https://totallytigers.wordpress.com/2024/01/23/watercooler-wednesday-119/
WATERCOOLER WEDNESDAY.
Totally Tigers
On the day after the yearly election to the Baseball Hall of Fame, we are reminded of one of the greatest to ever play 2B. A man who has yet to be recognized in Cooperstown.
Lou Whitaker.
In his first and only election, Sweet Lou received a vote total that was not so sweet. He received less than 3% of the votes and as a result, was removed from the ballot.
In 2022, he failed to be nominated. His next opportunity will be in 2025.
To summarize his accomplishments, Lou has a 75.1 WAR and is tied with Hall of Famer, Johnny Bench. They both rank #82 in that category in all of baseball history.
The Hall has 268 members elected as players. Out of those, 20 of them were 2Bers.
If we ranked all of them, Whitaker would sit in 7th place behind Rogers Hornsby, Eddie Collins, Nap Lajoie, Joe Morgan, Rod Carew and Charlie Gehringer.
Many wonder why Whitaker, a most deserving and obvious candidate, is not in the Hall and goes unrecognized despite the stellar stats.
Some have attributed his absence to the Tigers? lack of effort in supporting his candidacy. Other teams prepare binders and video of their retired players to present to the voters. Some of those teams also coordinate a PR push through those already elected to the Hall.
In August 2021, Chris Ilitch made the team?s first move in promoting Lou by retiring his number and honoring him with a spot on Comerica?s wall. It was hoped that this move would have helped get him nominated in 2022.
Others will point to Whitaker?s unconventional personality, controversial moves connected to his religion and his odd and uncomfortable media interviews. Some of those interviews on MLB Radio were so strange that they were cut short very quickly.
Yet there are other fans who point to Lou?s aloofness and introvert qualities that made keeping friends in baseball challenging. Friends who would have helped support his election.
Whitaker did coach in spring training for the Tigers but both sides terminated the agreement almost 15 years ago. Since then, he has spent most of his post-career as a missionary for his church.
What do you believe is the biggest factor as to why Lou is still not in the Hall despite having some of the best statistics of 2Bers?
What do you believe is the biggest factor that has prevented Lou Whitaker from being elected to the Hall of Fame?
1. The lack of effort by the Tigers and other players in promoting him to the voters.
2. His uncomfortable style of communication.
3. His introverted personality that impacted the number of friendships he has in the industry.
VOTE
