Hall candidate: Alan Trammell a stalwart at shortstop
- Shortstop Alan Trammell played his entire 20-year career with the Detroit Tigers
- Trammell was a six-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glover at short
- His 2,365 career hits, 185 HR and 1,003 RBI compare favorably to many shortstops already in the Hall
(Editor's note: USA TODAY Sports is publishing thumbnail sketches of the top 22 Hall of Fame candidates on this year's ballot. It is a most intriguing lot, ranging from seeming first-ballot names marred by the cloud of performance-enhancing drugs to unsullied players nearing the end of their 15-year eligibility. The Baseball Writers Association of America will announce who, if anyone, is voted in Jan. 9.)
Name: Alan Trammell
Position: Shortstop
Career: 1977-1996; Tigers
Year on ballot: 12th
Why he should be inducted: Because he was one of the first power-hitting shortstops. A six-time All-Star, Trammell was equally proficient with the bat and the glove, winning four Gold Gloves early in his 20-year career and three Silver Sluggers in his later years. He was also named World Series MVP in leading the Tigers to the 1984 title and he combined with second baseman Lou Whitaker to play a record 1,918 games together as double-play partners.
Offensively, Trammell compares favorably to the greatest in baseball history at his position. While Hall of Famer shortstops Ernie Banks, Cal Ripken and Robin Yount played other positions during their careers, Barry Larkin (with 198) is the only pure shortstop in the Hall with more career home runs than Trammell's 185.
Why he shouldn't be inducted: Because he falls into the "very good, but not great category" of players. Although Trammell's career predates Cal Ripken Jr.'s, he was overshadowed a bit by Ripken, who won AL Rookie of the Year and MVP in consecutive seasons when Trammell was entering his peak years. He accumulated some impressive numbers over his 20 seasons with the Tigers, but only hit 20 homers twice, only drove in more than 100 runs once and only scored over 100 runs three times.
Numbers don't lie: In his career, Trammell hit .285 with 2,365 hits, 185 HR, 1,003 RBI. Larkin was inducted last year with a .295 career average 2,340 hits 198 HR and 960 RBI.
Verdict: Trammell's voting percentage has slowly risen during his time on the ballot to a high of 36.8% last year. He deserves a close look but he'll need a significant jump in support in each of the next several years to reach 75%.