5 Baseball Players That Weren’t Deserving of the MLB Hall of Fame

The Cheat Sheet ^ | January 8, 2017 | Ryan Davis

[EveningStar]

The Major League Baseball Hall of Fame was created all the way back in 1936 and has 312 members that have been enshrined over the years. The process, which involves sports writers and even former players voting and requires a player to receive 75% to be inducted, is far from perfect. Sure, you have plenty of players that are deserving that make it into the Hall of Fame without problem. But sometimes, deserving players are left out for long periods—such as third baseman Ron Santo, who finally was selected following his death in 2011—and other times undeserving players are chosen.

Here are five players that were selected but simply don’t belong in the Hall of Fame.

5. Ozzie Smith ...

4. Phil Rizzuto ...

3. Jim Rice ...

2. Bill Mazeroski ...

1. Bruce Sutter ...

[LongWayHome]

Jim Rice has no business in the Hall. And I watched his entire career as a kid. We called him the greatest double-play machine in baseball history. He was washed by by the age of 34 or so.

[Alberta's Child]

When the Cardinals had Ozzie Smith at shortstop and Terry Pendleton at third base in the 1980s, ground-ball hits through that side of their infield were almost non-existent.

[Alberta's Child]

I'm very ambivalent about Sutter. He's one of those guys who could have a strong case for or against him. He was dominant in his day and really defined the closer role in that era, but his accomplishments also diminish over time because that role has gotten so much more specialized.

I think the introduction of the save as a pitching statistic may be the worst thing to happen to the Hall of Fame selection process, since it causes some relievers to be very overrated and others to be underrated over time.

[Alberta's Child]

P.S. — For example, I don’t see how Bruce Sutter is a Hall of Famer but Lee Smith is not.

[Deplorable American1776]

One player who would’ve made the HOF would have been Tony C, if he didn’t get beaned by the Angles pitcher in 68...

[LongWayHome]

Don’t forget Freddy Lynn. If he stayed in Boston his entire career he would have had a chance at the Hall. Beautiful ballplayer in his prime.

[JohnBovenmyer]

Sutter in his prime made good hitters miss worse than I’d ever seen. His splitter did things baseball hadn’t seen before. Eventually others were able to replicate it and have success and over time hitters learned to hit it. But when new Sutter was as dominating as Manny Rivera. Manny’s pitch never was well replicated and he kept it going for a longer career. Sutter had arm injuries before his stardom and thus a shortened career. IIRC the injuries lead Bruce and his guru, who’s name escapes me, to develop the splitter. Closers were just becoming a ‘position’ in his era and many were lamenting there only being one reliever in the Hall, Hoyt Wilhelm, a knuckleballer who pitched forever. Sutter was the obvious add from what then was a small pool of candidates.

[JohnBovenmyer]

Agree. Add Lee Smith.

[Alberta's Child]

Rollie Fingers was the best reliever from that period between the Hoyt Wilhem and Bruce Smith eras.

[Alberta's Child]

Mike Scott was the other pitcher who was unhittable when he was throwing that split-fingered fastball.

I think you have the description of that pitch reversed. That pitch wasn't developed by those guys with arm troubles. It's what actually shortened the careers of those pitchers. That's why you see more guys today who throw sliders and cut fastballs instead of splitters.

Mariano Rivera was the master of the cut fastball. He learned it by mistake in the bullpen one day while fiddling around with his delivery, and he rode it to a long career as the best closer in the game.

[Alberta's Child]

As a Yankee fan I thought Lynn was an awesome player, but I don't think he ever had a chance to be a Hall of Famer. He was injury-prone throughout his career and never really came close to his late-70s peak that began with his MVP season in 1975 and ended in 1979.

In 17 seasons he only played 150 or more games once. That's pretty remarkable for a guy who seemed like he'd be a great player for two decades.

[Figment]

Ron Santo didn’t and doesn’t belong in the HOF

[Figment]

Writer doesn’t address why the always over rated Santo does belong. Mediocre would be a compliment to Santo

[Deplorable American1776]

True...Fred Lynn was one player who would be awesome even today. Another HOF candidate in 5 years will be Big Papi David Ortiz...the debate will be if DH players should be Hall of fame...Yes...

[LongWayHome]

Fred had a lot of things go bad in his career. Fenway Park would have helped him with his home runs & average, if he stayed in Boston, but your point stands, that he was often hurt. He was my favorite, by far, as a kid watching him play.

[Alberta's Child]

Ortiz will be a tough case for the HOF selection committee, since he's the first DH to retire with major offensive milestones to his credit (500+ home runs, 1500+ RBIs).

It's kind of hard to see Ortiz getting inducted ahead of Edgar Martinez, especially since they used to call the award for the top DH the Edgar Martinez Award! He definitely had better offensive numbers, but he's got the PED cloud over his head.

Personally, I'm not sure I'd vote to induct any of these guys into the Hall of Fame who looks like they stepped out from behind the counter of a pizza joint before putting on their baseball uniform. LOL.

[LongWayHome]

Ortiz should walk in, but the DH thing is an issue. Not for me. After over 40 years the sports writers should get over it.

[LongWayHome]

Come on now.....Babe Ruth:)

[Dr. Sivana]

Sutter...well, ya got me.

Bruce Sutter was as good as any fireman of his era, with most saves four years in a row. His numbers might watered down due to his playing for a long time, and the save numbers might not seem all that great, but he played in an era when complete games were NOT all that rare.

And he had his best seasons with the Cardinals and the Cubs, meaning he did not have a remarkable supporting cast, and in Wrigley he did NOT have a pitcher's park.

Those who saw Rizzuto play say he was the greatest bunter they ever saw. Maybe not enough on its own, but an often overlooked feature.

Ozzie Smith was perhaps the greatest defensive shortstop up until the recent generation. His lifetime batting average is in the 260s, about the same as Brooks Robinson, but with no power. Unlike Robinson, he was a very good base-stealer. He played shortstop. Yeah, we have shortstops these days who hit 30+ homeruns, but not then or before then.

I wouldn't have voted for Jim Rice, as that era is full of great batting outfielders, and Lynn was the glove in that OF, NOT Rice. Rice had a couple of really good batting seasons, and the rest of the lineup made sure that he wasn't pitched around as much as he might have been on another team. Heck I would have picked a guy like Reggie Smith, who wasn't nearly as good at Self-Promotion, but that's me. I don't think Rice was an awful pick, just not a standout when you have George Fosters, Reggie Smiths and Dave Parkers out there.

[Dr. Sivana]

I think Rizzuto is best known for being on Meatloaf’s Paradise by the Dashboard Light.

Poor Phil didn't know what the song was about. He got taken.