The 'Modern Era' Ballot: Who You Got?

[Mark70Z]

To me it was disturbing after Baines; haven’t followed much after. The only ones I like are the three Cuban players. Always thought they were at least borderline and I wouldn’t have any issue with any of them. The others were good, but fall short in my opinion.

[clydepepper]

Originally Posted by Mark70Z

To me it was disturbing after Baines; haven’t followed much after. The only ones I like are the three Cuban players. Always thought they were at least borderline and I wouldn’t have any issue with any of them. The others were good, but fall short in my opinion.

Mark- I'm so glad to read that someone else feels so strongly about Minoso, Tiant and Oliva.

This is a glaring omission!

I thought it was terrible that Minnie was not voted in while he was alive...just like Ron Santo.

There's still time for whoever votes to do the right thing for Luis and Pedro(Tony) - and I remain hopeful it will be done.


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[Tomi]

Vada Pinson is a player worth looking at. 18 year career and 2,757 career hits. Solid numbers but never hear his name even mentioned but Baines actually gets in.

[Mike D.]

One thing worth thinking about with Simmons that's different than Baines....where Baines election came out of nowhere, Simmons was only one vote shy last time he was voted on by the vets...and in a year where two other players (Trammell & Morris) were selected. That's a LOT of momentum, for what it's worth.

There weren't many other candidates for "best catcher not in the Hall of Fame"...some liked Munson, and his career trajectory might have gotten him there...tough to say...but Simmons did play 1,000 more games in parts of 10 more seasons.

When it comes to "borderline" guys....longevity matters.

[58pinson]

Originally Posted by Tomi

Vada Pinson is a player worth looking at. 18 year career and 2,757 career hits. Solid numbers but never hear his name even mentioned but Baines actually gets in.

From your words to the ears of the powers that be Tomi.

[Touch'EmAll]

A Hall of Famer should be easily recognizable as unquestionably the top 1 or 2 players at a particular position. Y'kinow - a guy that is an all-star most every year for quite a while. Someone who is at least to some minor degree in the discussion to garner regular MVP votes. Someone when you mention their name to a casual baseball fan would reply, "oh, yeah, that guy was really really good." Most importantly, I am looking at players that was actually Famous - its called the Hall of Fame, is it not. Famous for their ultra high talents on the ballfield. Sorry to be a buzz-kill to the "on the fence" guys, but they were exactly that...on the fence guys...not HOF'ers. A player could be genuinely famous for a limited time due to other factors, but none the less truly Famous. I realize some of you are more lenient, and thats ok. But for me I want Famous, someone who raises eyebrows like Wow ! Look at it this way, as a kid collecting cards way back, when I would get a star players card, I was one very happy camper (Seaver, Ryan, Reggie, Bench, Schmidt, Carew type guys). Did y'all WooHoo do the skip dance when you got a Lou Whitaker, Ted Simmons, Harold Baines, Louie Tiant, Tommy John type card?

[rats60]

Originally Posted by 100backstroke

A Hall of Famer should be easily recognizable as unquestionably the top 1 or 2 players at a particular position. Y'kinow - a guy that is an all-star most every year for quite a while. Someone who is at least to some minor degree in the discussion to garner regular MVP votes. Someone when you mention their name to a casual baseball fan would reply, "oh, yeah, that guy was really really good." Most importantly, I am looking at players that was actually Famous - its called the Hall of Fame, is it not. Famous for their ultra high talents on the ballfield. Sorry to be a buzz-kill to the "on the fence" guys, but they were exactly that...on the fence guys...not HOF'ers. A player could be genuinely famous for a limited time due to other factors, but none the less truly Famous. I realize some of you are more lenient, and thats ok. But for me I want Famous, someone who raises eyebrows like Wow ! Look at it this way, as a kid collecting cards way back, when I would get a star players card, I was one very happy camper (Seaver, Ryan, Reggie, Bench, Schmidt, Carew type guys). Did y'all WooHoo do the skip dance when you got a Lou Whitaker, Ted Simmons, Harold Baines, Louie Tiant, Tommy John type card?

Murphy, Mattingly, Munson, Parker and Garvey were all "star players cards" at their peak. They all won MVPs (Murphy 2). Parker 6 top 10 MVPs, Garvey 5, Mattingly and Murphy 4 consecutive top 10s, Munson 3.

[Touch'EmAll]

I will go back and look at stats, but yeah, if Mattingly, Munson, Parker & Garvey won MVP's and were consistent All-Stars, ok I could go for letting them in. How about Whitaker, Ted Simmons, Baines, Tiant & Tommy John - were they also MVP winners (or at least top 3) consistent All-Star for years?

[Bram99]

Originally Posted by 100backstroke

A Hall of Famer should be easily recognizable as unquestionably the top 1 or 2 players at a particular position. Y'kinow - a guy that is an all-star most every year for quite a while. Someone who is at least to some minor degree in the discussion to garner regular MVP votes. Someone when you mention their name to a casual baseball fan would reply, "oh, yeah, that guy was really really good." Most importantly, I am looking at players that was actually Famous. Look at it this way, as a kid collecting cards way back, when I would get a star players card, I was one very happy camper (Seaver, Ryan, Reggie, Bench, Schmidt, Carew type guys). Did y'all WooHoo do the skip dance when you got a Lou Whitaker, Ted Simmons, Harold Baines, Louie Tiant, Tommy John type card?

Not sure I agree with the “famous” test or guys like Valenzuela and Gooden and Marge Schott get in (yes i said guys).

That said, I collected cards as a kid during the time Simmons was in his prime. I would buy a box of cards and sort out the stars who I thought would be HOF candidates for keeping separate and putting into sheets/binders. Sometimes I was wrong about a guy and ended up with a lot of guys who ended up with just pretty good careers like Murphy and Garvey. But never did I sort out and set aside a Ted Simmons card, for what that’s worth. In his day he wasn’t regarded in that conversation.

I wasn’t a kid when Allie Reynolds played and I know the WAR isn’t there but he should be in.

[Touch'EmAll]

If you read my post, a HOF'er is a combination of factors, yes, famous being one of several, not only criteria.