Is there any legitimate reason for Mike Mussina to go into the HOF as a Yankee instead of an Oriole?

[Can_of_corn]

No bling -- that's why it appears that way.

You can throw out Juan Marichal then. And any pitchers outside the top 30.

If there's room for Marichal, Robin Roberts and Fergie Jenkins then there's room for Mussina IMO.

One 20 win season.

No ring.

No Cy Young.

Never perceived as the best pitcher in the league.

Not charismatic.

[TonySoprano]

I think he easily deserves to get into the HoF, but I don't know if he will. I really don't care which cap is shown on his plaque.

You wouldn't care if it was NY? That would be flipping the bird to the Orioles, no pun intended. The HOF loves counting numbers and Moose had more wins, a higher winning pct., much higher ERA+ with Baltimore, and much of his numbers with Baltimore were with some lousy teams.

Yes, he belongs in the HOF. Period.

Never perceived as the best pitcher in the league.

He'll have to settle with being the 2nd best in 1999 (lost to Pedro), and in the top 5, five other times

[Can_of_corn]

You wouldn't care if it was NY? That would be flipping the bird to the Orioles, no pun intended. The HOF loves counting numbers and Moose had more wins, a higher winning pct., much higher ERA+ with Baltimore, and much of his numbers with Baltimore were with some lousy teams.

Yes, he belongs in the HOF. Period.

He'll have to settle with being the 2nd best in 1999 (lost to Pedro), and in the top 5, five other times

Yeah? .

[Barnaby Graves]

Whether he goes in or not I don't care what hat he wears, the O's tried to screw with him and he rightfully screwed them back.

[NashLumber]

You wouldn't care if it was NY? That would be flipping the bird to the Orioles, no pun intended. The HOF loves counting numbers and Moose had more wins, a higher winning pct., much higher ERA+ with Baltimore, and much of his numbers with Baltimore were with some lousy teams.

Yes, he belongs in the HOF. Period.

He'll have to settle with being the 2nd best in 1999 (lost to Pedro), and in the top 5, five other times

Very good case for Moose.

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to TonySoprano again.

[TonySoprano]

Yeah? .

[Can_of_corn]

[DJHJR86]

I believe Jim Palmer has said that Mussina was a better pitcher than he was...so yeah, he's HOF worthy based off of that praise alone. Plus he won at least 15 games in 11 seasons of his career. And was in the top five of Cy Young voting 6 times. So there's that too. And I would absolutely hate to see him go in as a Yankee. But my gut tells me that's what he'd do if he does get in.

[MachoMachadoMan]

There are only five players in Cooperstown who went in with the Orioles as their primary team. Each one of them has a statue and their number retired. I don't think Mussina is on the level of any of those 5 legends, but it would seem like a major public slight to recognize the others in that way without doing the same for Mussina.

[TINSTAAPP]

Interestingly enough, Pinstripe Alley (Yankees fan site) believes Mussina will go in the HOF either as an Oriole or wearing a blank cap.

[jtschrei]

I've argued against his candidacy on this board before. I would be surprised if he got in. And I would be doubly surprised if he went in as an Oriole.

Am I still bitter about him leaving, even though it wasn't his fault? Yes. Yes I am.

[DrungoHazewood]

Is Mussina a Hall of Famer

http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/6976

Of course he is. There are Hall of Famer pitchers not worth half of Mike Mussina's career. Pitchers with more career wins than Mussina, not in Hall: Clemens, Bobby Mathews, Tommy John, Tony Mullane, Jim Kaat. Clemens will go in, no doubt, one day. Mullane and Mathews were 19th century guys, not on the same tier as Radbourne, Nichols, Clarkson, Keefe, etc. Kaat and John had ~80 more losses than Mussina.

By rWAR Mussina is only topped by Clemens among non-HOFers. You could add together the careers of HOFers Jack Chesbro and Dizzy Dean and you end up with Mike Mussina.

By JAWS Mussina is the 28th-best starter of all time, and roughly 30 HOF starters are below him.

[NashLumber]

There are only five players in Cooperstown who went in with the Orioles as their primary team. Each one of them has a statue and their number retired. I don't think Mussina is on the level of any of those 5 legends, but it would seem like a major public slight to recognize the others in that way without doing the same for Mussina.

While not his fault that he was on bad teams, he didn't get a WS ring here (or NY). Plus, the other players seemed to embrace Baltimore in their retirement. While Frank Robinson went on to several more teams, he came back to coach and manage. It seems the statue park is reserved for O's icons who were also strong Baltimore icons. I just don't see the O's retiring Moose's number either.

I'll repeat from my earlier post that I think he deserves the HOF.

[brianod]

If Mussina makes the hall of fame, the decision of whether to go into the hall as a Yankee or Oriole is his to make and really none of our business or concern.

[Austin]

Plus, the other players seemed to embrace Baltimore in their retirement.

Mussina has been persona non grata in Baltimore since 2001. He doesn't seem like the kind of guy who wants to work in baseball in his retirement but even if he did, it's not like he would feel welcome in Baltimore. Plenty of fans still hold a grudge.