Lee Smith & Harold Baines??

[Orioles1954]

I hate the negativity toward these players I've been seeing. It's not like they asked to be elected. Now everyone is crapping on them...

[mantlefan]

I hear that Tito Fuentes is waiting by his phone....

[Shoeless Moe]

I think its time to start hoarding John Franco cards.

[Marchillo]

Originally Posted by Orioles1954

I hate the negativity toward these players I've been seeing. It's not like they asked to be elected. Now everyone is crapping on them...

Lots of these guys (I’m sure Baines is one) politic to be hall of famers. I personally don’t think these two are hall worthy but I get your point on crapping all over them. You have to be good enough to be considered and they both were. But I think it gets dicey when your former manager is on the committee and I’m sure friends etc.

Didn’t Rick Ferrell get in because someone asked people to vote for him so he wouldn’t get shut out and be embarrassed by getting no votes? That’s not how the hall of fame should work.

I collect hof signed baseballs (I grabbed these two last night lol) and all of their Topps Base Cards. Looks like I have some searching todo for some 80’s-90’s Baines/Smith cards!

[ejharrington]

Jack Morris, Harold Baines, Lee Smith, and Trevor Hoffman are in.

That means that Keith Hernandez, Curt Schilling, and Rusty Staub, three of my all-time favorites, need to be in.

[Orioles1954]

Originally Posted by Marchillo

Lots of these guys (I’m sure Baines is one) politic to be hall of famers. I personally don’t think these two are hall worthy but I get your point on crapping all over them. You have to be good enough to be considered and they both were. But I think it gets dicey when your former manager is on the committee and I’m sure friends etc.

Didn’t Rick Ferrell get in because someone asked people to vote for him so he wouldn’t get shut out and be embarrassed by getting no votes? That’s not how the hall of fame should work.

I collect hof signed baseballs (I grabbed these two last night lol) and all of their Topps Base Cards. Looks like I have some searching todo for some 80’s-90’s Baines/Smith cards!

Reports are that Baines was "surprised" he got elected. I don't view him as a Hall of Famer but he didn't campaign (like Gossage and Santo) and certainly didn't want this negative attention. From all reports, Baines is a quiet and good man. I think he was an outstanding ballplayer, just not Hall of Fame worthy.

[sgbernard]

I'm surprised Jerry Reinsdorf didn't vote himself in.

[packs]

I can't believe we live in a world where Harold Baines and Lee Smith can get into the HOF but Gil Hodges and Mike Mussina can't.

[sycks22]

At least we don't have to question if Baines was a juicer. Similar to Lance Johnson the bat swung him.

[drcy]

My 2 cents-- or perhaps it worth 1-1/2 cents-- is, yes, Baines is not deserving, but Smith is a fair choice. Smith was the all time saves leader at one point, and was acknowledged during his playing days as one of the best relievers. His election certainly doesn't offend my senses.

I agree the HOF should be more exclusive. Perhaps not as exclusive as some would want, but more exclusive than it is. Wouldn't offend me if they retroactively took the rake and removed some outliers-- though I assume that would never happen.

The funny thing is the Pro Football HOF is much more exclusive. There are regular complaints that deserving and candidates are shut out by the numbers game. The people who do get selected each year are almost the genuine cream of the crop.

[Fred]

Originally Posted by Marchillo

Lots of these guys (I’m sure Baines is one) politic to be hall of famers. I personally don’t think these two are hall worthy but I get your point on crapping all over them. You have to be good enough to be considered and they both were. But I think it gets dicey when your former manager is on the committee and I’m sure friends etc.

Didn’t Rick Ferrell get in because someone asked people to vote for him so he wouldn’t get shut out and be embarrassed by getting no votes? That’s not how the hall of fame should work.

I collect hof signed baseballs (I grabbed these two last night lol) and all of their Topps Base Cards. Looks like I have some searching todo for some 80’s-90’s Baines/Smith cards!

I hope they have JSA certs with the signatures...

[brianp-beme]

In Harold Baines's case I believe the Hall of Fame was looking to concoct a rhyming trio of DH Harold Baines batting for pitcher Jesse Haines, with pinch runner Tim Raines ready on the bench.

Brian

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by brianp-beme

In Harold Baines's case I believe the Hall of Fame was looking to concoct a rhyming trio of DH Harold Baines batting for pitcher Jesse Haines, with pinch runner Tim Raines ready on the bench.

Brian

Rex Harrison would like that.
Raines runs for Baines whenever we start Haines.

[brianp-beme]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Rex Harrison would like that.
Raines runs for Baines whenever we start Haines.

Nice...that's music to the ears, my fair lady.

Brian (lady does not refer to Peter)

[jchcollins]

Originally Posted by Orioles1954

I hate the negativity toward these players I've been seeing. It's not like they asked to be elected. Now everyone is crapping on them...

Amen. Very good point.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[darwinbulldog]

Seems like everybody who really deserves it gets in eventually. (By my reckoning, the 7 best players not yet in the Hall of Fame have all played in the current century.) In order for that to be true the system has to be loose enough that some questionable choices slide in too. I wouldn't have voted for Baines or Smith, but I understand why the people who are allowed to vote don't include me.

[clydepepper]

The following article helps put this into focus:


http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/2...ines-lee-smith

[MCyganik]

While I definitely question Baines being in the HOF, there have been some good points to attempt to justify his inclusion including underrepresentation of his era and his longevity stats.

It is sad that some other great guys (Allen, Minoso, Hodges etc) are still shut out but I do enjoy the fringe guys getting in. It shows that the HOF is imperfect and human and always will be. Anyone who dumps on Baines right now and calls his selection the reason the HOF is "watered down" but goes out and spends $$$ on cards/autos of guys like Marquard, Bresnahan, Jennings, Maranville, Kelly, Traynor, Schalk, Ferrell, Hafey, Haines, Combs, Bottomley, Lindstrom, Travis Jackson et al because they are "vintage Hall Of Famers" needs a comparative history lesson of how the HOF isn't some sacred place reserved for the upper echelon of players.

Congrats to Harold and Lee!