The Obstructed Baseball Hall of Fame Take
The votes are in. And we have three new Hall of Famers. And they were deserving for sure. Tim Raines, Jeff Bagwell, and Ivan Rodriguez will all get their names enshrined in Baseball's Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. And of course, the take is do they deserve it and who else probably deserved it? Seeing some of the voters who voted, these writers just need to lose their privilege of voting since they may have not voted for anybody, one or two people. Just a shame to see a lot of these players who get screwed over year after year because there may be a beef with certain ones. Anyway..............
So here are my thoughts about the Hall of Fame Selection
Bagwell's offensive power and his underrated play at first base has finally been recognized.
1. THESE THREE WERE NO-BRAINERS: This year it was evident. Bagwell was very close to making the Hall last year and was one of the best offensive first basemen in history. Raines seemed like he would have enough to garner the votes with his ability to hit, run, and play some defense. You couldn't ask a lot more out of the guy. And Pudge to me, there hasn't been a better catcher in baseball in terms of all-around since I followed baseball as a little kid. And probably the best since Johnny Bench.
Nobody played better catcher than Pudge Rodriguez since Johnny Bench
2. SURPRISED THAT MANY PEOPLE WERE SURPRISED RODRIGUEZ GOT IN ON THE FIRST BALLOT: I think some were thinking given his rumored use of steroids by Jose Canseco in his book, Pudge may have taken a wait for a year or two before getting in, and not the first time out. But the fact it was just uncertain about Pudge's usage, he got in. Many look at maybe his numbers dipped after he left Detroit, but the fact he played 20 seasons at catcher is a feat in his own right. One of the debates I had with my baseball friends back in the late 90's was who would I prefer, an amazing offensive minded catcher in Mike Piazza or an overall great all-around catcher in Pudge. I always went with Rodriguez. Maybe people did believe he was a better option for a first ballot than Piazza. So the voters in this case got it right.
Bonds vote total increased.
3. WRITERS ARE SLOWLY "FORGIVING" THE LIKES OF BONDS AND CLEMENS: Well, it seems like those two will enter the Hall of Fame sooner or later as they are starting to cool over the steroid bit....at least that's what the media is saying/hoping at this point. Bonds to me would have been a Hall of Famer had he not started taking steroids around 2000-01. I believed until that point he was the best player of my time. As for Clemens and somebody pointed out on the radio station, if he started taking steroids when he first got to Toronto, you're almost talking half of his career. And looking at his numbers in his final 4 years in Boston, I am not so sure if he pitched well to be considered to the Hall of Fame. I guess had he didn't I'd give him a nod, but Bonds would have been a definite. However, the writers seem to have been slightly eased on the steroid players to this point. That said, I DON'T think either one makes it next year as I see Hoffman, Guerrero, Chipper and Thome getting in.
2018 looks like a good bet for Thome to be in on his first try.
4. BAGWELL'S INDUCTION WILL PROBABLY GET JIM THOME AS A FIRST-BALLOT HALL-OF-FAMER IN 2018: Well, he was probably a lock anyway, but I think some have doubted Thome just by association with being in the steroid era while Thome himself never was linked to anything. Adding on, Thome, similar to Bagwell, wasn't an overly extrovert when it came to the media. Looking at his days in Cleveland, he was overshadowed by Lofton, Belle, and Ramirez while in Chicago he was somewhat the guy helping out Konerko in that lineup. But I don't think Thome will be overlooked in his first go in 2018.
Guerrero could anything anywhere at the plate. He was that good.
5. TREVOR HOFFMAN AND VLAD GUERRERO WILL ALSO PROBABLY MAKE THE HALL OF FAME IN 2018: They were very close this time. And while Chipper and Thome are there next year, I can easily see Hoffman and Vladdie get in with the numbers they have. I wished Guerrero got in and then you would have had a nice year for former Expos in the Hall of Fame. But anyway, I can't really see either one missing out next year. If not, definitely 2019. But they are ready and deserving.
Voters like Chass (who voted nobody) need to go.
6. TIME TO ELIMINATE SOME VOTERS: If the voters voted for 3 or less players, they need to go. I get the maximum limit on how many you can vote for, but there should be a minimum as well. And some of these guys voting ballots are Murray Chass (who voted nobody) among others (like Pedro Gomez, who voted for the bottom of the heap-albeit at least he voted). If you are a voter doing this: do the right thing and give up your vote. You aren't helping the game this way. I just find it bothersome guys who NEVER played the game get a say on whether or not other guys get in. It's a pile of bull in this sense.
So, that is it for the Hall of Fame thoughts. When the induction comes closer in July, I will make some posts about the inductees, notably Pudge and Bagwell.
-Fan in the Obstructed Seat
