Well, the votes are in… I totally forgot about today being the Hall of Fame vote. I had posts written for every single player on the ballot, I guess I can recycle them next year… Well, most of them. I will never get back the time I spent writing and researching Ellis Burks, Mike Jackson, Robin Ventura, Todd Zeille, Ray Lankford, Kevin Appier, Erik Karros, David Segui, Shane Reynolds, Pat Hentgen or Andres Galarraga (they are off the ballot now). For the record I hadn’t picked any of them to go in, but I was a little surprised that El Gato Grande didn’t get more votes. I have mixed emotions about this vote. I am happy that the writers were not overly generous and didn’t try to push people in, but at the same time I felt like there were some pretty high quality players on the ballot. I am happy for Andre Dawson, I think he had a pretty amazing career. I was a big Expos fan as a kid and I saw him play in person well over 100 times and he was an amazing all around player despite his nagging knee problems. I would like to congratulate the Hawk and his many fans.
This is a deserved honor. I must say that I am surprised that he is the only one going in. My emotions about Alomar, Larkin, McGriff and Martinez are mixed, but I am shocked that not one of them made it, or even got close. Now speaking of close… My favorite hurler of All-Time who isn’t in the Hall of Fame, Bert Blyleven, came within 5 votes of getting in. 5 votes! He received 74.2% of the votes, he needed 75% to get in…
Wow. Alomar was the only other player to come close (73.7%), after them Jack Morris finished 4th in the voting with 52.3%. The good news is that Blyleven, Alomar, Morris, Larkin, Smith, Martinez, Raines, McGwire, Trammell, McGriff, Mattingly, Parker, Murphy and Harold Baines all received the requisite 5% to remain on the ballot next year so the debate on them can continue. It makes you wonder though, if a player was only good enough to get 40 votes this year, why would someone give them 420 votes next? Anyway, congrats to Hawk Dawson, you are a Hall of Famer! The 9th time is the charm! Wow. I am pretty surprised... I wait for this moment every year, then I forgot about it, then remembered, now it just feels anticlimatic and I don't really feel like writing anymore about it...Troll out.
Well, the votes are in… I totally forgot about today being the Hall of Fame vote. I had posts written for every single player on the ballot, I guess I can recycle them next year… Well, most of them. I will never get back the time I spent writing and researching Ellis Burks, Mike Jackson, Robin Ventura, Todd Zeille, Ray Lankford, Kevin Appier, Erik Karros, David Segui, Shane Reynolds, Pat Hentgen or Andres Galarraga (they are off the ballot now). For the record I hadn’t picked any of them to go in, but I was a little surprised that El Gato Grande didn’t get more votes. I have mixed emotions about this vote. I am happy that the writers were not overly generous and didn’t try to push people in, but at the same time I felt like there were some pretty high quality players on the ballot. I am happy for Andre Dawson, I think he had a pretty amazing career. I was a big Expos fan as a kid and I saw him play in person well over 100 times and he was an amazing all around player despite his nagging knee problems. I would like to congratulate the Hawk and his many fans. 
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McGriff had 21.5% this time. He can totally get 54% of the vote between now and next year...right?
ReplyDeleteAlso, I did not realize that Ellis Burks was on the ballot until today. he didn't deserve a Hall spot, but the dude could definitely mash. My favorite of the Rockies bash brothers back in the day, with Castilla, Walker, and Bichette following (I was never a big Dante Bichette fan aside from his "Bichette happens" shirts.
I thought this was a pretty good year and I'm surprised that only Dawson made it. As far as "deserving" he was a little way down my list.
ReplyDeleteI just can't wrap my brain around the fact that Raines only gets 30%. That I don't get.