One thing worth thinking about with Simmons that's different than Baines....where Baines election came out of nowhere, Simmons was only one vote shy last time he was voted on by the vets...and in a year where two other players (Trammell & Morris) were selected. That's a LOT of momentum, for what it's worth.
There weren't many other candidates for "best catcher not in the Hall of Fame"...some liked Munson, and his career trajectory might have gotten him there...tough to say...but Simmons did play 1,000 more games in parts of 10 more seasons.
When it comes to "borderline" guys....longevity matters.
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