Womack: Alan Trammell isn’t bitter about Hall of Fame, but he should be in
From SABR member Graham Womack at The Sporting News on March 8, 2016:
Alan Trammell might have been on a golf course near his San Diego home when word came in January that, once again, he’d fallen short of the Hall of Fame.
The Tigers legend, arguably the best eligible shortstop not enshrined, knew he didn’t have a chance for Cooperstown through the Baseball Writers Association of America. Induction from the writers requires 75 percent of their vote. In his 15 years on the ballot, Trammell hung mostly in the 15-20 percent range before peaking at 40.9 percent on his 15th and final ballot in January.
“There’s nothing else I can do,” Trammell said. “The numbers are there. As far as my career, I can’t change anything. I’m not going to play anymore. I’ve never been one that would lobby. It’s just not my style.”
The numbers are definitely there, both by sabermetrics and more traditional measures. There’s Trammell’s four Gold Gloves, three Silver Sluggers, and six All-Star appearances. There’s his .285 batting average and 2,365 hits, both respectable for a shortstop, though Trammell acknowledges that his stats weren’t eye-popping.
Read the full article here: http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb-news/4697638-alan-trammell-hall-of-fame-chances-percentage-years-left-ballot-stats-case
Originally published: March 8, 2016. Last Updated: March 8, 2016.