If the expectation in the 1800’s was for there to be more errors, then you cannot conclude that everyone was a poor fielder. It is all relative.
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So, it seems a web was added to the glove around 1930, so I used that as a starting point. 1B with a higher DWAR than Keith
Jeff King - '89-'99 - 40% of his games at 1B - all count to DWAR
Youkilis 56% of games at 1B
Joshua Fuentes - 3 season - 45% at 1B
Hernandez
Daric Barton - 1.2 (actual 1B) Starter for 2 of 8 seasons
Matt Olson - 1.0 first guy to truly seem legit
Nick Evans - 48% 1B
Max Muncy - 45% 1B
Tim Harkness - .3 - 4 season 1B - maybe one as a starter
…
Travis Ishikawa - .2 - 10 years, as a backup
Christian Walker - 0 - actual starter, last 4 years, 1b and an actual career
All in all, using DWAR, Hernandez is clearly the greatest fielding 1b of the modern era
The stat really stinks though
FYI
Hernandez OPS+ 128
Eddie Murray 129
Mattingly 127
Teixeira 126
Tony Perez 122 (yeah I know)
Hodges 120
Clemente 130
Winfield 130
Yaz 130
Rice 128
Rickey 127
Santo 125
Brooks 105
It is unfair to compare career OPS+ for Hernandez to those who played longer and had their career OPS+ lowered due to average stats from more later years of service.
Mattingly is a good comparison to Hernandez. Both have some merit.
I also went down a rabbit hole, looking at the single season HR record. Babe Ruth hit 29 HRs in 1919, breaking the 35-year old record held by Ed Williamson. Williamson hit 27 in 1884, and never hit more than 9 in his 13-year career. Up until 1884, the Cubs had a ground rule that any ball hit on the fly into the EXTREMELY short right field porch would be ruled a double. This helped Williamson set the single season doubles record of 49 in 1883. In 1884, the ground rule changed, now making these hits HRs. 25 of his record 27 HRs were hit at home.
Another fun fact:
Roger Conner had more career triples than career home runs.
Fun opinion: Triples are way more exciting than Home Runs, but Inside-The-Park Homer Runs are more exciting than triples.
So, to make baseball more exciting, make triples and ITPHR’s more possible. Bigger fields, more quirky outfield walls, worse fielders…
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30 1b listed in HOF by Baseball Reference - obviously not all are
Hernandez is
13th in WAR
14th WAR7
14th in JAWS
5th DWAR - heavily discussed - others all before turn of prior century
11th MVP share (not really fair as there was no double winners and no award) - but still 11th of 20
FYI Hernandez played 17 seasons; Mattingly 14
I think there is a case for both, especially in a large hall. Both had an MVP and runner up along with 2 other top 10 finishes and some random seasons with a couple votes.
I think you’ve sold me on Hernandez candidacy but I then I don’t have a vote.
Was MLB playing around with using different baseballs again in 2022? Evidence from one scientist suggests they were, and some players agree
Perhaps the most intriguing part is that the evidence suggests a more lively ball was used in NYY games while Judge was on his quest for the HR record, as well as playoffs and exhibition games.
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Good grief. First deflategate and now this…
Apparently the game is not exciting enough, and people need a reason to watch/go to games.
“So, let’s conspire to break a 95-year-old AL record. That’ll get 'em.”
Judge got paid. Returns to New York. Here’s hoping the keep using the juiced balls at Yankee stadium!
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…except when Cole and Taillon are pitching.
Taillon is pitching for the Cubs. 4 year $68m. Break out the juiced balls when Taillon is in town!
I"m not a bettor, but I’d be pissed to find out that my over/under bets and others were being messed with by MLB. Wouldn’t this be breaking some sort of laws related to fixing gambling?
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MLB is going to have to ban itself from the HOF.
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Only if someone inside knew about the different balls used at different games, then tried to capitalize on it.
Or, if MLB shared this info with betting parlors, so they could capitalize on creating a more accurate line.
I mean, let them experiment on different balls in the minors. (Doesn’t affect the betting issue you bring up, though.)
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