Ballots went out earlier this week for enshrinement into the 2008 Cooperstown class. Tim Raines and David Justice head the list of first-timers. Brady Anderson, Rod Beck, Shawon Dunston, Steve Finley, Travis Fryman, Chuck Knoblauch, Rob Nenn, Jose Rijo, and Todd Stottlemyre also appear for the first time.
Mark McGwire, Rich Gossage, and Jim Rice are among the notable holdovers. Others seeking election again include: Andre Dawson, Bert Blyleven, Lee Smith, Jack Morris, Tommy John, Dave Concepcion, Alan Trammell, Dave Parker, Don Mattingly, Dale Murphy, and Harold Baines.
Who gets your vote?
First of all, I’m fairly picky when it comes to HoF voting. Without doing any research, but simply based on memory of their impact and a decent feel for their stats, I’d have to go with only the following: Raines, Gossage and Blyleven. McGwire, Lee Smith and Jack Morris just don’t quite make it this time on my ballot. There are a lot of “very good” players on the list … some were even “great for a short period”, but “sustained excellence” is where my bar is sitting. Not “sustained very goodness”. Quite willing to engage in a debate though 🙂
Wally
If Gossage and Dawson don’t make the hall at some point, there is something wrong. ‘The Hawk’ was great for an extended period of time. Can you imagine him on ‘Vitamin S’? The guy would have been unstoppable. Being an east coast guy I didn’t get much on Blyleven; he suffered from playing on some mediocre teams.
Casey
If Jim Rice had retired 2 years before he did, he would have hit into approx. 7500 fewer double plays and HOF voters would have put him into the Hall by now. It is time to put him in this year! Goose should join him as well- no more feared fire-baller than Gossage during his time. That would be it on my list for ’08…
I am trying to decide which is more enjoyable- watching the Celtics play attractive basketball or waving goodbye to the disaster known as Isaiah Thomas. Lose by 40+ with the starters barely sniffing the 2nd half from the bench…sweet…
I think the world of Jaws on ESPN, but would he be calling out Randy Moss for doing what 98.765% of every other wide receiver in the NFL does if the Pats weren’t trying for 19-0? Glad to see that Brady and Bellichek have his back right away…
Santana in the Red Sox rotation next year? Are you freakin’ kidding me??!! Without it costing Jacoby or Clay?? Theo for President!!
What’s up with Sports Illustrated ignoring Boston sports on its cover TWO weeks in a row? Cancel my subscription…
Muels
Oh yeah- I like the musical touch on the site- but I need some variety or I may have to limit my stay to 2:30 minutes…
Muels
Someone check Blyleven’s stats and compare them to other HoF pitchers. They’re pretty damn good … it’s a crime he’s not in the Hall yet. Near 300 wins, great ERA, tons of complete games, and seriously one of the best curveballs ever. And one of the best Chris Berman nicknames: Burt Be Home Blyleven. Nice.
Why should Dawson be in??? And I ask this as a Dawson fan … he had some great years for the Cubbies. What HoFer does he compare to????
Wally
What do you call a guy that won eight gold gloves, rookie-of-the-year, 1 MVP award (finished 2nd twice, led the league in hits one year, extra base hits two other years, but also led the league in hr’s once, and rbi once, batted over .300 five times, hit 438 hrs, stole 314 bases, and drove in 1,591 runs? I call him hall of fame – the hawk.
Muels – are you only hearing one song?
On Santana to the Sox – and we still keep Ellsbury and Bucholz? How can that be? Are the Sox bluffing? Are the Yanks bluffing?
This just in – the Yanks might have added Hughes to the deal. Oooooh they are getting desperate.
Getting some variety on the music now…quite the mood setter…
Dawson should definitely get some love from the HOF voters. As already stated: 1 MVP along w/ 2 second place finishes, ROY, 8 gold gloves, great arm, over 400 HR, over 300 SB, and over 2500 hits. Not to mention the respect the man had in the clubhouse and from anyone that was around baseball. A classy player who had a great career. For those who don’t believe Dawson should be in, I think it is harder to argue for his exclusion than to argue for his inclusion.
And if Bruce Sutter is in the HOF, the Goose needs to be included too.
I guess it is a question who I think should get in vs. who gets in. I think it should be Rice, Goosage and Dawson. Raines and Blyleven are just on the outside looking in. Goosage was one of the most, if the not THE intimidating closer of his time. And he was at a time where the role was still being defined.
Rice was one of the most feared hitters of his time. Plus, I would have to look at different eras, but during his time in the AL hitters were tearing up the league.
Casey states the case for Dawson. He may have been a 30/30 early on his career. It is too bad that the turf in Montreal caused so much damage on his career. I think the same is for Vlad.
I think Byleven has the stats to get in.. Just not sure he will. As for Raines.. Not sold on him being a HOF. Sure he was feared SB early on in his career, but he stopped stealing and just became a good hitter. He is very good, just not in the HOF.
I don’t think the Sox are really going after Santana. If they could get him without giving up Ellsbury or Bucholtz, they would do it, but they are in on it to raise the ante. Now they are getting the Yankees to offer up Hughes?
No, they are driving up the price for Santana and then they are going after Danny Haren, who is available, younger, may be just as good as Santana and CHEAPER..
Either way – add Santana or Haren to Beckett, Schilling, Dice K, and Bucholtz? Are you kidding me?
Now that Jacoby is in the middle of the Santana derby I want the Saux to back out- Jacoby is just too much of a stud to give up on even a great pitcher, one that we might get in a year as a free agent, or instead go after a cheaper version in Oakland. I am just not as excited as I was before…
Interesting to see if Steinbrenner sticks to his threat to pull his offer after Monday night…a little high stakes poker anyone?..
Muels