Lee Smith & Harold Baines??

[kailes2872]

I also never enjoy the bashing of players who make it or are up for election, but that's always how it goes. I'd rather have more guys get in so we can keep celebrating the history of the game, different players and different eras and so forth. Celebrate, not denigrate.

I hear you and I felt bad after the opening post - especially when Glyn voiced his irritation. My first thought when I heard it was “wasn’t he traded for Steve Kemp?” And then I remembered it was Chet Lemon. I don’t begrudge him and his appearance and autograph fees probably just tripled. I just think about when I started collecting/watching around 78-79 and I think about 78-84 and the cards with the all-star logo - Dave Parker, Steve Garvey, Jim Rice Fred Lynn, etc - I never put Harold in their class and except for Rice after a long wait, those guys can’t get in. So that is my point of reference- right or wrong. But I mean no disrespect

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by kailes2872

I hear you and I felt bad after the opening post - especially when Glyn voiced his irritation. My first thought when I heard it was “wasn’t he traded for Steve Kemp?” And then I remembered it was Chet Lemon. I don’t begrudge him and his appearance and autograph fees probably just tripled. I just think about when I started collecting/watching around 78-79 and I think about 78-84 and the cards with the all-star logo - Dave Parker, Steve Garvey, Jim Rice Fred Lynn, etc - I never put Harold in their class and except for Rice after a long wait, those guys can’t get in. So that is my point of reference- right or wrong. But I mean no disrespect

Yeah I don't think anybody is denying that these two men were excellent baseball players or taking anything away from them personally. But it's fair comment to say one doesn't think they belong in the Hall, or compare unfavorably to others not in the Hall, etc.