2015 Baseball HOF ballot released

[novelist_wannabe]

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/eye-on-baseball/24837121/baseball-hall-of-fame-ballot-revealed

This has the potential to be a large class of player inductees. I'd be surprised if Biggio doesn't get in this time. Randy Johnson is a shoo-in. I think the case for Smoltz is very strong and so is the one for Pedro, though I have my doubts that either will get in on their first ballot.

 

[Michael_ Gee]

If Pedro doesn't make it on the first ballot, I'll be shocked.

 

[JackReacher]

ALL OF THEM!!

 

[RecoveringJournalist]

I'd put Johnson, Smoltz and Martinez in on the first ballot.

I agree Biggio should go in this year.

I think it will be anybody's guess when the others go in.

 

[novelist_wannabe]

If Pedro doesn't make it on the first ballot, I'll be shocked.

Interesting comparison to make between him and Sandy Koufax.

 

[sportbook]

I've got to think Guardado gets in first ballot.

 

[cranberry]

He didn't win popularity contests but there's little question Sheffield was a HOF-caliber player.

 

[bigpern23]

Numbers say yes (BR's similarity scores match him with seven HOFers, two future HOFers and Fred McGriff), but the Mitchell Report will keep him out (for now), despite his vociferous denials.

 

[The Big Ragu]

He didn't win popularity contests but there's little question Sheffield was a HOF-caliber player.

He is going to be left off a lot of ballots cause of the steroid use.

He is really interesting to me, too, though. He literally (using the word correctly?) hit the ball as hard, or harder, than anyone I have ever seen. It looked like he was trying to really knock the cover off it. And his numbers, for those who go blindly by a statistical line, are great.

However, there was also a reason he played for so many teams. And it wasn't just a popularity thing. When he was unhappy, supposedly, he made everyone else around him unhappy. Amazingly, people became racists whenever he came into their lives. And the worst to me, is that he also all-but-admitted to purposely playing poorly in Milwaukee and faking injuries, before being sent to San Diego.

I liked him as a player. When he was actually trying (which was most if the time), I thought he was a really valuable player to have around. But I am not sure what I would do with him if I could vote.

 

[Rainman]

...

 

[RecoveringJournalist]

I don't remember Delgago being linked to steroid use, but does he have any chance of eventually getting in?

If he was truly clean, his numbers seem worthy.

 

[Rainman]

I don't remember Delgago being linked to steroid use, but does he have any chance of eventually getting in?

If he was truly clean, his numbers seem worthy.

I have to say no for Delgado.

He hit a lot of homeruns, and he was very consistent. But that's it.. he didn't hit for much average. He wasn't a good fielder. He couldn't run.

All he has is the homeruns, and as a 1B he had a lot of company. There was Bagwell, Thomas, McGwire, Palmerio, - plenty of 1B who could hit HR like Delgado, and many of them were able to do other things like hit for BA, field, run, etc.

Compare him to Fred McGriff - if McGriff cannot make it, why should Delgado? McGriff finished with 493, and he would have gotten way over 500 if not for the strike.

 

[Della9250]

I'd love for it to be Johnson, Pedro, Smoltz and Biggio (especially for backlog reasons) but I can't see the writers putting in four at one time.

Smoltz is going to suffer because Biggio isn't get held out again after falling two votes short.

 

[RecoveringJournalist]

I'd love for it to be Johnson, Pedro, Smoltz and Biggio (especially for backlog reasons) but I can't see the writers putting in four at one time.

Smoltz is going to suffer because Biggio isn't get held out again after falling two votes short.

I think four will get in. Isn't Smoltz a favorite of the writers?

 

[The Big Ragu]

I don't think Carlos Delgado is a hall of famer.

But regarding the whole steroid thing. ... I don't think Delgado was ever linked to PEDs, the way, say Gary Sheffield was. But I also don't think you can assume anyone from that era is clean, just because we read about evidence linking some guys but not others. Delgado played right in the sweet spot of the steroid era and he was a power hitter. That doesn't mean he used. But not being a part of BALCO or being named in the Mitchell Report, doesn't mean he didn't use. That is why making steroids a HOF criteria for that era is so difficult. If you do that, your criteria is really who got implicated, not who actually used.

 

[RecoveringJournalist]

I don't think Carlos Delgado is a hall of famer.

But regarding the whole steroid thing. ... I don't think Delgado was ever linked to PEDs, the way, say Gary Sheffield was. But I also don't think you can assume anyone from that era is clean, just because we read about evidence linking some guys but not others. Delgado played right in the sweet spot of the steroid era and he was a power hitter. That doesn't mean he used. But not being a part of BALCO or being named in the Mitchell Report, doesn't mean he didn't use. That is why making steroids a HOF criteria for that era is so difficult. If you do that, your criteria is really who got implicated, not who actually used.

Agreed. What is interesting about Delgado's numbers is that there is no huge spike in production the way there was in some of the guys who used. Of course, for all we know, he was using the whole time.

 

[Songbird]

For me Smoltz is a no-brainer: 157 wins (WINS!) before the surgery. Comes back to save 154. Becomes a starter again and wins another 50.

3.33 ERA in 3,473 innings, 3,084 strikeouts.

Playoffs: 15-4, 2.67 in 209 innings.

The 14-time division champion Braves were 14-time division champion Braves because of Maddux, Glavine, Smoltz. Maybe he has to wait a year but he's a no-brainer.

 

[Della9250]

I'd love for it to be Johnson, Pedro, Smoltz and Biggio (especially for backlog reasons) but I can't see the writers putting in four at one time.

Smoltz is going to suffer because Biggio isn't get held out again after falling two votes short.

I think four will get in. Isn't Smoltz a favorite of the writers?

The last time the writers put in four guys was 60 years ago. The don't even like to go to three -- last year was the first time since 1999 and only the third time since the mid 80s.

Smoltz might be a favorite but he's going to get dinged for a couple things as a first-timer. He will end up sliding in next to Griffey in 2016 because after Junior the next level for potential candidates is Hoffman, Edmonds and Wagner so Smoltz slots in well above them, making him an overwhelming second choice for voters with small ballots.

 

[RecoveringJournalist]

I'd love for it to be Johnson, Pedro, Smoltz and Biggio (especially for backlog reasons) but I can't see the writers putting in four at one time.

Smoltz is going to suffer because Biggio isn't get held out again after falling two votes short.

I think four will get in. Isn't Smoltz a favorite of the writers?

The last time the writers put in four guys was 60 years ago. The don't even like to go to three -- last year was the first time since 1999 and only the third time since the mid 80s.

Smoltz might be a favorite but he's going to get dinged for a couple things as a first-timer. He will end up sliding in next to Griffey in 2016 because after Junior the next level for potential candidates is Hoffman, Edmonds and Wagner so Smoltz slots in well above them, making him an overwhelming second choice for voters with small ballots.

I forgot that Fisk didn't get in on the 1999 ballot.

 

[Della9250]

I also love that there were 27 first-time guys eligible to make it on and not only did they chop in down to 17 on a loaded ballot but Eddie Guardado was worth keeping.

I would have just kept the first-timers at Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz, Carlos Delgado, Gary Sheffield, Nomar Garciaparra, Troy Percival and Brian Giles.