New HOF Veterans Committee Voting Procedures
 

Maybe this has already been discussed, but I haven't seen it posted. The HOF announced new rules for its Veterans Committee. The headline for our group is that the committee will meet only once every 10 years to vote on pre-1950 players.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/191243...ans-committee/

I think it makes sense actually, the farther back you go, the less likely there are to be forgotten players who haven't had their fair shake. No need to have a pre war committee meeting every year.


IMO, the HOF could solve the ENTIRE issue if they would switch from a "vote for ten" to a strict "yes/no" on every player on the ballot. If a player gets 75% yes, he gets in. None of this holding a vote stuff, and none of this "gotta save a vote from a superstar so i can try and keep XYZ on the ballot for next year."

not to mention it would help clear any potential logjams in the future. so what if one year 11 guys get inducted?

I had already opened a watercooler thread on this subject.

Of course, everything with these new procedures hinges upon who actually serves on the various committees, but the invention of a "Today's Game Committee" seems to be the Hall setting up a way to get PED users inducted if/when they feel that that would be in the museum's best interests.

I bet a lot of sportswriters are pissed about that particular committee.

you know, I bet most aren't. This gives them an easy out. The better players who have the shroud of PED's around their careers get in, the writers who were opposed can say "hey, it was out of our hands" so everybody wins.

That's a good point. My first image was of a grizzled old-schooler shouting "Who in the blue hell are they to say our yearly votes aren't good enough!" into his typewriter. Your reaction is just as (if not more) likely.

EDIT to add: The more I think about it, I have to agree with you bravos. Guys who get in via "Today's Game Committee" can be inducted but carry a sort of asterisk, something that might please everyone (well, maybe not please, but pacify at least).

I think that , in a way, this is EXACTLY the HOF's plan. Bonds, Clemens,..etc get in, but because it's via their "committee" mentally many people will give them the *. The voters are absolved of responsibility, everyone wins.

Interestingly, the BBWWA has thinned the herd of many of the old retired writers and people who have moved on from sports writing as they caught a lot of flack for having tons of voters with no recent baseball coverage experience.