Yahoo Sports 
Should Luis Tiant be in the Hall of Fame?
Editor’s note: This is the ninth installment of a daily series looking at players on the Modern Era Hall of Fame ballot, which will be voted on Dec. 10. We’ll look at the cases of all 10 people on the ballot and offer our takes on their candidacy.
Luis Tiant is the embodiment of determination and perseverance. His father, Luis Tiant Sr., pitched professionally in Mexico, and that spawned a dream to not only follow in his father’s footsteps, but to create a legacy that stood on its own.
Over a major league career that spanned 19 seasons, Tiant did just that. He reached legendary status as a pitcher, winning 229 games and producing one of the greatest postseasons ever for the Boston Red Sox in 1975. More importantly, he became an icon in his home country of Cuba by inspiring millions to chase their dreams.
For Tiant, there’s still one dream he’s chasing. That’s being enshrined into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The man known for his unique windup, his Fu Manchu mustache and his fierce competitiveness, hopes that will finally change this weekend when the Modern Era ballot results are announced.
Tiant isn’t alone. He’s one of 10 people with another chance at immortality as part of the Modern Era ballot. Tiant will need 12 votes from a 16-person committee made up of Hall of Famers and veteran voters. Each is allowed to vote for up to four people on the ballot, which certainly limits the chances of a player like Tiant. The announcement will be made Sunday.
If character and charisma were major factors, Tiant would be a shoe-in. He combined every positive element there is to performing on a big stage. Tiant also undoubtedly distinguished himself during his era as a pitcher. His best seasons are among some of the best ever by a starting pitcher. But it’s debatable whether he had enough of those seasons to fortify his case.
Allow us to examine Luis Tiant’s case a little further and see whether the Big League Stew writers can come to a consensus on his candidacy.
LAST TIME ON THE BALLOT
Tiant last appeared on the Golden Era ballot for possible induction in 2015. Like the Modern Era ballot, he required 12 votes from the 16-person committee, but finished with fewer than three. Tiant never gained any momentum with the BBWAA either, debuting at 30.9% in 1988 and then falling under 20% in his remaining 14 years on the ballot.
PROS
• Tiant’s two best seasons were elite seasons by any measure. Some might focus more on his four 20-win seasons, but more impressive were his two ERA titles in 1968 and 1972. Tiant’s 1.60 ERA over 258 1/3 innings in 1968 remains the second lowest ERA in the American League since 1919.
• Though his elite seasons were behind him, Tiant became more of a workhorse beginning in his age-32 season. Over the next four years, Tiant averaged 281 innings a season after topping out at 258 1/3 in his first nine seasons. During that time Tiant pitched 85 complete games and 12 shutouts over 146 starts.
• If the committee is looking for postseason heroics, Tiant has that covered as well. His performance during the 1975 postseason is the stuff of legend. After throwing a three-hit shutout in Game 1 of the ALCS, Tiant had a hand in all three of Boston’s World Series wins against the Cincinnati Reds. Tiant delivered a five-hit shutout in Game 1, and then followed up by throwing 163 pitches to pace another victory in Game 4. Tiant would pitch again in Game 6, and though he allowed six runs, his being out there was nothing short of extraordinary. Boston would go on to win that memorable game in extra innings before losing Game 7.
CONS
• Despite his longevity, Tiant fell well short of 300 wins. His 229 career victories rank 66th all-time. He also compiled 172 losses, including 20 during a 1969 season when he led the league in home runs allowed (37) and walks (129).
• Despite posting several great seasons, Tiant doesn’t have too many accolades to put on his résumé. He was an All-Star only three times, and he never finished higher than fourth in the Cy Young voting. There are a lot of factors that go into such things, but that Tiant was seemingly never unquestionably viewed among the best of his era certainly hurts his case.
• Though his past appearances on Hall of Fame ballots shouldn’t be a factor, the fact is he’s never gained enough traction to really garner any special consideration here. As such, it’s difficult to imagine him getting the surge in support required to change his outcome. Tiant’s story is inspirational, but it’s not enough to get him over the top.
COMPARABLE PLAYER
Tiant’s case gets a slight boost here. According to Baseball-Reference.com’s Similarity Scores, the two pitchers his career output most closely resembled were Catfish Hunter and Jim Bunning. Hunter was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1987. Bunning followed in 1996. That’s definitely favorable company. The next three on the list are Billy Pierce, Vida Blue and Mickey Lolich. All very good pitchers worthy of Hall of Fame consideration, but they fall below the line. Don Drysdale, another Hall of Fame, is also among the top 10 most comparable. This grouping shows that Tiant definitely belongs in the conversation.
OUR TAKES: SHOULD TIANT BE IN THE HALL OF FAME?
NO: Tiant was a criminally underrated pitcher who deserved more recognition during his playing days. His peak was great, but too short for me to put him in. (Chris Cwik)
NO: Tiants’s on the bubble, as his value-based stats put him below the threshold of the average pitcher in Cooperstown but also right alongside plenty of other pitchers who rank under the average. When I look at his career, I see a guy whose longevity and durability helped him put together some great numbers, but who is also missing the one true benchmark that puts him over the top. (Mike Oz)
NO: I love Luis Tiant, but his numbers just don’t convince me that he should be in the Hall of Fame. However, Tiant and his Fu Manchu should have his portrait next to Don Mattingly in the Baseball Facial Hair Hall of Fame, which should absolutely be a real thing. (Liz Roscher)
NO: Tiant’s story is incredible and his contributions to the game are undeniable. Unfortunately, the numbers don’t exactly flash Hall of Famer. He could have used a stronger finish to his career to really cement his place. (Mark Townsend)
More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports:
– – – – – – –
Mark Townsend is a writer for Yahoo Sports Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
