Player: Lou Whitaker
Set: 1978 Topps
Card Number: 704
Why is This Card a Must Have?: I am going to say something completely ludicrous, Lou Whitaker deserves to be in the Hallof Fame. There I said it, and I have one reason why he should be in, Ryne Sandberg. So the question now becomes, should Ryne be in the Hall? The answer is no, but he was so wildly popular that he got in. His stats were very good, but Hall of Fame worthy. Lou won the 1978 Rookie of the Year award, was a 5 time All Star, won 4 Silver Slugger awards, was a career 0.276 hitter,and was known as a very quiet and private man. The quiet side of him is why he wasn’t elected to the Hall of Fame. That might all change with the Veterans Committee, but in the end should it? Sure there are players that I think deserve to be in the Hall of Fame that aren’t in. But the reason we feel these people should get in is because others have gotten in with lesser stats. Until that stops, then the arguments will continue to go on. The simple truth is that Ryno is in so Lou should be too.
On a Scale of 1 to 10, How Must Have Is This Card?: A 5, it’s not a must have, I freely admit that, but it is of a player who was definitely under-appreciated during his career. The card can be had for about a $1 on eBay.
If they could have only put Trammell and Whitaker on the same card.