The Oakland Athletics were the team of the early 70s, but they went into a cost-cutting mode in 1976, jettisoning their stars through various methods.  One of those players was Rollie Fingers, one of the most influential closers in baseball history and the owner of the most iconic mustaches in sports.

Fingers signed with San Diego after the aforementioned bicentennial year and remained a top closer.  A Padre for four years, Fingers was named the National League Rolaids Reliever of the Year in three of them, led the league in Saves twice, and compiled 108 Saves in total with San Diego.

Fingers was traded to St. Louis after the 1980 Season and was traded four days later to Milwaukee, where he won the Cy Young and closed off his career.  The Baseball Hall of Fame called his name in 1992.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com thought it would be fun to take a look at the major awards in North American team sports and see how it translates into Hall of Fame potential.

Needless to say, different awards in different sports yield hall of fame potential.  In basketball, the team sport with the least number of players on a roster, the dividend for greatness much higher.  In baseball, it is not as much as a great individual season does not have the same impact.

Last time, we looked at the William M. Jennings Trophy, which is given to the Goalie(s) who allowed the fewest Goals for their team.  That was our last hockey award, as we return to Baseball, specifically the Relief Pitchers, which will be a little complicated as you will see with the next paragraphs.

The Rolaids Reliever of the Year first came to existence in 1976, and was sponsored by the antiacid product, Rolaids.  At the time, the slogan for the product was “ROLAIDS spells Relief”, so it was a perfect pairing.  

This is the first time that we are looking at a defunct award, as when the new parent company of Rolaids opted to not continue the award, it ended in 2012.  It would be replaced in 2014 with the Mariano Rivera AL Reliever of the Year and Trevor Hoffman NL Reliever of the Year.  Coincidentally, there was a separate reliver award that began in 2005, The Delivery Man of the Year, which ran from 2005 to 2013.

Specifically, with the Rolaids Relief Award, it was awarded on a point system, tabulating Wins, Saves, Losses and Blown Saves.

Nevertheless, these were significant awards in our eyes, and we plan to look at them all!

So how many Rolaids Reliever of the Year winners have made the Baseball Hall of Fame?

Let’s find out!

The following are the past players who have won the Rolaids Reliever of the Year Award who are eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame and have been enshrined.

Rollie Fingers, San Diego Padres: 8-9, 35 Saves, 2.99 ERA, 113 SO, NL 1977

This was Fingers’ first season in San Diego and the closer had already gone to four All-Star Games and won three World Series Rings with the Oakland Athletics.  This year, Fingers topped the NL in Saves (35), Games Pitched (78), and Games Finished (69), and he was 14^thin MVP voting.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992.

Rich Gossage, New York Yankees: 10-11, 27 Saves, 2.01 ERA, 122 SO, AL 1978 

Prior to what was his first year with the Yankees, Gossage already was a three-time All-Star, two with the Chicago White Sox, and one with the Pittsburgh Pirates.  This year, “Goose” led the AL in Saves (27) and Games Finished (55), and was fifth in Cy Young Voting.  Gossage also helped New York win the World Series that year.  As All-Star in 1978, Gossage had five more All-Star appearances, three with the Yanks and two with San Diego.  He retired in 1994 following runs with San Francisco, New York (again), Texas, Oakland and Seattle and had 310 career Saves.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992.

Rollie Fingers, San Diego Padres: 6-13, 37 Saves, 2.52 ERA, 72 SO, NL 1978 (2)

Fingers went to the All-Star Game for the fifth time, and his 37 Saves would not only lead the NL, but would be a personal high. He was eighth for the Cy Young and 14^thfor the MVP this year.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2008.

Bruce Sutter, Chicago Cubs: 6-6, 37 Saves, 2.22 ERA, 110 SO, NL 1979 

Bruce Sutter was already a two-time All-Star at this point, and in what was his third consecutive All-Star year, Sutter began a four-year streak of leading the National League in Saves.  The flamethrower had a WHIP of 0.977, and he would win the Cy Young with a seventh place finish for the MVP.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.

Rollie Fingers, San Diego Padres: 11-9, 23 Saves, 2.80 ERA, 69 SO, NL 1980 (3)

This was Fingers’ last year with San Diego, and he went three for four for Rolaids Reliever of the Year Awards.  

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992.

Rollie Fingers, Milwaukee Brewers: 6-3, 28 Saves, 1.04 ERA, 61 SO, AL 1981 (4)

Fingers returned to the American League, where in the strike-shortened 1981 Season he had his best year of his li6e.  He was first in the AL in Saves (28), and he had the best ERA (1.04) and WHIP (0.872) and he became the first Rolaids Reliever winner to win both the Cy Young and the MVP.  Fingers had three more seasons in the Majors with 341 Saves.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992.

Bruce Sutter, St. Louis Cardinals: 3-5, 25 Saves, 2.62 ERA, 57 SO, NL 1981 (2) 

Sutter was now a St. Louis Cardinal, and his skill as the top closer in the National League remained intact.  Sutter was fifth for the Cy Young and eighth in MVP voting.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.

Bruce Sutter, St. Louis Cardinals: 9-8, 36 Saves, 2.90 ERA, 61 SO, NL 1982 (3) 

Sutter was not an All-Star this year, but he finished strong again finishing first in Saves (36).   He would be third for the Cy Young and fifth for MVP and in that post-season, Sutter helped the Redbirds win the World Series.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.

Bruce Sutter, St. Louis Cardinals: 5-7, 45 Saves, 1.54 ERA, 77 SO, NL 1984 (4) 

This was the last great year for Sutter, and coincidentally his final one with St. Louis.  Sutter led the National League in Saves (45) and Games Finishes (63), both of which were career-highs, and he was also third for the Cy Young and sixth in MVP voting.  He played three more years in the Majors, all with Atlanta.  Sutter retired with an even 300 Saves.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006.

Dennis Eckersley, Oakland Athletics: 4-2, 45 Saves, 2.35 ERA, 70 SO, AL 1988  

Dennis Eckersley converted from a starter to reliever the year before, but this was the year where he proved that this was what he was meant to be.  Eckersley led the AL in Saves (45) this year with a WHIP of 0.867.  The A’s made it to the World Series that year, and he was second for the Cy Young and fifth for the MVP.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.

Lee Smith, St. Louis Cardinals: 6-3, 47 Saves, 2.34 ERA, 67 SO, NL 1991  

Lee Smith was already a Major Leaguer since 1980, and he already had nine 25-plus Save campaigns.  The Cardinals were his third team, (following Chicago and Boston) and this season he set a personal record with 47 Saves (also league-leading) as well as finishing first in Games Finished (61).  He finished second for the Cy Young and eighth in MVP voting.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019.

Dennis Eckersley, Oakland Athletics: 7-1, 45 Saves, 1.91 ERA, 93 SO, AL 1992 (2) 

In the three years between Rolaids Reliever of the Year wins, Eckersley won a World Series, and had 124 Saves.  This year, Eckersley was first for the second time in Saves (51) and first time in Games Finished (65).  Eckersley won the Cy Young and MVP, and cemented his place in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.

Lee Smith, St. Louis Cardinals: 4-9, 43 Saves, 3.12 ERA, 60 SO, NL 1992 (2)  

Smith led the NL in Saves for the second straight season, and was fourth for the Cy Young this year.  He would also go to his fourth All-Star Game, and his fifth would come the following year.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019.

Lee Smith, Baltimore Orioles: 1-4, 33 Saves, 3.29 ERA, 42 SO, AL 1994 (3)  

Smith was only with the Baltimore Orioles for one season, and it was a good one where he won not only the Rolaids Reliever of the Year, but was an All-Star for the sixth time.  Smith led the AL in Saves (33) and was fifth in Cy Young voting. Smith joined the California Angels the following year and had one more All-Star year with him.  He retired in 1997 after stops in Cincinnati and Montreal with 478 career Saves, which was then the all-time record.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019.

Trevor Hoffman, San Diego Padres: 4-2, 53 Saves, 1.48 ERA, 86 SO, NL 1998  

Trevor Hoffman had been the Padres closer since 1994, and this was the year he let everyone in the baseball world know he was elite.  Hoffman was an All-Star for the first time and his league-leading 53 Saves, 1.48 ERA, and 0.849 WHIP landed him second in Cy Young voting and seventh in MVP voting.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018.

Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees: 4-3, 45 Saves, 1.83 ERA, 52 SO, AL 1999  

Mariano Rivera was already established as an elite reliever in the American League, and had already won two World Series Championships. This year, Rivera won his first of five Rolaids Reliever of the Year Awards, and he led the AL in Saves (45) with a 1.83 ERA and a 0.884 WHIP.  Rivera was third in Cy Young voting, and he helped the Yankees win the World Series, winning the World Series MVP.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019.

Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees: 4-6, 50 Saves, 2.34 ERA, 83 SO, AL 2001 (2)  

Rivera was an All-Star for the fourth time this year, and the season before he won his fourth World Series.  Rivera again had a WHIP under 1.000 (0.905), and was eleventh in MVP voting.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019.

John Smoltz, Atlanta Braves: 3-2, 55 Saves, 3.25 ERA, 85 SO, NL 2002  

Prior to taking on the role of the Braves’ closer, Smoltz was a top starter for years, going to four All-Star Games, winning a World Series Ring and earning a Cy Young.  Smoltz excelled in this role too, with his 55 Saves leading the NL and finishing third in Cy Young voting.  He would later go back to being a starter, and would retire in 2009, with his final year being split between Boston and St. Louis.  Smoltz had a lifetime record of 213-155 with 3,084 Strikeouts and 154 Saves.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.

Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees: 5-2, 40 Saves, 1.66 ERA, 63 SO, AL 2003 (3)  

Another spectacular season happened for Rivera, whose 1.63 was the second lowest of his career.  In the playoffs, Rivera won the ALCS MVP, but the Yankees lost to the Marlins in the World Series.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019.

Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees: 7-4, 43 Saves, 1.38 ERA, 80 SO, AL 2005 (4)  

Rivera was electric again this year, posting his all-time best ERA (1.38) with a phenom20al WHIP of 0.868.  Rivera was second for the Cy Young to Bartolo Colon of Cleveland and was ninth in MVP voting.  Rivera also won the Delivery Man of the Year Award, which was in its first year of existence.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019.

Trevor Hoffman, San Diego Padres: 0-2, 46 Saves, 2.14 ERA, 50 SO, NL 2006 (2)  

Hoffman went to his second, third and fourth All-Star Game in between his Rolaids Reliver wins, and was an All-Star again this year.  Hoffman led the NL in Saves (46) and had a sub 1.000 WHIP.  He was again second in Cy Young voting.  Hoffman went to two more All-Stars, the last one as a Milwaukee Brewer. He retired in 2010 with 601 career Saves.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018.

Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees: 3-3, 44 Saves, 1.76 ERA, 72 SO, AL 2009 (5) Co-Winner

This was Rivera’s fifth and final Rolaids Reliever of the Year Award, and he would also win his third Delivery Man of the Year (he won his second in 2006).  Rivera would later take the Yankees to another World Series win, his fifth.  He played until 2013, was a thirteen-time All-Star, and retired with 652 Saves, the most all-time.  Rivera entered the Baseball Hall of Fame with a perfect ballot, the first man to do so.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019.

 

The following are the players who have won the Rolaids Relief Award who are eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame and have not been selected:

Bill Campbell, Minnesota Twins: 17-5, 20 Saves, 3.01 ERA, 115 SO, AL 1976

This was Campbell’s final season in Minnesota, and he would not only win the inaugural American League Rolaids Relief Award, he was the league-leader in Games Pitched (78) and Gamed Finished (68). Campbell finished seventh for the Cy Young and eighth for the MVP.

Eligible since 1993.  Campbell was on the ballot for one year and received 0.2% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com 

Rawly Eastwick, Cincinnati Reds: 11-5, 26 Saves, 2.09 ERA, 70 SO, AL 1976

The rookie and sophomore seasons of Rawly Eastwick are forgotten gems in the lore of the Cincinnati Reds.  As a rookie, he led the NL in Saves (22) and was third in Rookie of the Year voting while helping the Reds win the World Series. This season, he was even better with a career-high 26 Saves and was fifth in Cy Young voting and thirteenth for the MVP, and he was again a part of the Reds World Series win.  His career regressed after that, and he bounced around to St. Louis, New York (AL), Philadelphia, Kansas City and Chicago (NL) with his Major League career coming to an end in 1981.  He had 68 career Saves, with 48 coming in 1975 and 1976.

Eastwick did not play the mandatory ten years to qualify for the Hall of Fame. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com 

Bill Campbell, Boston Red Sox: 13-9, 31 Saves, 2.96 ERA, 114 SO, AL 1977 (2)

Campbell signed with Boston this year and arguably, this was his last real good season in the Majors, though he played until 1987 with stops in Chicago (NL), Philadelphia, St. Louis, Detroit and Montreal. This year, Campbell led the AL in Saves (32) and Games Finished (60), and was fifth for the Cy Young and tenth for the MVP.  Campbell had 126 career Saves.

Eligible since 1993.  Campbell was on the ballot for one year and received 0.2% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Jim Kern, Texas Rangers: 13-5, 29 Saves, 1.57 ERA, 136 SO, AL 1979 

Jim Kern went to three straight All-Star Games, with this year being his third.  Also in his first season in Texas (he was with Cleveland before), Kern had his best year by far in the Majors.  In addition to his personal best 29 Saves, he also set career-highs in Games Played (71), Games Finished (57), and was fourth in Cy Young voting and eleventh in MVP voting. Kern never had a year close to this again, and he bounced around to Cincinnati, Chicago (AL), Philadelphia, Milwaukee and Cleveland before his career ended in 1986.  He had 88 career Saves.

Eligible since 1992.  Despite being Hall of Fame eligible in 1992, he was not on the ballot.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Dan Quisenberry, Kansas City Royals: 12-7, 33 Saves, 3.09 ERA, 37 SO, AL 1980 

This was Quisenberry’s breakout year where the submarine-style Pitcher led the AL in Saves (33), Gamed Finished (68) and Games Pitched (75).  Quisenberry was fifth in Cy Young and eighth in MVP voting, and he helped Kansas City reach the World Series.

Eligible since 1996.  Quisenberry was on the ballot for one year and received 3.8% of the vote in 1996.  Ranked #94 on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Dan Quisenberry, Kansas City Royals: 9-7, 35 Saves, 2.57 ERA, 46 SO, AL 1982 (2) 

“Quiz” was finally an All-Star, and he did what he did in 1980, which was lead the AL in Saves (35) and Games Finished (68). He was third for the Cy Young and ninth for the MVP, and this began a four-year streak of top three Cy Young finishes.

Eligible since 1996.  Quisenberry was on the ballot for one year and received 3.8% of the vote in 1996.  Ranked #94 on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Dan Quisenberry, Kansas City Royals: 5-3, 45 Saves, 1.94 ERA, 46 SO, AL 1983 (3) 

Quisenberry’s 45 Saves not only led the American League but it would be a personal best for the closer.  He was also first in the AL in Games Pitched (69) and Games Finished (62), and the “Quiz” was the runner-up for the 7y Young with a sixth-place finish in MVP voting.

Eligible since 1996.  Quisenberry was on the ballot for one year and received 3.8% of the vote in 1996.  Ranked #94 on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Al Holland, Philadelphia Phillies: 8-4, 25 Saves, 2.26 ERA, 100 SO, NL 1983  

After playing in San Francisco for four years, he joined Philadelphia in 1983, and became their closer.  Holland help take the Phillies to the World Series that year but they lost to Baltimore Orioles in five.  The southpaw was an All-Star the following year, and exceeded his Saves mark to 2, but he was used in middle relief afterward, and later played for Pittsburgh, California and the New York Yankees.  He only had 78 career Saves.

Eligible since 1993.  Despite being Hall of Fame eligible in 1993, he was not on the ballot.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Dan Quisenberry, Kansas City Royals: 6-3, 44 Saves, 2.64 ERA, 41 SO, AL 1984 (4)

Quisenberry was an All-Star for the third and last time, but he was on year three of four straight Save-leading seasons.  He was again the second-place finisher for the Cy Young, and he was third for the MVP, his highest ever finish.

Eligible since 1996.  Quisenberry was on the ballot for one year and received 3.8% of the vote in 1996.  Ranked #94 on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Dan Quisenberry, Kansas City Royals: 8-9, 37 Saves, 2.37 ERA, 54 SO, AL 1985 (5) 

Quisenberry secured his fifth and final Rolaids Relief Award, and it is also marked the last of five times he was the American League leader in Saves (37), the third and final time in Games Pitched (84) and fourth and final time in Games Finished (37).  He played with the Royals until 1988, winning a World Series Ring in 1985, and he later joined St. Louis and San Francisco.  He retired with 244 career Saves.

Eligible since 1996.  Quisenberry was on the ballot for one year and received 3.8% of the vote in 1996.  Ranked #94 on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Jeff Reardon, Montreal Expos: 2-8, 41 Saves, 3.18 ERA, 67 SO, NL 1985  

Jeff Reardon had at least 20 Saves in the three years before, but he improved that total to 41 this year, which was the only time he ever finished first in his respective league.  He was seventh in Cy Young voting and two years later he helped the Minnesota Twins win the 1987 World Series.  A four-time All-Star, Reardon would later play for Boston, Atlanta, Cincinnati and New York (AL), and he amassed 367 Saves.

Eligible since 2000.  Reardon was on the ballot for one year in 2000 and received 4.8% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Dave Righetti, New York Yankees: 8-8, 46 Saves, 2.45 ERA, 83 SO, AL 1986  

Dave Righetti began his career as a starter where he was the 1981 American League Rookie of the Year.  Three years later he was moved to the bullpen and after two good years in that role, he was named to the All-Star team with league leading numbers in Saves (46) and Games Finished (68).  Righetti was fourth for the Cy Young and tenth for the MVP.

Eligible since 2001.  Righetti was on the ballot for one year in 2001 and received 0.4% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Todd Worrell, St. Louis Cardinals: 9-10, 36 Saves, 2.08 ERA, 73 SO, NL 1986  

1986 was the best year of Todd Worrell’s career, which coincidentally was also his rookie year.  Not only would he win the Rolaids Reliever of the Year, he was also the Rookie of the Year.  Worrell led the NL in Saves (36), Games Finished (60), and he was fifth for the Cy Young.  Worrell would later be an All-Star in 1988, and twice for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1995-96).  He retired in 1997 with 256 Saves.

Eligible since 2003.  Worrell was on the ballot for one year in 2003 and received 0.0% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Dave Righetti, New York Yankees: 8-6, 31 Saves, 3.41 ERA, 77 SO, AL 1987 (2) 

Righetti was an All-Star again, which would be the second and last time.  He would have at least 24 Saves over the next four years, and he also played for San Francisco, Oakland, Toronto and the Chicago White Sox.  He accrued 252 total Saves.

Eligible since 2001.  Worrell was on the ballot for one year in 2001 and received 0.4% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Steve Bedrosian, Philadelphia Phillies: 5-3, 40 Saves, 2.83 ERA, 74 SO, NL 1987 

Bedrosian was a Relief Pitcher for most of his career, and his best year by far at it was 1987, where his 40 Saves were league-leading. An All-Star this year, Bedrosian won the Cy Young Award, which was coincidentally the only year he would get a vote.  Bedrosian would later win a World Series Ring with the Minnesota Twins in 1991, and he had 184 career Saves.

Eligible since 2001.  Worrell was on the ballot for one year in 2001 and received 0.2% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

John Franco, Cincinnati Reds: 6-6, 39 Saves, 1.57 ERA, 46 SO, NL 1988 

Franco was an All-Star in the two years before, and he led the NL in Games Finished (60) with 32 Saves the year before.  This season, his 39 Saves topped the National League and his 61 Games Finished were also atop the leaderboard.  Franco was an All-Star the next year, and joined the Mets in 1990.

Eligible since 2011.  Franco was on the ballot for one year in 2011 and received 4.6% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Jeff Russell, Texas Rangers: 6-4, 38 Saves, 1.98 ERA, 77 SO, NL 1989 

Over Jeff Russell’s 14-year career, he was predominantly used in relief, but this would be the first season he became a closer. Russell led the AL in Saves (38) and Games Finished (66), and would me ninth for the Cy Young.  Russell later played for Oakland, Boston and Cleveland before returning to Texas and closing his career in 1996 with 186 career Saves.

Eligible since 2002.  Franco was on the ballot for one year in 2002 but did not receive any votes.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Mark Davis, San Diego Padres: 4-3, 44 Saves, 1.85 ERA, 92 SO, NL 1989 

Mark Davis made his Major League debut in 1980 with the Philadelphia Phillies, and he would later play for San Francisco before joining the Giants in 1987.  Davis was anointed the team’s closer in 1988 and was an All-Star, but he had the season of his life in 1989 where he was again an All-Star and led the NL in Saves (44) and Games Finished (65).  He would win the Cy Young while also finishing sixth for the MVP.  Davis signed with Kansas City afterward but he never had a season like 1989 again.  He went on to play for Atlanta, Philadelphia with a return to San Diego.  Davis retired for good after a brief comeback in 1997 with the Brewers.

Eligible since 2003.  Davis was on the ballot for one year in 2003 and received 0.2% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Bobby Thigpen, Chicago White Sox: 4-6, 57 Saves, 1.83 ERA, 70 SO, NL 1989 

Bobby Thigpen had already been the primary closer for the ChiSox for the past two years, but this year he set a then Major League record in Saves with 57, while also leading the American League in Games Pitched (77) and Games Finished (73).  He only had two more seasons where he had at least 20 Saves, but his skills were eroding quickly and he was out of Baseball by 1994.

Thigpen did not play the minimum ten years to qualify for the Hall of Fame.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

John Franco, New York Mets: 5-3, 33 Saves, 2.53 ERA, 56 SO, NL 1990 (2)

This was Franco’s first of 14 years as a Met, and it was also his last All-Star year.  Franco led the NL in Saves for the second time, and later on in 1994, he would again with 30 Saves, but he was not a Rolaids winner that year.  He finished his career with a season in Houston in 2005, and retired with 424 Saves.

Eligible since 2011.  Franco was on the ballot for one year in 2011 and received 4.6% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Bryan Harvey, California Angels: 2-4, 46 Saves, 1.60 ERA, 101 SO, AL 1991

This Harvey’s best season in the Majors, where his 46 Saves led the AL, as did his 63 Games Finished; both of which were career-highs.  Harvey finished fifth in Cy Young voting, and was an All-Star.  While this was his only Rolaids win, two years ago he had another All-Star season, albeit with the Florida Marlins in a World Series winning year. Harvey had 177 career Saves.

Harvey did not play the minimum ten years to qualify for the Hall.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Jeff Montgomery, Kansas City Royals: 7-5, 45 Saves, 2.27 ERA, 66 SO, AL 1993

Montgomery went to three All-Star Games over his career, which was all but 14 Games as a Kansas City Royal.  A late-inning reliever for most of career, Montgomery had four 30-plus Save years, with the 45 this year being league-leading and his career-high.  Montgomery retired in 1999 with 304 Saves.

Eligible Since 2005.  Montgomery was on the ballot for one year in 2005 and received 0.4% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Randy Myers, Chicago Cubs: 2-4, 53 Saves, 3.11 ERA, 86 SO, NL 1993

Before he was a Chicago Cub, Randy Myers was a New York Met, a Cincinnati Red, where the closer was an All-Star and World Series Champion and a San Diego Padre.  With the Cubs, Myers went to two All-Star Games and in 1993, won the Saves Title (53) while also finishing eighth for the Cy Young.  He would again lead the NL in Saves (38) in 1995 and the American League with 45 in 1997 as a Baltimore Oriole.  Myers finished his career in 1998, splitting his time with Toronto and San Diego and would amass 347 total Saves.

Eligible Since 2004.  Myers was on the ballot for one year in 2005 and received 0.2% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Rod Beck, San Francisco Giants: 2-4, 28 Saves, 2.77 ERA, 39 SO, NL 1994

Rod Beck was in his fourth season of Major League service and it was his second straight year as an All-Star.  In this strike-shortened year, Beck led the NL in Games Finished (47) for the second consecutive year, and he would later do so again two more times.  Beck would overall go three All-Star Games, and later play for the Chicago Cuba, Boston Red Sox and San Diego Padres.  Beck retired with 286 Saves.

Eligible Since 2008.  Beck was on the ballot for one year in 2005 and received 0.4% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Jose Mesa, Cleveland Indians: 3-0, 46 Saves, 1.13 ERA, 58 SO, AL 1995

From the Dominican Republic, Jose Mesa had a 19-year career in the Majors, where he was mostly used coming out of the bullpen. This season, Mesa led the AL in Saves (46) and Games Finished (57), and he was an All-Star for the first time. Mesa was second this year for the Cy Young and fourth for the MVP and he secured 321 career Saves in 1,022 Games Pitched.

Eligible Since 2013.  Mesa was on the ballot for one year in 2013 but did not receive any votes. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Tom Henke, St. Louis Cardinals: 1-1, 36 Saves, 1.82 ERA, 48 SO, NL 1995

Tom Henke won a World Series Rings with the Toronto Blue Jays, where he led the AL in Saves in 1987.  After leaving the Jays for Texas in 1993, he played two years before going to St. Louis in the NL for his lone year there, where he had his best ERA (1.82), and the second of two All-Star campaigns.  Henke retired on top, as he elected to retire at the end of the season.  

Eligible Since 2001.  Henke was on the ballot for one year in 2001 and received 1.2% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

John Wetteland, New York Yankees: 2-3, 43 Saves, 2.83 ERA, 69 SO, AL 1996

John Wetteland had at least 25 or more Saves in the four years before this season, three with Montreal and one with the Yankees. In this baseball campaign, Wetteland led the American League in Saves (43) in what was his first of three All-Star years.  Wetteland helped the Yankees win the World Series that year while winning the World Series MVP, and after he was a Texas Ranger for his last four years.  He had 330 career Saves.

Eligible Since 2006.  Wetteland was on the ballot for one year in 2006 and received 0.8% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Jeff Brantley, Cincinnati Reds: 1-2, 44 Saves, 2.41 ERA, 76 SO, NL 1996

Jeff Brantley was an All-Star in 1990 as a San Francisco Giant, but it was in Cincinnati where the reliever had his best year.  Brantley led the NL in Saves (44), which was the only time that would happen.  He would late play for St. Louis, Philadelphia and Texas and managed 172 career Saves.

Eligible Since 2007.  Brantley was eligible for the Hall in 2007 but was not on the ballot.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Randy Myers, Baltimore Orioles: 2-3, 45 Saves, 1.51 ERA, 56 SO, AL 1997 (2)

Myers would again lead the league (American) with 45 in 1997 as a Baltimore Oriole.  Myers finished his career in 1998, splitting his time with Toronto and San Diego and would amass 347 total Saves.

Eligible Since 2004.  Myers was on the ballot for one year in 2005 and received 0.2% of the vote. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Jeff Shaw, Cincinnati Reds: 4-2, 42 Saves, 2.38 ERA, 74 SO, NL 1997 

For the first time, we have a back-to-back winner from a team who was not the same player.  Jeff Brantley won it in 1996, as opposed to Jeff Shaw this year, who was the National League Leader in Saves with 42.  He had more in 48 the year after, but it was a season split between the Reds and the Dodgers.  Shaw had 203 career Saves.

Eligible Since 2007.  Shaw was eligible since 2007 but was not on the ballot.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Tom Gordon, Boston Red Sox: 7-4, 46 Saves, 2.72 ERA, 78 SO, AL 1998 

After eight years in Kansas City, Tom Gordon became the Red Sox’ primary closer in his third year in Boston.  This was arguably Gordon’s best season in Baseball, and it would be the first of three All-Star Game appearances for “Flash”, with the others coming as a Yankee and as a Phillie.  Gordon led the AL in Saves (46) and Games Finished (69), and had a sparkling WHIP of 1.008.  Gordon played 21 seasons and retired with a record of 138-126 with 158 Saves and 1,928 Strikeouts.

Eligible Since 2015.  Gordon was on the ballot for one year in 2015 and received 0.4% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Billy Wagner, Houston Astros: 4-1, 39 Saves, 1.57 ERA, 124 SO, NL 1998 

Wagner was a Strikeout machine this year for Houston with a 14.9 SO/9 with a 0.777 WHIP.  This year saw Wagner go to his first of seven All-Star Games, and while he never led his league in Saves, he compiled 422 over his career.  He also played for Philadelphia, New York (NL), Boston and Atlanta.

Eligible Since 2016.  Wagner has been on the ballot for five years finishing as high as 31.7% in 2020.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Antonio Alfonseca, Florida Marlins: 5-6, 45 Saves, 4.24 ERA, 47 SO, NL 2000

Alfonseca led the National League in Saves (45), but his ERA was 4.24, his WHIP was over 1.500, and his bWAR was 0.5.  He is arguably the worst recipient of this award. He would later play for Chicago (NL), Atlanta, Texas and Philadelphia and had 126 career Saves.

Eligible Since 2012.  Although Alfonseca was Hall of Fame eligible in 2012 he was not on the ballot. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Todd Jones, Detroit Tigers: 2-4, 42 Saves, 3.52 ERA, 67 SO, AL 2000

Todd Jones was a journeyman reliever over his career, often in a closing capacity.  This was his best year, going to his lone All-Star Game and leading the AL in Saves with 42.  Jones would accumulate 319 Saves over 16 years.

Eligible Since 2014.  Jones was on the ballot for one year in 2014 but he did not receive any votes. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Armando Benitez, New York Mets: 6-4, 43 Saves, 3.77 ERA, 93 SO, NL 2001

Armando Benitez had his second consecutive 40 Save year with the Mets, and would have another one in 2004 with 47 as a Marlin that led the NL.  Benitez had 289 Saves over a career that also saw time spent with Baltimore, Seattle, San Francisco and Toronto.

Eligible Since 2014.  Benitez was on the ballot for one year in 2014 and received 0.2% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Billy Koch, Oakland Athletics: 11-4, 44 Saves, 3.27 ERA, 93 SO, AL 2002

Billy Koch had at least 31 Saves over his first three years in the Majors which was in Toronto.  The Jays traded Koch to Oakland, and he had the best year of his career, securing 44 Saves and leading the AL in Games Pitched (84) and Games Finished (79).  Despite that, he was dealt to the White Sox, but he floundered after that and was out of the Majors by 2004.

Koch did not play the minimum ten years to qualify for the Hall of Fame.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Keith Foulke, Oakland Athletics: 9-1, 43 Saves, 2.08 ERA, 88 SO, AL 2003

Foulke arrived in Oakland when he was traded for Billy Koch, the Rolaids Reliever of the Year winner the year before.  Foulke won it this year with a league-leading 43 Saves and 67 Games Finished, with a seventh-place finish in Cy Young voting. This was his last year in Oakland, as he signed with Boston and won a World Series.  He retired in 2008 with 191 career Saves.

Eligible since 2014.  Although Foulke was eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2014 he was not on the ballot. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Eric Gagne, Los Angeles Dodgers: 2-3, 55 Saves, 1.20 ERA, 137 SO, NL 2003

The numbers for Gagne were staggering, as he built upon his 52 Save season in 2002 with a 55 Save, 67 Games Finished performance that led both categories.  Gagne’s anemic 1.20 ERA was matched by an even more impressive 0.692 WHIP and 15.0 SO/9. Gagne would also win the Cy Young this season and 

Eligible since 2014.  Gagne was on the ballot for one year in 2014 and received 0.4% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Eric Gagne, Los Angeles Dodgers: 7-3, 45 Saves, 2.19 ERA, 114 SO, NL 2004 (2)

Gagne went back-to-back with Rolaids wins, and while his numbers were still good, they were not at the 2003 level.  Gagne was seventh in Cy Young voting and he had his third consecutive All-Star year.  This was it for Gagne, who had arm trouble and was never the same again. Gagne bounced to Texas, Boston and Milwaukee and retired in 2008 with 187 Saves.

Eligible since 2014.  Gagne was on the ballot for one year in 2014 and received 0.4% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Chad Cordero, Washington Nationals: 2-4, 47 Saves, 1.82 ERA, 61 SO, NL 2005

Cordero was only in the Majors for seven years (six with Washington) and this was easily his best year.  Cordero’s 47 Saves led the NL, and this was the only year he had an ERA under two and WHIP under one.  He had 128 career Saves.

Cordero did not play the minimum ten seasons required to qualify for the Hall of Fame. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

J.J. Putz, Seattle Mariners: 6-1, 40 Saves, 1.38 ERA, 82 SO, NL 2007

Putz was the Mariners closer for three years and he led the American League in Games Finished (65) and the All-Star had a spectacular 0.698 WHIP.  Putz later played for New York (NL), Chicago (AL) and Arizona and would have 189 career Saves.

Eligible since 2020.  Putz was on the ballot for one year and had 0.3% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Jose Valverde, Arizona Diamondbacks: 1-4, 47 Saves, 2.56 ERA, 78 SO, NL 2007

Valverde had a breakout year here he led the NL in Saves (47) went to the All-Star Game, and was sixth for Cy Young voting. Despite that, Valverde was traded to Houston and led the NL in Saves (44) again. 

Eligible since 2020.  Valverde was on the ballot for one year in 2020 but did not receive any votes. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

Brad Lidge, Philadelphia Phillies: 2-0, 41 Saves, 1.95 ERA, 92 SO, NL 2008

After six years with the Houston Astros, Brad Lidge was traded to the Houston Astros where in his first year, he was an All-Star for the second time, won the Rolaids Relief Award, and helped the Phillies win the World Series.  He would also finish fourth in Cy Young voting.  Lidge played five more years, but it was up and down, and he never came close to his 2008 season again.  He retired with 225 Saves. 

Eligible since 2018.  Lidge was on the ballot for one year on 2018 but did not receive any votes.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Heath Bell, San Diego Padres: 6-4, 42 Saves, 2.71 ERA, 79 SO, NL 2009

This was Bell’s sixth year in the Majors and third in San Diego, but it would be his first as a closer.  Bell rose to the occasion, leading the National League in Saves (42) and he was an All-Star for the first time. 

Eligible since 2020.  Bell was on the ballot for one year on 2020 but did not receive any votes.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Heath Bell, San Diego Padres: 6-1, 47 Saves, 1.93 ERA, 86 SO, NL 2010 (2)

Bell went back-to-back for the Rolaids Award, exceeding his 42 Save mark to 47.  This would be the only year where he dropped his ERA to below two, and he was an All-Star again.  Bell had 43 Saves in 2011, and was an All-Star for the third straight year. His All-Star runs were over, as was his stay in San Diego.  Bell played three more seasons, one with Miami, Arizona and Tampa Bay, and accrued 168 Saves over his career. 

Eligible since 2020.  Bell was on the ballot for one year on 2020 but did not receive any votes.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Jose Valverde, Detroit Tigers: 2-4, 49 Saves, 2.56 ERA, 78 SO, AL 2011 (2)

Joining the Detroit Tigers in 2010, Valverde led the AL in Saves (49), Games Finished (70) and Games Pitched (75) this season. He would also win the Delivery Man of the Year Award, and was fifth in Cy Young voting.  Valverde played until 2014, with a final year as a Met, and he accrued 288 Saves.

Eligible since 2020.  Valverde was on the ballot for one year but did not receive any votes.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

 

Let’s update our tally, shall we?       

Award in Question	Percentage of recipients who have entered the HOF	Percentage of recipients by year who have entered the HOF.
NBA MVP	100%	100%
NHL Art Ross	100%	100%
NHL Hart Trophy	93.6%	96.3%
NBA Finals MVP	91.3%	94.9%
NHL Norris	90.5%	96.4%
NHL Ted Lindsay Award	90.0%
NBA All-Star Game MVP	89.5%	91.7%
NHL Conn Smythe	74.2%	85.4%
NFL Bert Bell Award	73.7%	71.4%
NFL AP Offensive Player of the Year	73.1%	79.4%
NFL AP MVP	68.3%	74.0%
NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year	66.7%	66.7%
NHL Lady Byng	63.8%	76.0%
NFL Defensive Player of the Year	60.8%	71.1%
NFL Super Bowl MVP	60.6%	64.9%
NHL Mark Messier Leadership Award	60.0%	60.0%
NBA Defensive Player of the Year	58.3%	56.5%
NHL Vezina	57.1%	66.3%
NBA Rookie of the Year	56.5%	56.5%
MLB MVP	55.0%	60.2%
NFL Pro Bowl MVP	52.3%	54.8%
MLB Lou Gehrig Award	51.9%	51.9%
MLB Roberto Clemente Award	47.4%	47.4%
NHL Calder Trophy	46.5%	46.5%
NBA J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award	46.0%	46.0%
MLB/NL/AL Cy Young Award	44.4%	55.4%
MLB Babe Ruth Award	37.0%	39.3%
NHL King Clancy Award	36.8%	36.8%
NHL Frank J. Selke Trophy	33.3%	36.7%
MLB World Series MVP	33.3%	36.8%
MLB Hutch Award	33.1%	33.1%
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year	28.6%	28.6%
NHL Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy	27.9%	27.9%
MLB Edgar Martinez Award	26.7%	17.2%
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Designated Hitter)	25.0%	30.8%
MLB Comeback Player of the Year	25.0%	25.0%
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Shortstop)	23.5%	52.6%
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove	21.7%	36.8%
NHL William M. Jennings Trophy	20.7%	40.4%
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year	20.6%	20.6%
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Catcher)	20.0%	22.5%
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Second Base)	18.8%	39.8%
MLB Rolaids Reliever of the Year	18.6%	33.3%
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Shortstop)	18.2%	35.1%
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Pitcher)	18.2%	20.1%
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Second Base)	16.7%	32.7%
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Outfield)	16.7%	30.1%
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Outfield)	15.7%	25.2%
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Third Base)	14.3%	14.3%
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Third Base)	13.6%	14.3%
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (First Base)	13.6%	13.3%
MLB (NL/AL) Rookie of the Year	13.3%	13.3%
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Catcher)	10.3%	15.2%
NBA Most Improved Player of the Year	5.3%	3.2%
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (First Base)	3.8%	3.2%
NFL AP Comeback Player of the Year	0.0%	0.0%

So, who is up next?

The following are the players who have won the Rolaids Reliever of the Year Award in MLB who have retired but have not met the mandatory years out of the game to qualify for the Baseball Hall of Fame:

Francisco Rodriguez, Los Angeles Angels: 2-3, 47 Saves, 1.73 ERA, 98 SO, NL 2006

Already a World Series Champion as a rookie, Rodriguez led the AL for the second straight year.  He was fourth in Cy Young voting and posted a 12.1 SO/9

Eligible in 2023.

Francisco Rodriguez, Los Angeles Angels: 2-3, 62 Saves, 2.24 ERA, 77 SO, NL 2008 (2)

Rodriguez became the first player to record over 60 Saves (62), and he also led the AL in Games Pitched (76) and Games Finished (69). The Cy Young voters had him in third with him also placing him sixth in MVP voting.  This would be K-Rod’s last year as an Angel as he signed with the New York Mets as a Free Agent.  Later, he had two All-Star years with the Milwaukee Brewers, and he retired after two seasons with the Detroit Tigers.  Rodriguez had 437 career Saves.

Eligible in 2023.

Joe Nathan, Minnesota Twins: 2-2, 47 Saves, 2.10 ERA, 89 SO, AL 2009

Joe Nathan was already an established closer, and this was his sixth consecutive season securing at least 36 Saves.  Nathan who was an All-Star this year, would be one six times over his career and accumulate 377 career Saves.

Eligible in 2022.

Rafael Soriano, Tampa Bay Rays: 3-2, 45 Saves, 1.73 ERA, 57 SO, AL 2010

Rafael Soriano was in the Majors for 14 seasons, with only one as a Tampa Bay Ray.  That lone year in Tampa, was his best, as this was the only year he was a league-leader in Saves (45) and had a sub-2 ERA.  Soriano also played for Seattle, Atlanta, New York (AL), Washington and Chicago (NL) and had 207 Saves. 

Eligible in 2021.

John Axford, Milwaukee Brewers: 2-2, 46 Saves, 1.95 ERA, 86 SO, NL 2011

This was John Axford’s third season and the best year of his career.  Axford led the NL in Saves this year (46) and was also ninth in Cy Young voting. Axford would later play for St. Louis, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Colorado, Oakland, Toronto and Los Angeles and had 144 Saves over his career. 

Eligible in 2024.

Jim Johnson, Baltimore Orioles: 2-1, 51 Saves, 2.49 ERA, 41 SO, AL 2012

Johnson was a closer for the first time in his career, and he responded by leading the American League in Saves (51).  He led the AL in the same metric the year after (50) as well as finishing atop the AL leaderboard in Games Finished (63).  He was not an elite closer afterward, playing for Oakland, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and the Angels, ending his career with 178 Saves.

Eligible in 2024.

The following are the players who have won the Rolaids Reliever of the Year who are still active.

Craig Kimbrel, Atlanta Braves: 3-1, 42 Saves, 1.01 ERA, 116 SO, NL 2012

In the season before, Craig Kimbrel won the National League Rookie of the Year while leading the NL in Saves (46).  Kimbrel’s save totals were a little less this year (42), but was still league-leading.  What was really eye-popping was his ERA (1.01), SO/9 (16.7), SO/BB (8.29) and WHIP (0.654).  Kimbrel was fifth in Cy Young voting this year and he also led the NL in Saves the next two seasons.  Kimbrel would later win the Delivery Man of the Year of the Award (2013) and Trevor Hoffman Award (2017).

33 Years Old, Playing for the Chicago Cubs.

The Rolaids Reliever of the Year yielded a higher percentage than you would think considering that the Hall of Fame does not have that many Relief Pitchers in the Hall.  As this is now a defunct award, this total is no likely to change much.

So, what is up next?

We are not venturing to far, as we look at another defunct award for Relief Pitchers, the MLB Delivery Man of the Year.

As always, we thank you for your support, and look for that soon.

While the role of the relief pitcher was nothing new by the late 60s, but when Rollie Fingers emerged as Oakland’s closer, he was one of the first of his kind to be considered a superstar.  Fingers was a starter through most of his minor league career, and when he debuted with Oakland in 1968, he was moved mostly to the bullpen.  By 1971, this was his official role, and it was one that he was born to play. 

We here at Notinhalloffame.com thought it would be fun to take a look at the major awards in North American team sports and see how it translates into Hall of Fame potential.

Needless to say, different awards in different sports yield hall of fame potential.  In basketball, the team sport with the least number of players on a roster, the dividend for greatness much higher.  In baseball, it is not as much as a great individual season does not have the same impact.

Last time, we looked at the Bert Bell Award.  This time we went back to baseball, and the World Series MVP.

The World Series was first played in 1903, but they did not award an MVP of the Fall Classic until 1955.  It goes without saying only a great team can win a World Series, but in a seven-game series any player can get on a hot streak.

So how many World Series MVPs have made the Baseball Hall of Fame?

Let’s find out!

The following are the past players who have won the World Series MVP who are eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame and have been enshrined.

Whitey Ford, New York Yankees, Pitcher (1961)             

Based on who won the World Series MVP from 1955 to 1960, we think it safe to day that Whitey Ford will forever be the first chronological World Series MVP to enter the Baseball Hall of Fame.  Ford was a career-Yankee who would help the Bronx Bombers win six World Series Titles.  In 1961, Ford won the Cy Young Award with a 25-4 record, and in the World Series he won both starts.  Ford pitched 14 Innings without allowing a single run, and the Yankees would defeat the Cincinnati Reds in five games.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1974.

Sandy Koufax, Los Angeles Dodgers, Pitcher (1963)        

Sandy Koufax was on year two of his second-half of brilliance, and in the regular season he would win the first of five consecutive ERA Titles.  In the World Series, his Dodgers were paired against the New York Yankees, and Koufax won both starts.  He would throw for 18 Innings with a 1.50 ERA.  Los Angeles would sweep New York.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1972.

Bob Gibson, St. Louis Cardinals, Pitcher (1964)              

Bob Gibson would do well in 1964 with a 19-12 record, but he was still not yet a superstar.  The World Series would change that.  He led the St. Louis Cardinals to a win over the New York Yankees where he went 2-1 with 27 Innings and 31 Strikeouts.  Gibson would go to the All-Star Game annually from 1965 to 1970 but had plenty left to offer. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1981.

Sandy Koufax, Los Angeles Dodgers, Pitcher (2)(1965)   

Koufax became the first player to repeat as the World Series MVP, and doesn’t it seem appropriate?  In between his World Series MVPs, Koufax won the Cy Young and MVP.  This year, Los Angeles faced the Minnesota Twins and Koufax went 2-1 with a 0.38 ERA.  He played two more seasons, winning the Cy Young in both of them.  Koufax retired after that with a record of 165-87 and 2,396 Strikeouts.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1972.

Frank Robinson, Baltimore Orioles, Outfield (1966)       

The Cincinnati Reds made a colossal error when they traded Frank Robinson to the Baltimore Orioles after 1965 season. Robinson proceeded to have the best year of his life, becoming the first player to win the MVP in both leagues. It got even better, as Robinson led the Orioles to their first World Series, and he would have two Home Runs with a 1.217 OPS in Baltimore’s sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982.

Bob Gibson, St. Louis Cardinals, Pitcher (2) (1967)         

Gibson’s star rose since 1964, and in 1967, he had an even better World Series performance than his first.  Gibson pitched three complete games, winning them all, and only allowed three earned runs.  His 1.00 ERA was matched with an equally spectacular WHIP of 0.704.  Gibson would have a phenomenal 1968 in the “Year of the Pitcher” where he led the National League with a 1.12 ERA and a 0.853 WHIP.  He won the Cy Young and MVP that season, and he would play until 1975, ending a career spent entirely with the St. Louis Cardinals.  Gibson had a record of 251-174 with 3,117 Strikeouts.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1981.

Brooks Robinson, Baltimore Orioles, Third Base(1970)  

Brooks Robinson was already a superstar by this point, as he was already a World Series champion (1966), an MVP (1964), and he was on year 11 of 15 straight All-Star Games.  The 16-time Gold Glove winner batted .429 with two Home Runs in the Orioles five-game victory over the Reds.  Robinson played his entire career with Baltimore and would accumulate 2,848 Hits, 268 Home Runs and 1,357 Runs Batted In.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983.

Roberto Clemente, Pittsburgh Pirates, Outfield(1971)   

A legend with 3,000 career Hits, Clemente was already a World Series Champion (1960), and an MVP (1966).  In 1971, the 15-time All-Star batted .414 with two Home Runs in the Pirates seven-game win over Baltimore.  Clemente only played one more season and died shortly after in a plane crash.  He was delivering aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.  He was fast-tracked to the Baseball Hall of Fame the year after.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973.

Reggie Jackson, Oakland Athletics, Outfield (1973)       

Reggie Jackson won the American League MVP this year, and would win the first of what would be four Home Run Titles.  In the seven-game win over the New York Mets, Jackson batted .315 with a Home Run, in what was Oakland’s second of three straight World Series Championships.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993.

Rollie Fingers, Oakland Athletics, Pitcher (1974)           

This was the last of three straight Oakland World Series titles, and the future Hall of Fame closer was in the beginning of his turn as an elite closer.  In this World Series, Fingers appeared in four Games, won one of them, had two Saves with an ERA of 1.93.  Fingers would later win the Cy Young and MVP in 1983 when he was with the Milwaukee Brewers. He would play until 1985 and accumulate 341 Saves over his 17-year career.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992.

Johnny Bench, Cincinnati Reds, Catcher (1976)             

The Catcher of the “Big Red Machine”, was a two-time MVP by this point and had already won two Home Run Titles.  In this year’s World Series, Bench batted .533, a 1.667 OPS with two Home Runs and six Runs Batted In.  The 14-time All-Star played his entire career with Cincinnati and would collect 2,048 Hits, 389 Home Runs and 1,376 RBIs.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1989.

Reggie Jackson, New York Yankees, Outfield (2)(1977)  

This was the first of two straight World Series Championships for the New York Yankees, and it was this year where Reggie Jackson became “Mr. October”.   In Game Six of the 1977 World Series, Jackson belted three Home Runs on three first pitches against Dodger hurlers, and that was the clinching game.  He would bat .450 with an OPS of 1.792 with five taters.  Jackson played until 1987, and would retire with 2,584 Hits, 563 Home Runs, 1,702 RBIs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993.

Willie Stargell, Pittsburgh Pirates, First Base (1979)       

Winning the MVP this year (though he probably should not have), Willie Stargell did earn both NLCS and World Series MVP.  The career-Pirate helped his team defeat Baltimore in seven games with a .400 Batting Average with three Home Runs and seven RBIs.  He played 21 seasons and retired in 1982 with 2,232 Hits, 475 Home Runs and 1,540 RBIs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988.

Mike Schmidt, Philadelphia Phillies, Third Base (1980)  

This season, Mike Schmidt won the first of what would be three MVPs and it was also the year he set career-highs (also league-leading) in Home Runs (48) and Runs Batted In (121).  Schmidt also finished first in Slugging Percentage (.624) and OPS (1.004).  The Phillies would win his first World Series this year as Schmidt batted .381 with a two Home Runs and seven RBIs.  Philadelphia would beat Kansas City in six games.  Schmidt played his entire career with the Phils and would retire in 1989. Overall, he would appear in twelve All-Star Games, win six Silver Sluggers, ten Gold Gloves and had 2,234 Hits with 548 Home Runs and 1,595 RBIs.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995.

Alan Trammell, Detroit Tigers, Shortstop (1984)            

This year, Alan Trammell was on his second of what would be six All-Star Games and the Detroit Tigers were an unstoppable team in 1984.  In this World Series, Detroit took out the San Diego Padres in five games with Trammell batting .450 with two Home Runs, six RBIs and a 1.300 OPS.  He would play his entire career with the Tigers, retiring in 1996 with 2,365 Hits, 185 Home Runs, four Silver Sluggers and three Gold Gloves.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018.

Jack Morris, Minnesota Twins, Pitcher (1991)                

Jack Morris already won a World Series title in 1984 with the Detroit Tigers, but this title was especially sweet.  In the 1991 World Series, Morris pitched in three games, winning two games with a 1.17 ERA.  In Game 7, Morris pitched a ten-inning shutout to win the Fall Classic for the Twins.  Morris went on to win two more World Series Rings with the Toronto Blue Jays.  He retired in 1994 with a record of 254 Wins against 186 Losses with 2,478 Strikeouts.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018.

Paul Molitor, Toronto Blue Jays, Third Base and Designated Hitter (1993)   

Paul Molitor was with the Milwaukee Brewers for 15 years before joining the Toronto Blue Jays in 1993, who were the defending World Series Champions.  That year, Molitor would go to his fifth All-Star Game, and led the American League in Hits (211) and would bat .332.  The Blue Jays returned to the World Series, and in their successful title defense, Molitor batted .500 with two Home Runs, eight RBIs and a 1.571 OPS.  Moltor played until 1998, and retired with 3,319 Hits, 234 Home Runs, 1,307 RBIs with a Batting Average of .303.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.

Tom Glavine, Atlanta Braves, Pitcher (1995)                  

The Atlanta Braves were one of the most loaded teams of the 1990s, but it only translated into one World Series win. That was in 1995, and the World Series MVP went to one of the big three, Tom Glavine.  He would win the 1991 Cy Young, and later the 1998 Cy Young, and this season was a nice 16-7 year, a 3.08 ERA, and a third place finish in the Cy Young vote.  In the World Series, Glavine won both starts and had an ERA of 1.29, a WHIP of 0.714 and 11 Strikeouts.  He retired in 2008 with a 305-203 record and 2,607 Strikeouts.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.

Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees, Pitcher (1999)         

Considered to be the greatest Relief Pitcher of all-time, Mariano Rivera would win five World Series Rings, and was a 13-time All-Star. In the 1999 World Series, Rivera appeared in three games, winning one, saving two, and he did not allow a run. Rivera’s overall post-season record was 8-1, 42 Saves, 0.70 ERA, 0.759 WHIP over 141 Innings.  Let that sink in!   When Rivera retired, he was the all-time leader in Saves (652), Games Finished (952) and a career WHIP of 1.000.  Rivera became the first player to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame with a unanimous vote.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019.

Derek Jeter, New York Yankees, Shortstop (2000)          

Playing his entire career with the New York Yankees, Derek Jeter was not only the leader of the team, but was the most popular player and recognizable player of his day.  In the 2000 World Series, he batted .409 with two Home Runs, two RBIs and an OPS of 1.344.  Jeter would overall go to 14 All-Star Games, and was a five-time Silver Slugger and five-time Gold Glove winner.  He retired in 2014 with 3,465 Hits, 260 Home Runs, 1,311 RBIs and a Batting Average of .310. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020.

Randy Johnson, Arizona Diamondbacks, Pitcher (co-winner) (2001)    

Sharing the World Series MVP with Curt Schilling, Randy Johnson was on the third of four straight Cy Young Awards, one of the most incredible runs of any pitcher in the history of the game.  With the Arizona Diamondbacks, Johnson took the team that was still under ten years old to the World Series, and he won three World Series Games with a 1.04 ERA against the Yankees.  He also had a WHIP of 0.692 with 19 Strikeouts.  Johnson played until 2009, and retired with a record of 202-166 with 4,875 Strikeouts.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.

 

The following are the players who have won the World Series MVP who are eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame and have not been selected:

Johnny Podres, Brooklyn Dodgers, Pitcher (1955)

The winner of the first World Series MVP, coincided with the only championship that the Dodgers would win in Brooklyn.  This was Podres third year in baseball, and he had been an average starter at best.  He would win both his starts, including a shutout in Game 7.  Over 18 Innings, he had a 1.00 ERA with 10 Strikeouts. Podres would play until 1969, mostly with the Dodgers and he retired with a record of 141-116 with 1,435 Strikeouts. He won two more World Series Rings with the Dodgers after they relocated to Los Angeles.  Eligible Since 1975.  Podres was on the ballot for three years and finished as high as 0.8% in both 1975 and 1978. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com

Don Larsen, New York Yankees, Pitcher (1956)

After only lasting 1.2 Innings in Game 2 (though all four runs were unearned due to errors), Larsen came back to throw a perfect game, the only time that this happened in the history of the World Series.  The Yankees beat the Dodgers in seven games, and Larsen’s Game 5 meant you could not possibly give the World Series MVP to anyone else.  Aside from the most spectacular pitching performance ever, Larsen was an average pitcher at best.  The 11 regular season Wins that he had in this regular season, was the most he had, and Larsen would only post 81 Wins against 91 Losses.  Eligible Since 1973.  Larsen was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 12.3% in 1979. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com

Lew Burdette, Milwaukee Braves, Pitcher (1957)

This was the only World Series that the Braves would win while competing in Milwaukee.  Burdette, who was an All-Star this year, had a 17-9 regular season record, would win all three of his World Series starts, throwing for 27 Innings with a 0.67 ERA.  Burdette would go to a second All-Star Game two years later and would retire in 1967 with a 203-144 record.  179 of those wins were with the Braves.  Eligible Since 1973.  Burdette was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 24.1% in 1984. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com

Bob Turley, New York Yankees, Pitcher (1958)

This was the best season of Bob Turley’s career as he was an All-Star for the third (and final) time, and he would have a career-high 21 Wins.  For the regular season, he won the Cy Young, and was the runner-up for the MVP.  In the World Series, he lost his first start, but won the next two, aiding the Yankees in their seven-game win over the Milwaukee Braves.  In the process, the Yanks became the second team to overcome a 3-1 deficit to win the World Series.  It was all downhill for Turley, as he never had another 10 Win season again, and he retired with 101 Wins against 85 Losses.  Eligible Since 1969.  Although he was eligible, he was not on the ballot.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Larry Sherry, Los Angeles Dodgers, Pitcher (1959)

1959 was Sherry’s second year of an 11-year journeyman career.  In the six-game series win over the Chicago White Sox, he appeared in four games, pitched in 12.2 Innings and had a 2-0 record with 2 Saves.  He had a 0.71 ERA and a 0.789 WHIP over the Fall Classic. Sherry would have a record of 53-44 with 82 Saves.  Eligible Since 1974.  Although he was eligible, he was not on the ballot.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Bobby Richardson, New York Yankees, Second Base (1960)

The sixth World Series MVP finally went to a position player, and while it is not a Hall of Famer, it is of course a New York Yankee!  Bobby Richardson was already a two-time All-Star, and he would go to five more over his career.  Historically speaking, this was also the first, and to date, only player to win the World Series as the member of the losing team.  Richardson would bat .367 with 11 Hits in the Series.  While the Yanks lost this one, Richardson would win three rings with the team.  He retired in 1966 with 1,432 career Hits.  Eligible Since 1972.  Richardson was on the ballot for three years and finished as high as 2.0% in 1972.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Ralph Terry, New York Yankees, Pitcher (1962)

Ralph Terry would only go to one All-Star Game in his career, which would be 1962.  That season, he led the American League in Wins (23) and Innings Pitched (298.2) and was 14^thin MVP voting.  Terry was on the World Series Title the year before with New York, and in this championship, he went 2-1 with an ERA of 1.80 and WHIP of 0.766.  This was the best year he had, and he played until 1967, retiring with a record of 78-59.  Eligible Since 1973.  Although he was eligible, he was not on the ballot.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Mickey Lolich, Detroit Tigers, Pitcher (1968)

Mickey Lolich had an up and down 1968, and was overshadowed by Denny McClain, who was a 30-Game winner that year.  However, in the 1968 World Series, it was Lolich who was the star, winning all three starts with a 1.67 ERA.  He would later go to three All-Star Games, and finished his career with a 217-191 record and 2,832 Strikeouts.  Eligible Since 1985.  Lolich was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 25.5% in 1988. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Donn Clendenon, New York Mets, First Base (1969) 

A very unlikely winner of the World Series MVP, Donn Clendenon was traded midway through the 1969 season from the Montreal Expos and he would platoon at First Base with Ed Kranepool.  Clendendon did not even play on the NLCS, but played in four of the five World Series Games where he batted .367 with three Home Runs and four RBIs.  He played until 197 and had 1,273 Hits with 159 Home Runs.  Eligible Since 1978.  Although he was eligible, he was not on the ballot.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Gene Tenace, Oakland Athletics, Catcher (1972)

It was in the 1972 post-season where Gene Tenace finally won the starting Catcher’s job, and in what was the first of three straight World Series wins by Oakland, Tenace was on fire.  He would bat .348 with four Home Runs and nine RBIs. He would play until 1983, winning a fourth World Series win with the Cardinals in 1982.  Eligible Since 1989.  Tenace was on the ballot for one year and finished with 0.2% of the ballot. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Pete Rose, Cincinnati Reds, Third Base (1975)

Pete Rose was at the heart of Cincinnati’s Big Red Machine, and he was already an MVP.  In this World Series, Rose and the Reds beat Boston and had a .370 Batting Average with 10 hits with five Walks.  Rose would help the Reds win another World Series in 1976, and the first for Philadelphia in 1980.   He played until 1986 and would retire as the all-time leader in Hits with 4,256.  Eligible Since 1992.  Rose was declared ineligible by the Baseball Hall of Fame due to gambling on baseball. Ranked #1A on Notinhalloffame.com.

Bucky Dent, New York Yankees, Shortstop (1978)

Bucky Dent was never known for his hitting, but the three-time All-Star came to life in the 1978 World Series.  Prior to that, he hit the Home Run tin the tie-breaker where the Yankees beat the Red Sox to win the AL East.  He batted .417 with seven RBIs in the World Series, earning him his second ring, as he was with the Yanks the year before.  Dent played until 1984 and retired with 1,114 Hits.  Eligible Since 1990.  Dent was on the ballot for one year and finished with 0.7% of the ballot. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Ron Cey, Los Angeles Dodgers, Third Base (co-winner) (1981)

For the first and only time in World Series MVP history, there were three co-winners.  Prior to this win, Ron Cey was a six-time All-Star, and had already appeared in three World Series for the Dodgers, albeit in losing efforts.  This year, he batted .350 with a Home Run and six RBIs.  He played until 1987, and had 1,868 Hits and 316 Home Runs when he retired.  Eligible Since 1993.  Cey was on the ballot for one year and finished with 1.9% of the ballot. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Pedro Guerrero, Los Angeles Dodgers, First Base (co-winner) (1981)

For the first and only time in World Series MVP history, there were three co-winners.  This season would see the first of five All-Star years for Pedro Guerrero, and in the World Series, he batted .333 with two Home Runs, seven RBIs and an OPS of 1.179.  Eligible Since 1998.  Guerrero was on the ballot for one year and finished with 1.3% of the ballot. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Steve Yeager, Los Angeles Dodgers, Catcher (co-winner) (1981)

For the first and only time in World Series MVP history, there were three co-winners.  A light hitting Catcher but well-respected handler of pitchers, Steve Yeager had two key Home Runs with a ,286 Batting Average in the World Series. Eligible Since 1998.  Yeager was on the ballot for one year and finished with 0.5% of the ballot. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Darrell Porter, St. Louis Cardinals, Catcher (1982)

Darrell Porter had been a four-time All-Star prior to this World Series, and in this season’s Fall Classic, the Catcher batted .286 with one Home Run and five RBIs.  Notable, he batted .556 in the NLCS, and won the NLCS MVP that season. He played until 1987, and retired with 1,369 Hits and 188 Home Runs.  Eligible Since 1993.  Porter was on the ballot for one year but did not receive any votes.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Rick Dempsey, Baltimore Orioles, Catcher (1983)

For the third year in a row, a Catcher won the World Series MVP.  Dempsey, who was never known for being a great hitter delivered on this stage with a .385 Batting Average and a Home Run in Baltimore’s five-game Series win over Philadelphia.  Dempsey would later win a second World Series Ring with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1988. He played until 1992.  Eligible Since 1998.  Dempsey was on the ballot for one year and finished with 0.2% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Bret Saberhagen, Kansas City Royals, Pitcher (1985)

In his second year in the Majors, Bret Saberhagen won the Cy Young with a 20-6 record and a league-leading 1.056 WHIP. In the World Series win over the Cardinals, he would win both starts and have a stellar 0.50 ERA and 0.667 WHIP. Saberhagen would win his second Cy Young in 1989.  The hurler would play until 2001 and retire with a record of 167-117 and 1,715 Strikeouts. Eligible Since 2007.  Saberhagen was on the ballot for one year and finished with 1.3% of the vote.  Ranked #65 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Ray Knight, New York Mets, Third Base (1986)

While it could be joked that the World Series MVP was really Bill Buckner, Ray Knight had an incredible World Series.  He would bat .391 with an OPS of 1.005 with one Home Run and five RBIs.  Knight was an All-Star twice and he played until 1988 with 1,311 Hits.  Eligible Since 1994.  Knight was on the ballot for one year and finished with 0.2% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Frank Viola, Minnesota Twins, Pitcher (1987)

Finishing sixth in Cy Young voting this year, Frank Viola ascended to the ace of the Twins pitching staff.  In the seven-game World Series win over the St. Louis Cardinals, Viola started three of them and went 2-1 over 19.1 Innings with an ERA of 3.72 and 16 Strikeouts.  Viola would win the Cy Young the following season, and he played until 1996, retiring with a record of 176-150.  Eligible Since 2002.  Viola was on the ballot for one year and finished with 0.4% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Orel Hershiser, Los Angeles Dodgers, Pitcher (1988)

Before 1988, Orel Hershiser was already the ace of the Dodgers pitching staff, but he was about to embark on the best season of his career.  This year, Hershiser won the Cy Young while leading the National League in Wins (23) and posting an ERA of 2.26 with 178 Strikeouts.  Hershiser would win the NLCS MVP, appearing in four games, winning one, and earning an ERA of 1.09.  In that World Series, he won both starts against the Oakland A’s winning both games with an ERA of 1.00 and a WHIP of 0.722.  Hershiser played until 2000 and would have a record of 204-150 with 2,014 Strikeouts.  Eligible Since 2006.  Hershiser was on the ballot for two years and finished as high as 11.2% in 2006.  Ranked #71 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Dave Stewart, Oakland Athletics, Pitcher (1989)

From 1987 to 1990, Dave Stewart finished in the top four in Cy Young voting, and was the ace of the Oakland staff that went to three straight World Series (1988-90).  1989 was the only one of the three that the A’s would win, and in this year, he would win both starts against the San Francisco Giants with a 1.69 ERA and 14 Strikeouts.  Stewart played until 1995, retiring with a 168-129 record and 1,741 Strikeouts.  Eligible Since 2002.  Stewart was on the ballot for two years and finished as high as 7.4% in 2001. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Jose Rijo, Cincinnati Reds, Pitcher (1990)

Jose Rijo and the Cincinnati Reds would shock Oakland in a four-game sweep in the World Series, and Rijo won both starts, with a phenomenal 0.59 ERA and 14 Strikeouts.  The Puerto Rican played until 1995, and after a five-year layoff due to injury, he returned for two years before retiring for good in 2002. He would have a record of 116-91. Eligible Since 2008.  Rijo was on the 2001 ballot and received 0.2% of the ballot, and appeared again in 2008, but had no votes that year.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Pat Borders, Toronto Blue Jays, Catcher (1992)

An unlikely World Series MVP, Pat Borders never had a season where he hat over 125 Hits and only had two 100 Hit plus years. Regardless, his bat was on fire in the 1992 World Series where he batted .450 with nine Hits, one Home Run and three RBIs.  This would be the first World Series win for the Toronto Blue Jays, and he would help them win it again in 1993.  He played until 2006.  Eligible Since 2011.  Although Borders was Hall of Fame eligible, he was never on the ballot.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

John Wetteland, New York Yankees, Pitcher (1996)

John Wetteland played two seasons with the New York Yankees, and this was the second of them.  For the first and only time, the closer would lead the league in Saves (43), and he was an All-Star for what would be the first of three times. Wetteland appeared in five games in the ’96 World Series against the Braves, and he would net four Saves with a 2.08 ERA and six Strikeouts.  He played until 2000, retiring with 330 Saves.  Eligible Since 2006.  Wetteland was on the ballot for one year and received 0.8% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Livan Hernandez, Miami Marlins, Pitcher (1997)

In Florida’s shocking World Series win, Livan Hernandez was a rookie, who was the runner-up for the Rookie of the Year Award. Hernandez was incredible in the post-season, winning the NLCS MVP (2-0), and he won both his starts in the ’97 World Series against the Cleveland Indians, albeit with a 5.27 ERA. Hernandez played until 2012, and was a two-time All-Star.  He finished his career one game over .500, with a record of 178-177.  Eligible Since 2018.  Hernandez was on the ballot for one year and received 0.2% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Scott Brosius, New York Yankees, Third Base (1998)

Scott Brosius became very popular when he arrived in 1998 to New York.  This would be his only All-Star year, and in the World Series he batted .471 with two Home Runs and six RBIs.  Brosius played for three more years, and retired with two more World Series Rings and 1,001 Hits.  Eligible Since 2007.  Brosius was on the ballot for one year and but did not receive any votes.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Curt Schilling, Arizona Diamondbacks, Pitcher (co-winner) (2001)

In the regular season, Curt Schilling finished second in Cy Young voting to his teammate, Randy Johnson, which would be the same hurler who he shared the World Series MVP with.  In this World Series, Schilling pitched in three games, winning one with an ERA of 1,69 with 26 Strikeouts.  He would win two more World Series rings with the Boston Red Sox, and he retired in 2007 with a record of 216-146 with 3,116 Strikeouts.  Eligible Since 2013.  Schilling has been on the ballot for eight years and has finished as high as 70.0% in 2020.  Ranked #5 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Troy Glaus, Anaheim Angels, Third Base (2002)

Troy Glaus was a four-time All-Star, two of which happened before 2002, and two after.  In the Angels first World Series win, Glaus batted .385 with an OPS of 1.313. and three Home Runs and eight RBIs.  He would play until 2010 and retired with 320 Home Runs.  Eligible Since 2016.  Glaus was on the ballot for one year and but did not receive any votes.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Josh Beckett, Florida Marlins, Pitcher (2003)

We think it can be safely stated that the Marlins are the most unlikely two-time World Series Champions, but that is sports for you!  Their second World Series MVP was Josh Beckett, who was in his third year in the Majors.  In this World Series, he would pitch in two Games, going 1-1 with a 1.10 ERA and 19 Strikeouts.  A future three-time All-Star, Beckett would later help the Red Sox win the 2007 World Series, and he played until 2014, retiring with a 138-106 record.  Eligible Since 2020.  Beckett was on the ballot for one year and but did not receive any votes.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Manny Ramirez, Boston Red Sox, Outfield (2004)

One of the huge reasons that the “Curse of the Bambino” was finally eradicated in 2004 was because of Manny Ramirez, who was on year seven of eleven straight All-Star Game appearances.  In the four-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals, Ramirez batted .412 with a Home Run and four RBIs.  His controversial career came to an end in 2011, and would have 2,574 Hits, 555 Home Runs and 1,831 RBIs.  Eligible Since 2017.  Ramirez has been on the ballot for four years and has finished as high as 28.2% in 2020. Ranked #6 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Jermaine Dye, Chicago White Sox, Outfield (2005)

An All-Star in 2000, and later in 2006, Jermaine Dye would win his first and only World Series ring in 2005 with the Chi-Sox. In the White Sox sweep of the Astros, Dye had a Home Run, three Runs Batted In, and a .438 Batting Average. He played until 2009, and would have 1,779 Hits with 325 Home Runs.  Eligible Since 2015.  Dye was on the ballot for one year and but did not receive any votes.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

David Eckstein, St. Louis Cardinals, Shortstop(2006)

This was the first of two straight All-Star Game years for David Eckstein, and he had already won a World Series Championship with the Anaheim Angels in 2002.  Eckstein batted .364 with four RBIs in this World Series, and he played until 2010.  Eligible Since 2016.  Eckstein was on the ballot for one year and received 0.5% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Mike Lowell, Boston Red Sox, Third Base (2007)

Mike Lowell finished fifth in MVP voting this year, which would be the highest he would ever finish.  A four-time All-Star, Lowell already had a World Series Ring with the Marlins, and in this World Series sweep over the Colorado Rockies, he would bat .400 with a Home Run with four RBIs.  Lowell played until 2010, and he retired with 1,619 Hits and 223 Home Runs. Eligible Since 2016.  Lowell was on the ballot for one year and but did not receive any votes.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Hideko Matsui, New York Yankees, Outfield (2009)

Hideki Matsui was already a two-time All-Star, and with his MVP in the 2009 World Series, he became the first Japanese to win the award.  In the six-game win over the Philadelphia Phillies, “Godzilla” blasted three Home Runs, had eight RBIs, and had a disgusting Slash Line of .615/.643/1.385, meaning he had an OPS over 2.000.  He played in the Majors until 2012.  Eligible Since 2018.  Matsui was on the ballot for one year and received 0.8% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Edgar Renteria, San Francisco Giants, Shortstop (2010)

This was the penultimate season of Edgar Renteria, who was a five-time All-Star, who had previously won a World Series Ring in 1997 as a Florida Marlin.  In the 2010 World Series, the Venezuelan Shortstop had two Home Runs, six RBIs and batted .412.  Retiring in 2011, Reneteria had 2,327 Hits with 140 Home Runs.  He was also a three-time Silver Slugger and twice a Gold Glove winner.  Eligible Since 2018.  Matsui was on the ballot for one year and received 0.8% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

 

Let’s update our tally, shall we?

Award in Question	Percentage of recipients who have entered the HOF	Percentage of recipients by year who have entered the HOF.
NBA MVP	100%	100%
NHL Norris	90.5%	96.4%
NBA All Star Game MVP	89.5%	91.7%
NHL Conn Smythe	74.2%	85.4%
NFL Bert Bell Award	73.7%	71.4%
NFL AP Offensive Player of the Year	73.1%	79.4%
NFL AP MVP	68.3%	74.0%
NHL Lady Byng	63.8%	76.0%
NFL Defensive Player of the Year	60.8%	71.1%
NFL Super Bowl MVP	60.6%	64.9%
NBA Defensive Player of the Year	58.3%	56.5%
NHL Vezina	57.1%	66.3%
NBA Rookie of the Year	56.5%	56.5%
MLB MVP	55.0%	60.2%
NFL Pro Bowl MVP	52.3%	54.8%
MLB Lou Gehrig Award	51.9%	51.9%
MLB Roberto Clemente Award	47.4%	47.4%
MLB/NL/AL Cy Young Award	44.4%	55.4%
MLB Babe Ruth Award	37.0%	39.3%
NHL Frank J. Selke Trophy	33.3%	36.7%
MLB World Series MVP	33.3%	36.8%
MLB Hutch Award	33.1%	33.1%
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year	28.6%	28.6%
NHL Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy	27.9%	27.9%
MLB Edgar Martinez Award	26.7%	17.2%
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Designated Hitter)	25.0%	30.8%
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Shortstop)	23.5%	52.6%
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove	21.7%	36.8%
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year	20.6%	20.6%
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Catcher)	20.0%	22.5%
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Second Base)	18.8%	39.8%
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Shortstop)	18.2%	35.1%
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Pitcher)	18.2%	20.1%
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Second Base)	16.7%	32.7%
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Outfield)	16.7%	30.1%
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Outfield)	15.7%	25.2%
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Third Base)	14.3%	14.3%
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (Third Base)	13.6%	14.3%
MLB (NL/AL) Silver Slugger (First Base)	13.6%	13.3%
MLB (NL/AL) Rookie of the Year	13.3%	13.3%
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (Catcher)	10.3%	15.2%
NBA Most Improved Player of the Year	5.3%	3.2%
MLB (NL/AL) Gold Glove (First Base)	3.8%	3.2%
NFL AP Comeback Player of the Year	0.0%	0.0%

So, who is up next?

The following are the players who have won the World Series MVP in the NFL who have retired but have not met the mandatory years out of the game to qualify for the Baseball Hall of Fame:

David Freese, St. Louis Cardinals, Third Base (2011)

David Freese will mostly be remembered over his career for his 2011 playoffs, where he won both the NLCS MVP and World Series MVP. In Game 6 of the World Series, Freese tied the game to send it into extra innings.  In the 11^thinning, he homered to win it, and force a Game 7, which the Redbirds won.  Overall, in the World Series, he had seven RBIs, the aforementioned Home Run, and a .348 Batting Average.  He played until 2019, and had 1,041 Hits.  Eligible in 2025.

David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox, Designated Hitter and First Base (2013)

This season would be the ninth of ten of All-Star seasons, for David Ortiz, which would also see him earn his third and final World Series Ring.  In the 2013 World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, Ortiz had the following Slash Line: .688/.760/1.188.  Incredible right?  He played until 2016, and would end his career with 2,472 Hits, 541 Home Runs, and 1,768 RBIs.  Eligible in 2022.

Ben Zobrist, Chicago Cubs, Second Base (2016)

In what Ben Zobrist’s first of four years in Chicago, the Cubs finally broke their curse and won their first World Series in well over a century.  In the regular season, Zobrist was an All-Star for the third and final time, and he would win the World Series for the second straight year, as he was with the Royals in 2015.  In this World Series, he batted .357 with 10 Hits and two RBIs.  He played until 2019 and retired with 1,566 Hits and 167 Home Runs. Eligible in 2025.

Steve Pearce, Boston Red Sox, Outfield (2018)

This was the penultimate year for Steve Pearce, who over 13 years would never have a 100 Hit season.  In the 2018 World Series, his bat was on fire with a three Home Run, eight RBI performance with a .333 Batting Average.  He would only have 572 Hits over his career.  Eligible in 2025.

The following are the players who have won the World Series MVP who are still active.

Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies, Pitcher (2008)

Cole Hamels led the National League in WHIP this year and in the World Series, he pitched two games, going 1-0 with an ERA of 2.77.  Hamels also won the NLCS MVP.  35 Years Old, Playing for the Atlanta Braves.

Pablo Sandoval, San Francisco Giants, First Base (2012)

Exceptionally popular, Pablo Sandoval would bat .500 in the four-game sweep over the Detroit Tigers and the “Panda” would have three Home Runs and four RBIs.  33 Years Old, Playing for the San Francisco Giants.

Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco Giants, Pitcher(2014)

Bumgarner was on year two of a four-year run of All-Star Game years, and he would finish fourth in Cy Young voting.  In the 2014 playoffs, Bumgarner was on fire winning both the NLCS MVP and the World Series MVP.  In the latter, he went 2-0 with a 0.43 ERA, and earned a save in the deciding Game 7 over the Kansas City Royals.  30 Years Old, Playing for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals, Catcher (2015)

An All-Star for the third straight year, Salvador Perez batted .364 in Kansas City’s five-game World Series win over the New York Mets.  He would also have two Doubles and two RBIs.  30 Years Old, Playing for the Kansas City Royals.

George Springer, Houston Astros, Outfield (2017)

This was the breakout year for George Springer, and the breakout for the Houston Astros, who won their first World Series this year. In the seven-game series over the Los Angeles Dodgers, Springer blasted five Home Runs, with seven RBIs, with a .379 Batting Average and an even 1.000 OPS.  30 Years Old, Playing for the Houston Astros.

Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals, Pitcher(2018)

In the regular season, Stephen Strasburg led the National League in Wins (18), and was fifth in Cy Young voting.  In the World Series, he pitched twice, winning both games with 14 Strikeouts and a 2.51 ERA.  31 Years Old, Playing for the Washington Nationals.

You can’t win the World Series MVP, without making the World Series, and winning teams have stars, average players, and those who seize the moment.  The World Series MVP reflects all of those players.

So, what is up next?

We are going to return to the ice, and look at the Art Ross Trophy, which is awarded annually to the player who has the most Points in a season.

As always, we thank you for your support, and look for that soon.

Yes, our guilt alone will tell you once again that we acknowledge that this is a very slow process!

With the 2017 Major League Baseball Season underway, we are pleased to present our next top 50, which features the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Blue Brew Crew has only made the playoffs four times, with only one trip to the Fall Classic, a losing effort in 1982.  Still this is a team who has produced Hall of Famers and has a healthy fan base that should see this team remain in the state of Wisconsin.

The entire list can be found here, but let’s reveal the top five right away!

1. Robin Yount

2. Paul Molitor

3. Ryan Braun

4. Cecil Cooper

5. Teddy Higuera

There will be more coming, but of course we would love to hear your input on our latest creation!

Rollie Fingers would become a baseball Hall of Fame Relief Pitcher predominantly for what he accomplished with the Oakland Athletics but his lone Cy Young Award took place when he played for Milwaukee.  As a Brewer, Fingers would win the Cy Young and the MVP in 1981 and arguably had the most dominating season as a closer in Brewers history.

Milwaukee would be the last team that he played for in the Majors, and with the Brewers, he had 97 Saves with an ERA of 2.54.  Fingers was inducted into Cooperstown in 1992, and Milwaukee honored him further by retiring his number 34 the same year.