Hall of Fame: 2019

[imref]

Harold Baines and Lee Smith elected to the HoF by the 'today's game' committee.  Davey Johnson doesn't make it.

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/25495724/chicago-legends-harold-baines-lee-smith-make-hall-fame

[Natsinpwc]

Harold Baines and Lee Smith elected to the HoF by the 'today's game' committee.  Davey Johnson doesn't make it.

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/25495724/chicago-legends-harold-baines-lee-smith-make-hall-fame

It’s hard to believe Baines made it over Davey and Will Clark. Except that Reinsdorf and LaRussa were on the committee.

[HalfSmokes]

It’s hard to imagine there are so many back doors into a hall of fame

[Natsinpwc]

It’s hard to imagine there are so many back doors into a hall of fame

Backdoors should be tight.

[Slateman]

I really don't understand Harold Baines making the HoF.

He's good ... but not HoF good. He's basically the outfield version of Fred McGriff. Actually, I' dsay McGriff has a better argument for the hall than Baines does.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

When George Bush was asked in 2000 what was your biggest mistake, didn't he say trading Sammy Sosa for Harold Baines?  Looks like he ended up with the hall of famer.

Baines was very good hitter for a long stretch of time.  A stat accumulator who maintained high rates even towards the tail of his career.  That said, it would be a sin if he is inducted into the HOF before Edgar. 

Both Steinbrenner and Davey deserved the HOF out of this crew.  Smith was a good choice.

[KnorrForYourMoney]

I really don't understand Harold Baines making the HoF.

He's good ... but not HoF good. He's basically the outfield version of Fred McGriff. Actually, I' dsay McGriff has a better argument for the hall than Baines does.

McGriff has a way better argument.  Surprisingly dominant and consistent hitter who came within a nose hair of 500 HR.

Baines had more PA and not even 400 HR.  Given that he was a DH for most of his career, there's really a lot of daylight between McGriff and Baines.

[imref]

I heard earlier there are about 125 players with higher WAR than Baines who aren't in the hall.  Not sure how he got inducted.

[HalfSmokes]

When George Bush was asked in 2000 what was your biggest mistake, didn't he say trading Sammy Sosa for Harold Baines?  Looks like he ended up with the hall of famer.

Baines was very good hitter for a long stretch of time.  A stat accumulator who maintained high rates even towards the tail of his career.  That said, it would be a sin if he is inducted into the HOF before Edgar. 

Both Steinbrenner and Davey deserved the HOF out of this crew.  Smith was a good choice.

Is it true Baines never cracked 6% of the writers’ vote? This seemed like the committee letting their friend in

[Natsinpwc]

I heard earlier there are about 125 players with higher WAR than Baines who aren't in the hall.  Not sure how he got inducted.

Reinsdorf.

[Natsinpwc]

I heard earlier there are about 125 players with higher WAR than Baines who aren't in the hall.  Not sure how he got inducted.

Will Clark who was up for consideration has much better hitting stats than Baines. Not saying he should have gotten in but Baines section was absurd.

[imref]

Is it true Baines never cracked 6% of the writers’ vote? This seemed like the committee letting their friend in

http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/25497076/examining-surprising-hall-calls-harold-baines-lee-smith

It is worth noting: Four of the committee members were Jerry Reinsdorf, his owner in Chicago; Tony La Russa, his manager with the White Sox; Roberto Alomar, a teammate with the Orioles; and Pat Gillick, his GM in Baltimore. Furthermore, Bert Blyleven and executives Paul Beeston, John Schuerholz and Andy MacPhail have ties to the American League during Baines' playing days.

All this might sound harsh, and I don't mean any personal disrespect to Baines. It's quite possible that one reason he got elected -- aside from the hit and RBI totals -- is that he was so well-liked. He was a classy professional in an era when many of his contemporaries started juicing up.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Is it true Baines never cracked 6% of the writers’ vote? This seemed like the committee letting their friend in

agreed.  I think it's revealing that, when wanted to give an example of a not-so-politically-damaging mistake that would show he has a sense of humor, he grabbed the "anyone would see this was dumb" move of trading Baines for Sosa.  Great self-deprecation but not harmful.  Not "I could have killed someone when I had my DUI."

[mitlen]

agreed.  I think it's revealing that, when wanted to give an example of a not-so-politically-damaging mistake that would show he has a sense of humor, he grabbed the "anyone would see this was dumb" move of trading Baines for Sosa.  Great self-deprecation but not harmful.  Not "I could have killed someone when I had my DUI."

This is a slippery slope.   

[UMDNats]

https://sports.theonion.com/derek-jeter-honored-for-having-fewer-hits-than-harold-b-1819571015?fbclid=IwAR1Qx9AcvE7rGzW9Q2Qv2Erfe9pYRH07QVnV8MPedXhpcKC0JLdo28MnILE