Your Hall of Fame Vote, Post-Mitchell

Murphy had too many lousy years toward the end of his career, and except for 1982, he played on bad Braves teams and didn't really elevate them. Definite no.

 

I just mentioned that to point out that you can't take Rice's stats at face value. You just can't.

But it's probably Rice's personality with the writers that most works against him. If you gave Murphy Rice's stats or Rice Murphy's character, I think either guy gets voted in.

As fate would have it, though, I don't think either guy's a Hall of Famer. Pedro Guerrero was a better hitter than either Rice or Murphy, but he played in a pitcher's park most of his career and he couldn't stay healthy.

Them's the breaks ...

 

I wonder what boots will do with his Hall vote.

 

?

 

If Bud Selig ever gets in after this, then so should everyone else.

 

Yes, you can take his statistics at face value. And he is a far better candidate than Murphy.

 

Sorry, OOP, Bill James says you can't take stats at face value and that's good enough for me.

 

I never said he wasn't. I just don't think Rice is a Hall of Famer.

Perhaps we can agree to disagree?

 

Before, during or after the steroids era, the only way a first-ballot snub will mean anything to me is if there is a formal definition for what a first-ballot snub means.

It's long been one of the most self-serving, pompous ideas in the world of pro baseball beat writers.

Sending a message? Please.

He's good enough to get your Hall vote the second time through, but not worthy of it the first time through? Pretty please.

You're "punishing" the player by making him wait for the second ballot? Pretty-pretty please.

If you're going to keep him off in first ballot ... hey, keep him off for good. Give your ballot some integrity.

 

bill james makes love to flapjacks soaked in butter.

 

Works for me. I see Rice as borderline and Murphy as a definite no. But I don't think Fenway is that much of an advantage that you should discount a guy's stats just because he played there. That's the only real point of disagreement here.

 

Agreed, a thousand times over.

There is no special status for first-ballot nominees. If you're in, you're in, and it doesn't matter how long it took you to get there.