Maddux, Glavine, Thomas elected to Baseball Hall of Fame; Biggio just misses

Re: 2014 BBWAA Baseball Hall of Fame ballot released

Right, right. There have been a few of those guys, no doubt. But no names of great significance. And - let's face it - very few white or black guys, i.e., 'Mericans.

 

Re: 2014 BBWAA Baseball Hall of Fame ballot released

Need liniment after the gymnastics in that argument. I'm not a fan of off-the-record because it does block you from proper reporting to some degree.

But a professional acknowledgement that, passively, you won't report a story isn't the same thing as actively casting a vote for someone years down the line. No one is bound to become a participant in someone else's charade. If a guy tells you "off the record" he gets a kick out of dropping date-rape pills into gals' drinks, would you let a friend go out with him?

Meanwhile, this:

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/10238306/mlb-jack-morris-the-hall-fame

 

Re: 2014 BBWAA Baseball Hall of Fame ballot released

Part of Jack Morris's Hall of Fame case is that Jack Morris once wore an antagonistic American flag T-shirt?

 

Re: 2014 BBWAA Baseball Hall of Fame ballot released

I am VERY interested to see how Gary Sheffield gets treated next year when he's on the ballot. He has been completely open and candid (and honest?) about his only connection to steroids — working out with Barry Bonds and Greg Anderson in 2001. Sheffield testified that Anderson gave him some cream to rub on his knee after his stitches popped out during a workout.

On the other hand, he's got a Dick Allen-type reputation as a clubhouse cancer, which might harm his chances more than the PEDs.

And he also has the distinction of being the worst fielder at any position by defensive WAR in the live ball era (min. 1,000 games played). See for a really fun list: http://bbref.com/pi/shareit/boLhR. Adam Dunn still has a chance to pass him. Dave Winfield and Frank Thomas are in the top 10, too.

But Sheffield was a tremendous hitter, even by the inflated standards of his era, he came very close to a couple MVP awards (one runner-up, two third-places), and was inches away from winning the Triple Crown in 1992. He should be a Hall of Famer by the numbers. At worst, no matter which statistical criteria you choose, he's a below-average Hall of Famer.

 

Re: 2014 BBWAA Baseball Hall of Fame ballot released

So when you were talking about a "That guy?!" response, you'd be thinking about somebody who people swore was clean, and it turned out otherwise (hypothetical example: Ken Griffey Jr.).

ETA: Should clarify: A player who was considered one of the best in MLB, everyone swore he was clean, but turned out he wasn't. In other words, not somebody like Perez.

 

Re: 2014 BBWAA Baseball Hall of Fame ballot released

As a reminder, the first player suspended under drug testing in 2005 was a 5-foot-10, 180-pound journeyman center fielder.

 

Re: 2014 BBWAA Baseball Hall of Fame ballot released

The significance of the Neifi "That guy?!?!" Perezes of the world getting busted is that it's much more difficult to use the "but his body got bigger" argument as proof that someone was using PEDs.

People still use that false reasoning, of course. But the perception that the only players using were bulky sluggers like Barry Bonds, or that you can make a reasonable accusation based on body size — or, hell, that many people's bodies don't just naturally get bigger in their 30s anyway — is completely illogical.

 

Re: 2014 BBWAA Baseball Hall of Fame ballot released

Isn't it actually that it's much more difficult to use the "but his body didn't get bigger" argument as proof that someone wasn't using PEDs?

 

Re: 2014 BBWAA Baseball Hall of Fame ballot released

Well it can also be a combination of assumed PED use coupled with the fact that Bagwell's numbers don't exactly put him in HOF lock territory. Assuming Bagwell didn't use, I think he's a Hall of Famer, but it's not like he was ever a first-ballot lock.

 

Re: 2014 BBWAA Baseball Hall of Fame ballot released

Mark Purdy's no Juan Vene but he tries — Maddux, Glavine, Smith, Thomas

Which is fun, because last year he voted for Biggio, Morris, Piazza, Raines.

And he last voted for Smith in 2012.

 

Re: 2014 BBWAA Baseball Hall of Fame ballot released

With under 48 hours till the announcement: 145 Full Ballots, which is 25.5% of last year's vote.

Morris is in super-duper trouble. Last year the tracker had 194 ballots and he was on 59.3 percent. He's got to be on 80 percent or last year's remaining ballots and probably needs every new voter to go his way as well.

100% - Maddux
97.2 - Glavine
92.4 - F. Thomas
80.7 - Biggio
———————————
71.0 - Piazza
63.4 - Bagwell
60.0 - Jack (The Jack) Morris
59.3 - Raines
42.1 - Bonds
41.4 - Clemens
39.3 - Schilling
31.0 - Mussina
25.5 - E. Martinez
24.1 - Trammell
24.1 - L. Smith
15.2 - Kent
13.8 - McGriff
10.3 - L. Walker
9.7 - McGwire
7.6 - S. Sosa
5.5 - R. Palmeiro
5.5 - Mattingly
———————————
0.7 - P. Rose (Write-In)

 

Re: 2014 BBWAA Baseball Hall of Fame ballot released

Wow, I think Thomas is really going to get in. I mean, he should. But I'm no longer sure about any first-timers after the stupid Roberto Alomar debacle a few years back (let alone all the other issues.)

I know the BBTF gizmo — and any tracker of public ballots — skews heavy on non-traditional voters. But 92.4% of 145 ballots is going to be hard to overcome. Because math.