RIP Sid Hartman

[Azrael]

The operative term being "old head" and not the newbies who think everyone deserves to be in the Hall of Pretty Good Players. How anyone could fill up 10 spots is amazing.

Agree.

We had five slots on this year's modern ballot for three inductees.

We also had three first-year, first-ballot, must-elect locks for the Hall.

I voted for those three and put my ballot in the mail.

It'll be easier to get in next year.

 

[Andy Messerupsmith]

Agree.

We had five slots on this year's modern ballot for three inductees.

We also had three first-year, first-ballot, must-elect locks for the Hall.

I voted for those three and put my ballot in the mail.

It'll be easier to get in next year.

And the 5 slots on the Modern Ballot were for people who were already voted down by the writers. The Modern Ballot and the other two are a slap in the BBWAA's face. Cronyism at its best.

 

[Azrael]

And the 5 slots on the Modern Ballot were for people who were already voted down by the writers. The Modern Ballot and the other two are a slap in the BBWAA's face. Cronyism at its best.

In my sport, I guarantee you none of my colleagues, not one, stopped and thought, "I'm going to keep _____ out of the Hall of Fame because it's his first year of eligibility."

I'm not sure how to get that kind of knuckleheaded self-aggrandizement out of baseball.

As often happens in elite institutions, a Hall vote in baseball has become a referendum on the importance of the voting body itself, rather than the player.

 

[DSzymborski]

The operative term being "old head" and not the newbies who think everyone deserves to be in the Hall of Pretty Good Players. How anyone could fill up 10 spots is amazing.

In some years in the 30s 20-25% of position player plate appearances are by Hall of Famers. It's been the Hall of Pretty Good for 30 years. It's not modern players watering things down (this image was before last induction).

 

[DSzymborski]

What is the policy these days for membership? I recall Tony Mazz saying he was out of BBWAA because he wasn't covering a beat, but that it was a new rule.

Generally speaking, the rules have been liberalized rather than tightened. The basic qualification that most chapter heads are using these days -- there's a bit of leeway either way -- is that you're covering baseball as a full-time employee of an outlet, print or online, that is accredited for baseball's big events.

 

[Andy Messerupsmith]

In some years in the 30s 20-25% of position player plate appearances are by Hall of Famers. It's been the Hall of Pretty Good for 30 years. It's not modern players watering things down (this image was before last induction).

I'm not sure what Plate Appearances have to do with one's worthiness for HOF, but your point belies one of the worst arguments. Just because voters may have made poor decisions in the past we should continue making bad decisions?

 

[Della9250]

The operative term being "old head" and not the newbies who think everyone deserves to be in the Hall of Pretty Good Players. How anyone could fill up 10 spots is amazing.

How many of the following do you think are Hall of Famers?

Randy Johnson
Pedro Martinez
John Smoltz
Craig Biggio
Mike Piazza
Jeff Bagwell
Tim Raines
Curt Schilling
Roger Clemens
Barry Bonds
Lee Smith
Edgar Martinez
Alan Trammell
Mike Mussina
Larry Walker
Mark McGwire
Sammy Sosa

Because that's 12 guys who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame and five who haven't...yet.

They were together on the ballot….all of five years ago.

 

[Moderator1]

To get the topic back to Sid, interesting read:

https://www.startribune.com/i-helped-sid-hartman-keep-up-his-column-he-saved-my-life/572829892/

 

[LanceyHoward]

Yep - we did that when our bordie collie got old. That's how we got our first lab and it helped Molly tremendously. Three more years and they became best buds. And we got Ella after our second lab got old and they became inseparable.

Ella will be 12 in two weeks.

Problem is, I had a big house and huge yard then. The space I'm in now is barely big enough for the two of us, just no room for another dog. Plus, not to be maudlin, at my age I worry about bringing in another dog and then leaving it alone when I die. Ella, I think, will be my last dog.

Threadjack back to dogs. My father, a dog lover, worried about getting a dog who would survive him. The solution. Beagles, for some reason, are the most popular test dog. So a lot wind up in shelters. A beagle will be your best friend and beagles work in smaller spaces. My parents looked through shelters for a mid aged (4-6) beagle. And beagles work in smaller spaces. It worked well. So much so that my son did the same thing when he looked for a dog.

And my Sid Hartman reference. My grandfather moved up to a Minneapolis paper in 1945 from Billings. My mother was entering the fourth grade at the time. She died at 81 in 2018. So my grandfather and Hartman started in Minneapolis journalism the same year

 

[Matt1735]

Don't think this was posted yet .... good read

I helped Sid Hartman keep up his column. He saved my life.

 

[Slacker]

Don't think this was posted yet .... good read

I helped Sid Hartman keep up his column. He saved my life.

Ummm ... Go up two posts?

 

[Matt1735]

Ummm ... Go up two posts?

I was an umpire... certified blind!