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2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

Valadius
Jan 12 2012 12:06 PM

Well, the moment's arrived - the beginning of the discussion of the clusterfuck that is the 2013 (and subsequent) Hall of Fame ballot(s).

For 2013, the ballot will include:

Jeff Bagwell
Craig Biggio
Barry Bonds
Roger Clemens
Steve Finley
Julio Franco
Shawn Green
Roberto Hernandez
Kenny Lofton
Edgar Martinez
Don Mattingly
Fred McGriff
Mark McGwire
Jose Mesa
Jack Morris
Dale Murphy
Rafael Palmeiro
Mike Piazza
Tim Raines
Curt Schilling
Lee Smith
Sammy Sosa
Alan Trammell
Larry Walker
David Wells
Bernie Williams

See the problem here? The ballot is loaded, and likely to produce a result similar to Lou Whitaker falling off the ballot in his first attempt.

My ballot next year would be:

Bagwell
Biggio
Bonds
Clemens
Martinez
Piazza
Raines
Schilling
Trammell
Walker

But I also believe there are four or five other names on the ballot that deserve induction - McGwire, Morris, Palmeiro, Sosa, maybe McGriff. With far too many voters limiting themselves in their choices, some eminently deserving names are going to fall off the ballot entirely.

2014 and 2015 will bring a glut of all-time pitchers.

2014:

Tom Glavine
Jeff Kent
Greg Maddux
Mike Mussina
Frank Thomas

2015:

Carlos Delgado
Randy Johnson
Pedro Martinez
Gary Sheffield
John Smoltz

Look, unless the voters get over the aversion to large Hall classes, we're going to see a bunch of players get screwed.

Vic Sage
Jan 12 2012 12:34 PM
Re: 2012 Hall of Fame Ballot (Actual, As It Were)

[u:yx2pvcf9]My ballot:[/u:yx2pvcf9]
Bagwell
Biggio
Raines
Piazza
E.Martinez
Trammell

[u:yx2pvcf9]Predictions:[/u:yx2pvcf9]
HOFers - Craig Biggio, Tim Raines

[u:yx2pvcf9]why these guys will fall short:[/u:yx2pvcf9]
Edgar Martinez - a DH
Larry Walker - played in pre-humidor Colorado
Jeff Bagwell, Mike Piazza - totally unsubstantiated PEDs suspicions
Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro, Sammy Sosa - substantiated PED usage

[u:yx2pvcf9]these guys are (rightly or wrongly) viewed as borderline:[/u:yx2pvcf9]
Alan Trammell
Jack Morris
Lee Smith
Fred McGriff
Curt Schilling
Dale Murphy

[u:yx2pvcf9]Bye-bye:[/u:yx2pvcf9]
Steve Finley
Julio Franco
Shawn Green
Roberto Hernandez
Kenny Lofton
Don Mattingly
Jose Mesa
David Wells
Bernie Williams

metirish
Jan 12 2012 12:39 PM
Re: 2012 Hall of Fame Ballot (Actual, As It Were)

the talk about Piazza was quite fervent on MLB Network the other night , some expert claiming he'd only get 50% of the vote but would get in eventually, obscene. A lot of these same eegits used to refer to him as the " best hitting catcher ever" in his prime.

Edgy MD
Jan 12 2012 12:43 PM
Re: 2012 Hall of Fame Ballot (Actual, As It Were)

Hard to turn my back on Schilling. His wins cold be higher, but he pitched for a lot of crappy-hitting Phillies teams. (Pitched for some good-hitting D'Backs teams and great-hitting Sox teams, too, of course.)

Vic Sage
Jan 12 2012 01:03 PM
Re: 2012 Hall of Fame Ballot (Actual, As It Were)

and he's got the legend of the bloody sock going for him. He's a "winnner", you know. But i still think he's a borderline candidate.

Edgy MD
Jan 12 2012 01:11 PM
Re: 2012 Hall of Fame Ballot (Actual, As It Were)

Yeah, I'm not so interested in his categorization as a borderline candidate, but that you place him on the dark side of the border.

I neutralized his stats and his W-L stats didn't really change, taking him from 216-146, .597, 3.46 to 212-139 .604, 3.30.

Make of the bloody sock what you will, but the statistical representation of that hosiery is an 11-2 record and a 2.23 ERA in the post-season.

Ceetar
Jan 12 2012 01:16 PM
Re: 2012 Hall of Fame Ballot (Actual, As It Were)

Edgy DC wrote:
Yeah, I'm not so interested in his categorization as a borderline candidate, but that you place him on the dark side of the border.

I neutralized his stats and his W-L stats didn't really change, taking him from 216-146, .597, 3.46 to 212-139 .604, 3.30.

Make of the bloody sock what you will, but the statistical representation of that hosiery is an 11-2 record and a 2.23 ERA in the post-season.


I think Schilling could be one of the ones they string along for 10 years while inducting all those other guys. I expect angry rants from Schilling as it happens not helping.

Edgy MD
Jan 12 2012 01:24 PM
Re: 2012 Hall of Fame Ballot (Actual, As It Were)

Jack Morris: 7-4, 3.80 in 13 post-season starts.
Curt Schilling: 11-2, 2.23 in 19 p0st-season starts.

Obviously, if you neutralized for era, that ERA difference might be even more striking.

Frayed Knot
Jan 12 2012 01:38 PM
Re: 2012 Hall of Fame Ballot (Actual, As It Were)

My problem with Schilling is that, in between his 5 or 6 truly great years, were an awful lot of seasons that were injury-tainted, or where he was merely so-so and at times not even that good. I wouldn't vote for him but I know that his "big moment" style career is going to appeal to a lot of voters.

I'd start with both Biggio, Bagwell -- I don't think either will get in this year (although both do eventually) but if it does happen it'll be a nice day for Houston even as the year itself is going to suck and then end up with them being kicked out of the National League. Their season might peak in June/July with the #1 pick in the draft and the HoF ceremonies.
- and then my yearly call for Raines -- he got closer this year although Morris (who I wouldn't put in) was closer still and probably gets in first
- and Piazza -- no [u:34s8oj4r]REAL[/u:34s8oj4r] reason why he shouldn't other than unfounded suspicions and stupid 'no 1st year' mottos.
- and probably Trammel -- which doesn't seem to have a prayer of happening

As far as the 'Known' steroid crowd (Bonds, Clemens, Sosa, McGwire, Palmiero): I'm not saying never, but at least not now. Someday maybe we'll sort this stuff out but for now you're gonna have to live with it.

Valadius
Jan 12 2012 02:15 PM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

What always gets me about Schilling are his completely insane K/BB numbers. He posts the all-time best career mark of 4.38 K/BB among pitchers with more than 10 seasons, with Pedro Martinez right behind him at 4.15.

In looking that stat up, I also found that Bret Saberhagen's 1994 Mets season ranks as the greatest of all time in this statistic, at a remarkable 11 K's per BB.

Ashie62
Jan 12 2012 04:19 PM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

I dont understand the Piazza/PED connection. I didn't even see any rumors in print.

Gwreck
Jan 12 2012 06:11 PM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

Check out the similarities between Schilling and Bob Gibson.

John Cougar Lunchbucket
Jan 12 2012 06:28 PM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

Murray Chass frets a bit about his bacne.

I have next to no doubt that Piazza, like many of his peers, was as juicy as they came but that's how they played the game then.

Edgy MD
Jan 12 2012 07:48 PM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

The case against Piazza:

[list][*]He had bacne.[/*:m]
[*]He played in an era where large numbers of his superstar peers turned out to be juicing.[/*:m]
[*]"He was an unathletic guy drafted in a round so low it doesn't exist anymore, as a favor to a family friend, but became the best hitter at his position ever.[/*:m]
[*]He supposedly fessed up to at least one reporter off the record, as per Pearlman.[/*:m]
[*]Reggie Jefferson, who I believer never played with or against Piazza, said, "He's a guy who did it, and everybody knows it,"[/*:m][/list:u]
As Lionel Hutz might say, "I have rumors and hearsay... and those are... types of evidence!"

Nonetheless, folks are entitled to their suspicions. The thing is, if all these writers did their job.

Look, I'll help. Here's a list of 460 players Mike Piazza played with. Eighty are still active. Three are in the Hall of Fame.

Kurt Abbott
Jon Adkins
Benny Agbayani
Manny Alexander
Antonio Alfonseca
Edgardo Alfonzo
Jermaine Allensworth
Edwin Almonte
Roberto Alomar
Dave Anderson
Marlon Anderson
Jason Anderson
Eric Anthony
Kevin Appier
Billy Ashley
Pedro Astacio
Manny Aybar
Mike Bacsik
Carlos Baerga
James Baldwin
Willie Banks
Josh Bard
Josh Barfield
Brian Barnes
Manuel Barrios
Daric Barton
Rich Becker
Derek Bell
Jay Bell
Heath Bell
Mark Bellhorn
Carlos Beltran
Rigo Beltran
Adrian Beltre
Armando Benitez
Gary Bennett
Kris Benson
Todd Benzinger
Dave Berg
Willie Blair
Henry Blanco
Joe Blanton
Jerry Blevins
Mike Blowers
Geoff Blum
Hiram Bocachica
Brian Bohanon
Bobby Bonilla
Josh Booty
Mike Bordick
Ricky Bottalico
Rafael Bournigal
Rob Bowen
Dallas Braden
Milton Bradley
Darren Bragg
Russell Branyan
Craig Brazell
Dewon Brazelton
Doug Brocail
Jerry Brooks
Jim Brower
Andrew Brown
Dee Brown
Will Brunson
Jim Bruske
Brian Buchanan
Travis Buck
Jeromy Burnitz
Mike Busch
Brett Butler
Miguel Cairo
Kiko Calero
Mike Cameron
Eric Cammack
John Candelaria
Tom Candiotti
John Cangelosi
Santiago Casilla
Scott Cassidy
Vinny Castilla
Luis Castillo
Alberto Castillo
Juan Castro
Ramon Castro
Roger Cedeno
Jaime Cerda
Eric Chavez
Bruce Chen
McKay Christensen
Brady Clark
Tony Clark
Dave Clark
Brad Clontz
David Cone
Dennis Cook
Alex Cora
Mark Corey
Craig Counsell
Tim Crews
Tripp Cromer
Bobby Crosby
John Cummings
Chad Curtis
Jack Cust
Omar Daal
Jeff D'Amico
Kal Daniels
Vic Darensbourg
Brian Daubach
Jeff DaVanon
Eric Davis
Kane Davis
Mike DeJean
Wilson Delgado
Ryan Dempster
Joe Depastino
Delino DeShields
John DeSilva
Mike Devereaux
Victor Diaz
Mike Difelice
Lenny DiNardo
Octavio Dotel
Darren Dreifort
Justin Duchscherer
Jeff Duncan
Shawon Dunston
Todd Dunwoody
Brian Edmondson
Joey Eischen
Jim Eisenreich
Mark Ellis
Alan Embree
Scott Erickson
Alex Escobar
Shawn Estes
Jorge Fabregas
Pedro Feliciano
Ron Flores
Cliff Floyd
Joe Fontenot
Chad Fonville
Bartolome Fortunato
Matt Franco
John Franco
J.J. Furmaniak
Greg Gagne
Daniel Garcia
Karim Garcia
Chad Gaudin
Shawn Gilbert
Brian Giles
Bernard Gilkey
Matt Ginter
Tom Glavine
Mike Glavine
Adrian Gonzalez
Dicky Gonzalez
Gabe Gonzalez
Alex Gonzalez
Raul Gonzalez
Tom Goodwin
Rick Gorecki
Jim Gott
Danny Graves
Khalil Greene
Jeremy Griffiths
Kip Gross
Kevin Gross
Mark Grudzielanek
Wilton Guerrero
Mark Guthrie
Ricky Gutierrez
Chris Gwynn
Chip Hale
Darren Hall
Shane Halter
Darryl Hamilton
Chris Hammond
Mike Hampton
Tim Hamulack
Todd Haney
Jack Hannahan
Greg Hansell
Dave Hansen
Rich Harden
Dan Haren
Mike Harkey
Lenny Harris
Aaron Heilman
Rickey Henderson
Oscar Henriquez
Clay Hensley
Felix Heredia
Roberto Hernandez
Carlos Hernandez
Anderson Hernandez
Livan Hernandez
Orel Hershiser
Richard Hidalgo
Joe Hietpas
Brett Hinchliffe
Chan Ho
Trevor Hoffman
Todd Hollandsworth
Damon Hollins
Thomas Howard
Jay Howell
Trent Hubbard
John Hudek
Todd Hundley
Butch Huskey
Garey Ingram
Kazuhisa Ishii
Jason Isringhausen
Ryan Jackson
Mike Jacobs
Stan Javier
Dan Johnson
Mark Johnson
Ben Johnson
Charles Johnson
Bobby Jones
Bobby Jones
Mike Judd
Eric Karros
Roberto Kelly
Jason Kendall
Joe Kennedy
Jeff Keppinger
Bobby Kielty
Mike Kinkade
Wayne Kirby
Ryan Klesko
Randy Knorr
Jon Knott
Shane Komine
Satoru Komiyama
Paul Konerko
Dae-Sung Koo
Mark Kotsay
Jeff Kubenka
David Lamb
Ryan Langerhans
Frank Lankford
Andy Larkin
Matt Lawton
Derrek Lee
Al Leiter
Justin Leone
Colby Lewis
Darren Lewis
Scott Linebrink
Nelson Liriano
Mark Little
Graeme Lloyd
Paul Lo
Esteban Loaiza
Terrence Long
Braden Looper
Luis Lopez
Eric Ludwick
Ruddy Lugo
Matt Luke
Pat Mahomes
Sean Maloney
Jim Mann
Matt Mantei
Josias Manzanillo
Oreste Marrero
Jay Marshall
Tom Martin
Ramon Martinez
Pedro Martinez
Kazuo Matsui
Gary Matthews
Mike Matthews
Paul McAnulty
Roger McDowell
Chuck McElroy
Joe McEwing
Ryan McGuire
Greg McMichael
Brian McRae
Brian Meadows
Rafael Medina
Adam Melhuse
Kevin Melillo
Cla Meredith
Mike Metcalfe
Dan Meyer
Jason Middlebrook
Doug Mientkiewicz
Kevin Millar
Ralph Milliard
Doug Mirabelli
Dave Mlicki
Raul Mondesi
Melvin Mora
Orber Moreno
Noe Munoz
Donnie Murphy
Rob Murphy
Dan Murray
Eddie Murray
Rod Nichols
C.J. Nitkowski
Otis Nixon
Hideo Nomo
Jon Nunnally
Jose Offerman
Kirt Ojala
Bob Ojeda
John Olerud
Rey Ordonez
Kevin Orie
Antonio Osuna
Al Osuna
Juan Padilla
Donn Pall
Craig Paquette
Rick Parker
Jose Parra
Jay Payton
Jake Peavy
Angel Pena
Timo Perez
Carlos Perez
Jason Phillips
Tony Phillips
Jay Powell
Todd Pratt
Tom Prince
Bill Pulsipher
Danny Putnam
Eddie Pye
Scott Radinsky
Erasmo Ramirez
Gary Rath
Prentice Redman
Mike Redmond
Steve Reed
Jody Reed
Rick Reed
Desi Relaford
Edgar Renteria
Dennys Reyes
Jose Reyes
Armando Reynoso
Jerrod Riggan
Adam Riggs
Royce Ring
Jason Roach
Grant Roberts
Dave Roberts
Connor Robertson
Rich Rodriguez
Henry Rodriguez
Felix Rodriguez
Kenny Rogers
Mel Rojas
Brian Rose
John Roskos
Glendon Rusch
Juan Samuel
Rey Sanchez
Jesus Sanchez
Jose Santiago
Dick Schofield
Mike Scioscia
Marco Scutaro
Rudy Seanez
Mike Sharperson
Jeff Shaw
Gary Sheffield
Tsuyoshi Shinjo
Brian Sikorski
Terrmel Sledge
Esix Snead
Chris Snelling
Cory Snyder
Tim Spehr
Justin Speier
Shane Spencer
Dennis Springer
Rob Stanifer
Mike Stanton
Tim Stauffer
Shannon Stewart
Pat Strange
Darryl Strawberry
Huston Street
Scott Strickland
Kurt Suzuki
Brian Sweeney
Nick Swisher
Shingo Takatsu
Jeff Tam
Kevin Tapani
Tony Tarasco
Jim Tatum
Billy Taylor
Milt Thompson
Mike Thompson
Kevin Thompson
John Thomson
Jorge Toca
Steve Trachsel
Bubba Trammell
Jeff Treadway
Ricky Trlicek
Jason Tyner
Ismael Valdez
Eric Valent
John Valentin
Mo Vaughn
Jorge Velandia
Robin Ventura
Jose Vizcaino
Todd Walker
Pete Walker
Tyler Walker
Donne Wall
Tim Wallach
Allen Watson
Matt Watson
Gary Wayne
David Weathers
Eric Weaver
Mitch Webster
John Wehner
David Wells
Turk Wendell
Jae Weong
Dan Wheeler
Rick White
Ty Wigginton
Rick Wilkins
Todd Williams
Eddie Williams
Gerald Williams
Reggie Williams
Woody Williams
Scott Williamson
Steve Wilson
Preston Wilson
Tom Wilson
Vance Wilson
Jay Witasick
Chris Woodward
Todd Worrell
David Wright
Tyler Yates
Masato Yoshii
Eric Young
Chris Young
Victor Zambrano
Gregg Zaun
Todd Zeile


Start making some calls.

Ceetar
Jan 12 2012 08:34 PM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

he better get in next year. How much fun will it be to celebrate him at home at the All-Star Game and then a week and a half later go up to Cooperstown and celebrate him there?

MFS62
Jan 12 2012 10:00 PM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

I'd vote for:
Jeff Bagwell
Craig Biggio
Alan Trammell
for now.

I'll have to think about the pros and cons of the others before officially casting my ballot.

Later

Ashie62
Jan 13 2012 02:35 AM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

I can't believe edgy typed 460 names or was it the magic of cut and paste.

dgwphotography
Jan 13 2012 04:45 AM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

Bagwell, Biggio, Piazza, Raines. That's it. Fuck the rest...

Edgy MD
Jan 13 2012 05:49 AM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

In Rotterdam, NY, not far from the town of Cooperstown, sits the Hall of the Fucked. Every year, dozens of baseball fans flock to this hamlet to pay tribute to the their favorite players, enshrined forever by fuckedness. Hodges, Minoso, Herman, Cardenal, Tiant, O'Neil, Munson. Come, bring your kids, and relive these great legacies as they rot away in Rotterdam.

As fun as these pilgrimages are is the debate about who will join these immortals. Trammel? Schilling? Whose gonna get fucked next? Bring your family and see. Make special plans for each July when the ranks of the buggered grow in the annual Fucking Ceremony. Don't miss it!

Ceetar
Jan 13 2012 05:51 AM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

Edgy DC wrote:
In Rotterdam, NY, not far from the town of Cooperstown, sits the Hall of the Fucked. Every year, dozens of baseball fans flock to this hamlet to pay tribute to the their favorite players, enshrined forever by fuckedness. Hodges, Minoso, Herman, Cardenal, Tiant, O'Neil, Munson. Come, bring your kids, and relive these great legacies as they rot away in Rotterdam.

As fun as these pilgrimages are is the debate about who will join these immortals. Trammel? Schilling? Whose gonna get fucked next? Bring your family and see. Make special plans for each July when the ranks of the buggered grow in the annual Fucking Ceremony. Don't miss it!


Oh, I assumed those guys just went down the road to Ommegang and were drinking heavily.

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr
Jan 13 2012 06:00 AM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

Ceetar wrote:
Edgy DC wrote:
In Rotterdam, NY, not far from the town of Cooperstown, sits the Hall of the Fucked. Every year, dozens of baseball fans flock to this hamlet to pay tribute to the their favorite players, enshrined forever by fuckedness. Hodges, Minoso, Herman, Cardenal, Tiant, O'Neil, Munson. Come, bring your kids, and relive these great legacies as they rot away in Rotterdam.

As fun as these pilgrimages are is the debate about who will join these immortals. Trammel? Schilling? Whose gonna get fucked next? Bring your family and see. Make special plans for each July when the ranks of the buggered grow in the annual Fucking Ceremony. Don't miss it!


Oh, I assumed those guys just went down the road to Ommegang and were drinking heavily.


Well, the bus from the inns sets out for Ommegang, but ends up a half-mile away from Cooperstown Brewery and a stale-cider-donut stand. Hall of the Fucked and all.

Frayed Knot
Jan 13 2012 07:19 AM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

Lengthy piece in BP which makes the case against a Jack Morris C-Town enshrinement.

John Cougar Lunchbucket
Jan 13 2012 07:32 AM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

[url]http://bigbadbaseball.blogspot.com/2012/01/jim-jack-and-lash-of-back-baseballs.html

This guy argues that the "Morris deoesn't belong" movement is having the same effect the "Blyleven does belong" movement did. That is, it is getting both guys to the HoF.

Edgy MD
Jan 13 2012 07:39 AM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

That's a great article.

The BBWAA draws a lot of lightning, but the process is designed well enough that they've historically delivered far fewer unworthy candidates than any other process.

In other words, they aren't the ones that should be on the defensive. And them acting defensively can only hurt the process.

Edgy MD
Jan 13 2012 08:01 AM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

There's a really good big world analogy. Reformer John the XXIII was beatified in September 2000 amidst heavy pressure and agitation to honor him as a symbol of progress and the church's engagement with the world and history. Reform advocates gave a great cheer for the symbolism of the moment when they suddenly realized the church simultaneously beatified Pius IX, symbol of dogma and anti-nationalism. Italian outrage had squelched his candidacy a hundred years before. He was so reviled that his body had to be moved at night, and even then a street gang nearly succeeded in intercepting the cortege, seizing the body, and throwing it in the Tiber.

In short, few people beyond the future Benedict XVI were agitating for his beatification. But it was the medicine that the reformers had to take along with the much desired advancement of John XXII. The bear bites back.

I guess my point is that it becomes important to make these cases strictly on their own merits, instead of as symbolic campaigns in the waging of a higher war against the powers that be.

MFS62
Jan 13 2012 08:09 AM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote:
Ceetar wrote:
Edgy DC wrote:
In Rotterdam, NY, not far from the town of Cooperstown, sits the Hall of the Fucked. Every year, dozens of baseball fans flock to this hamlet to pay tribute to the their favorite players, enshrined forever by fuckedness. Hodges, Minoso, Herman, Cardenal, Tiant, O'Neil, Munson. July when the ranks of the buggered grow in the annual Fucking Ceremony. Don't miss it!


Oh, I assumed those guys just went down the road to Ommegang and were drinking heavily.


Well, the bus from the inns sets out for Ommegang, but ends up a half-mile away from Cooperstown Brewery and a stale-cider-donut stand. Hall of the Fucked and all.


Those guys (except O'Neil) are all welcome to join us in the loser's lounge. We don't have enough of a light bulb and water cooler budget to let him in.

Later

Frayed Knot
Jan 13 2012 10:18 AM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote:
[url]http://bigbadbaseball.blogspot.com/2012/01/jim-jack-and-lash-of-back-baseballs.html

This guy argues that the "Morris deoesn't belong" movement is having the same effect the "Blyleven does belong" movement did. That is, it is getting both guys to the HoF.



The difference being that the Blyleven & Morris groups were almost directly opposite each other in my experience.
IOW, the pro-Bert guys tend to be anti-Morris and verse-vica; roughly translating to the Blyleven guys being the stats crowd while the Morris-ites stuck with more old-skool benchmarks.

Edgy MD
Jan 13 2012 10:25 AM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

MFS62 wrote:
Those guys (except O'Neil) are all welcome to join us in the loser's lounge. We don't have enough of a light bulb and water cooler budget to let him in.

Still figuring this one out. Do I wanna know?

Edgy MD
Jan 13 2012 10:26 AM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

Frayed Knot wrote:
John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote:
[url]http://bigbadbaseball.blogspot.com/2012/01/jim-jack-and-lash-of-back-baseballs.html

This guy argues that the "Morris deoesn't belong" movement is having the same effect the "Blyleven does belong" movement did. That is, it is getting both guys to the HoF.



The difference being that the Blyleven & Morris groups were almost directly opposite each other in my experience.
IOW, the pro-Bert guys tend to be anti-Morris and verse-vica; roughly translating to the Blyleven guys being the stats crowd while the Morris-ites stuck with more old-skool benchmarks.

Which is sort of the point of the article.

John Cougar Lunchbucket
Jan 13 2012 10:32 AM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

Yes, he is saying that the Mom's-Basement-Dwelling, Slide-Rule-Using, Never-Saw-A-Game Stat Geeks are effective when advocating for a player (Blyleven) but have the opposite effect when arguing against guys (Morris) because they insult the Old Schoolers and encourage backlash.

Frayed Knot
Jan 13 2012 11:24 AM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

Edgy DC wrote:
Frayed Knot wrote:
John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote:
[url]http://bigbadbaseball.blogspot.com/2012/01/jim-jack-and-lash-of-back-baseballs.html

This guy argues that the "Morris deoesn't belong" movement is having the same effect the "Blyleven does belong" movement did. That is, it is getting both guys to the HoF.



The difference being that the Blyleven & Morris groups were almost directly opposite each other in my experience.
IOW, the pro-Bert guys tend to be anti-Morris and verse-vica; roughly translating to the Blyleven guys being the stats crowd while the Morris-ites stuck with more old-skool benchmarks.

Which is sort of the point of the article.


So now I'm expected to actually read articles before commenting on them?
Geez, that'll flip my whole world around!

Vic Sage
Jan 13 2012 11:35 AM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

Yeah, I'm not so interested in his categorization as a borderline candidate, but that you place him on the dark side of the border.


I place Schilling on the darkside of my own personal non-existent ballot; I don't think he's a lock (hence, borderline) but i do think he's got a shot because he's a "big game pitcher". A winna, dontcha know! he'll get the Jack Morris vote and then some, because he's better than Morris.

Edgy MD
Jan 13 2012 11:41 AM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

Thanks, but this is like with the movies. While I agree with your summary of other people's opinions, what I'm hoping to get is more about your own.

Vic Sage
Jan 13 2012 12:22 PM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

i'm not sure i know what your talking about with regard to movies. I don't give my opinion about movies? the whole movie sub-forum is littered with my opinions about movies.

anyway, my opinion about Schilling is that a guy with a bit over 200 wins over a 20 year career, with No MVPS, CYs, ROYs, or other such periperal paraphalia, has got an uphill battle to convince me that he's a HOFer.

Upon closer analysis of his stats, however, i can see the case for him.
-11 seasons in the top 10 in Pitcher's WAR, WHIP and K/BB ratio
-10 seasons top 10 in ERA+ and K/9ip
- a remarkable post-season career including post-season MVPs

He was a guy that, though he established himself early, had an unremarkable 1st decade, and then dominated in his early-mid 30s. But unlike Morris, Ws weren't the totality of his accomplishments; his peripherals all show a guy who was totally dominant when healthy. But health was an issue throughout his career and can't simply be ignored.

If push came to shove, i'd probably vote "yea", in a weaker year where i didn't already have 6 guys on my ballot. If he were to make it in, it wouldn't upset me. He'd be a Drysdale type HOFer, just like he was Drysdale to the Big Unit's Koufax. And that ain't bad.

At any rate, he's lighyears better than Big Jack.

But you got me to come around on Trammell over the years, so don't give up on me.

seawolf17
Jan 13 2012 07:39 PM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

Hmm. My votes, for now:

Jeff Bagwell
Craig Biggio
Edgar Martinez
Dale Murphy
Mike Piazza
Tim Raines
Curt Schilling
Alan Trammell
Larry Walker

I'm wavering on Edgar, Raines, and Schilling.

Fman99
Jan 13 2012 08:51 PM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

I'm still not taking this seriously until they vote in Rush, the Cars, Chicago, ELO, and Heart.

Edgy MD
Jan 13 2012 09:17 PM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

with No MVPS, CYs, ROYs, or other such periperal paraphalia, has got an uphill battle to convince me that he's a HOFer.


If those things matter to you (to me, they are also sort of summaries of other people's opinions) he's got

[list][*]1.85 career Cy Young Award shares.[/*:m]
[*]0.23 career MVP Award shares. (You long supported writers who refused to --- and discouraged their colleagues from --- supporting MVP causes of pitchers anyway.)[/*:m]
[*]six All Star (six innings, with a 3.00 ERA) selections[/*:m]
[*]starting pitcher honors in two of those games.[/*:m]
[*]The 1993 NL NLCS MVP.[/*:m]
[*]The 1995 Lou Gehrig Memorial Award (league-wide award given by Phi Delta Theta Fraternity in recognition of the player who best exemplifies Gehrig's character and integrity both on and off the field). [/*:m]
[*]The 2001 World Series MVP (shared), pitching to the tune of a 1.69 ERA over 21.1 innings as the D'Backs beat the Yankees and brought honor to America.
2001 NL Babe Ruth Award (given by MLB to the player with the best overall performance in the post-season).[/*:m]
[*]The 2001 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year.[/*:m]
[*]The 2001 Branch Rickey Award (league-wide award given by The Rotary Club in recognition of the player who best demonstrates a commitment to community service).[/*:m]
[*]2001 ML Hutch Award (league-wide award given by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and displayed at the MLB HoF, to the player who best exemplifies the fighting spirit and competitive desire of Fred Hutchinson).[/*:m]
[*]2001 ML Roberto Clemente Award (league-wide award, given by MLB to the player who "best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contribution to his team.")[/*:m]
[*]2001 NL The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year [/*:m]
[*]2002 NL The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year[/*:m]
[*]Three rings, which certainly aren't subjectively conveyed, but certainly are team awards, but he was a big part of those teams.[/*:m][/list:u]

Those aren't MVPs, but it's a whole lotta junk for one man's closet, if you care about that sort of thing. And as far as the notion that the sock gave him an inflated reputation as a "winna," I think that that post-season record sure backs up the anecdotal.

I'm not sure I'm voting one way or the other on him. The barbell shape of his career --- showing all of 18 wins from 1994 to 1996 --- is not only distressing, but also a little bit suspicious coming at pretty much the exact point that his mentor Roger Clemens' career was also sliding downhill, leading him apparently into a life of PEDs and bullshit. Maybe he went drugging too. But the pitchers of his ERA had it so hard. The few that flourished --- Maddux, Martinez, Johnson --- were magic users. But this guy ground out a heck of career. Hard to say.

I think he could have held on a little bit more and won 12-16 more games and raised a few more eyebrows, but with a .600 adjusted winning percentage and a 128 ERA plus (ten notches higher than Blyleven's), I'm not sure he should have to pile on a few more counting stats when his rate stats are so good.

Nymr83
Jan 14 2012 11:04 AM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

I think Schilling is a no-brainer. He's behind only Maddux, Johnson, Martinez, and Clemens among his contemporaries.

Edgy MD
Jan 14 2012 11:50 AM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

And Clemens is a borderline criminal miscreant. (And I place him on the "yes" side of the borderline.)

To be fair, we have to put Rivera in that group kinda sorta also. Glavine cough! as well.

Frayed Knot
Jan 14 2012 12:45 PM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

Nymr83 wrote:
I think Schilling is a no-brainer. He's behind only Maddux, Johnson, Martinez, and Clemens among his contemporaries.


At his best Schilling was as good as any of those guys (or at least nearly so) but his career didn't have as many good/great seasons or have the consistency of that gang. And, yes, throw in Glavine & Mariano too.

metsguyinmichigan
Jan 14 2012 01:14 PM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

seawolf17 wrote:
Hmm. My votes, for now:

Jeff Bagwell
Craig Biggio
Edgar Martinez
Dale Murphy
Mike Piazza
Tim Raines
Curt Schilling
Alan Trammell
Larry Walker

I'm wavering on Edgar, Raines, and Schilling.


I like this list, though I'm not sold on Walker or Schilling, though Schilling gets benefit of the doubt points for inflicting shame and misery on the MFYs. In fact, that he did that TWICE probably is enough to earn my vote.

Nymr83
Jan 14 2012 02:35 PM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

Frayed Knot wrote:
Nymr83 wrote:
I think Schilling is a no-brainer. He's behind only Maddux, Johnson, Martinez, and Clemens among his contemporaries.


At his best Schilling was as good as any of those guys (or at least nearly so) but his career didn't have as many good/great seasons or have the consistency of that gang. And, yes, throw in Glavine & Mariano too.


Certainly true, which is why I said he is behind those 4. He is MILES ahead of Rivera, he may have been the "best closer ever" but to me that's like being the "best punter ever", I don't think Rivera is comparable to any hall-worthy starting pitcher. Glavine over Schilling? My gut says no but I don't think I feel too strongly on that.

Edgy MD
Jan 14 2012 02:44 PM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

It's interesting. Baseball-Reference.com puts him ahead of Glavine in WAR, 69.7 to 67.0, even as he sits 89 credited wins behind.

Vic Sage
Jan 15 2012 08:47 AM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

Vic Sage wrote:
with No MVPS, CYs, ROYs, or other such periperal paraphalia, has got an uphill battle to convince me that he's a HOFer.

If those things matter to you (to me, they are also sort of summaries of other people's opinions) he's got


wow, nice way to purposefully misrepresent my point.

i said a guy with a little over 200+ wins and ... "with No MVPS, CYs, ROYs, or other such periperal paraphalia, has got an uphill battle to convince me that he's a HOFer." Since the baseline point was 200+ wins, not the "peripheral paraphanalia" (sorry for the misspelling), to spend a lengthy post highlighting additional paraphanalia that's even MORE peripheral (frat awards? rotary club? I'm sure there were BSA merit badges you overlooked, too), is just blather.

If those things matter to you (to me, they are also sort of summaries of other people's opinions) he's got


yes, those awards are summaries of other people's opinions -- but they are the opinions of people who actually vote for HOF, not the rotary club. so in forming my own opinion of a player's HOF candidacy, i look beyond stats to an understanding of how the player was perceived during his career in his own time. It is often there that a rationale can boost a guy with 215 wins to the HOF. But that case can't be made easily for Schilling either. I won't get into unwarranted PED suspicions; i don't think its fair for him or Piazza or Bagwell. But i'm not going to give him bonus points for community service awards either; i think that's just PR bullshit and mostly irrelevant.

Schilling had a very high peak with a track record of post-season greatness (and i did note his post-season MVPs, which you felt compelled to list as though i overlooked them) to bolster low career totals. He also had long trenches of utter irrelevance throughout his career,, and didn't collect any of the personal hardware generally cited to boost his case. IN MY OPINION, his career bespeaks a 2nd-tier HOFer of the Drysdale variety at best, who i might vote for in a weak field but isn't worthy of my vote with so many 1st-tier options available.

Nymr83
Jan 15 2012 12:05 PM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

Vic, I don't disagree that he may be in a lower tier (the Drysdale category if you prefer), but I don't see why he shouldn't get your vote along with those other guys. If you think a guy is a hall of famer, why not put him on your ballot now?

Edgy MD
Jan 15 2012 12:19 PM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

I didn't misrepresent your point --- purposely or otherwise. You cited a lack of peripheral paraphernalia, and I listed some.

I'm just trying to give and get opinions that are independent of the opinions of others.

Vic Sage
Jan 15 2012 02:22 PM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

Nymr83 wrote:
Vic, I don't disagree that he may be in a lower tier (the Drysdale category if you prefer), but I don't see why he shouldn't get your vote along with those other guys. If you think a guy is a hall of famer, why not put him on your ballot now?


well, since i don't get a vote, what does it matter to you?

But speaking theoretically, the HOF isn't just binary (in or out) to me; it's hierarchical. Otherwise, one would be saying that Phil Rizzuto is equivalent to Honus Wagner and, you know, they're just not. So voting for 2nd tier guys when so many 1st tier guys are still waiting outside can obscure the impact of my vote. For example, there are those voters with whom i disagree who see Schilling as a "no-brainer" and E.Martinez as unworthy because he was a DH (holding his lack of fielding opportunity against him in an way that pitchers' hitting is NOT held against them), or won't vote for Piazza and Bagwell because of unfounded suspicions, and so my vote for lesser HOF candidates like Schilling could boost their vote total over candidates i feel are more deserving. While, as i said, i wouldn't complain if Schilling got in eventually, I WOULD complain if he got in if Piazza or Bagwell or, yes, even E-Mart did NOT. Because that waters down my conception of greatness and the elitism that the HOF is supposed to represent. Schilling will have 15 years of eligibility and then an indefinite period for consideration by a vet committee. He can wait.

Vic Sage
Jan 15 2012 02:44 PM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

Certainly true, which is why I said he is behind those 4. He is MILES ahead of Rivera, he may have been the "best closer ever" but to me that's like being the "best punter ever", I don't think Rivera is comparable to any hall-worthy starting pitcher.


so you would exclude relievers from the HOF on principle? really? Then, presumably, DHs are excluded, too, i guess, right?
so you would banish Hoyt Wilhelm, Rollie Fingers, Dennis Eckersley, Bruce Sutter and Goose Gossage, deeming them not worthy of CONSIDERATION? Not to mention E.Mart, Molitor, and the upcoming candidacy of Frank Thomas?

I agree that the limited nature of their contribution makes the bar higher for them, but the point is you wouldn't compare Rivera to any other hall-worthy starting pitcher, you'd compare him to the other relievers of his era. It's a job major leaguers perform on a team (more important now than ever). I understand that you would not give relievers the points you'd give guys who pitched at a high level for 200+ IP every year, but i don't think you exclude him from consideration on principle. There are some relatively weak hitting defensive players in the HOF; they are not excluded because they didn't put up HOF worthy stats with their bats, their bats are simply put in context with their glove.

By the way, Jan Stenerud is in the football HOF. so they let kickers in, when they're good enough to make an impact with their leg that outweighs their lack of impact the rest of the time. And if ever there was a reliever who meets that standard, it's Mario Rivera, loathe as i am to say so.

Edgy MD
Jan 15 2012 03:00 PM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

I'm sort of surprised to find out Ray Guy and Dave Jennings aren't.

MFS62
Jan 15 2012 04:47 PM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

Other Football HOF members listed as "kickers" are George Blanda, with a parenthetical "QB" after his name, and Lou Groza, with a "T".

I think Ray Guy has been on the ballot recently, so he may still get in.

Later

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr
Jan 16 2012 05:10 PM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

So, while he does provide a useful bit of information here-- that Fonzie missed out on the ballot because only ONE writer nominated him for the honor, and nobody seconded-- Murray Chass is just trolling us all at this point, yes?

When I voted for the first time, I submitted a full ballot, all 10 lines filled with names. By the time I voted a year later, I had reconsidered what I had done. In voting for 10 players, I was saying in essence I wanted to see 10 players inducted into the Hall at the same time.

How foolish, I realized. Having 10 players enter the Hall at the same time would detract from the honor for each player. In addition, the induction ceremony would take forever and require a break for dinner. On subsequent ballots I placed an X next to three or four names at the most, sometimes only one or two.

I have not voted for McGwire or Palmeiro and don’t expect to vote for Bonds, Clemens, Sosa or Piazza next December. I will vote for Morris.

G-Fafif
Jan 16 2012 05:28 PM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote:
Fonzie missed out on the ballot because only ONE writer nominated him for the honor


Fitting that someone perversely hailed for being underrated when he was at his peak -- a millennial Joe Rudi, if you will -- goes underrated in the simple act of sticking his name on the ballot. The failure of one lousy seconded! to materialize seems an appropriate career bookend to Joe Buck, during a 1997 Fox broadcast, expressing astonishment that Tim McCarver would rate Fonzie as the best third baseman in the National League, and then have to adjust his astonishment when Fonzie homered a couple of innings later.

Out of respect for the eternally underrated Fonzie, that disregard riles my Met blood more than Chass casually equating Mike with the Under A Cloud muscleheads.

Rudi, BTW, made the 1988 ballot and received no votes despite being contemporarily pointed to year in and year out as the key to the success of the A's dynasty. But he did make the ballot.

Nymr83
Jan 16 2012 06:42 PM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

Vic Sage wrote:
Certainly true, which is why I said he is behind those 4. He is MILES ahead of Rivera, he may have been the "best closer ever" but to me that's like being the "best punter ever", I don't think Rivera is comparable to any hall-worthy starting pitcher.


so you would exclude relievers from the HOF on principle? really? Then, presumably, DHs are excluded, too, i guess, right?
so you would banish Hoyt Wilhelm, Rollie Fingers, Dennis Eckersley, Bruce Sutter and Goose Gossage, deeming them not worthy of CONSIDERATION? Not to mention E.Mart, Molitor, and the upcoming candidacy of Frank Thomas?

I agree that the limited nature of their contribution makes the bar higher for them, but the point is you wouldn't compare Rivera to any other hall-worthy starting pitcher, you'd compare him to the other relievers of his era. It's a job major leaguers perform on a team (more important now than ever). I understand that you would not give relievers the points you'd give guys who pitched at a high level for 200+ IP every year, but i don't think you exclude him from consideration on principle. There are some relatively weak hitting defensive players in the HOF; they are not excluded because they didn't put up HOF worthy stats with their bats, their bats are simply put in context with their glove.

By the way, Jan Stenerud is in the football HOF. so they let kickers in, when they're good enough to make an impact with their leg that outweighs their lack of impact the rest of the time. And if ever there was a reliever who meets that standard, it's Mario Rivera, loathe as i am to say so.


I dont think a Dh should be disqualified, but i think they should be treated as having negative value on the easiest position on the defensive spectrum. they may also desreve a penalty for the presumed ease of staying healthy and rested there. When i look at a DH i evaluate him as if he were a guy you cringed to watch playing 1B. If Frank Thomas had spent his whole career at DH he'd still be a HOFer based on offense alone (in my opinion), but Edgar? I'm not sure yet. Thats where the 15 years on the ballot can be beneficial in giving time to decide. Its not that I want to to wait on more deserving guys, its just that I havent decided yet.

I dont think Rivera is on the level of any of those relievers who are in the hall, they all pitched ALOT more innings than him, and that matters. I think its hard for a modern day reliever, who tops out probably around 1300 innings, to be hall-worthy.

edit- i cant get the table to work, but Rivera pitched 200% less innings than Eckersley, and 100% less than Wilhelm, 50% less than Gossage or Fingers. He ptched more than Sutter, who I dont think belongs anywhere near the HOF.

Edgy MD
Jan 16 2012 08:02 PM
Re: 2013 HoF Ballot (Split, as It Were)

A DH isn't a negative defensive score. It's a zero.

Meanwhile, Murray Chass
Why were they on the ballot?

Why were Javier Lopez and Eric Young on the ballot? They each received one vote. Why? Did each have a friend among the writers who wanted to express his feelings for him? Did the writers honestly believe Lopez and Young belong in the Hall of Fame? If so, how did those writers last long enough covering baseball – 10 years – to qualify as voters?

The writers get enough criticism for voting for legitimate candidates or not voting for players fans think belong in the Hall of Fame without incurring criticism for voting for players with career records like Lopez and Young.

In last year’s election 16 players failed to get the 30 votes they needed to continue as candidates. Like this year, six players received no votes: Carlos Baerga, Lenny Harris, Bobby Higginson, Charles Johnson, Raul Mondesi, Kirk Rueter. Bret Boone and Benito Santiago each appeared on one ballot. Again, why?


Why not? He apparently thinks its a real issue that writers need to be protected from the disgrace of casting embarrassing minority votes. Really? Stupid issues like this obscure real issues. How did this blogger ever get to vote in the first place?