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EVIL~! alkeiper

The Keltner List

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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?

 

In 1973, he was the best player on the Minnesota Twins, and oddly enough, he was the best player on the 1989 California Angels.

 

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

 

In 1973, both Bill James and Total Baseball rate Blyleven as the best pitcher in baseball.

 

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

 

Blyleven compiled a 2.53 ERA in 7 starts in September for the 1970 Twins. Blyleven finished the 1979 season with a 12-3 run as the Pirates won the Series in 1979. Blyleven also compiled a 2.45 ERA in six September starts for the 1987 Twins, who also won the World Series. Overall, Blyleven compiled a 2.89 career ERA in August, and a 2.97 career ERA in September. Blyleven pitched extremely well in the postseason, running a 5-1 record alongside a 2.47 ERA.

 

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

 

Yes. Blyleven pitched well into his late 30s.

 

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

 

It's possible. Ron Santo is probably a better position player, but its hard to find a better pitcher.

 

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

 

Yes. Eight of Blyleven's ten most similar pitchers are in the Hall.

 

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

 

Yes. Blyleven scores just 16 on the Black Ink test. However, he scores 239 on the Gray Ink test, well above average. He also scores 50 on the HOF Standards test, which is average for a HOFer. Blyleven ranks 25th All Time in wins, and fifth all time in strikeouts (third when he retired). Blyleven ranks 22nd All Time among pitchers in Win Shares, and 19th among pitchers in Total Baseball's Total Player Wins.

 

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

 

Yes. Blyleven often played for losing teams, which hurt his win/loss record.

 

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

 

I believe so.

 

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

 

Blyleven never won a Cy Young award, and finished in the running just four times.

 

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?

 

The black mark. Blyleven appeared in just two All-Star games. However, I truly believe he was hurt by poor run support, which hurt his W/L records.

 

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

 

Probably not as the best player, but as the best pitcher, yes.

 

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: Its inconceivable that Blyleven is not in the Hall. He was not an impact pitcher. However, his career numbers are massive. Had he pitched for better teams, there is little doubt he would have won 300 games, and stamped his HOF ticket. Moreover, he pitched extremely well in important games (witness his 5-1 postseason mark). Blyleven for the Hall.

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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.

Al, I wouldn't say it was a rules change, but I'm pretty sure Blyleven was responsible for the Balk Craze of 1988. I remember Whitey Herzog going crazy in the 1987 World Series, insisting Blyleven was not coming to a complete stop with his hands from the stretch position. The next season, that rule was enforced to a ludicrous degree, resulting in about a billion balks called. Sanity returned the following season.

 

Other than that, spot-on.

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Blyleven had a poor relationship with the media. That's a huge reason he hasn't gotten in yet.

That didn't really stop Eddie Murray, did it?

 

I think Blyleven is one of the big dividing lines between the traditionalist and the sabermetric community. The traditionalists point to his won-loss record and trumpet the fact that his career is a testament to his longevity, rather than his skill. The sabermatricians bring out the Win Shares and place emphasis on the impressive peripherals (5th all-time in K's).

 

Honestly, I don't think Blyleven's case is really as convincing as it seems. Even though he has a truckload of gray ink, a lot of that ink came from being among the league leaders in "negative stats", such as hits allowed (10 years), hit batsmen (15 years), Walks / 9 IP (8 years), Walks + Hits / 9 IP (11 years), Hits / 9 IP (7 years). He strikes out a ton of batters, but he also coughed up a ton of home runs (430 through his career, including 50 in 1986).

 

Blyleven is the ultimate "Three True Outcomes" pitcher - he either struck you out, let you take first, or watched you run around the bases. And while his won-loss record is undeniably affected by playing for subpar team, you could also turn the "bad team theory" around and say that Blyleven was able to eat up a ridiculous amount of innings (and, hence, accumulate all that gray ink) because the teams that he pitched for never had a pitching staff around him.

 

Make no mistake, I think Blyleven is deserving of being in the hall of fame (5th all time in strikeouts? 9th all time in shutouts?) but I don't feel that he's the first-ballot snub that many would portray him as.

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Honestly, I don't think Blyleven's case is really as convincing as it seems. Even though he has a truckload of gray ink, a lot of that ink came from being among the league leaders in "negative stats", such as hits allowed (10 years), hit batsmen (15 years), Walks / 9 IP (8 years), Walks + Hits / 9 IP (11 years), Hits / 9 IP (7 years). He strikes out a ton of batters, but he also coughed up a ton of home runs (430 through his career, including 50 in 1986).

 

The rate stats, the ones over 9 innings, are portrayed to list those who allowed the FEWEST, not the most.

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