Yankees and the Hall of Fame: Ron Guidry
- James Vlietstra
- Apr 30
- 2 min read
by James Vlietstra
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Over the next many months, I am going to review the credentials of several former Yankees.
With all that being said, I am going to review the credentials of several former Yankees. Together, we can discuss if we believe that they are deserving of being included in the Hall Of Fame or not. I hope you read along and give me your opinions over the next several weeks.
Note - Some people currently in the Hall Of Fame are not specifically in for their merits as a player alone. For instance, Joe Torre didn't get in until after his success as a manager. Phil Rizzuto made it after a career as an announcer. Overall, their careers were definitely deserving. Similarly, Bill Mazeroski was generally considered a light hitting middle infielder, however, one iconic moment got him enshrined. I am including some of these type players too for us to discuss.
Today we are going to be discussing:
Ron Guidry...
"Louisiana Lightning" pitched for the Yankees his entire 14 year career.
He earned 47.9 WAR and had three seasons of 5.0+.
His 1978 season is generally considered the best ever by a Yankees pitcher. He went 25-3 with a 1.74 ERA and 248 strikeouts and 9.6 WAR en route to the Cy Young award.
He was a four time all star, five time Gold Glove winner, and two time World Series winner.
He was a Yankees Captain.
He struck out 18 batters in a game.
He threw an immaculate inning.
He went 170-91 good for a .651 winning percentage, 36th best all time.
His number 49 was retired by the Yankees.
Guidry was on the ballot for nine years, ranging between 5.3% and 8.8% before dipping to 4.9% and off the ballot.
Career ERA and WHIP
Ron Guidry
3.29 and 1.184
CC Sabathia
3.74 and 1.259
I am a CC fan. I dont really want to put CC down or state reasons that he was maybe not a clear cut first vote HOFer
but I think it is more than obvious that these 2 pitchers are not separated by such a grand canyon in career worth that one should be a first ballot HOF and the other should not be in the Hall at all
would Guidry have gotten better consideration if he was voted MVP in 1978 instead of finishing second to Jim Rice who he bested in WAR for the season by 2 full points?
Rice had a very very…
Let suppose Guidry pitched to his record and played from 1995 to 2020 .... I'm sure he would be voted in... so should he get in YES!!!! The metrics for pitchers is changing in the modern era and Stats like his warrant getting into the Hall!
Rizzutto got in finally because Pee Wee Reece and Ted Williams spent some serious time lobbying the committe (Reece was on it), and Ted Williams said, and I'm paraphrasing here 'The Reason they won and we didn't is because of that little guy that had playing SS'. Note: A young Reece was traded from Boston to Brooklyn, imagine if Boston kept Reece?
Joe Torre just missed being voted in as a player, but until about some point over the last 15 years, there was always a backlog of players who deserved enshrinement, and never made it on the regular ballot. With what he did as a manager, combined with his playing career, made him a no-brainer as a HOF.
I…