2025 Classic Baseball Era Committee Candidate: Dave Parker

The next article is a part of a collection regarding the 2025 Traditional Baseball Period Committee poll, overlaying long-retired gamers, managers, executives, and umpires whose candidacies might be voted upon on December 8. For an introduction to the poll, see right here, and for an introduction to JAWS, see right here. A number of profiles on this collection are tailored from work beforehand printed at SI.com, Baseball Prospectus, and Futility Infielder. All WAR figures confer with the Baseball-Reference model until in any other case indicated.

A five-tool participant whose energy, means to hit for common, and robust, correct throwing arm all stood out – significantly within the Pirates’ seemingly limitless and at all times eye-catching assortment of black-and-yellow uniform mixtures — Dave Parker was as soon as thought-about the sport’s finest all-around participant. In his first 5 full seasons (1975-79), he amassed a World Collection ring, common season and All-Star MVP awards, two batting titles, two league leads in slugging proportion, and three Gold Gloves, to not point out great swagger, an excellent nickname (“The Cobra”), and a excessive regard for himself.

“Take Willie Mays and Roberto Clemente and match their first 5 years up in opposition to mine, and so they don’t evaluate with me,” he instructed Roy Blount in a 1979 Sports activities Illustrated cowl story.

Parker, who debuted with the Pirates in July 1973, simply seven months after Clemente’s loss of life, and assumed full-time obligation because the workforce’s proper fielder a season and a half later, as soon as gave the impression to be on track to hitch the Puerto Rican legend in Cooperstown. Sadly, cocaine, poor conditioning, and accidents threw him off track, and whereas he recovered nicely sufficient to make three All-Star groups, play a supporting function on one other World Collection winner, and accrue hefty profession totals whereas taking part in previous the age of 40, his sport misplaced a number of dimensions alongside the way in which. Corridor of Fame voters greeted his case with a yawn; he debuted with simply 17.5% on the 1997 poll and peaked at 24.5% the following 12 months, and whereas he remained eligible for the complete 15 seasons, just one different time did he high 20%. Since then, he’s made appearances on three different Period Committee ballots, particularly the 2014 Growth Period one in addition to the ’18 and ’20 Trendy Baseball ones, however even after going public together with his analysis of Parkinson’s Illness, lending an air of pathos to his scenario, he hasn’t come near election.

David Gene Parker was born in Grenada, Mississippi on June 9, 1951, one in all six kids of Richard and Dannie Mae Parker. His father labored as a transport clerk in a foundry, whereas his mom labored as a maid; each of his mother and father had some uncooked athleticism. “My mom had a cannon for an arm, threw all type of issues at us – footwear, books, no matter – and often linked,” Parker stated in 2014. “My dad by no means obtained to play organized ball. However he’d crush that ball. He might have been one thing, if he’d gotten the prospect. He hit cross-handed. And he might run like a scalded rabbit. He beat me in a footrace in the future after work – in his work boots, carrying his lunch bucket.”

In Cincinnati, Parker grew up lower than a block from Crosley Subject, house of the Reds. He and his associates would sneak into video games and cheer for stars akin to Frank Robinson, Vada Pinson, and Pete Rose. At age 15, he started working as a vendor at Crosley Subject, promoting sizzling canines and popcorn, and, circa 1968–69, dreamed of turning into the following Johnny Bench, as he was the beginning catcher (and occasional pitcher) for Courier Tech Excessive College’s workforce. He additionally starred in basketball and soccer, and was closely recruited as a operating again till he injured his left knee within the first sport of his senior season. He tried to play by way of the harm however ended up present process a number of surgical procedures, and missed his senior season of baseball. Per Blount, it wasn’t his knee harm however issues about his means to hit the ball within the air and a historical past of clashing with coaches that allow to his being chosen within the 14th spherical by the Pirates in 1970, as a substitute of the primary or second. It was a dreadful draft for the Pirates, who signed simply one in all their different 58 picks, but lowballed Parker into accepting a mere $6,000 for a bonus.

Between Parker’s knee issues and his measurement — he was on his solution to turning into 6-foot-5 and 225 kilos as a younger main leaguer — the Pirates determined he had no future behind the plate and as a substitute moved him to the outfield. Starting in spring coaching 1971, the daybreak of the fabled Pittsburgh Lumber Firm, Parker picked up the finer factors of the sport from Clemente, Willie Stargell, and coach (and later supervisor) Invoice Virdon. Except for a tough 30-game stint at Double-A Waterbury, the place he began the 1971 season at age 19, he hit at each minor league cease, incomes MVP honors each within the Gulf Coast League in ’70 and the Carolina League in ’72. He hit 22 homers and stole 38 bases the latter 12 months whereas batting .310/.350/.516.

Parker was tearing up the Worldwide League (.317/.356/.515) by way of the primary half of the 1973 season when he obtained known as as much as change outfielder Gene Clines, who tore ligaments in his proper ankle. He debuted within the majors on July 12, 1973, barely a month previous his twenty second birthday, going 0-for-4 out of the leadoff spot in opposition to the Padres’ Clay Kirby. He spent the rest of that season and the entire subsequent one (throughout which he misplaced greater than two months to a hamstring harm) in a platoon function, making simply three begins in opposition to lefties. Deep in younger outfielders, the Pirates moved Stargell to full-time first base obligation in 1975, with incumbent proper fielder Richie Zisk shifting to left, opening up the full-time proper area job for Parker.

The outcomes had been revelatory. The 24-year-old Parker hit .308/.357/.541 with 25 homers and 101 RBI; his slugging proportion led the league, his 149 OPS+ ranked third, his 6.3 WAR (together with protection that was a league-best 15 runs above common in accordance with Complete Zone) fifth. The Pirates gained the NL East for the second straight season, however bowed to the Reds within the NLCS; Parker went 0-for-10, solely reaching base on a stroll and a hit-by-pitch. After the season, he edged out each Bench and Rose to position third within the NL MVP voting behind Joe Morgan and Greg Luzinski.

Although he slipped to 13 homers and a .475 slugging proportion in 1976, Parker’s efficiency was nonetheless greater than stable (133 OPS+, 3.7 WAR). He began 1977 so sizzling that he was hitting above .400 as late as Could 14 (.408), and as excessive as .349 in early September; he completed at .338/.397/.531, beating out teammate Rennie Stennett for the NL batting title, rating first in each hits (215) and doubles (44), third in WAR (7.4), fifth in OPS+ (145) and on-base proportion, and sixth in slugging proportion. He made his first All-Star workforce, gained his first Gold Glove, and once more completed third within the MVP voting, this time behind George Foster and Luzinski.

“The Cobra” — a nickname given to him by Pirates coach Tony Bartirome — developed into such an intimidating hitter that opposing pitchers deliberately walked him a league-high 23 instances in 1978. He had extra assist from Bartirome that season. In a house plate collision with Mets catcher (and former school soccer participant) John Stearns on June 30, Parker was not solely thrown out to finish the sport however suffered a fractured jaw and cheekbone, in addition to a concussion, although he solely realized the latter years later. “That was just like the Pennsylvania Railroad colliding with the B&O,” stated Pirates supervisor Chuck Tanner. When Parker returned to motion on July 16, he was sporting a two-toned hockey goalie’s masks that Bartirome had personalized, then with the assistance of the Steelers’ gear supervisor — the 2 groups shared Three Rivers Stadium — switched to a soccer face masks, which he wore whereas operating the bases. It set off a development amongst equally injured gamers, and scared the residing hell out of Morgan, who threatened to sue if he sustained harm within the occasion of the 2 gamers colliding at second base.

Regardless of the harm, Parker hit .334/.394/.585 en route to a different batting title and slugging proportion crown; he was second in on-base proportion, however 36 factors behind league chief Jeff Burroughs. He reached 30 homers for the primary time, a complete that ranked third within the league, and each his 166 OPS+ and seven.0 WAR led the circuit as nicely. In January 1979, simply earlier than he started what in any other case would have been his stroll 12 months, he signed a five-year contract that was broadly reported to be price not less than $5 million, making him the sport’s first million greenback a 12 months participant, although the deal included one thing nearer to $2.1 million in present wage and $5.3 million in deferred compensation, the fee of which the Pirates would later problem.

Although his numbers fell off barely in 1979 (.310/.380/.526, 141 OPS+, 25 HR), Parker loved one other distinctive season, rating fourth within the NL with 6.7 WAR. He gained All-Star Recreation MVP honors due to a game-tying sacrifice fly and two spectacular outfield assists within the late innings of the NL’s 7-6 win. Within the seventh, with the AL main 6-5, Parker misplaced monitor of a Jim Rice fly ball in opposition to the Kingdome roof, however recovered to throw an ideal one-hopper to Ron Cey at third base, reducing down Rice making an attempt to stretch a double right into a triple.

Then, with the rating tied within the backside of the eighth, Parker threw out Brian Downing making an attempt to attain from second on a Graig Nettles single, positioning his throw such that catcher Gary Carter simply dropped his tag on Downing’s head like an anvil. Forty-five (!) years later, I nonetheless get goosebumps watching this one.

With Parker and Stargell (who would share MVP honors with Keith Hernandez) main the way in which, the “We Are Household” Pirates gained 98 video games, then swept Morgan, Foster, and the Reds within the NLCS; Parker singled within the successful run within the tenth inning of Recreation 2. Although hampered by a late-season left knee harm that restricted his means to tug the ball, he went 10-for-29 within the World Collection because the Pirates got here again from a three-games-to-one deficit to beat the Orioles in seven video games. Parker made a vital catch of an Eddie Murray fly ball with the bases loaded within the eighth inning of Recreation 7. “He hit a line drive to me, a carrying line drive,” stated Parker in 2014. “I broke to my glove aspect, slipped, and virtually fell. I recovered and managed to catch it. If I don’t catch that ball, I’d have stored operating proper by way of the fence and on out into Baltimore someplace.”

Thus far, Parker was rightly regarded among the many sport’s elite. His 31.1 WAR from 1975-79 ranked fourth within the majors, trailing solely Mike Schmidt (38.7), George Brett (35.0), and Rod Carew (31.9), whereas his 21.1 WAR from ’77-79 trailed solely Schmidt (23.0) and Brett (21.6). However even with the batting title and the championship, Parker’s million-dollar standing made him the goal of criticism and even racist hate mail. Embittered, he skipped the World Collection parade. “On the time I felt the followers weren’t there for me, so why ought to I’ve been there for them,” Parker instructed The Undefeated’s Branson Wright in 2018. “I didn’t really feel I needed to apologize for being profitable, nevertheless it appeared that’s what some followers wished me to do.”

Continued hassle together with his left knee in 1980 precipitated Parker’s manufacturing to plummet to 17 homers, 79 RBI, a 115 OPS+, and simply 1.6 WAR in 138 video games. In September, the New York Instances‘ Jane Gross wrote that he “appeared like a lame horse on the bottom paths.” Followers at Three Rivers Stadium actually focused him, throwing 9-volt batteries and different objects in his course in proper area. After a battery whizzed by his head throughout a July 20 contest, he eliminated himself from the sport. “There have been 5 incidents in Pittsburgh the place I might have been significantly damage. If I’m going to get damage, I’ll get damage taking part in the sport, not by somebody who has a grudge,” he instructed reporters. He requested for a commerce, although he later cooled down. In the meantime, his common-law spouse sued him for divorce.

After the 1980 season, Parker had surgical procedure to take away torn cartilage in his left knee, however the harm bug stored biting. Achilles and thumb accidents in addition to the gamers’ strike restricted him to only 140 video games, 15 homers, and 0.7 WAR in 1981–82, and his weight ballooned; some estimated it as excessive as 260 kilos, although Parker disputed that determine. He managed simply 12 homers, a 97 OPS+ and 0.2 WAR in his 144 video games in 1983, even with a .305/.331/.458 displaying within the second half. In September, after he dodged one other battery at Three Rivers, a UPI article reported that among the many projectiles hurled at him since signing his contract had been “a bat, a metal valve and a five-pound sack of nuts and bolts.” Yikes.

A free agent after the season, Parker went house, signing a two-year take care of the Reds, one which paid him $800,000 per 12 months — a pay reduce, going by the notion of his million-dollar standing. Remarkably the workforce that had let Rose, Morgan, and Tony Perez depart when their contracts expired had by no means landed a significant free agent earlier than. Whereas he solely improved barely in 1984, (104 OPS+, 1.0 WAR), his 94 RBI (up from 69 the 12 months earlier than) fed the notion of a stronger rebound, and the Reds inked him to a three-year, $3.325 million extension.

On the sphere, Parker’s 1985 was his finest season after ’79 (34 homers, a league-high 125 RBI, .312/.365/.551 line, and 4.7 WAR); he made his fifth All-Star workforce (and first since ’81), gained the primary All-Star Recreation House Run Derby, and completed second behind Willie McGee within the NL MVP voting. Off the sphere was a nightmare. Known as to testify within the 1985 Pittsburgh drug trials, he admitted to having used cocaine as early as 1976 and “with consistency” from ’79 till late ’82, when he realized it had eroded his play. “I used to be going downhill,” he testified. Although he had been granted immunity from prosecution, he acquired a one-year suspension from commissioner Peter Ueberroth, waived on the situation of submitting to drug testing for the rest of his profession, performing 200 hours of neighborhood service, and contributing 10% of his wage to packages to fight drug abuse. The Pirates filed go well with in an try to keep away from paying him his deferred wage as a result of his cocaine use “negatively affected his means to carry out.” In 1988, the 2 sides reached settlement for “a considerable lump sum” as a substitute of deferred funds.

On reflection, Parker stated that his contract — which occurred in opposition to a backdrop of metal mill closures that had hit the Pittsburgh space onerous — was a burden. As he instructed The Undefeated, “Being the primary [to make a million per year] and being a black man didn’t make it that a lot simpler, and a few followers turning in opposition to me didn’t make me really feel too good. And making that sort of cash wasn’t a great match for no one concerned. The followers weren’t having it, and I wasn’t having it from my finish as nicely.”

Fortunately, by the point he was in Cincinnati, Parker had cleaned himself up and was in a position to take pleasure in his elder statesman function whereas persevering with his profession. Although he hit 31 homers and drove in 116 runs whereas making one other All-Star workforce in 1986, he declined from a 149 OPS+ to 117 in addition to from +5 runs (through Complete Zone) to -17; his WAR plummeted to 0.3. Whereas he would attain 20 homers three extra instances and 90 RBI twice over his age 36-40 seasons — even making his seventh and remaining All-Star workforce in 1990 with a 21-homer, 92-RBI season because the Brewers’ full-time DH — the really productive part of his profession was over. He did play for 2 pennant winners and one championship workforce whereas serving because the A’s DH in 1988–89, homering 3 times within the latter postseason, and was valued as a clubhouse chief, however his 92 homers and 400 RBI for the Reds (1987), A’s, Brewers, Angels and Blue Jays (each ’91) throughout this stretch amounted to a mixed OPS+ of 101 and a web of -0.7 WAR, with a excessive of 1.1 for that Milwaukee season.

Due to his longevity, Parker completed with spectacular counting stats, although it’s not onerous to think about that had he steered away from cocaine and brought higher care of himself, he may nicely have reached 3,000 hits, and probably 400 homers as nicely. Given his assortment of accomplishments, he scores a 125 on the Invoice James Corridor of Fame Monitor, which measures how probably (however not how deserving) a participant is to be elected by awarding factors for numerous honors, league leads, postseason efficiency and so forth — the issues that are likely to catch voters’ eyes. A rating of 100 is “a great risk,” whereas 130 suggests “a digital cinch.” BBWAA voters weren’t significantly moved by his case; he did spend the complete 15 years on the poll, however by no means acquired even one-third of the help he wanted for election.

Parker hasn’t fared an entire lot higher on Period Committee ballots, all of which have taken place in opposition to the backdrop of his ongoing battle with Parkinson’s illness, a sobering sight. On the 2014 and ’18 ballots, he didn’t obtain sufficient help to have his precise vote complete introduced; typically, the Corridor lumps collectively the entire candidates beneath a sure (various) threshold as “receiving fewer than x” votes to keep away from embarrassing them (or their descendants) with the information of a shutout. On the 2020 poll, he acquired 43.8% of the vote, greater than Steve Garvey (37.5%) however lower than Dwight Evans (50%); the previous is on this poll however the latter has been categorized as belonging to the Up to date Baseball Period.

From a sophisticated statistical standpoint, Parker suffers not solely as a consequence of that low-value stretch on the finish of his profession (hardly unusual) however due to his weak half-decade within the center. From 1980–84, his age-29 by way of age-33 seasons, he netted simply 3.4 WAR whereas posting a modest 106 OPS+. He totaled simply 7.7 WAR from age 29 onward, even whereas hitting 217 homers and gathering 1,668 hits, greater than half his complete.

The sum of Parker’s case isn’t in contrast to that of Dale Murphy’s, for as totally different as the 2 had been off the sphere — and you’ll’t get a lot additional aside than the space between Parker’s swagger and misadventures and Murphy’s healthful, milk-drinking persona. Each completed with a 121 OPS+ and have seven-year WAR peaks inside hailing distance of the requirements at their respective positions; Murphy (41.2) is 3.5 wins beneath the mark for heart fielders whereas rating 18th, Parker (37.4) 5.0 beneath that for proper fielders whereas tying with Evans and Brian Giles for thirtieth. Neither Murphy or Parker produced a lot worth exterior of these peaks, nevertheless, and in consequence, they’re a lot additional away from the requirements relating to profession WAR and JAWS; Murphy ranks twenty seventh within the latter, 14.4 factors beneath the usual, whereas Parker is forty first, 17.9 factors beneath the usual. The drastic fall-off of the latter’s protection, from +40 runs from 1973–79 to -61 for the rest of his profession, after which the positional adjustment hit for shifting to DH, accounts for the primary discrepancy between the 2 gamers.

They’re each clearly higher than 2019 At this time’s Recreation honoree Harold Baines, whose longer stretch at DH places his 30.1 JAWS 78th amongst proper fielders. However even given the time he spent on the heart of the baseball world, it’s onerous to justify together with Parker on a poll the place he’s obtained the second-largest hole between his JAWS and the usual at his place, whereas 4 candidates a lot nearer to the mark (Dick Allen, Ken Boyer, Luis Tiant, and Tommy John) are vying for the poll’s three treasured slots together with two Negro Leagues stars, Vic Harris and John Donaldson.

We might be glad that Parker obtained his life so as, that he’s taken a outstanding function in elevating cash for the combat in opposition to Parkinson’s, and that he’s receiving an outpouring of sympathy and a spotlight for his plight. However that doesn’t imply that his highway has to finish in Cooperstown, and I don’t count on we’ll see him wind up there on this poll.