2015 Hall of Fame Ballot (with results!)

[JCA-CrystalCity]

As much as I think Schilling deserves to go in, every time he opens his mouth, I'm glad he isn't in

http://deadspin.com/curt-schilling-says-being-a-republican-cost-him-hof-vot-1678064839

I'd venture a guess, just demographically speaking, that most native US Caucasian-American ballplayers on the ballot and elected to the HOF are also Republicans or Republican leaning independents.  Between the predominence of players from Republican leaning areas, education levels, and wealth, that's simply like the Willie Sutton explanation of why he robbed banks (because that's where the money is). 

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Without clicking on the link, I'm guessing he was on Dennis and Callahan. Callahan is Rush with just enough sports to be on a sports talk drive time. 

He's also gotten crushed in the ratings by another sports talk show that actually focuses on sports.

[HalfSmokes]

He was claiming the difference between him and Smoltz is that smoltz is a dem (Smoltz donated to Romney, so not sure why he thinks that)

[JCA-CrystalCity]

He was claiming the difference between him and Smoltz is that smoltz is a dem (Smoltz donated to Romney, so not sure why he thinks that)

Smoltz is a big time evangelical, I think, like Schilling.  Maybe Smoltz's folks in Michigan were Ds and Schilling assumes something, but I doubt it.

[whytev]

I've been arguing for a while that Schilling deserves a spot in Cooperstown, but yeah, he really needs to shut the heck up and stop acting like an idiot.  Besides, Slateman doesn't have a ballot.

I hate him. And character counts.

However, his pitching deserves to get him in.

As for Rose, they could just let him on the ballot. As with the juicers, letting people vote may or may not actually get him in. Let them vote, watch him not get in, move on. The same will happen to Bonds.

[Mathguy]

Understand JCA - but to what Blue mentioned about an unlimited number of votes per writer, there still needs to be a way to give more points or value to former players that are regarded as stronger candidates.  One way is to limit the number of votes, for better candidates will get repeated mention or votes.  Another way would be to scale the votes on a 3,2,1 basis so writers can emphasize which players deserve more credit or value.  Another idea would be to change the number of votes from 10 to 20.  But the results would be the same as having 10 votes, in terms of having to reach the required percent of votes, as required now.  Having more votes per writer won't change the percent required.

mathguy - the 10 vote rule goes back to the era when there were 16 teams.  Now there are 30.  There are many more players who would be eligible for consideration now.  With a required minimum of 5% to stay on the ballot, and a recent rule change to limit the window of eligibility to 10 years, there is a squeeze out of players who have credentials to match current hall members. 

I like the idea Ken Rosenthal suggests and that Madj55 brought up - you vote for a guy, the guy banks the vote until he is elected or dropped from eligibility, allowing a voter who to recognize newly-eligible players and ones who he has reevaluated.  It's not perfect, but the consensus is that the current backlog on the ballot probably has 15 or so very credible candidates.

Here's a link to Rosenthal's article:
http://www.foxsports.com/mlb/just-a-bit-outside/story/baseball-hall-of-fame-ballot-needs-to-change-bbwaa-cooperstown-122114

[Minty Fresh]

No Edgar, No Raines = No Peace,No Justice

   

They'll probably make Big Papa Pump Steroid Boy (Ortiz) the first DH in the HoF which will be a miscarriage of justice.

[HalfSmokes]

if the mere possibility of roids is keeping Piazza out, the Papi isn't getting in with his positive test

[whytev]

if the mere possibility of roids is keeping Piazza out, the Papi isn't getting in with his positive test

You think Raines is paying the price for being a cokehead?

[HalfSmokes]

Just lost a little more respect for the bbwa
http://deadspin.com/dumbest-man-alive-gives-dumbest-possible-explanation-fo-1678295876

[JCA-CrystalCity]

   

They'll probably make Big Papa Pump Steroid Boy (Ortiz) the first DH in the HoF which will be a miscarriage of justice.

Gonna shock the heck out of you, Minty.  Even though I'm a bit softer on the steriod positive in the anonymous testing period, I agree with the basic thrust here - Martinez is should be a Hall of Famer, Ortiz is more marginal of a candidate who, if he gets, will be in for his big moments and image more than his accomplishments.  3 rings and the media machine matter.  I have been a skeptic of Ortiz's case.  True he's the best DH of the past decade, but for an offense only position, he's only been the best of all hitters at most a few times in that span.

[UMDNats]

Ortiz will be a Hall of Famer, 100%.

The media worships him and will look over his steroid use.

Mike Mussina isn't in the Hall of Fame because he was grumpy to the media.

[UMDNats]

Just lost a little more respect for the bbwa
http://deadspin.com/dumbest-man-alive-gives-dumbest-possible-explanation-fo-1678295876

How the freak does Rob Parker have a HOF vote? what the freak? The BBWAA is a sham. What a joke. Bunch of losers, man. Wow. Losers. An embarrassment.

[blue911]

Bob Nightengale :


http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2015/01/05/baseball-hall-of-fame-election-steroid-era-barry-bonds-roger-clemens/21290463/

[KnorrForYourMoney]

Ortiz will be a Hall of Famer, 100%.

The media worships him and will look over his steroid use.

Mike Mussina isn't in the Hall of Fame because he was grumpy to the media.

The big apple has really gotten to you.  (although I agree on Mussina - bullcrap that he won't get in when you look at his numbers)

[nobleisthyname]

I'm late but this would have been my ballot:

Smoltz
P. Martinez
Johnson
Schilling
Mussina
Raines
E. Martinez
Trammell
Bagwell
Piazza

If there were more than 10 spots I would also vote for:
Biggio
Clemens
Bonds
Walker

I'm a large hall fan, mostly because all of these "marginal" guys are better than a bunch of people already in the hall. It doesn't seem fair to raise the bar for this generation. I'm also in favor of letting Clemens and Bonds in. Besides the fact that they would be locks for the hall of fame even without PEDs, PEDs have been a part of baseball pretty much since its inception. It just seems hypocritical to me to be so judgmental of this generation's use of them, especially since it was condoned by everyone at the time. 

[HalfSmokes]

I think Bill Simmons sums up my view on the hall- do I see myself ever telling my grandkids about seeing a guy play? I'm small hall, but I'm also pro PED guys getting in since I still remember following mcgwire and sosa chasing marris with my father - those are good memories, and the fact that it turns out they were cheating doesn't change that. Likewise, Bonds defined an era and was the greatest hitter I've ever seen, the fact that he had more bovine steroids that a big mac doesn't change that

[blue911]

It's the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum without Clemens and Bonds it's like the Holocast Museum not mentioning the Nazis. They've whitewashed the sport for long enough. Bobby Cox was a drunk and a wife beater, that should be mentioned as well as Clemens PED connections and LaRussa's DUI. Stop trying to turn these jerks into to saints.

[Minty Fresh]

It's the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum without Clemens and Bonds it's like the Holocast Museum not mentioning the Nazis. They've whitewashed the sport for long enough. Bobby Cox was a drunk and a wife beater, that should be mentioned as well as Clemens PED connections and LaRussa's DUI. Stop trying to turn these jerks into to saints.

I wish they'd put steroids back in the game.  This crap is boring to watch.

[Clever]

I wish they'd put steroids back in the game.  This crap is boring to watch.

I couldn't disagree more. Love me some pitchers' duels.

[Minty Fresh]

I couldn't disagree more. Love me some pitchers' duels.

What makes a great pitchers duel is the rarity of them. 

[imref]

It's the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum without Clemens and Bonds it's like the Holocast Museum not mentioning the Nazis. They've whitewashed the sport for long enough. Bobby Cox was a drunk and a wife beater, that should be mentioned as well as Clemens PED connections and LaRussa's DUI. Stop trying to turn these jerks into to saints.

Last time I was there about 2 years ago I saw mention of Bonds and Clemens in the museum, they just aren't in the hall.

And BTW, if you've never been there you are wrong, it's only about an 8 hour drive from here.  The surrounding area is absolutely beautiful.

[blue911]

Last time I was there about 2 years ago I saw mention of Bonds and Clemens in the museum, they just aren't in the hall.

And BTW, if you've never been there you are wrong, it's only about an 8 hour drive from here.  The surrounding area is absolutely beautiful.

I used to live in Vernon NJ, it was a 3 hour drive.

[UMDNats]

Nothing is more  hilarious than baseball writers acting like baseball players are mythical creatures and gods, until they freak up, and then they are LITERALLY worse than Hitler.

[HalfSmokes]

baseball has a pastoral appeal to a lot of fans and writers, discount it all you want, but it's there and when those images get shattered those writers tend to get angry