So, in 2028, Beta Baseball, the online league I've been leading since 2002, is currently holding its 25th anniversary festivities. This includes the launch of our Hall of Fame - 25 years is enough to warrant a decent Hall of Fame, I figured. Since we're a small league, I thought it would be a good idea to seek public votes and get a larger sample size and post here (although we're holding this poll for our owners on our own board as well). The way we are going to do it is we're going to hold a vote to select our all-time team (2 players from each position plus 7 pitchers for a total of 25 men), and the retired ones will be our initial Hall of Fame inductees. After talking to a moderator, and rejecting his proposal of holding 9 polls at once in 9 different threads, I thought I'd do it gradually, over the whole season. This week we're doing shortstops. Poll will close in one week, top 2 will be selected.
Note that players should be evaluated purely on their current accomplishments, not on what they might do in the future. We're electing a Hall of Fame, not a Hall of Future Fame
. Also, you are allowed to vote for a maximum of TWO guys. No more than that, or I'll have to cancel your votes, and I don't want to do that
.
Keller Addison (2014-current, 1946 H, 358 HR, .265/.363/.481)
Decent slugger, very good defender, I'd take him on my team pretty much any day, even at his venerable age of 36 years.
Japic Archambault (2010-current, 2424 H, 233 HR, .285/.355/.426
4-time Gold Glove (3 times at SS). Japic is now 39, and he's still hanging on as a bench player for the team he's most identified with, the Sfeer. 5th all-time in hits.
Yves Corbeil (2009-current, 2907 H, 98 HR, .311/.344/.408)
5-time Gold Glove (4 times at SS). The Singles Man (all-time leader) is closing in on 3000 hits (he's 3rd ever in that statistical category), despite losing two full seasons to injuries. At 41, he doesn't have a long way to go, but he's still an everyday player.
Terre Gereke (2009-2025, 2639 H, 374 HR, .296/.389/.477)
2016 AL MVP, 2009 AL Rookie of the Year, 4-time Gold Glove (3 times at SS). Arguably one of the top 5 position players ever, he was, along with Teunis Schuurmans (more on him when we get to CF), the offensive leader of the Pierrefonds dynasty of the 2010's. 4th ever in hits, and 4th in walks. He had basically the same career as Nelligan until very late, but retired much earlier, so he didn't get to pad his stats like Nelligan.
Riczieldt Hohfczalftler (2019-current, 1141 H, 187 HR, .267/.364/.458)
2020 BL Rookie of the Year. We call him Ricky Ho for obvious practical reasons. Still has some good years ahead of him (he's 33), but it probably will not be enough. Still, I'd take him on my team any day.
Pascalin Jutras (2021-current, 1354 H, 150 HR, .298/.398/.462)
2-time Gold Golve (at 3B),former top prospect Jutras seems to have delivered on his promise. Forced out of his natural position by Adrian Hirsch, he nevertheless performs well at SS, and if he continues to play this way, it could make him a slid Hall of Famer eventually, in the event that he's not selected this time around.
Louis-Philippe Lapicerella (2017-current, 1718 H, 228 HR, .273/.363/.436)
He came late to the party, so his career stats aren't so amazing (he's 38, but still very young at heart). Still, a very solid player.
Derrick Nagata (2008-2023, 1938 H, 111 HR, .274/.316/.407)
3-time Gold Glove. Another of the still active old-timers at SS (he's turning 45 this year, and he's still playing in the indy leagues). Well, ok, he's not that good, but a guy that old is really cool!
Ralf Sturm (2006-2022, 2106 H, 73 HR, .300/.336/.456)
1-time Gold Glove. Holds the single-season record for both 2B and 3B, and is 2nd and 1st respectively for career numbers.