Baseball Hall of Fame Ballot Released

If I'm not mistaken, Morris started Opening Day, the All-Star Game, Game 1 and Game 7 of the World Series in 1991.

Supposedly he's the only player in history start all those in one season.

I may be wrong, but I remember hearing that once. I know it has no bearing on his Hall of Fame status. Just a neat stat, if true. (back to the b-ball preview beast for me!)

 

Nope. Alomar was better.

 

Okay.

 

By a mile.

I still can't believe Robbie never made 3,000.

 

Doc won't like it, but I'll expand a little.

Sandberg has to be majorly downgraded for longetivity. Ryno only ranks in the top 100 of three categories: total bases (3,787, 94th all time), at-bats (8,385, 95th) and outs (6,347, 95th). Yes, he was a clear-cut MVP in 1984 and got a lot more love in the Gold Glove voting (deservedly). But he was only an above-average second baseman for 9 peak years (1984-92, although you could argue for '96 to give him 10), and average-to-below-average for his seven other seasons.

Alomar, meanwhile, is a career .300 hitter, although he got out just in time. He ranks 40th all time in stolen bases (474), 41st in doubles (504), 51st in hits (2,724), 51st in "times on base" (3,806), 56th in at-bats (9,073), 58th in runs (1,508), 58th in singles (1,930), 70th in total bases (4,018), 79th in games played (2,379), 94th in walks (1,032) ... sure, he's also 50th in "outs made" (6,914) and 66th in GIDP (206).

You could strongly make the case that Alomar is one of the top 100 position players of all time, and he's easily in the top 3-5 second baseman of all time (definitely behind Hornsby and Morgan ... but not by much.) ... Yes, he only led the league in runs once, only four Gold Gloves (Sandberg was a better fielder), and only once in the top-3 of MVP voting. ... But his peak was, arguably, from 1989-2001 -- that's 13 seasons, and he only had four average-to-below-average seasons otherwise.

Alomar's peak was longer and his career was longer. His career was better, and you could make a strong case that Alomar's peak even was better than Sandberg's (that's the only place where Ryno might have an edge.) But there's really no argument here.

 

You're right, I don't like it. But I'll respectfully agree to disagree. (See how easy that is, pube?)

 

Except, when I lay out that sort of case, and I have done it many times, you do anything but respectfully agree to disagree.

Conversely, if anyone ever made that sober of a case counter to one of my opinions, I, also, would respectfully agree to disagree or, in line with being a big man, say, "fuck, buck, you know what.... you're right."

 

Hey, Doc, you're not the only one I have to fear ripping me apart in rage if I downgrade Ryno to mortal status.

 

My point being -- Sandberg was a better defensive player and a comparable offensive player. He was the best defensive second baseman of the last 25 years. I saw him in person close to 100 times. He made tough plays look routine, but because he didn't dive very often, most people tend to overlook his glove. If Ozzie Smith can get in mostly because of his defense, why doesn't Sandberg deserve to make it?

 

Wow, TGD... I would say the biggest difference between the two was defensively.... and not in Ryno's favor.

 

No, Ryno was better defensively. He just wasn't flashy. But he got to more balls, and played them cleaner.

And I would never argue that Sandberg shouldn't get in. He deserved (and deserves) HOF induction. ... But he's not better than Alomar.

 

Alomar had more range than Wyoming.