Tom Cheek, the longtime voice of the Toronto Blue Jays, was named the 2013 winner of the Ford Frick Award for broadcasting, but he's been dead for a few years now.
Teams are ranked in order of most living HOFers. If there is a tie, it will be broken by which has more non-managers. If it's still a tie, which has more non-broadcasters. If it's still a tie, which has more players whose contributions were mostly with that club. If it's still a tie, which team has played fewer seasons will be ranked ahead -- since, for example, 5 HOFers is more impressive for a team that's been around since 1977 than it would be for one that's been around since 1961. Teams that no longer exist in that form will be listed in italics and in the position where they would be ranked if they still did.
Players are listed in chronological order of when they arrived at the club, then managers, then broadcasters.
1. St. Louis Cardinals, 8: Red Schoendienst (elected as player but also a World Series-winning manager), Bob Gibson, Lou Brock, Orlando Cepeda, Steve Carlton, Bruce Sutter, Ozzie Smith, Whitey Herzog (manager). Jim Edmonds is not yet eligible. Tony LaRussa is not yet eligible to be elected as a manager. Mark McGwire is eligible, but he's not getting in.
2. New York Yankees, 7: Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, Reggie Jackson, Goose Gossage, Dave Winfield, Wade Boggs, Jerry Coleman (played for the Yankees but elected as a broadcaster, first for the Yankees, then for the Padres). Having been elected in 1972, Yogi is now the earliest-elected living member of the Hall of Fame. I generally don't count Rickey Henderson as a Yankee; maybe I would if he'd helped to win a Pennant. Joe Torre is not yet eligible to be elected as a manager; he is eligible as a player, but has never gotten in as one, and never played for the Yankees anyway. If Lou Piniella is elected as a manager, I'll have a decision to make as to whether to count him as a Yankee HOFer, since he was good but not HOF quality for them as both player and manager. Don Mattingly and Paul O'Neill are now eligible, but let's not kid ourselves. And then there's Roger Clemens: Even if he does get in, would you want to count him as a Yankee?
3. Baltimore Orioles, 7: Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Jim Palmer, Eddie Murray, Cal Ripken, Roberto Alomar, Jon Miller (broadcaster). Although he won his only World Series with the Orioles, we don't usually associate Luis Aparicio with them, so I'm not counting him here. Rafael Palmeiro is eligible, but he's not getting in.
4. Cincinnati Reds, 7: Frank Robinson, Johnny Bench, Tony Perez, Joe Morgan, Tom Seaver, Barry Larkin, Marty Brennaman (broadcaster). Pete Rose, of course, is ineligible. If Lou Piniella is elected as a manager, I'll count him as a Reds HOFer.
5. San Francisco Giants, 7: Willie Mays, Orlando Cepeda, Willie McCovey, Juan Marichal, Gaylord Perry, Lon Simmons (broadcaster), Jon Miller (broadcaster). Barry Bonds is eligible, but who's kidding who?
6. Chicago Cubs, 6: Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, Ferguson Jenkins, Bruce Sutter, Ryne Sandberg, Andre Dawson. Greg Maddux can be counted with them when he is elected. Sammy Sosa is eligible, but he's not getting in. Lee Smith is eligible, but now that he's no longer the all-time saves leader, the biggest reason for electing him is gone. If Lou Piniella is elected as a manager, I'll have a decision to make as to whether to count him as a Cub HOFer, since he was good but not HOF quality for them.
7. Oakland Athletics, 5: Reggie Jackson, Rollie Fingers, Rickey Henderson, Dennis Eckersley, Lon Simmons (broadcaster). Mark McGwire is eligible, but he's not getting in. Tony LaRussa is not yet eligible to be elected as a manager.
8. Los Angeles Dodgers, 5: Sandy Koufax, Don Sutton, Tommy Lasorda (manager), Vin Scully (broadcaster), Jamie Jarrin (broadcaster). Steve Garvey is not getting in. Mike Piazza probably will, and if he does, he can be counted as a Dodger.
9. Boston Red Sox, 4: Bobby Doerr, Carl Yastrzemski, Carlton Fisk, Wade Boggs. Pedro Martinez is not yet eligible. Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling are. I don't know if any of those will get in, even though all are members of the 3,000 Strikeout Club, and Clemens of the 300 Win Club. At age 94 and having debuted in the major leagues in 1937, Doerr is now the oldest and earliest living member of the Hall of Fame.
10. Philadelphia Phillies, 4: Jim Bunning, Steve Carlton, Mike Schmidt, Pat Gillick (executive). If Curt Schilling gets in, he can be counted with them. Pete Rose, of course, is ineligible.
11. Milwaukee Brewers, 4: Robin Yount, Paul Molitor, Rollie Fingers, Bob Uecker (broadcaster).
12. San Diego Padres, 4: Dave Winfield, Rollie Fingers, Tony Gwynn, Jerry Coleman (broadcaster). Considering how many they have in a comparatively short history, you shouldn't also count Willie McCovey, Gaylord Perry, Ozzie Smith or Roberto Alomar.
13. Houston Astros, 4: Joe Morgan, Nolan Ryan, Gene Elston (broadcaster), Milo Hamilton (broadcaster). Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio are eligible, and should be in. Roger Clemens is eligible, but even with a legal exoneration, he may never get in.
14. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, 3: Nolan Ryan, Rod Carew, Reggie Jackson. Jim Edmonds is not yet eligible.
15. Pittsburgh Pirates, 3: Ralph Kiner, Bill Mazeroski, Bert Blyleven. Barry Bonds is eligible, but who's kidding who?
16. Atlanta Braves, 3: Hank Aaron, Phil Niekro, Milo Hamilton (broadcaster). Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine will be counted with them when they are elected. If they are elected, so will Bobby Cox, John Smoltz, Fred McGriff, Chipper Jones and Andruw Jones. If Joe Torre is elected as a manager, I'll have a decision to make as to whether to include him: While he was a very good player for the Braves, he won't be elected as a player, and as Braves manager he won a single Division title.
17. Toronto Blue Jays, 3: Roberto Alomar, Pat Gillick (executive), Tony Kubek (broadcaster). No, you can't count Dave Winfield, Rickey Henderson or Paul Molitor. Or Roger Clemens.
18. Kansas City Royals, 3: George Brett, Whitey Herzog (manager), Denny Matthews (broadcaster).
19. New York Mets, 3: Tom Seaver, Yogi Berra (manager), Tim McCarver (broadcaster). Mike Piazza will probably get in. If John Franco is ever elected, you can count him. No, you can't count Ralph Kiner, Willie Mays or Nolan Ryan -- and why would you want to count Eddie Murray, Rickey Henderson or Roberto Alomar as Mets? Or, if he gets in, Tom Glavine? Or Joe Torre?
20. Detroit Tigers, 2: Al Kaline, Jim Bunning. Jack Morris, Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker are all eligible, but it's doubtful that any of them will ever get in. Ivan Rodriguez is not yet eligible, and while he's never been publicly revealed to be a steroid user, it's a big question mark as to whether he'll ever get in.
21. Chicago White Sox, 2: Luis Aparicio, Carlton Fisk. Frank Thomas is not yet eligible. Tony LaRussa is not yet eligible to be elected as a manager.
22. Texas Rangers, 2: Ferguson Jenkins, Nolan Ryan. Ivan Rodriguez is not yet eligible. Rafael Palmeiro and Juan Gonzalez are, but who's kidding who?
23. Minnesota Twins: Rod Carew, Bert Blyleven.
Milwaukee Braves, 2: Hank Aaron, Red Schoendienst.
New York Giants, 2: Monte Irvin, Willie Mays. Irvin is the only living HOFer who had been elected based in part upon his performance in the Negro Leagues, mainly with the Newark Eagles.
Montreal Expos, 2: Andre Dawson, Dave Van Horne (broadcaster). If Tim Raines and Larry Walker get in, they can be counted with the Expos.
24. Miami Marlins, 2: Felo Ramirez and Dave Van Horne (both broadcasters). If Gary Sheffield gets in, he can be counted as a Marlin, but I don't think he's getting in. No, you can't count Andre Dawson, although he did close his career with the club and is now working in their front office.
25. Seattle Mariners, 1: Pat Gillick (executive). Ken Griffey Jr. and Randy Johnson are not yet eligible. Edgar Martinez is, but I don't think he'll ever get in. If Lou Piniella is elected as a manager, I'll have a decision to make as to whether to count him as a Mariner HOFer, since he was good but not HOF quality for them.
Brooklyn Dodgers, 1: Vin Scully (broadcaster).
Washington Senators, 1: Bob Wolff (broadcaster).
26. Washington Nationals, none. No, you can't count their first manager, Frank Robinson, who was already in the Hall long before MLB returned to D.C. Nor can you count the HOFers from their previous incarnation, the Montreal Expos.
27. Arizona Diamondbacks, none: If Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling get in, both can be counted with them.
28. Tampa Bay Rays, none: If Fred McGriff gets in, he can be counted with them. Wade Boggs cannot. Nor, if he is elected as a manager, can Lou Piniella.
29. Colorado Rockies, none: If Larry Walker gets in, he can be counted with them.
30. Cleveland Indians, none: Despite 112 seasons of history, including 10 trips to the postseason, the Indians have no living Hall-of-Famers since the death of Bob Feller. Ralph Kiner, Gaylord Perry, Frank Robinson, Dennis Eckersley, Bert Blyleven, Phil Niekro, Steve Carlton, Dave Winfield, Eddie Murray and Roberto Alomar are all alive, played for the Indians in at least 1 season, and are members of the Hall, but none can be counted as an Indian.
Frank Robinson went in as an Oriole.
ReplyDelete