Posted By:
Jeff ObermeyerIMO there are already way too many players in the HOF, and adding more "borderline" players does nothing but dilute it even more.
If it's going to be a true Hall of Fame, it should include the greatest players, not guys that were really, really good, or that set some kind of single season record.
Bill James hit the nail on the head on this issue - every time you enshrine someone who is comparable to other HOFers, just not quite as good, you open the door to the next level down of players. It's the old argument, "Well if Player A is in the HOF, than Player B surely should because he was a better/as good pitcher/hitter/fielder, etc."
I don't want to argue the merits of Reulbach here, but lets consider one fact. Reulbach's major league career ended in 1917... and in all that time the sportswriters and later the Veterans Committee (yes, I know the VC is a farce...) never felt he was good enough. He certainly hasn't gotten any better lately... so why elect him now? As for Creighton, I know he was probably the games first star player... but he only played 4 years before he died at the age of 21!
I know that they could never do it, but I wouldn't mind seeing them cut the number of guys in the Hall by about 40-50%. It's starting to look like the Hockey Hall of Fame, where everybody and their brother is enshrined.
Jeff