Should a major league baseball player who’s never led any positive statistical category be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame? What if that player compiled great career numbers despite never leading any statistical category at any point in his career?
Tony Perez was known as a clutch hitter and for driving in runs, and he drove in 90 or more runs 12 times and had a career total of 1,652 runs batted in, yet he never led the league in runs batted in. Perez never led his league in any offensive statistical category, yet he’s certainly a Hall of Famer.
Frank Thomas hit 521 home runs, yet never led the American League in home runs. Eddie Murray never led the league in sacrifice flies in any season, yet he is the all-time career leader with 128.
Consider positive statistical categories such as runs, hits, doubles, triples, home runs, runs batted in, batting average, stolen bases, walks, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, total bases, etc. They are included in what I term my “leaders count” number for each player. If a player leads the league in games played, I do not count that. Showing up to work is admirable, but the games played can be influenced by how big the gap is between the starter and his backup at his position. Neither plate appearances nor at-bats will be considered positive statistical categories.
Leading in intentional walks will not be counted either. Intentional walks could have as much to do with who bats behind you and not wanting to pitch to a player. A player could have batted eighth and led the league in intentional walks because the opposing team would rather face the pitcher batting behind him, hitting ninth.
Leading the league in WAR will not be counted. Leading the league in strikeouts, hitting into double plays, or having the most fielding errors defensively are not positive statistical categories. Being named All-Star MVP or World Series MVP also will not count. Nor does being named Rookie of the Year.
Positive statistical categories for pitching and fielding for that player’s position will also be used. Wins, shutouts, complete games, ERA, WHIP, etc., and for fielding, putouts, double plays, assists, fielding percentage, etc., will be counted for each player who led the league at his position in those categories.
Willie Mays (photo courtesy PBS)
Playing in the major leagues is quite an accomplishment, and leading the league in any positive statistical category is another great achievement that every player should be extremely proud of.
In addition to a player’s Leaders number, he will also have what I call an Honors number for any honors he may have won: regular-season MVP awards, Silver Sluggers, Gold Gloves, All-Star seasons, etc. Some say All-Star games are a popularity contest, and to a great extent, that’s true, but someday that player will be introduced or remembered, and the number of All-Star seasons he appeared in will likely get mentioned. I count the number of All-Star seasons rather than All-Star games because from 1959 through 1962, there were two All-Star games played each season. Willie Mays was named an All-Star in 20 of his 23 seasons, yet he took part in 24 All-Star games.
One thing to consider is that some awards today were once called something else. The Silver Slugger Award began in 1980. Gold Glove awards began in 1957, with one award per position across all baseball teams. In 1958, Gold Glove awards were awarded for both leagues. The Cy Young Award was created in 1956 and is awarded to the best pitcher in baseball. In 1967, a Cy Young Award was awarded in both the American and National Leagues. Major League Baseball’s first All-Star game was in 1933. That is worth remembering when comparing modern players to those from the past.
Combining a player’s Honors and Leaders numbers yields his Honors and Leaders (H&L) score. Let’s look at some Hall of Fame players and others mentioned by fans as those they believe should be, or may one day be, in the Baseball Hall of Fame, along with their H&L scores.
Bill Madlock was a four-time batting champion, and Madlock is only one of 10 players to have won four or more batting titles. Rare company indeed. Thus, he earned four Leaders points in leading the league in hitting four times. Madlock was also a three-time All-Star. However, Madlock earned no other honors and led in no other positive statistical categories, either offensively or defensively. Thus, his H&L score is seven.
Courtesy Baseball Hall of Fame
The election of Harold Baines into Cooperstown in 2019 was controversial to say the least. Baines had 2,866 hits, 384 home runs, drove in 1,628 runs, and had a lifetime batting average of .289 over a 22-year career.
Career statistics are often the barometer of a player’s career, but then the term “compiling” entered baseball’s lexicon. Players kept playing well beyond their prime, adding to their career statistics and perhaps reaching statistical milestones. A deeper dive into those career statistics made them look less impressive, especially when you consider how many years some individuals played in the major leagues and their per-year averages.
Steady and consistent, Baines’ career is worth looking at because he didn’t lead the league in many offensive categories, unlike many Hall of Fame players. Baines, a six-time All-Star, won a Silver Slugger award in 1989 and led the league in slugging percentage in 1984, and that’s it. His H&L score is eight.
Tony Perez was a seven-time All-Star, and as mentioned above, he never led the league in any offensive category. Defensively, he led the league in putouts twice, assists twice, double plays three times, and fielding percentage once. Perez’s H&L score is 15.
Going into the 2026 season, Kyle Schwarber was a three-time All-Star who had led the league twice in home runs, once in runs batted in, once in walks, and won a Silver Slugger Award. Defensively, he has led the league twice in assists, once in double plays, and once in fielding percentage. Schwarber’s H&L score is 12.
Schwarber’s current teammate with the Phillies, Bryce Harper, is an eight-time All-Star, a two-time league MVP, a four-time Silver Slugger Award winner, and has led the league in runs once, doubles once, home runs once, walks twice, twice in slugging, once in on-base percentage, and twice in OPS. Defensively, he has led the league three times in assists, once in double plays, and once in putouts. Harper’s H&L score is 30.
Two players who have been mentioned by fans advocating for their favorite players for Hall of Fame induction are Dale Murphy and Dwight Evans.
Photo courtesy Cooperstown Cred
–Murphy was a two-time MVP, seven-time All-Star, five-time Gold Glove winner, and a four-time Silver Slugger Award winner. Murphy led the league in home runs twice, runs scored once, runs batted in twice, walks once, slugging percentage twice, and both OPS and total bases once. Defensively, he led the league twice in assists, twice in putouts, and three times in double plays. Murphy’s H&L score is 35.
–Evans was a three-time All-Star, an eight-time Gold Glove winner, won two Silver Slugger awards, led the league in runs scored once, home runs once, walks three times, on-base percentage once, OPS twice, total bases once, putouts four times, assists three times, double plays three times, and in fielding percentage three times. Evans H&L score is 35.
Lou Whitaker was a fixture at second base for the Detroit Tigers from the late ‘70s to the mid-’90s. Whitaker was a five-time All-Star who won three Gold Gloves, four Silver Slugger awards, and led the league twice in assists, once in double plays, once in putouts, and twice in fielding percentage. Whitaker’s H&L score is 18.
Some have questioned whether Bill Mazeroski should have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Mazeroski had seven All-Star seasons, won eight Gold Gloves, led the league in putouts five times, assists nine times, double plays eight times, and fielding percentage three times for a total H&L score of 39.
Should the best player at his position in his generation be an automatic Hall of Famer? Dave Concepcion was a nine-time All-Star and five-time Gold Glove Award winner, and a key member of The Big Red Machine. He was the best shortstop of his era, followed by Bert Campaneris (a six-time All-Star) and Larry Bowa (a five-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove Award winner). Concepcion also won two Silver Slugger Awards, led the league in putouts once, assists twice, double plays once, and fielding percentage once. His H&L score is 21.
How does Concepcion compare to other Hall of Fame shortstops? Phil Rizzuto was league MVP once, had five All-Star seasons, led the league in sacrifice hits four times, and had a stolen base percentage once. Defensively, he led the league in putouts twice, assists once, double plays three times, and fielding percentage twice. Rizzuto’s H&L score is 19.
Statue of Pee Wee Reese (L) and Jackie Robinson in the Coney Island neighborhood of the Brooklyn borough of New York City.(Andrew Burton — Getty Images)
Pee Wee Reese had 10 All-Star seasons, led the league in runs once, stolen bases once, sacrifice hits once, and walks once. Defensively, Reese led the league in putouts four times, assists once, double plays twice, and fielding percentage once. His H&L score is 22.
Consider catcher Bill Freehan of the Detroit Tigers. Freehan was named an All-Star in 11 of his 15 major league seasons. His offensive numbers may not impress you, but he was a five-time Gold Glove winner and, worth repeating, an All-Star in 11 of his 15 seasons. Defensively, Freehan led the league in putouts six times, once in double plays, three times in fielding percentage, once in runners caught stealing, and once in caught stealing percentage. His H&L score is 28.
Ted Simmons was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020. Simmons was an eight-time All-Star and won one Silver Slugger Award. Simmons never led the league in any of my positive offensive statistical categories. Defensively, Simmons led the league in putouts twice, assists twice, fielding percentage once, and in the number of runners caught stealing twice. Simmons H&L number is 16.
As for pitchers, Bert Blyleven was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2011. Blyleven was a two-time All-Star, led the league twice in shutouts, once in complete games, once in WHIP, three times in strikeout-to-walk ratio, once in strikeouts, and five times in fielding percentage for a pitcher. Blyleven’s H&L score is 15.
Don Sutton won 324 games in a Hall of Fame major league career that spanned 23 seasons. Sutton was a four-time All-Star, led the league in ERA once, shutouts once, WHIP four times, fewest hits per nine innings once, strikeout-to-walk ratio three times, and fielding percentage three times. Sutton’s H&L score is 17.
Tommy John, who is not in the Hall of Fame, won 288 games in a 26-year career. John was a four-time All-Star, led the league in win percentage twice, shutouts three times, lowest walks-per-nine innings once, lowest home runs allowed-per-nine innings three times, twice in assists, and five times in fielding percentage for a pitcher. John’s H&L score is 20.
Jim Kaat (photo Holland MI Sentinel)
Jim Kaat was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2022. Kaat won 283 games in a career that spanned 25 seasons. He won 16 Gold Gloves, was a three-time All-Star, led pitchers in assists once, double plays twice, led the league in wins once, complete games once, strikeout-to-walk ratio once, and in lowest walks per nine innings twice. Kaat’s H&L score is 27.
Juan Marichal had nine All-Star seasons, led the league in wins twice, winning percentage once, ERA once, complete games twice, shutouts twice, WHIP twice, lowest hits allowed per nine innings once, lowest walks allowed per nine innings four times, and had the best strikeout-to-walk ratio three times. Defensively, Marichal led pitchers in assists once and putouts twice. Marichal’s H&L score is 30.
Curt Schilling was a six-time All-Star, led the league in wins twice, win percentage once, complete games four times, twice in strikeouts, twice in WHIP, twice in lowest walks-per-nine innings, five times in strikeout-to-walk ratio, had the lowest hits-per-nine-innings ratio once, and led pitchers five times in fielding percentage. Schilling’s H&L score is 30.
Are all honors equal? Of course not, a regular-season MVP selection certainly outweighs an All-Star selection. Nor are all statistical categories equal, but leading the league is still leading the league, and fans can debate those details all they wish.
I’m not advocating for any player personally; however, perhaps seeing how dominant a player was based on his honors and the number of times he’s led the league in positive statistical categories to create his career H&L number should be given greater consideration and credence in determining if a player should be inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame.
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Originally published on John’s blog.
