JACK MORRIS
Twelfth Year on Ballot (2010 – 52.3%)
PLAYING CAREER: Detroit Tigers (1977–1990), Minnesota Twins (1991), Toronto Blue Jays (1992–1993) and Cleveland Indians (1994)
ACHIEVEMENTS: Career record of 254–186 (.577 winning percentage) with an ERA of 3.90 and 2478 strikeouts. Three 20-win seasons, 11 seasons with 200-plus innings pitched and three seasons with 200 or more strikeouts. His 14 Opening Day starts is tied for second best…behind only Tom Seaver’s 16. Held American League record for most consecutive starts (515) before being topped by Roger Clemens in 2001. Four-time World Series champion (1984 and 1991-1993) and five-time All-Star selection (1981, 1984-1985, 1987 and 1991). Threw no-hitter April 7, 1984.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING ON TWITTER:
@mtmeyers: Not to beat a dead horse, but Jack Morris never had an ERA below 3.00 for a season. Not once.
@bkabak: If Jack Morris makes the Hall of Fame, they really should just call it the Hall of Baseball Players Writers Like. Need better standards.
@OverTheBaggy: Like a Gallagher show, on days that Jack Morris pitched, women were warned that the first three rows would get wet.
HOVG THOUGHTS: When someone brings up Jack Morris…people point to what some call (with all do respect to Don Larsen and Curt Schilling), one of the most memorable performances ever in the World Series. It was his 1991 post season performance with the Twins (four victories scattered across five games), coupled with his 1984 and 1992 appearances, that make most people stand up and take notice of the mustachioed hurler. But all those successes aside, it was in the 80s where Morris made a name for himself…not just in October. And it’s safe to say that if the Hall of Fame decides to start looking at pitchers who made their bread and butter throughout the 80s…Morris would be at the top of the list.
Morris had a pretty long stretch of brilliance. From 1979 to 1992…dude managed to string together 233 of his career 254 victories…more than 40 more than Bob Welch and his 192. And for the record, his 254 wins is more than Hall of Famers Bob Gibson, Juan Marichal and Whitey Ford among plenty of others. In the 80s alone…Morris won a decade best 162 games, compiled a .577 winning percentage and exhibited his amazing consistency by finishing in the top ten of the Cy Young Award voting in half of the decade’s contests. He finished in the top five in 1991 and 1992 as well.
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