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Awards = HOF? Part Twelve: The Silver Slugger (Designated Hitter) (MLB)

Awards = HOF?  Part Twelve: The Silver Slugger (Designated Hitter) (MLB)
21 Jan
2016
Not in Hall of Fame
We here at Notinhalloffame.com thought it would be fun to take a look at the major awards in North American team sports and see how it translates into Hall of Fame potential.

Needless to say, different awards in different sports yield hall of fame potential.  In basketball, the team sport with the least amount of players on a roster, the dividend for greatness much higher.  In baseball, it is not as much as a great individual season does not have the same impact.

Up next, we are going to take a look at a relatively new award, the Silver Slugger, which is awarded to best offensive player at each position and is voted on by managers and coaches in each Major League Baseball team.

Keep in mind that this award, which has become quite a big deal, is stillrelatively new, only came into existence in 1980.

Finally, we have reached the last one, The Designated Hitter, which considering there has been no “full time” DH inducted, this should be a goose egg right?

Not exactly.

There are Hall of Famer who have played a substantial part of their career at the DH spot, and frankly after looking at the batting lines of the Pitchers, I am thrilled to put double digits in front of the Home Run tally again.



The following are the past MLB players who have won the Silver Slugger at the Designated Hitter position who are eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame and have been enshrined.



Reggie Jackson, New York Yankees (AL: 1980)

41 HR, 111 RBI, .300/.398/.597 Slash Line.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993.

Paul Molitor, Milwaukee Brewers (AL: 1987)

16 HR, 75 RBI, .353/.438/.566 Slash Line.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.

Paul Molitor, Milwaukee Brewers (AL: 1988)

13 HR, 60 RBI, .312/.484/.452 Slash Line.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.

Frank Thomas, Chicago White Sox (AL: 1991)

32 HR, 109 RBI, .318/.453/.553 Slash Line.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.

Dave Winfield, Toronto Blue Jays (AL: 1992)

26 HR, 108 RBI, .290/.377/.491 Slash Line.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.

Paul Molitor, Toronto Blue Jays (AL: 1993)

22 HR, 111 RBI, .332/.402/.509 Slash Line.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.

Paul Molitor, Minnesota Twins (AL: 1996)

9 HR, 113 RBI, .341/.390/.468 Slash Line.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.

Frank Thomas, Chicago White Sox (AL: 2000)

43 HR, 142 RBI, .328/.436/.625 Slash Line.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.





Four. 

Granted all of them spent over half of their career in the field, but nobody ever said that they had fielding prowess.

It kind of makes you wonder why there is such a bias against players who are perceived to be only Designated Hitters doesn’t it?



The following are the players who have won the Silver Slugger at the Designated Hitter position who are eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame and have not been selected:



Al Oliver, Texas Rangers (AL: 1981)

4 HR, 55 RBI, .309/.348/.411 Slash Line.  He was on the ballot for one year in 1991 and received 4.3% of the vote.  Ranked #61 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Hal McRae, Kansas City Royals (AL: 1982)

27 HR, 33 RBI, .308/.369/.542 Slash Line.  He was on the ballot in 1993 but did not receive a vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Don Baylor, New York Yankees (AL: 1983)

21 HR, 85 RBI, .303/.361/.494 Slash Line.  He was on the ballot for two years and finished as high as 2.6% in 1995.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Andre Thornton, Cleveland Indians (AL: 1984)

33 HR, 99 RBI, .271/.366/.484 Slash Line.   He was on the ballot for one year in 1993 and finished with 0.5% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Don Baylor, New York Yankees (AL: 1985)

23 HR, 91 RBI, .231/.330/.430 Slash Line.  He was on the ballot for two years and finished as high as 2.6% in 1995.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Don Baylor, Boston Red Sox (AL: 1986)

31 HR, 94 RBI, .238/.344/.439 Slash Line.  He was on the ballot for two years and finished as high as 2.6% in 1995.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Harold Baines, Chicago White Sox/Texas Rangers (AL: 1989)

16 HR, 72 RBI .309/.395/.465 Slash Line.  He was on the ballot for five years and finished as high as 6.1% in 2010.  Ranked #40 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Dave Parker, Milwaukee Brewers (AL: 1990)

21 HR, 92 RBI, .289/.330/.451 Slash Line.  He was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 24.5% in 1998.  Ranked #27 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Julio Franco, Chicago White Sox (AL: 1994)

20 HR, 98 RBI, .319/.406/.510 Slash Line.  He was on the ballot for one year and received 1.1% of the ballot.  Ranked #94 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Edgar Martinez, Seattle Mariners (AL: 1995)

29 HR, 113 RBI, .356/.479/.628 Slash Line.  Martinez has bee on the ballot for the past seven years and finished as high as 43.4% in 2016.  Ranked #16 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Edgar Martinez, Seattle Mariners (AL: 1997)

28 HR, 108 RBI, .330/.456/.554 Slash Line.  Martinez has bee on the ballot for the past seven years and finished as high as 43.4% in 2016.  Ranked #16 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Jose Canseco, Toronto Blue Jays (AL: 1998)

46 HR, 107 RBI, .237/.318/.518 Slash Line.  Canseco was on the ballot for one year in 2007 and received 1.1% of the ballot.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Rafael Palmeiro, Texas Rangers (AL: 1999)

47 HR, 148 RBI, .324/.420/.630 Slash Line.  He was on the ballot for four years and finished as high as 12.6 % in 2012.  Ranked #23 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Edgar Martinez, Seattle Mariners (AL: 2001)

23 HR, 116 RBI, .306/.423/.543 Slash Line.  Martinez has bee on the ballot for the past seven years and finished as high as 43.4% in 2016.  Ranked #16 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Edgar Martinez, Seattle Mariners (AL: 2003)

24 HR, 98 RBI, .294/.406/.489 Slash Line.  Martinez has bee on the ballot for the past seven years and finished as high as 43.4% in 2016.  Ranked #16 on Notinhalloffame.com.





Rafael Palmeiro has 3,000 Hits, 500 Home Runs, and a bWAR of 71.6.  He is also not likely to get on a Veteran’s Committee Ballot.

Edgar Martinez has a bWAR of 68.3 and a DH bias against him. 

Julio Franco compiled a 43.4 bWAR over his 23 year career.  Yes, Franco was a compiler, but is there something Hall of Fame about a man who played 23 years in MLB?

Jose Canseco has a bWAR of 42.3 and a 0.0 chance of getting a look from a Veteran’s Committee.

Al Oliver could be a Veteran’s Committee Candidate one day.  While his bWAR of 39.9 is not exactly Hall of Fame, his traditional stats of 2,743 Hits and a career .301 Batting Average does hold weight in some circles.

Dave Parker also had a bWAR of 39.9, but had an MVP award and the full fifteen years on the ballot.  He will likely get a look from the Veteran’s Committee in the future.

Harold Baines has a bWAR of 38.5, but was not that far from being a 400 Home Run/3,000 Hit player.  That is hard to ignore.

Don Baylor is a former MVP and had a career bWAR of 28.3, but won’t be tasting the Hall of Fame as a player

Hal McRae will be remembered in Kansas City and finished his career with a decent bWAR of 27.9.

Andre Thornton was a two time All Star finishing with a career bWAR of 24.1.



Let’s update our tally shall we?



Award in Question

Percentage of recipients who have entered the HOF

Percentage of recipients by year who have entered the HOF.

NBA MVP

100%

100%

NHL Norris

90.5%

96.4%

NHL Lady Byng

63.8%

76.0%

NFL Super Bowl MVP

60.6%

64.9%

MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Designated Hitter)

25.0%

30.8%

MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Shortstop)

23.5%

52.6%

MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Catcher)

20.0%

22.5%

MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Pitcher)

18.2%

20.1%

MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Second Base)

16.7%

32.7%

MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Outfield)

15.7%

25.2%

MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Third Base)

13.6%

14.3%

MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (First Base)

13.6%

13.3%

MLB (NL/AL) Rookie of the Year

13.3%

13.3%



So who is up next?



The following are the players who have won the Silver Slugger at the Designated Hitter position who have retired but have not met the mandatory years out of the game to qualify:



Manny Ramirez, Boston Red Sox (NL: 2002)

33 HR, 107 RBI, .349/.450/.647 Slash Line.  Ramirez will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2017

Aubrey Huff, Baltimore Orioles (AL: 2008)

32 HR, 108 RBI, .304/.360/.552.  Huff will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2018

Vladimir Guerrero, Texas Rangers (AL: 2010)

29 HR, 115 RBI, .300/.345/.496 Slash Line.  Guerrero will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2017.



Manny Ramirez has a PED suspension, 555 Home Runs and a bWAR of 69.2.  He looks like he will fall a little Bonds’ HOF tally. 

Vladimir Guerrero retired with a career bWAR of 59.3 and an excellent shot for Hall of Fame consideration. 

Aubrey Huff and his barely 20 bWAR won’t get there.



The following are the players who have won the Silver Slugger at the Designated Hitter position who are still active:



David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox (AL: 2004)

41 HR, 139 RBI, .301/.380/.603 Slash Line.  Currently with the Boston Red Sox.  40 Years Old.

David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox (AL: 2005)

47 HR, 148 RBI, .300/.397/.604 Slash Line.  Currently with the Boston Red Sox.  40 Years Old.

David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox (AL: 2006)

54 HR, 137 RBI, .287/.413/.636 Slash Line.  Currently with the Boston Red Sox.  40 Years Old.

David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox (AL: 2007)

35 HR, 117 RBI, .332/.445/.621 Slash Line.  Currently with the Boston Red Sox.  40 Years Old.

Adam Lind, Toronto Blue Jays (AL: 2009)

35 HR, 114 RBI, .305/.370/.562 Slash Line.  Currently with the Seattle Mariners.  32 Years Old.

David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox (AL: 2011)

29 HR, 96 RBI, .309/.398/.554 Slash Line.  Currently with the Boston Red Sox.  40 Years Old.

Billy Butler, Kansas City Royals (AL: 2012)

29 HR, 107 RBI, .313/.373/.510 Slash Line.  Currently with the Oakland Athletics.  30 Years Old.

David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox (AL: 2013)

30 HR, 103 RBI, .309/.395/.564 Slash Line.  Currently with the Boston Red Sox.  40 Years Old.

Victor Martinez, Detroit Tigers (AL: 2014)

32 HR, 103 RBI, .335/.409/.565 Slash Line.  Currently with the Detroit Tigers.  37 Years Old.

Kendrys Morales, Kansas City Royals (AL: 2015)

22 HR, 106 RBI, .290/.362/.485 Slash Line.  Currently with the Kansas City Royals.  32 Years Old.



David Ortiz and his Hall of Fame potential will be one of the most interesting Baseball Hall of Fame debates ever. 

Victor Martinez has a 32.5 bWAR and six All Star Games but it spells a very good career and not a Hall of Fame one.

Adam Lind is far too one-dimensional a player to warrant serious Hall consideration.  With his current 11.3 bWAR, he is not even on pace to make the ballot.

The same can be said for Billy Butler, who is only marginally better at 11.5 bWAR, but has not have had a career as explosive.

“Ditto” for Kendrys Morales, who at 11.8 bWAR and 32 Years Old won’t get there.





The Designated Hitter spot yielded some pretty talented players didn't it?  So much so, we are glad we live in an American League city!  

Now that we are finally done with the Silver Slugger awards, we are going to foray away from Baseball for a bit. 

Up next, we are going to go back to basketball and look at the All Star Game MVP.

Look for that soon and as always we thank you for your support!

Last modified on Monday, 21 November 2016 18:35
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Kirk Buchner, "The Committee Chairman", is the owner and operator of the site.  Kirk can be contacted at [email protected] .

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