Craig Biggio quitting baseball on Sept. 30

Which is why the Hall of Fame voting process is a joke. If they're not worthy of first-ballot status, they're not worthy period.

 

Oh I agree Buckdubs. But his perceived lack of interest in anything other than mashing the holy hell out of the ball will haunt him.

Nor will it help Manny that he just doesn't give a shit if he gets into the HOF or not.

 

Agree with you on Kent, BYH, but Manny's a first ballot guy all the way.

 

It's a joke all right, but not because of that. Fuck first-ballot status, or whatever significance that's supposed to have. If you're in, you're in and it doesn't matter what ballot you make it on. But I have no problem with taking more time to evaluate a player's career through the corrective lens of history than trying to determine five years after he retires how he stacks up to the all-time greats.

Besides, I'd rather get it right on Bill Mazeroski than be hasty over Chick Fucking Hafey.

And if you think baseball HOF voting is a joke, let's talk about the traveshamockery that is the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Give me Cooperstown over Canton any day.

 

Pro Football has a Hall of Fame? I've never paid attention.

I'm sorry; I just find any entity that thinks Buck O'Neil or Ron Santo hasn't contributed enough to the game to be enshrined to be folly. Not to mention Andre Dawson, Blyleven, Gossage, etc.

 

Buck O'Neil Ambassadors' Award. I'm all for it. Santo should get one, too.

 

I think so too, but my guess is he doesn't go in on the first ballot. Or second.

 

Kind of a fifth or sixth year of eligibility guy, whose totals creep higher and higher every year

 

Yes, but not in the Gary Carter/Bruce Sutter kinda way (well, Sutter took 13 years, but you know what I mean). Manny has HOF numbers right now. But he's going to have to wait as the electorate gets over his quirkiness.

 

Not assuming at all. But if you do the math, it's very doable, if he stays healthy.

2008: 235 hits (at 34)
2009: 225 hits (at 35)
2010: 215 hits (at 36)
2011: 205 hits (at 37)
2012: 190 hits (at 38)
2013: 180 hits (at 39)

That's 1,250 hits over the next six years, an average of 209 a year, without predictions that require him to have a career year, or that are way above the norm.

Those projections account for a dropoff of 30 hits between 2008 and 2011, 45 hits between 2008 and 2012 and 55 hits between 2008 and 2013. That still would put him at about 2,830, which I think is sniffing range of 3,000, at 39 years of age.

He has to stay healthy, etc., and not go Dale Murphy and disappear overnight. But it's possible, given his approach, lifestyle and ability.

He's also much happier this year than last, now that the Mariners have seemed to have made a commitment to winning (and now that Hargrove is gone).

 

I don't think Manny's quirkiness hurts him that much because a lot of writers find him kind of amusing rather than obnoxious (like Kent)

 

Bullshit... he wears more armor than an ankylosaurus.

I think that takes away big from his offensive accomplishments. Bonds' also.

Be a man.