Sweet Lou

The Den
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https://x.com/MotorCityBanter/status/2081485420857274566?s=20

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Lou was my favorite player when i was a kid.

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Him and Alan Trammell were my two favorite players.

I find it hard to believe that Trammell made the Hall of Fame and Lou did not

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He was a better second baseman than Jeff Kent and I say that as a Giants fan.

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If Jeff Kent is in, Lou should be in and there are others in the HOF that I feel the same way about.

edit: didn’t see Curious comment on Kent

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My very first trip to a professional sports game was to Tiger Stadium when I was 10 or so… I remember asking why the crowd was booing our own player, and it was explained to me that everyone was chanting his name…

“L-o-o-o-o-o-u-u!”

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Amen. Favorite player ever.

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Kent went in in 2026.

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Sorry poorly worded on my part didn’t mean it as a question of “if he is”

I know he is part of this year’s class

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That’s ridiculous. I didn’t know Jeff Kent got in. You can’t put Jeff Kent into the HOF and leave Whitaker out. I see no argument where you can justify it.

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I don’t disagree. Here are his so-called contemporaries according to Copilot:

  • Bobby Grich — Elite defender and high‑WAR second baseman; not in Hall.
  • Willie Randolph — Yankees second baseman known for OBP and defense; not in Hall.
  • Ryne Sandberg — Cubs star, MVP, elite hitter/defender; Hall of Fame (2005).
  • Paul Molitor — Played multiple positions including 2B early; Hall of Fame (2004).
  • Roberto Alomar — 12Ă— All‑Star, 10 Gold Gloves; Hall of Fame (2011).
  • Craig Biggio — 3,000 hits, long career at 2B; Hall of Fame (2015).
  • Jeff Kent — All‑time HR leader among second basemen; Hall of Fame (2026)

So I will offer these opinions:
Grich was really good. Randolph was a Yankee so very protected in lineup, but he was solid.
Sandberg is totally deserving. Molitor is deserving but pick your position. Alomar is a no brainer, Biggio the same. Kent has the HR thing and I just can’t get there.

Putting Kent in makes me think all of these guys should be in the Hall and that includes Sweet Lou.

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Lou should be in

Same has few others.

Dale Murphy, Don Mattingly

I honestly think when he can get in Curtis Granderson should get in as well

I know Ozzie smith was a wizard with the glove but 28 hrs.

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Bill Freehan is an even bigger snub than Whitaker

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Trammel and Whitaker…pea’s and carrots.

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Both should be in. Now let’s do Ozzie smith batting numbers

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the WAR spread seems pretty eye opening. I believe WAR takes into account how well they dominated their era. Kent was not nearly as good defensively as Whitaker. I also think Whitaker got the shaft on Gold Gloves. Its like he trumped Frank White for three years then they gave it back to Frank again. Also, Frank White had more votes than Whitaker did to get in the HOF so ridiculous. I hate talking about this because it always gets me fired up lol

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I lkke using WAA for career rankings instead of WAR. Replacement level players are basically AAAA guys. Wins Abive Average compares you to the MLB Average player during your career. More impactful I think.

2b rankings for career, though this also shows offensive and defensive WAR as well. Top 20 all time

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Interesting notes

Cano and Alomar’s defense massively overrated according to the dWAR metric. OAA and DRS may show differently. Toss Gordon in there overall for the Yankees overrated, Red Sox underrated narrative here at 2b.

Carew, like Ernie Banks, played more games at 1b and to me is a 1b, not a middle infielder for career comparisons.

Jackie Robinson did that in 800 to 1000 less games than most of this list…and did it under incredibly appalling and stressful circumstances. He is without a doubt Top 5 all time.

Whitaker and Grich are HoFers. Easy.

Jeff Kent is #21 on this list.

#22? Ian Kinsler. Super underrated.

Current players- Semien#24(24.8), Altuve #27(24.1) and Ketel Marte #40 (19.5)

Whitaker is as valuable as 2 Altuve’s, who is getting the Future HoFer tag now…

Also seen at link below which is the full Hall of Fame comparison, Whitakers OPS+for his career higher than both Alomar and Sandberg and would Place him 10th in that measurement among Hall of Fame second baseman, including the recently inducted bat only Kent, and excluding the previously mentioned first baseman Carew. That’s just measuring Whitaker’s bat let alone that he is one of the 10 best Fielding second baseman of all time

Second Base JAWS Leaders | Baseball-Reference.com https://share.google/gyowjGXvUBImXZK75

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Lou the GOAT.