Continuing a glimpse at players that should or could be in the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York but are not. This article will look at Steve Garvey, the best first baseman not in the Hall of Fame.
The case for Garvey
Steve Garvey was a huge star in his day. Along with Reggie Jackson and Pete Rose, he was probably the most well known baseball player in America. He won the National League MVP award in 1974. He played on 10 All-Star teams. He won four Gold Gloves for fielding excellence. He holds the National League record for consecutive games played in with 1,207. For his career he hit .294 with 2,599 hits. He hit 272 home runs, scored 1,143 runs and knocked in 1,308. He played especially well in front of a national television audience by hitting .338 in 222 post-season at bats and by hitting .393 in 28 All-Star game at bats.
The case against Garvey
His career totals aren’t that impressive. He’s not in the top 50 all-time in any offensive category. His defensive prowess is overrated as he was moved from third base to first base because he didn’t have a good enough arm to play third. Though he fostered a carefully controlled clean cut image as a player, his post-playing days were marred by fathering at least two children out of wedlock and the publishing of a tell-all book by his first wife.
Hall of Fame Voting History
Garvey became eligible for voting in 1993 and received between 35% and 40% of the vote in his first several years. 75% of the vote from the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) is needed for induction. In his first four seasons on the ballot, every player who received more votes than Garvey eventually got into the Hall of Fame. In recent years, his vote total has dropped off. In his final year of eligibility (players who aren’t elected in 15 years by the BBWAA can be considered by the Veterans Committee for enshrinement) in 2007, Garvey received just 21% of the vote.
Hall of Fame Outlook
It is very unlikely that the Veterans Committee will put Steve Garvey in the Hall of Fame.
Honorable Mention
Keith Hernandez, Will Clark, Al Oliver would be suitable rivals for Garvey for the title of “Best First Baseman Not in the Hall of Fame”.
My Take
Steve Garvey does not deserve to be in Cooperstown.
