{"id":1811,"date":"2009-12-27T17:48:19","date_gmt":"2009-12-28T00:48:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/seamheads.com\/blog\/2009\/12\/27\/the-2010-hof-ballot-%e2%80%93-the-case-for-barry-larkin\/"},"modified":"2009-12-27T17:48:19","modified_gmt":"2009-12-28T00:48:19","slug":"the-2010-hof-ballot-%e2%80%93-the-case-for-barry-larkin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/seamheads.com\/blog\/2009\/12\/27\/the-2010-hof-ballot-%e2%80%93-the-case-for-barry-larkin\/","title":{"rendered":"The 2010 HOF Ballot \u00e2\u20ac\u201c The Case for Barry Larkin"},"content":{"rendered":"

Barry Larkin appears on the BBWAA Hall of Fame ballot for the first time this year. Given his career achievements, he certainly has the credentials to be inducted into the Hall.<\/p>\n

In nineteen big league seasons, Barry had 2340 hits in 2180 games, a .295 batting average and an on-base-percentage of .371. He scored 1329 runs while knocking in 960. These are impressive numbers – but such numbers do not always mean a lot to fans of the game. The real question when assessing a player\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s career achievements<\/strong> is how did he stack up against the other great players at his position and, more broadly, against the other great players of his time?<\/p>\n

This is precisely what the CAWS Career Gauge attempts to do. It demonstrates whether a player has obvious Hall of Fame numbers<\/strong> by comparing his career with that of the other great players at his position as well as the greatest players of the period. And Barry Larkin looks very good indeed in these comparisons.<\/p>\n

In the modern era (since 1920), only ninety-six (96) position players<\/strong> have accumulated HOF numbers on the playing field during the regular season. Of these, only thirteen were shortstops<\/strong>. Here are those players. The first number is career win shares, the second is core value (the win shares for the ten best seasons) and the third is the CAWS score. Bold print means they are in the Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n

The Shortstops with Obvious HOF Numbers<\/strong> (through the 2008 season)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nPlayer<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n Years<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\nCWS<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\nCV<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\nCAWS<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1.<\/td>\nAlex Rodriguez<\/font><\/td>\n1994- <\/font><\/td>\n399<\/font><\/td>\n329<\/font><\/td>\n347<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2.<\/strong><\/td>\nArky Vaughan<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n1932-1948<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n356<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n308<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n320<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3.<\/strong><\/td>\nRobin Yount<\/font>
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		1974-1993<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n423<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n278<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n314<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4.<\/strong><\/td>\nCal Ripken Jr.<\/font>
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		1981-2001<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n427<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n276<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n314<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5.<\/strong><\/td>\nLuke Appling<\/font>
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		1930-1950<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n378<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n275<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n301<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
6.<\/strong><\/td>\nJoe Cronin<\/font>
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		1926-1945<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n333<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n275<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n290<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
7.<\/td>\nBarry Larkin<\/font><\/td>\n1986-2004<\/font><\/td>\n347<\/font><\/td>\n258<\/font><\/td>\n280<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
8.<\/td>\nDerek Jeter<\/font><\/td>\n1995-<\/font><\/td>\n320<\/font><\/td>\n264<\/font><\/td>\n278<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
9.<\/strong><\/td>\nErnie Banks<\/font>
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		1953-1971<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n332<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n247<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n268<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
10.<\/strong><\/td>\nPee Wee Reese<\/font>
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		1940-1958<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n314<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n246<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n263<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
11.<\/strong><\/td>\nLou Boudreau<\/font>
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		1938-1952<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n277<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n255<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n261<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
12.<\/td>\nAlan Trammell<\/font><\/td>\n1977-1996<\/font><\/td>\n318<\/font><\/td>\n238<\/font><\/td>\n258<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
13.<\/strong><\/td>\nOzzie Smith<\/font>
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		1978-1996<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n325<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n226<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n251<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

As you can see, Barry Larkin has the seventh best career enjoyed by a shortstop in the modern era<\/strong>. Many fans would say that statement alone should establish his place in the Hall of Fame. It could be argued that the top ten players at each position probably deserve induction into the shrine at Cooperstown.<\/p>\n

You will note that ARod is still considered a shortstop here. As long as he continues to have played more games at short than anywhere else, that will remain the case. And note that Derek Jeter is also still active and should continue to move up this list.<\/p>\n

Note also that Alan Trammell is the only shortstop on this list who has been eligible for the Hall and has not been elected. He is still on the ballot and deserves induction into the Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n

Here are a few shortstops who are in the Hall of Fame but whose careers rank below those of the players above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Player<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\nCWS<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\nCV<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\nCAWS<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Joe Sewell<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n277<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n233<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n244<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Dave Bancroft<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n269<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n222<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n234<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Rabbit Maranville<\/font>
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		302<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n206<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n230<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Joe Tinker<\/font>
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		258<\/font>
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		211<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n223<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Phil Rizzuto<\/font>
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		231<\/font>
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		218<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n221<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Luis Aparicio<\/font>
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		293<\/font>
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		193<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n218<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Travis Jackson<\/font>
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		211<\/font>
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		191<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n196<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

Of course, a few of these shortstops are from the dead-ball era but it gives you some idea of just where Barry Larkin ranks among the greats of the game at his position.<\/p>\n

Finally, in judging whether Larkin is truly worthy of induction into the Hall, let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s take a look at where he ranks overall among the best position players of the modern era.<\/p>\n

I mentioned above that according to the CAWS Gauge, there are only ninety-six (96) position players who have accumulated obvious HOF numbers since 1920<\/strong>. From that list, here are those players who are just above and just below Barry Larkin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
58.<\/strong><\/td>\nWillie Stargell<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>LF<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>370<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>263<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>290<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
59.<\/strong><\/td>\nRod Carew<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/font>2B<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>384<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>257<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/font>289<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
60.<\/strong><\/td>\nHarry Heilmann<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/font>RF<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/font>356<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>267<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>289<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
61.<\/td>\nRon Santo<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>3B<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>324<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>275<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>287<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
62.<\/strong><\/td>\nGoose Goslin<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>LF<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>355<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>263<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>286<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
63.<\/td>\nMike Piazza<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>C<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>325<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>273<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>286<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
64.<\/td>\nJim Thome<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>1B<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>341<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>267<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>286<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
65.<\/strong><\/td>\nLou Brock <\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>LF<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>348<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>264<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>285<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
66.<\/td>\nWill Clark<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>1B<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>331<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>269<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>285<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
67.<\/strong><\/td>\nFrankie Frisch<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>2B<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>366<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>256<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>284<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
68.<\/strong><\/td>\nGary Carter<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>C<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>337<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>263<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>282<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
69.<\/td>\nDarrell Evans<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>3B<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>363<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>253<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>281<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
70.<\/td>\nBarry Larkin<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>SS<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>347<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>258<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>280<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
71.<\/td>\nDerek Jeter<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>SS<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>320<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>264<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>278<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
72.<\/td>\nJimmy Wynn<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>CF<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>305<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>269<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>278<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
73.<\/strong><\/td>\nRichie Ashburn<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>CF<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>329<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>257<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>275<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
74.<\/td>\nJeff Kent<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>2B<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>339<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>252<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>274<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
75.<\/strong><\/td>\nBrooks Robinson <\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>3B<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>356<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>247<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>274<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
76.<\/strong><\/td>\nCarlton Fisk<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>C<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>368<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>240<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>272<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
77.<\/td>\nBobby Grich<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>2B<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>329<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>253<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>272<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
78.<\/strong><\/td>\nEarl Averill<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>CF<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>280<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>268<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>271<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
79.<\/td>\nStan Hack<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>3B<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>316<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>256<\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>271<\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
80.<\/strong><\/td>\nErnie Banks<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/font>SS<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>332<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/font>247<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/font>268<\/font><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
81.<\/strong><\/td>\nHank Greenberg<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>1B<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>267<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>262<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>263<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
82.<\/strong><\/td>\nPee Wee Reese<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>SS<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>314<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>236<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/font>263<\/strong><\/font><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

You can see that Barry Larkin is the #70 player among these 96 outstanding players. That means that he had the 70th best career numbers among position players in the last ninety years. (As an aside, you will also notice some other interesting names on the list who also deserve serious consideration.)<\/p>\n

So, we are not talking here about a marginal player who is trying to just barely squeeze into the Hall a la Jim Rice. In Barry Larkin, we have a great modern shortstop thoroughly deserving of his place in Cooperstown<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

If anyone would like to receive a free e-copy of Michael Hoban\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s 100-page monograph: A HOF HANDBOOK: Who Belongs and Who Does Not<\/strong>, on the right sidebar click on Hoban\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s HALL OF FAME HANDBOOK<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Barry Larkin appears on the BBWAA Hall of Fame ballot for the first time this year. Given his career achievements, he certainly has the credentials to be inducted into the Hall.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1811","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-prof-hobans-hall-of-fame-blog"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/seamheads.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1811","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/seamheads.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/seamheads.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seamheads.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seamheads.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1811"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/seamheads.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1811\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/seamheads.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1811"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seamheads.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1811"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/seamheads.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1811"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}