|
The bi-annual list of people getting their dreams crushed.
On the bright side, Tom Seaver -- bow heads reverently -- gets to cast a ballot for the execs. Sadly, Yankee-lovin' fool Tom Verducci gets to vote on the managers and umpires. Start designing a plaque for Billy Martin.
The 10 finalists for the managers/umpires ballot:
Charlie Grimm managed the Cubs and Braves for 19 seasons, taking the Cubs to three World Series. Grimm posted a career record of 1,287-1,067 (.547), which ranks as the 24th-best winning percentage of all-time among managers with at least 1,000 games. Two of his NL pennants came as a player/manager, in which capacity he served from 1932-36. In 10 of his 12 full seasons as a manager, Grimm’s teams had winning records. As a player in 20 seasons, Grimm had 2,299 hits and a .290 batting average.
Doug Harvey spent 31 seasons as a National League umpire, working six All-Star Games, five World Series and seven Championship Series. Umpired 4,670 big league games. Pioneered the process of waiting a full second before making a call behind the plate, something he did to allow himself to replay the pitch in his mind.
Whitey Herzog was a manager with the Rangers, Angels, Royals and Cardinals from 1973-90. He was 1,279-1,143 for a .532 winning percentage, winning six division titles, three National League pennants and one World Series in 1982 with the Cardinals. Named 1985 NL Manager of the Year by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America and named 1980s Manager of the Decade by Sports Illustrated.
Davey Johnson managed the Mets, Reds, Orioles and Dodgers from 1984-90, 1993-97 and 1999-2000. Compiled a 1,148-888 (.564) record. Over 12 full seasons, his teams finished first five times and second six times. Teams qualified for postseason six times, winning one NL pennant and one World Series with 1986 Mets. Won 1997 AL Manager of the Year Award with Orioles, and his .564 winning percentage ranks 13th among managers with at least 1,000 games.
Tom Kelly served as the manager of the Minnesota Twins for 16 seasons from 1986-2001, posting a career record of 1,140-1,244 (.478). Won two World Series in five years (1987, 1991) with the Twins and has the longest tenure of any manager in Twins history. In first six full seasons, averaged almost 86 victories per year. Posted a record of 16-8 (.667) in the postseason and was named the 1991 American League Manager of the Year.
Billy Martin spent 16 seasons 1969, 1971-83, 1985, 1988) managing Twins, Tigers, Rangers, Yankees (five different stints) and A’s, compiling a 1,253-1015 record (.552). Teams finished in first place five times, winning two American League pennants and one World Series with 1977 Yankees.
Gene Mauch managed Phillies, Expos, Twins and Angels for 26 seasons (1960-82, 1985-87). Teams posted record of 1,902-2,037 (.483), good for the 12-best win total of all-time and the most wins of any non-active manager not currently in the Hall of Fame. His teams won two division titles, finished second twice and third twice.
Danny Murtaugh managed the Pittsburgh Pirates in four separate stints (1957-64, 1967, 1970-71, 1973-76) over 15 seasons. His teams won 1,115 games against 950 losses (.540) and finished first five times, including four National League East Division titles, NL two pennants and World Series wins in 1960 and 1971. Named National League Manager of the Year in 1958, 1960 and 1970.
Hank O’Day spent 34 seasons (1888-89, 1893, 1895-1911, 1913, 1915-27) as a National League umpire, called the action in 10 World Series, second-most all time, and umpired in the first World Series in 1903. O’Day gained fame after calling out Fred Merkle of the Giants in their famous game against the Chicago Cubs on Sept. 23, 1908, when Merkle failed to touch second base following an apparent walk-off hit.
Steve O’Neill managed the Indians, Tigers, Red Sox and Phillies for 14 seasons (1935-37, 1943-48, 1950-54) and never had a losing record. His teams posted a mark of 1,040-821 (.559), good for the 15th-best winning percentage in history among managers with at least 1,000 games. He led the Tigers to the American League pennant and a World Series championship in 1945.
The 10 finalists for the executives/pioneers ballot:
Gene Autry owned the Angels from their birth in 1961 until his death in 1998. Autry, a television and movie star known for his rendition of Christmas classic “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” led his teams to American League West titles in 1979, 1982 and 1986.
Sam Breadon owned the Cardinals from 1917 to 1947, leading St. Louis to nine pennants and six World Series titles during his tenure. Breadon helped develop the modern farm system by stocking the Cardinals’ own minor league clubs with prospects.
Bob Howsam served as the general manager of the Cardinals in the mid-1960s, helping build a team into a two-time National League pennant winner – and 1967 World Series champion. Howsam then moved on to become the general manager of the Reds, laying the foundation for the Big Red Machine that won four NL pennants and two World Series from 1970-76.
Ewing Kauffman owned the Kansas City Royals from their birth in 1969 until his death in 1993. Kauffman established the innovative Kansas City Royals Baseball Academy and led the Royals to a first- or second-place finish in the American League West every season from 1975-85, including the AL pennant in 1980 and a World Series title in 1985.
John Fetzer owned the Detroit Tigers from 1956-83, building one of the 1960s most consistent teams – one that won the World Series in 1968. Fetzer, a broadcasting pioneer, helped negotiate baseball’s initial national television contract in 1967.
John McHale served as the general manager for the Tigers, Braves and Expos from the 1950s through the 1980s. McHale joined the Expos at their inception in 1969 and built the club into one of baseball’s most consistent teams of the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Marvin Miller was elected as the head of the Major League Baseball Players Association in 1966 and quickly turned the union into a powerhouse. Within a decade, Miller had secured free agency for the players. By the time he retired in 1982, the average player salary was approximately 10 times what it was when he took over.
Gabe Paul served as the general manager of the Cincinnati Reds, the Houston Colt 45s, the Cleveland Indians and the New York Yankees from the 1950s to the 1980s. Paul helped rebuild the Yankees in the 1970s, crafting a team that won three straight American League pennants and two World Series from 1976-78.
Jacob Ruppert owned the New York Yankees from 1915 until his death in 1939, turning a second-division club into a dynasty. Ruppert presided over the acquisition of Babe Ruth, the opening of the original Yankee Stadium, 10 American League pennants and seven World Series titles.
Bill White served as the president of the National League from 1989-94 following a successful career as a player and broadcaster. White presided over the addition of the Marlins and the Rockies to the NL and helped consolidate both the American and National leagues under one administrative umbrella.
|
