Congrats to Frank Thomas, Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux on being voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. All three are deserving candidates.
That being said, all three are absolutely no brainers. In short, here is what I think about this vote.
1. For the 16 writers who did not vote for Greg Maddux: I will make no attempt, nor justification, concerning the blinkard, Philistine pig-ignorance of not voting for someone on the first ballot. Your votes should be taken away. Don't vote for him because you don't want to, not because of some foolish notion that no one is a 100% Hall of Fame player. If you, as one of the Dodgers writers did, chose not to vote for him because of the era he played in. you are even more foolish.
2. Jack Morris was not elected. In one of my previous posts, I pointed out that without his post-season record, he is Dennis Martinez. Even with his post-season record, he is a less worthy candidate than Curt Schilling. http://cansofcool.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-keltner-list-jack-morris.html
To make the argument that he was the Pitcher of the 1980s is foolish, as it pays attention to one thing: he won more games than anyone else in the 1980s. Who won more Cy Youngs in the 1980s than Morris? Roger Clemens, Steve Stone and Lamarr Hoyt to name a few. Hoyt led the league in wins more times in the 1980s than Morris. The pitcher of the 1980s is most likely Roger Clemens, not Jack Morris.
Mark Grace had more hits than anyone in baseball in the 1990s, and was on the All Star team 3 times, never finished higher than 13th in the MVP voting. Does this mean that he is a hall of famer because he had the most-of-something in a decade? The same voters do not think so, as Grace disappeared after receiving 4.1% of the votes in 2009.
3. Craig Biggio missed induction by two votes; one writer sent in a blank ballot, an several are on record saying that they will not vote for anyone who did PEDs. Biggio is not linked to PEDs. Why not vote for a man who was an All Star at two of the most demanding defensive positions as well as one of the top leadoff and number two hitters of the 1990s? Who knows? To repeat: one writer sent in a blank ballot as a protest, another refuses to vote for anyone who played in the 1990s. So who voted for Jacque Jones?
4. Of the "certain" users, Rafael Palmeiro will be off the ballot next year, even though Tom Singer described him as a "constant marvel" before he was caught doping. Singer did not vote for Bonds.
Pre PED MVPs for Bonds: 4
Career MVPs for Palmeiro: 0. Nada, Zilch, Bumpkis.
Pre PED All Star Games for Bonds: 8
Career All Star Games for Palmeiro: 4
Before Bonds went on the PEDs in 1998 he was the best player in baseball. Palmeiro was a good first baseman. Mr. Singer, no offense, but that "constant marvel" line is silly. Barry Bonds pre PEDs was three times the player that Palmeiro ever was.
5. Rafael Palmeiro will be the first player in baseball history to have 3000 hits and not be in the hall. That is unless the Vets Committee comes up with a way of dealing with the steroid era.
6. Alan Trammel will probably not get voted in; next year, players such as Randy Johnson, Gary Sheffield, John Smoltz and Pedro Martinez will crowd him off. This is a crime.
7. Lee Smith will probably disappear next year as well, even though he should not. Since one fool voted for Benitez this year, some fool or two will vote for Troy Percival next year and not vote for Lee Smith.
8. I am surprised that Larry Walker did not crack 20% of the vote. He deserved more, as did Fred McGriff. I am not sure that they are Hall of Famers, but they are better than their vote percentage.
That being said, all three are absolutely no brainers. In short, here is what I think about this vote.
1. For the 16 writers who did not vote for Greg Maddux: I will make no attempt, nor justification, concerning the blinkard, Philistine pig-ignorance of not voting for someone on the first ballot. Your votes should be taken away. Don't vote for him because you don't want to, not because of some foolish notion that no one is a 100% Hall of Fame player. If you, as one of the Dodgers writers did, chose not to vote for him because of the era he played in. you are even more foolish.
2. Jack Morris was not elected. In one of my previous posts, I pointed out that without his post-season record, he is Dennis Martinez. Even with his post-season record, he is a less worthy candidate than Curt Schilling. http://cansofcool.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-keltner-list-jack-morris.html
To make the argument that he was the Pitcher of the 1980s is foolish, as it pays attention to one thing: he won more games than anyone else in the 1980s. Who won more Cy Youngs in the 1980s than Morris? Roger Clemens, Steve Stone and Lamarr Hoyt to name a few. Hoyt led the league in wins more times in the 1980s than Morris. The pitcher of the 1980s is most likely Roger Clemens, not Jack Morris.
Mark Grace had more hits than anyone in baseball in the 1990s, and was on the All Star team 3 times, never finished higher than 13th in the MVP voting. Does this mean that he is a hall of famer because he had the most-of-something in a decade? The same voters do not think so, as Grace disappeared after receiving 4.1% of the votes in 2009.
3. Craig Biggio missed induction by two votes; one writer sent in a blank ballot, an several are on record saying that they will not vote for anyone who did PEDs. Biggio is not linked to PEDs. Why not vote for a man who was an All Star at two of the most demanding defensive positions as well as one of the top leadoff and number two hitters of the 1990s? Who knows? To repeat: one writer sent in a blank ballot as a protest, another refuses to vote for anyone who played in the 1990s. So who voted for Jacque Jones?
4. Of the "certain" users, Rafael Palmeiro will be off the ballot next year, even though Tom Singer described him as a "constant marvel" before he was caught doping. Singer did not vote for Bonds.
Pre PED MVPs for Bonds: 4
Career MVPs for Palmeiro: 0. Nada, Zilch, Bumpkis.
Pre PED All Star Games for Bonds: 8
Career All Star Games for Palmeiro: 4
Before Bonds went on the PEDs in 1998 he was the best player in baseball. Palmeiro was a good first baseman. Mr. Singer, no offense, but that "constant marvel" line is silly. Barry Bonds pre PEDs was three times the player that Palmeiro ever was.
5. Rafael Palmeiro will be the first player in baseball history to have 3000 hits and not be in the hall. That is unless the Vets Committee comes up with a way of dealing with the steroid era.
6. Alan Trammel will probably not get voted in; next year, players such as Randy Johnson, Gary Sheffield, John Smoltz and Pedro Martinez will crowd him off. This is a crime.
7. Lee Smith will probably disappear next year as well, even though he should not. Since one fool voted for Benitez this year, some fool or two will vote for Troy Percival next year and not vote for Lee Smith.
8. I am surprised that Larry Walker did not crack 20% of the vote. He deserved more, as did Fred McGriff. I am not sure that they are Hall of Famers, but they are better than their vote percentage.
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