2008 HOF Candidates

[abomb]

2008 Hall of Fame ballot
Players on this year's ballot for the Baseball Hall of Fame. Election results will be announced Jan. 8, 2008:
• Brady Anderson
• Harold Baines
• Rod Beck
• Bert Blyleven
• Dave Concepcion
• Andre Dawson
• Shawon Dunston
• Chuck Finley
• Travis Fryman
• Rich "Goose" Gossage
• Tommy John
• David Justice
• Chuck Knoblauch
• Don Mattingly
• Mark McGwire
• Jack Morris
• Dale Murphy
• Robb Nen
• Dave Parker
• Tim Raines
• Jim Rice
• Jose Rijo
• Lee Smith
• Todd Stottlemyre
• Alan Trammell

 

[abomb]

Just say no to all of them.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

Brady Anderson? Wow.

 

[abomb]

Brady Anderson? Wow.

I see your Brady Anderson and raise you Shawon Dunston!

/go cubs in '89

 

[PDXChris]

• Rod Beck (Just like to see him get some votes and linger on the ballot for a few years, but will not ever get in)
• Andre Dawson (2 years away, I think he should be in, could get in with a weak list)
• Mark McGwire (Might get in one day, but not anytime soon)
• Rich "Goose" Gossage (got close, may get in since there is no else that stand outs)
• Tim Raines (Maybe one day, a top base stealer in his day)
• Jim Rice (got close, may get in since there is no else that stand outs)
• Lee Smith (Was the all time saves leader at one time, should get in one one day)


This is a real weak year. It could be a year no one gets in. Next year Ricky Henderson is up. I think he gets in first ballot.

 

[Southpaw]

Is it possible no one gets in this year?

I vote for Bert Blyleven.

287 wins
3701 Ks
60 Shutouts
242 complete games

Since 1900, Bert Blyleven ranks 5th in career strikeouts, 8th in shutouts, and 17th in wins.

There are only eight pitchers who rank in the top 20 in wins, shutouts, and strikeouts. Here is the list:

Wins SO SHO
Bert Blyleven 17th 5th 8th
Steve Carlton 6th 4th 13th
Ferguson Jenkins 19th 11th 17th
Walter Johnson 1st 9th 1st
Gaylord Perry 12th 8th 14th
Nolan Ryan 8th 1st 6th
Tom Seaver 13th 6th 6th
Don Sutton 8th 7th 9th

Ryan is the only pitcher who ranks higher than Blyleven in all three categories. That's right, there is only one pitcher in the history of baseball who has more wins, strikeouts, and shutouts than Blyleven. There are thousands of pitchers who rank below Blyleven in these three important measures, including tens of Hall of Famers and a half dozen -- Jim Bunning, Bob Gibson, Catfish Hunter, Ferguson Jenkins, Juan Marichal, and Jim Palmer -- who had overlapping careers.

Blyleven ranks in the middle of these six pitchers in ERA+ (the ratio of the league's ERA to that of the pitcher, adjusted for the effects of the home ballpark). The calculation is as follows: lgERA divided by ERA, where > 100 is above average and < 100 is below average.

ERA+
Bob Gibson 127
Jim Palmer 125
Juan Marichal 122
Bert Blyleven 118
Ferguson Jenkins 115
Jim Bunning 114
Catfish Hunter 104

As detailed, Blyleven's career totals exceed all of the pitchers in the table above and his Adjusted ERA is better than Jenkins, Bunning, and Hunter. But let's not stop with this group of pitchers. Bert's stats, in fact, are indistinguishable from the eight most similar pitchers who have already been given their day in upstate New York:

Don Sutton (914) *
Gaylord Perry (909) *
Fergie Jenkins (890) *
Robin Roberts (876) *
Tom Seaver (864) *
Early Wynn (844) *
Phil Niekro (844) *
Steve Carlton (840) *

 

[Kel Varnsen]

I see your Brady Anderson and raise you Shawon Dunston!

/go cubs in '89

LOL.

So this raises another question. Are there any current Hall of Famers who could have used steroids? If so, what do you do about it?

 

[abomb]

This is a real weak year. It could be a year no one gets in. Next year Ricky Henderson is up. I think he gets in first ballot.

Um yeah. Whomever doesnt vote him in should have their voting rights recinded.

LOL.

So this raises another question. Are there any current Hall of Famers who could have used steroids? If so, what do you do about it?

Man, that is going to be the hot topic from January to March.

 

[Ryanwb]

Chuck Finley should even be allowed on the ballot because he got beat up by his wife

 

[BC867]

Is it possible no one gets in this year?

I vote for Bert Blyleven.

287 wins
3701 Ks
60 Shutouts
242 complete games

And, of course, the center of one of ESPN's all-time catch phrases, "Be home byleven."

That was, I think, before (OMG, I can't even remember his name) got carried away with nicknames.

EDIT: Chris Berman. Now I can sleep.

 

[Matt L]

Um yeah. Whomever doesnt vote him in should have their voting rights recinded.



Man, that is going to be the hot topic from January to March.

Ricky is definitely first ballot material, but does anyone question how he got so big in the later years of his career? He was on that Oakland team with the Bash Brothers and by all accounts, he was JACKED when he played in the late 90s. I'm just saying.

 

[Southpaw]

It is my understanding that the HOF will be adding a BALCO wing.

 

[DWKB]

Tim Raines is a HOF (as is Blyleven, but he's been discussed ad nauseum). Anyone who thinks Raines is just a base stealer, I'd suggest looking deeper at his production. Best Expo of all time (just ahead of Dawson).

 

[Southpaw]

Tim Raines is a HOF (as is Blyleven, but he's been discussed ad nauseum). Anyone who thinks Raines is just a base stealer, I'd suggest looking deeper at his production. Best Expo of all time (just ahead of Dawson).

Rusty Staub. All Expos are ex Expos. Pedro Martinez? Larry Walker? Gary Carter? Valdimir Guerrero? Being a best Expo doesn't necessarily qualify one for the HOF.

 

[DWKB]

Rusty Staub. All Expos are ex Expos. Pedro Martinez? Larry Walker? Gary Carter? Valdimir Guerrero? Being a best Expo doesn't necessarily qualify one for the HOF.

Staub was an Expo for 38 games.

Best Expo means while with the team, not just wearing the uni once. No it doesn't make one a HOF, but that .385 OBP and 1500+ Runs along with the 800+ SBs sure should.

 

[Southpaw]

.294 Ba . Lf .

 

[BC867]

Staub was an Expo for 38 games.

Just for the record, Le Grand Orange spent four seasons with the Expos, '69-'71, then again in 1979 (which were the 38 games you quoted). You just didn't go back far enough.

He was with Montreal for a total of 518 games with 1803 AB's..

 

[abomb]

Ricky is definitely first ballot material, but does anyone question how he got so big in the later years of his career? He was on that Oakland team with the Bash Brothers and by all accounts, he was JACKED when he played in the late 90s. I'm just saying.

Hmmm..I never thought of him as being jacked, but what do I know?

Him breaking the SB record in early '91 gets him in, plus this quote;

It took a long time, huh? (Pause for cheers). First of all, I would like to thank God for giving me the opportunity. I want to thank the Haas family, the Oakland organization, the city of Oakland, and all you beautiful fans for supporting me. (Pauses for cheers). Most of all, I'd like to thank my mom, my friends, and loved ones for their support. I want to give my appreciation to Tom Trebelhorn and the late Billy Martin. Billy Martin was a great manager. He was a great friend to me. I love you, Billy. I wish you were here. (Pauses for cheers). Lou Brock was the symbol of great base stealing. But today, I'm the greatest of all time. Thank you.

 

[Southpaw]

Just for the record, Le Grand Orange spent four seasons with the Expos, '69-'71, then again in 1979 (which were the 38 games you quoted). You just didn't go back far enough.

He was with Montreal for a total of 518 games with 1803 AB's..

Ah, ha!

 

[DWKB]

Just for the record, Le Grand Orange spent four seasons with the Expos, '69-'71, then again in 1979 (which were the 38 games you quoted). You just didn't go back far enough.

He was with Montreal for a total of 518 games with 1803 AB's..

Ah, you're right. Too much haste. I still stand by Raines though.

(Wally, you're card is of Staub with HOU, not MON)

 

[Southpaw]

Ah, you're right. Too much haste. I still stand by Raines though.

(Wally, you're card is of Staub with HOU, not MON)

I knew that. Houston Colt 45s. Pre le Grand Orange.

Raines played for W Sox , Yankees, Oakland, Baltimore, Florida.

 

[DWKB]

Ok, wasn't sure. I'd also like to add Alan Trammell is a HOF as well. Just overshadowed by Ripken, but still an excellent SS who had offensive skills.

 

[Cardinal Bob]

• Brady Anderson - No
• Harold Baines - No
• Rod Beck - No
• Bert Blyleven - Yes
• Dave Concepcion - No
• Andre Dawson -Yes
• Shawon Dunston - No
• Chuck Finley - No
• Travis Fryman - No
• Rich "Goose" Gossage - Yes
• Tommy John - No
• David Justice - No
• Chuck Knoblauch - No
• Don Mattingly - No
• Mark McGwire - No comment
• Jack Morris - No
• Dale Murphy - No
• Robb Nen - No
• Dave Parker - No
• Tim Raines - No
• Jim Rice - Yes
• Jose Rijo - No
• Lee Smith - Yes
• Todd Stottlemyre - No
• Alan Trammell - No


My $0.02.

 

[Southpaw]

My turn

• Brady Anderson - No F W
• Harold Baines - No
• Rod Beck - No
• Bert Blyleven - Yes, Yes, Yes
• Dave Concepcion - No
• Andre Dawson - No too hurt too long. Numbers too small.
• Shawon Dunston - No nevr
• Chuck Finley - No
• Travis Fryman - No
• Rich "Goose" Gossage - Why not
• Tommy John - Nah
• David Justice - Not even close
• Chuck Knoblauch - Huh?
• Don Mattingly - 13 yrs numbers too small
• Mark McGwire - **************s
• Jack Morris - Close nice numbers
• Dale Murphy - Nope inflated #s from hitter's park
• Robb Nen - No
• Dave Parker - Nope good player on great teams - we are family
• Tim Raines - Nope average #s
• Jim Rice - close , but he pissed off the writers
• Jose Rijo - nah
• Lee Smith - nah
• Todd Stottlemyre - no
• Alan Trammell - could be

So it could be Blyleven, Trammell, Gossage

 

[Matt L]

Hmmm..I never thought of him as being jacked, but what do I know?

Him breaking the SB record in early '91 gets him in, plus this quote;

That is such a great Henderson quote. I think that his acceptance speech should have just a million antecdotes from players and people who have been around him during his career. I remember reading about him in the Mets lockeroom with Olerud and he was commenting how a guy on a team with him in Seattle wore a hard hat when he played first (the player he was referring to was indeed Jon Olerud, Rickey either didn't know him or forgot that he played with him for a season).