2024 Baseball Hall of Fame thread

Hall of Fame for what, being injured?

 

Hall of Oh My God I’m Suddenly Approaching Middle Age And My Five Year Old Will Need A Million Dollars To Go To College in 2037 Oh My God That’s Going To Be A Real Year And Not a Science Fiction Prompt.

 

Thank you for making me realize that anyone who retires after this year will be HOF eligible in 2030, the year my daughter is slated to graduate HS (if you wanted to stay back a year or three, Daddy and his meager savings account would appreciate it).

 

I would be very surprised if Sheffield & Kent aren't leading that group. Both were cause celebre during their final years on the writers ballot. I could see Bonds & Clemens also being there, just to embarrass them, but my guess is they're more than likely not on there so that the field can be opened up to candidates with a better chance. It'd be fun to see Schilling get embarrassed again, but I doubt he makes it. I forgot Mattingly was the closest guy behind McGriff in December 2022. Have to think he makes the ballot again.

 

I think, and I could be wrong, that McGwire got put on one committee ballot and hasn't been seen again. I wonder if they are going to do that with Bonds and Clemens -- they got their committee shot to see if they would get put in, they weren't close and put them back in the corner. Sheffield could be in that situation coming up.

Of course the problem with the committee guessing game is they keep changing setups often enough you can't tell the pattern.

One thing they try with those ballots is to change them up a bit and not just rehash the same 8 guys. I think Mattingly, Schilling and Murphy will be back because of their vote totals. Obviously there is one slot open because McGriff was elected. I can't imagine Belle returns. And the fact that Bonds, Clemens and Palmeiro got less than four votes tells me they aren't going to gain traction. You could have five spots to play with -- do you give Sosa a shot this turn?

 

So now we're entering into the generation of baseball writers who grew up in an era where everyone gets a trophy?.... I remember when being a "first-ballot" HoFer was reserved for all-timers. Maybe their stats make them worthy - but none of this year's honorees really made an impression on me. Though I did catch a Todd Helton BP HR at Wrigley Field - so I'm glad he got in.

 

Sosa used PEDs and got busted using a corked bat. If they want to turn the Hall of Fame into even more of a joke, put him in and leave Bonds out.

 

He's got no chance, but if they're going to evenly distribute the PED guys on the ballot, he's certainly next up.

 

Beltre hit almost 500 homers and had over 3,000 hits while playing sterling D at third base. If he's not a first-ballot guy, who is?

 

Not saying he would go in, just that they are cycling through those guys for the ballot and he hasn't had his turn

 

That was more a shot at the process than at anything you posted.

 

If he could have stayed healthy for a sustained period, he would have definitely been worthy of some serious HOF consideration. OPS of .916 or better in 5 of 6 seasons between 24 and 29, with 143 bombs.