2018 Modern Baseball Era Ballot
Nine former big league players and one executive comprise the 10-name Modern Baseball Era ballot to be reviewed and voted upon Dec. 10 at the Baseball Winter Meetings.
Steve Garvey, Tommy John, Don Mattingly, Marvin Miller, Jack Morris, Dale Murphy, Dave Parker, Ted Simmons, Luis Tiant and Alan Trammell are the candidates the Modern Baseball Era Committee will consider for Hall of Fame election for the Class of 2018. All candidates are former players except for Miller, who was the head of the Major League Baseball Players Association from 1966-82. All candidates except for Miller are living.
Any candidate who receives votes on 75 percent of the ballots cast by the 16-member Modern Baseball Era Committee will earn election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and will be inducted in Cooperstown on July 29, 2018, along with any electees who emerge from the 2018 Baseball Writers’ Association of America election, to be announced on Jan. 24, 2018.
The Modern Baseball Era is one of four Era Committees, each of which provide an avenue for Hall of Fame consideration to managers, umpires and executives, as well as players retired for more than 15 seasons.
The 16-member Hall of Fame Board-appointed electorate charged with the review of the Modern Baseball Era features Hall of Fame members George Brett, Rod Carew, Bobby Cox, Dennis Eckersley, John Schuerholz, Don Sutton, Dave Winfield and Robin Yount; major league executives Sandy Alderson (Mets), Paul Beeston (Blue Jays), Bob Castellini (Reds), Bill DeWitt (Cardinals) and David Glass (Royals); and veteran media members/historians Bob Elliott, Steve Hirdt and Jayson Stark.
Candidate Bios
Tommy John
Tommy John pitched 26 seasons for the Indians, White Sox, Dodgers, Yankees, Angels and A’s, finishing his career after the 1989 season with a record of 288-231 and 3.34 ERA. His 700 career starts rank eighth on the all-time list and his 4,710.1 innings rank 20th all-time. A four-time All-Star and two-time runner-up in his league’s Cy Young Award voting, John injured his ulna collateral ligament during the 1974 season, then underwent what is now known as Tommy John Surgery – a ground-breaking procedure that replaced the torn ligament with a tendon. John returned to the big leagues in 1976 and pitched 14 seasons after the surgery, winning 20-or-more games three times in those seasons.
Don Mattingly
Don Mattingly played 14 seasons for the Yankees, batting .307 with 222 home runs and 2,153 hits. A six-time All-Star and nine-time Gold Glove Award winner at first base, Mattingly led the American League in total bases in both 1985 and 1986, won the 1984 AL batting title, captured three Silver Slugger Awards and was named the 1985 AL Most Valuable Player. He led the AL in doubles three times and in fielding percentage seven times. In 1987, he tied Dale Long’s major league record by homering in eight straight games.
Marvin Miller
Marvin Miller was elected as the head of the Major League Baseball Players Association in 1966 and quickly turned the union into a powerhouse. Within a decade, Miller had secured free agency for the players via the arbitration process when Dave McNally and Andy Messersmith played out their contracts following the 1975 season. By the time Miller retired in 1982, the average player salary was approximately 10 times what it was when he took over.
Jack Morris
Jack Morris pitched for 18 seasons for the Tigers, Twins, Blue Jays and Indians, winning 254 career games and earning five All-Star Game selections. Morris posted three 20-win seasons, made 14 Opening Day starts and pitched for four World Series winners, capturing the 1991 World Series MVP following 10 shutout innings in Game 7 for the Twins. Morris topped the 200-inning mark in 11 seasons and notched 175 complete games, the most of any pitcher whose career started after 1976.
Dale Murphy
Dale Murphy played 18 seasons with the Braves, Phillies and Rockies, winning back-to-back National League Most Valuable Player Awards in 1982 and 1983. A seven-time All-Star, Murphy won five Gold Glove Awards and four Silver Slugger Awards in center field. Murphy finished his career with 398 home runs and 1,266 RBI. A durable workhorse, Murphy appeared in 160-or-more games in five straight seasons and joined the 30 homer/30 steal club in 1983.
Dave Parker
Dave Parker compiled a .290 career average over 19 major league seasons with six teams, including 11 years in Pittsburgh and four years in Cincinnati, and amassed 339 home runs, 1,439 RBI and two batting titles (1977-78). The 1978 NL Most Valuable Player was named to seven All-Star games and won three Gold Glove Awards in right field. A five-tool player, Parker led the NL in total bases three times and was part of World Series-winning teams in Pittsburgh in 1979 and Oakland in 1989.
Ted Simmons
Ted Simmons played for 21 seasons, totaling a .285 batting average, 2,472 hits, 483 doubles, 248 home runs and 1,389 RBI for the Cardinals, Brewers and Braves. An eight-time All-Star, he garnered MVP votes seven times in his career and finished among his league’s top 10 players in batting average six times. His 193 hits in 1975 are the most of any catcher who caught at least 150 games in a season, and his 192 hits in 1973 rank second on that same list. Among those who played at least 50 percent of their games at catcher, Simmons ranks second in hits (behind Ivan Rodriguez), second in doubles (Rodriguez), second in RBI (Yogi Berra) and fifth in runs (behind Ivan Rodriguez, Carlton Fisk, Yogi Berra and Johnny Bench).
Luis Tiant
Luis Tiant won at least 20 games in four of his 19 big league seasons with the Indians, Twins, Red Sox, Yankees, Pirates and Angels, finishing his career with 229 wins and a 3.30 ERA while earning three All-Star Game selections. He won two American League ERA titles, including a 1.60 ERA in 1968, and led the league in shutouts three times. Considered one of the best big-game pitchers of his era, Tiant was 3-0 in the postseason with a 2.86 ERA.
Alan Trammell
Alan Trammell spent his entire 20-year big league career with the Tigers, earning six All-Star Game selections, four Gold Glove Awards at shortstop and three Silver Slugger Awards. Trammell was named the 1984 World Series Most Valuable Player after leading Detroit to the championship with a .450 batting average over five games. He totaled 2,365 hits, 412 doubles and a .285 career batting average and hit .300-or-better in seven seasons.
Voting Rules
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Induction Weekend 2018
Induction Weekend 2018 will be held July 27-30, with the Induction Ceremony at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 29 at the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown.