# SDMB Hall of Fame Project: Catchers **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** baseball-mlb\ **Created:** [December 5, 2016, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-hall-of-fame-project-catchers/773936 "2016-12-05T16:00:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-hall-of-fame-project-catchers/773936/41 "2016-12-12T19:37:20Z")
I’m back from getting married. Luckily she didn’t run away at the last minute. Voting ends tomorrow as soon as I find time to count votes. Please vote and encourage others to vote! ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-hall-of-fame-project-catchers/773936/42 "2016-12-12T21:24:38Z")
Yogi Berra Johnny Bench Mickey Cochrane Roy Campanella Ivan Rodriguez Carlton Fisk Josh Gibson Buster Posey Mike Piazza I’m probably a little early on Buster Posey, but I think history will support me in this call. Already an All Star every year, MVP one year, three WS rings, batting title, Rookie of the Year, three Silver Sluggers, Gold Glove, and masterful work with pitchers. He’s already done enough to deserve being in the Hall if he retired next year. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-hall-of-fame-project-catchers/773936/43 "2016-12-13T00:12:43Z")
And a request - I’d find it useful if you posted a link to each new poll in the previous poll. I almost missed this one because I wasn’t checking the forums last week, but updates to my subscribed threads are noticed. Thanks for organizing this, and congrats on the marriage! ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-hall-of-fame-project-catchers/773936/44 "2016-12-13T03:18:46Z")
Question: the first round of voting was supposed to be for the no-brainers, the OBVIOUS choices. When we vote by position, do we have to pick ten? And are we still supposed to be sticking to no brainers? Ted Simmons makes my ten best catchers, but I’m not sure he’s a Hall of Famer (he’d be better than several catchers who ARE in the Hall, natch). ---
**Author:** ![Hawkeyeop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/958977/32.png) [@Hawkeyeop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hawkeyeop)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-hall-of-fame-project-catchers/773936/45 "2016-12-13T04:04:30Z")
Johnny Bench Gary Carter Mike Piazza Carlton Fisk Josh Gibson Yogi Berra Ivan Rodriguez Bill Dickey Mickey Cochrane Joe Mauer ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-hall-of-fame-project-catchers/773936/46 "2016-12-13T04:44:23Z")
Johnny Bench Josh Gibson Gary Carter Ivan Rodriguez Carlton Fisk Mike Piazza Roy Campanella Yogi Berra Bill Dickey Mickey Cochrane ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-hall-of-fame-project-catchers/773936/47 "2016-12-13T13:47:59Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Question: the first round of voting was supposed to be for the no-brainers, the OBVIOUS choices. > > When we vote by position, do we have to pick ten? And are we still supposed to be sticking to no brainers? > > Ted Simmons makes my ten best catchers, but I’m not sure he’s a Hall of Famer (he’d be better than several catchers who ARE in the Hall, natch). 1. Please vote for the specific number requested. It’ll be ten for all the primary positional votes, I think. We’ll see. If you cast a vote with just eight or nine names I’m going to count it all the same. (Ballots with just one name will be ignored, or at least I’ll ask the voter to get serious.) However I do humbly ask you vote for ten. As to your other question… maybe you could expand on it? I’m not sure what you mean. We’re going to have some really, really obvious choices coming up, I should think; no one who’s serious about this is going to NOT vote for Johnny Bench, Mike Schmidt, Greg Maddux or Joe DiMaggio when those ballots roll around. But your #10 pick might be a tough choice, and it’s meant to be. That’s what fun about this. I think what you’re saying is there might not be ten catchers worthy of the Hall of Fame. I disagree, but okay, let’s assume that’s true; ten are going in, though, 'cause I created the rule so that has to happen, so you may as well exert some influence on who #10 is. 🙂 Troutman: 1. You’re absolutely right that I should back-link future polls in previous polls. I will start doing that at once. 2. As to Buster Posey, obviously this process is manifestly unfair to players of Posey’s calibre, or Mike Trout or whomever, but we can’t predict the future and Posey, if his knee falls apart in April, would be a borderline choice. Henceforth, every year we’ll have a new ballot to add to the SDMB Hall of Fame, and assuming the world isn’t destroyed I expect the SDMB will always be around in some fashion. I look forward to future votes! Results coming up, not that you guys couldn’t just count and figure it out yourselves. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-hall-of-fame-project-catchers/773936/48 "2016-12-13T14:20:32Z")
Thank you to everyone who voted. I think we got 26 ballots. (I might have counted kenobi 65 twice, but it isn’t going to matter.) The following players have been officially inducted into the SDMB Hall of Fame: Johnny Bench Yogi Berra Mike Piazza Gary Carter Ivan Rodriguez Josh Gibson Carlton Fisk Roy Campanella Bill Dickey Mickey Cochrane The closest runnerup, but it wasn’t very close, was Ted Simmons. If your favourite catcher missed out, they may have a chance in the future… we’ll see! ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-hall-of-fame-project-catchers/773936/49 "2016-12-13T16:09:21Z")
Some observations: 1. Josh Gibson is, obviously, the first largely or entirely Negro Leagues star elected so far. 2. Johnny Bench, Yogi Berra and Mike Piazza were unanimous picks. Bench is the all time WAR leader among catchers; Berra and Piazza are top ten, their position depending what source you use. 3. The lowest WAR among the ten men elected (I’m discounting Gibson) is Roy Campanella, who according to Baseball Refernce is 27th all time. 4. According the B-R the highest ranking catcher NOT elected was Gabby Hartnett (53.4, ninth.) 5. 25 different catchers received at least one vote. 6. The highest ranking catcher by WAR who did not receive a single vote was Gene Tenace, and I’ll admit I’m surprised he didn’t get a vote, given that he’s a sabermetrician favourite. Tenace in the 1972 World Series, as you probably know, just absolutely lit up the Reds with four homers and nine RBI, winning the Series MVP Award. He played in eight other playoff series; in all of them combined he went 10 for 91 with no homers and just five RBI. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-hall-of-fame-project-catchers/773936/50 "2016-12-13T16:59:11Z")
Swap Campanella for Harnett and the final results are the same as my ballot. I’m not surprised that 11th place wasn’t all that close. Or that Tenace didn’t get any love, considering he’s not in the actual HOF. There’s only a handful of sure-fire HOF catchers, so it’s not like you were splitting votes among 30 guys. I am surprised that Gary Carter wasn’t unanimous. Not sure who or how many left him off their ballots, but that’s hard to justify. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-hall-of-fame-project-catchers/773936/51 "2016-12-13T17:16:24Z")
I’m more surprised that I-Rod wasn’t, unless he lost some votes due to steroid suspicions. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-hall-of-fame-project-catchers/773936/52 "2016-12-13T17:24:21Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > I am surprised that Gary Carter wasn’t unanimous. Not sure who or how many left him off their ballots, but that’s hard to justify. I left him off…because of a copy/paste error. Evidently I missed the last line when I pasted in my response, leaving a ballot of nine. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-hall-of-fame-project-catchers/773936/53 "2016-12-13T18:22:46Z")
That’s why Carter surprised me more than IRod. I could see people sticking to their guns on the anti-PED thing. It seems like all evidence against Pudge is speculative, but strong enough for some. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2016, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-hall-of-fame-project-catchers/773936/54 "2016-12-13T21:04:53Z")
Voting is now available for First Basemen. [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=813687](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=813687) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-hall-of-fame-project-catchers/773936.md?page=2)