For perspective, here is the Phillies Wall of Fame. About as non-discriminating as one can get.

Robin Roberts 1978
Richie Ashburn 1979
Chuck Klein 1980
Grover Alexander 1981
Del Ennis 1982
Jim Bunning 1984
Ed Delahanty 1985
Cy Williams 1986
Granny Hamner 1987
Paul Owens 1988
Steve Carlton 1989
Mike Schmidt 1990
Larry Bowa 1991
Chris Short 1992
Curt Simmons 1993
Dick Allen 1994
Willie Jones 1995
Sam Thompson 1996
Johnny Callison 1997
Greg Luzinski 1998
Tug McGraw 1999
Gavvy Cravath 2000
Garry Maddox 2001
Tony Taylor 2002
Sherry Magee 2003
Billy Hamilton 2004
Bob Boone 2005
Dallas Green 2006
John Vukovich 2007
Juan Samuel 2008
Harry Kalas 2009
Darren Daulton 2010
John Kruk 2011

Over the next few years, members of the Wisconsin media voted in more Brewers greats…

I think I see the problem...

And I'm not even joking. The media vote for greats, winners, and players THEY have fond memories of.

A Blue Jays Wall of Fame, starting in 1992 every year must elect one. Retired player with the highest WAR as a Blue Jay wins.

1992 Lloyd Moseby
1993 Jim Clancy
1994 George Bell
1995 Ernie Whitt
1996 Tom Henke
1997 Kelly Gruber
1998 Rance Mulliniks
1999 Dave Stieb
2000 Jimmy Key
2001 Juan Guzman
2002 Tony Fernandez
2003 Devon White
2004 Doyle Alexander
2005 Pat Hentgen
2006 Roberto Alomar
2007 John Olerud
2008 Roger Clemens
2009 Fred McGriff
2010 Carlos Delgado
2011 Shannon Stewart
2012 Shawn Green

Apologies to other Jays fans as the players were selected off the top of my head, I'm sure I'm forgetting some (especially from the 80s). Willie Upshaw is set to go in for 2013 unless Orlando Hudson retires...or one of the many, many names I'm forgetting is more deserving.

Note that this would never, ever happen, as any Wall in Toronto that had Clemens' name on it and not Joe Carter's would be burned to the ground.

well, as someone who believes in a small hall in all matters of recognizing the very good this author clearly believes in a trophy for standing in one place for more than a minute wihtout soiling one's pants.

look, who precisely is being overlooked here? the milwaukee baseball teams have had a small number of players who either excelled while in milwaukee or are long-time players in the city and hence identified with the city/team.

i would prefer folks show some restraint.

Did I read that wrong? Is Eddie Mathews not on their wall of fame? Cuz that's nuts.

That aside, as HW notes, who's missing? Braun, with 32 WAR, is already 3rd on the Brewers career WAR list. Prince, at 15 WAR, is #13 just ahead of Corey Hart. I guess they could put in Cirillo or Jenkins and I'd love to see somebody recognize Jose Valentin. On the pitching side, well Chris Bosio, Bill Wegman, Mike Caldwell and Moose Haas are #s 3 through 6. Heck Cal Eldred is #9 and even Scott Karl slots in at #15.

but you need to let some time pass on the likes of braun and fielder

and putting pitchers like bill wegman in any hall of fame is just silly talk

You could argue that no one with greatness and longevity is really being overlooked. The first names that come to mind for me are Fred Haney, Teddy Higuera, Ben Oglivie, Mike Caldwell, and Dan Plesac.

Robin Roberts 1978
Richie Ashburn 1979
Chuck Klein 1980
Grover Alexander 1981
Del Ennis 1982
Jim Bunning 1984
Ed Delahanty 1985
Cy Williams 1986
Granny Hamner 1987
Paul Owens 1988
Steve Carlton 1989
Mike Schmidt 1990
Larry Bowa 1991
Chris Short 1992
Curt Simmons 1993
Dick Allen 1994
Willie Jones 1995
Sam Thompson 1996
Johnny Callison 1997
Greg Luzinski 1998
Tug McGraw 1999
Gavvy Cravath 2000
Garry Maddox 2001
Tony Taylor 2002
Sherry Magee 2003
Billy Hamilton 2004
Bob Boone 2005
Dallas Green 2006
John Vukovich 2007
Juan Samuel 2008
Harry Kalas 2009
Darren Daulton 2010
John Kruk 2011

You know I was ready to snark, but that's not crazy. There are some guys put in there to make sure eras don't get overlooked (Thompson, Callison, Taylor strike me as weakish) some guys who aren't super-great players but are understandably deeply identified with the team (Bowa, Boone) and some guys who had important peaks but quick drop offs (Daulton, Kruk). Juan Samuel is a little puzzling to me, but otherwise? I wouldn't sweat it.

Thompson, Callison, Taylor strike me as weakish

Sam Thompson played ten years for the Phillies, in which time he put up a batting line of .334/.388/.509, for an OPS+ of 144. During that time, he led the NL in hits, doubles, home runs, RBI, and slugging two times each. Hardly seems like a weak selection to me.

I agree GregD. It's a freaking brick wall in RF. No need to sweat it. It's fan friendly and does exactly what I think the Brewers walk was meant to do. My post was not meant to criticize, rather call atenntion to the fact that these things are for the fans.

i cannot begin to quantify the disdain i hold for this article posted.

its degree of stupidity is stupefying.

seriously, we are going to honor everyone? for anything?

i have emailed the author but expect no response. it's a hallmark of bpro that unless you are kissy-kissy, smoochy-smoochy you get a lame 'thanks for writing' and then silence

Sam Thompson played ten years for the Phillies, in which time he put up a batting line of .334/.388/.509, for an OPS+ of 144. During that time, he led the NL in hits, doubles, home runs, RBI, and slugging two times each. Hardly seems like a weak selection to me.

We elected Sam Thompson to the Hall of Merit in "1930". For the most part, I didn't support him, although he would have been just off my 15-man ballot the year he was elected. Sure, his is the weakest case of the three 1990's Philadelphia outfielders. He's not Delahanty or Hamilton.

Just for fun, check the 1894 season statistics. The entire Philadelphia regular outfield - including their fourth outfielder - batted .400. Yes, 1894 was a completely insane year. But it's still something to see.

That Phillies list is something else, given that it includes the four most vilified players in that franchise's history, including one who was booed while being carried off the field on a stretcher.

Ugh, sorry, I screwed up the link. Here it is.

I also probably screwed up the excerpt. I believe Mathews and Spahn are on the Walk; BP is down right now so I can't confirm.

I think a team HOF should be one guy every two years with rare exceptions otherwise you start to get into weak players after awhile.

The Jays are a fairly new team (under 40 years old) and do a 'level of excellence' which has been around since 1996 when George Bell & Dave Stieb were put up there (Stieb made a comeback 2 years later). Inductions have been rare - the initial 2 in '96, Joe Carter & Cito Gaston in 1999, Tony Fernandez in 2001 (before his final ML game), Pat Gillick in 2002, Tom Cheek in 2004, and Roberto Alomar & Paul Beeston in 2008. The only retired number is Roberto Alomar's #12 (outside of #42 of course) as the Jays seem to be following the Tigers rule of HOF or no retiring of the number.

Basically 2 representatives of each successful era of Jays baseball. The 1980's (Stieb & Bell), the 1990's (Carter & Alomar), a guy who hit 3 eras (Fernandez in the 80's/93/late 90's), the 3 who built the WS teams (Gaston/Gillick/Beeston) and the teams radio broadcaster when he was dying (Tom Cheek). I suspect Carlos Delgado will be going up there soon, as will Roy Halladay when he retires. Basically, to get there you had to be a very good player who was viewed as key to an era, or part of the builders of the back-to-back World Champs or being honoured by the HOF (Cheek was thought to be a lock back then, took over 8 years to happen though).

I think a team favorites (which a team HOF would become) would include guys like Ernie Whitt, Jesse Barfield, Lloyd Moseby, John Olerud, Fred McGriff, Jimmy Key, Tom Henke, Jim Clancy, Pat Hentgen, with Shannon Stewart and Vernon Wells (when he isn't on a ML roster anymore) being reps for the more recent eras.

So that is 16 players and 4 non-players I see easily for the team in a team HOF. So one for every 2 years it has existed - just by chance actually as I didn't try to match it. Heavy on the 83-93 teams but that was the only time playoff teams occurred. Much like for the Brewers I guess. When your team gets into the playoffs odds are a lot of good players would be on it.

Today's era would add Jose Bautista but that's about it at this point. Others could join him (Romero if he gets his act back together, Lawrie maybe, one of the new guys if they perform well here).

It's a Milwaukee Baseball Walk of Fame, so putting in really good Milwaukee Braves is OK with me.

I had the misfortune of becoming a Brewers fan post-1982 and pre-2006 so outside of the guys who were on the '82 team there is not much awesome to be found at all. Plesac was fine until he stopped closing--and then went elsewhere. The only players with anything resembling longevity on those teams are Bill Wegman and Geoff Jenkins, and the best thing I can think about telling my niece about them is that "they didn't leave Milwaukee until they were forced to go." I tell her about Molitor, and Yount, and Ben Sheets (too soon for him to be on any Walk of Fame, but if there's anyone from this era to go in, it's him) and the Nieves no-hitter and the Sabathia one-hitter, and the 2008 pennant race--but what else is there to be excited about?

Besides, it's no different from other teams' private Halls of Fame, like the Twins. '65 team, '87 team, '91 team, and Rod Carew and Brad Radke.

Of course the overall quality of that Phillie list is staggering. Go small hall - advocate a Hall of Fame maybe half the current size. How many on this list make that? Alexander, Delahanty, Carlton, Schmidt, probably Hamilton and Roberts. Then there are all the ones beyond that that are either Hall of Fame or Hall of Merit at its current size: Klein, Bunning, Allen, Thompson, Magee. And Cravath is a long-argued borderline case.

And, of course, a team Walk of Fame absolutely should be honoring HOVG players like Callison or long-timers like Bowa. Since I assume that Milwaukee has already picked up its own long-timers (like Gantner), I take HW's objection to be that there's no one eligible who looks like that, either.

ocf

my objections are based in reason and common sense both of which escape the article's author

i could be more scathing in my dismissivness but am working to maintain a modicum of internet decorum

. . . the Tigers rule of HOF or no retiring of the number.

The Tigers have retired Willie Horton 's number 23.

Really Ulysses? I could've sworn they had a HOF rule but I guess I was wrong. Dang. Checking their site he is the only guy who isn't a HOF'er...says he was a 'hometown hero'. Do the Red Sox have that rule?

well, as someone who believes in a small hall in all matters of recognizing the very good this author clearly believes in a trophy for standing in one place for more than a minute wihtout soiling one's pants.

look, who precisely is being overlooked here? the milwaukee baseball teams have had a small number of players who either excelled while in milwaukee or are long-time players in the city and hence identified with the city/team.

i would prefer folks show some restraint.

I've got no issue with a small Brewers Hall, but that ship has sailed. It already includes Don Money, Jim Gantner and Rollie Fingers, he of the four whole seasons in Milwaukee. If those are some of your enshrinees, then Brewer-only Teddy Higuera is an obviously worthy candidate (even if he had the temerity not to play for the 82 club).

I remember right after Gantner retired there was a push by some fans (perhaps some in media) to retire his number. Instead he was awarded the naming of a 'Gantners Garden', a fairly sorry 'terrace' which was sort of a makeshift exterior space between the top of the grandstand level and the old mezzanine level of County Stadium. I didn't and don't support the 'retiring' of his number, but it was kind of a shitty 'honor' for a guy who was really beloved by most fans in Milwaukee (and he is a WI native).

Really Ulysses? I could've sworn they had a HOF rule but I guess I was wrong. Dang. Checking their site he is the only guy who isn't a HOF'er...says he was a 'hometown hero'

So the Tigers haven't retired anyone's number from the '84 team? Trammell? Whitaker? Morris?

Wow.

Do the Red Sox have that rule?

They did, but they broke it to retire Johnny Pesky's number. As they damn well should have. I think the standards should be high, but they should be franchise specific. I think Pesky, based on his lifelong connection to the club, is a far better candidate to have his number retired in Boston than a guy like Rice or even Boggs.

Oglivie should probably be in the Walk Of Fame, he was as good as Gorman if not as popular.

After what is in there, you have a bunch of guys who were with the Brewers for a limited amount of time, or good for a limited amount of time. George Scott, Sixto Lezcano, Greg Vaughn, Richie Sexson, Jeromy Burnitz, etc. etc. etc.

A Blue Jays Wall of Fame, starting in 1992 every year must elect one. Retired player with the highest WAR as a Blue Jay wins.

Same thing, because I was curious, and starting in 1976...
BEHOLD - THE WALL OF ASTROS LEGENDS:

1976 Don Wilson
1977 Jim Wynn
1978 Larry Dierker
1979 Turk Farrell
1980 J.R. Richard
1981 Doug Rader
1982 Mike Cuellar (!)
1983 Denny Lemaster
1984 Joe Morgan
1985 Bob Watson
1986 Cesar Cedeno
1987 Ken Forsch
1988 Jose Cruuuuuz
1989 Joe Niekro
1990 Art Howe
1991 Terry Puhl
1992 Mike Scott
1993 Bill Doran
1994 Nolan Ryan
1995 Glenn Davis
1996 Dickie Thon
1997 Kevin Bass
1998 Denny Walling
1999 Rusty Staub
2000 Dave Smith
2001 Ken Caminiti
2002 Danny Darwin
2003 Jim Deshaies
2004 Shane Reynolds
2005 Jeff Bagwell
2006 Richard Hidalgo
2007 Craig Biggio

Well, when you're a long time fan of a crappy franchise that has rarely looked like they knew what they were doing, you get used to really low standards. The Padres, for example, have had so few highlights over the decades that they are desperate for something to celebrate. Thus, they retired Steve Garvey's #6, apparently for his heroics in the 1984 NLCS, although it could represent the number of children he's fathered or the number of women involved.

Of course, this is the same team that was ecstatic over "winning" the NL West in 2005 with an 82-80 record. It was only due to the idiocy of divisional play that they were in the postseason at all ("hurray for us, our season didn't end in June like it usually does"). To further the idiocy, the players were so excited that in the celebratory pileup on the mound after the clincher, their best pitcher, Jake Peavey, was injured. I told several other fans this team had no business being in the playoffs. They didn't believe me but St. Louis sure did. Not only did the Padres get swept, they fell behind 8-0 in Game 1, 6-1 in Game 2 and 7-0 in Game 3 as the Cards cruised to the sweep without breaking a sweat.

At least the city of Milwaukee once had a team that won a championship, so that's something.

but you need to let some time pass on the likes of braun and fielder

and putting pitchers like bill wegman in any hall of fame is just silly talk

Sorry I wasn't clear -- I was agreeing with you. Too soon on some eventually deserving guys and otherwise a bunch of dreck. The pitching side is particularly underwhelming although Teddy Higuera would be fine.

Team halls will always be a bit dicey. Thinking just in WAR terms:

60 puts you in the real HoF give or take
But of that 60, often no more than 1/2 to 2/3 is with any one team. So even an overall HoFer might have a team WAR of only 30.
The criteria for a team hall are obviously lower than the real HoF
So, yeah, probably somewhere around 15 WAR with the team should probably put you in the conversation.

That would be 15 WAR over a reasonably short period of time (5 years?), 25 WAR over 10 years maybe? This generally assumes a couple of really good "memorable" seasons driving the WAR. An MVP or CYA is pretty much automatic induction. 2-3 AS games must be close to automatic.

That Phillies list is something else, given that it includes the four most vilified players in that franchise's history, including one who was booed while being carried off the field on a stretcher.

I'm forgetting my Philly history - I can figure Dick Allen as one of the 4 - who are the other 3? And how do you define "most" vilified in a city where the fans booed the greatest third baseman in history for almost all of his career? Their standards are so outside the realm of reality they would boo Jesus Christ for dying on the cross and waiting 3 days to come back. "What a wuss - a real man would have come back the next day!"

BEHOLD - THE WALL OF ASTROS LEGENDS:

1977 Jim Wynn
1984 Joe Morgan
1999 Rusty Staub

I've always been fascinated how the Astros in the '60s had these 3 players, all of whom:

1)Could hit for pretty good power
2)Had pretty good batting eyes (all had seasons in their career where they walked 100+ times)
3)Were totally unsuited for playing in the Astrodome

Particularly in the cases of Morgan and Staub, nobody in MLB had any idea how good these players were until they got out of the Astrodome which was absolutely strangling their stats.

3)Were totally unsuited for playing in the Astrodome

Was there ever any such thing as a hitter totally suited for playing in the Astrodome?

I like to think about some kind of alternate history where a bored NASA employee invents "moneyball" in 1962, understands park effects better & sooner than anybody else, and somehow gets a job with the 'Stros - who then spend 10 years trading one-year-wonder pitchers for undervalued hitters, before anybody figures out what's going on. But.... no.

Fun fact about Jim Wynn. In 1969 (the year he drew 148 walks), Wynn had a 1.039 OPS in the Astrodome and a .848 OPS on the road. The home runs were about the same, but he hit for a much higher average, hit more doubles and triples, and drew more walks at home.

Over his career, he was .250/.366/.436 overall but .263/.382/.457 in the Astrodome.

An alternative would be to honor great player seasons rather than great player careers. You could induct a few each year, a Yount season here, a Sheets 2004 there.

I think a team favorites (which a team HOF would become) would include guys like Ernie Whitt, Jesse Barfield, Lloyd Moseby, John Olerud, Fred McGriff, Jimmy Key, Tom Henke, Jim Clancy, Pat Hentgen, with Shannon Stewart and Vernon Wells (when he isn't on a ML roster anymore) being reps for the more recent eras.

Ah! I knew I was forgetting someone in my compiled list.

That Phillies list is something else, given that it includes the four most vilified players in that franchise's history, including one who was booed while being carried off the field on a stretcher.

I'm forgetting my Philly history - I can figure Dick Allen as one of the 4 - who are the other 3?

Mike Schmidt, Puddinhead Jones and Del Ennis were handled mercilessly by the Philly Phans every time they weren't in a hot streak. Ennis was the one who was booed while being carried off the field in a stretcher.

And how do you define "most" vilified in a city where the fans booed the greatest third baseman in history for almost all of his career? Their standards are so outside the realm of reality they would boo Jesus Christ for dying on the cross and waiting 3 days to come back. "What a wuss - a real man would have come back the next day!"

Yeah, that was kind of my point, which was more about Phillie Phans than about the players they excoriated.

I think the Giants have some kind of deal where if you play for the team a certain number of years you make the wall of fame. I think that makes sense as even less that good players will have had their fans if they stick with a team long enough and it takes the subjectivity out of the decision making.

Having just googled it the criteria are having played 9 years for the team or 5 years if you made an all star team during those 5 years. It's how you get Johnnie LeMaster on your wall but I still think it's a fine idea. Marvin Benard also made it and I'm kind of shocked to discover he actually did appear for the Giants in 9 different seasons.

Giants Wall of Famers:
Felipe Alou
Gary Lavelle
Jim Barr
Johnnie LeMaster
Rod Beck
Jeffrey Leonard
Vida Blue
Kirt Manwaring
Bob Bolin
Juan Marichal
Jeff Brantley
Willie Mays
Bobby Bonds
Mike McCormick
Bob Brenly
Willie McCovey
John Burkett
Stu Miller
Orlando Cepeda
Greg Minton
Jack Clark
Kevin Mitchell
Will Clark
Randy Moffitt
Jim Davenport
John Montefusco
Chili Davis
Robb Nen
Dick Dietz
Gaylord Perry
Darrell Evans
Rick Reuschel
Tito Fuentes
Kirk Rueter
Scott Garrelts
J.T. Snow
Tom Haller
Chris Speier
Atlee Hammaker
Robby Thompson
Jim Ray Hart
Matt Williams
Mike Krukow
Jeff Kent
Rich Aurilia
Shawn Estes
Marvin Benard
Jason Schmidt

No love for John Anderson? Who else should represent the 1901 Brewers?

The Texas Rangers don't have a Wall of Fame. They have a Hall of Fame, and I think I was there once for an event but have almost zero memory of the place; nor do they even list the members on their website. Wikipedia has them as:


Charlie Hough
Johnny Oates
Nolan Ryan
Jim Sundberg
Buddy Bell
Ferguson Jenkins
Tom Vandergriff
Mark Holtz
John Wetteland
Rusty Greer
Hannah Reese
Toby Harrah
Rubén Sierra
Tom Grieve
Kenny Rogers
Eric Nadel

My God but that's a motley crew. To my mind the most worthy of the bunch are Holtz and Nadel, both radio announcers. I'm not sure who Hannah Reese is. One factor is that they have never kept stars for full careers; Greer had the longest Rangers-only career (or will once Michael Young plays his first game for Philadelphia). I do admire the Rangers for not retiring numbers very readily. They've retired two: Ryan mostly honorary and Oates in memoriam.

Rollie Fingers, he of the four whole seasons in Milwaukee.

fingers is associated with getting the club into two post seasons and won both an mvp and a cy young

fingers hit a high peak with milwaukee

as to higuera he had some good years but a brief career. no post-season. no awards.

one could make a case for higuera as he is still regarded warmly by brewer fans

i think the author of this article was looking to embarrass milwaukee for not honoring everyone and anyone

i find this stance bizarre and will continue to reiterate this point.

i would rather a ted higuera be on the outside looking in versus an ernest riles have a spot in the brewer hall of fame.

if that makes me a mean old man or even a racist then i accept those designations unfair or no

Now that Tony Plush is going to Japan, he is eligible for Milwaukee Walk of Fame induction.

Upon reflection, I think it's pretty clear that Fred Haney (two pennants, one WS championship, close to .600 winning percentage) and Teddy Higuera belong in there, by the standards established by team halls of fame.

"Hannah Reese" is the name that really sticks out for the Rangers Hall of Fame. Google offers few clues as to who that is. My guess is someone along the lines of Tom Vandergriff, who played a key role in getting the Rangers established in Arlington.

Rusty Greer, to me, is the quintessential team hall of fame member. He clearly belongs in the Rangers Hall as a long-term fan favorite, even if he is nowhere near consideration for Cooperstown. He's the Jim Gantner of the Metroplex.

It doesn't make you a mean old man but I think there is something good about nodding to your history. The Red Sox have all kinds of people in their Hall from the greats (Williams, Yaz, Boggs) to the not-so-greats (Marty Barrett, John Valentin). The other thing the Sox do that I like is they honor an event every election; Roberts' steal, Brunansky's catch, stuff like that.

As great as the true superstars of a club are I think it's the more ordinary players that connect with the fans that make a team meaningful to its fans. Tim Wakefield will never get into Cooperstown but the Sox Hall will certainly induct him. I imagine Trot Nixon will be in there someday too. These aren't great players but I can see myself really enjoying the experience of explaining to someone why I loved rooting for these guys in 30-40 years.

Rusty Greer, to me, is the quintessential team hall of fame member. He clearly belongs in the Rangers Hall as a long-term fan favorite, even if he is nowhere near consideration for Cooperstown. He's the Jim Gantner of the Metroplex.

I agree. For the Angels Garret Anderson is a no-brainer team HOFer, but should never be considered for Cooperstown. On the flip side, a guy like Gary Sheffield is a baseball HOFer, barring roid concerns, but bounced around so much that he may not be a HOFer for any of his teams (though maybe for the Marlins).

Brewers do present a challenge here. For hitters, excluding the 82 team or active players, the leaders in WAR as a Brewer are:

Jeff Cirillo
George Scott
Geoff Jenkins
Sixto Lezcano
Jeromy Burnitz
Greg Vaughn
BJ Surhoff

I can't blame you if you don't want to induct those guys.

On the pitching side Higuera is the obvious one, if he's not in already. Ben Sheets just retired, and would be a decent choice as well. Maybe Dan Pleasac?

On the pitching side Higuera is the obvious one, if he's not in already.

He's not, which is what I find strange. You can be an exclusive club or you can honor Rollie Fingers and Jim Gantner*, but you can't reasonably be both.

There were only two retired players clearly better than Teddy in franchise history, even with his abbreviated career. Playoff appearances shouldn't count THAT much in this thing.

* I know, I know, local kid, good defender, played entire career with Milwaukee. It's nice, but it doesn't make him a better player than Teddy.

I think team specific HoF should have much different criteria than the baseball HoF, and I like the eccentric selections. Heck if it makes folks happy and drives interest in the players and other history of franchises, why not?

Of course I don't think it is worth getting worked up about it much either way.

The Royals are as old as the Brewers.

1986 - Amos Otis
1986 - Steve Busby
1987 - Paul Splitorff
1987 - Cookie Rojas
1987 - Dick Howser
1989 - Dennis Leonard
1989 - Hal McRae
1992 - Fred Patek
1992 - Larry Gura
1992 - Joe Burke - team exec
1993 - Ewing Kauffman
1994 - George Brett
1995 - Frank White
1996 - Muriel Kauffman - owner's wife (she owned the team after his death)
1996 - John Mayberry
1998 - Dan Quisenberry
2000 - Whitey Herzog
2000 - Willie Wilson
2003 - Jeff Montgomery
2004 - Denny Matthews - longtime broadcaster
2005 - Bret Saberhagen
2006 - Mark Gubicza
2008 - Art Stewart - longtime scout
2010 - Kevin Appier

I don't know why they come in spurts - some years have as many as three inductees, then they go years without an inductee.

Mike Sweeney I think is eligible this year and should get in next. Execs Cedric Tallis and John Schuerholz are probably the only other glaring omissions at this point. After that, maybe Bo Jackson gets in. Danny Tartabull could be deserving but he wasn't all that popular here. Mike MacFarlane, Joe Randa and John Wathan would be fringe candidates. Then Johnny Damon becomes eligible once he has been retired for three years.

jim gantner is adored in milwaukee. if that helps at all.

i stated one could make a case for higuera. but to say why fingers and not higuera is again to me just looking for a reason to criticize when the basis for criticism is rather tepid

none of these voters is looking at war. they are considering in terms of how milwaukee perceives the player

none of these voters is looking at war. they are considering in terms of how milwaukee perceives the player

I get that. What I don't know is how they perceive Higuera. His career was brief but from 1985-88 years he was the best lefthanded pitcher in baseball. Never made the playoffs but the team did contend for 2 of those years.

Sometimes the media romanticize the players who had brief but dominant careers. If Yount and Molitor are the Honus Wagner and Babe Ruth of Milwaukee baseball, then Higuera is the Koufax.

i stated one could make a case for higuera. but to say why fingers and not higuera is again to me just looking for a reason to criticize when the basis for criticism is rather tepid

I didn't bring it up. I don't care what the BP guy has to say. But I look at the Brewers Walk of Fame and conclude it's kind of a mess (not a major mess, but one that's simply hard to defend with any degree of logic). It includes one guy who was only there four seasons and whose contributions were overvalued at the time, a handful of guys who were there a longer stretch and we're various degrees of pretty good, and another local kid who played his entire career there but with limited amount of skill.

Meanwhile, a pitcher better than all but the franchise's two icons isn't included, simply due to the fact that he wasn't on the team in 1982.

I agree wholeheartedly with Bitter Mouse above, that a franchise honorary shouldn't be just a smaller version of Cooperstown, which is why I would support Johnny Pesky's number retiremenet long before I would a host of more talented players in Boston.

But the consideration has to be more in depth than "Was he a member of the club in 1982?" That's not eccentric or whimsical or fun. Moreover, I can't imagine it does a hell of a lot of good for the franchise's many fans who weren't around to enjoy the ride in 1982.