2015 Baseball HOF ballot released

Are there really 10 candidates you can argue for over Pedro Martinez? Nobody has to make that choice.

 

Right. It's probably some idiot saying no one deserves to go in on the first ballot.

 

That would be my educated guess given that they do exist and I haven't heard a good case for Martinez not getting in.

 

Garry Brown did not vote for Johnson. He did not give a reason, in fact didn't mention him at all in the piece about his vote, which has apparently been removed from online. The prevailing thought is he just flat forgot, because he voted for Bagwell, Biggio, Edgar and Pedro Martinez, Piazza and Raines. He took off his vote for Schilling from last year.

 

At the 10 percent mark tallied, Pedro, Johnson, Smoltz and Biggio are all at 82.5 or higher and Piazza is at 78.9. About this point last year, Biggio is four percent ahead of his pace, Piazza is almost nine and Smoltz is two percent ahead of where Thomas was. Johnson and Pedro are a vote from unanimous, which is what Maddux and Glavine were.

98.2 - P. Martinez
98.2 - R. Johnson
87.7 - Smoltz
82.5 - Biggio
78.9 - Piazza

 

That the piece was removed certainly doesn't speak well of his reasoning. Or lack of reasoning if he really did forget.

 

I think the only justifiable reasoning would be, "I know he's getting in, so I'm giving my 10 votes to someone else."

I don't like that reasoning, but it's better than trying to make a claim that he's not deserving or shouldn't go in on the first ballot or that no player deserves 100 percent.

 

I like the reasoning behind why he is voting for Bonds and Clemens. Probably won't go over well his pious breatheren in the BWAA.

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/redsblog/2014/12/24/rosecrans-hall-of-fame-ballot/20765907/

 

Not a bad explanation at all. He's doing the best he can and admitting to the problems with his process.

 

It took almost 70 ballots but we have our first known Mattingly vote from Mike Shalin. Good way to burn a spot out of his 10.

 

Do we know for sure that he voted for 10?

 

Yes. His ballot -- P. Martinez, R. Johnson, Schilling, Piazza, Raines, Mattingly, Bonds, Clemens, Smoltz and E. Martinez.