The Baseball Hall of Fame ballot is out. Once again, it features a fair collection “that guy couldn’t possibly be a hall of famer” types and no Pete Rose. The fact that Baseball maintains a hardline on one unsavory issue is a joke. The refusal to allow Joe Jackson and Rose in the Hall is an embarrassment and will lead to this conversation occurring roughly 10,000 times annual as people visit Cooperstown:
Son: Where’s the guy who has the most hits?
Dad: Well Junior, he’s not here because he bet on baseball and maybe on his own team while he was a manager.
Son: What does that have to do with all his hits?
Dad: Umm..well..Look there’s Ty Cobb. Legend has it he killed a man and abused many, many women. Isn’t pro baseball’s colorful past grand?
Anyway, on to this years ballot. But first, I must mention that the Hall of Fame ballot is one of the funniest things in sports. Here’s a quick sample of how amazing the ballots have been in the past: on the 2004 ballot, Jim Eisenreich got 3 votes, Juan Samuel 2 and Terry Pendleton 1. How the fuck does that happen! Christ, Pendleton should be offended. At least he was NL MVP.
Bob Tewksbury is on the ballot
Now on to this year’s ballot!
This thing is thin. Thin Ballot
None of these guys MUST be in the Hall. I do like the Hawk, though. I would probably go with Bruce Sutter also (though I am still not sure what to do with closers.) If I using closers than I could probably throw in Gossage as well. Rice has always been intriguing to me. I don’t get that gut “hall-of-famer” reaction when his name is mentioned. Usually that means he’s out to me but Rice’s numbers hold up so I’ll throw him in. I am also putting The Cobra in as well cause I like him. (I have a story about me in a Parker jersey that I don’t feel like typing now.)
Now, I wish I could put Donnie Baseball, Dale Murphy and Joey Belle in because they were Hall of Fame talents but their lack of longevity leaves them out. And every else on the ballot sucks (including Gary DiSarcina) so I’m finishing there
Your 2006 Hall of Fame inductees:
Andre Dawson
Bruce Sutter
Goose Gossage
Jim Rice
Dave Parker
Congratulations!
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"The Grand Ole Men of Baseball," don't get me started. Clearly the worst men ever. It is extraordinarily sad that baseball was integrated (sort of) until Landis got a hold of it. Unreal.
On Rose-the Rose situation is unclear to me. It seems what is totally undisputed is that Rose is a gambling addict. He admitted to betting on baseball. What seems to be up in the air is whether he bet on his own team and whether he shaved points in some form. The Dowd report is supposed to be damning but I’ve read that it doesn’t conclusively prove that he bet on the Reds (notably from Stan Hockman.) I’ve also heard he bet on baseball as a player. This could damage his HofF chances but the circumstances would have had to have been so perfect for him to shave points that it is probably moot. The impression I get (some of it from the ‘Hustle’ picture) is that betting on the Reds was sort of a last desperate move, even for a compulsive gambler like Rose.
To clarify my stance on Rose: If he bet on his own team with the intention negatively affecting the outcome than he should not be reinstated by baseball (though this also seems moot because no one would hire him to a meaningful position anyway.) However I do think he should be in the Hall no matter what. That fact they still abide any Landis’ decision is nauseating.
And if Weaver is out, Charlie Comm and Alexander should be too.
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