Ed Bailey

[Cowtipper]

Catcher Ed Bailey didn't even have 1,000 career hits, but he did have a rather impressive career nevertheless. In 14 seasons, he hit .256 with 155 home runs, 915 hits and a 110 OPS+. His on-base percentage was .355 and his slugging percentage was .429.

He was an All-Star six times and in 1956, he received MVP votes. Thrice he met or eclipsed the 20 home run mark and four times he posted OPS of .800 or greater in a season (minimum 300 PA). Among NL catchers who played from 1950 to 1970, he ranks fourth in home runs, OBP* and slugging*.

*among catchers who played a minimum of 1,000 games.

That said, his most similar list is hardly impressive--Andy Seminick, Ernie Whitt, Tom Haller, Charles Johnson, Mike MacFarlane, Jody Davis, Earl Battey, Miguel Olivo, Gus Triandos and Darrin Fletcher are all on it--and at no time in his career was he most similar to a Hall of Famer.

I don't think he's a Hall of Famer, but once again I wonder if he had legitimate Hall of Fame potential. I also wonder if his missing two seasons to military service greatly impacted his career or not.

What do you think about Ed Bailey? Should he be in the Hall of Fame? Did he have Hall of Fame potential?

[JR Hart]

Gus Triandos not impressive?

[Cowtipper]

He hit .244 with a WAR under 13.

[dgarza]

Ed Bailey had a fairly impressive 1st full season, 1956, in which he hit 28 HRs, batted .300, and had a 143 OPS+. But it's mostly down hill into mediocre valley after that. A solid defender with respectable power for a catcher.

He's a NO, but how much really separates him from Elston Howard?

[Cowtipper]

A series of pinstripes, for one.

[dgarza]

A series of pinstripes, for one.

But the Yankees had pinstripes too.

[Jackaroo Dave]

As far as potential goes, I think he was clearly hurt by his two years in the service. It took him 3 years to learn to hit ML pitching, so he didn't get going until age 25. Then at the other end, he had some very good years playing only 90-100 games. Then again, if he'd had to face tough lefties, those years might not have been so good.

As is, he's in select company, somewhere between Sherm Lollar and Johnny Kling. If you replace his bad breaks by good ones and give him 6K+ PA, he's in Darrell Porter-Bill Freehan territory.

[Cowtipper]

But the Yankees had pinstripes too.

That's what I mean, that's what separates them. Elston Howard is so fondly remembered because he benefits from having the Yankee aura around him.

[JR Hart]

That's what I mean, that's what separates them. Elston Howard is so fondly remembered because he benefits from having the Yankee aura around him.

Or that he played very well. Howard had a very nice run from 1961-64. He even won an MVP. Howard wasn't just along for the ride those years. He was a major contributor.

[PVNICK]

Seems that there are a lot of catchers like Bailey that have one big season a few decent ones and that's it. It's a tough position to stay healthy enough to put together a stretch of full seasons, much less to get through one without being dinged up so as to compromise your ability to hit. The list from that general era could include: Johnny Romano, Johnny Blanchard, Andy Seminick, and later Fosse, Terry Kennedy, Matt Nokes...

[TomBodet]

He's kinda Earl Battey isn't he?

[Fuzzy Bear]

He's kinda Earl Battey isn't he?

Bettey was a better player than Bailey; he was a 5 time All-Star and a 3 time Gold Glove winner. It took Battey a while to become a regular; he was black in the fifties, and behind Sherm Lollar with the White Sox. He didn't become full-time until 1960, at age 25, due to a trade to the Senators (Twins).