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Saturday, March 03, 2007

Honus Wagner

Eligible in 1923.

John (You Can Call Me Grandma) Murphy Posted: March 03, 2007 at 08:52 PM | 19 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
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1. John (You Can Call Me Grandma) Murphy Posted: March 03, 2007 at 09:08 PM (#2306277)

Pronounced HON-us, "The Flying Dutchman" was analyzed in these threads:

1923 Ballot Discussion

Shortstops Positional Thread

If you know of any others, please let me know.

2. Eric Chalek (Dr. Chaleeko) Posted: March 03, 2007 at 10:30 PM (#2306306)

The White Lloyd.

He's got to be on the nice-guy All-Star team. Virtually everything you read on him mentions that he was reknowned for his honest, pleasant, nurturing personality. I think I've read a few places that he was also known for his friendliness to rookies and younger players. Who else would be on the Mr. (Actually) Nice Team?

3. Juan V Posted: March 03, 2007 at 10:35 PM (#2306308)

How many Honus Wagner 1908 seasons does a player need to have to get HOM support? Personally, and without taking an in-depth look at it, I'd say two or three make me consider it, and four would get a player into a ballot most years.

4. David Concepcion de la Desviacion Estandar (Dan R) Posted: March 03, 2007 at 10:51 PM (#2306316)

A guy with two of those and nothing else would make my ballot, and three and nothing else would clearly be in my PHoM. It's worth noting that according to Michael Humphreys' Defensive Regression Analysis, Wagner was only slightly above average as a fielder.

5. Eric Chalek (Dr. Chaleeko) Posted: March 03, 2007 at 11:06 PM (#2306323)

Wagner was only slightly above average as a fielder.

There's a lot of lore around Wagner's defense, namely around his huge hands scooping up dirt with the ball and sending both across the diamond. Big hands. Hmmm. Was he the subject of a Violent Femmes song?

6. Tanto Posted: March 05, 2007 at 02:59 AM (#2306760)

Who else would be on the Mr. (Actually) Nice Team?

C Roy Campanella
1B Lou Gehrig
2B Gehringer? Sandberg? Lajoie? Collins?
3B Brooks Robinson
SS Honus Wagner
LF Stan Musial
CF Mays? Speaker? Griffey?
RF Mel Ott

7. BDC

Posted: March 05, 2007 at 03:09 AM (#2306768)

Two guys who became college coaches -- Robin Roberts and Tony Gwynn -- would have to be "All-Nice" candidates. I think that the key to such a list is the nurturing personality. Gehrig and Gehringer, though famously inoffensive, were not really warm personalities, to say the least.

8. AJM Posted: March 05, 2007 at 04:01 AM (#2306788)

Just 4 of his 1908 seasons and I would put him second on the current ballot.

9. jingoist Posted: March 05, 2007 at 04:16 AM (#2306794)

The captain of the all-nice has to be Frank Howard.
He's possibly the sweetest, kindest ballplayer I've ever met.
The two Ripken boys were very kind and gracious the few times I've had the pleasure of their company.

10. yest Posted: March 05, 2007 at 04:28 AM (#2306800)

Who else would be on the Mr. (Actually) Nice Team?

I was hoping to see Steve Garvey and Kirby Puckett :{)

11. AJM Posted: March 05, 2007 at 04:51 AM (#2306809)

My father met Gary Carter a few times and said he was very nice. He was nice the one time I met him too.

12. Devin has a deep burning passion for fuzzy socks Posted: March 05, 2007 at 05:11 AM (#2306815)

I think for pitchers we've got Walter Johnson and Christy Mathewson on the all-nice team and Lefty Grove and Roger Clemens on the other one.

13. Gonfalon Bubble Posted: March 05, 2007 at 06:06 AM (#2306821)

How can you leave off Bob Friend?

14. My guest will be Jermaine Allensworth Posted: March 05, 2007 at 06:38 AM (#2306829)

Jim Thome might be the DH. Can't get through a game without hearing how nice he is.

15. Traderdave

Posted: March 05, 2007 at 06:39 AM (#2306830)

I only occasionally lurk in HOM posts, so please forgive me if this is a stupid question. Hasn't Wagner already been selected for HOM? WHy are you still discussing him?

16. Devin has a deep burning passion for fuzzy socks Posted: March 05, 2007 at 06:54 AM (#2306831)

In the early days of the HOM, we didn't do discussion threads for all the individual candidates, especially the no-brainers. Murph's going back and setting them up for those we missed so that new folks can find where we talked about them.

17. vortex of dissipation Posted: March 05, 2007 at 07:47 AM (#2306839)

Willie McCovey, perhaps, as the first baseman? Another Willie, Willie Stargell, was also famed as a nice guy.

Mays was noticeably prickly, and so was Griffey early in his career, though he seems to have mellowed. Speaker was allegedly a KKK member, which, if true, I think would disqualify him. I don't know if we're only considering HoM or HoF players here, but for niceness, I think Dale Murphy would be my centerfielder.

Egdar Martinez would be a good choice as the DH.

18. Flynn Posted: March 05, 2007 at 08:46 AM (#2306852)

It's worth noting that according to Michael Humphreys' Defensive Regression Analysis, Wagner was only slightly above average as a fielder.

I don't buy that. I suppose I'd believe it if it's because Wagner, who acquired a belly to match his considerable bulk, was losing points by still playing shortstop every day at the age of 41, but I cannot fathom an in his prime Wagner being only above average as a shortstop. There's loads of plaudits describing his superb defensive skill, and I believe them.

19. TomH Posted: March 05, 2007 at 02:08 PM (#2306873)

Plus, Wagner didn't even START playing SS fulltime until he was almost 30. Rate Wagner's time at SS in hsi 30s with other gold glvoers, and I bet he comes out lookin real good.

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Saturday, March 03, 2007

Honus Wagner

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