This thread is going to be about the Baseball Hall of Fame, and, I feel, the highly unfair election process that allows players in, and keeps some out.
In my view, there are certain players, who belong in the Hall, who are not there. The following are a list of players who I feel should be there, and also those who got there, who had to wait far too long.
My list of those who should be there, and those who waited too long.
1. Tommy John. 288-234 career record, 3.34 career ERA. Granted, John missed the 300 win plateau. However, he missed nearly two full years due to his reconstructive arm surgery. A procedure, I might add, which revolutionized baseball, and changed the whole way the game is played. Were it not for Tommy, and Dr Frank Jobe, who performed the procedure, dozens of players careers would not have been saved. How can the Hall keep out a guy who pitched for 26 years, and finished 12 wins shy of 300, with an ERA of barely over three and a quarter, and who missed two seasons, who revolutionized baseball? I'm surprised that John wasnt voted in, long ago.
2. Dale Murphy. 398 home runs, 2 time NL MVP. For most of Murph's 15 year playing career, the Braves were the National League's doormats, and yet, Murph rose above. In my mind, after fourteen years of retirement, he belongs.
3. Phil Niekro- 318-274 record. It took him until his sixth try, to get in. How can one keep out a guy who won 318 games, until his sixth try, and install Tom Seaver, who won seven less games, on the first ballot? Again, inconsistency. Some standards should be set. Thankfully, Niekro got in, but, in my view, he should have been in, first ballot, for 318 wins, for awful Braves teams.
Earlier today, I heard on ESPN, that John Smoltz, who currently has 200 wins, and 154 saves, is quote "On the cusp", Hello, writers? Smoltz has piled up numbers that NO ONE in baseball history has, and they say he is "on the cusp?" How can a guy who has stats that no one in the 130 year history of the game has, be "on the cusp"? He should be a first ballot guy, if he never throws another pitch. Smoltz will likely be with the Braves until 2010. At the rate he wins games, he will likely retire with about 250 wins, and the 154 saves. The only thing that kept him from 300 wins, and about 800 more strikeouts, was his Tommy John surgery that kept him out for a year and a half, and his stint in the bullpen for four years. Otherwise, at the rate of 15 wins a year, Smoltz is knocking at the door of 300 wins even now, instead of being the only guy with 200 and 150. He should get in, first ballot.
I feel, that the whole election process should be changed. Instead of only the BBWWA, it should be a consensus of coaches, managers, fans, and baseball writers. Have a whole array of people weigh in. While there are many deserving people in the Hall, it seems to me that there are many others, who are also deserving, and arent there, and probably still others, who may not be as worthy, and got in due to popularity with the writers. Any thoughts from especially baseball fans, and also others, of course, on this subject, would be appreciated. Any names you guys and gals think should be in the Hall, that I may have left out, please, feel free to discuss.
Thanks,
Mitch
In my view, there are certain players, who belong in the Hall, who are not there. The following are a list of players who I feel should be there, and also those who got there, who had to wait far too long.
My list of those who should be there, and those who waited too long.
1. Tommy John. 288-234 career record, 3.34 career ERA. Granted, John missed the 300 win plateau. However, he missed nearly two full years due to his reconstructive arm surgery. A procedure, I might add, which revolutionized baseball, and changed the whole way the game is played. Were it not for Tommy, and Dr Frank Jobe, who performed the procedure, dozens of players careers would not have been saved. How can the Hall keep out a guy who pitched for 26 years, and finished 12 wins shy of 300, with an ERA of barely over three and a quarter, and who missed two seasons, who revolutionized baseball? I'm surprised that John wasnt voted in, long ago.
2. Dale Murphy. 398 home runs, 2 time NL MVP. For most of Murph's 15 year playing career, the Braves were the National League's doormats, and yet, Murph rose above. In my mind, after fourteen years of retirement, he belongs.
3. Phil Niekro- 318-274 record. It took him until his sixth try, to get in. How can one keep out a guy who won 318 games, until his sixth try, and install Tom Seaver, who won seven less games, on the first ballot? Again, inconsistency. Some standards should be set. Thankfully, Niekro got in, but, in my view, he should have been in, first ballot, for 318 wins, for awful Braves teams.
Earlier today, I heard on ESPN, that John Smoltz, who currently has 200 wins, and 154 saves, is quote "On the cusp", Hello, writers? Smoltz has piled up numbers that NO ONE in baseball history has, and they say he is "on the cusp?" How can a guy who has stats that no one in the 130 year history of the game has, be "on the cusp"? He should be a first ballot guy, if he never throws another pitch. Smoltz will likely be with the Braves until 2010. At the rate he wins games, he will likely retire with about 250 wins, and the 154 saves. The only thing that kept him from 300 wins, and about 800 more strikeouts, was his Tommy John surgery that kept him out for a year and a half, and his stint in the bullpen for four years. Otherwise, at the rate of 15 wins a year, Smoltz is knocking at the door of 300 wins even now, instead of being the only guy with 200 and 150. He should get in, first ballot.
I feel, that the whole election process should be changed. Instead of only the BBWWA, it should be a consensus of coaches, managers, fans, and baseball writers. Have a whole array of people weigh in. While there are many deserving people in the Hall, it seems to me that there are many others, who are also deserving, and arent there, and probably still others, who may not be as worthy, and got in due to popularity with the writers. Any thoughts from especially baseball fans, and also others, of course, on this subject, would be appreciated. Any names you guys and gals think should be in the Hall, that I may have left out, please, feel free to discuss.
Thanks,
Mitch
