If Gordon, then why not Grich?

Rich Lederer asks a great question: if Joe Gordon can make it into the Hall (I would have picked several players ahead of him—but they didn’t ask me), shouldn’t Bobby Grich? I’ll be honest about this: Bobby Grich is one of my all-time favorite ballplayers. Every time I saw him play, I had the distinct impression he was the best ballplayer on the field. He was a superb fielder and batter, particularly for a second baseman.

As I wrote two years ago, if Grich had come up to the majors two years earlier in his career, he’d be in the Hall right now. When he was 21, he batted .383 in 235 at bats in Triple-A and played a fine shortstop. The next year, still blocked by Mark Belanger and Davey Johnson, he was the International League MVP, hitting .336 with 32 home runs. Think he’d be in the minors that long these days?