Detroit Tigers: A look ahead to the 2019 Hall of Fame Ballot

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COOPERSTOWN, NY – JULY 29: Jack Morris (L) and Alan Trammell pose for a photograph with their plaques at Clark Sports Center during the Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony on July 29, 2018 in Cooperstown, New York. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

After seeing two Detroit Tigers inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday, will they have anyone inducted in 2019?

Detroit Tigers’ fans were delighted to see two Tiger legends finally get their rightful place in Cooperstown over the weekend. Alan Trammell and Jack Morris are the first two players from the 1984 World Series winning team to be enshrined in Cooperstown, although they are not the only deserving candidates.

Attention now moves to 2019. The Tigers will have four former players who will appear on the ballot next year. Before we get into them however, we’ll start with an honorary Tiger, former first base coach Omar Vizquel. Vizquel appeared on the ballot for the first time last year, garnering 37% of the vote. That’s a pretty good tally for year one, but he’ll need to double that in order to reach the 75% necessary for induction. The elite defensive shortstop won 11 Gold Gloves in his career. He also racked up 2,877 hits and stole 404 bases.

Vizquel spent the majority of his playing career in Cleveland, but served as infield and first base caoch with the Tigers for a few years after he retired.

Now, here’s a look at the four players who actually played in a Tigers uniform, starting with our only returner to the ballot:

Gary Sheffield

Sheffield has now spent four years on the ballot, and unfortunately his results are not trending in the right direction. Sheffield earned 11.7%, 11.6% and 13.3% of the vote in his first three years, but only earned 11.1% last year. With a 10-man voter limit, it appears the voters are realizing that Sheffield’s candidacy is a futile one, and are turning their attention elsewhere. Now, Sheffield will have to climb 63.9% of the vote in just five years, a nearly impossible task.

Sheffield played for eight different teams in his 22 seasons. He blasted 509 home runs and slashed .292/.393/.514 in his illustrious career.

The outfielder and designed hitter joined the Tigers in November of 2006 in a trade with the New York Yankees. The Tigers surrendered three ‘prospects’ in the deal; Anthony Claggett, Humberto Sanchez and Kevin Whelan.

Sheffield spent two years in the Motor City, hitting .247 with 44 home runs, 31 stolen bases and a .788 OPS. He was released after the 2008 season and signed with the New York Mets to close out his career.

Overall, Sheffield’s numbers are right on the line of Hall of Fame worthy. His inclusion on the Mitchell Report is certainly dissuading many voters, particularly the ones who have shunned noted steroid users like Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Manny Ramirez – among others.

Sheffield was a great slugger, but his career looks very unlikely to end with a plaque in Cooperstown.

Placido Polanco

Polanco will reach the ballot for the first time in 2019. He had an accomplished 15-year career, spent primarily with three teams: the Phillies, the Cardinals and the Tigers.

Polanco is one of the best second basemen in Tigers history, spending five years with the team from 2005-2009. He hit .311 with a 103 OPS+ during his tenure in the Motor City, racking up a 19.2 bWAR, his highest with any team. His best individual season came in 2007, when Polanco hit .341 with 200 total hits. He was an All-Star and won both the Gold Glove and the Silver Slugger Award, while posting a 6.1 bWAR.

Looking at his complete scope of work, Polanco was a slick-fielding second baseman who accrued a 41.5 bWAR. That’s primarily thanks to his 18.7 dWAR, good for 62nd all-time. Polanco also won three Gold Gloves and one Silver Slugger award, while making two All-Star games and winning the ALCS MVP award in 2006.

However, comparing him to other Hall of Fame second basemen makes it clear he should fall short of enshrinement in Cooperstown. His 41.5 bWAR is 37th at the position, well behind the HOF average of 69.5. His defensive prowess is impressive, but he was not good enough offensively to make the Hall of Fame. In fact, he’s unlikely to even receive the 5% of the vote necessary to stay on the ballot the following year.

Freddy Garcia

The most diehard Detroit Tigers fans may remember that right-hander Freddy Garcia made three starts for the Detroit Tigers during the 2008 season. Garcia finished the 2007 season with the Phillies. He didn’t catch on with anyone in 2008 until the Tigers signed him on August 12. He made three starts with Detroit, going 1-1 with a 4.20 ERA and a 12/6 K/BB ratio.

If Garcia does make the Hall of Fame, it’s safe to say he won’t be wearing a Tigers hat. However, his odds of getting a plaque in Cooperstown are, shall we say, slim.

Across 15 big league seasons, the Chief went 156-108 with a 4.15 ERA and 1,621 strikeouts. He finished with a 107 ERA+ and a bWAR of 34.5. He was known primarily for his time on the Mariners, where he pitched for six years and made two All-Star games. He also won an ERA title in 2001, with a 3.05 mark.

Overall, Garcia’s career output is about half of what is needed to make it into Cooperstown as a starting pitcher. He had a fine career and was at times one of the better starting pitchers in baseball. But his time on the ballot, like his time on the Tigers, will be short-lived.

Octavio Dotel

When Edwin Jackson took the mound for the A’s against the Detroit Tigers earlier this year, it was his 13th big league team. That broke a record that had previously been held by Dotel, who played for 12 teams across 15 big league seasons. He finished his career out with two seasons in the Motor City, where his 62.2 innings were the fifth most he pitched for any one team.

Dotel was a perfectly fine middle reliever, who racked up 109 saves as an occasional closer. He finished his career appearing in 758 games, good for 67th all-time. He posted a 3.78 ERA and a 10.8 K/9, finishing as one of the more prolific strikeout pitchers of his era.

Still, in order to make the Hall of Fame as a relief pitcher you have to be one of the top 3-5 of all-time, and Dotel is nowhere near that level. Although any player with over 10 years of big league experience is eligible to appear on the Hall of Fame ballot, it’s up to the Hall’s jurisdiction who actually makes it. Dotel is a fringe candidate to even make the ballot, and it would be a surprise if he got even one vote for the Hall of Fame.

Next. 2006 Tigers: Where are they now?. dark

The Tigers will not have a player on the BBWAA ballot inducted into Cooperstown in 2019. There are however quite a few Detroit Tigers who are either active or recently retired who could find themselves in Cooperstown in the near future.

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After seeing two Detroit Tigers inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday, will they have anyone inducted in 2019?

Gary Sheffield

Placido Polanco

Freddy Garcia

Octavio Dotel

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