If you just glance at today's Birthday Team, you wouldn't necessarily come away impressed. There aren't any real stars; Ken Singleton is the best player on the roster by a mile. That said, apart from a shaky infield, they've got good players everywhere. Not terrible.

C: Johnny Edwards (14.7 WAR)
1B: Scott Ullger (-0.5 WAR)
2B: 1980s Braves Randy Johnson (2.6 WAR)
3B: William Barbeau (0.9 WAR)
SS: Pokey Reese (6.3 WAR)
LF: Frank Demaree (16.5 WAR)
CF: Mike Kreevich (15.8 WAR)
RF: Ken Singleton (41.8 WAR)

SP: Floyd Bannister (26.4 WAR)
SP: Danny MacFayden (22.2 WAR)
SP: Rick Camp (12.1 WAR)
SP: Garland Braxton (9.6 WAR)
SP: Francisco Barrios (8.4 WAR)
RP: Elias Sosa (9.1 WAR)
RP/A Real Person: Al Alburquerque (5.1 WAR)

Manager/Negro Leagues outfielder who might be (probably is) better than Kreevich: Vic Harris
General Manager: Gerry Hunsicker
Broadcaster/Spare Outfielder: Jack Graney (14.2 WAR)
Broadcaster: Chuck Thompson
Negro Leagues pitcher with a fun name and a horrible story: Ankleball Moss
Fun Name: Lefty Wolf

Ken Singleton: 41.8 WAR, one and done on the BBWAA Hall of Fame ballot with zero votes.

Amos Otis had 42.8 WAR and got zero votes on the same ballot.

The link to Ankleball's horrible story isn't working, but his Wikipedia article tells it.

Broadcaster: Chuck Thompson

"go to war, Miss Agnes!!"

Do you guys think Ken Singleton or Amos Otis is a Hall of Famer? If not, why should they have gotten any votes?

Some players in the same neighborhood: Chuck Knoblauch (44.6 WAR), Steve Finley (44.2), Lenny Dykstra (42.4), Gary Gaetti (42.1), Andy Van Slyke (41.3). I wouldn't vote for any of them, either.

#6 Yeah, Singleton was one of my favorite players and I never would have voted for him if I had a vote. Otis? He's right on my "considered but rejected" line. If he's aged just a bit better. ...

Do you guys think Ken Singleton or Amos Otis is a Hall of Famer? If not, why should they have gotten any votes?

Just to annoy you.

Mission accomplished!

By my calculations, Frank Tanana has the most WAR (57.2) for any player who got zero BBWAA votes for the Hall. Jimmy Wynn (55.8) has the most for any non-pitcher.

By my calculations, Frank Tanana has the most WAR (57.2) for any player who got zero BBWAA votes for the Hall. Jimmy Wynn (55.8) has the most for any non-pitcher.

It’s interesting (or weird) that Wynn with 55.8 WAR didn’t get a single vote, while Jim Rice (47.7 WAR) got elected to the Hall of Fame (admittedly, it took the full 15 years).

They had virtually the same OPS+, 128 for Rice, 129 for Wynn. Rice’s raw statistics look better because he played in a better offensive environment.

Personally, I don't think Ken Singleton is HOF worthy, either, but when you consider that Singleton was shut out of the 1990 BBWAA vote while Greg Luzinski, Mickey Rivers and Jerry Remy got at least one vote each...

Luzinski had 4 straight top 10 MVP finishes, including 2 second placers. It looks strange by today’s standards, but he was considered one of the preeminent sluggers of his time. He did have the 3rd highest slugging % of anyone on the ballot that year, behind Cepeda and Allen. He got 1 vote, probably a “homer” vote.
Singleton should have gotten a “homer” vote or two. I see he had 4 top 10 MVP finishes as well, although his were spread out.

Singleton should have gotten a “homer” vote or two.

That was pretty common not too long ago, particularly when the ballot only had 2-5 real candidates. Voters had the opportunity to throw away a vote for a very good player or a hometown fan favorite, knowing they would not be elected and that it would not hurt the chances of someone else.

I too am surprised Singleton did not get at least one of those.

It still happens quite a bit. Barry Zito got one vote last year, and LaTroy Hawkins (noted for being one of the best people in baseball, albeit not one of the best relief pitchers in baseball) got two.

But it's always also been essentially random. In 2020, why did Brad Penny (121-101, 4.29 ERA) get a vote but Josh Beckett (138-106, 3.88 ERA) didn't get any? Why in 2016 did David Eckstein get two votes while Troy Glaus didn't get any? The answer is, because these are fundamentally unserious votes, and to read some measure of quality into them gives them more respect than they deserve.

It still happens quite a bit. Barry Zito got one vote last year, and LaTroy Hawkins (noted for being one of the best people in baseball, albeit not one of the best relief pitchers in baseball) got two.

But it's always also been essentially random. In 2020, why did Brad Penny (121-101, 4.29 ERA) get a vote but Josh Beckett (138-106, 3.88 ERA) didn't get any? Why in 2016 did David Eckstein get two votes while Troy Glaus didn't get any? The answer is, because these are fundamentally unserious votes, and to read some measure of quality into them gives them more respect than they deserve.

Those two votes are easy to explain. Someone with a HoF vote is a huge Alyssa Milano fan.