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Why Steve Garvey isn’t in the Hall of Fame

Dave Farquhar Baseball October 11, 2023October 10, 2023

Steve Garvey was one of the highest profile baseball stars of the 1970s and early 1980s. He was a smooth fielding first baseman with moderate power who hit for good batting average, and had a likable personality. But even though he was one of the biggest stars of his time, he didn’t make the Hall of Fame. Here’s why.

Dave Farquhar

David Farquhar is a computer security professional, entrepreneur, and author. He has written professionally about computers since 1991, so he was writing about retro computers when they were still new. He has been working in IT professionally since 1994 and has specialized in vulnerability management since 2013. He holds Security+ and CISSP certifications. Today he blogs five times a week, mostly about retro computers and retro gaming covering the time period from 1975 to 2000.

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Kenny Lofton’s Hall of Fame case

Dave Farquhar Baseball September 12, 2023August 25, 2023

Kenny Lofton was a big star in the mid 1990s. He made five consecutive All Star teams and played a key role in Cleveland’s late ’90s resurgence. In between stents with Cleveland, he also helped Atlanta to a division title. So why isn’t Kenny Lofton in the Hall of Fame?

Dave Farquhar

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Reggie candy bar remembered

Dave Farquhar Baseball August 28, 2023September 6, 2023

Depending on who you ask, Reggie Jackson was neither the first nor the last baseball player to have a candy bar named after him. But for people of a certain age, the Reggie Candy bar, first available from 1978 to 1981, and then reintroduced in 1993 and 2023, is iconic. And when it’s not in production, the people who miss it miss it badly.

The story of the Reggie bar, of course, is intertwined with the story of its namesake. And it started with a well-publicized comment Jackson made in frustration.

Dave Farquhar

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Why Orel Hershiser isn’t in the Hall of Fame

Dave Farquhar Baseball August 16, 2023July 30, 2023

In the late 1980s, Orel Hershiser was one of the best pitchers in Major League baseball. People compared Greg Maddux to him, not the other way around. Nolan Ryan joked he was afraid of him. So why isn’t Orel Hershiser in the Hall of Fame?

Dave Farquhar

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Why Eric Davis isn’t in the Hall of Fame

Dave Farquhar Baseball July 31, 2023July 31, 2023

Eric Davis was one of the most exciting players in baseball in the 1980s, and a feel-good story in the late 1990s when baseball really needed one. He looked like a future Hall of Famer when he broke into the major leagues. So why isn’t Eric Davis in the Hall of Fame?

Dave Farquhar

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Why Darryl Strawberry isn’t in the Hall of Fame

Dave Farquhar Baseball July 17, 2023August 28, 2023

Darryl Strawberry was one of the most surprising 1980s stars to fall short of baseball’s Hall of Fame. Although he didn’t hit for high average, he was otherwise a five-tool player thriving in baseball’s biggest market. Here is why Darryl Strawberry isn’t in the Hall of Fame.

Dave Farquhar

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Why Lou Whitaker isn’t in the Hall of Fame

Dave Farquhar Baseball June 26, 2023June 18, 2023

Lou Whitaker is frequently cited as a 1980s second baseman who isn’t in the Hall of Fame but should be. I have no reason to disagree. Here’s why Lou Whitaker isn’t in the Hall of Fame but should be.

Dave Farquhar

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Why Jack Clark isn’t in the Hall of Fame

Dave Farquhar Baseball June 12, 2023June 16, 2023

For a brief time in the mid-1980s, Jack Clark was the most feared power hitter in the National League. But he got very little Hall of Fame consideration after he retired. So why isn’t Jack Clark in the Hall of Fame?

Jack Clark presents an interesting Hall of Fame case. He hit for power, but he didn’t have the kind of power someone like Reggie Jackson had. But he hit for higher average than Reggie Jackson and got on base a lot. When you look at his career adjusted OPS, it’s an impressive 137. That suggests he was 37% better than the average player of his time. He has peers in the Hall of Fame who were merely 19% better than average. Read more

Dave Farquhar

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Why Fred Lynn isn’t in the Hall of Fame

Dave Farquhar Baseball June 7, 2023June 14, 2023

Fred Lynn was one of the brightest stars of the 1970s and ’80s. He was a five tool player and a perennial All-Star who led the Boston Red Sox to the World Series in his rookie year and was the hero of the 1983 All-Star game, hitting the first Grand slam ever hit in that game, and helping the American League win its first All Star game since 1971. And yet, he was eliminated from Hall of Fame consideration after just 2 years of voting and receives minimal support from the veterans committee. So why isn’t Fred Lynn in the Hall of Fame?

Dave Farquhar

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Why Bobby Grich isn’t in the Hall of Fame

Dave Farquhar Baseball May 24, 2023June 28, 2023

Here is an underrated Hall of Fame case for you: Bobby Grich. He was one of the best second baseman of his generation, making six all star teams, winning four gold gloves, and one silver slugger. He retired after the 1986 season, and was eliminated from Hall of Fame consideration after just a single vote. Here’s why Bobby Grich isn’t in the Hall of Fame, and why the voters got it wrong in 1992.

Dave Farquhar

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