Monday It was on this date in 1977 that the Detroit Tigers got to preview their double play combination for the next 18 years, as shortstop Alan Trammell and second baseman Lou Whitaker made their debuts for the team.
It's a crime that Sweet Lou isn't in Cooperstown. It's also a crime that it took so long for Tram to get in, but now at least that wrong has been righted.
I'm going to disagree on Trammel in the HOF. He seems like one of the guys that benefited from the steroid era (and the cadre of guys that are being unfairly punished....for baseball to pretend it has any moralistic stance is kind of laughable.) and the Hall's need to put someone, ANYONE in to get those tourist bucks. His career OPS is quite and shockingly average.
With respect, Trammell's OPS was 10% better than average for all players. For shortstops, that stands out even more. There are ten shortstops in the Hall of Fame with worse OPS+ marks than Trammell's 110, and another 10 who had lower defensive WAR totals. That's a rare combination. If you pull the average career stats of all Hall of Fame shortstops, they are almost an exact match of Trammell's career numbers. I don't see how he could be kept out.
Trammel career OPS is .767 which is barely over .750. .750 is considered average. If what you say is true there are A TON of average SS in the Hall.
I'm at a loss to even try to explain how they figure out defensive WAR (a flawed statistic as creator Bill James explained) unless they went back and watched EVERY game Trammel played. Ludicrous.
Trammel hit none of the "magical numbers" and was a banjo hitter in the beginning and end of his career. Like I said before, if the steroid guys were considered Trammel would have been lost in a far superior shuffle. He's a good player, maybe even very good but not Hall worthy.
In the history of baseball, only 18 shortstops had at least 7,000 career plate appearances with a .750 OPS. That's not "A TON" of shortstops.
Trammell was one of them. Of the other 17, nine are in the Hall of Fame, and all eight of the ones who didn't get elected had fewer plate appearances than Trammell. In fact, only four shortstops in history had a .750 OPS and more plate appearances than Alan Trammell. All of them are in the Hall of Fame - Cal Ripken, Jr., Honus Wagner, Derek Jeter, and Luke Appling.
Also, of the other 17 shortstops to have a .750 OPS in that many plate appearances, only three also had more career Fielding Runs than Trammell's +77.
Honus Wagner
Cal Ripken, Jr.
Lou Boudreau
Only six of the 17 stole as many bases as he did. And the only shortstop ever to play as long as Trammell and still have a better OPS, and more steals, and more Fielding Runs than he did, was Honus Wagner.
Now, I would never say that Trammell was as good as Wagner, or Ripken, or several other shortstops. But he was in an exceptionally small group at the position to ever have as well-rounded a game as he had for as long as he had. The hitting alone puts him a group with just 17 other shortstops ever. Add his defense and base running and he's easily beyond qualified for the Hall of Fame.
It's a crime that Sweet Lou isn't in Cooperstown. It's also a crime that it took so long for Tram to get in, but now at least that wrong has been righted.
I disagree on those who disagree on Trammell’s HOF inclusion! … Which means I want him in the HOF, along with Sweet Lou! Great article, my friend!
3000+ hits, 400+ hrs — Rafael Palmeiro. Meh.
Palmeiro didn't have all 3,000 hits in one league.
I'm going to disagree on Trammel in the HOF. He seems like one of the guys that benefited from the steroid era (and the cadre of guys that are being unfairly punished....for baseball to pretend it has any moralistic stance is kind of laughable.) and the Hall's need to put someone, ANYONE in to get those tourist bucks. His career OPS is quite and shockingly average.
With respect, Trammell's OPS was 10% better than average for all players. For shortstops, that stands out even more. There are ten shortstops in the Hall of Fame with worse OPS+ marks than Trammell's 110, and another 10 who had lower defensive WAR totals. That's a rare combination. If you pull the average career stats of all Hall of Fame shortstops, they are almost an exact match of Trammell's career numbers. I don't see how he could be kept out.
Trammel career OPS is .767 which is barely over .750. .750 is considered average. If what you say is true there are A TON of average SS in the Hall.
I'm at a loss to even try to explain how they figure out defensive WAR (a flawed statistic as creator Bill James explained) unless they went back and watched EVERY game Trammel played. Ludicrous.
Trammel hit none of the "magical numbers" and was a banjo hitter in the beginning and end of his career. Like I said before, if the steroid guys were considered Trammel would have been lost in a far superior shuffle. He's a good player, maybe even very good but not Hall worthy.
In the history of baseball, only 18 shortstops had at least 7,000 career plate appearances with a .750 OPS. That's not "A TON" of shortstops.
Trammell was one of them. Of the other 17, nine are in the Hall of Fame, and all eight of the ones who didn't get elected had fewer plate appearances than Trammell. In fact, only four shortstops in history had a .750 OPS and more plate appearances than Alan Trammell. All of them are in the Hall of Fame - Cal Ripken, Jr., Honus Wagner, Derek Jeter, and Luke Appling.
Also, of the other 17 shortstops to have a .750 OPS in that many plate appearances, only three also had more career Fielding Runs than Trammell's +77.
Honus Wagner
Cal Ripken, Jr.
Lou Boudreau
Only six of the 17 stole as many bases as he did. And the only shortstop ever to play as long as Trammell and still have a better OPS, and more steals, and more Fielding Runs than he did, was Honus Wagner.
Now, I would never say that Trammell was as good as Wagner, or Ripken, or several other shortstops. But he was in an exceptionally small group at the position to ever have as well-rounded a game as he had for as long as he had. The hitting alone puts him a group with just 17 other shortstops ever. Add his defense and base running and he's easily beyond qualified for the Hall of Fame.
I respect you and your baseball site, Paul, but I just don’t find this to be a compelling argument.
Agree to disagree.
I have a feeling we’d disagree on Baines as well but I just don’t have the energy for that. :)