There’s something to be said for greatness. Whatever the purpose and action of that greatness might be, it should be honored. All through the 80’s and into the 90’s Detroit Tiger fans were treated to greatness in the form of Lou Whitaker. Yet, for some unknown reason, the Tigers cannot seem to bring themselves to honor him.
This past month, Whitaker’s teammates, Alan Trammell and Jack Morris, were honored for their greatness. Both of them were elected to the Modern Era ballot and selected as a part of the 2018 Hall of Fame class. Subsequently, both of their numbers will be retired by the organization this upcoming season.
And, yet, Lou waits.
#Tigers are *not* considering retiring Lou Whitaker's No. 1. At least, not at this time.
— Tony Paul | Detroit News (@TonyPaul1984) December 18, 2017
For some unknown reason, the Baseball Writers of America still have failed in their duties of selecting Whitaker — a very deserving candidate — for the Hall of Fame. In a place designated for the best players in the game, Lou’s numbers are comparable to three other Hall of Famers: Ryne Sandberg, Roberto Alomar, and Joe Morgan — yet, they have plaques on the wall and he doesn’t.
What may be even more heinous than the Hall of Fame snub, is the blatant disregard his former team is paying him. Whitaker spent nearly two decades with the Detroit Tigers, was a lock at the keystone position, and the other half of a should be Hall of Fame double-play duo. And yet, when you look at the numbers retired on the back wall of Comerica Park, the number 1 is blatantly absent.
According to Baseball-Reference.com, Lou is 4th in the clubs history in WAR (74.9), 6th in offensive WAR (67.9), and 2nd in defensive WAR (15.4). The Tigers were lucky to have a guy that brought in 75 additional wins than a replacement player would have, one that helped them win the 1984 World Series. Oh, and nevermind the little fact that he’s slated as a top-20 All-Time player for your organization (18) — those details apparently don’t matter.
Whitaker should be honored in the Hall of Fame alongside Trammell for his play on the field. But the Tigers are bearing the greatest black mark for not recognizing one of their best players of all time. It’s an absolute shame “Sweet” Lou isn’t getting what he deserves — especially from the team he served for two decades.
