I didn't say that I felt they shouldn't be in the HOF. You also haven't said that you feel they should. You have only acknowledged that some will. And I don't like your last comparison, so I will continue to argue my point... Top Four Reasons Closers Are NOT Pinch Hitters: 1) Most clubs have three or four bats to use off the bench -- there is no single guy they go to in every clutch situation. They often play the lefty-righty game. Closers (except for the occassional closer by committee, which never, ever include a Hall of Fame candidate) are called on in critical situations regardless of who is coming to bat. 2) Lenny Harris, I believe, has the most pinch hits in a career, and his pinch-hit average was about .264. That is, I would guess, certainly no higher than his team's batting average through his pinch-career. Closers are required to succeed at a much higher rate than any other pitcher on the staff. Starting pitchers with an ERA under 4.00 (these days) are likely to find themselves at the top of their rotations. If you have an ERA over 3.00 as a closer (and you don't work in Colorado) your job is probably in jeopardy. Of the four players with 400+ saves, only Lee Smith has a career ERA over 3.00 (3.03). 3) If a pinch-hitter was a really great hitter, he wouldn't be a pinch-hitter. There is no promotion from the role of closer -- it is a parallel role to starting pitcher in the eyes of most players and managers. (Certainly, some players prefer one role over the other, but nobody considers either role a slight.) If a closer isn't good, he gets demoted to middle relief. The only demotion for a pinch hitter is AAA. 4) Closers pitch about 1/3 the number of innings of a starting pitcher, but they make twice as many appearances. Their preparation for an appearance is more involved than that for a pinch-hitter, and they frequently have to prepare themselves in short order. To sum up, since closers work twice as many days as starting pitchers; are held to a much higher standard of performance; work exclusively in situations in which the balance of the game is in their hands (starting pitchers are often saved from bad performances by their offense -- closers are rarely afforded that same opportunity); and have such a small margin of error in their results -- often losing their jobs in a heartbeat, I put the closers who perform well over a long stretch of time far ahead of any pinch-hitter, and much, much more deserving of Hall of Fame recognition. Certainly as deserving as a starting pitcher.
Well said Bullpenpro- closers are definately more important to a team than a pinch hitter. Closers deserve a spot in the hall of fame, but pinch hitters dont. If your job is to come in just to pinch hit, more than likely you arent good enough to start. Moreover, games are won and lost by closers- oinch hitters are a trivial part of baseball.
