Giant Dynasty Hall of Famers
- rossmelen91
- Apr 14, 2021
- 5 min read
Think of the greatest sports dynasties of all-time. Immediately, you will probably think of the great teams featuring Russell's Celtics, Jordan's Bulls, Starr's Packers, DiMaggio's Yankees, the list goes on and on. Needless to say, dynasties don't happen without hall of fame players and coaches. Growing up in the Bay Area or being a fan of Bay Area organizations has proven to be a blessing for many. The 49ers with Montana and Rice, the Raiders with Brown and Upshaw, the A's with Hunter and Jackson, the Warriors with Curry and Thompson and the many great hall of famers omitted from this list.
This brings us to the San Francisco Giants dynasty from 2010-2014. There are a lot of skeptics regarding these teams and how they stack up in history. Let's be real, these teams were not overly dominant, but had that 'clutch' factor when it came to winning. The one certainty we have about that Giants dynasty is that it featured a hall of fame manager in Bruce Bochy. What about some players that were key contributors to those three World Series teams? We'll take a look at some names that should be in the discussion.
Tim Lincecum
Accomplishments: 4x All Star, 3x World Series Champion, 2x Cy Young Award Winner, 2 Career No-Hitters
Career Statistics:
Regular Season W-L Record - 110-89
Regular Season ERA - 3.74
Regular Season IP - 1,682.0
Regular Season K - 1,736
Postseason W-L Record - 5-2
Postseason ERA - 2.40
Postseason IP - 56.1
Postseason K - 65
Tim Lincecum should be considered the original seed to the eventual San Francisco Giants successes. He came at a time where the organization was in transition from the great Barry Bonds led teams. Wins for a starting pitcher nowadays are extremely deceiving to how dominant a pitcher has been. 300 wins by a starting pitcher is something we may never see happen again. Thus, the benchmark should be lowered to 200 wins to guarantee hall of fame status for a starting pitcher. Having said all that, Lincecum would still be among the bottom of the list for wins when compared to current hall of famers; with most of those players being relievers. His earned run average is comparable to Mike Mussina who held a career earned run average of 3.68. The biggest difference between Mussina and Lincecum is that Mussina pitched in 3,562.2 innings and won 270 games compared to Lincecum's 1,682.0 innings and 110 games.
The MLB Hall of Fame is by far the hardest to get into of the four major sports. There are only 333 hall of famers that have been elected, and only 263 are former major league players. Lincecum had a stretch as one of the best pitchers in all of baseball. Unfortunately, his peak was not long enough for him to have a legitimate case to get into the hall of fame.
Verdict: No Chance
Madison Bumgarner
Accomplishments: 4x All Star, 3x World Series Champion, 2x Silver Slugger Award Winner, World Series MVP, National League Championship Series MVP
Career Statistics:
Regular Season W-L Record - 120-98
Regular Season ERA - 3.26
Regular Season IP - 1,901.1
Regular Season K - 1,839
Postseason W-L Record - 8-3
Postseason ERA - 2.11
Postseason IP - 102.1
Postseason K - 87
Madison Bumgarner may be one of the most highly debated, current players, for election to the hall of fame. He is the greatest postseason starting pitcher in Major League Baseball history. Many will try to argue against that, but the stats speak for themselves. As for his regular season statistics, they are very good, and deserving of hall of fame mention. If his career were to end now, he would be in the middle of the pack of current hall of famers with a 3.26 regular season ERA. Ahead of names such as Randy Johnson (3.29), Roy Halladay (3.38), and Tom Glavine (3.54) to name a few.
Factoring in Bumgarner's regular and postseason successes, combined with his hitting prowess could be what eventually gets him into Cooperstown. Making the baseball hall of fame is all about longevity. To be sure, I believe he needs to have at least a few more good seasons, or another championship under his belt. By good seasons, I mean a sub 4.00 ERA and 10-13 wins for 2 to 3 more years. If he continues at the trajectory he is currently on, I would have serious doubts about his candidacy.
Verdict: Work To-Do
Buster Posey
Accomplishments: 6x All Star, 3x World Sereis Champion, 4x Silver Slugger Award Winner, Gold Glove Winner, National League MVP, National League Rookie of the Year
Regular Season Batting Average - .302
Regular Season OPS - .827
Regular Season Fielding Percentage - .995
Caught Stealing Percentage - 33%
Postseason Batting Average - .248
Postseason OPS - .649
Postseason Fielding Percentage - 1.000
Postseason Caught Stealing Percentage - 27%
Contrary to the guys above, Buster Posey has been the one staple in the roster as he plays(ed) almost everyday. Posey's hitting numbers are not off the charts. However, his .302 batting average would put him in the top third of catchers currently in hall of fame. His 142 career home runs and 675 career runs batted in are difficult to vouch for. What I will say, and many Giants fans will argue, is that he played on some very offensively challenged teams that didn't allow him to produce gaudy numbers. Also, he plays(ed) in the most difficult hitting stadium to produce lofty statistics.
Another difference of Posey compared to Bumgarner and Lincecum is his postseason struggles. It is easy to misconstrue his postseason numbers and forget about the impact he had as a pitch caller, while delivering some of the most clutch hits in franchise history. Posey's three World Series championships as the primary catcher are more than hall of famers, Johnny Bench (two), Roy Campanella (one), and Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez (one).
A few other factors that should be taken into account, or at least brought up as in conversation as 'what if's.' What if Posey doesn't get hurt in 2011? He missed the final four months (June - September) of the season, and the team still won 86 games. Certainly, not too far-fetched to think the Giants make the postseason had he not been injured. Possibly another World Series run. What if Posey played in another time frame or the American League, which didn't feature the greatest defensive catcher of all-time (Yadi Molina)? It's not inconceivable to think Posey has at least one more Gold Glove Award to his name. None of these arguments are quantifiable, but should be in the discussion when his name comes up for Cooperstown.
Finally, we will all see how the reduced/lost season from COVID-19 affects players and their candidacy for the hall of fame. It would be a real shame to punish players who may miss hall of fame benchmark numbers because of the shortened season. Specifically, in the case for Buster Posey, opting out of the season to stay at home with his newborn, adopted twins. Time will tell, but a few more average seasons, by his standards, should allow Posey to get into Cooperstown.
Verdict: Eventually (could take up to the maximum of 10 years on the ballot)
References
Buster Posey Stats. (n.d.). Baseball-Reference.Com. https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/poseybu01.shtml
Madison Bumgarner Stats. (n.d.). Baseball-Reference.Com. https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bumgama01.shtml
Tim Lincecum Stats. (n.d.). Baseball-Reference.Com. https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/linceti01.shtml
Stats for Hall of Fame Catchers : A Research List by Baseball Almanac. (n.d.). N/A. https://www.baseball-almanac.com/hof/hofstca.shtml
Stats for Hall of Fame Pitchers | Baseball Almanac. (n.d.). N/A. https://www.baseball-almanac.com/hof/hofstpi.shtml
Crowley, K. (2021, January 27). Could Posey, Lincecum and Bumgarner miss Hall of Fame despite SF Giants’ dynasty run? The Mercury News. https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/01/27/hall-of-fame-or-wall-of-fame-how-posey-bumgarner-and-other-giants-will-be-remembered/
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