With the announcement of the results of the 2016 Baseball Hall of Fame vote just around the corner, we at LWOS decided to hold our own Hall of Fame election. We polled nineteen of our writers to see which of the players on this year’s ballot they felt were worthy of induction. Each writer voted for up to ten players. With a minimum of thirteen votes required for induction, we now present the LWOS 2016 Baseball Hall of Fame Class:
LWOS 2016 Baseball Hall of Fame Class
Ken Griffey, Jr.: 18 votes
Career: .284 AVG; 630 HR; 1,836 RBI; 2,781 Hits
Sean Couch: Junior has first ballot Hall of Famer written all over him. The owner of one of the prettiest swings in baseball history is certainly Cooperstown bound. With thirteen All Star Game appearances, an MVP award (1997), ten Gold Gloves, seven Silver Slugger awards, a four-time AL home run leader and a three-time Home Run Derby champion there is no denying that Griffey belongs in the Hall of Fame. Additionally, he’s one of the few power hitters of his era to not be surrounded in steroid controversy.
Payton Vince: Griffey Jr, the man that fell asleep in the club house. The man was a thirteen-time All Star and won a MVP once. Had a long career but didn’t know when to call it quits.
Mike Salvatore: “The Kid” brought a little bit of everything to the table during his remarkable career. In addition to hitting .284 with 630 homeruns and winning seven Silver Slugger awards, Griffey flashed the leather with regular highlight plays in center field and won ten Gold Glove awards. Griffey was THE face of the game for most of the 90s and is a no-doubt first ballot Hall of Famer.
Andrew Ferrall: Ken Griffery Jr. was a victim of the steroid era allowing players to pass him up. While McGwire and Sammy Sosa were chasing Maris, many forget Ken Griffey Jr. was keeping pace with them. Before the great home run race of 1998, Griffey had hit fifty-six home runs just the year before, leading many to expect Griffey Jr. to be the one break Maris’ record. In terms of WAR, Griffey comes in third on the 2016 ballot with at 83.6.
Jake Tanner: What needs to be said about Griffey that wasn’t made obvious during his playing time? The man redefined the CF position and holds the title of prettiest swing in the history of the MLB. His combination of defense and hitting the long ball makes him an obvious pick for the Hall in his first year of eligibility.
Ryan Timmerman: Griffey is viewed as the pure one of the Steroid Era; nobody questions whether he cheated or not, which seems to be worth some extra credit points. Either way, his career is Hall of Fame-worthy. He was perhaps the most popular player of his generation, and had maybe the smoothest swing in the history of baseball.
Mike Piazza: 15 votes
Career: .308 AVG; 427 HR; 1,335 RBI; .922 OPS
Ryan Dumouchel: Piazza is the all-time home run leader for catchers. In addition to being the most prolific hitting catcher of all-time, he led the NL in OPS+ twice and was a thirty-plus home run force well into his thirties. It’s very rare for a catcher to even be an adequate hitter, but when someone such as Piazza is not only adequate but also a potent force at the plate, said player deserves recognition. Based on the similarity scores on baseball-reference, Johnny Bench was the most similar hitter to Piazza.
Eric Kabakoff: The greatest hitting catcher in history, Piazza finished with a .308 batting average and 427 homers. He was an All Star twelve times, won ten Silver Slugger awards, and got MVP votes in a staggering nine different seasons. He led the Mets to the 2000 pennant. He has been held over on the ballot probably due to a) unsubstantiated rumors of steroid use and b) his reputation as a less-than-stellar fielder, but it’s time to let him in. He also played a week with the Marlins, but who hasn’t.
Ryan Timmerman: Another guy that has dealt with some backlash from Hall of Fame voters because of PED suspicion. Regardless, he’s one of, if not the, best offensive catcher of all-time. Because of his bat, he revolutionized a position, and for that, he gets my vote to be recognized as a Hall of Famer.
Alex Levy: His 630 career home runs rank sixth all-time, and he won ten gold glove awards. With Seattle he was superb; after that, he slumped a bit. Still, expect him to be a no-doubter first ballot choice.
Nickolai Vincelli: He had 69.9% of the vote last year and is getting really close to getting in. He was one of the greatest catchers of his time and helped lead the New York Mets to a World Series appearance. Add in a lifetime batting average of .308, 427 home runs, 1335 RBI’s, and ten silver sluggers, and you get a Hall of Fame catcher.
Scott Habiger: Piazza’s offensive output at the catcher position can’t be ignored. A 62nd round draft choice who went on to set the home-run record for catchers. Piazza’s 427 career homeruns is a landmark for catchers.
Tim Raines: 13 Votes
Career: .294 AVG; 2,605 Hits; .810 OPS; 808 Steals
Joshua Greenberg: Raines won a batting title in 1986, was a four-time stolen base champion, and was a seven-time All Star. He won three World Titles, and is one of the greatest Expos ever. He went unrecognized during his career for his outstanding defense; he led the NL with twenty-one assists in 1983. He ranks fifth all time with 808 steals and recorded 2,605 hits and a .294 batting average. He also walked a ton, and his ability to get on base, combined with his speed, made him one of the most dangerous weapons in baseball history.
Eric Kabakoff: My reasons are cited here. In short: 808 steals are the most for any player not in the Hall, he’s the greatest leadoff hitter ever not named Rickey Henderson, and his 1980’s peak numbers were pretty comparable to Henderson. He won two World Series rings with the Yankees, had 2600+ hits, and 1500+ runs scored. And he played twenty-three seasons. He has achievements and longevity, two pillars of Hall of Famers. It’s a mystery why he hasn’t been elected yet.
Ryan Ram: If people can get over the fact that Tim Raines wasn’t Ricky Henderson, they would realize Raines had quite the career in his own right and deserves to be a Hall of Famer. Raines ranks fifth all-time in career stolen bases and, more impressively, ranks first in stolen base efficiency among players who attempted at least 400 steals. Raines never got to 3000 hits like the player most similar to him according to Baseball Reference (Lou Brock), but he finished with forty points of OBP higher than Brock and almost twenty-four WAR higher than Brock. Raines ranks eighth all-time in WAR among left fielders with 69.1. One of the most underrated players of his era, Raines has been steadily gaining support for the Hall of Fame, but his resume suggests he should already be in.
Ethan Hanson: Raines Was one of the greatest lead-off men in the history of the game. He was a seven-time all star, a three-time World Series champion, a silver slugger award winner, an All Star, and a MVP.
Ashley Day: Raines is one of three modern day players with at least 1500 runs scored. He prominent number three hitter and a seven-time All Star. His base running ranks among the best all-time.
Nickolai Vincelli: If there is anyone I would argue should go in before anyone else on the ballot, its Tim Raines. He’s overdue for entry. The long-time Montreal Expo was an excellent hitter, but he was also a great base runner and used that ability to record 1,571 runs scored and 808 stolen bases. The fact he isn’t in the Hall is a farce. Add on a batting title, seven All Star appearances, and multiple World Series titles, and there is no reason why he shouldn’t be in.
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