Should Bobby Grich be in the Hall-of-Fame?

Bobby Grich fell off the Baseball Hall-of-Fame ballot in 1992, but there’s an argument that he should have been enshrined in Cooperstown.

For Angels fans, this is a familiar argument. Bobby Grich, the second baseman that formed the heart and soul of the Angels throughout the late seventies and into the mid-eighties, should be a Hall-of-Famer.

His name was removed from the ballot in 1992 when he only received 2.6 percent of votes, but that doesn’t mean his Hall-of-Fame credentials should be forgotten.

Grich, who played high school baseball at Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, was drafted by the Orioles, where he played the first seven seasons of his career. It was in Baltimore where he proved to be one of the most reliable defensive infielders in the game. He won four Gold Gloves before signing with the Angels as a free agent in 1976.

Over the next ten seasons, the 6-foot-2 second baseman would hit .269/.370/.436 for the Halos with 157 home runs and 557 RBIs, while fielding his position at an elite level. At first glance, it wouldn’t appear as if Grich’s numbers justify a Hall-of-Fame argument, but when you look closer they might.

The interesting thing about making a case for Grich to reach Cooperstown is that you need to rely on his accomplishments from Baltimore to make a strong argument. While Angels fans would have loved to see him enter the Hall wearing a Halos cap, without his performance in Baltimore, there’s no argument to make.

Playing for the Orioles, Grich won all four of his Gold Glove Awards, appeared in three All-Star games, and in 1973, had his best overall season as measured by Wins Above Replacement (WAR).

Should Bobby Grich be in the Hall-of-Fame?