Jim Kaat is one of those guys I never realized was a good player when I was young collector. He was on the back end of his career, and I remembered him more for his broadcasting career afterwards. I have exactly 5 of his cards,which made this exercise as easy as could be. Here are my 5 cards of Kaat, in chronological order:
1977 Topps #638
Kaat's Hall of Fame credential rely almost entirely on his 16 Gold Goves. He won the last of those fielding awards in 1977. It was a record for most Gold Gloves that he shared with Brooks Robinson until Greg Maddux surpassed them with 18.
1978 Topps #715
After posting consecutive 20-win campaigns for the White Sox in 1974-75, the Phillies acquired him believing they had a second ace to pair with Steve Carlton. His time in Philadelphia was mediocre at best, and his 12 wins in 1976 represented the last time he won double-digit games.
1981 Fleer #536
Kaat finished up his career as a relief pitcher for the Cardinals. When he retired after the 1983 season, he became the last player that played in the 1950's and the last of the original Washington Senators to retire. His 25-year career has the distinction of being one only 29 players to have played in 4 decades, as well as having played during the administration of 7 U.S. Presidents (a record he shares with Nolan Ryan).
1981 Topps #563
As I said, I knew Kaat more for his broadcasting career than his baseball career. No other Hall of Famers can claim to have also won 7 Emmy Awards!
1982 Topps #367
In 1982, at the age of 43, Kaat won his only World Series Championship with the Cardinals. He appeared in relief in 4 of the games, giving up just 1 ER.
Welcome to the Hall of Fame, Jim Kaat!
I don't seem to have any of his.
ReplyDelete283 wins, but he took his time getting them.
As a kid, I knew the name... but little else. Pretty sure he officially showed up on my radar back in 1983, because of his Topps Super Veteran card.
ReplyDeleteThe idea that "Kaat's Hall of Fame credential rely almost entirely on his 16 Gold Gloves" is really not correct. He had 283 career pitching wins and about 45 WAR just from pitching. (Amazingly his dWAR is negative.) He's a borderline case, and I would have chosen Luis Tiant or Tommy John over Kaat, but the idea that he wasn't a candidate because of his pitching is selling him short.
ReplyDeleteMy apologies...I was trying more to suggest the record amount of Gold Gloves put him above other borderline pitchers. I agree Tiant's case deserves more respect.
DeleteDespite having read about him in various posts now, I feel like I still know next to nothing about him.
ReplyDeleteKaat had some great seasons in the mid-1960s. He won 18 for the AL champion Twins in 1965, and led lhe league with 25 wins in 1966. He led the league in starts both seasons. He was also a 2-time 20 game winner for the White Sox. I wonder if voters are holding the so-so reliever phase of his career against him? That's a damn shame.
ReplyDeleteIf people like Don Sutton and Harold Baines are going to get in primarily on longevity, then Kaat should be there too. (Sutton may have had a few more wins than Kaat, but he played many seasons forvthe Dodgers, while Kaat was saddled with the Twins.)