Everybody loves a good debate, and in the baseball world
such arguments are typically most spirited when it comes to discussing the Hall
of Fame. From who should be in to who is overrated, the number of points of
contention are practically endless. Jay Jaffe has
written the next great primer on this topic with his The Cooperstown Casebook: Who’s in the
Baseball Hall of Fame, who should be in, and who should pack their plaques
(Thomas Dunne Books, St. Martin’s Press- 2017).
Jaffe, a writer for Sports Illustrated and creator of the
JAWS player rating system, has long been at the forefront of conversations
about who should be in and out in the Hall of Fame. He uses “new stats” (think
WAR, park adjusted offense, defensive runs saved, etc...) instead of relying on the
counting statistics that so many used heavily to measure
Hall-worthiness in the past.
Although this book does rely heavily on advanced baseball
statistics, it does a fantastic job of not only explaining what they are but
why they matter. Additionally, there is no assertion that these numbers are the
end-all, be-all, but rather a newer way to examine and appreciate the impact
various players have had on the game’s history. Jaffe also discusses a fair
amount of the politics of previous elections, especially those related to the
Veteran’s Committee. It certainly appears that some players had extra boosts
because of former teammates or friends who were involved in the voting.
Debating the merits of baseball hall of famers is a cottage
industry. It is perhaps the one thing that most consistently keeps the sport in
the headlines, as there has never been unanimous agreement over whether or not
the correct candidates have been enshrined. The first quarter of the book
examines how players have been elected in the past; what criteria has been
used; biases that may have played roles and how new stats are starting to turn
things on their head. It is an excellent primer to familiarize readers with all
previous levels of knowledge of such things.
Baseball junkies will likely go gaga for the second portion
of The Cooperstown Casebook, which
takes a position-by-position look at a sampling of players both in, out and
upcoming for election to the Hall of Fame. Although the synopsis for each
player is brief (typically no more than 2-3 pages), there is an incredible
amount of information packed in to give the reader a lot to think about.
Players who have thus far been snubbed (i.e. Dwight
Evans, Alan
Trammell and Larry
Walker); elected but over-celebrated or underappreciated (i.e. Phil
Rizzuto, Bobby Doerr
and Kid
Nichols); and those with compelling cases for induction once they are
eligible (i.e. Adrian
Beltre, Bobby Abreu
and Chase
Utley) are presented in ways that fans may have never seen before.
While Jaffe’s work will not remove anyone from the Hall of
Fame, it's very possible it could help sway some voters who may have held previous stances on candidates who would have not received future votes otherwise. At a
minimum, readers should delight in rehashing players and reviewing evidence
that has not been presented in such a way before. The Cooperstown Casebook is not only ground breaking; it’s well
researched, well written and a heck of a lot of fun. In a genre that often
struggles to reach new heights, that is no problem for this book, which soars
and looks by all accounts to be a first-ballot hall of famer itself.
Disclaimer: I was provided with
a free copy of the book being reviewed by the publisher, but received no
payment or other consideration for this review.
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