A Quick Look At Some Yankees Who Should Be Hall of Famers
By Paul Semendinger
September 26, 2023
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NOTE - This article first appeared on August 26, 2023 in Here's The Pitch, the daily newsletter for the IBWAA.
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There are a host of great players who are not yet in the Hall of Fame. While some fans believe that there are already too many Yankees already in the Hall, there is a good list of former Yankees who deserve consideration, if not induction.
What follows is a quick position-by-position primer of Yankees who should be considered for the Hall of Fame though the various committees and such. I do not think there is any debate that Alex Rodriguez and Roger Clemens have Hall of Fame numbers. They are not in for other reasons, so I did not include them on my lists.
Hopefully this is a conversation starter for each of these players. Debating on a player's Hall of Fame worthiness is always a fun topic.
CATCHER - Thurman Munson: If one looks at WAR, Munson ranks as the 15th greatest catcher of all-time. He was the 1976 MVP. He won three Gold Gloves and was a seven-time All-Star. Munson was also the heart and soul of the great Yankees teams from the late 1970s. (Interestingly, Wally Schang, a great Yankees catcher from the early 1920s, ranks 13th all-time in WAR among catchers. He, too, deserves consideration. He has the highest WAR of any eligible non-Hall of Fame catcher.)
FIRST BASE - Don Mattingly: WAR doesn't treat Don Mattingly as kindly. He ranks only 45th all-time in WAR at first base, but Donnie Baseball was the best player in baseball during his peak. He was a gifted defensive first baseman and a fantastic hitter. Even with the decline in the second half of his career, Donnie Baseball sported a .307 lifetime batting average.
SECOND BASE - Willie Randolph: It would be difficult to argue that the 13th greatest second baseman of all time (by WAR) isn't a Hall of Famer but that's what Willie Randolph is. During Randolph's career, there were a host of very good second basemen; Lou Whitaker, Bobby Grich, and Frank White immediately come to mind. None of them have received their due. Randolph was a steady player, a World Champion, and a true leader.
SHORTSTOP - Frank Crosetti: Today we expect great shortstops to have great offensive numbers, but it wasn't always that way. A great shortstop when Crosetti played needed to be a top fielder and a team leader. In his 17 years in the Major Leagues as a player, Crosetti anchored the Yankees infield. His teams went to nine World Series (with the Yankees winning eight of those contests). Crosetti then went on to coach the Yankees, seemingly forever. No Yankee was part of more World Championships as a player and coach than Frank Crosetti.
THIRD BASE - Graig Nettles: Now that Scott Rolen is in the Hall of Fame, the greatest third baseman by WAR who is not enshrined is Nettles. Like Randolph, Nettles' greatness wasn't recognized for what it was at the time. Nettles led the entire American League in WAR among position players in two different seasons. He won two Gold Gloves, but he should have won more. It's difficult to argue that the 12th greatest third baseman of all-time isn't a Hall of Famer.
OUTFIELD - I could make a long list of worthy players who were long-timers here including Bernie Williams, Bob Meusel, Charlie Keller, and a few others, but I'll go with Roy White. White was an excellent player for 15 seasons. His lifetime WAR ranks ahead of Lou Brock. White's skills — getting on base, drawing walks, fielding flawlessly, and playing every day — were overlooked in his day. Roy White was a complete player in every way.
STARTING PITCHER - Tommy John: 288 wins. Enough said. But, there is more to the Tommy John story, of course. You cannot discuss baseball today, especially regarding pitchers, and not discuss the surgery named for Tommy John. He had the surgery, and came back from it to win 164 games, proving its effectiveness. Before Tommy John, his injury was a career-ender.
RELIEF PITCHER - Sparky Lyle: Like Frank Crosetti, the game has changed since Lyle's day. Closers now rack up saves by the hundreds. Lyle was a true "fireman." He would come into a game when he was most needed and often finish it out. Lyle was the 1977 Cy Young Award winner for helping propel the Yankees to the pennant.
I am sure that many will not agree with the players I listed above, but, again, it's a great debate to have. Whether or not all of these players will reach the Hall of Fame, there are good arguments for each.
Let the debates begin!
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Dr. Paul Semendinger has written numerous books on the Yankees and other topics. If you haven't read his novel Scattering the Ashes, you should. You can find Paul on Twitter @DrPaulRSem. You can also find him on the Yankees site Start Spreading the News.
