[FuzzyRussianHat]

The 1980 Hall of Fame voting for Major League Baseball very nearly ended up with no inductees. One player very narrowly made the cut on his debut ballot in SP Ryan Rankin. He received 66.1%, barely crossing the 66% threshold required for induction. SP Jeremiah Rutledge fell just short again with 64.2% on his ninth attempt. Four others were above the 60% mark, but couldn’t cross the line even with the weak field. RF Gavin Gauthier had 62.6% on his fourth attempt, 3B Benton Gibney at 61.3% for his debut, 1B Braylen Nelson at 61.0% on his third ballot, and SP Richard Thieman at 60.7% for his seventh attempt.



One player was dropped from the ballot after ten failed attempts. LF Brendan Emmanuelli had a 20 year career with 15 years between Memphis and San Antonio and the rest in OBA. He was MVP in 1955 with a 234 hit, .387 season and won two Silver Sluggers with caeer MLB totals of 2626 hits, 1207 runs, 332 doubles, 351 home runs, 1282 RBI, a .317/.374/.488 slash, and 69.3 WAR. A strong career, but he lacked the power numbers the voters typically want from a corner outfielder. He peaked at 31.8% on his second ballot before finishing at 18.5%.



Ryan “Lucifer” Rankin – Starting Pitcher – San Diego Seals – 66.1% First Ballot

Ryan Rankin was a 5’7’’, 160 pound left-handed pitcher from Riverside, the largest city in California’s Inland Empire area. Nicknamed “Lucifer,” Rankin had 97-99 mph peak velocity despite his small stature. His cutter was his most effective pitch, mixed with a changeup, splitter, circle change, and curveball. Rankin’s stuff and movement were considered strong, but his control was middling at best. He had excellent stamina and loved going deep into games, although injuries would plague him at points. Rankin’s thick-headedness sometimes got him into trouble in the clubhouse.

Rankin attended Boston College and actually had fairly unremarkable stats with a 14-19 record, 3.65 ERA, and 229 strikeouts in 293.1 college innings. Scouts still felt the potential was there and San Diego picked him 19^th overall in the 1959 Major League Baseball Draft. The Seals had won three World Series titles from 1955-58, but had fallen to the mid-tier at Rankin’s arrival. He became a full time starter right away and took second in 1960 Rookie of the Year voting.

Rankin’s second and third seasons were respectable but not amazing. It was his fourth year that he earned more acclaim as he led the American Association in ERA (2.47), innings (298.2), quality starts (27), and complete games (25). He took second in Pitcher of the Year voting with his lack of big strikeout numbers hurting him with some voters. He’d post nine seasons worth 5+ WAR, although the ‘pitch to contact’ approach wasn’t always the flashiest.

Rankin missed part of 1964 with elbow inflammation, but he’d see San Diego return to the postseason. The Seals would make the playoffs seven times from 1964-71 with World Series appearances in 1966 and 67 and a ring in 1966. Rankin was a big part of the 1966 title run with a 1.35 ERA over five starts with 46.2 innings, 29 strikeouts, and a 4-1 record. In the playoffs, he had an 11-4 record, 2.37 ERA in 17 starts, 129.1 innings, 85 strikeouts, and 3.1 WAR.

He would lead the American Association in innings pitched four times. In 1967, he led in ERA for the second time with a career-best 2.41 while also leading with a 27-6 record, earning his lone Pitcher of the Year award. He’d have a career-best 7.8 WAR in 1969 and finish second in Pitcher of the Year voting. Rankin would struggle to a 4.82 ERA in 1970, but rebound with a respectable 1971. He’d earn his 200^th win this season, his final with San Diego. Rankin’s final stats with the Seals was a 202-130 record, 3.18 ERA, 2230 strikeouts in 3099 innings, and 65.1 WAR.

In the 1971 postseason, Rankin suffered a partially torn labrum. He rehabbed and felt ready to go for his age 33 season in 1972, but San Diego would release him just before opening day after struggles in spring training. Milwaukee would sign him and he made 13 iffy starts before seeing his season end with a torn elbow ligament. Rankin was determined to continue and got signed late in 1973 with Atlanta with five lousy starts. In 1974, Jacksonville gave him a chance and he was a passable back-end starter. The Gators ultimately cut him in August and he was picked up by New York. His Yankees tenure lasted one inning with a torn labrum officially ending his career after the 1974 season at age 35.

Rankin’s final stats: 212-145 record, 3.28 ERA, 3374.1 innings, 2382 strikeouts to 1025 walks, 254/418 quality starts, 212 complete games, FIP- of 88, and 66.1 WAR. His productive career was shorter than most other MLB Hall of Fame pitchers and his lack of big strikeout totals hurt him with some of the advanced stats. Many voters thought Rankin fit more as a “Hall of Very Good” type guy. But he had a Pitcher of the Year to his name and some big time playoff performances during San Diego’s 1960s success. The Seals retired his #5 uniform because of that run and just enough voters were swayed to make him the lone member of the 1980 class. He made it on the slimmest margin at 66.1%, but Rankin can forever say he was a first ballot Hall of Famer.