The New York Yankees have had some of the best players in baseball in their 107-year glorious history. Many of those players are in the American Baseball Hall of Fame, but many Yankee greats are not. Many wonder why players like Thurman Munson, Bernie Williams, and Andy Pettitte aren’t in that prestigious group of baseball immortals.
Although many believe the baseball writers who select and vote on the nominees have a bias against the Yankees, there is no simple answer. I can’t verify or deny that notion. Players are currently inducted into the Hall of Fame through election by either the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (or BBWAA) or the Veterans Committee, which now consists of four subcommittees of which considers and votes for candidates from a separate era of baseball.
The criteria that are used by the writers give them a lot of latitude in the selection process.
- Playing ability
- Integrity
- Sportsmanship
- Character
- Contribution to the team(s) on which they played.
There is no way to know how much emphasis each writer places in each area of the criteria. For instance, one writer might put a huge part of his decision on the fact that Andy Pettitte used PEDs for a short time in an otherwise stellar and moral career. Another writer may feel that it is a small blip in a historic career.
First, let look a the New York Yankee players that have never been considered or never got the needed votes for inclusion. All are for sure Yankee superstars. Let’s start in the infield: 1st base; Don Mattingly, Mattingly was the Bomber’s face of the 1980s. From 1984 to 1989, Mattingly played like a Hall of Famer, with a .327/.372/.530 slash line, netting an AL-MVP, six all-star appearances, five Gold Glove awards, and three Silver Sluggers. 2nd base; Willie Randolph. Although Randolph was never a power hitter, he hit for contact and walked 675 times in his career. His career WAR of 65.9 is 13th all-time among all second basemen, ahead of players like Craig Biggio, Jackie Robinson, and Chase Utley.
Non-Hall of Famer Yankees at third base is Graig Nettles and Alex Rodriguez. There might be an excuse for A-Rod not being inducted, his drug use, and his combative nature. But there is hardly any excuse that Nettles, one of the best hot corner men ever, isn’t enshrined. At shortstop Derek Jeter is in, but one of the most famous New York Yankees shortstops of all time is not. Frank Crosetti, back in the ’30s and 40’s Crosetti was known as one of the best shortstops for that period. One of the biggest Hall of Fame booboos is that catcher Thruman Munson is not enshrined.
The Yankees’ outfield also has its share of non-Hall of Famers. One that immediately stands out is Paul O’Neill. O’Neill was both a DH and right fielder, although he spent most of his time in right field at the Stadium. He slashed a career .303/.377/.492. The Warrior’s .303 over nine years with the Yankees should alone be enough to qualify him. In Centerfield, there is Bernie Williams, one of the most popular Yankee players of all time. In left field, there is Charlie Keller. Keller Keller gets the nod because of his insanely great peak. From 1940 to 1943, Keller was a six-win player on average, with a .531 slugging percentage and a .410 on-base percentage. He averaged over 100 walks per season. In his thirteen-year career, he had a 43.5 WAR.
On the pitching side of the equation, Andy Pettitte isn’t in the Hall of Fame; either is Roger Clemens, Tommy John, Luis Tiant, and of course the Yankees famed pitcher Don Larsen. Larsen is the only pitcher to have ever have pitched a perfect game in the World Series. Clemens probably will never be considered by the Veteran committee due to his drug use and lawsuits. Pettitte on the other hand has been nominated and voted for, but has not reached the necessary voted to be inducted. Other famous Yankee pitchers are also not in the Hall. David Cone and Ron Guidry.
Although these famous players have not reached the Baseball Hall of Fame most all of them are immortalized in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium. Many of them have had their Yankee numbers retired. Having your number retired means that you were one of the greatest New York Yankees ever, and deserving of that honor.
One of the greatest of Yankees was closer Mariano Rivera, he is in the Hall of Fame being the first player to ever be inducted in the Hall of Fame on the first ballot by a unanimous vote.
Although it may seem the Hall picks on the Yankees for not enshrining its best players, the Yankees are not the only ones ignored. The writers have also failed to induct Curt Shilling, Billy Wagner, Dan Quisenberry, Joe Mauer, Dick Allen, Mark McGwire, Adrian Beltre, and many other great players including Barry Bonds. Nevertheless, if you look through the Yankee players highlighted in bold print, they are some of the most famous players in baseball during the last eighty years.
The following Yankees have not been mentioned in this article as they are not yet eligible to be nominated. Mark Teixeira, Melky Cabrera, CC Sabathia, Ichiro Suzuki, Curtis Granderson, Brian McCann, and Matt Holliday, they will all become eligible in the next six years.
All stats referenced to were from baseball-reference.com. EmpireSportsMedia.com’s Columnist William Parlee, is a member of the Society for American Baseball Research. Follow me on Twitter @parleewilliam.