Hall of Fame Candidate Thread: Lawrence Columbus LaLoosh

[RonCo]

Here's the place to talk about the career of:

Lawrence Columbus LaLoosh
(Starting Pitcher)

Accomplishments

Active Career	2026-2039 (14 seasons)
Key Stats	169-97, 3.67 ERA, 3.58 FIP, 2,187 K, 1.16 WHIP, 56.9 WAR
Awards	Nebraska 2031, 2033, 2035
	Zimmer Diamond Glove
All-Star	4-Times

Hall of Fame Metrics:

Category	Score	Avg HoF
JAWS	49.1	70
BLACK INK	19	34
GRAY INK	130	165
HoF STANDARDS	37	50
Hof Monitor	100	130

Hall of Fame Voting History:

Year	Score
2044	51.7%
2043	48.4%
2042	32.4%
2041	38.2%
2040	30.3%

# Here's a serious quandary that will make a voter look themselves in the eye and ask exactly how important longevity really is. Because his three Nebraska awards tells you exactly how good Lawrence Columbus LaLoosh was at his peak--and shows his peak lasted awhile. Just not long enough to pile up enough wins to get to the magic markers that make this kind of induction possible. He led the league in wins and starts twice, and Whip, BABIP, and ERA once each.

There was a moment there where 225 wins looked possible. You know the deal, though. A big injury cost him a year at his peak, and then the last one (at age 33) cost him his career.

Bottom line was that LaLoosh was a key cog in the Yellow Springs win machine. Of course, that also means he was at the center of the Yellow SPrings October Choke Device, too. So there's that for voters to take into account, too. In the end I know how I'll be voting (I mean...three Nebraskas, am I right?), but it's going to be a fun one to see how the league reacts.

Comparison to Modern (Post 1995) Hall of Fame Starting Pitchers:

LaLoosh.PNG (11.57 KiB) Viewed 2493 times

[JimBob2232]

I feel like he is similar to Jimmy McCabe
https://statspl.us/brewster/reports/new ... 10534.html

If McCabe is out, laloosh probably is too. Of course, I think McCabe should be in, and I’m still paying laloosh for eternity...so maybe I’m biased.

[7teen]

Oh if Laloosh gets in you boys will hear me screaming JESSIE WRIGHT'S name from the rooftops!

[bcslouck]

Those Nebraska's make him interesting. Certainly has a case.

[usnspecialist]

Here is where Lawrence LaLoosh falls on the list of modern pitchers. I defined modern as anyone who spent the majority of their career after 1995. There was a big shift in pitcher stats around that point so tough to compare some of the older guys.

[RonCo]

Those Nebraska's make him interesting. Certainly has a case.

The three Nebraska's make the core of the case. Without them, you'd just say "very good" and "what coulda been." But the Nebraskas say one of the best pitchers in the league for a half decade or more. I'm not lobbying hard for him, but he's got a very serious case...and not to do direct comparisons, but I admit to enjoying that his career numbers look a lot like Sandy Koufax's--including the park and era adjusted ERA+ and the three Cy Young/Nebraskas.

[usnspecialist]

The Nebraskas ARE his case, plain and simple.

[jleddy]

I like peak guys, so I'm leaning towards yes on LaLoosh. I also like championships and unfortunately Crash spent a majority of his career with Yellow Springs, so...

[bschr682]

Pass

[7teen]

Agreed on the Nebraska's.

I made the same case for Wright and his Two Nebraska's. Wright and Laloosh are very similar type guys when you compare the two closer. Short term dominance, but not so dominant over the long term.

[udlb58]

Stinks how some guys fall off a cliff. At 30 he's dominant, 31/32 he's still a very good pitcher, at 33 he's average and he's out of the BBA before he's 35.

[RonCo]

LaLoosh received 30% of the vote his first year, and 38% his second. He and his THREE NEBRASKA AWARDS have five seasons left on the ballot.

[RonCo]

Did I mention LaLoosh won THREE NEBRASKA AWARDS?

[HoosierVic]

Did I mention LaLoosh won THREE NEBRASKA AWARDS?

So, wait … you're saying he won some Nebraskas?

[jiminyhopkins]

Haha, Lumpy is trying again. LOL

[RonCo]

LaLoosh is the Sandy Koufax of the BBA.

[usnspecialist]

LaLoosh is the Sandy Koufax of the BBA.

Sandy Koufax was far more dominant relative to his peers than LaLoosh ever was. Here are the top 10 single season WAR totals between the two of them. For reference Koufax retired after 1966 and LaLoosh after 2039.

10.7 (1963 Koufax)
10.3 (1966 Koufax)
8.1 (1965 Koufax)
7.3 (1964 Koufax)
7.1 (2035 LaLoosh)
6.2 (2033 LaLoosh)
6.1 (2034 LaLoosh)
5.7 (1961 Koufax & 2031 LaLoosh)
5.4 (2036 LaLoosh)

They are similar in terms of awards, but that is about it.

[RonCo]

Koufax threw in a different era. If LaLoosh threw 300+ innings a season like Koufax did, he'd have matched Koufax's. WAR is a counting stat, remember.

[RonCo]

Actually, I'm wrong, but not by much. Taking the junk stat of WAR/IP, and then standardizing each season to 300 IP, you'd find three elite Koufax seasons at the top (by a fairly slim margin, though). Then, however, LaLoosh would dominate

Year	Pitcher	IP	WAR/IP	WAR/300	Award
1963	Koufax	311	0.034	10.3	CY
1964	Koufax	223	0.033	9.8
1966	Koufax	323	0.032	9.6	CY
2035	LaLoosh	230.2	0.031	9.3	Neb
2028	LaLoosh	180.1	0.029	8.7
2033	LaLoosh	217	0.029	8.6	Neb
2034	LaLoosh	223	0.027	8.2
2031	LaLoosh	220	0.026	7.8	Neb
2029	LaLoosh	186.1	0.025	7.4
1965	Koufax	335.2	0.024	7.2	CY
1962	Koufax	184.1	0.024	7.2
2036	LaLoosh	226	0.024	7.2
1961	Koufax	255.2	0.022	6.7
1955	Koufax	41.2	0.022	6.6
2026	LaLoosh	136.2	0.021	6.2
2032	LaLoosh	215	0.020	5.9
2027	LaLoosh	215.1	0.020	5.9
1959	Koufax	153.1	0.014	4.3
2030	LaLoosh	70	0.013	3.9
1957	Koufax	104.1	0.012	3.7
1960	Koufax	175	0.009	2.6
1958	Koufax	158.2	0.008	2.3
1956	Koufax	58.2	-0.005	-1.5

[RonCo]

Note that the bottom four in that list are all Koufax. He was really not great as a kid, whereas LaLoosh was never below a 3.9 WAR/300 guy and only once below a 5.9 WAR/300 guy.