I get your point, and the Hall has probably ignored some great defensive players with weak bats. But sometimes - probably more political than anything else - a player carried by his defensive skillset does get in.
For example, if I asked you which of these three players is NOT a Hall of Famer:
Player A: Played 23 seasons and had a career OPS+ of 105
Player B: Played 19 seasons with a career OPS+ of 87
Player C: Played 15 years with a career OPS+ of 144
You'd look at those number right away and say "Lance Berkman is the one not in the Hall of Fame, and he probably shouldn't be. And both Brooks Robinson and Ozzie Smith deserve it more because their defense made them both better overall players despite them both possessing offensive skills that were average or below average."
Which, of course, is the correct answer. (And also I would be impressed with how quick you got it.)
But when you also point out that several elite defensive players such as Andruw Jones, Scott Rolen and Omar Vizquel also failed to get into the Hall this year, and for all of them it was their 4th chance, while better hitters who couldn't field like Edgar Martinez, Larry Walker, and Jim Thome were all elected over them, it does add a lot of merit to your point.
Conclusion: If you are a great fielder who struggles at the plate, your chances are helped substantially if you can do back flips on the field...
Maybe the best examples to compare and contrast for Sox fans -- before modern times for most posters -- are two outfielders who played together: Jim Rice and Dwight Evans. I'm sure someone more stat savvy than me can find numbers to prove Rice deserves to be in the Hall, while Evans does not. But I do know their careers are close - Rice 47.7 WAR, .854 OPS vs. Evans 67.1 WAR, .840 OPS.
Defensively, it is no contest: Dewey was the best rightfielder in the AL for a decade, while Rice was never considered above-average (but he practiced to learn how to play the Monster, just like Evans practiced to become the slugger that led the AL in extra-base hits in the 1980s).
This might be a good poll for old fans who watched the entire careers of Rice and Evans: who was the better all-around player?
Despite their close career numbers, Rice was the better hitter. I look at Rice as the hitter you built a lineup around, and Evans as the guy you built around someone like Rice with. Evans was more well-rounded, but I like Rice better.
Bu I still vote for Dewey to be in the Hall given the chance...
In his peak, Rice was a HOF hitter. He was probably the most feared man in the batter's box in the AL, and guys like Hawk Harrelson spread his legend about check-swing broken bats and full-swing snapped golf clubs. I think it was said Rice could drive a golf ball further than anyone on the pro circuit.
Evans had a slightly longer career, so it only seemed he was more productive -- 385 HRs to 382 for Rice. Evans was also a late-bloomer: 235 homers in his 30s; Rice had 145.
As for Cooperstown consideration, Evans is an odd candidate: a Hall of Fame fielder in the '70s, and a Hall of Fame slugger in the '80s.
Fernandez over Vizquel?
Career fWAR
Fernandez - 43.5
Vizquel - 42.5
I am fine with using WAR as HOF selection criteria, but you appear to have a pretty hard line with those two.
Also does that mean you think Jose Reyes (43.8 fWAR) belongs in ahead of Vizquel and Fernandez?