Alan Trammell, SS, Detroit (1977-1996).
This year: No.
Deserving: Well, he's definitely underrated.
Will writers think he's deserving?: He had big numbers for pre-Cal Ripken shortstops. But even Derek Jeter is a slugger by comparison.
Stay on ballot: Yes.
Veteran's Committee: Unlikely.
Alan Trammell spent 20 years with one club. He was the shortstop, the most glamorous fielding position, but also was a solid hitter. He should have won the 1987 MVP, hit .300 seven times, had 185 home runs, 236 stolen bases, walked as much as he struck out and had 1,200+ runs and 1,000 RBIs. In the awards department, he did garner three Silver Sluggers and four Gold Gloves before Ripken entered his prime, was a six-time All-Star and won 1984 WS MVP.
Here's the thing: His .285/.352/.415 line is good, but not incredible. And while he's a shortstop, and some accommodation should be made for that, letting things slide solely because of position is how Bill Mazeroski got induction (and Phil Rizzuto, though it's the Hall's fault for not including overall contributions). But, on second look, he's fairly similar to shortstop inductees Joe Sewell, Lou Bordreau, Robin Yount and Cal Ripken (112 OPS+ to Trammell's 110) and far above Ozzie Smith, Rizzuto, Pee Wee Reese and Luis Aparicio.
His fielding versus the league, from a couple basic (if outdated) stats, are excellent: .977 to .967 fielding pct., 4.47 to 4.09 range factor. He remained league average or better until late in his career.
Trammell came up in an American League that was relatively starved for shortstops. Before Ripken (and at the end of Trammell's career, the wave of excellence that now exists), you had no-hit, all-field Mark Belanger winding down, Rick Burleson and a few others. Trammell was above that group for several years and at a young age.
Let's put it this way: Is Barry Larkin a Hall of Famer? Larkin was a better hitter, though not by a landslide, and in my opinion, a slightly lesser fielder. If Larkin's a Hall of Famer, so should be Trammell, who is, with Ozzie Smith and Larkin, the definition of how a shortstop of average size should play the game.
And so, a little bit with sentiment rather than data, say yes to Alan Trammell.
I don't think he is going to make the hall of fame. His numbers are slightly above average for players of his time but his OBP is not stellar and while he was a great defensive shortstop defense isn't valued as much as it was 20 years ago.