Baseball Corridor of Fame mailbag: Do the playoffs matter? What is the analysis course of? And extra reader questions

My 2026 Baseball Corridor of Fame poll has been mailed — sure, we snail mail it nonetheless — and shall be revealed right here on CBS Sports activities Wednesday. Earlier than we get to that, let’s sort out some reader questions concerning the Corridor of Fame.

Snee asks: Will [Kenny] Lofton get in on the veterans committee?

Snyder response: I am not assured. He solely acquired 3.2% of the vote his one yr on the BBWAA poll and although it was a crowded poll and I do not really feel like that was a good shake for one of the, for my part, doubtful Corridor of Fame omissions. That stated, the committees often put gamers on these ballots who lasted a very long time on the BBWAA poll and/or acquired near the 75% wanted for induction. Bobby Grich is a participant from a number of years earlier than Lofton who has gotten comparable therapy. On the flip facet, Lou Whitaker solely acquired 2.9% of the vote in his one probability with the BBWAA and he was on a Committee poll in 2020, so perhaps there’s hope. 

Snee additionally requested: Ought to baseball go to computerized 5 get in yearly like NFL?

Snyder response: Loads of baseball followers who already, incorrectly, like to say the Corridor is getting watered down and this might kick issues into overdrive. Whereas there are a good quantity extra gamers I would like to see within the Corridor — equivalent to Lofton, Grich and Whitaker, to call three — I nonetheless suppose 5 each single yr from the BBWAA poll can be too many and we might get to the purpose of the Corridor actually being watered down.

Adam R. asks: Many HOF writers point out how they’ve to actually dive right into a participant’s numbers and profession to make last selections. How thorough is that analysis? What does that course of entail and the way a lot time does it take for borderline candidates? Are you offered any analysis help?

Snyder response: To reply the final query first, the Corridor of Fame features a packet with statistics for each participant on the poll with the poll we obtain within the mail, however it is not overly in depth. Nor ought to it’s. We’ve so many instruments today. Going to the JAWS pages on Baseball Reference is a simple method to get a good concept of the gamers on the poll (here is second base, simply so curious readers can see what it appears to be like like). I don’t, nevertheless, suppose any single stat like that is the so-called be-all and end-all. Any participant who’s even shut will get in depth analysis from me and that features studying the opinions of others. I’ll hunt down as a lot info as doable and typically I modify my thoughts. I’ve already famous on this voting cycle that I added Félix Hernández. I did not vote for him final yr and did so this yr. It wasn’t as a result of I put further weight on first-year votes (he was a first-year man final yr) and it wasn’t as a result of I “caved” or one thing. I simply suppose I made a mistake and rectified it. On gamers shut like this, I spend hours, typically a number of days, on analysis. 

Dan wonders: We all know that place issues a excessive diploma in HOF voting (i.e. the second baseman with probably the most HRs) however what affect ought to batting order play, particularly as the sport evolves? I.e. ought to leadoff males be judged v. cleanup? Is that this completely different in ’90s v. 2010s?

Further context. Leadoff males till the ’00s have been almost *all the time* slap-hitting center infielders. Managers fell right into a stereotype. Should not they be judged completely in comparison with their friends, as is the case with position-by-position voting?

Snyder response: First issues first, thanks to Dan for throwing a pitch proper in my wheelhouse. I’ve a e book out, Leadoff Man, that was printed simply over a month in the past. I do suppose some leadoff males over time have been ignored a bit in Corridor of Fame voting. Tim Raines took far too lengthy to make the Corridor when his largest on-field crime was not being Rickey Henderson, the G.O.A.T. leadoff man. Lofton getting lower than 5% in his first yr was a complete farce. He must be in. 

General, for me, I feel we are able to make concessions based mostly on batting order at instances in judging gamers for the Corridor of Fame. For instance, for a number of years with Andre Dawson on the poll, I heard individuals declaring his sub-par (.323) on-base proportion. As a middle-of-the-order hitter, although, via the ’80s and into the early ’90s, he wasn’t speculated to stroll. He was tasked with driving in runs.

Leadoff males for a very long time, as you stated, have been speculated to be light-hitting guys who acquired on base and drove the pitcher loopy. In my e book, I name it the “pest issue.” Through the years, loads of the best leadoff hitters like Henderson, Raines, Paul Molitor, Lou Brock and on right down to the likes of Richie Ashburn and Earle Combs have made the Corridor, however I do suppose if we’re having this dialogue that maybe Brett Butler may’ve gotten extra run for the Corridor of Fame. How about Bobby Bonds in being a trendsetter as one of many first power-speed combos on the high (solely his son went 30-30 as many instances)? This yr, I have been stumping for Jimmy Rollins, each as an all-time nice leadoff man but in addition a “coronary heart and soul of his staff” man. 

Jon H. wonders: What’s crucial metric when weighing somebody’s Corridor of Fame potential? Hitter and pitcher

Snyder response: I do not suppose there’s ever one stat that defines a participant and I need to see probably the most full image doable. I do begin with WAR and JAWS (as famous above), as it’s one quantity that may be very simply sortable by place. I am unable to reiterate sufficient that I might by no means take only one stat because the be-all end-all. That is solely a place to begin earlier than diving into extra metrics. I would say subsequent for hitters I would take a look at the triple-slash line (AVG/OBP/SLG) with OPS+ so there’s context behind the quantity that accounts for the period wherein the participant performed. From there I am all the time going to take a look at the key counting stats like hits, doubles, triples, residence runs, RBI, runs and stolen bases. It is all vital. For pitchers, equally, I would go to ERA and ERA+ subsequent earlier than diving into innings and strikeouts. I am going to nonetheless look at wins and losses — and saves for relievers — however these have gotten much less vital within the present period. 

Everyone seems to be completely different, however for me, “much less is extra” does not actually apply. I need to research as a lot as doable a couple of participant.

James H. asks: Provided that we have doubtless seen the final pitcher to succeed in 300 wins of their profession, has a brand new criterion taken its place ala high quality begins or profession ERA? Are there another criterion which have developed because you started protecting baseball?

Snyder response: This piggybacks properly with the earlier reply. For me, I need to look most at what a person participant can management and the way good he’s at controlling it. The previous mantra “a pitcher’s job is to win” is archaic on condition that the pitcher wants run assist along with assist from the bullpen today. Meaning the W-L file loses its luster. A pitcher’s job is to place his staff in the very best place to win by limiting the runs by the opposition. He can try this by not permitting baserunners (WHIP), by hanging out opposing hitters and by working as deep into the sport as his staff permits (IP). Issues like ERA, ERA+ and FIP and xFIP measure the run prevention and the innings, strikeouts and WHIP are essential as nicely. Newfangled numbers like WAR and JAWS try to take all the pieces into consideration. As famous some within the earlier reply, I like the most important image doable. 

Additional, with workloads being way more restricted in these most up-to-date generations of beginning pitchers, I feel decreasing the usual a bit for beginning pitchers and the Corridor of Fame must occur.

Wealthy B. wonders: Can playoff stats get somebody into the Corridor of Fame? As an example regular-season begins are slightly higher than common however postseason stats are unbelievable. Clearly video games performed within the postseason impacts it, however is that one thing writers take into account when it is a borderline candidate?

Snyder response: I do not suppose a participant who wasn’t even near a Corridor of Famer within the common season ought to get sufficient credit score for stellar postseason numbers to push him into the Corridor of Fame. For instance, for instance George Springer retired proper now. He is one of the prolific playoff performers of all time at this juncture, however his regular-season numbers present him as an excellent participant who is not a Corridor of Famer. He’d nonetheless fall quick to me. 

I do not suppose there’s something incorrect with giving bonus factors if a participant is shut, although. From this poll, let’s take a look at Carlos Beltrán. I feel he ought to’ve been a Corridor of Famer in his first attempt anyway — although the signal stealing scandal broken him greater than the rest, so let’s ignore that for a second — however let’s suppose that you just aren’t totally bought on him as a Corridor of Famer based mostly on the regular-season numbers. In 65 profession playoff video games, Beltrán hit .307/.412/.609 with 15 doubles, 16 homers, 42 RBI, 45 runs and was 11 for 11 in steals. You have gotta award him bonus factors for that, proper? 

To reply your query particularly, if I had a borderline candidate and his numbers regarded like Beltrán’s within the playoffs, I would let that clinch my determination and throw that participant a vote. On the flip facet, it is such a small pattern and there are all the time so many elements concerned that if a participant was a lower-tier Corridor-worthy candidate and had terrible postseason numbers, I would not penalize him. 

I am certain which may not sound truthful to some individuals, however I would by no means maintain dangerous playoff stats in opposition to a participant whereas I am open to giving bonus factors to wonderful playoff numbers. This can be a good illustration of my mindset. I am a optimistic man. I am a Huge Corridor voter. I would err on the facet of extra votes slightly than fewer.