Another Season, Another Hall of Fame Voting Guide

It's almost time for another season, and while the free agent pickings look pretty sparse there are a number of Hall of Fame candidates who warrant attention.

This season I took a hard look at my formulas and decided that two things needed tweaking.  First, the unreliability of award distribution (e.g. John Chen's relatively small number of All-Star selections) led me to devalue awards somewhat.  I still think awards are an somewhat useful indicator of performance relative to other players of their era, but I'm placing more weight on statistical measures.

The second change was intended to help better gauge the performance of more recent retirees.  In the case of rate stats (BA, OBP, SLG, ERA), I set playing time limits (1500 games for hitters, 1500 IP for the pitchers) that would clear out the noise created by guys who put up great rates in relatively few AB during the era of inflated hitting numbers.  In my opinion, it gives a truer measure of value for the guys who played lengthy careers.

Rather than give a full assessment of each player right now, I'll give you a quick rundown of the results of my analysis (note that points for position players and pitchers aren't quite equivalent):

Position players:
1) Russell Cook, DH (5190 points)
2) Dennis Perez, 3B (3604)
3) Happy Moore, 1B (3312)
4) Gerald Bradley, C (3190)
5) Esteban Montanez, LF (3084)
6) Rafael Alicea, SS/3B (2888)
7) Horace Polcovich, 1B (2868)
8) Steve Taylor, SS (2853)
9) Juan Moreno, RF (2508)
10) Stone Rivera, 2B (2219)

Pitchers:
1) Leo Mackowiak (4740 points)
2) Danys Guzman (3033)
3) Louie Alvarado (2592)
4) Rocky Duvall (2418)
5) David Larson (2184)
6) Virgil Quinn (2072)
7) Del Martinez (2013)
8) Ramon Ramirez (1989)
9) R. J. Bautista (1926)
10) Pedro Acosta (1903)

Shockingly, we'll have a pitcher on the ballot this year who should be assured of election.  Mackowiak's health and stamina were a bit of a hindrance, especially as he got older, but few were better at getting guys out.

I like those top 4 position players.  Cook was a hitting machine.  Even without a defensive position, I can't see how you keep him out.  Perez was the best third basemen of his era, and Gerald Bradley was an on-base machine fully deserving of being the first catcher inducted.  I've admitted my bias for Happy Moore before (you can go back to previous Hall columns), but his .998 OPS is the highest of any player with 1500+ games played who isn't already inducted.

So there are my votes:  Mackowiak, Cook, Perez, Bradley, and Happy Moore.

Final Power Rankings

AL Final Power Rankings:
Previous Rankings ( ) Preseason Ranking-Pre Last Year Ranking-LY  Wins +/- from Last Year

1. Norfolk 110-52 (1) Pre-3 LY-3 Wins- +12
1st in East (9th Division Title)
1st Seed (6th straight playoff appearance)
2nd Half: 58-25
1st Half: 52-27

2. Vancouver 99-63 (3) Pre-1 LY-1 Wins: -4
1st in West (22nd Div Title)
2nd Seed (25th straight playoff apps)
2nd half:50-33
1st half:49-30

3. Richmond 98-64 (4) Pre-7 LY-6 Wins: +13
1st in south (10th Div Title)
3rd Seed (10th playoff apps)
2nd half; 56-26
1st half: 42-38

4. Milwaukee 97-65 (5) Pre-2 LY-2 Wins: -9
1st in North (8th Div Title)
4th Seed (7th straight  playoff apps)
2nd Half: 48-32
!st half: 49-33

5.  Bosie 94-68 (2) Pre-4 LY-4 Wins: -6
2nd inWest
5th Seed (3rd straight playoff apps)
2nd half: 51-31
1st half: 43-37

6. Colubmus 87-75 (8) PRe-5 LY-7 Wins: -1
2nd in North
6th Seed (8th straight playoff apps)
2nd Half:39-43
1st half: 48-32

7. Charlotte 85-77 (6) Pre-6 LY-5 Wins: -
2nd in South
2nd half: 40-43
1st half: 45-34

8. Syracuse 86-76 (7) Pre-8 LY-11 Wins: +8
3rd in North
2nd half: 43-40
1st half: 43-36

9. Fresno 78-84 (12) Pre-12 LY-13 Wins: +13
3rd in West
2nd half: 45-38
1st half: 33-46

10. Louisville 76-86 (10) Pre-9 LY-14 Wins: +4
2nd in East
2nd half: 40-43
1st half: 36-43

11. Monterrey 75-87 (9) Pre-10 LY-16 Wins: +10
3rd in South
2nd half: 36-47
1st half:39-40

12. Little Rock 75-87 (11) Pre-16 LY-12 Wins: +16
3rd in South
2nd half: 34-48
1st half: 41-39

13. Dover 73-89 (14) Pre-11 LY-9 Wins: -4
4th in North
2ns half: 39-43
1st half: 34-46

14. Phildelphia 65-97 (13) Pre-13 LY-15 Wins: -7
3rd in East
2nd half: 34-51
1st half: 31-46

15. San Franisco 63-99 (15) Pre-14 LY-8 Wins: -15
4th in West
2nd half: 21-61
1st half: 42-38

16. Augusta 45-117 (16) Pre-15 LY-10 Wins: -27
4th in East
2nd half: 24-58
1st half: 21-59

NL Power Rankings:

1. Toronto 96-66 (1) Pre-3 LY-4 Wins: -4
1st in North (6th Div Title)
2nd Seed (4th straight playoff apps)
2nd half: 44-39
1st half: 52-27

2. Salt Lake City 99-63 (2) Pre-4 LY-7 Wins: +23
1st in West (1st Div Title)
1st Seed (2nd playoff apps)
2nd half: 53-29
1st half: 46-34

3. Austin 94-68 (5) Pre-11 LY-10 Wins: +22
1st in South (4th Div Title)
3rd Seed (8th playoff apps)
2nd half: 52-30
1st half: 42-38

4. Colorado Springs 93-69 (3) Pre-13 LY-9 Wins: +21
2nd in West
5th Seed (5th playoff apps)
2nd half: 46-37
1st half: 47-32

5. Scottsdale 90-72 (4) Pre-5 LY-5 Wins: +3
3rd in West
2nd half: 43-40
1st half: 47-32

6. Tampa 91-71 (6) Pre-6 LY-2 Wins: -14
2nd in South
6th Seed (5th straight playoff apps)
2nd half: 46-34
1st half: 45-37

7. Pawtucket 93-69 (7) Pre-8 LY-8 Wins: +15
1st in East (4th Div Title)
4th Seed (7th playoff apps)
2nd half: 50-33
1st half: 43-36

8. Arizona 79-83 (8) Pre-6 LY-1 Wins: -30
4th in West
2nd half: 37-45
1st half: 42-38

9. Kansas City 85-77 (9) Pre-7 LY-6 Wins: -
2nd in East
2nd half: 50-33
1st half; 35-44

10. Burlington 79-83 (10) Pre-15 LY-16 Wins: +15
2nd in North
2nd half: 40-42
1st half: 39-41

11. Chicago 77-85 (12) Pre-1 LY-3 Wins: -30
3rd in North
2nd half: 40-42
1st half: 37-43

12. Trenton 74-88 (11) PRe-14 LY-11 Wins: +3
4th in North
2nd half: 38-44
1st half: 36-44

13. Cincinnati 59-103 (15) Pre-10 LY-12 Wins; -24
3rd in East
2nd half: 32-51
1st half: 27-52

14. Texas 57-105 (13) Pre-16 LY-14 Wins; -
4th in South
2nd half: 35-45
1st half: 22-60

15. Hartford 58-104 (14) Pre-9 LY-13 Wins: -5
4th in East
2nd half: 26-56
1st half: 32-48

16. Jackson 62-100 (16) Pre-12 LY-15 Wins: +8
3rd in South
2nd half: 35-48
1st half: 27-52

NL Power Rankings

NL Power Rankings:  Previous Rankings ( ) Preseason Rankings-Pre

1. Toronto 75-45 (1) Pre-3
1st in North
Last 40 games: 23-18
NL leader: runs, hr, obp, wins and sv
Top 5: avg and whip

2. Salt Lake City 74-46 (2) Pre-4
1st in West
Last 40 games: 28-12
NL leader: avg and era
Top 5: runs, hr, obp, wins, and whip

3. Colorado Springs 69-51 (3) Pre-13
3rd in West
Last 40 games: 22-19
NL leader: whip and fielding
Top 5: runs, hr, sb, and era

4. Scottsdale 72-48 (4) Pre-5
2nd in West
Last 40 games: 25-16
Top 5: avg, obp, wins, era, and whip

5. Austin 71-49 (5) Pre-11
1st in South
Last 40 games: 29-11
Top 5: avg, runs,  obp, wins, and sv

6. Tampa 69-51 (8) Pre-6
2nd in South
Last 40 games: 26-14
Top 5: sb, era, and sv

7. Pawtucket 69-51 (10) Pre-8
1st in East
Last 40 games: 26-15
Top 5: sb, wins, and sv

8. Arizona 59-61 (6) Pre-6
4th in West
Last 40 games: 17-23
Top 5: runs and obp

9. Kansas City 57-63 (9) Pre-7
2nd in East
Last 40 games: 22-19
NL leader: sb
Top 5: whip

10. Burlington 61-59 (11) Pre-15
2nd in North
Last 40 games: 22-18
Top 5: era and fielding

11. Trenton 52-68 (12) Pre-14
3rd in North
Last 40 games: 16-24
Top 5: sb, sv, and fielding

12. Chicago 51-69 (7) Pre-1
4th in North
Last 40 games: 14-26
Top 5: hr and fielding

13. Texas 43-77 (14) Pre-16
3rd in South
Last 40 games: 17-24
Top 5: avg and hr

14. Hartford 45-75 (13) Pre-9
3rd in East
Last 40 games: 13-27

15. Cincinnati 40-80 (15) Pre-10
4th in East
Last 40 games: 13-28
Top 5: fielding

16. Jackson 43-77 (16) Pre-12
4th in South
Last 40 games: 16-25


Biggest Move Up:
Pawtucket +3

Biggest Move Down:
Chicago -5

Current Playoff Seedings:
1. Toronto (1)
2. Salt Lake City (6)
3. Austin (3)
4. Pawtucket (4)
5. Scottsdale (5)
6. Colorado Springs (2)
6. Tampa (NR)

AL Power Rankings

AL Power Rankings:  Previous Ranking ( )  Preseason Ranking-Pre

1. Norfolk 80-40 (1) Pre-3
1st in East
Last 40 games: 28-13
AL  leader: wins, era, and whip
Top 5: avg, runs, hr, obp, sv and fielding

2. Boise 71-49 (7) Pre-4
1st in West
Last 40 games: 28-12
AL leader: sv and fielding
Top 5: avg, runs, sb, obp, and wins

3. Vancouver 71-49 (2) Pre-1
1st in West
Last 40 games: 22-19
AL leader: avg and obp
Top 5: runs, sb, wins, era, whip, and fielding

4. Richmond 68-52 (6) Pre-7
1st in South
Last 40 games: 26-14
Top 5: avg, hr, obp, wins, era, whip, and fielding

5. Milwaukee 75-45 (5) Pre-2
1st in North
Last 40 games: 28-12
AL leader: hr
Top 5: wins, era, whip, and fielding

6. Charlotte 66-54 (3) Pre-6
2nd in South
Last 40 games: 21-20
AL leader: runs
Top 5: sb and sv

7. Syracuse 66-54 (8) Pre-8
2nd in North
Last 40 games: 23-18
Top 5: avg, runs, and obp

8. Columbus 64-56 (4) Pre-5
3rd in North
Last 40 games: 16-24
Top 5: era, whip, and sv

9. Monterrey 61-59 (12) Pre-10
3rd in South
Last 40 games: 22-19
Top 5: sb and sv

10. Louisville 57-63 (10) Pre-9
2nd in East
Last 40 games: 21-20
AL leader: sb

11. Little Rock 54-66 (9) Pre-16
4th in South
Last 40 games: 13-27
Top 5: hr

12. Fresno 58-62 (15) Pre-12
3rd in West
Last 40 games: 25-16

13. Phildelphia 47-73 (13) Pre-13
3rd in East
Last 40 games: 16-25

14. Dover 48-72 (14) Pre-11
4th in North
Last 40 games: 14-26

15. San Franisco 52-68 (11) Pre-14
4th in West
Last 40 games: 10-30
Top 5: hr

16. Augusta 32-88 (16) Pre-15
4th in East
Last 40 games: 11-29

Biggest Move Up:
Boise +5

Biggest Move Down:
Columbus -4
San Franisco -4

Current Playoff Seedings:
1.  Norfolk (1)
2. Milwaukee (5)
3. Boise (NR)
4. Richmond (NR)
5. Vancouver (2)
6. Syracuse (6)
6. Charlotte (4)

All Star Breakdown

All Star Breakdown:

AL:
1. Vancouver 56-35-4 All Stars (1 Starter)
2. Monterrey 46-45-4 All Stars (1 Starter)
3. Norfolk-61-30-3 All Stars (2 Starters)
4. Milwaukee 56-35-3 All Stars (2 Starters)
5. Columbus 54-37-3 All Stars
6. St Louis-56-45-2 All Stars (1 Starter)
7. Dover 36-55-2 All Stars (1 Starter)
8. Charlotte 53-38-2 All Stars
9. Boise 51-40-1 All Star (1 Starter)
10. Louisville 42-49 1 All Star (1 Starter)
11. Little Rock 46-45-1 All Star
12.Richmond 46-45-1 All Star
13.San Franisco 45-46-1 All Star
14. Fresno 40-51-1 All Star
15. Augusta 25-66-1 All Star

NL:
1. Toronto 58-33-5 All Stars (3 Starters)
2. Austin 52-39-4 All Stars (1 Starter)
3.Scottsdale 53-38-3 All Stars (1 Starter)
4. Pawutcket 51-40-3 All Stars (1 Starter)
5. Colorado Springs 54-37-3 All Stars
6. Tampa 50-41-2 All Stars (1 Starter)
7. Burlington 46-45-2 All Stars (1 Starter)
8. Arizona 48-43-2 All Stars
9. Chicago 40-51-2 All Stars
10.Trenton 40-51-1 All Star (1 Starter)
11. Salt Lake City 56-35-1 All Star
12. Kansas City 39-52-1 All Star

NL Power Rankings

NL Power Rankings: Previous ( )  Preseason-Pre

1. Toronto 52-27 (1) Pre-3
1st in North
NL leader-avg, runs, obp, wins and sv
Top 5- hr and whip

2. Salt Lake City 46-34 (4) Pre-4
3rd in West
Top 5-avg, runs, hr, sb, wins, era, and whip

3. Colorado Springs 47-32 (2) Pre-13
1st in West
NL leader-era and whip
Top 5-hr, wins, and fielding

4. Scottsdale 47-32 (3) Pre-5
1st in West
Top 5- avg, runs, obp, wins, era, and whip

5. Austin 47-33 (11) Pre-11
1st in South
Top 5- avg, runs, obp, wins and sv

6. Arizona 42-38 (6) Pre-6
4th in West
Top 5- runs, hr, and obp

7. Chicago 37-43 (13) Pre-1
3rd in North
NL leader- hr and fielding
Top 5- whip

8. Tampa 43-37 (9) Pre-6
2nd in South
Top 5- sb, era, and sv

9. Kansas City 35-44 (8) Pre-7
2nd in East
NL leader-sb

10. Pawtucket 43-36 (5) Pre-8
1st in East
Top 5-sb and sv

11. Burlington 39-41 (7) Pre-15
2nd in North
Top 5-era and fielding

12. Trenton 36-44 (14) Pre-14
4th in North
Top 5- sb, sv, and fielding

13. Hartford 32-48 (10) Pre-9
3rd in East

14. Texas 26-53 (12) Pre-16
4th in South
Top 5-avg and obp

15. Cincinnati 27-52 (16) Pre-10
4th in East
Top 5- fielding

16. Jackson 27-52 (15) Pre-12
3rd in South

Biggest Move Up:
Austin +6
Chicago +6

Biggest Move Down:
Pawtucket -5

Current Playoff Seedings: Previous ( )
1. Toronto (2)
2. Colorado Springs (3)
3. Austin (6)
4. Pawtucket (1)
5. Scottsdale (5)
6. Salt Lake City (6)

AL Power Rankings

AL Power Rankings Previous Ranking -( )  Preseason Rankings- Pre

1. Norfolk 52-27 (1) Pre-3
1st in East
AL leader-wins, era, and whip
Top 5- runs, obp, sv, and fielding

2. Vancouver 49-30 (6) Pre-1
1st in West
AL leader-avg
Top 5- runs, obp, wins, era, and whip

3. Charlotte 45-34 (2) Pre-6
1st in South
AL leader-runs
Top 5-sb, wins, sv, and fielding

4. Columbus 48-32 (9) Pre-5
1st in North
AL leader-hr
Top 5-runs, wins, era, whip, and sv

5. Milwaukee 47-33 (3) Pre-2
2nd in North
Top 5- avg, hr, wins, era, whip, and fielding

6. Richmond 42-38 (4) Pre-7
2nd in South
AL leader-obp
Top 5- avg, hr, and fielding

7. Boise 43-37 (12) Pre-4
2nd in West
AL leader-sv and fielding
Top 5-sb and era

8. Syracuse 43-36 (5) Pre-8
3rd in North
Top 5-avg, obp, and whip

9. Little Rock 41-39 (8) Pre-16
3rd in South
Top 5- hr, sb, and obp

10. Louisville 36-43 (13) Pre-9
2nd in East
AL leader-sb

11. San Franisco 42-38 (7) Pre-14
3rd in West

12. Monterrey 39-40 (11) Pre-10
4th in South
Top 5-sb and sv

13. Phildelphia 31-48 (10) Pre-13
 3rd in East
Top 5-avg

14. Dover 34-46 (14) Pre-11
4th in North
Top 5-hr and runs

15. Fresno 33-46 (16) Pre-12
4th in West

16. Augusta 21-59 (15) Pre-15
4th in East

Biggest Move Up:
Boise +5
Columbus +5

Biggest Move Down:
San Franisco -4

Current Playoff Seeds: Previous ( )
1. Norfolk (1)
2. Vancouver (4)
3. Columbus (NR)
4. Charlotte (3)
5. Milwaukee (2)
6. Syracuse (NR)

NL Power Rankings

NL Power Rankings  Previous Rankings ( )

1. Toronto 27-14 (3)
1st in North
NL leader: runs, obp, and sv
Top 5: avg, hr, wins, whip, and fielding

2. Colorado Springs 27-14 (13)
1st in West
NL leader: whip and fielding
Top 5: runs, wins, era, and sv

3. Scottsdale 26-15 (5)
2nd in West
NL leader: hr and era
Top 5: avg, runs, obp, wins, and whip

4. Salt Lake City 23-18 (4)
3rd in West
NL leader; avg
Top 5: runs, hr, sb, obp, era, and whip

5. Pawtucket 29-12 (8)
1st in East
NL leader: wins
Top 5: sb and sv

6. Arizona 21-20 (6)
4th in East
Top 5: hr

7. Burlington 20-21 (15)
2nd in East
Top 5: era, whip, and fielding

8. Kansas City 17-24 (7)
3rd in East
NL leader: sb
Top 5: obp

9. Tampa 23-18 (6)
1st in South
Top 5: sb and era

10. Hartford 19-22 (9)
2nd in East
Top 5: sv and fielding

11. Austin 23-18 (11)
1st in South
Top 5: avg and wins

12. Texas 15-26 (16)
4th in South
Top 5: avg, runs, and obp

13. Chicago 17-24 (1)
3rd in East
Top 5: hr and fielding

14. Trenton 17-24 (14)
3rd in East
Top 5: sb and sv

15. Jackson 17-24 (12)
3rd in South

16. Cincinnati 7-34 (10)
4th in East

Biggest Move Up:
Colorado Springs +11
Burlington +8
Biggest Move Down:
Chicago -12
Cincinnati -6

Current Playoff Seedings:
1.Pawtucket
2. Toronto
3. Colorado Springs
4. Tampa
5. Scottsdale
6. Salt Lake/Austin

AL Power Rankings

AL Power Rankings:  Previous Ranking ( )

1. Norfolk 30-11 (3)
1st in East
AL Leader: Avg, runs, hr, obp, and wins
Top 5: whip, era, and sv

2. Charlotte 24-17 (6)
1st in South
AL leader: fielding
Top 5: runs, sb, wins, and sv

3. Milwaukee 27-14 (2)
1st in North
AL leader: whip and era
Top 5: avg, hr, obp, wins, and fielding

4. Richmond 24-17 (7)
1st in South
Top 5: hr, obp, wins, sv and fielding

5. Syracuse 21-20 (8)
2nd in North
Top 5: avg, runs, obp, whip, and fielding

6. Vancouver 24-17 (1)
1st in West
Top 5: avg, sb, obp, wins, whip and era

7. San Franisco 22-19 (14)
2nd in West
Top 5: runs, hr, and era

8. Little Rock 22-19 (16)
3rd in South
Top 5: sb, whip, and sv

9. Columbus 20-21 (5)
3rd in North
Top 5; hr, era, and fielding

10. Phildelphia 17-24 (13)
2nd in East
Top 5: avg and runs

11. Monterrey 19-22 (10)
4th in South
Top 5: sb

12. Boise 21-20 (4)
3rd in West
AL leader: sv

13. Louisville 15-26 (9)
3rd in East
AL leader: sb

14. Dover 16-25 (11)
4th in North

15. Augusta 11-30 (15)
4th in East

16. Fresno 15-26 (12)
4th in West

Biggest Move Up:
Litte Rock +8
San Franisco +7

Biggest Move Down:
Boise -8
Vancouver  -5

Current Playoff Seedings
1. Norfolk
2. Milwaukee
3. Charlotte
4. Vancouver
5. Richmond
6. San Franisco/Little Rock

NL PreSeason Power Rankings

PreSeason (Season 26) NL Power Rankings:  Last Year Rankings ( )

1. Chicago (3)-Same owner since Season 17
Last Year 107-55 Div Title and WS Champ
2 Straight Playoff Apps (11 overall)
10 Division Titles (last season 25)
3 NL Champs (last season 25)
2 WS Champs (last season 25)

2. Arizona (1)-Same owner since Season 1
Last Year 109-53 Div Title
1 Straight Playoff Apps (9 overall)
6 Division Titles (last season 25)

3. Toronto (4)-Same owner since Season 1
Last Year 100-62 Wild Card
3 Straight Playoff Apps (6 overall)
5 Division Titles (last season 24)
3 NL Champs (last season 24)
2 WS Champs (last season 24)

4. Salt Lake City (7)-Same owner since Season 20
Last Year 76-86
1 Playoff Apps (last season 24)

5. Scottsdale (5)-Same owner since Season 22
Last Year 87-75 Wild Card
1 Straight Playoff Apps (16 overall)
15 Division Titles (last season 20)
2 NL Champs (last season 20)
2 WS Champs (last season 20)

6. Tampa (2)-Same owner since Season 25
Last Year 105-57 Div Title
4 Straight Playoff Apps (9 overall)
6 Division Titles (last season 25)
1 NL Champs (last season 2)

7. Kansas City (6)-Same owner since Season 17
Last Year 85-77 Div Title
1 Straight Playoff Apps (6 oveall)
4 Division Titles (last season 25)

8. Pawtucket (8)-Same owner since Season 9
Last Year 78-84
6 Playoff Apps (last season 24)
3 Division Titles (last season 24)

9. Hartford (13)-Same owner since Season 1
Last Year 63-99
16 Playoff Apps (last season 23)
9 Division Titles (last season 15)
4 NL Champs (last season 22)
3 WS Champs (last season 22)

10. Cincinnati (12)-New Owner
Last Year 83-79
13 Playoff Apps (last season 20)
8 Division Titles (last season 19)
3 NL Champs (last season 16)
2 WS Champs (last season 16)

11. Austin (10)-Same owner since Season 1
Last Year 72-90
7 Playoff Apps (last season 19)
3 Division Titles (last season 17)

12. Jackson (15)-Same owner since Season 25
Last Year 54-108
9 Playoff Apps (last season 20)
2 Division Titles (last season 13)
1 NL Champs (last season 13)

13. Colorado Springs (9)-Same owner since Season 19
Last Year 77-85
4 Playoff Apps (last season 23)
3 Division Titles (last season 23)

14.Trenton (11)-Same owner since Season 17
Last Year 71-91
11 Playoff Apps (last season 24)
5 Division Titles (last season 20)
1 NL Champs (last season 17)

15. Burlington (16)-Same owner since Season 19
Last Year 64-98
7 Playoff Apps (last season 17)
4 Division Titles (last season 16)
1 NL Champs (last season 15)

16. Texas (14)-Same owner since Season 24
Last Year 57-105
17 Playoff Apps (last season 21)
14 Division Titles (last season 21)
6 NL Champs (last season 14)
1 WS Champs (last season 5)

PreSeason AL Power Rankings

PreSeason (Season 26) AL Power Rankings  Last Year Ranking ( )

1. Vancouver (1)-Same owner since Season 2
Last Year 103-59 Div Title and AL Champ
24 Straight Playoff Apperances (24 overall)
21 Division Titles
9 AL Champs (Last: Season 25)
4 WS Champs (Last: Season 15)

2. Milwaukee (2)-Same owner since Season 12
Last Year 106-56 Div Title
6 Straight Playoff Apps (12 overall)
7 Division Titles

3. Norfolk (3)-Same owner since Season 21
Last Year 98-64 Div Title
5 Straight Playoff Apps (11 overall)
8 Division Titles
4 AL Champs (Last: Season 23)
2 WS Champs: (Last Season 23)

4. Boise (4)-New Owner
Last Year 100-62 Wild Card
2 Straight Playoff Apps (13 oveall)
3 Division Titles (Last: Season 24)
2 AL Champs (Last Season 7)

5. Columbus (7)-Same owner since Season 3
Last Year 88-74 Wild Card
7 Straight Playoff Apps (13 overall)
8 Division Titles (Last Season 24)

6. Charlotte (5)-Same owner since Season 23
Last Year 85-77 Div Title
2 Straight Playoff Apps (7 overall)
6 Division Titles

7. Richmond (6)-Same owner since Season 20
Last Year 85-77
9 Playoff Apps (last season 18)
9 Division Titles (last season 18)
2 AL champs (last season 12)
1 WS Champs (last season 12)

8. Syracuse (11)-Same owner since Season 19
Last Year 78-84
7 Playoff Apps (last season 18)
5 Division Titles (last season 18)

9. Louisville (14)-Same owner since Season 25
Last Year 72-90
12 Playoff Apps (Last season 23)
8 Division Titles (last season 20)
4 AL champs (last season 20)
3 WS champs (last season 17)

10. Monterrey (16)-Same owner since Season 25
Last Year 65-97
4 Playoff Apps (last season 20)
4 Division Titles (last season 20)

11. Dover (9)-Same owner since Season 16
Last Year 77-85
12 Playoff Apps (last season 19)
5 Division Titles (last season 17)
1 AL Champ (last season 19)
1 WS Champ (last season 17)

12. Fresno (13)-Same owner since Season 10-17, 19
Last Year 65-97
5 Playoff Apps (last season 21)
1 Division Titles (last season 20)

13. Phildelphia (10)-New owner
Last Year 72-90
4 Playoff Apps (last season 16)
2 Division Titles (last season 16)

14. San Fransico (8)-Same owner since Season 25
Last Year 79-83
1 Playoff Apps (last season 6)

15. Augusta (15)-New owner
Last Year 72-90
16 Playoff Apps (last season 20)
8 Division Titles (last seaon 12)
3 AL Champs (last season 18)
2 WS Champs (last season 8)

16. Little Rock (12)-Same owner since 19
Last Year 59-103
4 Playoff Apps (last season 22)
4 Division Titles (last season 22)

An Exceedingly Brief Discussion of the Hall of Fame Eligible Pitchers

So, there aren't many pitchers worth talking about.  The no-brain candidates have already been ushered in, and we're still waiting on some of the greatest pitchers to retire.  As a result, we don't have any standout candidates.  Still, 3 of the eligibles warrant some consideration.

Gregory Jefferies is 3rd among all pitchers in saves at 507.  When you consider that he's over 100 saves behind Jerome Patrick and has a pretty pedestrian ERA and WHIP, you realize he isn't really worth voting for.

David Larson had a pretty good career, and his ERA and WHIP are pretty impressive considering the era he pitched in.  Still, if Jerome Turner didn't make it, even having won a Cy Young and a Fireman of the Year, I'm not voting for a very good pitcher like Larson.

Danys Guzman has won a Cy Young.  He also anchored the staff for a couple of world champs.  His 3.71 ERA and 1.25 WHIP are really strong numbers, but he only won 197 games, and elbow and shoulder injuries diminished his effectiveness as he entered his mid-30s.  I might vote for him, but I don't think he'll get the votes this season, and his window of opportunity is pretty narrow, as guys like Leo Mackowiak and Hersh Knight are going to retire soon.

Hall of Fame S26: Part II: Position Player Odds & Ends

Beyond the top tier of eligibles, there are some other interesting Hall cases to look at.  For reference, let's look at the scoring.  Without going into as much detail about my methodology as I have in past previews, I dole out points based on whether a player is in the career top 20 among eligibles in statistical categories and for player awards won.  A look at the position players and their scores:

1) A. Tarasco, 4296 pts
2) A. Cordero, 4057 pts
3) Happy Moore, 3383 pts
4) Felipe Rodriguez, 3104 pts
5) H. Polcovich, 3059 pts
6) R. Alicea, 2909 pts
7) S. Taylor, 2631 pts
8) E. Montanez, 2438 pts
9) D. Gwynn, 2151 pts
10) J. Moreno, 1982 pts
11) I. Santana, 1967 pts
12) Hugh Moore, 1959 pts

We've already looked at some of these guys, but I think a couple more bear discussing.

Fourth on our list is Felipe Rodriguez, who was a star at 2b and 3b before eventually moving out to left field late in his career.  Rodriguez has the most runs scored of any eligible at 1902, and the 5th most hits at 2594.  The 7-time All-Star might warrant consideration in the future, but there are a few guys in line ahead of him.

I'm always puzzled about Horace Polcovich.  How can a 2-time MVP with 550 career home runs not make the cut?  Of course, he really only had 8 strong seasons between his career's slow start and it's abrupt end.  And while he won a Gold Glove at first, he wasn't good enough to play any other position.  And perhaps most shocking, Polcovich had exactly 1 playoff AB--with Hartford in S18.  If the guy had actually carried a team to the playoffs, I might overlook his lack of longevity, but as much as I love an MVP winner, I have a hard time voting this guy in.

I like Alicea, Taylor and Montanez a lot.  Not quite Hall-worthy here I don't think, though note that Taylor stacks up very favorably when compared to Hall of Fame shortstop Rafael Cedeno.

As I've noted before, Don Gwynn deserves serious consideration given that he was a catcher.  Gerald Bradley and Pedro Arroyo will soon be retiring though, and those guys are a cut above at the position.

Finally, I hope Juan Moreno gets some votes.  Not many guys have hit over 400 HR and stolen over 300 bases, and Moreno's .406 OBP and .992 OPS are especially outstanding when you realize he didn't get his first full season in until S10.  Plus, he was a key ingredient for a couple of world champions, posting playoff OPSs over 1.000 for Texas in S12 and Hartford in S22.

The S26 Hall of Fame Candidates Preview

This year's Hall of Fame debate looks to be interesting more because of who isn't in the running than who is.  With Banjo Melhuse and Chili Olsen achieving election over the last two seasons, there might not be a clear Hall of Famer in this year's crop of candidates.

Alan O'Malley and Jerome Turner would be primed for strong runs at election, except they're no longer eligible until the WifS Veterans' Committee sneaks them in through the backdoor.

So, this year's nominee class might not have the kind of star power of seasons past.  It does, however, have the seeds of some interesting debates.  To wit...

1) Is Andres Tarasco a Hall of Famer?
Tarasco became the third player to rack up 3,000 hits.  He slugged 602 HRs and drove in 1859 runs in his career (both 2nd among the eligibles).  The 8-time All Star also won 6 Silver Sluggers, and he wasn't just another plodding 1b/DH type, putting in time at SS, CF, 2b and 3b over his career.  The argument against his election?  His OBP and SLG aren't terribly impressive.  His career numbers are largely a function of a long career with very good teams.  Still, those All-Star selections and Silver Sluggers were well deserved--at the positions he played, he was routinely the best in his league.  Alan O'Malley was probably a better candidate (after all, the guy did win an MVP award), but I don't have any qualms about electing Andres Tarasco (not to be confused with Tony Tarasco, who, while a dangerous hitter, was a plodding 1b/DH type who doesn't quite have the numbers to justify his election).

2) Well, then what about Alex Cordero?
Cordero has plenty of backers, who can point to his 9 All Star appearances and 643 career steals as evidence of his worthiness.  It would've been nice to see him tally some more hits and bump that batting average up just a smidge, but the guy was a dynamic player and was one of the best LF/1b for a decade.  He's a challenging guy to size up, because he played in an era of the power hitter, which makes his accomplishments look less impressive, but he also played in the era of easy base-stealing, thus artificially inflating his value.  I tend to like to see guys rewarded for All Star appearances and Silver Sluggers, despite the imperfections in how they're awarded (e.g. Carlos Johnson getting robbed of the All-Star nod in Season 14 based solely on his horrendous defense).  I might change my mind on which side of borderline Cordero sits, but for now I'll vote for him.

3) Wait, haven't you forgotten about Ivan Santana?  728 home runs, dude...
Ho ho--interesting you should bring up Santana.  According to my rating system, which as I've mentioned in the past is perhaps a bit heavily tilted towards award-winners, Santana isn't even a top 10 candidate.  And that's just among the hitters!  Well, this is a case where I take my own system with a grain of salt.  For whatever reason, Santana only made the All-Star team twice, and never won the MVP.  First base tends to be stacked with potent hitters, and Santana's BA and OBP were looked down upon by the selection engine.  Worse, his Austin teams were generally not contenders, and he tended to be passed over for guys who took their teams to the playoffs (see Season 14).  And those few times Austin did make it were forgettable--Santana's career playoff OPS in 97 AB?  .585

And yet, you cannot ignore the HR and RBI totals.  I think I have to vote for him.

4) Admit it, you're going to vote for Happy Moore, aren't you?
Yes I am (after all, I'll argue that getting Happy with the 28th pick in the first or second season we were allowed to set our own draft order was the greatest draft day steal in Morgan history)--and let me make the case for why you should, too.  Moore's 4 All Stars and 3 Silver Sluggers are respectable, even if they don't immediately scream Hall of Famer.  However, buoyed by an insane career slugging percentage of .616, Happy has the 3rd best OPS of the eligibles--exceeded only by Hugh Moore and Norm Freeman, each of whom had short careers and played in the liveliest days of the lively ball era.  And unlike Santana, Moore's playoff OPS was .998, as he was a driving force behind Hartford's championship runs in S9 and S11.

Additionally, Happy Moore produced two of the greatest hitting seasons of all-time.  He's among the very few players to post a season OPS over 1.250, and he did it twice.  In S8, Moore's first full season in the majors, he made his presence felt by hitting .394 (2nd highest of all-time behind Rusty Jones' .405 in S5), with a .460 OBP and .797 SLG.  He might have hit more than his 51 HR and 135 RBI, but Hartford tried to limit his playing time to conserve him for the post-season.  In S14, Moore took the MVP with a .377 BA, .447 OBP and .831 SLG (the latter the third best of all-time, behind only Doug Connelly's unreachable .919 in S2, and Carlos Johnson's .883 in S8).  With teammate Carlos Johnson on the decline, Moore put that Hartford club on his shoulders, bringing them all the way to the NLDS.

According to my ratings, Moore ranks 3rd behind Tarasco and Cordero, with 3383 points to Tarasco's 4296 and Cordero's 4057.

Stay tuned for Parts 2 & 3, in which I assess the other hitters who you can make intriguing cases for, and the pitchers, for whom no interesting case can be made.

NL & AL Final Power Rankings

AL Power  Rankings: Preseason ( )

1. Vancouver 103-59 (1)
Seed #2
Playoff Power Rank #1

2. Milwaukee 106-56 (4)
Seed #1
Playoff Power Rank #3

3.. Norfolk 98-64 (2)
Seed #3
Playoff Power Rank #6

4. Honolulu 100-62 (5)
Seed #5
Playoff Power Rank #7

5. Charlotte 85-77 (7)
Seed #4
Playoff Power Rank #9

6. Richmond 85-77 (12)

7. Columbus 88-74 (3)
Seed #6
Playoff Power Rank #12

8. San Franisco 79-83 (10)

9. Dover 77-85 (11)

10. Indianapolis 72-90 (13)

11. Syracuse 78-84 (9)

12. Little Rock 59-103 (15)

13. Fresno 65-97 (8)

14. Louisville 72-90 (6)

15. Cincinnati 72-90 (16)

16. Monterrey 65-97 (14)

NL Power Rankings:  Preseason ()

1. Arizona 109-53 (2)
Seed #1
Playoff Power Rank #2

2. Tampa 105-57 (6)
Seed #3
Playoff Power Rank #4

3. Chicago 107-55 (9)
Seed #2
Playoff Power Rank #5

4. Toronto 100-62 (1)
Seed #5
Playoff Power Rank #8

5. Scottsdale 87-75 (5)
Seed #6
Playoff Power Rank #10

6. Kansas City 85-77 (14)
Seed #4
Playoff Power Rank #11

7. Salt Lake 76-86 (4)

8. Pawtucket 78-84 (3)

9. Colorado Springs 77-85 (12)

10. Austin 72-90 (10)

11. Trenton 71-91 (9)

12. Phildelphia 83-79 (11)

13. Hartford 63-99 (7)

14. Texas 57-105 (13)

15. Jackson 54-108 (15)

16. Burlington 64-98 (16)