Your 2009 HOF Ballot

[redsfandan]

The official ballots are due today with the results to be announced on Jan. 12th. I thought we may have some people with their own opinions on this and that they might like to debate the merits of the candidates. I was going to add bios/stats but I think we have people that can articulate the pros and cons of these players better than I can.

Here are the candidates:

Jim Rice
Tommy John
Dave Parker
Harold Baines
Don Mattingly
Tim Raines
Lee Smith
Bert Blyleven
David Cone
Mo Vaughn
Matt Williams
Lee Smith
Alan Trammell
Greg Vaughn
Jay Bell
Andre Dawson
Ron Gant
Mark Grace
Rickey Henderson
Mark McGwire
Jack Morris
Dale Murphy
Jesse Orosco
Dan Plesac

[reds77]

I'd say Rickey is getting in.

[RedLegsToday]

Tim Raines - great player for the first half of his long career 808 sb with an 84.7% success rate
Bert Blyleven - 287 wins, just under 5000 ip, 60 shutouts, was 3rd on all-time strikeout list when he retired
Alan Trammell - excellent defensive and offensive shortstop. Plus, if he gets in, there's no way to not put Barry Larkin in!
Andre Dawson - 8 GG in centerfield, 438 homeruns, 1591 rbi. I think the Hall is starting to get too exclusive compared to its past elections, so, Dawson gets my vote even with the very low career ob% (.323)
Rickey Henderson - all time leader in runs scored, stolen bases, 2nd in walks, MVP, single season SB king, 3000+ hits
Mark McGwire - one of MLB's pioneers in chemical, physical enhancement. Without him we would never have gotten to see Barry Bonds 2001-2004, multiple 60 hr seasons, Roger Clemens winning a Cy Young in his 40's, etc, etc. Oh, he also smacked 583 hr at a higher rate than anyone in history. Won a GG, so, at least for the first half of his career he was decent defensively. Has the 12th best OPS+ of all-time (162). Plus, he hit the longest homerun in Riverfront Stadium history.

[Bumstead]

Ricky Henderson is a no-brainer. Bert Blyleven should already be in the Hall of Fame; if he's not in, there's no point IMHO in discussing the other candidates, especially pitchers. Of course Dawson and Rice have their own merits. As much as I like Dave Parker, I think he is a bit of a fringe candidate unfortunately...

Of course Buster Olney would put a cheater (McGwire) in the Hall and leave Blyleven out...and he has a vote....

McGwire should be in the Steroid Hall of Shame with before and after photos, just sitting there waiting for Bonds, Sosa, Palmeiro and friends to join him....:

Bum

[reds1869]

Ron Gant and Dan Plesac? Seriously?

[redsfandan]

Originally Posted by Herd Fan

Ron Gant and Dan Plesac? Seriously?

Once it's been 5 years since the player retired they are automatically on the ballot. That doesn't mean they'll receive enough votes to STAY on the ballot, much less get in.

[TheNext44]

My ballot would have:

Jim Rice
Tim Raines
Burt Blyleven
Rickey Henderson
Andre Dawson and
Dave Concepcion

I might put on Lee Smith just because he was better than Goose Gossage or Bruce Sutter, and they both are in, but I don't think any of the three should be in.

As for Rice, the big reason why people don't want him in is that he played much better at Fenway, which was even more hitter friendly back then, than he did on the road.

However, I just don’t see why where a guy played is relevant to whether or not he should be in the Hall Of Fame. The Hall of Fame is not for the players with the most talent or the most skills, or the players who put up the best stats, it is for the players who were the most valuable to their team over a long career. It is for the players who were the best at their position over a long career.
Rice clearly was that. He played for the Red Sox his whole career, and was one of their star players for over 10 years, and was one of the best left fielders in the game for over 10 years. From 1975 to 1986 he was the best LF in OPS in his league 7 times, and in the top 3 every other year.

Whether he might not have been as valuable if he played for other teams is irrelevant. Who knows, if he played in Dodger stadium, maybe he would have adjusted him game and put up similar numbers. Just because he didn’t do it on the road as a Red Sox does not mean that he wouldn’t have, if he had been playing his whole career at another stadium. If you think you can assume that he would not have, then you are making grand assumptions from stats that should not be made.

The fact is that Jim Rice was a Hall of Fame player as a Red Sox. Would he have been playing for another team? We will never know and it doesn’t matter.

[JayBruceFan]

Jim Rice
Don Mattingly
Lee Smith
Andre Dawson
Rickey Henderson
Mark McGwire
Jesse Orosco

[reds1869]

Originally Posted by redsfandan

Once it's been 5 years since the player retired they are automatically on the ballot. That doesn't mean they'll receive enough votes to STAY on the ballot, much less get in.

Not the case. Here is a list of players who are newly eligible who did not make the ballot, per the BBWA:

Steve Avery, Jason Bere, Mike Bordick, John Burkett, Omar Daal, Joe Girardi, Mark Guthrie, Joey Hamilton, Bill Haselman, Darren Holmes, Trenidad Hubbard, Todd Hundley, Brian L. Hunter, Félix José, Chad Kreuter, Graeme Lloyd, Keith Lockhart, Albie Lopez, Pat Mahomes, Al Martin, Orlando Merced, Charles Nagy, Denny Neagle, Troy O'Leary, Lance Painter, Dean Palmer, Craig Paquette, Tom Prince, Jeff Reboulet, Rick Reed, Rich Rodriguez, Terry Shumpert, Luis Sojo, Dave Veres, Matt Walbeck, Mike Williams and Kevin Young.

[redsfandan]

Woops, That's egg on my face. It would make sense that more than just a couple players retired five years ago. Hopefully someone else has a more informed explanation.

[Hybrid]

I seriously hope McGwire never gets in.

My picks would be:
Ricky Henderson
Jim Rice
Don Mattingly

[steig]

I would put in Ricky Henderson only. Although I think Tim Raines will be selected by the writers, but probably not until his 2nd year. And I think McGwire will get the exact same number of votes for the HOF this year as he did the previous two years.

[BigREDSfaninKY]

Rice
Dawson
Henderson
Blyleven

[Kingspoint]

Dale Murphy 1st
Jim Rice 2nd
Rickey Henderson 3rd

[LexingtonLegend]

Although his numbers may not jump off the page when you look at them, I think Don Mattingly played the game the way it should always be played. I grew up with him as one of my favorite players, along with Cal Ripken Jr. I would definitely vote for him, along with Rickey Henderson, and possibly Andre Dawson