Hall of Fame stuff

[yendi]

First, congrats to Cal Ripken, who has shown just how far one can get by putting the "I" in "Team."

Second, huge (and sincere) congrats to Tony Gwynn (and who the fuck were the thirteen people who thought he didn't belong? Okay, I know that Paul Ladewski filed a blank ballot in protest, but who were the others?).

Third, I'm still flip-flopping on Jim Rice. Although if he does make it in next year (his last year of eligibility), it would be a nice touch.

Fourth, I'm definitely behind Goose Gossage.

Fifth, where's the love for Alan Trammell? In six years, the guy has yet to break 20%.

Finally, someone voted for Jay Buhner?

Comments

[badlittlemonkey.livejournal.com]

...Jay Buhner? Whafuck?

No 'I' in 'team'

[chris-walsh.livejournal.com]

You remind me:

I'm particularly fond of the headline I wrote for a preview of the TV version of Dilbert:

There's no 'I' in 'team,' but there is in 'cubicle'

[ckd]

I like Bone. A lot. He's one of the few baseball players with less hair than I have, after all. Fun to watch and Buhner Buzz Night was one of the better charity events in baseball.

But Hall of Fame? For what, being Ken Griffey, Jr's favorite guy-to-my-left? For being the Yankees' equivalent of Jeff Bagwell?

Oh, here's the answer: "He is a genuine character in an arena where the breed is disappearing. He could vomit on cue, one of Buhner's favorite gags."

[alladinsane.livejournal.com]

If Hank Aaron couldnt get a unanimous vote, no one will ever get a unanimous vote to the Hall...

would like to see Jim Rice get there...hopefully if he fails next year, the veterans will see him in...

amen on Goose...if Bruce Sutter can get in, Goose needs to be in too...

[kradical.livejournal.com]

While Ripken is best known for The Streak, he actually, if you look at his numbers, is one of the three best shortstops in the history of the game. Were there times he probably should've sat down for the good of the team? Probably. But anyone who doesn't think he should be in the Hall of Fame is (to use your phrase) on crack.

Jim Rice doesn't belong in the HOF. Neither does Don Mattingly, so I'm not just saying that 'cause I'm a Yankee fan. Both players belong in the Hall of Really Really Good, but you look for reasons not to include people.

Having said that, Rich Gossage was, like, eighty times better than Bruce Sutter ever could be....

As for Buhner, I have no problem with him getting one vote, because that vote was probably a bit of loyalty from a Seattle-area writer, where Buhner was a big hero. No it's the seven people voted for Bret Saberhagen who should have their credentials revoked.

[yendi]

Oh, there's no doubt that Ripken has the numbers for the HOF.

But if you take percentage of vote as an indicator of quality (and it de facto is, at least to the extent that a 75% vote is required for the HOF, and every article is talking about how close to unanimous Gwynn and Ripken were), then the idea that Ripken is better than, say, Brett or Gwynn (to pick two easy examples, since I'm a little too lazy to track down other folks who were further behind) is silly.

And the Saberhagen contingent might well be folks paid off by the bleach industry.

(Or, realistically, the KC version of the Seattle loyalists, remembering the 120 wins and two Cy Youngs by the age of 27 he got there).

[kradical.livejournal.com]

(Or, realistically, the KC version of the Seattle loyalists, remembering the 120 wins and two Cy Youngs by the age of 27 he got there).

Yeah, but seven of them????????? I mean, only one guy voted for Bone.....

[liamstliam.livejournal.com]

You forgot the farce of Mark McGwire, who helped save baseball from itself in 1998, getting 25 percent of the vote.

Sportswriters are assholes (can I say that here?).

I know, because before I became a highly recpected high school History teacher (cough), I was one.