Joe Gordon Elected to the Hall of Fame

by Tom Dakers on Dec 9, 2008 1:48 PM EST in Toronto Blue Jays News

The Veteran's Committee has elected Joe Gordon to the Hall of Fame. Guess I could start by saying if you go thru the marginal or out right stupid choices for the Hall you would see most of them were put in to the Hall by the Veteran's Committee. Gordon.......well he is a marginal choice.

Gordon played 11 seasons in the majors, and he was a heck of a player, he won the AL MVP and made the All-Star team 9 of the 11 seasons that he played in the majors. Interestingly the season he won the MVP the player that came second in the voting was Ted Williams. That season Gordon hit .322, with 18 homers, an OPS .900, 88 runs and 103 RBI. Ted? He hit .342, with 36 homers, an OPS of 1.147, 141 runs and 137 RBI.

So how did Gordon win the MVP? Well, the writers voted for the award and Williams wasn't exactly loved by the writers, he was not exactly a friendly fellow. Think Barry Bonds. Gordon was apparently well liked. Being likable is a good quality but it shouldn't get you a MVP award. And it shouldn't get you into the Hall of Fame. Friends of Gordon have been trying to get him into the Hall for year now. And now they have.

Gordon's career batting line? .268/.357/.466. He finished with 1530 hits and 253 home runs. No doubt he was a good player, but not quite a Hall of Fame type, at least in my view.

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in the book "Whatever Happened to the Hall of Fame" by Bill James

he compares Joe Gordon to Phil Rizzuto, wondering why the one and not the other. now the full DP combination qualifies. he did lose two big years to the War. i guess he goes in as a yankee?

"The NY Mets are my favorite squadron" -- Apu Nahasapeemapetilon

by jessef on Dec 9, 2008 5:37 PM EST reply actions

I'd think he'd be a Yankee

did have some good years at Cleveland though. Larry Doby, the first to break the color line in the AL, told a nice story about Gordon being the first to invite him to warm up before his first game.

by Tom Dakers on Dec 9, 2008 6:01 PM EST up reply actions

When does the writers' vote come out?

by SuckaMD on Dec 9, 2008 11:57 PM EST reply actions

The induction ceremonies are on July 26, 2009

But that wasn’t the question was it…..results will be announced January 12th. Last time on the ballot for Tommy John and Jim Rice. No one has been elected in their final year since Ralph Kiner in 1975. I’m hoping for Rice but not expecting it. I think it is more likely just Henderson will make it.

I’ll count up all the polls later this week to see who we would vote in.

by Tom Dakers on Dec 10, 2008 12:23 AM EST reply actions