Circle of Greats 1899 Balloting

This post is for voting and discussion in the 92nd round of balloting for the Circle of Greats (COG).  This round adds to the list of candidates eligible to receive your votes those players born in 1899. Rules and lists are after the jump.

The new group of 1899-born players, in order to join the eligible list, must, as usual, have played at least 10 seasons in the major leagues or generated at least 20 Wins Above Replacement (“WAR”, as calculated by baseball-reference.com, and for this purpose meaning 20 total WAR for everyday players and 20 pitching WAR for pitchers). This new group of 1899-born candidates joins the eligible holdovers from previous rounds to comprise the full list of players eligible to appear on your ballots.

Each submitted ballot, if it is to be counted, must include three and only three eligible players.  As always, the one player who appears on the most ballots cast in the round is inducted into the Circle of Greats.  Players who fail to win induction but appear on half or more of the ballots that are cast win four added future rounds of ballot eligibility.  Players who appear on 25% or more of the ballots cast, but less than 50%, earn two added future rounds of ballot eligibility.  Any other player in the top 9 (including ties) in ballot appearances, or who appears on at least 10% of the ballots, wins one additional round of ballot eligibility.

All voting for this round closes at 11:59 PM EDT Sunday, May 3rd, while changes to previously cast ballots are allowed until 11:59 PM EDT Friday, May 1st.

If you’d like to follow the vote tally, and/or check to make sure I’ve recorded your vote correctly, you can see my ballot-counting spreadsheet for this round here: COG 1899 Vote Tally .  I’ll be updating the spreadsheet periodically with the latest votes.  Initially, there is a row in the spreadsheet for every voter who has cast a ballot in any of the past rounds, but new voters are entirely welcome — new voters will be added to the spreadsheet as their ballots are submitted.  Also initially, there is a column for each of the holdover candidates; additional player columns from the new born-in-1899 group will be added to the spreadsheet as votes are cast for them.

Choose your three players from the lists below of eligible players.  The fifteen current holdovers are listed in order of the number of future rounds (including this one) through which they are assured eligibility, and alphabetically when the future eligibility number is the same.  The 1899 birth-year guys are listed below in order of the number of seasons each played in the majors, and alphabetically among players with the same number of seasons played.

Holdovers:
Harmon Killebrew (eligibility guaranteed for 9 rounds)
Carl Hubbell (eligibility guaranteed for 6 rounds)
Paul Waner (eligibility guaranteed for 5 rounds)
Kevin Brown (eligibility guaranteed for this round only)
Roy Campanella  (eligibility guaranteed for this round only)
Dennis Eckersley (eligibility guaranteed for this round only)
Wes Ferrell (eligibility guaranteed for this round only)
Goose Goslin (eligibility guaranteed for this round only)
Gabby Hartnett (eligibility guaranteed for this round only)
Ted Lyons (eligibility guaranteed for this round only)
Minnie Minoso (eligibility guaranteed for this round only)
Graig Nettles (eligibility guaranteed for this round only)
Rick Reuschel (eligibility guaranteed for this round only)
Luis Tiant (eligibility guaranteed for this round only)
Dave Winfield (eligibility guaranteed for this round only)

Everyday Players (born in 1899, ten or more seasons played in the major leagues or at least 20 WAR):
Bernie Friberg
Max Bishop
Earle Combs
Bibb Falk
Lew Fonseca
Ski Melillo
Heinie Mueller
Harry McCurdy
Eddie Moore

Pitchers (born in 1899, ten or more seasons played in the major leagues or at least 20 WAR):
Waite Hoyt
Charlie Root
Earl Whitehill
Joe Shaute
Tommy Thomas
General Crowder
George Pipgras
Sheriff Blake

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Voomo Zanzibar
Voomo Zanzibar
9 years ago

Lew Fonseca: batting title winner, manager, professional singer, baseball film producer/narrator, hitting instructor.

Voomo Zanzibar
Voomo Zanzibar
9 years ago

Bibb Falk: the man who replaced Shoeless Joe.

mosc
mosc
9 years ago

Ferrell, Campanella, Hubbell

I’d really like to vote for Hartnett instead of Hubbell but I feel like that would be voting for Waner to win. I’m also going to assume he has more support than Campy. I have no idea who was a better catcher between Campy and Hartnett. I think they both belong. Ferrell, the best peak by a country mile of anybody on this list, as always needs my vote. The next guy on my list I didn’t mention would be Nettles.

Voomo Zanzibar
Voomo Zanzibar
9 years ago

Earle Combs: purchased from Louisville for $50,000 (that was a big chunk of change). Leadoff hitter and Centerfielder for the ’27 Yanx (with AL tops 231 hits). At Louisville he had been called “The Mail Carrier” because of his base stealing and speed. When Combs reported to the Yankees, Miller Huggins sat him down and told Combs not to worry about stealing bases, but as a leadoff man to wait out the pitcher, get on base any way he could, and let the big guns in the lineup drive him in. Huggins: “Up here we will call you the Waiter.”… Read more »

Voomo Zanzibar
Voomo Zanzibar
9 years ago

Combs had 1186 runs and 6513 plate appearances.
That is a run for every 5.49 PA.

Less than 5.5 PA per runs:

2174 … Ruth
1888 … Gehrig
1798 … Ted Williams
1186 … Combs
111 …. Matt Alexander
89 ….. Maurice Archdeacon
78 ….. Charles Gipson
74 ….. Stuffy Stewart

Only 4 guys in history, and 3 played on the same team.

mosc
mosc
9 years ago
Reply to  Voomo Zanzibar

So basically the three best hitters of all time are the only guys who are going to make that list: Ruth, Gehrig, and Williams. However, Combs was just good enough and spend just enough time with TWO of the three best hitters of all time right behind him to sneak in (and he had a short career to help). Combs spent for all intensive purposes his whole career with the Iron horse cleaning up his OBP. Seriously, there’s like 2/3rds of his career which… was a real hardship for his run total. I wonder how close to the top on… Read more »

mosc
mosc
9 years ago
Reply to  mosc

I used a less than symbol in my post so it got messed again 🙁

I was saying less than 100 games played where Gehrig wasn’t batting behind him and 2/3rds of his career with Ruth in between the two. I also proposed Combs as the all-time career overlap leader with Gehrig. I don’t think anybody else is going to exceed 1000 games career with such a high percentage (maybe 95%?) of their lineup cards also featuring the same teammate.

Richard Chester
Richard Chester
9 years ago
Reply to  mosc

Combs and Gehrig were starting players together in 1285 games.

Richard Chester
Richard Chester
9 years ago

Making a second check they started together in 1292 games.

mosc
mosc
9 years ago

From Gehrig’s perspective that may not be incredibly historic but from Combs’s, it’s such a huge percentage of his career games started 1292/1335 = 96.8%. I can’t imagine anybody near 1000 GS has a higher percentage.

Richard Chester
Richard Chester
9 years ago

@101
Tony Lazzeri’s percentage of GS with Gehrig = 1621/1667 = 97.2%.

Richard Chester
Richard Chester
9 years ago
Reply to  mosc

Combs is one of two players that I know of who have had a career BA of more than .300 after each and every AB. Jimmie Foxx is also one. There may be others.

Richard Chester
Richard Chester
9 years ago

I should have added 2000 career PA minimum.

Voomo Zanzibar
Voomo Zanzibar
9 years ago

Max Bishop: His nickname was Camera Eye.

1156 Walks
5789 PA

This is 5.007 PA per walk.
Who else has done that?

2558 … Bonds
2021 … Ted Williams
1156 … Bishop
32 ….. Mike Adams
21 ….. Joc Pederson*

Richard Chester
Richard Chester
9 years ago
Reply to  Voomo Zanzibar

Max Bishop is the only player (250 PA min.) with more BB than hits in a season. In 1930 he had 117 BB and 111 H.

oneblankspace
oneblankspace
9 years ago

In the Summer of 70 (1998), McGwire had 152 H and 162 BB.

Richard Chester
Richard Chester
9 years ago
Reply to  oneblankspace

That was my worst typo ever. I meant more runs than hits.

ReliefMan
ReliefMan
9 years ago

It’s only 69 PA, but last year Bartolo Colon had more runs than H+BB+HBP all combined.

He doesn’t always pitch, but when he does, he is…The Most Interesting Man in the Batter’s Box.

oneblankspace
oneblankspace
9 years ago
Reply to  oneblankspace

The other interesting thing about Big Mac in ’98 was 70 HR vs. 61 singles.

ReliefMan
ReliefMan
9 years ago

Could you imagine if Bonds 2004 had at least 232 hits to go with his walks? That would be a batting line (not OBP) of .622. Better not let it get to his head.

Hartvig
Hartvig
9 years ago
Reply to  Voomo Zanzibar

What really popped out at me was that in a short career where he only twice exceeded 115 hits and never had as many as 150 he still managed to score nearly 1000 runs. I know about all the walks of course and the era in which he played but that’s still a boatload of runs in very few games.

Richard Chester
Richard Chester
9 years ago
Reply to  Doug

Question 15, Eddie Moore: Junior Spivey

David Horwich
David Horwich
9 years ago
Reply to  Doug

Question 1 (Waite Hoyt) – “Who is the only pitcher with a .600 W-L% as Yankee and a higher W-L% elsewhere, both in 150+ decisions?”

Mike Mussina. ,631 W-L% as a Yankee, .645 with Baltimore.

(Dwight Gooden would also qualify, except had only 38 decisions as a Yankee.)

Scary Tuna
Scary Tuna
9 years ago
Reply to  Doug

3. Charlie Root question: Phil Niekro – 318 wins starting at age 26. Charlie Hough nearly fit the bill with 216 wins, but four came in his age 25 season.

Scary Tuna
Scary Tuna
9 years ago
Reply to  Doug

6. Tommy Thomas question: Matt Cain.

Scary Tuna
Scary Tuna
9 years ago
Reply to  Doug

9. Max Bishop question: Adam Dunn is the lowest I can find, with a .204 average for the 2012 White Sox, while leading the league with 105 walks.

10. Lew Fonseca question: Is it Buddy Myer? He had 5 HR and 100 RBI while leading the AL with a .349 average in 1935. I didn’t check many possibilities. Whether it’s correct or not, it just seems fitting that the answer should be a Senator during a season with one of the highest run totals; and still Myer didn’t have an RBI to spare.

Doug
Doug
9 years ago
Reply to  Doug

All the above answers (comments 11 and 25-29) are correct.

Scary Tuna
Scary Tuna
9 years ago
Reply to  Doug

12. General Crowder question: I remember the 1991 Twins having Scott Erickson (20-8), Jack Morris (18-12), and Kevin Tapani (16-9), but was surprised to realize that neither the 1965 nor 1969 Twins had three pitchers with at least 15 wins and a .600 W-L%.

Richard Chester
Richard Chester
9 years ago
Reply to  Doug

Question 13 (George Pipgras): Monte Pearson

Richard Chester
Richard Chester
9 years ago
Reply to  Doug

Question #2 (Earl Whitehill): Ted Lyons

Doug: perhaps you could cross out the question number each time one is answered.

Scary Tuna
Scary Tuna
9 years ago
Reply to  Doug

Thanks a lot, Doug.

Scary Tuna
Scary Tuna
9 years ago
Reply to  Doug

11. Bibb Falk question: Carlos Lee with a .305 average and 4.9 WAR in 2004.

Scary Tuna
Scary Tuna
9 years ago
Reply to  Doug

4. Bernie Friberg question: Delino DeShields in 1991. A .332 slugging percentage with 151 strikeouts.

Richard Chester
Richard Chester
9 years ago
Reply to  Doug

Question #16 (Harry McCurdy): Buck Martinez

David Horwich
David Horwich
9 years ago
Reply to  Doug

7. Ski Melillo question: Wally Gerber, 1927 Browns.

Dr. Doom
Dr. Doom
9 years ago
Reply to  Doug

8. Earle Combs – I’m going to start with guessing that Mickey Mantle and Bernie Williams, who are tied with six such seasons is the answer. Or are there players with more? (It’s possible that Hank Bauer is the answer, although I’m really hazy on what the “qualified” rules are at various points in history, so I’m not sure which of his seasons count.)

Richard Chester
Richard Chester
9 years ago
Reply to  Dr. Doom

Good guess because that’s the answer I came up with with a PI and Excel spreadsheet search. Hank Bauer is not an answer as 400 AB was the qualifier during his earlier years. I forgot the exact year in which the qualifier was changed to 477 PA pre-expansion, it was in the late ’50s.

Kahuna Tuna
Kahuna Tuna
9 years ago

According to this source, the 3.1-PA-per-game qualifier was instituted in 1957, mostly in response to the 1954 Ávila-Williams batting-title controversy.

brp
brp
9 years ago
Reply to  Doug

Derek Lowe is pretty close on the Joe Shaute question; over 1/2 games as starter, 4.03 ERA, finished >50% games as reliever. But not 2/3.

The answer is Ryan Dempster.
579 games, 4.35 ERA.
351 starts, leaving 228 relief appearances.
Finished 186 of those.

Kahuna Tuna
Kahuna Tuna
9 years ago
Reply to  Doug

Question 17, only HOFer among Cub pitchers since 1914 with 750 IP at home but a lower W-L% at home than on the road during his Cubs career: Greg Maddux, .539 home vs. .546 road.

Richard Chester
Richard Chester
9 years ago
Reply to  Doug

To close it out, question 14, Heinie Mueller: Ricky Ledee

J.R.
J.R.
9 years ago

Killebrew, Hubbell, Combs!

David Horwich
David Horwich
9 years ago

Shouldn’t Ted Lyons still be on the ballot? He pulled in 6 votes last round, so just cleared the 10% mark.

Dr. Doom
Dr. Doom
9 years ago
Reply to  David Horwich

That’s what I have, as well.

Doug
Doug
9 years ago
Reply to  David Horwich

My count was one off yours, so I guess the one I’m missing voted for Lyons. I have Chris C, CursedClevelander, David P, Hartvig and oneblankspace voting for Lyons.

Whose ballot am I missing?

David Horwich
David Horwich
9 years ago
Reply to  Doug

Hub Kid, post # 132.

David P
David P
9 years ago

Tiant, Waner and Lyons (who as David Horwich pointed out should be on the ballot).

Chris C
Chris C
9 years ago

Hubbell, Eck, Lyons

Josh
Josh
9 years ago

Been busy, forgot to vote last week, bummed hack Wilson and Ted Lyons didn’t make the cut

I like Waite Hoyt and Earle combs, but I just can’t over the others

My vote: Carl hubbell, Paul waner, gabby hartnett.

Dr. Doom
Dr. Doom
9 years ago
Reply to  Josh

Ted Lyons DID make the ballot!!! If you want to make a change, please feel free to do so!

Joseph
Joseph
9 years ago

I think it’s time to let some of these holdover players drop off the list–in other words, that we should stop voting for some of them. I’m sure I’ll insult some folks with this post. Sorry. But it gets the debate started. Okay, sorry first to Minnie Minoso. He doesn’t belong in the circle of greats, in my opinion. Not in the top 100 career for any major hitting category. His WAR is only 50. He has less than 2000 hits. Under .300 average. No MVP awards. No post season appearances. 186 HRs. No 200 hit seasons. Was his career… Read more »

Stubby
9 years ago
Reply to  Joseph

That’s not your call, son. You’ve just pretty much guaranteed that I’ll be voting for Minoso. I mean, you wouldn’t much like it if I said it’s time people stopped voting for Harmon Killebrew and Kevin Brown because I, personally, don’t think they belong (and, personally, I don’t). Why is Dave Winfield hanging around? Who needs him in the COG? Graig Nettles being on the ballot is an absolute joke. I suggest we stop voting for Nettles so we can be free of him clogging up the ballot once and for all. See what I mean? What I feel, personally,… Read more »

David P
David P
9 years ago
Reply to  Stubby

Wow, what a bizarre response Stubby! First off, calling someone “son” is incredibly rude. Secondly, voting for someone out of spite? Who does that?

All Joseph is doing is laying out a case against Minoso. Something that lots of voters have done against lots of candidates. If you feel Minono is qualified, then why not lay out a case FOR him???

Voomo Zanzibar
Voomo Zanzibar
9 years ago
Reply to  David P

Alternative to Arlington:

Josh Hamilton, CJ Cron, Cam Bedrosian, and 50 million dollars for
CC Sabathia, Carlos Beltran, Garrett Jones, Brendan Ryan, and Brain McCann.

Stubby
9 years ago
Reply to  David P

I’m over 60 years old. Most people I “meet” on-line are at least a decade younger. I feel I’ve earned the right to call people “son” or “kid” or “junior” or whatever. Just as I’ve earned the right to metaphorically say “Hey, you kids, get off of my lawn”. Voting “out of spite”? No. Voting to keep the holdover pool as large as possible? Yes. I’ve voted for Campy and Minoso pretty steadily. There has been discussion that we should have some kind of mechanism for recognizing Negro League players but, as yet, we do not. Keeping these players alive… Read more »

Dr. Doom
Dr. Doom
9 years ago
Reply to  Stubby

Stubby, I think you took the above comment a bit more personally than it was intended. I’m pretty sure Joseph wouldn’t care if you told people to stop voting for anyone. I think his point is that, while we often here campaigns in FAVOR of players, we never hear the campaigns AGAINST anyone. You’re perfectly within your rights to explain to others why you don’t (and why they shouldn’t) vote for Killebrew or Brown or Winfield or Nettles or whoever. You’re welcome to exercise your right to free speech and tell people what to do; they just don’t have to… Read more »

Artie Z.
Artie Z.
9 years ago
Reply to  Dr. Doom

I wouldn’t say “never” hear campaigns against anyone … I’m pretty sure mosc and nsb were on one side of the Whitey Ford discussion, and I and some others were on the other side. Good lively discussion 🙂 Someone could write a book chapter on Whitey Ford from those discussions (which included more than just stats). Didn’t stop the Whitey Ford election train. On the other hand, when Murray was on the ballot and lagging behind Killebrew I often wondered why (at times in posts). Killebrew’s still on the ballot, but Murray has been enjoying the perks of being a… Read more »

Joseph
Joseph
9 years ago
Reply to  Stubby

I’m open to listen to an opposing viewpoint backed up with some actual facts about the players.

I’m pretty sure that the point of the thread is to have a reasoned discussion.

You took my post awfully personally. Are you related to Minoso?

Joseph
Joseph
9 years ago
Reply to  Joseph

To the rest of you gentlemen, thank you for defending my right to post. Like I said in my response to Stubby, I am opened to reasoned debate. Stubby brings up Graig Nettles, my favorite semi-lost cause on here. Stubby, you may not agree that Nettles belongs in the COG, but there are lots of reasons to vote for him, using the same criteria that I used in arguing against Minoso. Nettles is the all time HR leader for AL third basemen, with 390 HR (I’m not counting HRs by ARod when he played SS). That was 28th all time… Read more »

Joseph
Joseph
9 years ago
Reply to  Joseph

Oops–correction–Nettles had 390 HR in his career, but only 333 were in the AL.

Sorry. Still makes him the leading HR hitting among AL 3B.

Voomo Zanzibar
Voomo Zanzibar
9 years ago
Reply to  Joseph

Surprising that 333 is tops. (Alex Rod has played just over 45 percent of his games at 3B) 333 … Nettles 317 … Brett 292 … Gaetti 275 … Dean Palmer 268 … Brooks R 250 … Beltre* 248 … Chavez 242 … Bando 240 … Glaus 237 … DeCinces 223 … Fryman 207 … Ventura 195 … Harrah 192 … Rosen 185 … Longoria* __________________ 333 would be good for 7th in the NL: 548 … Schmidt 503 … Mathews 468 … Larry Jones 370 … Aramis Ramirez 346 … Matt Williams 337 … Ron Santo 312 … Cey… Read more »

Joseph
Joseph
9 years ago
Reply to  Voomo Zanzibar

Just to clarify, Larry Jones = Chipper Jones.

And I think he’ll be a shoe-in when his year comes up.

CursedClevelander
CursedClevelander
9 years ago
Reply to  Voomo Zanzibar

If you asked me the #4 guy on the AL list without giving me the answer, I probably would have sputtered out 20 guys before stumbling on Dean Palmer. Can’t believe he’s that high up. But it makes sense; he played during the HR boom and his entire career was in the AL.

no statistician but
no statistician but
9 years ago
Reply to  Joseph

Minoso vs Nettles PAs: 7712 vs 10228 162 game averages Runs: 100 vs 72 Hits : 173 vs 134 2Bs: 30 vs 20 3Bs: 7 vs 2 HRs: 16 vs 23 RBI: 90 vs 79 SBs: 18 vs 2 CSs: 11 vs 2 BBs: 72 vs 65 SOs: 52 vs 73 BA: .298 vs .248 OBP: .389 vs .329 SLG: .459 vs .421 OPS+ 130 vs 110 WAR/game .02730 vs .02518 oWAR/game .02594 vs .01937 Lately when I’ve submitted a comment to a thread, the thread goes dead for me, and I no longer can read any of the comments… Read more »

Joseph
Joseph
9 years ago

No Stat–thanks.

If you look at it that way, you are making a stronger case for Minoso.

Stubby, you old man, you could have done what No Stat did instead of call me “son,” and spout a lot of nonsense.

BTW, I’m 55 years old. It’s laughable to think you’ve earned the right to call me “son.”

mosc
mosc
9 years ago

And a corner outfielder hitting like a gold glove third basemen would probably be sent to the minors. I fail to see the point in this line. Nettles played a lot better defense at a lot more important position for a very long time.

Joseph
Joseph
9 years ago
Reply to  mosc

Mosc (and others), your point that Nettles played great defense for a very long time is important, I think. He was probably among the top 4 or 5 defensive third baseman all time, as far as we can tell. Then, throw in his 390 HRs–a number very few infielders have ever achieved (other than 1st base). I think the number is about 8 if you include catchers. To me, that makes him worthy of consideration for the COG. Then, when you look at his other achievements that I mentioned above, that adds even more weight. Minoso, on the other hand,… Read more »

mosc
mosc
9 years ago

So you listed a bunch of offensive stats which are important but how about noting something equally Jermaine: Defensive Chances Minoso 3859 Nettles 7691 So in addition to being involved in almost exactly twice as many defensive plays as Minoso, Nettles also was 140 runs above average for his career in those chances compared to Minoso’s 26. Nettle’s teams called on his glove far more than Minoso and when they did, he added far more value. OPS+ is probably the single most important stat for an offensive player but it’s not the only one. Another knock on Minoso was that… Read more »

no statistician but
no statistician but
9 years ago
Reply to  mosc

Mosc: My point in posting as I did was not to promote Minoso over Nettles; it was to point out that Minoso was probably far better than Nettles as a rounded ballplayer. The case for Nettles can be boiled down to three things, extraordinary defense at third base, home runs, and meaningful longevity. Other than hitting HRs, at the plate he was mediocre at best. As I’ve grown older I’ve become less and less impressed by HRs as a measure of greatness, so on that point Joseph and I part ways. Full career Nettles seems slightly more impressive that Minoso,… Read more »

Joseph
Joseph
9 years ago

On the Gold Glove issues, you need to remember that Nettles’ best years were played at the same time as Brooks Robinson and he received 16 Gold Gloves in a row right up until 1975. Nettles picked up two in a row right after Robinson retired. By then, he was approaching his mid-30’s, and his defense did decline.

As far as whether he gets elected or not–well, if you go by WAR, he is the 79th most valuable position player in the history of the game.

I think he should make it. Just my humble opinion.

Steven
Steven
9 years ago

Hubbell, Waner, Combs.

Hartvig
Hartvig
9 years ago

My guess is that this will be a race between Hubbell & Waner. I’m OK with both of them getting in & I’m fairly certain that they will. I’ll leave it to others to decide which goes first.

Campanella, Lyons, Hartnett

mosc
mosc
9 years ago
Reply to  Hartvig

Lyons over Ferrell? You were a key Ferrell voter! Lyons has no chance here.

koma
koma
9 years ago

Harmon Killebrew, Dennis Eckersley, Minnie Minoso

PaulE
PaulE
9 years ago

Winfield Lyons Eckersley

latefortheparty
latefortheparty
9 years ago

Goose Goslin
Graig Nettles
Roy Campanella

JEV
JEV
9 years ago

Hartnett, Campanella, Goslin

donburgh
donburgh
9 years ago

Reuschel, Waner, Eckersley

Have all the writers other than Doug gone AWOL? I hate to say it, but to me it seems as though HHS is dying a slow death. I hope I’m wrong.

Dr. Doom
Dr. Doom
9 years ago
Reply to  donburgh

Well, birtelcom mentioned that he had some medical issues. Those are presumably keeping him from the site. As for JA, I don’t know where he’s disappeared to, but I imagine he’ll come back. Still, it might be time for an injection of new blood in the writing department, if there were other volunteers. Though, how to become an admin on the site, I have no idea. And I also have no idea if that would be okay with the other admins. I do remember Andy opening it up to anyone who wanted to be one, but that was like 3… Read more »

CursedClevelander
CursedClevelander
9 years ago
Reply to  Dr. Doom

I don’t want to take for granted what Andy has done for this site, but with the recent usability issues I think it might be a good idea to bring on someone to handle just the nuts and bolts of the site. As for writers, I definitely hope that birtelcom and JA are alright and will continue to contribute their great work to this site, but we have a ton of passionate, intelligent fans in the comments, and I’m sure some among us would be willing to volunteer their efforts.

opal611
opal611
9 years ago

For the 1899 election, I’m voting for:
-Dennis Eckersley
-Dave Winfield
-Paul Waner

Other top candidates I considered highly (and/or will consider in future rounds):
-Killebrew
-Brown
-Reuschel
-Tiant
-Nettles
-Hubbell
-Lyons
-Goslin

Scary Tuna
Scary Tuna
9 years ago

Killebrew, Goslin, Winfield.

T-Bone
T-Bone
9 years ago

Reuschel, Hubbell, Campanella

Richard Chester
Richard Chester
9 years ago

Waner, Hubbell, Goslin

Darien
9 years ago

Killebrew, Waner, and Eckersley

MJ
MJ
9 years ago

Paul Waner, Rick Reuschel, Kevin Brown

Dr. Doom
Dr. Doom
9 years ago

I’ll be casting my second consecutive all-pitcher ballot:

Kevin Brown
Carl Hubbell
Luis Tiant

mo
mo
9 years ago

Reuschel Hubbell waner

Joseph
Joseph
9 years ago

Nettles, Hubbell, Waner are my votes this time.

David Horwich
David Horwich
9 years ago

Early returns, through 21 ballots (#62):

11 – Waner
====================50% (11)
10 – Hubbell
6 – Eckersley*
====================25% (6)
5 – Campanella*
4 – Goslin*, Killebrew, Lyons*, Reuschel*
3 – Hartnett*, Winfield*
====================10% (3)
2 – Combs*, Nettles*, Tiant*
1 – Brown*, Ferrell*, Minoso*

With 12 out of 15 holdovers on the bubble, that’s a lot of asterisks.

Dr. Doom
Dr. Doom
9 years ago
Reply to  David Horwich

I believe your count is incorrect, sir. First of all, Kevin Brown had two votes at this point (MJ’s and mine, in back-to-back posts). Second of all, I’m pretty sure Waner only had 10 votes: David P @16, Josh @22, Steven @24, donburgh @43, opal611 @44, Richard Chester @48, Darien @50, MJ @51, mo @56, and Joseph @62). I have him and Hubbell tied at 10 votes and 47.82% through the point at which you posted this update.

David Horwich
David Horwich
9 years ago
Reply to  Dr. Doom

Ah, yes, you’re right – I misrecorded a Brown vote for Waner: yours, ironically enough. Thanks for the correction.

Stephen
Stephen
9 years ago

Killebrew, Winfield, Tiant

dr. remulak
dr. remulak
9 years ago

Hubbell, Campanella, Nettles.

Andy
Andy
9 years ago

Hubbell, Waner, Kevin Brown

BryanM
BryanM
9 years ago

I think the three best players on the ballot are Paul Waner, Kevin Brown and Dave Winfield; so I’ll vote for them. Not to revert to the Minoso discussion, or to criticize strategic voting, but that’s my method.

David W
David W
9 years ago
Reply to  BryanM

Hubbell, Campanella, Goslin.

Gary Bateman
Gary Bateman
9 years ago

Waner, Goslin, Minoso

e pluribus munu
e pluribus munu
9 years ago

Hubbell, Ferrell, Campanella

I had no idea that Charlie Root was 27 before he racked up his first win. Pretty impressive to make it to 200 entirely as a past-his-prime pitcher.

Of course that’s part of Hubbell’s story, too – he won 250 games, all after age 25. If Ty Cobb hadn’t screwed up his career start by banning him from throwing the screwball, he might easily have reached 300.

RonG
RonG
9 years ago

Campanella, Hubbell, Hartnett

Bryan O'Connor
Editor
9 years ago

Most Wins Above Average, excluding negative seasonal totals:

Brown 43.3
Waner 40.8
Reuschel 40.6
FerrellW 40.1
Hubbell 39.8
Simmons 37.6
Tiant 37.5
Nettles 35.7
Eckersley 34.3
Lyons 33.3
Killebrew 33.0
Goslin 31.7
Winfield 31.1
Minoso 30.6
Hartnett 30.3
Hoyt 23.4
Combs 20.1
Campanella 19.2
Bishop 17.5

Brown, Waner, Hubbell

Bryan O'Connor
Editor
9 years ago
Reply to  Bryan O'Connor

Apologies to Circle of Greats member Al Simmons, who of course shouldn’t show up on the above list.

Brent
Brent
9 years ago

Waner, Hubbell and Roy Campanella

brp
brp
9 years ago

Brown
Nettles
Reuschel

Shard
Shard
9 years ago

Waner – Reuschel – Ferrell

aweb
aweb
9 years ago

Brown
Waner
Killebrew

Dr. Doom
Dr. Doom
9 years ago

I’m pretty confident in this vote count through 34 ballots (aweb @84; * indicates player on the bubble):

17 – Carl Hubbell, Paul Waner
===============================50% (17)
10 – Roy Campanella*
===============================25% (9)
7 – Kevin Brown*
6 – Dennis Eckersley*, Goose Goslin*, Harmon Killebrew, Rick Reuschel*
5 – Dave Winfield*
4 – Gabby Hartnett*, Ted Lyons*, Graig Nettles*
===============================10% (4)
3 – Wes Ferrell*, Luis Tiant*
2 – Earle Combs*, Minnie Minoso*

Luis Gomez
Luis Gomez
9 years ago

Minnie Miñoso, Graig Nettles, Luis Tiant.

JamesS
JamesS
9 years ago

Hartnett, Hubbell, Campanella

Artie Z.
Artie Z.
9 years ago

Kevin Brown, Wes Ferrell, Gabby Hartnett

Bill Johnson
Bill Johnson
9 years ago

Killebrew, Goslin, and Hartnett

Voomo Zanzibar
Voomo Zanzibar
9 years ago

Vote:

Dennis Eckersley
Wes Ferrell
Paul Waner

Hub Kid
Hub Kid
9 years ago

Lyons, Tiant & Minoso

…and thank you to David Horwich, Dr. Doom and to Doug for catching and including my vote for Lyons last round.

Dr. Doom
Dr. Doom
9 years ago

Two days since I last posted an update, so I’ll do so again. Through 40 ballots (Hub Kid @100):

18 – Carl Hubbell, Paul Waner
11 – Roy Campanella*
===============================25% (10)
8 – Kevin Brown*
7 – Dennis Eckersley*, Goose Goslin*, Gabby Hartnett*, Harmon Killebrew
6 – Rick Reuschel*
5 – Wes Ferrell*, Ted Lyons*, Graig Nettles*, Luis Tiant*, Dave Winfield*
4 – Minnie Minoso*
===============================10% (4)
2 – Earle Combs*