Posted on 01/10/2014 11:54:06 AM PST by EveningStar
The Hall of Fame says it's up to baseball writers to propose any changes in the selection process.
The Baseball Writers' Association of America has voted on Hall of Fame candidates since 1936, and elections have become more controversial in recent years as stars tainted by accusations of steroids use have fallen well short of the 75 percent needed for entry to Cooperstown.
Writers are limited to a maximum 10 votes, and some say there's a logjam as Barry Bonds, Rogers Clemens and Mark McGwire remain on the ballot at a time new players are added.
(Excerpt) Read more at sports.yahoo.com ...
There’s no jam....there are around forty players who just won’t make the HOF, because of the era they played, period.
Maddux, Glavine, Thomas were all HOF worthy. Biggio never struck me as a HOF level player. Bagwell and Piazza are in the group with Bonds, Clemens, McGwire etc..as steroid tainted candidates.
The reason the Baseball writers vote is that by being with the teams, they saw more baseball than anyone else. That’s not the case anymore.
The only change the HOF should make is to allow other people a vote. The beat writer for the Brewers does not see more baseball than, say, Greg Amsinger on the MLB network (example).
Make that change, keep everything else the same IMO.
I don’t want to hear any griping about baseball process. Try checking out the horse process. Once they made changes to be more objective and after some griping rolled over like scared ninnies and changes it back to the same basic lame way as always. It’s cheapened when it’s guaranteed so many are going to get in, even when the candidates aren’t that great.
The players have no one to blame but themselves. They sacrificed the guy who never got called up or was only in MLB for a cup of coffee because someone else was on PEDS or was 35+ and extending their career by using PEDS. In exchange PEDS abusers received huge contracts that drove ALL the MLB player contracts up, the users and non-users. The logjam wouldn’t be there if it wasn’t for folks splitting their votes between known/suspected PEDS guys and second tier HOFers.
Not that the vote couldn’t be expanded to include the SABR guys or announcers. Even if that ever happens, getting 75% of any group to agree is going to be fairly rare thing. Flawed as it is, it’s still the only hall of fame that really matters.
Freegards
Until Rose is inducted there is no HOF.
One of the idiots that did not vote for Biggio said he was concerned Biggio used steroids. Yeah all 5’10” 170 pounds of him. Moron. His problem is he played for the Lastros.
Biggio just doesn’t belong in the HOF. On the scale of 1-10 and 9 and 10 get you in the Hall, Biggio was an 8. His problem is that he was a good player, not a great player. The Hall is for great players. I scanned the list and guess what, the 3 who belong got in. Instead of allowing guys like Biggio in, they should remove Mazeroski, Sutton, and Blyleven from the Hall, good players, not great.
Imagine letting a Hawk Harrelson vote. His only criteria is if the guy played for the White Sox. Way too many homers in the electronic media.
Nice post.
I would also add, re “Biggio never struck me as a HOF level player.”
3000 hits to my mind is HOF. Yet I think Biggio goes with your next comment:
“Bagwell and Piazza are in the group with Bonds, Clemens, McGwire etc..as steroid tainted candidates.”
Biggio’s in it too.
HOF players should be dominate players in their eras, not guys who just hung around for ever and compiled stats. Biggio never led the league in anything, his accomplishment was longevity. He was a good player, not a great.
Not Blyleven. 287 wins pitching for mostly poor teams, top ten in ERA ten times, 60 shutouts, fifth all-time strikeout leader and owner of one of the best curve balls in the history of the game. Great player.
If he’d have pitched in a big market all his career, he’d have won 350 games and electing him would have been automatic.
3000 hits to my mind is HOF.”
Yet Biggio never led the majors in any year in hits or BA, and he was a .281 career hitter. 150 hits per year will get you to 3000 hits if you have a 20 year career like Biggio did.
You don’t get to hang around to compile stats without the skill and ability to earn and keep your spot on the roster.
This is not to say that a number in itself (3000 hits, 300 wins, 500 HR) should get your ticket punched automatically to the Hall, but it should make you a presumptive HoF candidate.
“Biggio never led the league in anything, ...”
HBP, 5 times!
He hung around by being a good player. No one said he was loosy, just not a great player. As they say, if you have to think about the player for a few seconds, then he doesn’t belong.
Last I looked, no plaque for Ron Hunt in the HOF.
You guys make good points.
I still find it hard to not think anyone who gets 3000 hits shouldn’t be in.
Longevity with consistence at a high level is important.
And his position needs to be considered. You won’t find outfielders getting 300 hits in this way.
From Wikipedia
“Biggio is a seven-time MLB All-Star and won four Gold Glove Awards and five Silver Slugger Awards during his career. He ranks 21st all-time with 3,060 career hits, and is the ninth player in the 3,000 hit club to get all his hits with the same team. Only the 2nd MLB’er to have both 50 SB’s & 50 2B’s in the same season. The all-time NL leader in leadoff HR’s(53).”
If those stats can’t get you admitted, then there’s a problem with the admittance process.
there is not a more smug and sanctimonious organization than the BBWAA.
The writers sat in the clubhouses all across the country while players were doing what they were doing and not a peep. Then, all of a sudden someone figures it all out and they all decide that it’s suddenly wrong and now all those guys that gave them quotes, gave them stories and made them famous are not not worthy of a vote.
These guys beclown themselves every time they “vote” just to show how important they are.
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