding Percentage. Hunter will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2021.
Grady Sizemore, AL Cleveland Indians (2007)
0.1 dWAR With all due respect to Grady Sizemore, we have another situation where there a player who had an All Star season based on his offense who was rewarded for his defense. Having said that, this is not exactly a horrible choice as he played the most defensive games in the Outfield in ’07, and he was second among the American League Centerfielders in Total Zone Runs. Sizemore will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2022.
Ichiro Suzuki, AL Seattle Mariners (7) (2007)
0.8 dWAR This would be the only season where Ichiro would win the Gold Glove after predominantly playing Centerfield as opposed to Rightfield and it was not a bad defensive season as he was the league leader in Fielding Percentage and was second in Range Factor per Game. Suzuki will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2024.
Carlos Beltran, NL New York Mets (2) (2007)
1.3 dWAR Beltran would go to his fourth straight All Star Game this year and would also win his second straight Silver Slugger. Defensively speaking he repeated leading the National League Centerfielders in Range Factor per Game and was again fourth in Total Zone Runs. Beltran will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2023.
Jeff Francouer, NL Atlanta Braves (2007)
1.3 dWAR With what was arguably his best offensive season of his career, Jeff Franceour had a good defensive one in 2007 too. This was the third season in a row that he would finish first amongst the National League Rightfielders in Total Zone Runs and he was also the leader among all of the National League Outfielders in Assists. Francouer will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2022.
Torii Hunter, AL Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (8) (2008)
0.0 dWAR Hunter’s first season as an Angel saw him continue his Gold Glove streak, but it also continued his run of undeserving hardware. While he was again not a top five finisher at his position in Total Zone Runs and was fifth in Range Factor per Game, those who defend this can point to a perfect Fielding Percentage, and his first and only positional win for this stat. Hunter will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2021.
Grady Sizemore, AL Cleveland Indians (2008)
0.2 dWAR The second and final Gold Glove of Grady Sizemore’s career saw a repeat of the year before, where he had a low Defensive bWAR but played a lot to accumulate a lot of statistics. An All Star for the third time, Sizemore was not a top five finisher in Total Zone Runs but he was second in Fielding Percentage at his position. Sizemore deserved all three of his trips to the All Star Game, but realistically he probably should not have been a two time Gold Glove recipient. Sizemore will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2022.
Ichiro Suzuki, AL Seattle Mariners (8) (2008)
0.9 dWAR Ichiro returned to Right and would have an average season, though this was not Gold Glove worthy. He was not in the top five in Total Zone Runs at his league position but was fifth in Range Factor per Game. Suzuki will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2024.
Carlos Beltran, NL New York Mets (3) (2008)
2.0 dWAR This would be Carlos Beltran’s third and final Gold Glove win and he finished well with a fifth place finish overall in the National League. He would finish first among the NL Centerfielders in Putouts and Total Zone Runs and was second in Range Factor per Game. Beltran will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2023.
Carlos Beltran, NL New York Mets (3) (2008)
2.0 dWAR This would be Carlos Beltran’s third and final Gold Glove win and he finished well with a fifth place finish overall in the National League. He would finish first among the NL Centerfielders in Putouts and Total Zone Runs and was second in Range Factor per Game. Beltran will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2023.
Nate McLouth, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (2008)
-2.1 dWAR This is very interesting. In terms of offense, this was by far the best season of Nate McLouth’s career where he was an All Star, the National League leader in Doubles and had a career high 26 Home Runs, 94 RBI and .276 Batting Average. Somehow despite a horrific -2.1 Defensive bWAR and a complete failure to come close to the top five in Total Zone Runs or Range Factor per Game he won the Gold Glove. Again, offense trumped defensive for a Gold Glove. Beltran will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2022.
Shane Victorino, NL Philadelphia Phillies (2008)
1.2 dWAR Shane Victorino had a high profile season as his Philadelphia Phillies won the World Series. Victorino probably should not have won the Gold Glove but it was still a decent year where his Defensive bWAR was OK and he finished fifth in Total Zone Runs among National League Centerfielders. It was good, but not great. Victorino will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2021.
Torii Hunter, AL Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (9) (2009)
1.5 dWAR Torii Hunter would win his ninth and final Gold Glove and while we have ragged on many of the wins, he finished reasonably well. With a decent Defensive bWAR of 1.5, he also returned to the top five in Total Zone Runs among American League Centerfielders with a third place finish and he was fourth in Range Factor per Game. He was also second in Fielding Percentage. Overall, Hunter was a good defensive player but he should never have won nine Gold Gloves. Hunter will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2021.
Ichiro Suzuki, AL Seattle Mariners (9) (2009)
-0.2 dWAR Ichiro Suzuki may have had a negative Defensive bWAR but in terns of other advanced defensive metrics he had some positive attributes. Ichiro was second in Total Zone Runs and was third in Range Factor per Game and in the regular stats he was first in Putouts and fourth in Fielding Percentage. Suzuki will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2024.
Michael Bourn, NL Houston Astros (2009
1.5 dWAR This would be the first of three straight seasons where Michael Bourn would lead the National League in Stolen Bases. This was actually a decent season defensively for Bourn but he was not in the top five in Total Zone Runs and was only fifth in Range Factor per Game. Bourn will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2022.
Shane Victorino, NL Philadelphia Phillies (2) (2009)
0.2 dWAR Victorino would be named an All Star for the first time in his career and he would also finish first in Fielding Percentage among National League Centerfielders though again he was not in the top five in Range Factor per Game and Total Zone Runs. Victorino will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2021.
Carl Crawford, AL Tampa Bay Rays (2010)
0.3 dWAR Carl Crawford had a solid career in Baseball, but was it Gold Glove worthy? It might not be as the four time All Star never had a Defensive bWAR over 1.2 and this season he had only a 0.3 although he was third in Total Zone Runs and second in Range Factor per Game among American League Leftfielders, however he had much better seasons in those metrics and was not awarded with a Gold Glove, however you know what is coming. This was his best offensive season and he finished seventh place in MVP voting and won the Silver Slugger, which magically made him a better fielder. Crawford will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2022.
Franklin Gutierrez, AL Seattle Mariners (2010)
0.4 dWAR Franklin Gutierrez would have his best overall season in MLB in terms of his offense, but in regards to hos defense he lands here as a one off. This won’t be the only time where this occurs. Gutierrez will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2023.
Ichiro Suzuki, AL Seattle Mariners (10) (2010)
-0.7 dWAR 2010 was truly the end of an era for the Japanese superstar as not only was this his last Gold Glove, but his last trip to the All Star Game. 10 in a row was pretty impressive right? In terms of his last Gold Glove win, he probably should not have won it as he was the American League Rightfielder leader in Putouts he was only third in Total Zone Runs, was second in Range Factor per Game, though despite the negative Defensive bWAR, it was not the worst win of his career. Having said all of this, Ichiro was a solid defensive player but he never should have came close to the ten Gold Gloves he won. We guess when you know you have a future Hall of Famer, you tend to be generous with the Gold Gloves. Suzuki will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2024.
Michael Bourn, NL Houston Astros (2) (2010)
3.5 dWAR Bourn’s second and final Gold Glove would see him post a career high Defensive bWAR of 3.5, which would also land him the National League lead. Bourn would also lead everyone in the National League in Total Zone Runs with 22 and he would also be named an All Star. Pretty good, right? It is however definitely worth noting that in 2012 he had a 2.9 Defensive bWAR, a league leading 32 Total Zone Runs and was the first recipient of the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award (shared with Mike Trout). Bourn would of course NOT win the Gold Glove that year. Can we say again that this is a flawed award? Bourn will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2022.
Shane Victorino, NL Philadelphia Phillies (3) (2010)
0.4 dWAR This would be the third National League Gold Glove for Shane Victorino though arguably he would go “0 for 3” in regards to deserving it. In this season Victorino would lead the National League Outfielders in Assists (11) and was second in Fielding Percentage among the NL Centerfielders. Victorino will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2021.
Andre Ethier, NL Los Angeles Dodgers (2011)
-0.5 dWAR Andre Ethier never really had a stellar defensive season in his career and while he went to his second straight All Star Game, this was not a case where he had a great offensive season and it bled into Gold Glove votes. Ethier, who was not in the top five in Assists, Putouts, Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game did have a perfect Fielding Percentage. That is likely how he managed to win this Gold Glove. Ethier will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2023.
Shane Victorino, AL Boston Red Sox (4) (2013)
2.2 dWAR Shane Victorino would win four Gold Gloves over his career, but it was his last where he had an arguable claim for the trophy. That year, he was an integral part of the Red Sox World Series win he was first by a mile in Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game among all of the AL Rightfielders, which were both stats he would never come close to again. Victorino will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2021.
The following are the players who have won the Gold Glove at Outfield who are still active.
Adam Jones, AL Baltimore Orioles (2009)
0.5 dWAR. 2009 saw Adam Jones go to his first All Star Game and also win his first Gold Glove. This season, Jones would finish first among all of the American League Centerfielders in Range Factor per Game and was second in Assists, however he was not a top five finisher in Total Zone Runs at his position. 33 Years Old, Playing for the Baltimore Orioles.
Matt Kemp, NL Los Angeles Dodgers (2009)
0.0 dWAR Matt Kemp was hardly a defensive star in 2009, and frankly he wasn’t in any season. Kemp also won the Silver Slugger (a case can be made for that) but this Gold Glove was not warranted. He would however play the most games in the National League at Centerfield and was first in Assists and Double Plays Turned though was not in the top five in Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game. 33 Years Old, Playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Matt Kemp, NL Los Angeles Dodgers (2009)
0.0 dWAR Matt Kemp was hardly a defensive star in 2009, and frankly he wasn’t in any season. Kemp also won the Silver Slugger (a case can be made for that) but this Gold Glove was not warranted. He would however play the most games in the National League at Centerfield and was first in Assists and Double Plays Turned though was not in the top five in Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game. 33 Years Old, Playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Carlos Gonzalez, NL Colorado Rockies (2010)
-0.1 dWAR This would be by far the best offensive season of Carlos Gonzalez’ career where he would win the Batting Title (.336) lead the NL in Hist (197) and would have 34 Home Runs with 117 RBI. The Outfielder would also finish third in MVP voting. This however did not mean he had a great defensive seasons as he split the season in three ways almost evenly at all three Outfield positions although he was second overall in Fielding Percentage among all National League Outfielders. 32 Years Old, Playing for the Colorado Rockies.
Jacoby Ellsbury, AL Boston Red Sox (2011)
1.4 dWAR. By far and away, this was the best offensive season of Jacoby Ellsbury’s career as the Centerfielder had career highs in Hits (212), Home Runs (32), RBI (105) and Batting Average (.321) and he was named an All Star, a Silver Slugger and was the runner-up for the MVP Award. He was also the league leader in WAR and was the American League Comeback Player of the Year. He had a good season defensively as he finished first among American League Centerfielders in Putouts and Fielding Percentage though he was not in the top five in Total Zone Runs. This would be his only Gold Glove win. 33 Years Old, Playing for the New York Yankees.
Alex Gordon, AL Kansas City Royals (2011)
1.4 dWAR. In what would be his first Gold Glove win Gordon would lead his league position (Leftfield) in Putouts, Assists, Range Factor per Game and Fielding Percentage while finishing second in Total Zone Runs. Not a bad start! 34 Years Old, Playing for the Kansas City Royals.
Nick Markakis, AL Baltimore Orioles (2011)
-0.1 dWAR. This was a strange choice but arguably safe as Nick Markakis did not make a lot of mistakes though he never took a lot of chances either. Markakis played the most defensive games among all of the American League Outfielders and he had a perfect Fielding Percentage, however he was not a top five finisher in Total Zone Runs and was only fourth in Range Factor per Game. Notably, Markakis would also have a 1.000 Fielding Percentage in 2013. 34 Years Old, Playing for the Atlanta Braves.
Matt Kemp, NL Los Angeles Dodgers (2) (2011)
-3.5 dWAR Before we get into Kemp’s 2011 defensive season, it is worth noting that this was by far his best offensive one. Kemp would lead the National League in Home Runs (39), Runs Batted In (126), Runs Scored (115) and he had a Slash Line of .324/.399/.586. He would win the Silver Slugger and he was second overall in MVP voting. That being said, a -3.5 Defensive bWAR can only be classified as abysmal. He somehow managed a fourth place finish in Total Zone Runs among National League Rightfielders but while he had a good throwing arm it wasn’t always accurate and he had horrible range. 33 Years Old, Playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Gerardo Parra, NL Arizona Diamondbacks (2011)
0.9 dWAR Gerardo Parra had a special season in terms of having moments in that his 12 Assists and 5 Double Plays were tops in the National League among the Leftfielders. He would finish first in Range Factor per Game and second in Total Zone Runs. 31 Years Old, Playing for the Colorado Rockies.
Alex Gordon, AL Kansas City Royals (2) (2012)
1.9 dWAR. Gordon repeated as the American League Leftfield leader in Assists, Putouts and Range Factor per Game though he was not in the top five in Total Zone Runs. 34 Years Old, Playing for the Kansas City Royals.
Adam Jones, AL Baltimore Orioles (2) (2012)
-1.0 dWAR. Despite having a negative Defensive bWAR, there were some positives to Adam Jones’s defensive campaign. The Baltimore Oriole would finish second in Range Factor per Game and was third in Total Zone Runs at his league position. The now second time All Star also led the AL Outfielders in Putouts. 33 Years Old, Playing for the Baltimore Orioles.
Josh Reddick, AL Oakland Athletics (2012)
0.9 dWAR. Josh Reddick received a sprinkling of MVP votes this year and in addition to his Gold Glove he would also win the Wilson Defensive Player Award. In terms of his American League position (Rightfield) he was second in Range Factor per Game. 31 Years Old, Playing for the Houston Astros.
Carlos Gonzalez, NL Colorado Rockies (2) (2012)
-1.9 dWAR Unlike in 2010 where Gonzalez played all over the Outfield, 2012 would see him stay in Leftfield but it was not a season where he did have a fifth place finish in Fielding Percentage, he did not accomplish anything else with his glove. 32 Years Old, Playing for the Colorado Rockies.
Jason Heyward, NL Atlanta Braves (2012)
1.3 dWAR. Jason Heyward was an All Star in 2010 and the runner-up for the Rookie of the Year was first in 2012 among National League Rightfielders in Putouts, Assists and Total Zone Runs, the latter of which saw him finish second in the National League. He was also second at his position in Range Factor per Game and third in Fielding Position. 28 Years Old, Playing for the Chicago Cubs.
Andrew McCutcheon, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (2012)
-0.2 dWAR. Hmmm. Andrew McCutcheon had proven himself to be a major star on the rise at this point but realistically his defensive skills were never more than average, although he did also win the Wilson Defensive Award this year. While he did have a negative Defensive bWAR he was third among the National League Centerfielders in Total Zone Runs. He would be named the National League MVP the next year. 31 Years Old, Playing for the New York Yankees.
Alex Gordon, AL Kansas City Royals (3) (2013)
1.4 dWAR. For the first time in his career Alex Gordon was an All Star and he repeated with another good defensive season. Gordon repeated as the AL Leftfield leader in Assists, Putouts and Range Factor per Game but for the first time he would finish first in Total Zone Runs. 34 Years Old, Playing for the Kansas City Royals.
Adam Jones, AL Baltimore Orioles (3) (2013)
0.5 dWAR. This was a little strange in comparison to the season previously as Jones had a positive Defensive bWAR but was not in the top five in either Range Factor per Game or Total Zone Runs although he was first in Putouts and Assists. 33 Years Old, Playing for the Baltimore Orioles.
Carlos Gomez, NL Milwaukee Brewers (2013)
3.9 dWAR This was the first of two All Star campaigns for Carlos Gomez although it was the only Gold Glove win for him, although the second Wilson Defensive Award. Having said that, this was an incredible defensive season for the Milwaukee Brewer and he would finish second in Defensive bWAR, while finishing first in Putouts and Range Factor per Game among all of the National League Outfielders. 32 Years Old, Playing for the Tampa Bay Rays.
Carlos Gonzalez, NL Colorado Rockies (3) (2013)
0.7 dWAR In terms of Defensive bWAR, this was the best defensive campaign that Carlos Gonzalez would ever have, although this was not spectacular by any means. Gonzalez would lead the National League Leftfielders in Assists and was third in Range Factor per Game but he was not in the top five in Total Zone Runs or Fielding Percentage. 32 Years Old, Playing for the Colorado Rockies.
Gerardo Parra, NL Arizona Diamondbacks (2) (2013)
3.6 dWAR This was far and away the best season of Gerardo Parra’s career where he would not only win the Gold Glove but would win both the Wilson Defensive Player and Wilson Overall Defensive Player Award. The Venezuelan was third overall in the National League in Defensive bWAR and was first overall among all National League Outfielders in Assists (17). 31 Years Old, Playing for the Colorado Rockies.
Alex Gordon, AL Kansas City Royals (4) (2014)
2.4 dWAR. This was the best season for Gordon as he not only finished 12th in MVP voting he was also a repeat All Star. Defensively, he was never better as his 2.4 Defensive bWAR was good enough for fifth overall in the AL. He would again finish first in Total Zone Runs (24) at his position and he was second overall in the league. Gordon also finished first in Putouts, Range Factor per Game and Fielding Percentage and he also won the Wilson Defensive Player and Platinum Glove Award. 34 Years Old, Playing for the Kansas City Royals.
Adam Jones, AL Baltimore Orioles (4) (2014)
0.9 dWAR. Jones would again be named an All Star (his fourth) and in what was also his fourth Gold Glove season, he did not do anything remarkable, or terrible for that matter. He wasn’t in the top five in anything other than Putouts (fifth) at his position, but his errors were way down and he was efficient, although not extraordinary. 33 Years Old, Playing for the Baltimore Orioles.
Nick Markakis, AL Baltimore Orioles (2) (2014)
-0.5 dWAR. The second Gold Glove win of Nick Markakis’ career was a lot like his first in that he again had a negative Defensive bWAR but had a perfect Fielding Percentage and was not a top five finisher in Total Zone Runs. He would finish third among American League Rightfielders in Range Factor per Game. 34 Years Old, Playing for the Atlanta Braves
Jason Heyward, NL Atlanta Braves (2) (2014)
2.2 dWAR. Heyward finished seventh in the National League in Defensive bWAR and was also named a Wilson Defensive Player and a Wilson Overall Defensive Player of the Year. Heyward’s 27 Total Zone Runs would also top the National League and at his position he was first in Putouts, Assists, Range Factor per Game and Fielding Percentage. 28 Years Old, Playing for the Chicago Cubs.
Juan Lagares, NL New York Mets (2014)
3.2 dWAR. Juan Lagares had an incredible rookie year in terms of his glove with a 3.3 Defensive bWAR and a Wilson Defensive Player Award, but that was in 2013, the year he did not win a Gold Glove. The year he did he would have a similar Defensive bWAR (3.2) and was second overall in the National League (although he was not a Wilson Defensive Player winner). At his National League Position (Centerfield) he finished second in Total Zone Runs and first in Range Factor per Game. 29 Years Old, Playing for the New York Mets.
Christian Yelich, NL Miami Marlins (2014)
0.5 dWAR. Christian Yelich had proved to be a baseball star on the rise but in terms of him being a Gold Glove winner the jury was certainly out on that one. In 2014 he was not on the top five in any defensive metric of note. 26 Years Old, Playing for the Milwaukee Brewers.
Kole Calhoun, AL Los Angeles Angels (2015)
0.1 dWAR. As of this writing this is the only individual award that Kole Calhoun would win. Calhoun did play the most games defensively in the American League at Rightfield and he would lead his league at his position in Putouts, Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game. He was not actually the best Outfielder, but he was good enough and played the most. Sometimes that is all you need. 30 Years Old, Playing for the Los Angeles Angels.
Yoenis Cespedes, AL Detroit Tigers (2015)
0.8 dWAR. This was very unique, but what else is new in regards to the Gold Glove! The Cuban born Outfielder was traded midway through the season to the New York Mets, but he would still win the Gold Glove in the American League based on the 102 Games he played there. In that timeframe, he had a case as he was first in Range Factor per Game among the AL Leftfielders and was also third in Total Zone Runs, but based on only 102 Games, does this make sense? 32 Years Old, Playing for the New York Mets.
Kevin Kiermaier, AL Tampa Bay Rays (2015)
5.0 dWAR. Wow. In 2015, Kevin Kiermaier had an out of this world 5.0 Defensive bWAR, which made him only the fourth player in Major League Baseball to do that. The Tampa Bay Ray would also win the American League Platinum Glove. He would finish first among all American League Centerfielders in Assists, Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game. If only he was a good hitter! 28 Years Old, Playing for the Tampa Bay Rays.
Jason Heyward, NL St. Louis Cardinals (3) (2015)
2.0 dWAR. In his lone season with the St. Louis Cardinals, Jason Heyward finished eighth overall in Defensive bWAR while also being a Wilson Defensive Player. Heyward may not have had an impressive total in Total Zone Runs but he was second at his position in Range Factor per Game. 28 Years Old, Playing for the Chicago Cubs.
Starling Marte, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (2015)
2.0 dWAR. Also a Wilson Defensive Player in 2015, Starling Marte was only fourth at Leftfield among those in National League in Total Zone Runs, but he was first in Fielding Percentage and he led all National League Outfielders in Assists with 16. He was seventh overall in the NL in Defensive bWAR. 29 Years Old, Playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
A.J. Pollock, NL Arizona Diamondbacks (2015)
1.9 dWAR. This was definitely the best season of A.J. Pollock’s career as he was an All Star, a 20 Home Run hitter, a .300 Batter and also a Gold Glove winner who finished ninth overall in the NL in Defensive bWAR. At his Centerfield position, he would finish first in Putouts and Total Zone Runs. 30 Years Old, Playing for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Mookie Betts, AL Boston Red Sox (2016)
2.9 dWAR. Mookie Betts had arrived in 2016 where he would win not only the Gold Glove but the Silver Slugger en route to finishing second in MVP voting. Betts would also win the Wilson Defensive Player Award but also the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award in a season where he was second in the AL in Defensive bWAR. Betts would also finish first in Putouts, Total Zone Runs and Fielding Percentage with a second place finish in Range Factor per Game among all of the American League Rightfielders. 25 Years Old, Playing for the Boston Red Sox.
Brett Gardner, AL New York Yankees (2016)
0.8 dWAR. Brett Gardner might have won this based on his tenure and respect and he was decent enough to also win the Wilson Defensive Award. Gardner played the most games in the American League at Left and he would finish second in Fielding Percentage. Gardner should have one at least one Gold Glove in his career, but the year in question (2016) can certainly be debated. 34 Years Old, Playing for the New York Yankees.
Kevin Kiermaier, AL Tampa Bay Rays (2) (2016)
3.0 dWAR. In only 105 Games Played, Kevin Kiermaier had an incredible 3.0 Defensive bWAR, which was good enough again for first overall in the American League. He would also win the Wilson Defensive Player Award. The Tampa Bay Ray would also finish first at his league position in Total Zone Runs. Game for Game, was there a better defensive player in the American League than Kevin Kiermaier? 28 Years Old, Playing for the Tampa Bay Rays.
Jason Heyward, NL Chicago Cubs (4) (2016)
1.4 dWAR. This was the first season for Jason Heyward with the Chicago Cubs and it would be easy to argue that it was the best of his career. In 2016 Heyward would help the Chicago Cubs end the near century old jinx and win the World Series and in terms of his Gold Glove win, it was solid. At his position he had 22 Total Zone Runs, which was enough for second among National League Rightfielders. 28 Years Old, Playing for the Chicago Cubs.
Ender Inciarte, NL Atlanta Braves (2016)
1.8 dWAR. While this was the first Gold Glove for Inciarte, he arguably had a case in the previous two seasons, which were also his first two in the Majors. The Venezuelan would finish sixth in Defensive bWAR in 2016 while also leading all Centerfielders in the NL in Assists and Range Factor per Game. He was also second in Total Zone Runs. 27 Years Old, Playing for the Atlanta Braves.
Starling Marte, NL Pittsburgh Pirates (2) (2016)
1.3 dWAR. While Starling Marte did not win a Wilson Defensive Award like he did in his first Gold Glove, he did however go to his first All Star Game in 2016. In terms of his glove he would again finish first in Assists among those in the National League Outfield he was not in the top five in Total Zone Runs or Range Factor per Game. 29 Years Old, Playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Mookie Betts, AL Boston Red Sox (2) (2017)
2.6 dWAR. Mookie Betts finished third overall in the AL in Defensive bWAR this year while again leading the American League Rightfielders in Putouts, Total Zone Runs and Range Factor per Game. He would finish sixth in American League MVP voting. 25 Years Old, Playing for the Boston Red Sox.
Byron Buxton, AL Minnesota Twins (2017)
2.8 dWAR. 2017 was an excellent season for Byron Buxton as not only did he win the Gold Glove but his trophy case also acquired a Wilson Defensive Player Award, the Wilson Overall Defensive Player Award and the Platinum Glove. Buxton’s 2.8 Defensive bWAR was second overall in the American League and he was first overall in Total Zone Runs with 31. He would also lead all American League Centerfielders in Range Factor per Game. 24 Years Old, Playing for the Minnesota Twins.
Alex Gordon, AL Kansas City Royals (5) (2017)
0.7 dWAR. While his 0.7 was his lowest Defensive bWAR for a Gold Glove win, he was again the leader amongst the American League Leftfielders in Total Zone Runs and was fourth overall in the AL. He would also win the Wilson Defensive Player Award. 34 Years Old, Playing for the Kansas City Royals.
Jason Heyward, NL Chicago Cubs (5) (2017)
1.4 dWAR. Heyward had another solid season defensively for the Chicago Cubs and at Rightfield in general. In this season he would finish first at his position in Total Zone Runs with a respective 21, which was enough for first among National League Outfielders. 28 Years Old, Playing for the Chicago Cubs.
Ender Inciarte, NL Atlanta Braves (2) (2017)
0.8 dWAR. We did say that Ender Inciarte had a case for a Gold Glove in his first two seasons but this second win is not exactly a strong one. While he did finish first among all of the National League Centerfielders in Putouts and Range Factor per Game, he was not in the top five in Total Zone Runs. 27 Years Old, Playing for the Atlanta Braves.
Marcell Ozuna, NL Atlanta Braves (2017)
0.4 dWAR. Honestly, we would think that by this time that the advanced metrics would prevent an increased offensive production from winning a Gold Glove, but here we are! Ozuna had 37 Home Runs with a .312 Batting Average and was a surefire Silver Slugger, but defensively he was just OK. Still, the case that could be made was that he finished first among the National League Leftfielders in Putouts, Range Factor per Game and Fielding Percentage but he was not a top five finisher in Total Zone Runs per Game nr was his 0.4 Defensive bWAR special. 27 Years Old, Playing for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Frankly, we thought it would be a higher percentage of Hall of Famers, but that is how it goes!
The next one frankly won’t be that interesting as we are going to complete the Gold Glove Pitchers, which won’t be as easy to dissect, or frankly even remotely as interesting.
Still, that is what we do here at Notinhalloffame.com!
Look for that soon!
Considered among the most coveted sporting events in the entire world, The Stanley Cup is an eagerly awaited tournament that sees teams battle it out on ice for hockey dominance. The high intensity and passion for the game of ice-hockey reflect in its player, fans, and bettors who enthusiastically wait for every season to commence.
Prior to the NCAA Final Four, this Sunday the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame will be announcing the Class of 2018.
With the mandatory waiting period reduced to three from five years a loaded ballot emerged with promises to see a very talented group of inductees, four of which could be first ballot entries. The anticipation certainly makes us want to speculate as to just who will be chosen this Sunday, which we most certainly do because that is what Notinhalloffame.com was built for.
Of the thirteen Finalists, six of which are former NBA stars all of which have a case for enshrinement, with two Point Guards that according to MyTopSportsBooks.com consider a lock.Steve Nash is a former two time NBA MVP, worth mentioning as there has never been a MVP who did not receive the call from Springfield. With eight All Star appearances, eight post season All-NBA selections and five assists titles the Canadian likely has his Hall of Fame speech ready.
Amazingly, fellow Point Guard Jason Kidd who has never been named a league MVP actually brings forth a better resume than Nash. Kidd is also a five time Assists leader but went to more All Star Games (10) was an All-Defensive member four times and is a former NBA Champion with the Dallas Mavericks (2011). They are both going to get in this year with the only question being who will be named the headliner.
Ray Allen is being pegged by many as a sure thing, although we aren’t so sure. With Allen being a ten time All Star and two time NBA Champion, he will leapfrog Chris Webber who while has a stronger case as a more dominant NBA player suffers from his University of Michigan career being declared vacated following the scandal where he accepted money from a booster. Essentially, his Naismith College Player of the Year Award does not exist to the voters. Coincidentally, his college rival, Grant Hill from Duke makes his first appearance as a Finalist. If anyone can upset the Allen applecart it is Hill whom despite serious injuries carved out a 20 year NBA career. It will be interesting to see if both can get in.
Maurice Cheeks is definitely on the outside looking in for this class.
In terms of the rest of the Finalists we think former four time WNBA and nine time WNBA All-Star Tina Thompson should be getting in as will referee Hugh Evans and coach Kim Mulkey.
Unlikely to get in this year are Rudy Tomjanovich, Katie Smith, Charles “Lefty” Drissell and the Wayland Baptist University team.