by Paul Semendinger
January 20, 2022
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Just for fun, I first decided to look at the top 10 long(er)-time Yankees who, as measured by WAR who are not (yet?) in the Hall-of-Fame. (This list does not include any players currently on the ballot or those not yet eligible).
I was interested in who (at least as ranked by WAR) were the greatest Yankees on the outside looking in.
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(*Note, I did not know that Graig Nettles would top the list. I’m glad he did. I suspected he’d be near the top. I hoped he would be, at least. I didn’t know he’d be the top. Sometimes when we do research, we end up with happy results.)
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Here they are (in rank order by WAR).
All these players fall into the Top-300 Players (by WAR) of All-Time.
Graig Nettles – 67.9 WAR (#122 all-time)
Willie Randolph – 65.9 (#136)
David Cone – 62.3 (#164)
Tommy John – 61.6 (#171)
Jack Quinn & Urban Shocker – 58.6 (#206)
David Wells – 53.4 (#264)
Carl Mays – 51.4 (#288)
Al Orth – 51.3 (#290)
Mark Teixeira – 50.6 (#298)
Jason Giambi – 50.5 (#300)
Regarding the above, I can see a day when the top four Yankees on this list are all in the Hall-of-Fame. Tommy John and Graig Nettles should get in the next time their names are reviewed. I think it will take a bit longer for Randolph and Cone, but I see a day when they get there.
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Then for fun, here are highest the non-Hall-of-Fame Yankees (not on the ballot) as measured by JAWS by position and where they rank on the list of players not yet in the Hall of Fame, including eligible and not-yet-eligible players:
Catcher – Thurman Munson – 41.5 (#12, all who rank above him, except Joe Maurer, are in the HOF)
First Base – Jason Giambi – 46.3 (#26, nine players above him are not in the HOF)
Second Base – Willie Randolph – 51.1 (#16, four players above him are not in the HOF)
Shortstop – Roger Peckinpaugh – 37.2 (#28, thirteen players above him are not in the HOF)
Third Base – Graig Nettles – 55.2 (#12, only two players above him are not in the HOF)
Left Field – Roy White – 41.9 (#28, ten players above him are not in the HOF)
Center Field – Bernie Williams – 43.6 (#28, thirteen players above him are not in the HOF)
Right Field – Giancarlo Stanton – 39.6 (#36, twelve players ranked above him are not in the HOF)
Starting Pitcher – David Cone – 43.3 (#48, eleven players above him are not in the HOF)
Relief Pitcher – Bobby Shantz – 29.8 (#21, thirteen players above him are not in the HOF)
Of these players, I see Thurman Munson, Willie Randolph, Graig Nettles, and David Cone going into the Hall. I would not be surprised if one day Roger Peckinpaugh’s career is reevaluated in total (he was also a manager) and he earns enshrinement. I also wouldn’t be surprised (many many years from now) if Bernie William’s career is looked at with more appreciation. Bernie just might be a Hall of Famer one day.
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