This afternoon, the Baseball Hall of Fame announced its eight nominees for the 2024 Era Committee. Previously known as the Veterans Committee, the Era Committee is a 16-person panel that considers nominees outside the purview of induction for players via the Baseball Writers Association of America.
The 2024 class concerns managers, executives and umpires whose primary contributions to the game have come since 1980. Last year’s committee focused on players within that same timeframe and elected Fred McGriff. Next winter’s nominees will be individuals who most impacted the sport before 1980.
Here are the candidates this winter:
- Cito Gaston (manager)
- Davey Johnson (manager)
- Jim Leyland (manager)
- Ed Montague (umpire)
- Hank Peters (executive)
- Lou Piniella (manager)
- Joe West (umpire)
- Bill White (executive)
The managers are likely most familiar to recent fans. Gaston led the Blue Jays for 13 seasons over two stints. His first stretch at the helm, spanning 1989-97, was very successful. Gaston first took over in May ’89 when the club dismissed Jimy Williams after a 12-24 start. They finished with a 77-49 record under Gaston’s watch, claiming the AL East title. That kicked off a stretch of four division wins in a five-year span. While they were bounced in the ALCS in 1989 and ’91, the Jays won back-to-back World Series in 1992 and ’93.
Johnson managed almost 2500 games in 17 seasons between 1984-2013. He began with the Mets, leading them to 108 wins and their dramatic World Series victory over the Red Sox by his third season. While that was the only title of his managerial career, Johnson led the Mets to six straight winning campaigns. He led the Reds (1993-95), Orioles (1996-97) and Dodgers (1999-2000) during the following decade. Johnson concluded his career with three seasons at the helm of the Nationals from 2011-13. He led at least one playoff team in four of his five stops. His teams won 56.2% of their regular season contests.
Leyland had a 22-year career as a big league skipper. He managed just under 3500 games between the Pirates, Marlins, Rockies and Tigers. He led Pittsburgh to three straight division titles between 1990-92 as part of an 11-year run in the Steel City. During his first season managing in Florida, Leyland led a 92-win team from a Wild Card berth to a championship in just the fifth season in Marlins history. He didn’t find success during a lone season in Colorado but led the Tigers to a pennant in 2006, his first season at the helm in Detroit. Leyland managed through 2013, winning three straight division titles from 2011-13 and claiming another AL pennant in 2012. He’s 18th in career wins with 1,769 regular season victories.
Piniella is just ahead of him on that leaderboard, ranking 17th with 1,835 wins. The fiery skipper had a 23-year managerial career between the Yankees, Reds, Mariners, Devil Rays and Cubs. He led the Reds to the 1990 World Series during his first season in Cincinnati. While that was the only time that one of his teams would play in the Fall Classic, he had multiple playoff appearances in Seattle and Chicago. Piniella was at the helm for the ’01 Mariners team tied for the all-time wins record (116) and led consecutive division winners with the Cubs in 2007-08.
Peters was a high-ranking executive for the A’s, Indians and Orioles between 1965-91. He helped construct the farm system for the A’s teams that won three World Series in the 1970’s, although he was no longer with the organization when the major league team blossomed. Peters was at the helm with Baltimore for their 1979 pennant and 1983 World Series victory. He led Cleveland in the late-’80s, helping set the stage for the Indians’ run of success the following decade.
White, a former star first baseman, served as president of the National League from 1989-94. He also had a lengthy broadcasting run as part of a career that spanned five decades. As a player, he finished in third place in 1964 NL MVP balloting for the Cardinals’ World Series winner and is part of the team’s Hall of Fame.
Montague managed over 4,000 MLB games from 1974-2009. West, one of the sport’s most famous umpires, officiated a record 5,460 contests between 1976 and his retirement in February 2022.
Nominees need 12 of 16 votes to gain induction. The voting will take place during December’s Winter Meetings.
Put ’em all in!
Except Joe West.
Yeah, but Country Joe has umped the most games in MLB, poorly, but still a record.
Only one I see is Bill White for his collective body of work.
Couldn’t agree more. His post seasons efforts both in the executive suite and the broadcast booth along with a fine playing career should make him a shoo-in. If I had two votes, the other would go to Jim Leyland.
Unfortunately, the MLB Hall of Fame does not yet have a category for mixed contributions. White’s case has to be solely based on his accomplishments as an Executive, as that was the category for which he was nominated.
However, I do believe that the Hall of Fame really needs a wing added for collective contributions in multiple categories, whether it’s Player/Manager, Manager/Executive, Player/Broadcaster, Pioneer/Executive, etc.
West was beyond annoying, making himself the center of attention. MLB should not allow this. The game is about the players. Who was the umpire who ejected Joey Votto in the final game of the year, and perhaps his career?
Bad players get benched, sent to the minors, or cut. What’s the penalty for umpires? There’s also little doubt that as umpires age, they are less effective. Maybe create two new full-time umpire positions, but the two new ones are stationed in AAA., a phone call away. f a MLB umpire fails certain quality tests, he gets demoted to AAA, although with no pay cut, and replaced by one of the umpires-in-waiting down there. He then has to prove he’s worthy to return. The embarrassment alone will force some of these umpires to clean up their acts. They should be rated on quality of calls, and held accountable for taunting players, causing arguments. The focus should never be on the umpire or the “umpire show..”
Funny thing about West, while he was obnoxious, he wasn’t regarded as a bad umpire, at least by ratings. I fully expect he’ll get elected eventually simply because of his length of service. I guess by that measure expanded to players, Jamie Moyer and Julio Franco should be elected.
That is how unions work.
You do realize this has nothing to do with MLB?
Went on YouTube to watch Joe West sucking as an umpire. He would have been on the all-garbage 6-man crew with Angel, CB, Laz Diaz and more. Joe West is not a Hall of Famer.
Enlighten us.
Enlighten us plez, Mick7.
Keep compilers out of the hall!
@benhen the very act of playing is “compiling”. Every time a player steps foot on a field stat(s) start “compiling”. Labeling someone a compilier is trying to put a label on the very act of playing the game. It’s kinda foolish when you break it down for what it truly is.
He was in Naked Gun though
I’m sure there is something already honoring the # of games umped within the HOF. With him that should suffice. Enshrinement should be for those who excelled at their role in the game.
I can’t believe so many of these guys aren’t already in, that’s why the Hall of Fame for baseball is so frustrating to me, just as bad as the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame.
Yeah, Joe West can wait, he was a jerk and a diva.
@across, I ve gotta ask have you been to both Cooperstown and Rock and Roll HOF? I was very unimpressed with R&R and because of it my expectations were super low for Cooperstown. But from the moment I pulled into Cooperstown all the way through the actual Hall I was blown away. It truly is an amazing place.
Joe West is the poster child for everything that is wrong with contemporary MLB umpires.
Dr – I think umpires have gotten better and less confrontational, except for one umpire. I won’t give his name, but I’ll give his initials: CB
Fever Pitch that’s an odd way to spell Angel Hernandez’s initials.
Why wouldn’t you put his name?
I hope Angel Hernandez get put in the Hall of Fame for his epically horrendous umpiring skills. The best at being the worst!
I remember when replay just started, there was a play where it was clear the runner beat the ball to first base and he was called out, it wasn’t even a debatable call on the replay and Hernandez still called the guy out.
The fact that he might attempt to sing at the induction ceremony should invalidate his candidacy.
Nah, Joe West should be in as well.
Hey Joe!
Tommy Lasorda approves your comment.
I cannot wait to fast forward 20 years and see Angel Hernandez on a list like this
Yeah what if Angel Hernandez breaks Joe West’ record. Does he get into the Hall of Fame too?
If Angel was elected, he would spend all of Induction Weekend in Utica wondering where the hell everyone else was.
Joe West? Hahahahahhaha
Not so a weet Lou should get in for sure! The tobacco lobbyists should get Leyland in easily too….ah the good ol’ days of chain smoking in the dugout.
I’m kinda confused on which era they are voting on – individuals impacting the game before 1980? Like anytime before 1980 or a certain timeframe?
Whenever the next eras committee comes up to review the 90s or 2000s, they should definitely make sure Kenny Lofton gets in. When Raines, Henderson, Coleman ended their eras, Lofton took over the reigns as the best leadoff hitter in baseball for a decade+. He was a very good defensively outfielder, hit for a high average, had decent pop for a leadoff hitter and had a great OBP. When you think of baseballs best in the 1990s, it’s hard to not think about Kenny Lofton.
Agree totally. Lofton not being in the HoF is a travesty.
Agree on Lofton but I can come up with many others including Dwight Evans, Munson, Garvey, Bell, Reggie Smith, Luis Tiant, etc.
none of those guys, save for maybe Dewey are HoF candidates. Very good players, but not HoF.
nunzio1749
Luis Tiant’s not a hall of fame? I couldn’t disagree more
Now I understand the ppl up for selection. I thought the ppl listed were the voting committee.
Why are we putting umpires in the Hall of Fame? Should we put some concession stand workers in? Batboys and ballboys? How about clubhouse attendants? The best umpires are the ones we barely hear about..
Whoooooa now. There have been at least one or two deserving umps in the past. But if we are talking “nowadays,” then Pat Hoberg will make it if he keeps up with his track record so far. Plus, he umped the only “perfect: game” for an ump and it was in the World Series. He gets in eventually.
Ryan, I agree. The best umpire I ever saw was Steve Paliermo who got his kudos for simply doing his job. He sadly became paralyzed when he got shot trying to help someone in need. Instead of retiring, he continued to work and headed up umpiring off the field.
Again, it’s the Hall of Fame. The only way I ever care which ump is working the game is if it’s someone terrible like Angel Hernandez or CB Bucknor. If you wanna recognize their time in the league and give them a shout-out, I’m all for it, but umpires should not be in the Hall of Fame.
Since 1980
Jim Leyland HOF Manager…he managed some
talented players such as Barry Bonds, Bobby Bonilla, Pudge, Miggy, Justin Verlander… sad he was never able to bring a WS title to Detroit but getting us to the dance in 2006, three years after losing 119 games, which was a magical job in and of itself
Jim Leyland was the ultimate manager for coaching a team stacked with egos. He is exactly the type of guy who could get the current Padres team consistently into the playoffs. He wasn’t the best at managing a bullpen, but everyone has a weakness.
I am a big fan of this entire class of guys, but I like Leyland the most amongst them. All very worthy of at least the Hall of Very Good, but in my opinion a nanager shouldn’t get in unless he has a ring, which Leyland does.
Leyland, last MLB guy am aware f who walked any MLB park whilst wearing steel spikes. Possibly good for keeping some of those various attitudes in check? Maybe also cause of those smoke signals, eminating from dugouts, due to his chain smoking of cigarettes as well.
Early on, from personal observance and chatting with him many times while Jimmy managed the old Lakeland Tigers.. Way back during the mid 70’s? mild mannered he was and he had several likewise mild mannered future HOF players on his teams, from Sweet Lou Whitaker to Alan Trammel, paired with more volitile guys, such as Jack Morris.
A players manager who drew respect and knew how to win, plus teach at the same time, lacking in the game of today when both aspects are missing.
What about Jim Leyland and the only American team to win the WBC when he was the manager? That surely should be added on to his list of accomplishments.
Jim Leyland HOF Manager indeed.
Have the nerve to SAY SOMETHING.
Something
You’re inducted too, paleobros, as you had the nerve to say SOMETHING as well.
Joe West is quite pathetic. Are they trying to include at least 1 blind person on here?
Guess they’re trying to meet their EEO quotas
I want only Joe West to get in because it would be funny I think
That triple-chinned country-singing, blind-slinging son of a gun did always find a way to make me laugh
It would be like inducting Bud Selig, someone who impacted the game for a very long time but was very polarizing and had a very mixed record at his job…oh, wait.
Joe West wasn’t polarizing. He was hated by everyone.
I want to frame this on my wall.
Except Nelly Cruz apparently
Davey Johnson, Jim Leyland, Lou Piniella – more managers in the Hall? Seriously, we’re running out of places to put these guys. What’s next, a Hall of Fame for batboys?
Johnson and Pineilla should be voted on like Bill White. For their total body of work. Johnson had 40 home runs as a second baseman and take away Reggie’s three homer game, Pineilla was the Yankees’ best clutch hitter outside of Munson in the late 70s. Plus, he made the play of his life in 78 to help the Yankees win the playoff game in Fenway.
“What’s next, a Hall of Fame for batboys?”
Here’s the initial entrant to the BB HoF:
milb.com/rochester/ballpark/milo
2 of them are 3 time Mgr of The Year, and Johnson won it twice. All 3 in my opinion easily belong in. Gaston I don’t think would be the most awful choice, but I don’t think he should get in. While all 4 of the Managers benefited from talent of their rosters, I think Gaston more so then the other 3. Those Jay’s teams were not just loaded with talent but tons of solid veteran presence. I’d imagine those rosters could check egos themselves. As for Leyland he had his share of primadonnas as did Pinella. And Johnson basically steered baseballs version of Animal House the best he could.
What’s the thought with Joe West, controversy and drama bring interest? Maybe he has dirt on the committee. Odd choice.
If Joe West makes the HOF I will drive to Cooperstown to puke on the front door.
Same with Angel Hernandez, absolutely disgusting if he gets nominated in like 20 years.
Joe West can get in, but players that are way more deserving get pushed off? I hate the Hall of Fame process.
I am OK with any or all of Piniella, Leyland, and Johnson making it. I liked Cito Gaston, but I just don’t think he had a long enough career to warrant HOF status.
I have no opinion on the executives.
Joe West? Sigh…
Cito did manage 2 world series champs.. on top of a pretty good career. Im good either way.
@SweetLou
He also managed the highest paid team at the time so if you’ve got the talent being paid for, I’d hope he did achieve something.
@oldyork I’m a Blue Jays fan, so I’m biased, but if that’s the argument you want to make, Joe Torre should be held accountable the same way you’re thinking of Cito. For the record, love Torre and he deserves his ring like he received!
@cwilcox43
I’m just saying that when you have top team and payroll to go with it, there’s a better chance of winning than if you’re a team like the Royals of 2023. Not saying he did anything wrong but I don’t think he would have had the same success with the 2023 Royals and that stands for Torre as well.
@Old York
That is true to a degree. Weve seen a lot of teams in recent years that havent won, while spendimg absurd amounts. Sometimes it jusy takes the manager, managing those high price allstar personalities, as much as anything. He did that?
As i said though, im good either way.
On the fence.
Would lean towards hof.
You don’t even have to go that far with Torre. All you have to do is look at the rest of his career that was not spent with the Yankees. With the Mets, Braves, Cardinals, and Dodgers, he was a little under .500 in the regular season and only went to the postseason in 3 out of 17 years. The ONLY reason he is in the HOF is because of the Yankees payroll. Although I do believe he should have made it in as a player, and probably still should.
Ask the current Dodgers, Red Sox and Yankees. Big payrolls don’t guarantee anything but large tax bills for the players and having fans dig deeper into their pockets.
The Dodgers have recently had amongst the highest payrolls yet they’ve only won in 20, which I personally don’t count. Give Torre credit for managing the heads of so many inflated egos. How come since he left, there’s only been one winner in the Bronx?
Old York, money doesn’t swing a bat or throw a pitch. It’s simply a function of where a player is in his career earnings cycle. It doesn’t mean they’re better than the younger players making league minimum.
Because he left 20 years ago and there are 30 teams in the league and only 1 team wins every year. And the Yankees payroll is not head and shoulders above the rest like it was when George Steinbrenner was around. If he hadn’t died, there is no way he would have let the Mets outspend the Yankees.
Now especially, the playoffs are completely luck. The thing about big payrolls is that they usually get you a ticket to the dance. The Yankees have made the playoffs in 11 out of the 16 season since Torre left and the fewest wins they have had in a season was 82. It’s not like they are ever going to be in contention for the overall #1 draft pick in the current system.
This year was an aberration with the top 3 payrolls missing, although the Padres weren’t far off. Another week and they would have passed the D-Backs.
He had a great team, led by Williams, Jeter, Posada, Pettitte, and Rivera, who all came through their system, Their payroll increased because they kept and paid their players, and added more in. That’s what happens to almost all teams who are committed to winning. Do you think the Orioles payroll is going to go down now? No. It;s going up, just as the Astros payroll has gone up yearly. Adley Rutschman is a great bargain right now, but does that mean the Orioles have to jettison him when he’ll cost $30MM a year? Or, maybe they’ll negotiate a lower-cost deal where he’ll only cost $22MM a year. Does that make any difference to your point, that he’ll cost more, and may not even be as good at that stage. Baseball is a young man’s game, so paying older players doesn’t guarantee anything.
The majority of managers get elected based on the teams they’re fortunate enough to manage, but that also doesn’t mean they’re not worthy based on talent, or worse, payroll. Casey Stengel was a losing manager, then he took over the Yankees. He was also regarded as one of the best strategists in the game, well ahead of his time. His election was certainly warranted, as was Torre’s. It’s not just payroll as you conveniently framed it.
This is pretty basic stuff that anyone who understands baseball and the business of baseball would understand.
You alluded to it indirectly. Payroll increases the chances for consistently competing, although we have seen time and time again that payroll can also be a negative, especially as older players who are more expensive under perform,. It’s a much more complex issue than most fans want to acknowledge.
@LordD99
Well, back then, the best team still had to play fewer games today an had no 5-day period of rest like we do today. I don’t think it makes sense to have a whole week off from playing baseball when the players are essentially playing 5-6 games a week during 162 game season.
Gaston had to play against the Oakland and then Atlanta in 1992. Should have kept it that way even to present day. If we did, it would be Baltimore vs. TB & Atlanta vs. LA Dodgers. In that situation, we would actually have the top teams playing in the world series, even if TB & Dodgers won.
Spending doesn’t equal winning.
Gaston won as many rings as Piniella and Leyland combined.
But how was his hat kicking?
So is rings the end all and be all for you? Rings are a result of 7 games. We are talking about men that won over 1000 games each.
Rings and overall wins are both important. Bruce Bochy has a sub .500 record as a manager, but is a mortal lock for the HoF because he won three rings.
Leyland should be a lock, and I think Piniella and Gaston are both deserving.
Cito has 2 rings. Piniella and Leyland managed themselves out of a second ring. Cito is easily ahead of them. Davey too.
Leyland was not a good manager. Sorry. Not a Hall of Famer in my eyes.
Time to name this the Hall of Shame
Vote to replace “famous” with “infamous” in West’s description.
I would imagine West’s candidacy has a lot to do with who is on the committee. I’d assume the media members would vote for him, the executives maybe. Would the players? Looking at last year’s committee, I dont think most of that group would have strong inclinations to vote against him.
I don’t think my kids were 5 years old when they started telling Joe West jokes. Seriously this has to be a bad joke. Make it stop 2nd worst umpire ever. Gth Joe west! Ruined many great games SMH. Jimmy Leland smoking cigs in the dugout all time favorite. He was the man.
No biography of Cowboy Joe?
All we learned about him here is how many fans hate umpires, and it wouldn’t make a bit of difference which one was nominated, the comments would be exactly the same.
Kind of funny, really.
Not true. Two umpires are bad bad. Not. one person has mentioned a negative
comment about Montaque. Go fish.
You sure don’t get the funny part.
Could anyone kick a hat quite like Lou Piniella?
Bill White deserves to be in without question
Lol. Joe West
Perhaps there are those linked to the late, great Town & Country Hotel who have a more inside and personal view of Cowboy Joe – but I did not consult any of them when casting my dishonorary No Blanking Way vote for his Cooperstown berth.
Oy, the mere thought.
If that old saw still holds substantive weight (like the ol’ Cowboy hisself), the one about the best umpires and officials being the ones never noticed, then West was never one of the best ones.
All of them!
I’m good with Joe West. The guy was always entertaining, has an almost unbeatable record. He had some rough calls blown up by modern day social media but before that was a solid ump
The best umpires are the ones you don’t even think about. They’re so good they’re smooth behind the plate. That’s not West.
All the rest have arguments for election, but the only one I’m sure will be elected is Bill White.
Lou Piniella should get in just for his hat kicking game
No managers should be voted in until Danny Murtaugh is inducted. Higher winning percentage than Joe Torre and Tony LaRussa. More WS titles than Bobby Cox. Those 2 titles are arguably 2 of the biggest upsets in MLB history, over the Mantle/Maris Yanks and the 4X20game winners in Baltimore. Roberto got a hit in all 14 of those games btw. Danny also fielded the 1st all-minority lineup in history. Get him in the HOF!
F Scott Fitzgerald and F Cito Gaston
Sweet Lou for sure.
Joe West made me laugh. Who’s next, Eric Gregg?
Too soon.
This is what bats are for: swinging at balls. I wish those Braves’ guys actually used their bats properly even once.
Cito and Davey.
Cito Gaston is a class act – great idea. However, Joe West? No.
West’s election at some point will set the internet on fire.
Small Hall, Big Hall, Hall With The Seating Capacity Of Michigan Stadium
I think all these guys have an argument, but it’s also more difficult to assess umpires, managers and executives compared to players. Maybe a couple from this group get in. I’m feeling maybe Leyland will be one of them.
Umpires do not belong in the hall of fame.
Some do…. Nestor Chylak comes to mind.
If Pat Hoberg keeps up his game for the next 30 years, then he should be. He was the only guy to ump a perfect umpiring called game in the world series.
What about Larry Bowa. I know he and the media disliked each other, however you can’t argue with his on field production
I bet Joe West ejected Bowa on several occasions. Bowa is a baseball lifer and an interesting guy but not sure he gets in. Would love to see it.
Leyland, White and Montague deserve it. Maybe they’d be better off starting to evict some HOFers, like Trammell, Baines, Rice, Wilhelm and the steroid users.
@I’M Insane To this day I still have no idea how Suter got into the HOF
These are some of the best players of all time! Bonds, A-Rod, Clemens,Rose, Rimirez, Jones, Kent, Grich, Beltre, Reuschel, Bell, Beltran, and Palmero all should be in the HOF. IF the league counts them so should a HOF, right now it’s all fake news like the rest of the news.
I think you are fake news.
Cito Gaston. Next question.
Hey Anthony, post a poll for each candidate. Curious to see if results here match the eventual results of the 16 writers
You don’t know the names of the best umpires. They are like holders for placekicks in football. If they do their job right you never hear of them.
CB Bucknor, Angel Hernandez, and Laz Diaz…just to name a few
Joe West is a clown and doesn’t deserve to be anywhere close to the Hall. He was a disgrace as an umpire. He ruined hundreds of games over the course of his career by making terrible calls, needless ejections and inserting himself into situations for no reason. If he is somehow inducted are they going to show and hour and a half of “his” highlights ejecting people. Is Stevie Wonder going to induct him? The only thing that should be inducted is his belt for holding back his massive gut for 45 years.
I know all of those guys devoted their life to baseball and all definitely contributed to the game tremendously, I don’t think any of them especially as much as I love Davey Johnson have a hall of Fame resume. Longevity doesn’t make you a hofer whether your a player or a manager or an umpire for that matter. But it might be worth inducting Joe West just to hear his speech. My my.
Longevity doesn’t make you a HOFer? Tell that to Harold Baines.
Just dumb. If you weren’t good enough to go in when eligible, you’re not good enough 20 yrs after. Everyone knows their enshrinement is a sympathy entrance. Be a man and say no
Ed Montague was an umpire, not a manager.
Hopefully, the committee will be able to correct a major injustice like McGriff again this coming year. Players who most impacted the sport prior to 1980 I’d be considering a couple guys like:
Bobby Grich – 71 bWAR, 46.4 bWAR 7 year peak.
Rarely won any particular stat category, but 129 OPS+ through his 12 year peak at 2nd base. 6 years with 6+ WAR, led AL with 8.3 WAR in 1973.
Grich was a fantastic fielder with a career .984 fielding percentage and 5.70 RF/9 vs. league averages of .979 and 5.40.
6x All Star, 4x Gold Glove.
I don’t care who you are, 71 bWAR should be an automatic ride to Cooperstown.
Reggie Smith – 64.5 bWAR, 38.6 bWAR 7 year peak.
Seasonal and career numbers were cut short due to frequent injuries, for the era, Smith was remarkably consistent providing basically 5-6 WAR per full season. Smith was an average-ish fielder at center until being moved to RF in his late 20s. Excellent walk rate with high strikeouts and good power, he’d be the prototypical hitter these days. Eerns his WAR with the bat and a Career OPS+ 137.
7x All Star, 1x Gold Glove
Luis Tiant – 65.7 bWAR, 44.2 bWAR 7 year peak.
Played on mostly mediocre teams and didn’t generate tons of shiny strikeout stats and the flew way under the radar, but the kind of guy who would be far more appreciated in modern analytics. Through ’78, owned a 3.16 ERA or an ERA+ of 119. Led the league in WAR with 8.5 in 1968 with 4 years at 6+ WAR. 2x ERA leader, 2x ERA+ leader.
3x All Star
Where is Tommy John 288 wins if Jim Kaat is in so should Tommy John and also Thurman Muinson.
Everybody should be in if Jim Kaat got in.
These types of arguments hold little merit in my eyes. The ‘ol two wrongs make a right. Tommy John was the ultimate accumulator. Munson was already in a sharp decline when his career prematurely ended by only a year or two.
Leyland should be in. This is another case of a small market player/manager being looked over by media. If he had managed the Yankees or Dodgers, then of course he is in. It is like people arguing about Votto being in the HOF someday. Again, if he was a Yankee or Dodger then no question.
I see Piniella and Leyland as manager compilers vs Johnson & Gaston as high performance short careers. It was a joke Gaston never got a Manager of the Year award imo.
Hate the idea of umpires going in, and executives should be few and far between for getting in.