We always talk about the people that hang on forever to hit that milestone 3000th hit, or 500th homer to get into the hall of fame, but we never talk about the people who play themselves out of the Hall of Fame by hanging around too long.
I think there are a few players that if they would have hung it up about 2 years before they did, they would be in the HOF right now.
GOOSE GOSSAGE. I cant think of a single legit reason he is not in the Hall of Fame other than the fact that he stayed around about 5 years too long. His last 4 seasons were so bad, that I think many of us forgot just how good he was in his prime.
He had a combined 13 saves in his last 6 big league seasons. He did not do one thing in those last 6 seasons to help his cause. Did not reach one milestone, did not win one WS ring. All he did in those 6 years was raise his career ERA and wash away our memory about how good he was.
In my mind, Goose was one of the top 3 relievers in the history of baseball. Before you laugh, make sure you read his complete stats. You will be surprised just how damm good he was.
If he would have retired 5 years earlier, I think he would now be in the hall of fame. He had a much better career than both Bruce Sutter and Rollie Fingers.
Dale Murphy
Talk about someone that was useless his last 5 seasons. We are talking about a guy in his prime that was way ahead of his time.
In his last 5 years he hit a combined 44 homers. He could have retired at the end of the 1987 season and made the hall of fame on the first ballot no question. He would have still had 350 homers instead of 398 without the baggage of the the last 4 seasons. His career batting average would have been almost 20 points higher also. Him, Schimit, Murrey, and Dawson were the 4 best players of the decade of the 80s.
One of the first 30/30 guys. 2 MVPS and 6 gold gloves. But the last 4 years I believe he played his way out the HOF.
There are not many people in baseball since 1980 where you could say for a 1000% he did not take steroids, but Murphy is one of those few people you could say without a single doubt never took a performance enhanser.
He was such a moral person that he would not even let his kids watch tv when they were growing up. About as devote of a Morman as you will ever meet. He would not dare to something like steroids.
Im sure there are more that played there way out.
I think there are a few players that if they would have hung it up about 2 years before they did, they would be in the HOF right now.
GOOSE GOSSAGE. I cant think of a single legit reason he is not in the Hall of Fame other than the fact that he stayed around about 5 years too long. His last 4 seasons were so bad, that I think many of us forgot just how good he was in his prime.
He had a combined 13 saves in his last 6 big league seasons. He did not do one thing in those last 6 seasons to help his cause. Did not reach one milestone, did not win one WS ring. All he did in those 6 years was raise his career ERA and wash away our memory about how good he was.
In my mind, Goose was one of the top 3 relievers in the history of baseball. Before you laugh, make sure you read his complete stats. You will be surprised just how damm good he was.
If he would have retired 5 years earlier, I think he would now be in the hall of fame. He had a much better career than both Bruce Sutter and Rollie Fingers.
Dale Murphy
Talk about someone that was useless his last 5 seasons. We are talking about a guy in his prime that was way ahead of his time.
In his last 5 years he hit a combined 44 homers. He could have retired at the end of the 1987 season and made the hall of fame on the first ballot no question. He would have still had 350 homers instead of 398 without the baggage of the the last 4 seasons. His career batting average would have been almost 20 points higher also. Him, Schimit, Murrey, and Dawson were the 4 best players of the decade of the 80s.
One of the first 30/30 guys. 2 MVPS and 6 gold gloves. But the last 4 years I believe he played his way out the HOF.
There are not many people in baseball since 1980 where you could say for a 1000% he did not take steroids, but Murphy is one of those few people you could say without a single doubt never took a performance enhanser.
He was such a moral person that he would not even let his kids watch tv when they were growing up. About as devote of a Morman as you will ever meet. He would not dare to something like steroids.
Im sure there are more that played there way out.
