Yankees on the 2020 BBWAA HoF Ballot - 2000's Stars
In the first installment of this series covering Yankees on the Hall of Fame ballot, we touched on three players that won multiple championships in New York. Here we'll focus on a quartet of players that produced at a high level in pinstripes during the 2000's but never won that elusive ring with the Yankees.
For each player, their JAWS (Jaffe Average WAR Score, developed by Jay Jaffe) value is given along with the average Hall of Famer's JAWS at the player's position. JAWS is a Hall of Fame rating system based on WAR that incorporates both career and peak value. If you're interested in learning more about this, click here.
For each player, their JAWS (Jaffe Average WAR Score, developed by Jay Jaffe) value is given along with the average Hall of Famer's JAWS at the player's position. JAWS is a Hall of Fame rating system based on WAR that incorporates both career and peak value. If you're interested in learning more about this, click here.
Gary Sheffield - Right Field, JAWS: 49.3, HoF JAWS: 56.8
A Gary Sheffield at bat was a sight to behold. Most of the great swings throughout baseball history could be described as beautiful, but a Sheffield swing would best be described as an act of violence. Before each pitch he would tilt his bat from an upright position back and forth towards the pitcher, like a pendulum getting increasingly out of control, until he lunged forward and unleashed his fury on the ball. It was unlike any swing in baseball seen before or since. Few could argue with the results.
After a tumultuous early career with the Milwaukee Brewers in which he never saw eye to eye with the organization, Sheffield got his career on track with a trade to the San Diego Padres in 1992. That year as their full-time third baseman he hit 33 home runs with 100 RBI's, led the major leagues with 323 total bases, and won a batting title with a .330 average. However, that didn't stop the Padres from trading him the following year to the Florida Marlins.
And so began the nomadic career of Gary Sheffield, where he consistently battered baseballs at every stop. In 1996 with the Marlins he put up numbers that impress even in the context of the high octane late 1990's. He slashed .314/.465/.624 for a league leading 189 OPS+ with 42 home runs, 120 RBI's and an absurd 142:66 strikeout to walk ratio.
In three full seasons with the Dodgers he hit .312 with an average of 38 home runs, 103 RBI's, 99 walks and just 67 strikeouts per season. After two nearly identical seasons in Atlanta he became a free agent for this first time in his career in 2003 season.
Desperate for a right-handed masher, Brian Cashman forked over nearly $40 million for the 35-year old Sheffield. During his first two seasons in pinstripes he was worth every penny and was even the runner-up for AL MVP in 2004. Injuries and a hearty disagreement with management in 2006 forced his way to Detroit where his batting skills waned significantly. He finished out his career with the Mets as a 40-year old in 2009.
Gary Sheffield's career numbers with the bat scream Hall of Famer. He is part of the 500 home run club, had a .292 career batting average, and displayed amazing plate discipline - he walked more than he struck out in 16 of his 22 career seasons. His bat may have been a violent weapon, but he wielded it with the cold calculation of a mafia hitman. Advanced metrics back him up too, as his 561 career Batting Runs Above Average rank 29th all-time.
Even with those eye-popping numbers, Sheffield has received only between 11% and 14% of the BBWAA vote since entering the ballot in 2015. So what gives? There are three things holding him back in the eyes of voters: (1) He switched positions mid-career from third base to right field, but by all accounts and measures was a very poor fielder at both positions, (2) Starting with his minor league career he had a sizable chip on his shoulder and would wear out his welcome as quickly and forcefully as his swing, (3) As a friend of Barry Bonds he was linked to steroid use as part of the BALCO scandal and was named in the 2007 Mitchell Report.
Despite the strikes against him, 2020 appears to be a turning point in the voting for Gary Sheffield. About 40% of the voters have released their ballots publicly thus far, and Sheffield's share of those votes is sitting at just over 37%, a sharp increase over his previous high. With players being elected in record numbers over the last few years, writers seem to finally be finding some room on their ballot for one of the greatest hitters of all-time. Still, enshrinement via the BBWAA will be an uphill battle for Sheff.
After a tumultuous early career with the Milwaukee Brewers in which he never saw eye to eye with the organization, Sheffield got his career on track with a trade to the San Diego Padres in 1992. That year as their full-time third baseman he hit 33 home runs with 100 RBI's, led the major leagues with 323 total bases, and won a batting title with a .330 average. However, that didn't stop the Padres from trading him the following year to the Florida Marlins.
And so began the nomadic career of Gary Sheffield, where he consistently battered baseballs at every stop. In 1996 with the Marlins he put up numbers that impress even in the context of the high octane late 1990's. He slashed .314/.465/.624 for a league leading 189 OPS+ with 42 home runs, 120 RBI's and an absurd 142:66 strikeout to walk ratio.
In three full seasons with the Dodgers he hit .312 with an average of 38 home runs, 103 RBI's, 99 walks and just 67 strikeouts per season. After two nearly identical seasons in Atlanta he became a free agent for this first time in his career in 2003 season.
Gary Sheffield preparing to assault another baseball.
Googie man/Wikimedia Commons
Desperate for a right-handed masher, Brian Cashman forked over nearly $40 million for the 35-year old Sheffield. During his first two seasons in pinstripes he was worth every penny and was even the runner-up for AL MVP in 2004. Injuries and a hearty disagreement with management in 2006 forced his way to Detroit where his batting skills waned significantly. He finished out his career with the Mets as a 40-year old in 2009.
Gary Sheffield's career numbers with the bat scream Hall of Famer. He is part of the 500 home run club, had a .292 career batting average, and displayed amazing plate discipline - he walked more than he struck out in 16 of his 22 career seasons. His bat may have been a violent weapon, but he wielded it with the cold calculation of a mafia hitman. Advanced metrics back him up too, as his 561 career Batting Runs Above Average rank 29th all-time.
Even with those eye-popping numbers, Sheffield has received only between 11% and 14% of the BBWAA vote since entering the ballot in 2015. So what gives? There are three things holding him back in the eyes of voters: (1) He switched positions mid-career from third base to right field, but by all accounts and measures was a very poor fielder at both positions, (2) Starting with his minor league career he had a sizable chip on his shoulder and would wear out his welcome as quickly and forcefully as his swing, (3) As a friend of Barry Bonds he was linked to steroid use as part of the BALCO scandal and was named in the 2007 Mitchell Report.
Despite the strikes against him, 2020 appears to be a turning point in the voting for Gary Sheffield. About 40% of the voters have released their ballots publicly thus far, and Sheffield's share of those votes is sitting at just over 37%, a sharp increase over his previous high. With players being elected in record numbers over the last few years, writers seem to finally be finding some room on their ballot for one of the greatest hitters of all-time. Still, enshrinement via the BBWAA will be an uphill battle for Sheff.
Bobby Abreu - Right Field, JAWS: 50.8, HoF JAWS: 56.8
For about a decade, Bobby Abreu was a metronome of baseball excellence. Every year he would hit .300 with 20 or 30 home runs, steal 20 or 30 bases, smack 40 doubles, score 100 runs, drive in 100 runs, and walk 100 times. Early in his career he was also a terrific fielder. Under normal circumstances this would make for a compelling Hall of Fame case.
However, Abreu was and still is rarely recognized as the great player he was during his career. This is almost solely attributable to his reserved nature that kept his demeanor low key no matter the situation on the baseball diamond. Fans and media members mistook his stoicism as a lack of passion or enthusiasm for baseball.
Truth is, nobody could be that productive for that long as a major leaguer while lacking passion for the game. From day one, Abreu took a sober, patient approach to hitting that made him an on-base machine but lacked the aggression that many around baseball crave. Productive as he was, he couldn't win over fans, especially in a city with a rabid fanbase like Philadelphia where he spent most of his career. This despite his heavy involvement in the local community, as evidenced by his Roberto Clemente Award in 2004.
It didn't help that the Phillies were a middling team that never made the playoffs during Abreu's tenure there. A 2006 trade to the Yankees meant that he would get to play meaningful October baseball. Although the Yankees lost the two playoff series that Abreu appeared in for New York, he hit well in both of them with an even .300 batting average. Despite his reputation, he could perform in high pressure situations.
With the Yankees Abreu's home run and walk totals dipped a bit even as a lefty in Yankee Stadium, but he still remained a quality bat in the middle of the lineup. After signing as a free agent with the Angels in 2009, his production steadily tapered off until he retired at 40 years old.
Based on merit alone, Abreu's career achievements should warrant serious consideration for Cooperstown. Unsurprisingly, the BBWAA voters disagree as he has only appeared on about 7% of the publicly released ballots thus far. And that's a shame.
However, Abreu was and still is rarely recognized as the great player he was during his career. This is almost solely attributable to his reserved nature that kept his demeanor low key no matter the situation on the baseball diamond. Fans and media members mistook his stoicism as a lack of passion or enthusiasm for baseball.
Truth is, nobody could be that productive for that long as a major leaguer while lacking passion for the game. From day one, Abreu took a sober, patient approach to hitting that made him an on-base machine but lacked the aggression that many around baseball crave. Productive as he was, he couldn't win over fans, especially in a city with a rabid fanbase like Philadelphia where he spent most of his career. This despite his heavy involvement in the local community, as evidenced by his Roberto Clemente Award in 2004.
It didn't help that the Phillies were a middling team that never made the playoffs during Abreu's tenure there. A 2006 trade to the Yankees meant that he would get to play meaningful October baseball. Although the Yankees lost the two playoff series that Abreu appeared in for New York, he hit well in both of them with an even .300 batting average. Despite his reputation, he could perform in high pressure situations.
Bobby Abreu was traded to the Yankees from Philadelphia in 2006.
Googie Man/Wkimedia Commons
With the Yankees Abreu's home run and walk totals dipped a bit even as a lefty in Yankee Stadium, but he still remained a quality bat in the middle of the lineup. After signing as a free agent with the Angels in 2009, his production steadily tapered off until he retired at 40 years old.
Based on merit alone, Abreu's career achievements should warrant serious consideration for Cooperstown. Unsurprisingly, the BBWAA voters disagree as he has only appeared on about 7% of the publicly released ballots thus far. And that's a shame.
Alfonso Soriano - Left Field, JAWS: 27.8, HoF JAWS: 53.6
In the late 1990's Alfonso Soriano was the rare Yankees prospect that they didn't trade away. Normally he would have been dealt for an established star like Chuck Knoblauch or Roger Clemens to help sustain their championship run. Their decision to hold on to him was a sound one.
Soriano broke in as the Yankees' everyday second baseman in 2001 and helped the team secure their fourth straight AL pennant. A season later he skyrocketed to stardom. Batting leadoff he was a .300 hitter with 39 home runs and 41 stolen bases. After a similar season in 2003, he was regarded as baseball's next superstar and in a shocking move was dealt to the Texas Rangers for Alex Rodriguez.
For the remainder of his career, Soriano showed flashes of the brilliance he showed in his early Yankee career, but never consistently fulfilled his potential. Part of the problem was his poor fielding at second base which warranted a move to left field later in his career. He also rarely drew walks and struck out a ton at the plate. His value was therefore heavily reliant on home runs, stolen bases, and hitting for a high average. That's a skill set that tends not to age well.
Still, Soriano joined the exclusive 40-40 club in 2006 with the Washington Nationals and maintained a respectable bat in his seven years with the Cubs thereafter. He returned to the Yankees briefly in 2013 to close out his career and retired with over 2,000 hits, more than 1,000 runs scored and RBI's, and over 400 home runs. None of those totals are automatic Hall of Fame qualifiers, but they're not too shabby.
On the public ballots released thus far, Soriano has yet to receive a single vote so he will likely fall off the ballot after his debut this year. That was to be expected, even if his unique combination of power and speed was great fun when he was at his best.
Soriano broke in as the Yankees' everyday second baseman in 2001 and helped the team secure their fourth straight AL pennant. A season later he skyrocketed to stardom. Batting leadoff he was a .300 hitter with 39 home runs and 41 stolen bases. After a similar season in 2003, he was regarded as baseball's next superstar and in a shocking move was dealt to the Texas Rangers for Alex Rodriguez.
For the remainder of his career, Soriano showed flashes of the brilliance he showed in his early Yankee career, but never consistently fulfilled his potential. Part of the problem was his poor fielding at second base which warranted a move to left field later in his career. He also rarely drew walks and struck out a ton at the plate. His value was therefore heavily reliant on home runs, stolen bases, and hitting for a high average. That's a skill set that tends not to age well.
The follow-through on Soriano's long, looping swing in 2013.
Keith Allison/Wikimedia Commons
Still, Soriano joined the exclusive 40-40 club in 2006 with the Washington Nationals and maintained a respectable bat in his seven years with the Cubs thereafter. He returned to the Yankees briefly in 2013 to close out his career and retired with over 2,000 hits, more than 1,000 runs scored and RBI's, and over 400 home runs. None of those totals are automatic Hall of Fame qualifiers, but they're not too shabby.
On the public ballots released thus far, Soriano has yet to receive a single vote so he will likely fall off the ballot after his debut this year. That was to be expected, even if his unique combination of power and speed was great fun when he was at his best.
Jason Giambi - First Base, JAWS: 46.4, HoF JAWS: 54.8
At the height of his powers, Jason Giambi was a classic slugger on par with some of the all-time greats. Even after his power was sapped, his bat remained respectable thanks to a batting eye that remained sharp into his 40's. While you'll never see a plaque for Giambi in Cooperstown, he hit at a Hall of Fame level for most of his career.
Giambi got a relatively late start to his career with the Oakland A's. He didn't become a regular in their lineup until age 25 after Mark McGwire's departure freed up first base as a place to hide his poor glove. When that time came, he was already hitting like a seasoned veteran. His rise to superstardom coincided with the A's becoming perennial contenders in the early 2000's before the Yankees aggressively pursued him as the best free agent bat on the market in 2001.
During these prime years Giambi simply destroyed major league pitching. From 1999 through 2003 - three years with Oakland and two with the Yankees - he slashed .311/.444/.596 which was good for a ridiculous 171 OPS+. He also averaged 39 home runs, 122 RBI's, 110 runs scored, and 122 walks per season. Compared to the five-year primes of legends like Willie McCovey, Hank Aaron, or Frank Robinson, Giambi's run stands up among them.
Over the next five years injuries and a gradual decline in batting average took their toll on Giambi's ability to produce at that level. Further complicating things was his admission to steroid use to a grand jury as part of the BALCO scandal which broke news in 2004. The fact that he didn't admit anything publicly until 2007 was not a great look for Giambi, but to his credit he was apologetic for how he handled the situation. He also never failed a drug test once formal testing was implemented until the end of his career.
At 37 years old Giambi was still a very serviceable player during his last year with the Yankees. His 32 home runs and .372 on-base percentage meant he was still a threat in the middle of the lineup. He hung around the majors for another six seasons for various teams, mostly in a reserve role.
Considering on-field performance only, Giambi has a borderline case for the Hall of Fame mainly because of his lousy glove and significant drop off in production over the back half of his career. Tipping the scales against him is the steroid use that he admitted to during his otherworldly prime years. Voters simply can't look past that, as evidenced by the lone vote he has received on ballots that have gone public so far.
To boil down Jason Giambi as a monster created by steroids is probably a bit unfair though. His surgical precision within the strike zone throughout his career was not something that could have been aided by performance enhancers. He possessed a skill rivaled by few other major leaguers in baseball history and will always have a place in that history because of it.
Giambi got a relatively late start to his career with the Oakland A's. He didn't become a regular in their lineup until age 25 after Mark McGwire's departure freed up first base as a place to hide his poor glove. When that time came, he was already hitting like a seasoned veteran. His rise to superstardom coincided with the A's becoming perennial contenders in the early 2000's before the Yankees aggressively pursued him as the best free agent bat on the market in 2001.
During these prime years Giambi simply destroyed major league pitching. From 1999 through 2003 - three years with Oakland and two with the Yankees - he slashed .311/.444/.596 which was good for a ridiculous 171 OPS+. He also averaged 39 home runs, 122 RBI's, 110 runs scored, and 122 walks per season. Compared to the five-year primes of legends like Willie McCovey, Hank Aaron, or Frank Robinson, Giambi's run stands up among them.
Over the next five years injuries and a gradual decline in batting average took their toll on Giambi's ability to produce at that level. Further complicating things was his admission to steroid use to a grand jury as part of the BALCO scandal which broke news in 2004. The fact that he didn't admit anything publicly until 2007 was not a great look for Giambi, but to his credit he was apologetic for how he handled the situation. He also never failed a drug test once formal testing was implemented until the end of his career.
Jason Giambi rocking a moustache during his final season with the Yankees in 2008.
Keith Allison/Wikimedia Commons
At 37 years old Giambi was still a very serviceable player during his last year with the Yankees. His 32 home runs and .372 on-base percentage meant he was still a threat in the middle of the lineup. He hung around the majors for another six seasons for various teams, mostly in a reserve role.
Considering on-field performance only, Giambi has a borderline case for the Hall of Fame mainly because of his lousy glove and significant drop off in production over the back half of his career. Tipping the scales against him is the steroid use that he admitted to during his otherworldly prime years. Voters simply can't look past that, as evidenced by the lone vote he has received on ballots that have gone public so far.
To boil down Jason Giambi as a monster created by steroids is probably a bit unfair though. His surgical precision within the strike zone throughout his career was not something that could have been aided by performance enhancers. He possessed a skill rivaled by few other major leaguers in baseball history and will always have a place in that history because of it.
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