2072 Veterans Committee: The Corners

This article will strictly be my opinion, but I'll try and back it up with as much fact as possible.  Since I've been here from the first sim I know pretty much all of the players and can try to put them into context.



1B Chris Munroe

Stats:  Drafted. 2023 Debut. 2025 Retired. 2041

 4 ASG
1885 G 6867 AB 1765 Hits 1218 R 398 2B 38 3B 427 HR 1265 RBI 1190 BB 92 IBB
20 SB .257/.368/.513 (.881 OPS)

The Case For:  A lot of Munroe's case rests upon who he played for.  Munroe was Sean Vogel's original protection before eventual HOFer Jose Vargas came along.  In 11 of his 13 seasons he hit more than 30 homeruns and in 9 of his 13 seasons he drove in over 100 runs.  He is 16th all-time on the FCM HR list.  While he was a consistent low-average player he was an elite slugger with a career SLG over .500 and his OBP was much higher than you'd expect for his career average because of his elite eye at the plate.  He basically average 32 HR, 30 doubles, 97 RBI, 100 walks, 100 runs a year.  That's a damn good player.

The Case Against:  Damn good may not be worthy of the Hall.  As good as Munroe was he never won an MVP, was an all-star only 4 times, was limited by a low average and a relatively low career OPS.  Let's face it, for a guy that could never play the field and only play DH - anything less than a .900 OPS probably doesn't cut it.  He was also never an elite player on his own team, despite the huge production he put up.

Real Life Comp:  Andres Galarraga

My Verdict:  Look, he was my guy.  I loved having him in my lineup and he put up some fantastic stats, but he's probably not a HOFer.  He was just a solidly productive DH on some of the league's best teams ever.

1B Jose Rabena

Stats:   Drafted. 2019 Debut. 2023 Retired. 2037   

3 ASG 1 MVP
1797 G 5896 AB   1578 Hits 1165 R 340 2B 13 3B 420 HR 1257 RBI 1397 BB 180 IBB
27 SB .268/.417/.543 (.960 OPS)

The Case For:  He has a pretty impressive track record.  A .543 slugging percentage and a .960 OPS are highlights for sure.  This is a guy that averaged about 30 HR, 100 RBI, 115 walks a season.   He's 18th on the list all-time for HRs, he was a very good fielder, and he was able to achieve an MVP award for his 2030 campaign in which he hit 45 HRs and posted a 1.045 OPS.  His career numbers would put him as the second highest OPS among 1B in our HOF as well as the third highest SLG, tied for the highest OBP, and the second highest walk total.

The Case Against:  Was he good enough, long enough?  1500 career hits is not elite, it's roughly 1,000 less than our average HOF 1B and would be far and away the lowest number in the Hall.  His run total, doubles total, RBI total, and batting average are also well below Hall averages.  In addition, it should be noted that he played in Coors Field and that can be a factor in hitter production as well.  

Real Life Comp:  Mark Teixeira

My Verdict:  He's a really, really tough call.  Some of his numbers scream HOF, some scream keep him out.  I probably put him in, because the numbers that are good enough are easily good enough.

1B Manny Capestany

Stats:  Drafted. 2016 Debut. 2017 Retired. 2032   

 4 ASG
2105 G 7508 AB  1984 Hits 1260 R 390 2B 22 3B 470 HR 1363 RBI 1185 BB 68 IBB
42 SB .264/.367/.510 (.877 OPS)

The Case For:  His HR total, walk total, RBI total, and his slugging percentage are all in line with HOF averages.  470 HRs rank him 10th all time in FCM.  From 2021-2026 he was an elite level 1B for the Nationals.

The Case Against:  Pretty much everything else isn't HOF worthy.  He never won an MVP award, his teams were afterthoughts, and the rest of his numbers just don't add up.  My comp is Delgado because you look at him and you think "wow, more production than I thought" and you don't think "wow - he was as great as the numbers look"

Real Life Comp:   Carlos Delgado

My Verdict:  Yeah, his HR total is nice, but Capestany was never much.  He's Curt Lockhard before Curt Lockhard was Curt Lockhard.

3B Lane Gravely

Stats:  Drafted: 2023 Debut: 2024 Retired: 2046   

6 ASG 2 GG
1940 G 7550 AB    2211 Hits 1178 R 412 2B 53 3B 376 HR 1325 RBI 598 BB 108 IBB
8 SB .293/.349/.511 (.860 OPS)

The Case For:  Our 3B wing is elite and getting in has proved remarkably difficult.  Comparing him to HOF averages probably isn't fair, but I will comp him to one member: Marv Eason.  Eason was an elite part of a Reds dynasty that had a great run offensively and his numbers align pretty well.   Gravely's OPS, SLG, AVG, RBI, HR, and Doubles all line up well with Eason.  In addition, Gravely was a better fielder than Eason as well.  Significantly so, in fact.

The Case Against:   Eason was an elite part of an elite team for about a 5 year run and he had a few areas of significant advantage over Gravely - he walked a lot more and collected about 400 more hits.  In addition, Gravely bounced around and never really settled in as a significant piece to any significant teams.  I comp him to Matt Williams because people might remember him having some great years, but he was rarely thought of as a HOF caliber player.

Real Life Comp:  Matt Williams

My Verdict:  I remember Lane Gravely well.  He was consistently good for a long time.  He was a very good defender who could give you 28-100-.850 OPS with reliability.  With Marv Eason this becomes a lot more difficult because they look like the same player, but my memories of their impact is very different.  I think I might vote yes, but it's a hard one.

LF Antonio Candelalia

Stats:  Drafted:  2024 Debut:  2027 Retired:  2044  

2 ASG 2 MVP 2 GG ROY
2058G 8065AB   2439 Hits 1229 R 478 2B 49 3B 276 HR 1417 RBI 847 BB 50 IBB
102 SB .302/.370/.477 (.847 OPS)

The Case For:  The CandyMan was a really interesting player.  He's in the top 30 or so of total hits in FCM history.  His combination of MVP awards, gold glove fielding in LF, strong RBI total, and solid power production.  He was the 2/3 hitter in some dynamic Angels teams and was a lethal partner in the OF with Peter Carson.  He was a tough out, a switch hitter, and the kind of player that took a good lineup to great.  His 28 HR and 145 RBI season in LAA in 2034 earned him an MVP but his general production was closer to 20 HR, 90 RBI, 90 runs, and great defense.

The Case Against:  If he's a CF....he's in.  But he wasn't.  He was a corner OF who put up numbers significantly below his peers in the Hall.  Perhaps his closest contemporary comp was Philip MacGruer who had 100 more hits, 200 more runs, 50 more doubles, 500 more steals, and roughly similar numbers in every other category.  And P-Mac played half his career in CF and was an even better defender.  

Real Life Comp:  Bobby Abreu

My Verdict:  He's not your typical corner OF, but even compared to CFers he lacks the resume to get my vote.  He was solid and a valuable piece to a great team...but as an individual player?  Not going to get my vote.

CF Murray McManaman –
Retired 2041, 14 Seasons
1 All-Star Games, 2 Gold Gloves

1,957 G 8,356 PA 1,682 Hits 1,164 R 293 2B 443 HR 1,297 RBI 999 BB 95 SB .233/.329/.470 (.779 OPS)

The Case For:  He was an elite defensive centerfielder who managed to hit over 400 homeruns.  Frankly, that's unique - no one else has done anything close to that.  

The Case Against:  He was a player with poor contact and was never really viewed as elite.  His career OPS is on the low side and so are many of his counting stats.

Real Life Comp:  Jim Edmonds

My Verdict:  I lean yes, this write up was quick, but he has close to corner OF numbers with elite CF defense.

LF Chris Taylor

Stats:  Drafted. 2019 Debut. 2025 Retired. 2041  

6 ASG 1 MVP ROY
2096 G 7233 AB  2053 Hits 1237 R 417 2B 49 3B 424 HR 1392 RBI 1126 BB 188 IBB
9 SB .284/.380/.531 (.911 OPS)

The Case For:  He makes a better case than my memory would recall.  His HR total is in the top 20 all time.  He walked a lot, he was good for 30 and 100 pretty much every year.  He had some elite, MVP caliber years.  His .911 OPS is really solid.  His slash lines align well with both LF and RF averages in the Hall.  His HR and walk totals do as well.  

The Case Against:  Well, he was a poor defender, so there is nothing to help there.  His doubles, RBI, and hit totals are below our current averages.  He bounced around a lot and had a somewhat erratic career in terms of production.  Like my comp to Juan Gonzalez - he had moments of absolute brilliance and hit the ground running, but also struggled to maintain elite status much of his career.  

Real Life Comp:  Juan Gonzalez 

My Verdict:  Being elite some of your career just isn't enough.

1B Curt Lockhard

Stats: Drafted 2050  Debut 2053 Retired 2069  

1 ASG
2109 G 7796 AB1917 Hits 1210 R 300 2B 33 3B 481 HR 1449 RBI 1023 BB 72 IBB
12 SB .246/.341/.478 (.819 OPS)

The Case For:  He hit a lot of homeruns for some bad teams.

The Case Against:  He did nothing else on bad teams.

Real Life Comp:  Paul Konerko 

My Verdict:  Paul Konerko ain't getting in in real life either.

1B Aaron Pfeifer

Stats: Drafted 2046 Debut 2048 Retired 2065  

2 ASG
2274 G 8954 AB  2538 Hits 1299 R 592 2B 41 3B 285 HR 1424 RBI 976 BB 23 IBB
65 SB .283/.352/.454 (.806 OPS)

The Case For:  I can't find one.  He had a long career and piled up hits?

The Case Against:  He played first base and the OF and barely cleared an .800 OPS.

Real Life Comp:  Jayson Werth - this is probably mean to Werth

My Verdict: Nope....and I drafted him!

RF Vinny Bastos

Stats:  Drafted 2042 Debut 2050 Retired 2064 

5 ASG 4 GG
1831 G 7584 AB  2434 Hits 1079 R 419 2B 70 3B 273 HR 1182 RBI 355 BB 89 IBB
103 SB .321/.351/.503 (.854 OPS)

The Case For:  He's got a solid hit total, he hit a lot of doubles, he drove in a solid amount of runs, and he was a really good defender.

The Case Against:  He didn't get enough of any of those things to make up for the fact that he was a RF.

Real Life Comp:  Bernie Williams

My Verdict:  Nope, good player, but not great.

RF Vinnie Evans

Stats:   Drafted 2052 Debut  2054 Retired 2068   

3 ASG
1907 G 7587 AB   2260 Hits 1068 R 522 2B 43 3B 249 HR 1171 RBI 661 BB 43 IBB
75 SB .298/.354/.476 (.830 OPS)

The Case For:  See Vinnie Bastos

The Case Against:  See Vinnie Bastos

Real Life Comp:  Paul O'Neill

My Verdict:  See Vinnie Bastos

LF Steve August

Stats:   Drafted. 2041 Debut 2045 Retired 2059    

5 ASG     1 MVP
2102 G 8384 AB  2399 Hits 1198 R 405 2B 29 3B 453 HR 1572 RBI 728 BB 146 IBB
44 SB .286/.343/.503 (.846 OPS)

The Case For:  When he was good, he was really, really good.  His HR and RBI total are for sure HOF worthy.  When he was at his best there was no one better in the file.  That run lasted about a decade on a really outstanding (and snakebitten) Cardinals dynasty.  

The Case Against:  He was a DH who basically never played in the field, so when you compare him to another DH on this list (Munroe) it's pretty clear (to me) that August wasn't as good in his career as Munroe was.  So, depending on what you think about Munroe, you might make a case for him here.

Real Life Comp:  Andre Dawson

My Verdict:  August is your classic case of elite vs. longevity.  His elite play lasted a decade, but then he fell off a cliff.  Was a decade enough for a guy who was only a DH?  For me, probably not.  But he has some credentials.