Minnesota Twins: Biggest Hall of Fame Snubs at Each Position
Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame Snubs: Infielders
Catcher: Earl Battey (1960-1967)
Of the Twins’ Top 5 Catchers in Franchise History, Butch Wynegar and Brian Harper were never on the ballot, Joe Mauer won’t appear on it until 2024, and Muddy Ruel of the Washington Senators lasted all 10 years on the ballot but didn’t make it in (that was the right call). That leaves Earl Battey.
Despite making five All-Star teams and winning three Gold Glove awards in twelve years, Battey didn’t even make the ballot when his time came in 1972. Three Top 10 MVP finishes and a stretch as a Top 3 catcher in baseball should have earned him more respect than that.
First Base: Kent Hrbek (1981-1984)
This was arguably the biggest snub in Minnesota Twins history, and fans probably still shouldn’t be over it. In 2000, hometown hero and Minnesota Twins legend Kent Hrbek had already had his jersey retired by the Twins and was on the Hall of Fame ballot for the first time. He probably didn’t expect to make it, but he also would’ve thought he’d do better than one percent.
Sure, Hrbek didn’t win a lot of awards due to East Coast bias (Don Mattingly got in the way, even when Hrbek had better years.), but 38.6 career WAR, 293 homers, and two World Series rings where he was a key piece should have earned him at least one more year on the ballot.
Second Base: Buddy Myer (1925-1927, 1929-1941)
There are two choices here, with Chuck Knoblauch being the other one. Knoblauch and Buddy Myer each finished with career WARs in the 40s. Knoblauch’s awful post-Twins career hurt his numbers here, but Myer was actually even better.
Neither player managed more than 0.7% in their first and only appearance on the ballot, so they land as our choice here (Myer’s WAR is slightly higher, so we give him the edge). They deserved at least a second look.
Shortstop: Roy Smalley (1977-1982, 1985-1987)
Zoilo Versalles wasn’t very good outside of his one MVP season, but Roy Smalley never made it on the ballot despite a very solid career. For whatever reason, Michael Cuddyer got to make an appearance, so it’s disappointing Smalley didn’t get to join him.
Third Base: Gary Gaetti (1981-1990)
The best third baseman to ever put on a Twins uniform, Gary Gaetti‘s 42.1 WAR and 360 homers are enough to earn consideration, but his two All-Star appearances, four Gold Gloves, Silver Slugger and playoff success form a pretty impressive resume.
Gaetti’s defense was extremely underrated, so all of his talent combined should have allowed him to at least get a second look at the Hall, so it’s extremely disappointing that he didn’t get the chance for a second look.
Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame Snubs: Outfielders and Pitchers
Left Fielder: Larry Hisle (1973-1977)
This one feels a little bit like cheating, but there really weren’t any left fielders that didn’t get a fair decision about the Hall of Fame. He didn’t receive a single vote in his one and only year on the ballot, but given his career numbers were merely good. it’s probably for the best.
Center Fielder: Cesar Tovar (1965-1972)
Cesar Tovar was ahead of his time as a utilityman, and his one appearance on the ballot where he received zero votes showed that. Sure, he didn’t hit as well as some other players in the hall, but his speed on the basepaths and remarkable defensive ability and versatility should have earned him at least a vote.
Right Fielder: Bob Allison (1958-1970)
Bob Allison is a Twins Hall of Famer and had a stellar career as a lineup fixture for thirteen years in Washington and Minnesota jerseys. He won Rookie of the Year in 1959, mashed 256 homers and appeared in three All-Star games.
He produced a 34.1 career WAR over those years and if injuries hadn’t slowed him down, he could have even produced more had injuries not taken their toll. Regardless of if he’s a Hall of Famer or not, he should have at least been included on the ballot.
Starting Pitcher: Johan Santana
Easily the best pitcher of the late 2000s, Johan Santana won two Cy Youngs and finished no lower than fifth in Cy Young voting from 2004-2008. His dominant five year stretch was bookended by stellar seasons in 2002, 2003, 2009, and 2010 where he produced four years with a sub-3.15 ERA and over 130 strikeouts, even when injuries prevented him from throwing 200 innings.
Santana’s seven year stretch was better than the almost half of the pitchers in the Hall of Fame currently, and his career numbers including a 51.7 bWAR, 3.22 ERA, 130 Wins, and 1,988 strikeouts in just 360 starts was truly incredible. That’s why it was all the more puzzling when he received just 2.4% of the Hall of Fame vote in his one and only appearance on the ballot.
Santana has received a lot of support since then, as most fans, players, and even a lot of writer recognize that he belongs in the hall. Here’s to hoping that he follows the same path Jim Kaat and Tony Oliva did: through a Veteran’s Committee and into his rightful spot in the Hall of Fame.
Relief Pitcher: Joe Nathan
Jeff Reardon gets a shoutout here, as he was a truly great closer for a large chunk of time, but Joe Nathan was a six time All-Star who finished a season with 35+ saves nine times and has a sparkling 2.87 ERA.
He’s eighth all-time in saves, and that number could have been higher had the Giants not forced him to be a starter at the beginning of his career or if injuries had not slowed him down. The Hall of Fame is notoriously tough on closers, but Nathan deserved a second chance at the ballot.
Next. My 2022 FanSided Hall of Fame Ballot, Explained. dark