Looking at some of the names of those eligible this year along with those who people are hyping, I have to wonder---has the criteria diminished or is baseball just so diluted now at the MLB level
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
It's not a big name year. It's an opportunity for some "on the fence" players to get elected. I once read criteria for the Hall of Fame takes a consecutive string of the player's best seven years. I'm not sure this is the criteria anymore, but I don't believe it's enough. Maybe ten years? Maybe milestones like 500 homers? 3,000 hits? X number of years hitting .300, X number of years winning Gold Gloves? 250 wins for pitchers? X number of career K's, X number of seasons with 200+ K's? Will some of the newer stats become decision criteria ... OPS? WHIP?
There's comparing players against their era. Hitting 40 homers in the 90's didn't make a player dominant. Will another pitcher win 300 games pitching six innings in a five man rotation? Then there's that S word. How does that affect decision making?
I'd vote for Jack Morris. He was a dominant pitcher in his era for a decade.
Phil Niekro and Bert Blyleven both had career winning percentages of 53%. Niekro is in the hall with 314 wins. Blyleven isn't with 287. Is hitting 300 wins the difference? 287 is a lot of wins. Niekro averaged 13 wins per season. Blyleven averaged 14 wins. Blyleven is 5th in career K's. He's the only eligible pitcher in the top 17 in K's not in the HOF.
I've convinced myself. I'd vote for Morris and Blyleven. Rice, Dawson, Murphy, Mattingly and Baines are marginally on the wrong side of the fence. They're very good players who had some great years, but not enough of them. Then there's Tommy John who won 288. But it took him twenty-six years to do it. He doesn't get my vote. he only won 15+ five times.
Non HOF Blyleven comment: You have to love a guy who can win seventeen games giving up fifty bombs.
There's comparing players against their era. Hitting 40 homers in the 90's didn't make a player dominant. Will another pitcher win 300 games pitching six innings in a five man rotation? Then there's that S word. How does that affect decision making?
I'd vote for Jack Morris. He was a dominant pitcher in his era for a decade.
Phil Niekro and Bert Blyleven both had career winning percentages of 53%. Niekro is in the hall with 314 wins. Blyleven isn't with 287. Is hitting 300 wins the difference? 287 is a lot of wins. Niekro averaged 13 wins per season. Blyleven averaged 14 wins. Blyleven is 5th in career K's. He's the only eligible pitcher in the top 17 in K's not in the HOF.
I've convinced myself. I'd vote for Morris and Blyleven. Rice, Dawson, Murphy, Mattingly and Baines are marginally on the wrong side of the fence. They're very good players who had some great years, but not enough of them. Then there's Tommy John who won 288. But it took him twenty-six years to do it. He doesn't get my vote. he only won 15+ five times.
Non HOF Blyleven comment: You have to love a guy who can win seventeen games giving up fifty bombs.
RJM
Again you twist the original---we are not talking of the players previously nominated---just those newly eligible this year
What are your thoughts on David Justice?
Are you a politician?
Again you twist the original---we are not talking of the players previously nominated---just those newly eligible this year
What are your thoughts on David Justice?
Are you a politician?
TRhit
I don't want to shock you but I have to agree with you on this. Home runs have been diluted (hopefully that will change now), pitching has been diluted and the overall skill level of the game itself has been diluted. Adrian Beltre was awarded the AL Gold Glove this year WITH 18 ERRORS and a .958 FP! I don't care how many tough plays you make, if you can't make the "should" plays then what is your value? Inge and Lowell both performed better.
Standards have been lowered.
I don't want to shock you but I have to agree with you on this. Home runs have been diluted (hopefully that will change now), pitching has been diluted and the overall skill level of the game itself has been diluted. Adrian Beltre was awarded the AL Gold Glove this year WITH 18 ERRORS and a .958 FP! I don't care how many tough plays you make, if you can't make the "should" plays then what is your value? Inge and Lowell both performed better.
Standards have been lowered.
2008 is just not one of the stronger years for candidates. Maybe no one will get enough votes. Though there are a few good choices.
I don't think the HOF is diluted in the least. Afterall, look at last year's inductees. I think there were many players inducted years ago who probably shouldn't have made it, but not last year.
I don't think the HOF is diluted in the least. Afterall, look at last year's inductees. I think there were many players inducted years ago who probably shouldn't have made it, but not last year.
I didn't realize you were only referring to first time eligibles. You stated "names of those eligible this year" so I went right to the list of names eligible for the vote this year listed on espn.com.quote:Originally posted by TRhit:
RJM
Again you twist the original---we are not talking of the players previously nominated---just those newly eligible this year
What are your thoughts on David Justice?
Are you a politician?
Obviously I don't consider Justice a Hall of Famer if I didn't even list him with my marginally on the wrong side of the fence. In fact, I didn't have any first timers in my consideration.
Bobby Abreau won a Gold Glove a couple of years ago. He's afraid of the fence.quote:Adrian Beltre was awarded the AL Gold Glove this year WITH 18 ERRORS and a .958 FP!
The whole life is getting diluted, nothing it is like was before. We need to work hard with our kids and grand kids to try to build a better future for them. In grand part it is our fault.