H A L L   O F   F A M E   C A N D I D A T E S

Gene Woodling
Right Field, Brooklyn Superbas, Boston Beacons, St. Louis Maroons, Cleveland Barons · 1951-1962

That two of UL stars, Gene Woodling and Minnie Minoso, both manned the corners of the Brooklyn outfield during the formative years of the UL tells us something of the symmetry of their two careers. The RF and LF were remarkably similar players:  both were locks to hit .300 with double-digit homers and an OBP around .400.  There were a couple of differences: Minoso collected more singles and doubles; Woodling had more power, more durability, walked a little more and played excellent defence (and was an occasional CF).  Yet Gene compiled six .900 OPS seasons and Minoso five, with both compiling four over .800 OPS, and if you ignore Woodling’s terrible ’62 campaign, their career numbers are almost identical.

In his first 6 ½ seasons for the Superbas, Woodling was excellent, culminating in a spell between ’55 and ’58 of four consecutive .900+ OPS seasons (although the last was in St. Louis), and six of eight if you include his superb ’51 and ’52 campaings.  In those six years, Gene hit between .310 and .335, between 12 and 20 homers and between 53 and 79 walks, striking out only 42 to 52 times.  He also captured his first two Gold Gloves and two all-star selections in this period.  Woodling, however, missed out on a Championship, leaving just before Brooklyn’s run started.

Woodling certainly traveled more than Minoso.  In the same month Minoso headed to Detroit, Woodling went to St. Louis with Yogi Berra in another blockbuster for Dick Donovan.  The difference is that Woodling never came back, and in 1958 in St. Louis he put up his second best season to date, hitting 20 homers with an OBP over .400.   Another good year followed (although his power had slipped to single-digit homers), before in 1960 Woodling changed teams again, this time traded to Cleveland along with Billy Pierce for a collection of players including Gil Hodges and Roger Maris.  Although he would win another Gold Glove in Cleveland (and sign a massive free agent contract there), after an impressive ’60, Woodling was starting to slip.  In ’61, he struck out 113 times (more than double any season apart from 1960), failed to hit .300 for the first time since 1954 and although he still conjured up a respectable .757 OPS, the writing was on the wall.  In a part-time role in 1962, he struggled (.192/.252/.238 in 122 ABs) and although he tore up the minor leagues, he retired at the end of the season.

The career arcs of Woodling and Minoso, their skill-sets and their career statistics encourages comparison, and while it could be said that Minoso perhaps had the better ability, there is a very good case that Woodling’s reliability and defence makes him the better of the two candidates.  A career .315/.390/.477 hitter, Woodling deserves a place in the Hall of Fame debate.  (Doug Aiton)


AWARDS & ACCOLADES
All-Decade Team (1951-60)
All-UL Team (1952, 1955), Gold Glove Award (1952, 1953, 1961)
8-time Player of the Week