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Old 05-08-2018, 12:38 AM   #71
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Location: Ontario Canada
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Lets next take a look at a pair of pitchers who finished in the top five in last year's Hall of Fame voting.

BOB FELLER

Feller has been eligible for the past 3 years and taking a quick look I can't see how he is not elected. A 6-time all-star who won two World Series with the Indians and pitched for 22 seasons. He was 255-198 in a career that saw him lead the American League in strikeouts 5 times. He also pitched a no-hitter in 1950.

Feller sits 6th all-time in career strikeouts with 2528 and his win total of 255 ranks 23rd all-time.

Feller's numbers compare favourably with Carl Hubbell, Dutch Leonard, Hal Newhouser and Fred Hutchinson - who are all in the Hall.

The real life Feller was 266-162 with 2581 career strikeouts.


HARRY BRECHEEN

This is Brecheen's 6th year on the ballot. He had the misfortune of spending his entire career with the Browns and they were awful for most of his tenure. Brecheen posted some great numbers despite the lack of talent around him - 3 Cy Young Awards and 7 all-star appearances to go with a 215-189 career record.

He led the American League in losses when he went 6-22 in 1940 on a Browns team that lost 107 games but 3 years later he was 26-11 on a team that won just 76 games. The Browns/Orioles are the only original franchise to never win a pennant.

The real-life Brecheen was 133-92 over a 12 year career primarily with the Cardinals but he did finish with a year as a Brown.

VERDICT - Don Newcombe factors in here as well. I think Feller should get my vote based on his 255 wins and the strikeout totals. Numbers alone I feel Brecheen and Newcombe fall just short but both have extenuating circumstances. Newcombe missed out on his early years due to the color barrier and Brecheen was handicapped by how bad his team was.

I am going to vote for Feller. I will have to think more about Brecheen and Newcombe. I am leaning to Brecheen as a yes and Newcombe as a no but he will be someone who draws consideration from the special Old-Timers Committee I will introduce to give players from the early days of minors and Negro Leagues a shot at the Hall.
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