Veterans committee considering Torre for Hall of Fame

Former Braves player and manager Joe Torre is a Veterans Committee finalist for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Torre, who is being considered for induction as a player, played for the Braves from 1960-68. He also managed the Braves from 1982-84.

In Torre’s 18-year career, he was a .297 hitter with 344 doubles, 252 home runs, 1,185 RBI and 996 runs in 2,209 games. Torre was also a nine-time All-Star and won the 1971 batting title and NL MVP award for St. Louis. He hit .363 with 24 homers and 137 RBIs. He led the NL in hits, RBIs and total bases that season. In 1965, he won a Gold Glove as a catcher.

Torre is the only person to win 2,000 games as a manager and also collect 2,000 hits in his playing career.

Torre will be considered by the Veterans Committee as part of the post-1942 ballot (players who began their big league careers in 1943 or after). Other members of the post-1942 Veterans Committee final ballot are Dick Allen, Gil Hodges, Jim Kaat, Tony Oliva, Al Oliver, Vada Pinson, Ron Santo, Luis Tiant and Maury Wills. Any player receiving at least 75 percent of the vote from the Veterans Committee, which consists of the 64 living Hall of Famers, will be enshrined at the Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2009.

Results will be announced on Monday at baseball’s Winter Meetings in Las Vegas.