Indians 2015 Hall of Fame Hopefuls

The 2015 Hall of Fame class will be stacked with some of the greatest players in all of baseball history, although very few are former Cleveland Indians. Depending on how patronizing the BBWAA voters decide to be, Craig Biggio (3rd year), Randy Johnson (1st), Pedro Martinez (1st) and John Smoltz (1st) should all be in easily while Mike Piazza, Jeff Bagwell, Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds will likely get serious consideration in their third years on the ballot. There are a few Indians on this year’s ballot including Alan Embree, Julian Tavarez, Paul Byrd, Brian Giles and Jeff Kent, but none of these deserve a second look (especially considering that Kenny Lofton didn’t get enough votes to even stay on the ballot for two years). Instead, Indians fans should be looking toward the Veteran’s Ballot for a couple players who really do deserve the honor. These will be detailed below as we wait for the voters decisions on December 8th (12 of 16 votes are needed for Hall of Fame entry).

Minnie Minoso

One of the interesting thing about the ten man ballot up for election this year is that it includes three of the greatest Cuban baseball players ever, Minnie Minoso, Luis Tiant and Tony Olivo (the rest of the ballot is listed at right). This is largely due to the age being considered in balloting (the 1960’s) as Cuban baseball had a kind of renaissance during the era. While Cubans weren’t entirely held back during segregation (40 different players born in Cuba played in the Majors prior to Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier), they were not as welcome as white players, so many preferred to play in the Negro Leagues, often on Cuban teams.

After desegregation, Minnie Minoso was one of the first Cubans to make the jump from the Negro Leagues (where he played with the New York Cubans) to the Major Leagues, joining the Indians in 1949. Minoso had originally signed in 1948 and would spend the majority of his first three seasons in the minors before making his break in 1951. After just eight games that year, he was traded to the White Sox for Lou Brissie (from the Athletics in a three team deal) and Minoso would go on to become the only professional baseball player to have a career spanning five decades.

Minoso came back to Cleveland in 1957 in a terrible deal that sent Hall of Famer Early Wynn and outfielder Al Smith to the White Sox. He would play just two more seasons in Cleveland, but made them worth it as he went to his sixth All-Star Game (of seven in his career) and ranked in the top 20 in MVP voting twice (he garnered MVP votes in eight seasons including four fourth place finishes). After the 1959 season, Minoso was sent back to Chicago in a seven player deal that involved Johnny Romano coming to Cleveland. In the following season, Minoso lead the AL in hits (184) adding to his impressive single season numbers from the past which included leading the league in steals (1951, ’52, ’53) and triples three times (1951, ’54, ’56), doubles once (1957) and hit by pitches every year, but one from 1951 through 1961.

In addition to his durability, Minoso was versatile, playing games at all three outfield positions, first, third, short stop and DH in his later years. In the end, he would steal 205 bases, hit 186 home runs and 83 triples, score 1,136 runs and knock in 1,023 all while batting .298 through 1,835 games. Adding to his accolades, Minoso won Gold Gloves for his outfield work in three of four seasons between 1957 and 1960, the first four seasons the award was given out.

Cubans as a whole are very underrepresented in the Hall. Of the 148 Cubans who retired prior to 2009, only one, Tony Perez, is enshrined in the Hall of Fame, while many other talented players like Bert Campaneris, Jose Canseco, Rafael Palmeiro and those on the ballot this year have been left out. Voting in a player as talented and long tenured as Minoso would fit the exact purpose of the Veteran balloting, to give a player who was deserving, but overlooked in the initial balloting.

Luis Tiant 

Like Minoso, Tiant had ties to the Negro Leagues, although it was his father who pitched for the Cuban Stars, Cuban House of David and New York Cubans from 1930 through 1947. Also like Minoso, Tiant began his career in Cleveland as the Indians were one of the first teams to scout internationally and in the Negro Leagues (along with the Dodgers and Pirates). Tiant began his MLB career in 1964 and in 1968 had one of the greatest seasons in baseball history with a 1.60 ERA (third best in Indians history and best since 1915), 21 wins and 264 strike outs in 258.1 innings. While his following campaign was the worst drop in record ever (from 21-9 to 9-20), Tiant still had an impressive 3.71 ERA and would go on to continue his excellent career in other cities.

After being traded to the Twins in a six player deal involving Graig Nettles, Tiant went on to the Red Sox where he would win 122 games across eight seasons and an ERA title in 1972. Despite winning 20 or more games five times in his career and 229 total, Tiant was selected to just three All-Star Games and received Cy Young votes in just three seasons (1972, ’74 and ’76). Tiant’s extreme ups and downs are what make him an interesting Hall of Fame case. Despite those great seasons, Tiant ended his 19 year career with an ERA of just 3.30. While it has been almost impossible for a pitcher to have two seasons with an ERA under 2.00 since the dead ball era, Tiant accomplished this feat. In addition, he has the wins and strike outs (2,416, good for 39th all-time) for consideration, but his lack of accolades, the fact that his best season came the year before they lowered the pitching mound and his inconsistency could be enough to keep him out of the Hall. While Tiant did receive Hall of Fame votes every year from 1988 through 2002, he never matched the 30% in his first year of eligibility and it is hard to imagine he will be elected this time. Even so, all Indians, Red Sox and baseball fans in general should take this time to remember one of the greatest Cuban pitchers in baseball history.