EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted August 4, 2004 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? Doubtful. 2. Was he the best player on his team? No. In fact, Kaat was only one of the top three players on his team twice, on the 1966 Twins (behind Harmon Killebrew and Tony Oliva) and the 1975 White Sox (behind Goose Gossage). 3. Was he the best player in baseball at his position? Was he the best player in the league at his position? Kaat led the American league in Win Shares just once, in 1966. Unfortunately, he did not win a Cy Young as baseball gave just one award for both leagues at that time, and Sandy Koufax won unanimously. MLB awarded split Cy Youngs beginning the next season. 4. Did he have an impact on a number of pennant races? Yes. Kaat compiled a 12-4 record in the second half when the Minnesota Twins won the AL pennant in 1965. Kaat also finished 4-0 in September/October as the Twins won the AL West in 1970. In 1976, however, Kaat finished 4-12 in the second half as the Philadelphia Phillies won the NL East. Kaat compiled an 0-4 record in September the following season as the Phillies again won the NL East. This time, he did not even pitch in the postseason. Over his career (where records are available), Kaat finished 35-43 in August, 43-31 in September, and 2-2 in October. 5. Was he good enough that he could play regularly after passing his prime? Yes. Kaat pitched until he was 44 years old. 6. Is he the very best baseball player in history who is not in the Hall of Fame? No. 7. Are most players who have comparable statistics in the Hall of Fame? Seven of Kaat's ten most similar players are in the Hall of Fame. The only exceptions are Tommy John, Bert Blyleven, and Frank Tanana. 8. Do the player's numbers meet Hall of Fame standards? Kaat scores 19 on the Black Ink test, 128 on the Gray Ink test, and meets 44% of HOF Standards. 9. Is there any evidence to suggest that the player was significantly better or worse than is suggested by his statistics? Kaat won the Gold Glove almost every year. 10. Is he the best player at his position who is eligible for the Hall of Fame? I doubt it. 11. How many MVP-type seasons did he have? Did he ever win an MVP award? If not, how many times was he close? Kaat finished in the top 10 of MVP voting just once, but its rare for pitchers to receive recognition. He only finished in the running for Cy Young once, finishing fourth in 1975. 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? Kaat played in three All-Star games, a low total. 13. If this man were the best player on his team, would it be likely that the team could win the pennant? Doubtful. Kaat only topped 20 win shares four times, and never earned more than 26. The Twins teams he reached the playoffs with were some of the deepest pitching staffs in baseball history. 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? Kaat was one of the first pitchers to utilize their 10-5 trading rights, rejecting a trade to California. 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: Jim Kaat's career numbers are deserving. He won 283 games, a very good total. But Kaat compiled these numbers because he played in a great era for starters, and because he stuck around. Kaat never got close to a Cy Young award. He only led the league in wins once. He NEVER finished in the top 5 in ERA. Kaat was hardly a dominant pitcher in his time, and I can't see supporting his case for induction. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phoenixrising 0 Report post Posted August 4, 2004 Ultimately Kaat was a solid pitcher, one that would start 40 games, pitch around 250-300 innings and win about 18 games a season. A good pitcher, a serviceable one but not spectacular. I suppose he may be elected one day, but that day won't be anytime soon. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Anglesault Report post Posted August 4, 2004 al was slightly less critical of Kaat's career than Kaat himself. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vern Gagne 0 Report post Posted August 5, 2004 Al. Do one on Tony Olivia. One of the best hitters, before knee injuries ended his career. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
treble 0 Report post Posted August 5, 2004 Can you throw Dave Steib in your hat, too? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
