Bert Blyleven - Starting Pitcher

 

Minnesota Twins 1970-1976, 1985-1988

Texas Rangers 1976-1977

Pittsburgh Pirates 1978-1980

Cleveland Indians 1981-1985

California Angels 1989-1992

 

10th year on the ballot

 

Past HOF Voting Results

1998: 17.55%

1999: 14.08%

2000: 17.43%

2001: 23.50%

2002: 26.27%

2003: 29.23%

2004: 35.38%

2005: 40.89%

2006: 53.30%

 

Awards

None

 

All-Star Selections: 2 (1973, 1985)

 

League Leader

1971: K/BB

1973: Shutouts, K/BB, ERA+

1977: WHIP

1985: Innings, Strikeouts, Complete Games, Shutouts

1986: Innings, K/BB

1989: Shutouts

 

Career Ranks

Wins: 26th

IP: 13th

K: 5th

CG: 91st

SHO: 9th

K/BB: 44th

K/9: 99th

 

Hall of Fame Stats

 

Black Ink: Pitching - 16 (129) (Average HOFer ≈ 40)

Gray Ink: Pitching - 239 (24) (Average HOFer ≈ 185)

HOF Standards: Pitching - 50.0 (36) (Average HOFer ≈ 50)

HOF Monitor: Pitching - 120.5 (68) (Likely HOFer > 100)

 

Similar Pitchers in HOF: 8 (Don Sutton, Gaylord Perry, Fergie Jenkins, Robin Roberts, Tom Seaver, Early Wynn, Phil Niekro, Steve Carlton)

Other Similar Pitchers: Tommy John, Jim Kaat

 

Year-by-Year Win Shares & Wins Above Replacement Level (WARP3)

 

1970: 10/3.7

1971: 20/8.4

1972: 19/7.4

1973: 29/12.3

1974: 23/10.0

1975: 21/8.7

1976: 20/9.3

1977: 21/8.2

1978: 16/6.2

1979: 13/3.8

1980: 9/2.9

1981: 14/8.2

1982: 1/0.2

1983: 10/4.3

1984: 20/9.2

1985: 23/9.9

1986: 18/7.9

1987: 18/7.5

1988: 4/2.2

1989: 22/7.9

1990: 3/1.3

1992: 5/2.5

 

Career Win Shares: 339

Career WARP3: 142.0

 

Would he get my vote?

 

Yes. Blyleven's plight to get into the HOF has been well documented by now. Many voters in the past have immediately written him off because he never won a Cy Young and because he had only two All-Star selections. Of course a player's total number of All-Star selections can be taken with a grain of salt since they are based mostly on what a player did the first three months of the season and with pitcher selections they are heavily influenced by their win/loss record. Blyleven for his career was 150-140 with a 3.47 ERA in the first half of the season but 137-110 with a 3.12 ERA in the second half, so he did his best pitching after the ASB. Another reason why Blyleven has been ignored in the past as well is as you see didn't lead his league in many categories. But for his career he was in the Top 10 ERA ten times, Wins six times, WHIP 11 times, Strikeouts 15 times, Complete Games 12 times, and Shutouts ten times. Nevermind of course he's in the Top 10 all-time in both strikeouts and shutouts. In addition of the eight HOF comps he has only Tom Seaver had a better career ERA+. Many writers are slowly coming around and long time holdouts are now voting for him. He certainly won't get in this year as no backloggers have a chance but within the next five years it appears he will get in.