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Tony “Drummer” McClain – Relief Pitcher – Los Angeles Angels – 67.5% First Ballot

Tony McClain was a 6’0’’, 190 pound left-handed relief pitcher from Quincy, Massachusetts, a southern Boston suburb with 100,000 people. McClain had electric stuff with 98-100 mph velocity along with above average control and movement. He had a one-two punch of cutter and knuckle curve that made him difficult to solve. McClain also had good stamina and was considered a very hard working and popular clubhouse presence.

McClain was a successful reliever in college with Purdue, taking second in NCAA Reliever of the Year voting in 1956 and first in 1957. Over four seasons, he had a 1.38 ERA over 182.2 innings with 295 strikeouts and 12.5 WAR. After his junior year, Jacksonville selected him in the fourth round of the MLB Draft, 161^st overall. McClain didn’t sign and returned for his senior year and his stock shot up. His hometown team Boston picked him 50^th overall in the 1957 MLB Draft, but McClain couldn’t come to terms with the Red Sox either and never signed with them. In spring training 1958, he eventually signed a free agent contract with Los Angeles.

McClain was thrown into the closer role as a rookie for the Angels and had his strongest tenure there. In his sophomore season, he won the Reliever of the Year, then took third the following year. McClain spent only five and a half years in Los Angeles, ultimately his longest tenure. In that time though, he picked up 152 saves with a 2.24 ERA over 353.2 innings, 515 strikeouts, and 16.4 WAR. McClain struggled to start the 1963 season and Angels traded him that summer to Denver. He finished solid with the Dragons though and entered free agency at age 28.

McClain would be the ultimate journeyman with his use fluctuating over the next decade plus. He started 1964 with Albuquerque, but was traded in June to Oklahoma City. He stayed with the Outlaws in 1965, then spent 1966-67 with San Francisco, briefly taking the closer rule. McClain went to the other side of the Bay in 1968 with Oakland, then joined New Orleans in 1969. He had a career revival with the Mudcats, winning Reliever of the Year with an impressive 0.78 ERA and 5.1 WAR season; both career bests. New Orleans sold high and traded him to San Antonio, but injuries meant he missed almost all of the 1970 season with the Oilers.

McClain returned as a free agent to New Orleans in 1971 in a limited role, but he earned a World Series ring in the second season of their dynasty. 1972 had him back with Oakland, then he earned the closer role in 1973 for Albuquerque. 1974 had a limited role with Portland, then he emerged as a closer in a 1975 Denver return. This 3.9 WAR season at age 39 earned McClain a second place finish in Reliever of the Year voting. He went back to Oakland with limited use in 1976, then finished with decent innings in 1977 for Dallas. The Dalmatians won the World Series that year and McClain retired with a second ring at age 41.

McClain’s final stats: 287 saves and 359 shutdowns, 2.24 ERA, 892 innings, 1243 strikeouts to 251 walks, a FIP- of 50 and 41.4 WAR. No other reliever had gotten into the MLB Hall of Fame with fewer than 300 saves, but his WAR and strikeout totals were comparable to others that had earned the honor. He was an odd case without a real signature run, but McClain was well known and popular. Perhaps surprisingly, he got a first ballot induction, although he barely crossed the 66% threshold with 67.5%.



Richard Thieman – Starting Pitcher – Pittsburgh Pirates – 66.4% Tenth Ballot

Richard Thieman was a 6’0’’, 205 pound right-handed starting pitcher from Rochester, New York; a city of around 200,000 people in the northwest of the state about 75 miles east of Buffalo. Thieman had fantastic stuff and movement at his peak along with above average to good control. His velocity peaked at 98-100 mph with five pitches; fastball, slider, forkball, changeup, and slider. His slider and cutter were considered especially unhittable in his prime. Thieman had decent stamina in his early career, but later injuries cut into that in his latter seasons.

Thieman attended Mississippi State and in three college seasons made 30 starts with a 2.04 ERA, 190 innings, and 199 strikeouts with 7.3 WAR. Possible injury concerns popped up as a freshman with a torn labrum that March. However, he seemed to recover well and was a hot commodity in the 1953 MLB Draft. Pittsburgh picked Thieman ninth overall and he spent nearly his entire pro career with the Pirates. He was a back-end starter in his first two seasons, making 24 starts in both years. He became a full-time member of the rotation after, although it wasn’t until his fourth year that he was considered an ace.

Thieman had steady production with seven straight seasons worth 5+ WAR from 1957-63. He led in wins in 1958 as Pittsburgh got to the National Association Championship Series. 1959 saw his lone no-hitter, a 12-strikeout two-walk effort against Washington. Pittsburgh made two NACS appearances and six playoff berths in his tenure, but the Pirates never got to the World Series. Despite his popularity, Thieman would be criticized by some Pittsburgh fans for being a playoff choker. In 9 starts, he had a 6.06 ERA over 49 innings. Many feel that is why his #15 uniform was never retired despite his tenure.

Thieman’s best years were 1961 and 1962. He was second in Pitcher of the Year voting in 1961 with an NA best 2.26 ERA, then he won the award and was second in MVP voting in 1962 with career bests in ERA (1.86), strikeouts (244), and WAR (8.7). Pittsburgh rewarded him with a six-year, $988,000 contract extension after the 1961 run, but injuries would leave him sidelined much of that deal. The first big setback was a stretched elbow ligament in August 1963, costing him the rest of that year and most of 1964 with an 11 month recovery time.

In 1965, a torn meniscus cost Thieman the second half. He managed a pretty strong 1966 and looked solid in 1967, but a torn rotator cuff ended that season and ultimately his effectiveness. Thieman struggled in his 1968 return bid and Pittsburgh would trade him in the summer to Los Angeles. Thieman earned a World Series ring with the Angels, although he got rocked in his two playoff starts. He decided to retire there at age 36.

Thieman’s final stats: 189-127 record, 2.96 ERA, 3049.1 innings, 2518 strikeouts to 803 walks, 282/411 quality starts, 79 FIP-, and 73.8 WAR. His rate stats were good and not many MLB Hall of Famers managed a sub-three ERA, but his short peak and low accumulations put Thieman on the outside for nine ballots. He was never below 50%, but he typically hovered in that range on the ballots. He got very close with 63.7% in 1979 and 65.1% in 1981, but many thought he was a “Hall of Very Good” guy. Only 1B Tiger Novak of the 1973 class had gotten in on the tenth and final ballot prior to the 1983 voting, but Thieman managed to join him. On the last chance, he crossed the 66% threshold narrowly at 66.4%, forever adding his name among the all-timers in Cooperstown.