The MLB Hall of Good

Want to give homage to a fellow baseball fan's genius idea.

For most of my lifetime, people have known me as a die-hard Dodgers fan. I have rooted for the team since the wee age of 9 years old. Over the years, my fandom has only grown, as I have spent tons of hours learning about the game through Youtube, watching games, looking up stats, and even playing it myself.

One standout ability that I have is knowledge of obscure baseball players. While most people have heard of stars like Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani, and Paul Skenes, I know the names of many other players. A few examples of this are knowing who Alex Castellanos, Ronald Belisario, Alex Guerrero, Adam Liberatore, Adam Kolarek, and J.P Howell are.

My other passion has been using advanced analytics to determine how good these players are. Through the use of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs, and Baseball Savant, I have been able to learn so much about the game, whether it’s pitcher’s spin rates, hitter’s average exit velocity, or how much WAR a player has in their career.

Around a month ago, while scrolling instagram, I found this account, mlbhallofprettygood(here’s Bryce’s podcast btw). From the moment I looked at it, I knew that I would love it. It shared a passion for reminiscing the random major league, just like I did growing up. His account consistently shows the love and passion for the sport that I have. Finally, Bryce seems like a great, humble guy who interacts positively with all of his followers on the app.

The most important part of his page though is the official MLB Hall of Good. To be qualified, you must have under 35 bWAR, no Cy Youngs or MVP’s, be retired, and not be in the Hall of Fame. To be elected, a player must have at least 65% of the vote. Each voting process lasts 1 day from Bryce posting the player.

There have been 8 inductees into the Hall of Good: Steve Cishek, Mark Reynolds Josh Reddick, Rickie Weeks, Jr. Carlos Pena, and Jackie Bradley Jr., Kurt Suzuki, and Jason Kipnis. Four other guys were up for election but failed to get in: Cesar Hernandez, B.J Upton, Derek Holland, and James Loney.

In this article, I will go over my votes on the 4 most recent elections and also my thoughts on 5 notably recent retired players are Hall of Good worthy or not. Hope you enjoy!!!

ELECTIONS:

Jason Kipnis(2B)

Career stats: .260/.333/.416, 126 HR, 545 RBI, 136 SB, 102 wRC+, -44 DRS, -24 OAA, -18 FRV, 21.1 bWAR

Arguments for Hall of Very Good: Jason Kipnis is the poster child for this Hall. His combination of solid play and plus character make him a well-remembered name for many baseball fans.

From 2012-2016, he was one of the best offensive second basemen in the league. His combination of contact ability, patience, and speed made him an elite table setter at the top of the lineup. He put around 4 bWAR in 4 of those years, and earned 2 All-Star nods during this span.

On top of his play, Kipnis was absolutely beloved in Cleveland. On the field, he was known as someone who played hard and fought through injuries. He was known as a leader in the locker room. He was also known as a friendly player with the fans who was easy into interact with. This type of reputation does not come without lots of effort and respect.

Argument against Hall of Very Good: Honestly, I find it tough to vote against him. I would say his only drawbacks were his short prime and poor defense at second.

Verdict: I voted yes on Jason Kipnis’ Hall of Good election. He had a strong prime, played the game the right way, and was well-respected by everyone around him. If that doesn’t scream Hall of Good, what does?

Kurt Suzuki(C)

Career stats: .255/.314/.388, 143 HR, 730 RBI, 89 wRC+, -96 DRS, -111.5 FRV, 19.6 bWAR

Arguments for Hall of Very Good: The first thing you have to note is his 16 years playing catcher, the most physically demanding position. In fact, his 1540 games caught there are the 32nd most all time. That is a very impressive achievement, especially considering that he played until the age of 38.

During the second half of his career, Kurt Suzuki became known as one of the better hitting catchers in baseball. Even though he didn’t have a league average wRC+ until the age of 30, he hit that mark 5 times over the rest of his career.

Kurt Suzuki was also a well-respected veteran in the locker room. His leadership helped many young teams make playoff runs during the back of his career. He helped the Nationals win the 2019 World Series. This is a guy who went from a walk-on in college to a solid pro. People will listen to his wisdom.

Finally, Kurt Suzuki has a foundation to help kidney disease. He also helped pay the bills for Jon Wilhite, who survived the Nick Adenhart tragedy. Character matters in the Hall of Very Good, and Suzuki has it.

Arguments against Hall of Very Good: Unlike Kipnis, there are legitimate reasons on why Kurt Suzuki isn’t Hall of Very Good worthy. His biggest grip is his defense, where his poor framing and lack of arm strength made him a liability. On offense, he was inconsistent, and hit well below league average some years. If you looked at fWAR, his total was only 6.4, which is not pretty good. If you care about setting a standard for talent level in the Hall of Good, it would make sense to not vote him in.

Verdict: I voted yes for Kurt Suzuki’s Hall of Very Good induction. This was a tough induction and I could’ve gone either way with it. However, I liked Suzuki’s longevity at catcher, flashes of offense, leadership, and playoff success. I am a Big Hall person, as this project was created for fun after all. No need for the boomers to ruin it for us baseball fans.

James Loney(1B)

Career stats: .284/.336/.410, 108 HR, 669 RBI, 103 wRC+, 28 DRS, 11.8 bWAR

Arguments for Hall of Very Good: James Loney had a game that old-school baseball fans would love, with a solid .284 average and a low 11.9% K rate. On top of that, he played reliable defense over his career at the cold corner(28 DRS). He had one big moment in the playoffs with a grand slam in the 2008 NLCS. Finally, he seemed to be well respected by teammates and media, which is important for this Hall.

Arguments against Hall of Very good: James Loney lacked the thump for a first baseman, as his career high was 15 homers. This hurt his overall game, as he never hit 3 bWAR in a single season over his career. With his primary team being the mediocre late 2000’s Dodgers, he didn’t have much of a media spotlight on him during his career. He didn’t have a big personality either, which made him forgettable once he retired.

Verdict: I voted no on Loney’s Hall of Very Good induction. This was because he was an average player at his peak with not enough fanfare, personality, or team success to stand out. I also don’t want to oversaturate the hall with mediocre, irrelevant players.

Jackie Bradley Jr.(CF)

Career stats: .225/.303/.381, 109 HR, 449 RBI, 69 SB(nice!), 82 wRC+, 61 DRS, 54 OAA, 64 FRV, 16.5 bWAR

Arguments for Hall of Very Good: The first thing you need to know when talking about Jackie Bradley Jr. is his elite defense. His combination of baseball IQ, arm strength, and fearlessness in the outfield stood out. He was a highlight reel to watch, whether he was gunning someone out at home or slamming into a wall to make a leaping catch. The stats backed the film up, as he consistently posted elite DRS, OAA, and FRV values in the outfield.

On top of his defense, he showed flashes of offensive potential. He had a wRC+ above 110 in 2015, 2016, and 2020. He also won the ALCS MVP in 2018. While his offense was streaky, it had moments of being impactful.

It is also very important to remember the type of person Jackie Bradley Jr. is. He was known as a high character guy who was beloved in Boston. He was a key part of the 2018 championship. Name recognition matters, and him having success on a big market team will help his case.

Arguments against Hall of Very Good: There are two arguments on why Jackie Bradley isn’t hall of good worthy. The first has to do with his offense. An 82 career wRC+ is well below league average. The second has to do with his short prime. After 2020, he completely fell off, as he never had a wRC+ above 60 after that year. He only had 6 years of play above league average, which is low for a Hall of Good candidate.

Verdict: I voted yes on Jackie Bradley Jr’s Hall of Good induction. This was because of his elite defense, flashes of offense, clutchness, and a plus personality. He’s definitely on the lower end of the hall due to his short prime, but his peak play was very strong.

RECENT Retirements:

Josh Harrison(2B/3B)

Career stats: .270/.316/.396, 95 wRC+, 73 HR, 388 RBI, 91 SB, 37 DRS, 10 OAA, 5 FRV, 16.1 bWAR

Career details: If you were a fan of baseball during the mid 2010’s, you must enjoy watching Josh Harrison rundown highlights on Youtube. I know that I do. He’s like a magician, evading tags, beating throw, and somehow ending up on the next base safely.

It’s important to remember that Josh Harrison was much more than that though. He was a 2 time all star, a versatile utility player, and a beloved player all across baseball.

Believe it or not, Josh Harrison’s career started with the Cubs, where he got drafted in 2008. He got traded to rival Pittsburgh in a 3-team deal a year later, and was up in the bigs 2 years later. In his first few years, he looked like a bench utility guy. Not a big deal for the Cubs to lose out on that.

Then 2014 happened. Harrison got off to a blazing start. He hit everything. He was running the bases like a maniac. The Pirates were winning games. Lots of them. By the time the season was over, he hit .315/347/.390 with 13 HR, 52 RBI, 18 SB, and a 137 wRC+ to earn a 5.6 bWAR. He had an outstanding 11 DRS at third. He earned the Heart and Hustle Award that year, showing the grit and toughness he played with.

In 2015 and 2016, Harrison regressed big time. He went from one of the best hitters in the league to an average starter. In 2017, he showed some of his potential again, hitting .272/.339/.432 with 16 HR, 47 RBI, 12 SB, and a 104 wRC+ to earn 3.5 bWAR and a second all-star appearance. Sadly, he fell off a cliff in 2018 and got his contract option declined by the Pirates. His once promising career needed a jolt.

Now, came his journeyman days. His first stop was the Detroit Tigers, where he had the worst year of his career and struggled with injuries. Things were not looking good for Harrison’s career, as he was turning 32 that offseason. All he could get was a minor league deal from Philadelphia.

Then, COVID hit. Teams needed players. Right before the season, the Nationals signed him to a big league deal. With them, he revived his career, hitting above league average for the next 1.5 years. Then, he got traded to the Athletics, where his stats regressed. He was was an average starter with the White Sox for a year, but then fizzled out in Philadelphia. After attempts to make the big leagues with the Rangers and Reds failed, that was it for Harrison’s playing days

Josh Harrison had a pretty good career. His prime was very short, but it was solid. He became a fan favorite throughout his career for the way he played. Same with his teammates. He was someone who seemed to love baseball as much as us fans do.

Would I vote him in: Yes. Easily. Josh Harrison’s career stats might’ve not been the best, but that undermines his contribution to the game. His 2014 season was one of the most fun to watch seasons out there. He plays the game the right way. He helps run youth baseball camps in his hometown. I don’t care if he had 2 fWAR. This is a guy that fans my age will remember for a very long time.

Jake Diekman(RP)

Career stats: 27-34, 705 games pitched, 602.1 innings pitched, 3.91 ERA, 11.4 K/9, 5.3 BB/9, 3.2 bWAR

Career details: During his time in the MLB, Jake Diekman was known as a talented but inconsistent reliever. With a career 11.4 K/9 and 96.2 MPH average fastball, Diekman had electric stuff. However, he struggled with commanding that stuff, leading to a 5.3 BB/9. This hurt his ability to perform in leverage opportunities, as he was prone to blow-up appearances. There were multiple times where his half-season stints with teams had an ERA over 5, which is NOT very good.

Diekman’s other issue is that he never stuck with one team for a long period of time. He spent the first 6.5 years of his career with the Phillies and Rangers. Once the 2018 trade deadline happened, ht mover was a frequen. He spent the rest of the year with the Diamondbacks. In the 2019 he signed with the Royals, and got traded to the Athletics at the deadline that year, where he spent the next 2.5 years. To wrap up the last 3 years of his career, he had short stints with the Red Sox, White Sox Rays, and Mets. This frequent movement hurt fans ability to connect to him, which is important for this Hall.

Would I vote him in: No. Despite his flashes of effectiveness, he never was able to put it together for an extended period of time. He didn’t have a big personality or any notable postseason accomplishments. He seemed more average than very good. At least, he got to strike out Aaron Judge once. Pretty cool.

Jean Segura(SS/2B)

Career stats: .281/.327/.401, 96 wRC+ 110 HR, 513 RBI, 211 SB, 8 DRS, 23 OAA, 16 FRV, 26.3 bWAR

My opinion on the player: When I think of someone who was pretty good, Jean Segura comes to mind. He was never the best guy on the field, but he was pretty good. And, he was pretty consistent at that skill as well. His combination of contact hitting, speed, and versatility made him a valuable player for the Brewers, Diamondbacks, Mariners, and Phillies. I also remember arguing with my best friend over how his name was pronounced.

Believe it or not, Jean Segura started off his career as an Angels legend, playing 1 game in 2012. Then, the Angels got worried he could be pretty good, and shipped him off to Milwaukee for Zack Greinke. It was the year after when he showed off his goodness, hitting .294/.329/.423 with 12 HR, 49 RBI, 44 SB, a 105 wRC+, and made his first all star appearance. The next two years, he fell off a cliff, and Milwaukee became worried if 2013 was a mirage.

Arizona wasn’t worried though. They had Nick Ahmed at shortstop, but needed an upgrade over Chris Owings at second. In the 2015 offseason they had to give up was a mid-rotation arm in Chase Anderson(and future trade piece for Yelich in Isan Diaz) to find their solution at second. Segura went OFF, hitting an astounding .319/.368/.499, 20 homers, 64 RBI, 33 SB, and a 126 wRC+ His defense at second was also elite, with 11 DRS, 11 OAA, and 8 FRV that year. This totaled up to an EXCELLENT 6.6 bWAR. Somehow, he wasn’t an All-Star. I don’t know how.

However, the Diamondbacks went 69-93 that year, which was not pretty good. They wanted to sell high on him, as 2016 seemed like an outlier season. Seattle, on the other hand, wanted more offense on the infield, as Ketel Marte struggled. Perfect match. The Mariners got two future Hall of Good guys in him and Mitch Haniger for future stud Ketel Marte and OK starter Taijuan Walker.

Enough about Ketel Marte though. In his two years in Seattle, Segura provided a stabilizing presence at shortstop, as he hit over .300, stole over 20 bases, and had around 3.5 fWAR and 110 wRC+ both years. In the middle of the first year, the Mariners even extended him to a reasonable 5 year, $70 million deal. He even made his second all star team in 2018.

Then, the Mariners had a realization. 89 games was too much winning. Jean Segura was getting too expensive(and good). Dee Gordon didn’t like him. In a 5 player deal, off you go for future Hall of Good candidate JP Crawford.

In Philly, Segura continued being a pretty good player for an improving team, averaging around 2 bWAR per year. After his first year there, he moved back to second, his best defensive position. His best year there was 2021, hitting .290/.348/.436 with 14 HR, 58 RBI, 110 wRC+, and a 3.8 bWAR. His defense was solid as well, with 5 DRS, 9 OAA, and 7 FRV. The year after, he helped the team make the World Series with his clutch hitting.

Unfortunately, that was the last of Segura being pretty good. The Phillies let him go after the 2022 offseason, as they signed Trea Turner and moved the younger Bryson Stott to 2nd base. He signed with the Marlins that offseason(2 years, $17 million) to play THIRD base, which he never played before. In a predictably disastrous Marlins move, his play fell off a cliff and his contract became an anchor. He got traded to Cleveland in a bad contract swap and got immediately waived. The next year, he signed with Baltimore but couldn’t make the bigs. It was time to hang the cleats up.

While Jean Segura never stayed with a team for longer than 4 years, he had plenty of memories. In Milwaukee, he stole first base and earned his first All-Star team. when he In Arizona, he had his forgotten breakout year. In Seattle, he brought an offensive upgrade at shortstop. In Philadelphia, he became a solid starter and veteran leader who helped the team go from cellar dweller to World Series bound. He had a huge hit in the 2022 Wild Card which propelled them to beat the cardinals. Most importantly, he fought through losing his son, which almost made him quit baseball.

Would I vote him in: Yes, obviously. After flashing high-level talent during the 2013 and 2016 seasons, he settled in as a consistently above average player from 2017-2022. He brought value to his team as a solid clubhouse guy and clutch player. He was also well-liked by fans during most of his career(minus Seattle I guess). We must never forget his legendary Angels, Marlins, Guardians, and Orioles stints.

Kolten Wong(2B)

Career stats: .256/.330/.390, 86 HR, 405 RBI, 120 SB, 97 wRC+, 52 DRS, 1 OAA, 1 FRV, 22.9 bWAR

Career details: Believe it or not, Kolten Wong’s career got off to an inauspicious start. He hit for a -2 wRC+ and -0.7 bWAR in 2013. Even worse, he was known for getting picked off during Game 4 of the 2013 World Series.

Luckily, 2013 seemed to be a mirage for Wong. He beat the rookie jitters in 2014, hitting a respectable .249/.292/.388 with 12 HR, 42 RBI, 20 SB, and a 90 wRC+ to earn a 2.4 bWAR that year. The biggest sign of growth was his defense at second, where he stood out with 10 DRS that year.

For the next 4 years, Wong stuck as a reliable starter, hitting at or slightly below league average while playing his typical strong defense at second base. In these years, he earned 2-3 bWAR per year. For this consistency, the Cardinals rewarded him with a 5 year, $25 million deal with a 6th year team option for $12 million. That was a bargain for a deal for a guy who was reliable year in and year out.

Then came 2019. Wong took his play up a notch that year, combining his career-best offense with his typically strong defense. He hit .285/.361/.423 with 11 HR, 59 RBI, 24 stolen bases, and a 109 wRC+ to earn a 5.4 bWAR. On defense, he stood out with 17 DRS(albeit only 2 OAA and 1 FRV). He also earned his first Gold Glove of his career, which was well deserved.

Unfortunately, Wong regressed back to his norm in 2020. While he won his second Gold Glove with the Cardinals, his offense fell back to Earth. With him turning 30 years old and Tommy Edman on the team, the Cardinals made a tough decision. He was released, becoming a free agent.

Wong didn’t let this disappointment get to him. During that offseason, he signed with the rival Brewers for 2 years, $18 million and a third year team option. In Milwaukee, he was able to prove that he wasn’t quite done yet. He had the two best offensive seasnons of his career, hitting .272/.335/.447 with 14 HR, 50 RBI, 12 SB and a 109 wRC+ for a 3.3 bWAR in 2021 while hitting .251/.339/.430 with 15 HR, 47 RBI, 17 SB, and a career high 117 wRC+ to earn 3.0 bWAR in 2022.

Unfortunately, red flags were starting to pop up in his game. His elite defense fell off in 2022(-1 DRS, -10 OAA, -8 FRV). His bat speed was slowing down. Milwaukee had a tough decision on whether to exercise his team option or not.

In the end, they decided to do so. This did come with a caveat. With Brice Turang ready to take over second base, Wong’s time was up in Milwaukee. Many teams were interested in him, but the Mariners were the ones who took charge, trading him for Future Hall of Good candidate Jesse Winker and “Abraham Toro”.

Wong became yet another failed Mariners hitting addition. His bat went from well above average to one of the worst in the league in the span of the year. Fans were clamoring “DFA Wong!” “He sucks”. On August 3, Wong was released, ending his Mariners career with a horrific -1.1 bWAR.

It wasn’t quite the last hurrah for Wong. He signed a minor league contract with the Dodgers, and was soon promoted. He played well, hitting .300/.353/.500 with a 0.4 bWAR over his 20 games there). Unfortunately, this didn’t lead to any more big league contracts. He played in the minors for Baltimore and Arizona, and soon after hung up the cleats.

Kolten Wong had a pretty good career. Cardinals fans know him as the Gold Glove second baseman who was reliable year in and year out. Brewers fans saw his best offensive years. Even the Dodgers got a little Kolten Wong magic, Just don’t ask Mariners fans about him. He was a well-respected player who both his teammates and fans enjoyed being around. Off the field, his charity work to fight cancer and natural disasters showed his awesome character.

Would I vote him in: Yes. Kolten Wong was the epitome of consistency in his career. He was a solid starter at second base from 2014 to 2022. His defense at second base made him fun to watch. He was a fan favorite in St. Louis for his glove work, cheerful demeanor, and charity work. My favorite memory of his was when he hit a sacrifice fly as a Dodgers to give them a 1-0 lead on the day they clinched the pennant, becoming a Dodgers legend. Please don’t let Mariners fans skew this vote.

Matt Carpenter(INF)

Career stats: .259/.366/.449, 179 HR, 659 RBI, 122 wRC+, -17 DRS, -7 OAA, -6 FRV, 28.7 bWAR

Career details: For a while, you could say that Matt Carpenter was better than pretty good. Then he fell off a cliff. Then he had that insane stint with the Yankees. Then he returned to being washed and hung up the cleats. It’s also important to not forget that he’s a Braves legend.

That was a summary of what happened. However, it left out key details like him playing on a mid 2010s cardinals team that I hated. Or his elite eye. Or his hatred of batting gloves. Let the real journey begin.

Matt Carpenter’s career started out from humble beginnings, as he was a 13th round draft pick and didn’t make his debut until age 25. He wouldn’t let these statistics define him as a player.

After showing flashes of 2012, Matt Carpenter had his true breakout the year after. He became an all around offensive juggernaut, hitting .318/.392/.481 with 11 HR, 78 RBI, a league leading 55 doubles, and a 146 wRC+. to earn a 6.6 bWAR. Right before our eyes, a star was born. The Cardinals knew that as well and signed him to a 6 year, $32 million contract before the season started.

His numbers went slightly down in 2014, but he came back in 2015 with a vengeance. He drastically increased his power output, hitting .272/.365/.505 with 28 HR, 84 RBI, a league-leading 44 doubles, and a 140 wRC+ to earn a 4.8 bWAR. This was the first of 4 consecutive season of him going over that nice, round number of 20.

Over the next 3 years, Carpenter stayed consistent, hitting lots of homers, taking his walks, and playing multiple infield positions on defense. He put up consistent 3-4 WAR seasons while not complaining about his frequently changing defensive role.

Right as 2019 started, the Cardinals gave him a 2 year, $39 million extension. This seemed like a good deal to keep their franchise player around for the next couple of years. He was 33 that year, but game seemed to be one that would age well.

Oh well. Not everything goes to plan. Carpenter went from offensive juggernaut to offensive liability overnight. For the first time since 2011, he hit below league average. That trend continued in 2020 and 2021, leading to the Cardinals declining his option that offseason.

At this point, Carpenter retired. He had a career most players dreamed for. However, the fighting spirit in him refused to quit. Determined to fix his swing, he signed a minor league deal with the hometown Rangers.

With the Rangers, he started raking in the minors. The swing changes were working. In mid-May of that year, he opted out and signed with the Yankees. The resurgence was coming. As a Yankee, he dominated. His stay with them was short, but it was mighty. He might’ve lost his beard, but he didn’t lose his power. In his 47 game stint, Carpenter hit an astounding .305/.412/.727 with 15 HR, 37 RBI, and a legendary 216 wRC+ to earn 2.4 bWAR! It looked like the glory days were back!

The injury bug said otherwise. Carpenter’s season ended early due to a broken foot, which was a brutal injury to come back from. He spent the last 2 years of his careers on the Padres and Cardinals with below average. He also got traded to the Braves(and never played a game with them). After being unsigned this year, the time has come. Matt carpenter’s career has officially ended.

Matt Carpenter had a career most people would dream for. During the mid to late 2010s, he was one of the best hitters in all of baseball. He was the face of the Cardinals for over a decade. He will most likely be in their Hall of Fame. He was humble and didn’t let the success get to his head. Not a bad result for a 13th round draft pick.

Would I vote him in: Yes. I’m not gonna be a salty Dodgers fan here. During his prime, few could match his combination of power, on base skill, and positional versatility. He was known as a guy who was a very hard worker. He was beloved by the Cardinals fanbase. He had tons of memorable moments, whether it was beating the Dodgers, his Yankees insanity run, or hitting a bunt double. This was a guy who donated to his hometown when the Hurricane hit. In many ways, Carpenter is the epitome of why this Hall exists.

This was a long, exhausting article. Thank you to everyone who got to the end. I hope you enjoyed hearing about some pretty good careers. And I hope Bryce is proud of the effort I put into this piece!!!