HOF ballot is out

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Posted By: jay berhens 

The new HOF ballot was relleased today. Who would you vote for?

The complete ballot (x-first time eligible): Bert Blyleven, x-Brett Butler, Gary Carter, x-Vince Coleman, Dave Concepcion, x-Darren Daulton, x-Mark Davis, Andre Dawson, x-Sid Fernandez, Steve Garvey, Rich Gossage, Keith Hernandez, x-Rick Honeycutt, x-Danny Jackson, Tommy John, Jim Kaat, x-Darryl Kile, Don Mattingly, Jack Morris, Dale Murphy, x-Eddie Murray, Dave Parker, x-Tony Pena, Jim Rice, x-Ryne Sandberg, x-Lee Smith, Bruce Sutter, x-Danny Tartabull, x-Mickey Tettleton, Alan Trammell, x-Fernando Valenzuela, x-Mitch Williams, x-Todd Worrell.

Mine would go to:
Blyleven, outstanding pitcher on some really bad teams in hitter friendly parks.
Carter, best catcher of the 80s
Morris, best pitcher of the 80s
Murray, best switch hitter since Mantle
Rice, in his prime no one wanted to face him
Sandberg, best 2B since Morgan
Lee Smith, career leader in saves. Watching all these young guys burn out early makes his record more impressive each year.
Sutter, with Quizenberry one of the first dominant closers in the game.
Trammell, part of possibly the greatest double play combo in history, and he could hit too.

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Posted By: Brian H

I realize that the HOF isn't just for the Mantles, Mathewsons and Mayses. Much lesser players are already in (and their names don't even begin with "M") so the bar -- where the middle HOFers are at -- is set much lower.
Personally I think the 1st timers I would pick (at least in their first try) are simply Murray and Sandberg. Lee Smith probably should get in eventually, but I think the Save is difficult statistic and I'm not sure he was ever nearly as dominant as Gossage, Sutter, Quisenberrry or Mariano Rivera.

As for the hold-overs I like:

Gary Carter -- as good as or better than most of the Catchers in the Hall of Fame (he's overdue).

Andre Dawson -- For serveral years he was as complete a ball player as anyone in either league (5 tools etc.)
Within the context of his times his hitting numbers are much better than they look in the age of Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds.

Kaat -- more gold gloves than anyone and a good record given who he pitched for.

Blyleven -- Similar to Kaat couldn't field as well but had a monster curve ball. Really I think both these guys are like 300 game winner Don Sutton on bad teams.

Trammell -- Possibly the premier Shortstop of his time.

Sutter and Gossage (see above) -- both were truly dominant and unhittable for several years even if they weren't used simply to rack up saves like current closers are. (By the way Quisennberry ought to be in too and he's not on the darn ballot??)

Dale Murphy -- I'm iffy on him but he did win 2 MVPs for the Braves before they took over the National League East (or whatever its called now). I have the same feelings about perenial All-Star Steve Garvey -- who has gone from overrated to forgotten. He may not have been as good as we were told in the 80's but he's wasn't as bad as we were told in the 90's either.

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Posted By: jay behrens

but I am sure Lee is flattered since he wishes he had half the brain, brawn and looks that I have

I really, really hate people that think being voted in the first time they are on the ballot is some sort of honor. You are either deservig of of being voted in or you aren't. The whole process is screwy. They should be voted on once and that's it. You don't get voted in your first time on the ballot, too bad.

Dawson I am torn on. He is certainly a boarderline candidate and was one of the best all around players before his knees crumbled.

Murphy was overrated during his playing day and should not have won the 1982 MVP. Al Oliver should have.

Katt is one of my favorites, but without that magical 300 wins it will be almost impossible for him to get in even though he was just as good or better than Sutton and Neikro.

Quiz was on the ballot a few years ago but did not get the minimum 5% of the vote needed to remain on the ballot.

Jay

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Posted By: Kevin Cummings

I think his overall statistics make him the clear #1 choice. Anyone in the Albert "Joey" Belle camp would have to agree that the statistics mean more than personality. Hell, if personality mattered, Ty Cobb might not be in.

After that I think it's a packed field. As for the pitchers, I'm a Kaat fan, but I think the fact that he doesn't have 300 wins will keep him out and I think Blyleven's overall stats are better anyway. For field players I'm a Trammel fan, but like Carter's and Sandberg's chances better. I don't like Rice or Dawson to make it; I think Dave Parker was better than both of them.

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Posted By: runscott

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Posted By: Julie Vognar

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Posted By: Jay Miller

Murray is a lock---500 homers/3000 hits. I don't think any of the others are HOF players.

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Posted By: Bob

I'm as big a Twins fans as there is and I would love to give it to Jim "Kitty" Kaat and Bert "Be Home By Eleven" Blyleven as well as "Black Jack" Morris, but I can't. If Tony O. can't get in, these 3 don't serve it either.
On all the names listed on the ballot, I vote none of the above. Good players, not great...If I HAD to give it to a single player, it would be Gary Carter, probably the most underrated of all catchers during his time.

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Posted By: Brian Weisner

My vote goes to Eddie eat drink and be Murray.

504 Homeruns
3255 Hits
1917 RBI
3 GOLD GLOVES

later brian

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Posted By: Albie O'Hanian

This year is a good year for somebody to slip into the Hall. There is really only one slam dunk candidate (Murray). Given that most people eligible to vote usually vote for two candidates, I would vote for:
Murray and Carter.
I do believe that a few players from this list (Dawson, Rice, Sandberg) will get in eventually but it will take time.

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Posted By: petecld

The only names I see who deserve to be in the HoF are Murray and Sandberg.

Rice, Carter and Dawson are borderline.

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Posted By: runscott

Sandberg and Murray WILL go in this year. Others may or may not. You guys have seen the voting patterns over the years - why wouldn't Sandberg go in on the first ballot?