The Ballot

[familytoad]

I know that many of us are HOF collectors, and since no pre-ww1 or even ww2 players are likely to be enshrined, how about comments on this list published today on ESPN? There are some pretty good players there, and then of course, the PED gang.
What do you think?

The complete ballot:
Roberto Alomar -good chance in 2011
Carlos Baerga
Jeff Bagwell -very good chance by 2012
Harold Baines
Bert Blyleven -good chance in 2011
Bret Boone
Kevin Brown
John Franco
Juan Gonzalez
Marquis Grissom
Lenny Harris
Bobby Higginson
Charles Johnson
Barry Larkin -eventually
Al Leiter
Edgar Martinez -eventually
Tino Martinez
Don Mattingly
Fred McGriff
Mark McGwire
Raul Mondesi
Jack Morris -eventually
Dale Murphy - no love
John Olerud -stud hitter, short of HOF consideration
Rafael Palmeiro
Dave Parker
Tim Raines -great player, not dominate?
Kirk Rueter
Benito Santiago
Lee Smith - no love
B.J. Surhoff
Alan Trammell -no love
Larry Walker- what a player when healthy!

[HRBAKER]

Roberto Alomar -good chance in 2011, agreed
Carlos Baerga - never
Jeff Bagwell -very good chance by 2012, don't see this one
Harold Baines - never
Bert Blyleven -good chance in 2011, hopefully
Bret Boone - no
Kevin Brown - never
John Franco - no
Juan Gonzalez - no
Marquis Grissom - no
Lenny Harris - who, sorry Lenny HOF is not for pinch hitters
Bobby Higginson -
Charles Johnson -
Barry Larkin -eventually, agree
Al Leiter - no
Edgar Martinez -eventually
Tino Martinez - no
Don Mattingly - no
Fred McGriff - eventually, looking better in light of the times he played in
Mark McGwire -
Raul Mondesi - no
Jack Morris -eventually,
Dale Murphy - no love, very good player, won't get in
John Olerud -stud hitter, short of HOF consideration, no
Rafael Palmeiro - no
Dave Parker - no
Tim Raines -great player, not dominate?
Kirk Rueter -
Benito Santiago - no
Lee Smith - no love,
B.J. Surhoff - no
Alan Trammell -no love, Murphy-like @ SS
Larry Walker- what a player when healthy! - no

[vintagecpa]

The HOF is getting watered down if more than a handful get in from that list. If I could only vote for one, it would be Jack Morris. Others might have had better stats, but he was a fierce pitcher in big games.

[packs]

I'm very interested to see how Larry Walker and Fred McGriff do. I think both are HOFers but not first ballot. I'd like to see Edgar and Roberto get voted in this year.

[bcbgcbrcb]

#1 Robby Alomar

[Robextend]

Alomar and Blyleven will hopefully get in.

Walker was a great player when he was healthy, but don't think he will ever get in.

[FrankWakefield]

Only Mr. Blyleven should get it.


Dale Murphy was a gentleman and an excellent ballplayer. I'd be ok with him getting in. Maybe McGwire gets in after 30 years have gone by, and there's been atonement. But the rest of these guys shouldn't get in. If they do, then the HOF should go back and add about three hundred other, similarly skilled players. And the Hall gets diluted down to just good ballplayers. The Hall should be for the brightest stars of the firmament, not just any old star.

That's not what will happen, though. Emotion and short-sightedness will get half a dozen of these guys in, and the overall quality of the Hall will diminish.

[Peter_Spaeth]

If Blyleven was not good enough for the last zillion years he has been eligible, why is he good enough now? To me, if someone can't make it on his first three tries, that tells you all you need to know about his HOF worthiness. I hate the Jim Rice-Andre Dawson after a zillion years now you are worthy picks.

Alomar is the only one on that list I see as worthy. McGwire but for the PED thing.

[FrankWakefield]

Peter, I'm ok with Blyleven staying out. I think he should have gotten in a few years ago if he was ever going to get in. It would suit me fine if they don't elect anyone. If any on that list get in, then I think Blyleven should be among them, he's the most worthy.

Don't you reckon there's tacit pressure from somewhere that says someone needs to be going in, that there needs to be an induction ceremony for someone. I think that's faulty logic, but I can see how it behooves Cooperstown to have a ceremony.

When was the last time that no one was inducted during an entire calendar year??

[chris]

I set up at the Cincinnati show last weekend, Rollie Fingers was signing all weekend and I got to talk with him for awhile. I asked him who he thought should be in the hall, and who he thought had the best chance to get into the hall this year. He said Blyleven should be in the Hall but that Lee Smith was most likely this year. Its always neat getting to hear what other HOF pitchers have to say.

Chris

[bbcard1]

I think you have to deal with the HOF as what it is, not what it should be. My votes would be as follows...truth be told, there are probably a couple of Raul Mondesis already in the hall. I have no problem one way or the other with the * guys for obvious reason. ( am using a scale of 1 - 5...1 is should be in but borderline, 5 is clear in comparison to those already enshrined, though this is in no way to say that the 5s are among the alltime greats.

Roberto Alomar - 4
Jeff Bagwell -5
Harold Baines -2
Bert Blyleven - 5
Juan Gonzalez -2
Barry Larkin -3
Don Mattingly -3
Fred McGriff -2
Mark McGwire*
Jack Morris -2
Dale Murphy - 3
Rafael Palmeiro *
Dave Parker - 2
Tim Raines -4
Lee Smith - 4 (his name is too plain and that will hurt him...it's not as memorable as "Goose" or "Eck")
Alan Trammell -3
Larry Walker- 3

This is the "feel" test without any real research