First off, congratulations to Joe Torre, Tony La Russa and Bobby Cox for being unanimously elected by the Veteran’s Committee for selection to the Hall. The three are some of the greatest managers of all time, and Torre was also a borderline Hall of Famer as a player.
I do not have a Hall of Fame ballot, because only 10-year members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America are bequeathed this honor, and I am not a lucky member of the BBWAA. I believe the hallowed Hall is too inclusive, but as many writers have found, this year’s ballot is congested. The limit of 10 players is not enough for all the deserving players. My ballot in order of Hall credentials:
1. Greg Maddux is a no-brainer. He is the greatest right-handed pitcher since World War II, likely earlier. The fact that he was not a unanimous selection just proves that the voting process is flawed.
2. Frank Thomas was a once-in-a-generation wonder. I doubt he used PEDs because he was naturally strong, like HOFer Harmon Killebrew. Unlike Killebrew, though, Thomas was a great hitter, regardless of the power numbers. His .301 batting average, juxtaposed with .419 and .555 on-base and slugging percentages, makes him a terrific candidate. He walked much more often than he struck out, and his RBI total puts him amongst the legends.
3 and 4. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens will always be connected on the ballot. The seven-time MVP and the 7-time Cy Young Award winner both lost votes this year but remained around 35 percent. I take players found or suspected of PED use on a case-by-case basis and these two are a couple of the greatest players ever. It is often assumed Bonds started juicing in 1999, as did Clemens when he reached Toronto. By that point, both players had already established themselves as worthy Hall of Famers.
5. Rafael Palmeiro received votes on less than five percent of ballots, eliminating him from future elections. His failed drug test in the twilight of his career sticks out in the minds of voters even though he is one of just four players with 500 home runs and 3,000 hits. For 20 seasons, Palmiero was a consistent threat with both power and contact. His career was likely helped more by changing conditions such as smaller ballparks and tighter-wound balls than by PEDs.
6. Craig Biggio is by any measure, one of the ten greatest second basemen of all time. He spent the entirety of his long career for the Astros at three different, in-demand positions. For those who like round numbers, he reached the 3,000 hit plateau, sacrificing points in career batting average by playing into his 40’s with diminished skills. He fell an amazingly close two votes shy this year and is almost certain to be elected next January.
7 and 8. Mike Mussina and Tom Glavine are comparable despite having vastly different careers. In their first time on the ballot, Glavine was elected easily, but Mussina struggled and came in at 20 percent. Glavine reached 300 wins while Mussina fell short by 30, but the latter retired after a 20 win season. In almost every other category, Mussina compares favorably. He had many more strikeouts, a higher winning percentage and better league-adjusted stats. Glavine was helped mightily by playing for great Braves teams, whereas Mussina had to face tough AL East opponents in hitter-friendly ballparks his entire career.
9. Jeff Bagwell is the only first basemen with 400 home runs and 200 stolen bases. Ever. Not to mention, his wonderful offensive production came in the cavernous Astrodome for the majority of his career. Many parallels can be drawn between Bagwell and Thomas; they were born on the same day, won the 1994 MVPs, etc. and I hope that Bagwell, who after retirement has been innocently thrown into the PED conversation, joins the Big Hurt in the hall.
10. Edgar Martinez could hit as well as anyone. The Mariners failed to bring him up until he was 27, even though he had three of the best minor league seasons ever. He played most of his games were played as designated hitter, but defensive value is over-rated. He was, when he was allowed to play third base, a mediocre fielder. Some Hall of Famers with similar offensive outputs were butchers with the glove and cost their teams many runs. His hitting was so wonderful that it shouldn’t matter if he never touched a glove in his life.
I would have also liked to vote for Fred McGriff, Curt Schilling, Larry Walker, but the 10 vote rule has become very restrictive.
Jack Morris has now fallen off the ballot after 15 years of receiving split support. I never considered him a Hall of Famer, and his election would have lowered the standard of the Hall and made stronger cases for Kevin Brown, Rick Reuschel and other players who are not deserving of the honor. Neither being the most winning pitcher of the 1980’s nor being the best player not in the hall are strong cases for his candidacy.
Glavine, Maddux and Thomas will be in Cooperstown this July for their enshrinement.
