[IndyTiger]

A little baseball news for a winter's day. Hard to argue with either selection. Hope Gil Hodges gets selected by the Veterans Committee.

[Straight Vermonter]

Wow, Ryne Sandberg. A real baseball immortal.

[MikefromOhio]

probably the only player to get a higher percentage than that in the next few years will be Cal Ripken...

Glad to see Sandberg got into the hall finally....

[dead]

Wade Boggs was overwhelmingly elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility Tuesday

Arrgh! Another Yankee.

[wireman]

Glad to see Ryno make it.

Now that they let stiffs like Gary Carter into the HOF, a real player like Sandberg should be a shoo-in.

[Our man in washington]

When Boggs was a minor leaguer with the Red Sox, he was left unprotected one year, which means any team could have claimed him for $50,000.

Sandberg was the extra player the Phillies tossed in to the Larry Bowa-Ivan DeJesus trade.

Judging talent is an imperfect science.

[TexasNative2000]

Hot stove PING.

[Republican Red]

Alas, the story in Atlanta is that Dale Murphy was passes up again again.

"Dale Murphy, the Braves star who played from 1976 until 1990, was one of 27 players on the ballot, but he was snubbed. He received 54 votes, but with 516 ballots cast, only candidates receiving 387 or more votes were elected"

[ABG(anybody but Gore)]

Can't disagree with Ryno or the Chicken Man, but Jack Morris and Goose Gossage should be in the HOF too.

[Rodney King]

Sandberg, the 1984 National League MVP for the Chicago Cubs (news), was picked by 393 voters. He appeared on 76.2 percent of ballots, just above the 75 percent cutoff (387). Sandberg received 49.2 percent of votes in 2003 and got 61.1 percent last year, falling 71 votes short.

What explains this other than the baseball players being jerks who like to haze the new guys? is sandberg better now than he was last year? No. So why the big change? Most likely the writers like people taking them out to dinner and begging them to vote their guy in.

[StrictTime]

Bummed about Tony Oliva... : (

[Charles Henrickson]

Yes, Sandberg made it! One of the ten best 2b--maybe one of the five best--in baseball history. Sandberg truly was a five-tool player--hit for average, hit for power, run, field, and throw--he could do it all. The best all-around second baseman of his era, he redefined the position.

All time at 2b, I rate Sandberg behind Hornsby, Collins, Morgan, maybe Lajoie and Gehringer, but ahead of everyone else.

Now if one of the five or ten best 3b--Ron Santo--makes it in via the Veterans Committee, I think it will be time for my first trip to visit Cooperstown this summer.

Then Bruce Sutter and Lee Smith get voted in next year.

[csvset]

I wonder if Wade will invite Margo Adams, for old times sake?