The Keltner List

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

I apologize for the over-saturation of these. I'll be working most of the weekend, so we'll see a reduction for a few days. Next player out of the hat is Jimmy Wynn. I'm glad to do this one, because regardless of his HOF worthiness, Wynn is overlooked in baseball history, and he was really quite good.

 

1. Was he ever regarded as the best player in baseball? Did anybody, while he was active, ever suggest that he was the best player in baseball?

 

No.

 

2. Was he the best player on his team?

 

Yes, from 1965-70, he was the best player on the Houston Astros. These Astro teams had Eddie Mathews, Rusty Staub, Joe Morgan, Mike Cuellar, Larry Dierker, and Don Wilson, so being the best from that group is no small feat. Wynn was also the best player on the 1974 National League Champion LA Dodgers, a team that included Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Don Sutton, and Tommy John.

 

3. Was he the best player in baseball at his position? Was he the best player in the league at his position?

 

Yes, Jimmy Wynn was the best center fielder in baseball from 1967-70, and again in 1974.

 

4. Did he have an impact on a number of pennant races?

 

His Astro teams, being expansion squads, did not compete seriously until 1972. In '72, Wynn hit 310/464/529 in September, but the Astros ultimately lost out to the Cincinnati Reds. And as stated before, he was the key player on the NL Champion Dodgers in 1974.

 

5. Was he good enough that he could play regularly after passing his prime?

 

No. He was finished after the age of 34.

 

6. Is he the very best baseball player in history who is not in the Hall of Fame?

 

No. Ron Santo holds that honor, in my view.

 

7. Are most players who have comparable statistics in the Hall of Fame?

 

None of his most comparable players are in the Hall of Fame.

 

8. Do the player's numbers meet Hall of Fame standards?

 

Wynn scores low on all the major tests of HOF standards.

 

9. Is there any evidence to suggest that the player was significantly better or worse than is suggested by his statistics?

 

Yes. Wynn played in an extreme pitchers' era, and played his entire career in good pitchers' parks. The Astrodome in the '60s was second only to Dodger Stadium in terms of hitting difficulty, and then Wynn spent his last good seasons IN Dodger Stadium.

 

10. Is he the best player at his position who is eligible for the Hall of Fame?

 

Yes, assuming you don't think Dale Murphy is more qualified.

 

11. How many MVP-type seasons did he have? Did he ever win an MVP award? If not, how many times was he close?

 

Wynn had several MVP type seasons, although he never led the league in Win Shres in any specific year. Voters did not agree, as Wynn only finished in the top 10 once, in 1974 (he finished fifth).

 

12. How many All-Star-type seasons did he have? How many All-Star games did he play in? Did most of the players who played in this many All-Star games go into the Hall of Fame?

 

Wynn made three All-Star teams, in 1967, '74 and '75. That's a low total for a HOF candidate.

 

13. If this man were the best player on his team, would it be likely that the team could win the pennant?

 

Yes. See again the 1974 Dodgers.

 

14. What impact did the player have on baseball history? Was he responsible for any rule changes? Did he introduce any new equipment? Did he change the game in any way?

 

None apparent.

 

15. Did the player uphold the standards of sportsmanship and character that the Hall of Fame, in its written guidelines, instructs us to consider?

 

Yes.

 

Conclusion: What makes a player underrated? Playing for losing teams, outside of major media markets. Playing in an era and park which masks a player's talents. Doing lots of things well, rather than excelling at one thing. Wynn was an excellent player. The problem is that his numbers don't match up because of his playing conditions, and the voters of his time failed to account for them as well. I don't know if Wynn deserves the Hall, but he is quite an intriguing candidate.