Boggs, Sandberg Elected to Baseball Hall of Fame

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=545&ncid=755&e=1&u=/ap/20050104/ap_on_sp_ba_ne/bbo_hall_of_fame ^ | Tue, Jan 04, 2005 | RONALD BLUM, AP Sports Writer

[IndyTiger]

Wade Boggs was overwhelmingly elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility Tuesday, and Ryne Sandberg made it with just six votes to spare on his third try.

Boggs, a five-time American League batting champion for the Boston Red Sox (news), was selected by 474 of the record 516 voters who are 10-year members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

The 91.86 percent of ballots he received was the 19th-highest percentage in Hall history, and he became the 41st player elected on his first chance.

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.

Results of voting by the Veterans Committee will be released March 2. Gil Hodges, Tony Oliva and Ron Santo were among the 25 candidates on that ballot.

[AmishDude]

Good point about the strike year (BTW, Bill Clinton was president). The only year since 1904 without a World Series (Robert Reich was secretary of labor) also saw Matt Williams on his way to being the first to break Maris' record.

[Charles Henrickson]

2008: Shawon Dunston, Travis Fryman, David Justice, Mike Morgan, Tim Raines, Randy Velarde
2009: Mark Grace, Rickey Henderson, Dean Palmer, Dan Plesac, Matt Williams
2010: Edgar Martinez, Robin Ventura

Only Henderson (if he ever actually retires).

[buckeyesrule]

I think Dave Concepcion would get more attention if he played in a major market or if he did not bat 7th or 8th on ther Big Red Machine of the 70's. Before Ozzie Smith there was Concepcion who was the first to use the astroturf as an asset at the shortstop position by bouncing the throw to first base (if neccessary).

Also, as a reds fan from the 70's Steve Garvey kicked out butts more than a few times so I am surprised he does not get more votes. He was one of the more consistent hitters in his era. Not to mention his wife was pretty hot !!!!

[Charles Henrickson]

Gwynn should be a unanimous selection on his first attempt -- in fact, I've said for some time that he was the best player in the modern (post-1967) era.

No way. Bench and Schmidt were the best at the respective positions all-time. There are lots of better players than Gwynn since then. Lack of both power and speed mark Tony down for an outfielder. Even so, he is definitely Hall-worthy.

[Charles Henrickson]

Ryno was a heck of a fielder, but he was a lightweight at the plate.

Huh? Sandberg was the best defensive and offensive player at his position during his career.

[AmishDude]

From all accounts, Tony Gwynn was the nicest person ever to play baseball! With both him and Ripkin, we should hear some quality speeches that year.

[Dan from Michigan]

All I can think of with Goose is the 84 World Series where Goose refused to walk Kirk Gibson in Game 5 in the bottom of the 8th inning trailing by one run.....

Three run homer....Tigers beat Padres 8-4 and win it all.

[Charles Henrickson]

Dale Murphy had five excellent years--'82, '83, '84, '85, and '87--and two very good years, '80 and '86. But those "seven fat years" are offset by "seven lean years"--'78, '79, '81, '88, '89, '90, and '91. (I'm not counting the little bits of seasons he played at the beginning and end of his career: '76-'77/'92-'93.) Nice guy, nice player, but not enough.

Compare Murphy to Dave Parker, a near-contemporary. Murphy was a regular for 14 seasons, '78-'91. Parker was a regular for 15 seasons, '75-'80 and '83-'91 (partial seasons due to injury, '81-'82). Same height (6'5"), Parker a little heavier and a few years older. Both NL outfielders for much of the same time.

Murphy: 398 HR, 1266 RBI, 161 SB, .265 BA, .346 OBP, .469 SLG
Parker: 339 HR, 1493 RBI, 154 SB, .290 BA, .339 OBP, .471 SLG

Very similar players. Neither quite good enough in enough seasons for the HOF.

[Charles Henrickson]

Bruce Sutter and Goose Gossage should be there.....

Along with Lee Smith. Those three should join Wilhelm, Fingers, and Eckersley as relievers in the Hall.

[jwalsh07]

General, Ernie Banks started out as a shortstop and then switched to first base. Ernie was a career 275 hitter who had pretty good power. But he wasn't in Sandbergs class in the field and Sandberg hit 10 or 12 points higher over his career. They both belong in the Hall of Fame.

[Charles Henrickson]

Carew couldn't carry Ryno's glove. And he was a spray singles hitter/bunter with no power. Make no mistake, Carew is Hall-worthy, but Sandberg was better overall.

[Charles Henrickson]

A DH should not be in the Hall. If one ever goes in, the only deserving one would be Frank Thomas. His numbers put Edgar Martinez to shame. The Big Hurt's lifetime OPS is not far off Ruth-Williams-Bonds territory.

[jwalsh07]

Ripken, McGwire, and Gwynn are all worthy. Ripken is the second-best SS of all time (behind Wagner).

I was about to compliment you on your knowledge of the game until you put I saw you put Ripken ahead of Arky Vaughn. :-}

[IndyTiger]

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.

Santo is deserving, and so is Gil Hodges. 370 HR, 1270 RBI, .273 BA lifetime, plus being manager of the '69 Amazin' Mets!

Hope you make a visit to Cooperstown soon. For a baseball fan, it just doesn't get any better than a trip to the HOF. It is truly a special place. Took a trip with my Dad there 30 years ago...hope to go back with my kids someday.

[IndyTiger]

It will be interesting to see how much consideration Harold Baines gets from the voters. Big career numbers due to longevity (similar to Don Sutton), but never a dominating player. My guess is Baines will be waiting for a few years, at least.

[AmishDude]

OK. According to Bill James' HOF monitor (as far as I can tell):

Player	HOF monitor
Bruce Sutter	91
Jim Rice	146
"Goose" Gossage	126
Andre Dawson	118
Bert Blyleven	120
Lee Smith	136
Jack Morris	122
Tommy John	111
Steve Garvey	130
Alan Trammell	118
Dave Parker	125
Don Mattingly	133
Dave Concepcion	106
Dale Murphy	115
Willie McGee	N/A

Rick Aguilera (89), Tim Belcher(20), Will Clark (83), Alex Fernandez (12), Gary Gaetti (51), Dwight Gooden (88), Ozzie Guillen (29), Juan Guzman (25), Orel Hershiser (90), Gregg Jefferies (19), Lance Johnson (30), Doug Jones (79), Roberto Kelly, Mickey Morandini, Hal Morris (23), Jaime Navarro (8), Luis Polonia, Mike Stanley, Walt Weiss (29), John Wetteland (93), Mark Whiten

So, according to James: Rice, Smith, Mattingly and Garvey are "locks".

Sutter has some "intangibles" as he essentially created the reliever position.

Ron Santo? 88

[AmishDude]

I don't believe what I just saw.

I don't believe what I just saw.

[AmishDude]

Gil Hodges? 83

[AmishDude]

Baines? 66

Sutton is in and got a 149 from James.

[general_re]

Sandberg was the best defensive and offensive player at his position during his career.

"At his position", and my point is that that's not really saying much. He was a lightweight, like most second basemen. Of all second basemen, he was better than most at the plate, but like I said elsewhere, that's never carried much weight with me. I see I've spit on an icon here, but IMO Sandberg was overrated. Sue me ;)