Detroit Tigers: Trammell’s HOF Snub Raises Questions

Detroit Tigers fans are upset and rightfully so. Alan Trammell, the last of the 1984 World Series team with eligibility, only earned 40.9% of the vote. He finished in 11th place overall, but his time on the ballot is now over. Hopefully, he will have a second chance with the Veterans’ Committee, but that is not a certainty either. With the disappointment of a player who deserves to be enshrined being ignored for so many years, it raises questions about the way the Baseball Writers Association of America decide who gets in and who doesn’t.

Should the Hall of Fame votes just be based on numbers? 

Absolutely not. There are numbers and there are intangibles. Those intangibles, like character and sportsmanship, are what endear the players to the fans and the community. Take Kirk Gibson as an example. He does not have the numbers to make his way into the Hall of Fame, but he has had clutch moments that show what baseball is all about: heart and hustle. His clutch home run in the 1988 World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers is considered one of the most historic home runs of all time. He also hit the unforgettable World Series home run off of Goose Gossage in 1984. His attitude on the field and the dugout make him more than a memorable player – he is Detroit Tigers icon.

The Hall of Fame voters are supposed to follow this rule: “Voting shall be based upon the player’s record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played.” But, without full knowledge of the players, it is difficult for the BBWAA to consider much more than their records and playing ability. Integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions are anecdotal and require significantly more work to find than numbers.

Should the Hall of Fame consider a player’s time with a team? 

Yes. When a player spends his entire career with one team, that says something about that player. When a player remains with a team for 20 years, that player becomes a part of the community and a part of a larger family. Players like Al Kaline, Tony Gwynn, Edgar Martinez, and Chipper Jones. It is impossible to think of their teams without thinking of them. It should not be the only condition for inclusion in the Hall, but it should be taken into consideration.

How can the small-market and medium-market players receive more attention?

Right now, the only people who are able to vote for the Hall of Fame candidates are members of the BBWAA. These are writers who meet the requirements of the BBWAA constitution. They are writers and editors for major newspapers and wire services. Some web writers are eligible, only if the BBWAA allows them into the organization. Retired writers who have been in the BBWAA can vote, too. This creates an unfair advantage for players in large market teams, like those in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and the Bay Area of California. 

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Those large-market teams have newspapers with more money to pay for more writers, which means they have more local members in the BBWAA. Even though the Detroit Tigers are considered a medium-market team, there are only two local newspapers that cover them: The Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press. Their readership tends to be local and state-wide, whereas major newspapers in larger markets have readers that extend beyond the boundaries of their localities giving them more revenue to spend on writers.

It is time to open up the BBWAA to men and women who write for online publications. Not every writer should be allowed to vote, but the BBWAA needs to recognize the value of online writers and their knowledge of baseball players. Many online writers cover all of Major League baseball, not just their local teams and players. They are not bound by the limited finances that newspaper writers now have.

Next: Most Expendable Detroit Tigers

Subtle Changes Keep Games Relevant

Baseball is a game with a hallowed history that needs to be remembered. The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown keeps that history alive. But, as time moves on, games do need to make subtle changes to stay relevant. The snub of Alan Trammell proves that there is something that needs to be subtly updated, too.