2013 MLB Hall of Fame Screechfest

Raines' prime was not in a "heavily offensive era." The 1980s (with the exception of the juiced ball 1987 season) were essentially offensively neutral, much like the last few seasons.

And his career OPS was .810, by the way.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/raineti01.shtml

 

Well, SoCal, the Internet is a huge hammer of suasion that previous generations didn't have to face. If, for example, Rob Neyer wants to post on a blog seen by millions that your vote was retarded, that could be a strong incentive to vote more to his liking next time.

 

My ballot would have been, I think:

Tim Raines
Craig Biggio
Curt Schilling

 

I was talking about Biggio.

 

10-4. Withdrawn.

 

They should make it a one-time thing. You're on the ballot once. You're voted in or you're not. No limit on how many can be elected each year.

 

Oh, my God, voters influenced by other voters! The humanity! Call off the 2016 presidential election, too!

 

I don't like that. Our understanding of the game is evolving. Plus, those five years aren't always long enough to know how a guy ends up stacking up with his peers, some of whom may still be playing.

 

Not my point, Dick, and you know it. If you don't think the Internet provides much more impactful suasion than word of mouth among writer buddies did in the past, I dunno what to say.

 

Sure, it does.

Also: Who cares?

 

One year might be giving people too much power... But letting people sit there for 15 years is fucking absurd. Let them go 3-5 years and then if they don't get in, they have a shot with the veteran's committee.

 

His walk-up music with the Braves — some sort of Spanish-language Christian rock — was also worthy of its own plaque.