On my ballot, there were 6 players worthy of induction to the Baseball Hall of Fame: Jeff Bagwell, Barry Larkin, Edgar Martinez, Mark McGwire, Tim Raines and Alan Trammel but this year only Barry Larkin will be getting inducted in Cooperstown on July 22nd. Congrats Barry!
The Results:
Barry Larkin 495 (86.4%), Jack Morris 382 (66.7%), Jeff Bagwell 321 (56.0%), Lee Smith 290 (50.6%), Tim Raines 279 (48.7%), Edgar Martinez 209 (36.5%), Alan Trammell 211 (36.8%), Fred McGriff 137 (23.9%), Larry Walker 131 (22.9%), Mark McGwire 112 (19.5%), Don Mattingly 102 (17.8%), Dale Murphy 83 (14.5%), Rafael Palmeiro 72 (12.6%), Bernie Williams 55 (9.6%), Juan Gonzalez 23 (4.0%), Vinny Castilla 6 (1.0%), Tim Salmon 5 (0.9%), Bill Mueller 4 (0.7%), Brad Radke 2 (0.3%), Javy Lopez 1 (0.2%), Eric Young 1 (0.2%), Jeromy Burnitz 0, Brian Jordan 0, Terry Mulholland 0, Phil Nevin 0, Ruben Sierra 0, Tony Womack 0.
Observations:
The Results:
Barry Larkin 495 (86.4%), Jack Morris 382 (66.7%), Jeff Bagwell 321 (56.0%), Lee Smith 290 (50.6%), Tim Raines 279 (48.7%), Edgar Martinez 209 (36.5%), Alan Trammell 211 (36.8%), Fred McGriff 137 (23.9%), Larry Walker 131 (22.9%), Mark McGwire 112 (19.5%), Don Mattingly 102 (17.8%), Dale Murphy 83 (14.5%), Rafael Palmeiro 72 (12.6%), Bernie Williams 55 (9.6%), Juan Gonzalez 23 (4.0%), Vinny Castilla 6 (1.0%), Tim Salmon 5 (0.9%), Bill Mueller 4 (0.7%), Brad Radke 2 (0.3%), Javy Lopez 1 (0.2%), Eric Young 1 (0.2%), Jeromy Burnitz 0, Brian Jordan 0, Terry Mulholland 0, Phil Nevin 0, Ruben Sierra 0, Tony Womack 0.
Observations:
- Jack Morris is gaining momentum and with two years left on the ballot he has a decent chance to get in. On the MLB Network after the announcement of Barry Larkin Ken Rosenthal admitted that although he wasn't a Morris guy, he doesn't necessarily want to end up being "the guy" who didn't let Morris in. That's just pathetic and the sad thing is I'm sure a lot of voters have that mindset, a fear of being different I suppose.
- Jeff Bagwell still has a little ways to go (only 56%) but his future is looking promising with many years left on the ballot. Especially when you consider that the only reason he's not already in the hall is because of suspicions, you have to figure that as time goes by without any steroid implications, Bagwell's totals will increase.
- Tim Raines also has a ways to go but 48.7% of the vote is a nice increase from the 37.5% he had last year. With Blyleven in, all the bloggers in their mother's basement will certainly keep propping up Raines, and this years increase makes his future HOF chances look decent.
- I can't help but think people are voting for Lee Smith because they feel guilty he'll be forgotten since he's no longer the leader in saves. Getting 50.6% of the votes for the Hall of Fame is no small feat and Smith should be proud, but I think he's going to plateau around there.
- Alan Trammell and Edgar Martinez both had solid increases from last year but I fear their totals are still too low to guesstimate their chances.
- I wouldn't vote for Bernie Williams but I'm still glad he stayed on the ballot.
- How did Bill Mueller get 4 votes? As Mr. Angel I could see mustering a vote for Time Salmon, but what did Bill Mueller do to get 4 votes? And Eric Young got a vote? Really?
- Steroids are clearly hurting Palmeiro and McGwire's chances and at this point it's hard to imagine either will ever get in.
Shame that Raines and Bagwell didn't make the cut
ReplyDeleteFrank Thomas next year?
ReplyDeleteBig Hurt should be a first balloter, but he's also guilty of being strong during the 90s, aka suspicious steroid user!
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, certainly a shame Raines and Bagwell couldn't make the cut, but at least they've showed some growth this year.
Bagwell and Raines are both in a three year upward trend. Raines has gone from 22 to 37 to 49. With many years of eligibility left, I think they are a foregone conclusion. Good. Both should already be in.
ReplyDeleteBig Hurt should be a 1st ballot guy but won't. There is no real steroid suspicion about him; the "He was just a DH" thing will hurt him far more.
Trammell (and Whitaker, for that matter) are classic Veterans Committee guys. Not quite good enough to vote in, too good to leave out.
You may have a point with Trammell, but if Larkin got in this early, is he that much better than Trammell?
ReplyDeleteAlan Trammell is first on Barry Larkin's similarity score, and Larkin is 2nd on Trammell's. They both were slick fielding short stops, with around 2300 hits and 190 homers. Trammell has a career 110 OPS+, Larkin's is 116. Larkin has an MVP but Trammell got hosed in 1988 and actually finished on more MVP ballots than Larkin in his career.