This may be the most important voting process of any of the last chance voting. There are a handful of legitimate HOF contenders. A few that, when looking back, should already be voted in. Let's take a look at the rundown...
C Todd Becker - Vote: No
While his RBI, OPS, and All-Star Game appearances are on par with the HOF trio, there's too many other holes that he can't make up for.
His Hits total would be the lowest. As would his HR (by a long stretch) and he doesn't have enough 2B to make up for the lack of longballs. While his RBI are there, his Runs total is lagging far behind. Plus is CS% is below average. All-in-all his hitting profile needed to be elite, considering his average at-best defense. He's nearly 200 Games behind Wilson Brown and that's probably where he falls short of HOF material.
2B Jason Caston - Vote: Yes
This one was REALLY damn close. He's has some things to like and others hover in the middle. We don't have many Middle Infielders (4 once you count Sean Vogel as a 3B) First, you have to realize that Peter Conwell's career was a bit short. So, some of his counting numbers are going to look a little low - that's what makes his Runs and SB totals look so impressive.
What gets him in is his Runs and RBI totals. They're solidly not the lowest and his Walks are also not the lowest as well. He left FCM with a better OBP than Peter Conwell, Jay Sullivan, and Danny Dudding.
He gets in, not because he was one of the best at a certain category. He gets in because his career production was smack dab in the middle of some of the players that were among the best in certain categories.
SS Joel Block - Vote: Yes
He's easy to vote in after just having scrutinized Caston. Block's Hit totals wouldn't be one of the lower Middle Infielders and he would be the top OBP guy up the middle as well.
Being on the screen, there was a stark comparision to Frank Prywes:
Prywes: 2,009 G 2,288 Hits 1,189 Runs 947 BB .305 AVG .381 OBP
Block: 1,974 G 2,288 Hits 1,194 Runs 932 BB .304 AVG .382 OBP
Of course Prywes displayed a lot more power than Block, but he also didn't play a premium position or have any Gold Gloves. Both got on base at a great clip. Prywes had the power. Block has the speed and defense. In my book, that equals out to about the same valued player.
SS Peter Potter - Vote: No
He's close. He profiles a lot like Jason Caston, but comes up a bit short on basically every level. Potter's Runs and RBI are about 125 each shy of Caston's. Potter's Walks and SBs are also quite short of Caston's as well.
It's really only Potter's Hits and Awards that match up to Caston and those aren't enough to justify a HOF bid.
SS Larry MacPhater - Vote: No
His triple slash line is pretty good, but it's his counting numbers that just aren't on par with the rest of the players in the Hall. He seems to be a guy that if he would've played just another year or two, he'd have strong consideration.
SS Rudy Delgado - Vote: Yes
I think it'd be a mistake if he wasn't entered into the Hall. He'd have the third highest Hits total. He's a guy a lot like Caston. He's a little short on some of the counting numbers, but it's the Gold Gloves that seals it. Mogul's award voting may be flawed, but Delgado was truly a great fielder and the multiple Gold Gloves represent how good valuable he was.
LF Collin McConnell - Vote: No
He's tough to say "No" to. At one time, he was the elite of elite outfielders and it showed having won two MVPs. The problem is that his elite status was short lived and his last four years were far from HOF status. In the end, he had a great five year stretch and then not so much. Seems a lot like Mark McShane's career.
LF Kurtis Pounds - Vote: No
He had such an interesting career while never being rated very well. He simply falls just short of HOF material. He profiles like Gary Bennion and if Pounds could've gotten even 2,750 Hits, I think he'd be a "Yes" vote.
CF Carlo Musquez - Vote: Yes
His bat profiles more like a Corner Outfielder and, like Murray McManaman, he probably should've been on that ballot instead.
However, he's here and to me it's simple. He's our CF version of Ozzie Smith and those 8 Gold Gloves are friggin' impressive! He was no slouch at the plate either. His Hits and HRs are comparable to the LF/RF guys. He seems like a pretty open and closed case. Get him in!
CF Peter Helm - Vote: No
Boy he's close. His Hits and Runs fall short. His SBs and OPS are close to the CF Average. And he has three Gold Gloves. Someone has to be below the HOF Average and he's close in a few categories while having above average Gold Gloves. However, it's a no-go. Close, but not quite.
CF Jamie Marinkovich - ]Vote: No
You can basically co-sign him to Peter Helm. He's close, but just not quite.
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