Bob Welch

[Cowtipper]

Over 17 years in the big leagues, Bob Welch went 211-146 with a 3.47 ERA. He won over 15 games six times and over 20 games once (in his outstanding 1990 season, when he also won the Cy Young Award and The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year Award).

Twice an All-Star, Welch led the league in shutouts in 1987, wins and WL% in 1990 and in games started in 1991. He was often on the leaderboards in shutouts, wins and games started.

Statistically, he is similar to two Hall of Famers: Catfish Hunter and Dazzy Vance, and he has respectable grey ink of 138.

In 2000, he received a whopping one vote for the Hall of Fame.

So, do you think Bob Welch should be in the Hall of Fame?

[SamtheBravesFan]

Nope. Not even close. I think position players can get away with not leading the league much in things, but not pitchers, especially starting pitchers.

[RuthMayBond]

Over 17 years in the big leagues, Bob Welch went 211-146 with a 3.47 ERA. He won over 15 games six times and over 20 games once (in his outstanding 1990 season, when he also won the Cy Young Award and The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year Award).

Twice an All-Star, Welch led the league in shutouts in 1987, wins and WL% in 1990 and in games started in 1991. He was often on the leaderboards in shutouts, wins and games started.

Statistically, he is similar to two Hall of Famers: Catfish Hunter and Dazzy Vance, and he has respectable grey ink of 138.

In 2000, he received a whopping one vote for the Hall of Fame.

So, do you think Bob Welch should be in the Hall of Fame?

This is the only Bob Welch that should be in the Hall of Fame

http://www.rockhall.com/inductee/fleetwood-mac/

[Fuzzy Bear]

I would not advocate for Welch making the HOF, but if you turned six (6) wins into losses in 1990, and added three (3) of those wins onto his 1988 and 1989 win totals, Bob Welch would have been an three-time 20 game winner.

Would that have put Welch in the HOF? Maybe, maybe not. It would have helped him, on balance, however, in that his big 27 win season, where he won the Cy Young Award, stands out as a bit of a fluke. If he had won 20, 20, and 21 wins from 1988-90, those three seasons would be seen as Welch establishing a new level of ability above where he was perceived to be at with the Dodgers. This "trade" of sorts would have resulted in Welch not winning the Cy Young Award, but a decent number of pitchers have never won a Cy Young Award and are in the HOF.

The other thing that would have helped Welch is if he had played his whole career in Los Angeles. Had he been a career Dodger, rearranging his luck just a wee bit, Welch might have been perceived as a bigger star.

Welch had problems with alcohol abuse early in his career. He made an inspirational recovery, and his efforts were warmly received, but I also believe that this problem caused people to disappointed in his career due to this. I think there was a perception that had Welch not had his problems, he would have been a consistent 18-21 game winner, and the fact that Welch was, for a long time, a fine pitcher, consistent and a winner from year to year, was overshadowed a bit by what people thought Welch might have been had he not had alcohol problems. This is, IMO, unfair to Welch; he had a fine career, and it's pretty likely that Welch got the most out of his ability, drinking problem or not.

[steve rogers]

No chance. Dave Stewart > Bob Welch.

Scott

[Fuzzy Bear]

No chance. Dave Stewart > Bob Welch.

Scott

Can't agree here. Stewart was a great pitcher for four (4) straight years (1987-90), but less than mediocre before and after that. I cannot think of a single pitcher in the history of baseball who had 4 seasons of the caliber of Stewart's 1987-90 seasons that did less outside those seasons, pitching in 15 big league seasons or more.

Bob Welch was a fine pitcher, very consistent from year to year, and far more reliable than Stewart. Welch's career, IMO, was significantly more valuable than Stewart's, all things considered.

[dgarza]

No chance. Dave Stewart > Bob Welch.

Welch is not a HOF pitcher, but he's closer to the Hall than Stewart is.
Stewart only had 1 really good season as a starter (1990). Plus that career ERA+ of 100.

[Chadwick]

Bob Welch...won over 15 games six times and over 20 games once (in his outstanding 1990 season, when he also won the Cy Young Award and The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year Award).

Neither of which he deserved.

[Colorado Express]

Absolutely not!!!

[Freakshow]

Welch is not among the top 40 candidates whose careers centered in the 1980's. The HOF voters got him right.

[Dodgerfan1]

Not a hoot in hell.

[KCGHOST]

Welch has a better chance of being a spokesman for grape jelly. On average you are looking at a league average guy. Yes, he had some fine seasons but he offset those with some real dogs.

[NineWorldSeries]

Over 17 years in the big leagues, Bob Welch went 211-146 with a 3.47 ERA. He won over 15 games six times and over 20 games once (in his outstanding 1990 season, when he also won the Cy Young Award and The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year Award).

Twice an All-Star, Welch led the league in shutouts in 1987, wins and WL% in 1990 and in games started in 1991. He was often on the leaderboards in shutouts, wins and games started.

Statistically, he is similar to two Hall of Famers: Catfish Hunter and Dazzy Vance, and he has respectable grey ink of 138.

In 2000, he received a whopping one vote for the Hall of Fame.

So, do you think Bob Welch should be in the Hall of Fame?

Neither of which he deserved.

Could you please expand on this? Why was Welch undeserving of the 1990 Cy Young award?

[RuthMayBond]

Could you please expand on this? Why was Welch undeserving of the 1990 Cy Young award?

Because Clemens was better that year (not more wins, pitched better. You can debate his "cleanliness" if you like)

[dgarza]

Because Clemens was better that year

Not to mention Welch's own team mate.