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Craig Biggio Hall of Famer?

Discussion in 'Anything goes' started by boots, Aug 1, 2006.

  1. playthrough

    playthrough Moderator Staff Member

    I wish the baseball HOF selection was like football's, with about 16 (?) or so football writers and others in a room debating the candidates and just spitting out the winners. None of this ballot bullcrap with percentages and the like.

    Baseball voters also love to get cute and stupid with their selections. I think Biggio should be in (repeat: he SHOULD be in), but just watch. If he retires before 3000 hits, he'll end up a few percentage points shy for HOF while voters parse through his lack of a ring and other assorted hoohah. He'll also be hurt if he's on a ballot with other sure inductees, as some of the voters would rather have a brain vessel burst than vote in more than two guys a year. They'll say he's not "first-ballot" material, blah blah blah, which will only make it easier to vote against him in future years.

    Again, hope I'm wrong...
     
  2. zeke12

    zeke12 Guest

    I don't see Biggio going in first ballot, unless he gets to 3K.

    But he won't have to wait that long for a down class.
     
  3. BYH

    BYH Active Member

    Yes, because it's a good idea to establish a MINIMUM number of people the electorate has to, uhh, elect every year.

    the Pro Football Hall of Fame voting policy is a joke.
     
  4. Della9250

    Della9250 Well-Known Member

    Larkin shouldn't be in because Biggio should, Larkin should be in because he's got the offensive numbers better than all of the shortstops already in the Hall, save for Banks, Young and Wagner.

    He was a 12-time all star and a three-time gold glover to go with the MVP and nine sliver slugger awards.
     
  5. X-Hack

    X-Hack Well-Known Member

    Alan Trammell should be in under the same criteria. He doesn't have the MVP, but he should have won it in '87 (another time when the writers really had their heads up their asses). He has the WS and the WS MVP. Also offensive numbers better than any of the SS in the hall, save for the ones you mentioned (though unlike Banks and Yount, he played essentially his whole career at SS. Banks and Yount played at least half their careers elsewhere). Four Gold Gloves. If Larkin gets in, Tram should be in. They were essentially the same player.
     
  6. Human_Paraquat

    Human_Paraquat Well-Known Member

    Um, no. Stop. You can make a strong case for Santo based on his playing career. But outside of Cubland, he is not considered a good announcer. He doesn't belong with the likes of Scully, Buck, Harwell, Uecker, etc. who are nationally known and respected for their broadcast abilities.

    All of those people would be good announcers for any team at any time in their career. Santo is only tolerable as a Cub announcer, and it Pat Hughes wasn't so good, he might not have lasted this long.
     
  7. Della9250

    Della9250 Well-Known Member

    Don't disagree with you, but it makes me wonder about Larkin since Trammell's been on the ballot five years and last year was the highest percentage he got and it was 17.7 percent. It makes me wonder about a prejudice against shortstops, since after next year, Ripken and Ozzie are the only true shortstops from the past 40 years to be inducted.

    I mean, here's the list, with induction year, counting Banks and Yount.

    Luis Aparicio 1984
    Luke Appling 1964
    Dave Bancroft 1971
    Ernie Banks 1977
    Lou Boudreau 1970
    Joe Cronin 1956
    George Davis 1998
    Travis Jackson 1982
    Hughie Jennings 1945
    Rabbit Maranville 1954
    Pee Wee Reese 1984
    Phil Rizzuto 1994
    Joe Sewell 1977
    Ozzie Smith 2002
    Joe Tinker 1946
    Arky Vaughan 1985
    Honus Wagner 1936
    Bobby Wallace 1953
    Monte Ward 1964
    Robin Yount 1999

    20 shortstops in the Hall and only 2 started their careers after 1954 (Yount in 1974 and Ozzie in 1978). Doesn't that seem just a bit odd??
     
  8. PopeDirkBenedict

    PopeDirkBenedict Active Member

    I agree that the minimum rule for the PFHoF is a joke. But I like the idea of getting a small number of voters in the room and hashing it out. I think you have a more informed vote if you hear the arguments from both sides in real time. I like the idea of winnowing the ballot before the final voting begins. The baseball voting is getting to be like the Heisman -- everyone gets a vote. You cover baseball for 10 years, step right up and get your HOF vote.
     
  9. Bubbler

    Bubbler Well-Known Member

    Shit, I've been going to baseball games for (gulp) 30 years and I have a vote.

    Get your speech ready, Jamie Cocanhower!
     
  10. BYH

    BYH Active Member

    I don't know the rules for Heisman eligibility, but I would think the 10-year thing makes it far more exclusive than a club where everyone gets a vote. How many baseball writers stick 10 years nowadays? I think the electorate (currently just over 500, I believe) will shrink as newspapers get leaner and leaner.

    And I'd rather have 500-odd people voting than one guy from each city. Pretty easy to get shouted down in that scenario.

    And the Baseball HOF policies make it pretty difficult to NOT be informed. Players are eligible five years after retirement and for 15 years thereafter. If a guy doesn't make it to the HOF 20 years after his retirement, he doesn't deserve it. Period. Even two-bit's favorite player, Bill Mazeroski. (These may also be the requirements for the Football HOF, I don't know)
     
  11. Freelance Hack

    Freelance Hack Active Member

    If Jamie Cocanower gets in the hall -- which he should with paid admission -- so should Buddy Biancalana
     
  12. Songbird

    Songbird Well-Known Member

    And Casey Candale from ... Lompoc. (pronounced lom-POKE not lom-POCK).
     
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