(no subject)
Dec. 1st, 2002 03:55 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
yendiSo. the ballot for next year's Hall of Fame inductions has been released. Not that I'm allowed to vote, but I'm sure as hell opinionated about it. And since I should be getting to sleep, I figure I'll ramble now, so even folks who understand baseball will be baffled.
(note: Anyone with an "x" before their name is on the ballot for the first time).
There are four people on the ballot who, in my not-so-humble opinion, should be in the Hall of Fame:
Gary Carter -- I'm not sure anyone really believes he doesn't belong any more. As each year goes by, it becomes more and more clear that no modern catcher is capable of what he did for such a long period of time. Carter not only called a great game, but provided great offensive stats even though he spent half his career in a pitcher's park, and the other half on the Expos. And he provided leadership on teams that were completely devoid of any (I mean, he took the walking cocaine factory that was the '86 Mets and actually got them to play). Since Johnny Bench, there hasn't been a catcher in the same league, including Rodriguez and Piazza.
x-Eddie Murray -- He'll be in on his first ballot, with no complaints from me. Simply one of the greatest offensive players of my lifetime.
Dave Parker -- How the fuck is he not in the HOF already? How did he almost fall off the ballot last year? In nineteen years, he gave us a .290 average, led the league in total bases. average, and doubles any number of times, won three Gold Gloves, an MVP, and was a good chunk of the We Are Family Pirates. Tony Fucking Perez is a Hall of Famer, and this guy isn't? Sorry. I don't buy it.
x-Lee Smith -- The reason no other relievers have a chance this year.
Folks who are borderline for me:
Steve Garvey -- He's easily as good as a lot of players in the Hall. But in this day and age, a solid first baseman is something most teams take for granted. He's right on the edge for me (although I don't care for him as a person), but not as good as the other people up for the Hall this year.
Don Mattingly -- So on the edge for me. In his best years, he was as good as anyone. But he had too few years. Didn't stop Koufax from making the Hall, though.
Dale Murphy -- He had a great career, playing for wretched teams. I think he's remembered as being better than he was, but he was solid for most of his career, and amazing for a few years.
x-Ryne Sandberg -- Another one on the edge for me. I think he might make it into the Hall in a less crowded year.
Alan Trammell -- great player. An example of how someone can be great because of the intangibles. Which means that each year, he'll slip on the ballot, as fewer people remember what he was like, and people judge him based on sheets of paper. As it stands, I keep flip-flopping on whether he's good enough, but I'll bet he's better than lots of folks ahead of him on the ballot.
As for everyone else:
Bert Blyleven -- He was good. Probably better than a few folks who are in the HoF (Gaylord Perry, anyone?). But he had so many bad seasons near the end of his career. Not just the one off-season most folks have before retiring. He was damned good, and deserves to be rememberd, but not as a Hall of Famer.
x-Brett Butler -- Solid, and a good leader, but no way is he Hall materal.
x-Vince Coleman --Dear God, no way in hell!
Dave Concepcion -- Great Glove. Not much else.
x-Darren Daulton -- He had a few great years near the end of his career. But he's not HOF material. Not even close.
x-Mark Davis -- Proof that winning a Cy Young award doesn't mean much. If he gets enough votes to stay on the ballot next year, it's a sign that we really need to do drug testing amongst the voters.
Andre Dawson -- Another talented player, but not talented enough for the Hall.
x-Sid Fernandez -- Sure, if every year were 1986.
Rich Gossage -- I grew up admiring the Goose, but he's no Lee Smith.
Keith Hernandez -- a great player for a few years, and if he hadn't fucked himself up so much, he might have gotten a few more star seasons in.
x-Rick Honeycutt -- Not even close, really.
x-Danny Jackson -- Ditto.
Tommy John -- Was my favorite Yankee one year. But he didn't have a good enough career. Although his surgery ensures that his name will be remembered for a long time.
Jim Kaat -- Will probably get in when the verteran's committee votes on him in a few years. Won't deserve it then, either.
x-Darryl Kile -- Early on the ballot thanks to the tragedy, but not HoF material.
Jack Morris -- Good, not great.
x-Tony Pena -- Um. Right.
Jim Rice -- Great, but he faded so fast.
Bruce Sutter -- Nope.
x-Danny Tartabull -- BWAHAHAHA! Yeah, sure. Maybe Cory Snyder will get elected, too.
x-Mickey Tettleton -- Hitting 30 homers in four seasons is nice, but hitting above .250 every once in a while would be nice, too.
x-Fernando Valenzuela -- Um. Right. Shoot me if this happens. Yeah, he was great when he started. But he lost it. Fast.
x-Mitch Williams -- Wild Thing was a blast, but he wasn't a HoF-calibre material (even you adjust for the short careerspan of a great reliever). Certainly, with Smith on the ballot, he's got no chance this year.
x-Todd Worrell -- A great wit, but not a great player.
Not on the ballot: Pete Rose. Proof that baseball is still fucked up. The man may be scum, but Ty Cobb was the apotheosis of scum, and he's in. Rose deserves to be on the ballot.
(note: Anyone with an "x" before their name is on the ballot for the first time).
There are four people on the ballot who, in my not-so-humble opinion, should be in the Hall of Fame:
Gary Carter -- I'm not sure anyone really believes he doesn't belong any more. As each year goes by, it becomes more and more clear that no modern catcher is capable of what he did for such a long period of time. Carter not only called a great game, but provided great offensive stats even though he spent half his career in a pitcher's park, and the other half on the Expos. And he provided leadership on teams that were completely devoid of any (I mean, he took the walking cocaine factory that was the '86 Mets and actually got them to play). Since Johnny Bench, there hasn't been a catcher in the same league, including Rodriguez and Piazza.
x-Eddie Murray -- He'll be in on his first ballot, with no complaints from me. Simply one of the greatest offensive players of my lifetime.
Dave Parker -- How the fuck is he not in the HOF already? How did he almost fall off the ballot last year? In nineteen years, he gave us a .290 average, led the league in total bases. average, and doubles any number of times, won three Gold Gloves, an MVP, and was a good chunk of the We Are Family Pirates. Tony Fucking Perez is a Hall of Famer, and this guy isn't? Sorry. I don't buy it.
x-Lee Smith -- The reason no other relievers have a chance this year.
Folks who are borderline for me:
Steve Garvey -- He's easily as good as a lot of players in the Hall. But in this day and age, a solid first baseman is something most teams take for granted. He's right on the edge for me (although I don't care for him as a person), but not as good as the other people up for the Hall this year.
Don Mattingly -- So on the edge for me. In his best years, he was as good as anyone. But he had too few years. Didn't stop Koufax from making the Hall, though.
Dale Murphy -- He had a great career, playing for wretched teams. I think he's remembered as being better than he was, but he was solid for most of his career, and amazing for a few years.
x-Ryne Sandberg -- Another one on the edge for me. I think he might make it into the Hall in a less crowded year.
Alan Trammell -- great player. An example of how someone can be great because of the intangibles. Which means that each year, he'll slip on the ballot, as fewer people remember what he was like, and people judge him based on sheets of paper. As it stands, I keep flip-flopping on whether he's good enough, but I'll bet he's better than lots of folks ahead of him on the ballot.
As for everyone else:
Bert Blyleven -- He was good. Probably better than a few folks who are in the HoF (Gaylord Perry, anyone?). But he had so many bad seasons near the end of his career. Not just the one off-season most folks have before retiring. He was damned good, and deserves to be rememberd, but not as a Hall of Famer.
x-Brett Butler -- Solid, and a good leader, but no way is he Hall materal.
x-Vince Coleman --Dear God, no way in hell!
Dave Concepcion -- Great Glove. Not much else.
x-Darren Daulton -- He had a few great years near the end of his career. But he's not HOF material. Not even close.
x-Mark Davis -- Proof that winning a Cy Young award doesn't mean much. If he gets enough votes to stay on the ballot next year, it's a sign that we really need to do drug testing amongst the voters.
Andre Dawson -- Another talented player, but not talented enough for the Hall.
x-Sid Fernandez -- Sure, if every year were 1986.
Rich Gossage -- I grew up admiring the Goose, but he's no Lee Smith.
Keith Hernandez -- a great player for a few years, and if he hadn't fucked himself up so much, he might have gotten a few more star seasons in.
x-Rick Honeycutt -- Not even close, really.
x-Danny Jackson -- Ditto.
Tommy John -- Was my favorite Yankee one year. But he didn't have a good enough career. Although his surgery ensures that his name will be remembered for a long time.
Jim Kaat -- Will probably get in when the verteran's committee votes on him in a few years. Won't deserve it then, either.
x-Darryl Kile -- Early on the ballot thanks to the tragedy, but not HoF material.
Jack Morris -- Good, not great.
x-Tony Pena -- Um. Right.
Jim Rice -- Great, but he faded so fast.
Bruce Sutter -- Nope.
x-Danny Tartabull -- BWAHAHAHA! Yeah, sure. Maybe Cory Snyder will get elected, too.
x-Mickey Tettleton -- Hitting 30 homers in four seasons is nice, but hitting above .250 every once in a while would be nice, too.
x-Fernando Valenzuela -- Um. Right. Shoot me if this happens. Yeah, he was great when he started. But he lost it. Fast.
x-Mitch Williams -- Wild Thing was a blast, but he wasn't a HoF-calibre material (even you adjust for the short careerspan of a great reliever). Certainly, with Smith on the ballot, he's got no chance this year.
x-Todd Worrell -- A great wit, but not a great player.
Not on the ballot: Pete Rose. Proof that baseball is still fucked up. The man may be scum, but Ty Cobb was the apotheosis of scum, and he's in. Rose deserves to be on the ballot.
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(no subject)
Date: 2002-12-01 08:05 am (UTC)Dale Murphy (Yeah, Murph played in Philly for a while, not just for the Braves)
Darren Daulton
Mitch Williams
While the preceeding provided entertainment in their day, they are most definitely not names that are widely remembered outside of their time, except for maybe things more infamous than famous. (i.e., serving up the Joe Carter pitch.)
Some of the other candidates make me snort...Fernando? wtf. Rick Honeycutt?
I'm starting to feel really old that these players name's that I took for granted as a part of my lexicon as a kid are all now Hall material. (allegedly)
In my opinion, the following are worthy:
Gary Carter
Eddie Murray
Lee Smith (wow, I can't believe he's retired. sigh)
Don Mattingly
Ryne Sandberg (c'mon, its Ryn-o here)
Andre Dawson (c'mon, perennial Gold Glove winner..)
Mmmk...that's about it. Sorry for commandeering your post. :D
(no subject)
Date: 2002-12-01 02:56 pm (UTC)Re:
Date: 2002-12-01 05:00 pm (UTC)I can also rant about football and how the Eagles just kicked the Rams out of playoff contention. :D
(no subject)
Date: 2002-12-02 12:55 pm (UTC)The Rams losing is always a good thing. :-)
Re:
Date: 2002-12-02 02:32 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2002-12-02 11:24 am (UTC)