MLB Hall of Fame
 

It's coming to that time of year again, when the voters make their choice for the next class of Hall of Famers. I figured I'd start a thread and we'd say who we think should get inducted.

My list:
Wade Boggs (3000 hits, .320+ lifetime average, one of top third basemen ever)
Ryne Sandberg (how the hell did he not get elected last year; one of best 2nd basemen ever, not only a solid hitter but a Gold Glove-caliber fielder as well. He set the standard for slugging 2nd basemen)
Goose Gossage (set standard for relief pitchers; did it in both regular and post-season. If Rollie Fingers can get in, Gossage should be there as well)
Jack Morris (yes, his ERA was high, but he was THE ace for the 80s and pitched extremely well in the World Series)

Bert Blyleven comes close, as does Alan Trammell, but not everyone can get the votes. My heart is of course with Don Mattingly, my all-time favorite athlete, but while I'd love for him to be inducted, I know that it's a long shot at best.

Any thoughts?

Collin

Boggs and Sandberg should get in this year I feel

will get elected:

boggs
sandburg


should also get elected:

Blyleven - his numbers, other than w/l, match up favorably with MANY HOFers . . . and his closest historical parallel is Nolan Ryan (who had a WORSE w/l). This will never happen, until the reliance on win/loss records by the 'old guard' ends.

Morris - it's marginal, but his career peripheral numbers are solid, and he is statistically the unluckiest pitcher ever (in regard to defense behind him and run support). Will never happen, b/c his 'up-front' numbers are marginal, even with his big-game and playoff performances.

Gossage - no-brainer really, if you follow metrics at all, but no one does (at least, no one that votes). Changed the game.

I think I'm going to petition the Hall for a vote...hey, I covered minor league baseball in CT, plus I think I know more than half the half-wits who have votes.

Either that or I'll pay for them all to get Bill James' collection of Baseball Abstracts.

Wade and Ryne are in!
 

It was just announced - Wade Boggs and Ryne Sandberg were voted into the Hall of Fame! Although others deserved induction (Goose Gossage for one), at least the mistake of Sandberg's exclusion last year has been corrected.

Two great players join the rest of the all-time greats in the big house.

I always bought into the argument that if you have to make an argument as to why he should be inducted (as opposed to a straight, no-brian, unanimous decision), then they don't belong in the Hall of Fame. It's the Hall of Fame, not the Hall of the Really Good.

That being said, with Goose Gosage, I personally think he should be, but there are enough baseball writers who feel he shouldn't, so, I'll go with their expert opinion and respect their decision.

Wade Boggs, the man who CLAIMS he drank 43 (FOURTY THREE!!!) beers on a four hour flight, and Ryne Sandberg.....great choices!

A good point, but I still think it's fun to argue the merits. For every guy like Tony Perez or Nellie Fox (who may not necessarily deserve induction), there are guys like Ron Santo and Goose Gossage who I believe are getting shafted. The fun part is hearing others takes on the decision.

I've talked to a few of the writers who have votes, and it's interesting to hear how they come to decisions. Some take it much more seriously than others.

Also - Darryl Strawberry did not receive enough votes to stay on the ballot for next year. If you asked someone in 1986, do you think anyone would have predicted that happening?

Edited for punctuation

Both are good choices

Good choices. Rice got ripped off again. I would like Mattingly to make it but his second half of his career was only average.