2019 Hall of Fame Ballot

[nynasty]

Fair points. But if Mo played for the Reds, do you REALLY think he would have been unanimous?

Griffey wasn’t unanimous.

Probably not, because the Reds of the late 90s, early 2000s didn't have the supporting cast Mo did to put him in a position to log the incredible post-season numbers he did. You've got to have a lead to close to become the greatest closer of all time, right?

Speaking of that supporting cast, I think there's a little "reverse" Yankee bias at work. I mean, you compare Bernie WIlliams' numbers to first ballot HOFer Kirby Puckett, and it's a little curious how Bernie has fallen off the ballot.

Jorge Posada had one of the best offensive catching careers in history, but he couldn't even get 5% of the vote to stay on the ballot.

Not saying these guys are slam dunks, they are most definitely not, but I believe they deserved more consideration than they got.


Re: Griffey-I think he had 2 writers leave him off, but I don't know if they were ever publicly identified. It's ridiculous that he wasn't unanimous, and those writers should be ashamed.

 

[StanMarsh51]

Fair points. But if Mo played for the Reds, do you REALLY think he would have been unanimous?

Griffey wasn’t unanimous.

There's a decent chance that the 3 voters that didn't vote for Griffey aren't voters anymore. Once a writer gets to the 10 year mark from the last time they covered baseball, their voter status is stripped.

Not to mention, 2018 is the first year they decided to make all ballots public after voting, so if Griffey were on the ballot this year, you'd think he would also get 100%.

Transparency will make HOF voting a whole new game

 

[MilkSpiller22]

Probably not, because the Reds of the late 90s, early 2000s didn't have the supporting cast Mo did to put him in a position to log the incredible post-season numbers he did. You've got to have a lead to close to become the greatest closer of all time, right?

Speaking of that supporting cast, I think there's a little "reverse" Yankee bias at work. I mean, you compare Bernie WIlliams' numbers to first ballot HOFer Kirby Puckett, and it's a little curious how Bernie has fallen off the ballot.

Jorge Posada had one of the best offensive catching careers in history, but he couldn't even get 5% of the vote to stay on the ballot.

Not saying these guys are slam dunks, they are most definitely not, but I believe they deserved more consideration than they got.


Re: Griffey-I think he had 2 writers leave him off, but I don't know if they were ever publicly identified. It's ridiculous that he wasn't unanimous, and those writers should be ashamed.

I would say the most important part about Mo is his playoffs... Sure he got the loss in the 2001 WS... But his Postseason/WS numbers are pretty insane...

Regular season creates greatness, but playoffs creates legends... Mo, would not have been a LEGEND if he was on the reds... So it is kind of an unfair comparison...

But I don't think it is the Yankee history that made him unanimous...

He was unanimous for three reasons(besides the obvious reasons that he deserved to be a HOFer)

1. He is the best relief pitcher of ALL TIME
2. He is a legend(thanks to the championships won)
3. Weak HOF class

 

[calsnowskier]

Probably not, because the Reds of the late 90s, early 2000s didn't have the supporting cast Mo did to put him in a position to log the incredible post-season numbers he did. You've got to have a lead to close to become the greatest closer of all time, right?

Speaking of that supporting cast, I think there's a little "reverse" Yankee bias at work. I mean, you compare Bernie WIlliams' numbers to first ballot HOFer Kirby Puckett, and it's a little curious how Bernie has fallen off the ballot.

Jorge Posada had one of the best offensive catching careers in history, but he couldn't even get 5% of the vote to stay on the ballot.

Not saying these guys are slam dunks, they are most definitely not, but I believe they deserved more consideration than they got.


Re: Griffey-I think he had 2 writers leave him off, but I don't know if they were ever publicly identified. It's ridiculous that he wasn't unanimous, and those writers should be ashamed.

Puckett is one of the lower tier HOFers, to be fair. And if his name were brought up today, I doubt he stays on the ballot for more than a few years before dropping off (given revelations after his election).

 

[calsnowskier]

Ok, place him on the Braves instead...

 

[nynasty]

Mussina going in with no logo on his cap.

Figured it would be the O's. That franchise can use any boost it can get these days.

 

[VikingFan2k2]

Mussina going in with no logo on his cap.

Figured it would be the O's. That franchise can use any boost it can get these days.

Why? Is he just concerned about pissing off either fanbase? He should go in as an Oriole, but it wouldn't be a travesty if he went in as a Yankee.

Just pick one you Robot!

 

[nynasty]

Why? Is he just concerned about pissing off either fanbase? He should go in as an Oriole, but it wouldn't be a travesty if he went in as a Yankee.

Just pick one you Robot!

I guess Halladay is also going in logo-free. I understand he had some great post-season moments as a Phillie, but I'll always think of him as a Blue Jay.

 

[calsnowskier]

The Hall makes the decision on which cap the player will wear, although they do strongly consider the players input. I would guess that Halladay’s wife (I am assuming he was married) passed on his desire to go in logo-less. He seems a clear Blue Jay, IMHO...

 

[calsnowskier]

Actually, the more I look at it, it is an insult to the Blue Jays fans and organization that he isn’t wearing a Jays cap. He had 2 great years with Philly and 1.5 bad years. He had 7 or 8 good/great years with Toronto.

 

[Pure Steel]

Mussina going in with no logo on his cap.

Figured it would be the O's. That franchise can use any boost it can get these days.

I just read he's using the Lamda Lamda Lamda logo.....from what I've heard, he's pretty much a nerd......

 

[Liberal Icon]

Yep. Exact same reason clemens is getting black balled.

Interesting that I met Clemens at Memphis Airport to Colorado when I was returning to California after visiting my folks in Jonesboro,Arkansas 5 years ago. He was a gentleman and did not fit the vitriol spewed his way because of alleged steroids use.
Interesting also that one espn baseball sports writer Buster Olney put it best:
"BBWAA writers should relinquish throne as HOF's moral gatekeepers"


"For starters, the person believed to have written the character clause, former commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis, worked to keep the sport segregated, and that in itself should have been enough to appraise the depth and significance of the character clause.

For the record: I stopped voting in the Hall of Fame last year. Before that, I voted for who I believed to be the best players on the ballot, regardless of PED history, for a couple of reasons."

 

[SU Nittany Tide]

I guess Halladay is also going in logo-free. I understand he had some great post-season moments as a Phillie, but I'll always think of him as a Blue Jay.

Of course you root for a team in that division so it'd make sense to affiliate him with the Jays more.

 

[calsnowskier]

Of course you root for a team in that division so it'd make sense to affiliate him with the Jays more.

Do some research...

Roy Halladay Stats | Baseball-Reference.com

Dude hardly unpacked his suitcase in Philly.

 

[SU Nittany Tide]

Do some research...

Roy Halladay Stats | Baseball-Reference.com

Dude hardly unpacked his suitcase in Philly.

You don't think I'm aware of his time in Philly?

 

[calsnowskier]

You don't think I'm aware of his time in Philly?

If you mock someone who thinks he should wear a BJ cap in the Hall, I assumed you weren’t familiar with his career.

 

[SU Nittany Tide]

If you mock someone who thinks he should wear a BJ cap in the Hall, I assumed you weren’t familiar with his career.

You have an odd definition of mock.

Halladay is one of my all time favorite players.

 

[calsnowskier]

You have an odd definition of mock.

Halladay is one of my all time favorite players.

If by “Of course you root for a team in that division so it'd make sense to affiliate him with the Jays more.”, you meant “Of course you follow baseball, so it’d make sense to affiliate him with the Jays more.”, I apologize. I misunderstood your post.

 

[raptorlife4]

Actually, the more I look at it, it is an insult to the Blue Jays fans and organization that he isn’t wearing a Jays cap. He had 2 great years with Philly and 1.5 bad years. He had 7 or 8 good/great years with Toronto.

Halladay was on video saying he wants to go into the Hall as a Blue Jay.

Obviously his family feels different and you cant really argue with all they have been through

Baseball fans know Halladay is a Blue Jay and always will be. He even signed the old 1 day deal to retire a Blue Jay

 

[calsnowskier]

Halladay was on video saying he wants to go into the Hall as a Blue Jay.

Obviously his family feels different and you cant really argue with all they have been through

Baseball fans know Halladay is a Blue Jay and always will be. He even signed the old 1 day deal to retire a Blue Jay

All they have been through?

He died in a self-caused accident. Not to diminish the guy or say it was easy, but that doesn’t qualify as an “all they have been through” type of experience, IMHO.

I hadn’t heard he was already on record with his desire to go in as a Jay. I would be interested to hear the Hall’s explanation for going against those wishes.