Hall of Stats

Dwight Evans

Position

Right Fielder

Years

1972-1991

Hall Rating

122

Hall of Stats

Inductee

Hall of Merit

Inductee

Peak

49%

Longevity

51%

It’s not that Dwight Evans was a unique hitter. His 348.4 (Baseball-Reference) WAR Batting Runs have been matched by 89 other players. His fielding skills weren’t very unique, either. 194 players have more WAR Fielding Runs than Evans’ 66.3. But only 18 players in the history of the game have surpassed him in both categories.

Bill James referred to this combination of skills when he wrote an Open Letter to the Hall of Fame about Dwight Evans. He touched upon other reasons the Sox right fielder has been overlooked—such as his low batting average (with high OBPs), his defensive value (which is still hard for many voters to wrap their heads around), and the fact that his best offensive seasons came in his 30s (when his reputation was already established). You can add that his best season was actually a strike-shortened one. In 1981, Evans led the league (or tied) in homers, walks, total bases, and OPS. His legacy might be a bit different if he had another season with MVP-caliber numbers.

Articles Mentioning Dwight Evans

• Reaching the BBWAA Standard, not just the Hall of Fame Standard • Jan 10, 2014
• New Visual: Graham Womack’s Top 50 Players Not in the Hall of Fame • Jan 7, 2014
• The 2014 Expansion Era Ballot: Not What I Hoped For • Nov 7, 2013
• Introducing the Hall of Consensus • Sep 27, 2013
• Anticipating the 2014 Expansion Era Hall of Fame Ballot • Sep 13, 2013
• Who’s in the Hall of Stats (but not the Hall of Fame)? • Jun 18, 2013
• Personal Hall of Fame, Part 1: Time to Commit • Feb 14, 2013
• 50 Best Players Not in the Hall of Fame—and the 8 Best Not in the Hall of Stats • Jan 14, 2013
• Vote: 50 Best Players Not in the Hall of Fame • Dec 2, 2012

Rankings by Hall Rating

• 147th All Time (Top 0.8%)
• 14th among Right Fielders
• 129th among Hall of Stats

Franchise Contributions by Hall Rating

• BOS 121 (6th)
• BAL 1 (631st)

Career Statistics