2023 MLB Hall of Fame Voting

Scott Rolen was the only one voted in this year. 

*sigh*

Look, I like Scott Rolen as much as the next guy, I'm sure he's quick witted and fun to be around and can probably take down a pitcher of beer like nobody's business. But I (in the Bob Ryan parlance) just never thought of Rolen as a Hall of Famer and I still don't. 

Dude, compare his numbers to Gary Sheffield, Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez, Carlos Beltran--or, fuck, even Jeff Kent!--and you'll see he's not nearly as good as these guys that are way behind him in the voting.

We blame the decline in baseball over the last 20-ish years on football, kids today, social media, short attention span, rap music, political correctness--blame whatever you want. But when the baseball writers give up on their own game to reward guys solely for not getting busted for drugs, then what are we doing here? We've turned an appreciation of the game itself into a system of navigating the socio-political nonsense of the day. It is the baseball writers that brought us to this state with their stupid selfish faux outrage. They're the ones who gave up on baseball, not the kids.

A baseball Hall of Fame without Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, ARod, Manny, Clemens, etc., is a hall of mediocrity. Welcome to the Hall, Scott Rolen. The baseball writers paved this road with their good intentions.

2021 MLB Hall of Fame Voting

Newly enshrined: (none) 

Well since last year's festivities were postponed, I guess Jeter, Walker, Simmons and Mitchell will get their own day after all.

Maybe next year: Curt Shilling, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Scott Rolen, Omar Vizquel, Billy Wagner, Todd Helton, Gary Sheffield, Andruw Jones, Jeff Kent, Manny Ramirez, Sammy Sosa, Andy Pettite, Mark Buehrle, Torii Hunter, Bobby Abreu, Tim Hudson

(I think they ought to be in) Curt Shilling, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Gary Sheffield, Manny Ramirez, Sammy Sosa, Andy Pettite, 

Yup....all the same dudes as last year.  And the year before. When are the baseball writers gonna do their jobs? Why do they spend so much time denigrating their own sport?  Barry Bonds is arguably the greatest player of all time, what is the point of a Hall of Fame that doesn't have him in it? Why are they starving the Hall of Fame? (*)

(I'm undecided) Todd Helton, Bobby Abreu, Tim Hudson

Again, same as last year. Helton was one of the best hitters in the game for most of his career, albeit in a hitter's park. That's gotta be worth something, right? 

Abreu had 8 seasons with 100 BBs, 100 Runs, 20 home runs; 9 season above .290 BA; 10 seasons of 100 RBI; 12 seasons with OBP above .390; 13 seasons with at least 20 SBs. But never in the top ten for MVP voting, when I remember him as much more feared at his peak. I dunno, close call but I think he deserves more support than others (*cough* Jeff Kent). 

Tim Hudson had seriously superior years and played for some really good teams. Had double digit W's in 15 of his first 16 seasons, made four all-star games, finished top-4 for Cy Young three times and won a World Series (2014 Giants). Starting pitchers just don't pile up numbers the way they used to. I can see Hudson being reevaluated as pitching stats steadily deflate. 

(I don't see Hall of Famers) Scott Rolen, Omar Vizquel, Billy Wagner, Andruw Jones, Jeff Kent, Mark Buehrle, Torii Hunter

Rolen, Vizquel, Wagner, Buerhle were good solid players for a long time, guys you'd be more than happy for your team to get in free agency. But none of them ever struck me as all-time greats. 

Hunter and Jones both started off well but neither really blossomed into the stardom that seemed ahead of them. 

I'm still flabbergasted that Jeff Kent is on this list 8 years in--who is voting for this guy? I watched Jeff Kent's prime and he was never anywhere near as dangerous as Bobby Abreu and yet Abreu's is struggling to stay on the ballot. Why? What is the BBWAA's obsession with Jeff Kent? (He's the anti-Schilling, I suppose?)

10th and final ballot: (none)

One and done: Aramis Ramirez, LaTroy Hawkins, Barry Zito, AJ Burnett, Shane Victorino, Dan Haren, Michael Cuddyer, Nick Swisher

Yeah, I can't make much of an argument for any of these guys. Zito won a Cy Young and was a minor (at best) piece of a Series winner (2012 Giants), and Burnett was a good starter on a World Series winner (2009 Yankees), but that's about all I can say for any of this batch. 

The headliners for the 2022 ballot include Alex Rodriguez and David Ortiz...so two more of the greatest ballers I ever saw that won't be going to the Hall of Fame?

(*) My real complaint: I didn't even like Sammy Sosa and honestly I'm not sure if Pettite truly was Hall-worthy--but we're never gonna get those discussions! When you make the argument solely about phony baloney morality jibba-jabba then we're not getting statistical analysis any more. We're not properly separating the wheat from the chaff. We're just leaving out guys that the writers don't like and that's stupid. Plain fuckin' stupid. 

2020 MLB Hall of Fame

Newly enshrined:
Derek Jeter, Larry Walker
There was some speculation that Jeter would join his teammate Mariano Rivera as a unanimous selection and while he was close (99.7%), I was dubious. They were both badasses and both had great careers but Jeter inspired jealousy while Rivera was universally beloved. Hell I was surprised Rivera was unanimous but it didn't seem possible to me that Jeter would be. Jeter was a great player, a fan favorite, hit all the milestones you're looking for in a Hall of Famer and played on a ton of good teams (played only 1 game when the Yankees had been eliminated from the playoffs--holy fuck, that is mind boggling!). Great player, great Yankee (the reason he wasn't unanimous), perhaps the last great celebrity baseball player (is that Mike Trout over there? ...No, I don't...wait...no, that's not him), easily a Hall of Famer and I would've had him in even on the first ballot.
Walker is a borderline case for me, I'm okay with him going in but with so many badasses still languishing (Bonds, Clemens, Manny, Sosa, etc), I would not have voted for him. But he was the kind of no-nonsense old-school tough guy ball player that baseball writers always imagined themselves to be. Good player for a long time but never really struck me as one of the all-time greats. Congrats to Walker, but I can't help thinking the steroids era is pumping up his actual career (hmmm, so steroids did help his career...?).

Maybe next year:
Curt Schilling, Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Omar Vizquel, Scott Rolen, Billy Wagner, Gary Sheffield, Todd Helton, Manny Ramirez, Jeff Kent, Andruw Jones, Sammy Sosa, Andy Pettite, Bobby Abreu

(ought to be in) Schilling, Clemens, Bonds, Sheffield, Ramirez, Sosa, Pettite
*sigh* Hey, baseball writers: what the hell is wrong with you? Why have you not put these guys in yet? What are you waiting for? Are you working under the assumption that ball players from your youth were all better human beings and now it is your job to decide who is good enough to get their proper reward in this life? You guys suck. Just do your damn jobs and quit being a bunch of fools.

(I don't think so) Vizquel, Rolen, Wagner, Kent, Jones
Vizquel was one of the best defensive shortstops I ever saw but not enough of a hitter or playmaker to put him in the Hall.  I've said before that I think the Vet Committee will get Vizquel eventually and I still think that.
I like Scott Rolen, he was a hell of a player, but I never thought of him as a Hall of Famer and I still don't.
Wagner just doesn't seem high enough on the list of the great closers of his era to merit going into the Hall. If he hangs around and the writers continue to spite the noses on their faces (Bonds, Clemens, et al), than perhaps Wagner could sneak in, he's still got five more years.
I don't get the cult of Jeff Kent. He was a fine player but I don't think of him as vastly better than Eric Chavez or Alfonso Soriano, both of whom failed to get past the first ballot. Jeff Kent will be on his 8th ballot next year...why?
Jones was exciting as a youngster but got steadily less exciting throughout his career. I can understand him getting enough votes to survive past the first ballot but I don't see why he keeps hanging around.

(I'm undecided) Helton, Abreu
Helton was a great hitter but he had that Coors Field cloud hanging over him. That said, man, his numbers are really impressive: 2500 hits, .316 life time batting average, over .400 on-base, over 1400 runs and RBI's. Yipes! I didn't even realize how nasty his totals got. I can see Helton hanging around and getting in--especially if the Writers are properly convinced he wasn't on the juice.
Dude, Abreu had some monster years--monster!--where he was one of the most feared hitters in the game. My gut is that his career didn't quite last long enough but I'm glad he'll be back next year, I think he deserves a longer hearing.

10th and final ballot
Only Larry Walker was in his final ballot and he got in. Hurrah! And there was no one on the 9th ballot this year, so they'll be no last chance guys next year either.

One and done
Paul Konerko, Jason Giambi, Alfonso Soriano, Eric Chavez, Cliff Lee, Raul Ibanez, JJ Putz, Brad Penny, Adam Dunn, Carlos Pena, Heath Bell, Rafael Furcal, Brian Roberts, Jose Valverde, Chone Figgins, Josh Beckett
I think Soriano is really one of the most under appreciated players of his era. He came into the league with a lot of (Yankee-size) hype and ruffled feathers but not wanting to change position, which he did anyway, and basically was just a target for Yankee haters and star haters. Not to say that he was great, I would not have voted for him, but I thought he'd get the 20 votes needed to come back next year. Oh well.
Konerko and Dunn both hit a lot of home runs. And Konerko did win a World Series, thought he might last a little longer.
Cliff Lee had a few years where he was dominant, I mean untouchable. That really only lasted a coupla years, but he did win a Cy Young and a World Series, thought that might give him a little more consideration.
Dang, Josh Beckett didn't get a single vote? Was he not instrumental for two different World Series winning teams? That's not worth a vote? Brad Penny from the same squad got a vote, but not Josh Beckett? Tough crowd.

Veterans Committee
Ted Simmons
Uh, okay, I'm cool with this. Back in the day Simmons was kinda the poor man's Johnny Bench, which isn't a bad thing to be. He was a sturdy defensive catcher, good hitter, played on many good teams and just seemed like an all around good guy. This is a good Vet Committee selection, I'd say.

My eight votes
Derek Jeter, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Curt Schilling, Manny Ramirez, Gary Sheffield, Sammy Sosa, Andy Pettite (hmmm....pretty much all the same dudes I would've voted last year--all the same dudes that should've got in years ago! Do your jobs, baseball writers!)

2019 MLB Hall of Fame Voting

Newly enshrined:
Mariano Rivera (first unanimous selection), Edgar Martinez, Roy Halladay, Mike Mussina
Rivera was the shit, very deserving of the first unanimous vote, and the amazing thing was he only had one pitch but no one could hit it, one of the best I ever saw.
I always loved Edgar Martinez, a good solid hitter is a good thing, maybe an edge of the Hall kinda guy but I would've voted for him.
Halladay's decline was immediate and stunning but before that, the dude was untouchable for a decade, no-hitter in the playoffs, played on a lot of good teams, arguably the best in the league during his time, an easy 1st ballot Hall of Famer.
Glad to see Mussina get in, thought he got low-balled in his first five years on the ballot, played his entire career in the hardest division in baseball, played on a lot of good teams, very deserving.


Not this year:
Curt Shilling, Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Larry Walker, Omar Vizquel, Manny Ramirez, Jeff Kent, Scott Rolen, Billy Wagner, Todd Helton, Gary Sheffield, Andy Pettite, Sammy Sosa, Andruw Jones 
(Ought To Be In) Dude, Bonds was the best player I ever saw and Clemens was probably the best pitcher I ever saw, the fact that they're not in the Hall is an abrogation of duty by the voters--and a goddamn waste of time! Shilling, too, was one of the best I ever saw and the fact that the writers are dissing him because he's a right-wing goofball is an injustice. Sammy Sosa always annoyed me but his numbers are staggering and clearly Hall of Fame worthy. Manny Ramirez was one of the most gloriously underrated players I ever saw in his Indian days, then he went to Boston and though he found glory there, they turned him into the idiot everyone remembers; too bad, he was probably the best pure hitter I ever saw and never got the acclaim he deserved, totally a Hall of Famer. I don't understand why Sheffield hasn't gotten in yet, he was a pivotal player on a lot of good teams and was one of the best in the league for a long long time, deserving, ought to be in already.
Argh! Baseball writers and their phony baloney moralism is foolish and embarrassing--just do your jobs, you dumbass writers!

(Not in, I think) Walker was a hell of hitter, tenacious baller, an old timey baseball guy, next year will be his last on the ballot, I wouldn't be surprised if he makes it.
Vizquel was one of the greatest defensive middle infielders I ever saw, played on a lot of good teams, well-liked guy but probably not a Hall of Famer (I can see the Vet Committee tapping him).
Jeff Kent? Why has Jeff Kent lasted this long on the ballot? I lived in the Bay Area during his best years and I'm here to let you know Benito Santiago was more important to those teams than Kent, not even close to a Hall of Famer.
Rolen was a good player for a long time but I just don't think of him with Mike Schmidt or Brooks Robinson or George Brett, he wasn't classic, he was just a good player for a long time. (I can see the Vet Committee putting him in down the line)
Wagner was a good closer but I wouldn't put him ahead of Eckersly, Rivera, Lee Smith, Hoffman, Sutter (or even Goose Gossage, for that matter). The Hall has finally gotten around to adding relievers but I think Wagner is just short of that elite crew.
Helton was a hell of a hitter for a long long time, but he's got that Coors Field inflation, that'll probably keep him out.
Pettite was a good pitcher for a long time, lot of good teams, key to the Yankee revitalization in the 1990s, fun with the Astros, too, seems like he should be getting more--oh yeah, he failed a drug test, didn't he? Tsk, tsk, the baseball writers have a high horse a-callin' them.
Jones had one of the most exciting rookie seasons I can recall and he had some big number years, but he kinda had just an ordinary career, good player but he doesn't feel like a Hall of Famer to me.


10th and final ballot:
Fred McGriff
I always liked the Crime Dog (still one of Berman's best monikers), saw him hit a homer at Fenway when he was a Blue Jay, had good years and bad years but a long career and played on a lot of good teams. He's probably an edge candidate but I would've voted for him if I had a vote (though I reckon the veterans committee will put him in pretty soon).


One and done:
Michael Young, Lance Berkman, Miguel Tejada, Roy Oswalt, Placido Polanco, Freddy Garcia, Ted Lilly, Travis Hafner, Kevin Youkilis, Darren Oliver, Rick Ankiel, Vernon Wells, Jon Garland, Jason Bay, Derek Lowe, Juan Pierre
Yeah, none of these guys are Hall of Famers, but I'm a little surprised some of these guys didn't even last to the 2nd ballot: Berkman and Tejada had some monster years (better than Jeff Kent, why does that guy keep hanging around?) and Oswalt was elite for more than a few years. Ankiel is one of the all time great what-if's--dude, that guy was soooo good...until he just wasn't all of the sudden. And as an Indians fan I can assure you that the Hafner-Sizemore duo was a coupla bad injuries away from being really great (led to them letting go of Sabathia and Cliff Lee, too....*sigh*). Young was a good player and very well-liked (he's coaching now, right?) and he was one of the highest vote-getters of his class, but not a Hall of Famer. Youkilis and Lowe were on legendary Red Sox teams, figured that would give them a little more of a bump. (The problem is the sclerotic idiots that keep leaving Clemens, Bonds, Sosa and Ramirez on this list to suck up votes instead of just putting them in the Hall--that limited the opportunities for this class)


Veterans Committee Inductees:
Harold Baines, Lee Smith
I'm cool with both of these guys. I always dug Baines, a good reliable hitter for a long long time and by all accounts a real nice guy (hey, that definitely matters--ask Curt Shilling!), so even though the Writers didn't put him in, I'm not surprised the vets extended him the honor.
Smith was the best for a while--not a long while--but he was at the vanguard of the transition of the closer into the modern game and I think is worthy of being remembered.


My ten votes:
Bonds, Clemens, Rivera, Halladay, Shilling, Ramirez, Mussina, Sosa, Martinez, McGriff (sorry, Sheff,  you're my #11)

MLB Hall of Fame Voting

Last week Major League Baseball welcomed 4 more members of their Hall of Fame: Chipper Jones, Vlad Guerrero, Jim Thome, Trevor Hoffman. I absolutely agree with Chipper and Vlad, two of the best players I ever saw ('eyeball test' being my main criterion, incidentally). I guess I can't argue with Thome or Hoffman, certainly piled up the numbers need to get in (though I'm a little surprised Thome got in on his 1st ballot while Vlad had to wait a year).


Should get in eventually
Edgar Martinez, Mike Mussina
Martinez is a bit of a test case, so far DH-only guys have not been admitted but he was one of the best and I think the evolution of the game is worth noting. I'm kinda stunned Mussina is having to wait so long. He was a great pitcher for a long time, played on a lot of good teams, many time all-star and spent his entire career in the toughest division in baseball, should've been in years ago, but he's trending in the right direction and I think he'll get in eventually.


Guys that ought to be in (probably won't get in)
Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Manny Ramirez, Curt Schilling, Sammy Sosa
I've said it before and I'll say it again: these are some of the best players of their generation and if the baseball writers don't trust them or just plain don't like them (Schilling, for example) that is immaterial and those writers should be banned from voting again. Bonds is arguably the single greatest player of ALL TIME! How can you have a Hall of Fame that doesn't have him in it? Clemens may be a lying, cheating annoying asshole but he was one of the best I ever saw and for the Hall to ban him is positively foolish. Manny is one of the best right-handed hitters of all time and if he took steroids...I don't care. I do not believe steroids makes anyone good at baseball (and if you think steroid represent the only cheating in the history of the game then you're a damn idiot). Schilling may be an annoying loudmouth jerk but he pitched with men on base as well as anyone I can think of. Sosa was not one of my favorites during his day but his numbers are undeniable--Jim Thome was one of my favorites in his day but clearly Sosa had the better career. (How can you say Jim Thome is worthy and Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa are not?)


May not make it but ought to
Gary Sheffield
Hey, man, Sheffield was a really good player for a long time for a lot of good teams. And he got fewer votes than Jeff Kent? (Who da fuq is voting for Jeff Kent?) I think he's deserving, I'd vote for him.


Guys receiving votes that I don't think will make
Omar Vizquel, Larry Walker, Fred McGriff, Jeff Kent, Billy Wagner, Scott Rolen, Andruw Jones
All solid players with great careers, it doesn't look like they'll get in and I guess I agree with that.


Not Enough Votes to Continue
Johan Santana, Jamie Moyer, Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, Chris Carpenter, Kerry Wood, Carlos Lee, Livan Hernandez, Kevin Millwood, Aubrey Huff, Orlando Hudson, Jason Isringhausen, Carlos Zambrano, Brad Lidge
A little surprised Johnny Damon is one-and-done, he was a good player for a long time, played pivotal roles on important teams; I'm not saying he's an HOF-er but I thought he deserved a little more consideration. Also, man, Santana at his best was a bad bad man, too bad he couldn't stay healthy. 

MLB Hall of Fame

In: Ken Griffey Jr, Mike Piazza
Yup.  Both guys are absolutely among the best of their generation and both are excellent examples of the sad soapy melodrama of the post-steroid years: Piazza almost didn't make it this far due to rumors of drug use while Griffey is perhaps the only unimpeachably obviously non-drug user of his time. And how can we say that about Griffey? Because he was always hurt! The 'steroids' that players used weren't truly about making them bigger and stronger (and certainly never made ANYONE better at the game of baseball), they were for keeping the players on the field during the day-in day-out grind of the long season. Griffey's last ten years or so were most notable because he hardly ever played. So you tell me: why is not using drugs so awesome? All it leads to is absence. Long live the drugs!

Over 50%: Jeff Bagwell, Tim Raines, Trevor Hoffman, Curt Schilling
Hoffman did very well in his first year, pretty much implying he'll make it in the next year or two. Bagwell was a very good player, Hall of Famer? I dunno, I guess. I wouldn't be offended either way if he makes it or not. That's also what I think of Raines. Raines was a reliable top quality player for a long time, played on a lot of good teams. Saying he was the poor man's Ricky Henderson is really a much better compliment than it sounds like when you consider (as I believe) that Ricky was one of the single greatest players of all time. Seems like he's got a pretty good shot to get in next year. Schilling was one of the best pitchers I ever saw, totally deserves to be in the Hall but may not make it simply because he seems like the kinda guy that would vote for Donald Trump. That shouldn't matter but, hey, man, voters vote for the guys they like. And I suspect Schilling is not one of the guys that liked. Baseball writers know best, right?

Over 20%: Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Edgar Martinez, Mike Mussina, Fred McGriff
Bonds and Clemens were two of the best players of all time, not putting them in the Hall makes the Hall look like a dumbass waste of space. 'Nuff said. I always loved Edgar Martinez's game, a very classy player, the baseball version of Stefan Edberg. Martinez's case depends on how you view the DH as a position: if you think the DH is just as much as part of the game as any other position, then I'd say he was the best pure hitter of his time and a helluva good baller; if you think the DH is a travesty and not impactful enough, then Martinez probably doesn't have enough to get in. Personally, I'd put him in. Mussina absolutely deserves to be in the Hall. He played his entire career in the AL East (probably the best/toughest division every single year he played), won in the post-season, was a steady rolling reliable #1 starter on a lot of good teams and was one of the best I ever saw. Whereas Schilling has too much controversy to get in, Mussina probably doesn't have enough, some guys are too quiet for their own good. I always liked McGriff, one of my favorites to watch back in the day (saw him hit a homer at Fenway once) but, man, that guy could strike out like nobody's business. Good player, not a great player.

Survived til next year: Jeff Kent, Larry Walker, Gary Sheffield, Billy Wagner, Sammy Sosa
Kent was mostly overrated throughout his career, shouldn't have even made it this far in the voting in my opinion. Walker was a helluva hitter (saw him homer once too) but didn't have the longevity or the post-season heroics that would make him a Hall of Famer. I think Sheffield is worthy of the Hall, he put up some big numbers for a long time on a lot of good teams. But he took drugs--yeah, so did Jimi Hendrix and he's a Hall of Famer. A little puzzled that Hoffman got such a huge vote and Wagner, a pretty similar player really, gets just enough to keep going. All in all I guess Hoffman was better but not by that much. Sosa always annoyed the shit out of me as a player but hard to deny that he put up all-time numbers and, along with the now vanquished Mark McGwire, led one of the most memorable years in baseball history fueled by drugs....though no one seemed to care at the time. If you're a baseball fan, a baseball watcher, how can you not put Sosa in the Hall of Fame?

Eliminated: Alan Trammell, Mark McGwire, Jim Edmonds, Nomar Garciaparra, Mike Sweeney, David Eckstein, Jason Kendall, Garret Anderson
Trammell was a fine player but if he hasn't made it by now, I guess he's not gonna make it. McGwire, along with Sosa, played a big part in one of the greatest years in MLB history, a season that MLB desperately needed to reconnect with fans...MLB came back but McGwire and Sosa got sold out like bus stop floozies. Personally I think its a god damn shame they'll never get the credit they deserve but baseball writers apparently have more 'ethics' than the rest of us (though I've never heard of any writers having to pee in a cup). I never liked Jim Edmonds, always thought he was an overrated hot dog of a player. Nomar was a lovable player, had some great years but didn't really build the big numbers the way Jeter and A-Rod did. Sweeney, Kendall and Anderson were nice players in their day but not Hall of Famers. Eckstein had some nice post-season moments, those are great memories that'll keep warm for the rest of his life, but not a Hall of Famer.

Out after the 1st try: Brad Ausmus, Luis Castillo, Mark Grudzielanek, Mike Hampton, Mike Lowell, Randy Winn
Mike Hampton had a period where he was one of the finest SPs in the National League, then signed with the Rockies and pretty much torpedoed his career. Too bad. The other guys were all nice players but none were gonna make it much further than the first ballot.

Next year's newbies: Manny Ramirez, Pudge Rodriguez, Jorge Posada, Vlad Guerrero, Danys Baez, Pat Burrell, Jason Varitek, Melvin Mora, Magglio Ordonez, Orlando Cabrera, Mike Cameron, JD Drew, Carlos Guillen, Julio Lugo, Derrek Lee, Arthur Rhodes, Edgar Renteria, Aaron Rowand, Freddy Sanchez, Javier Vazquez, Tim Wakefield
You know by now that I am convinced that steroids do not make you good at baseball (re: enhance your performance) and I couldn't care less what drugs people want to put in their bodies. So the fact that Manny Ramirez was one of the best pure hitters I ever saw is in no way disqualified by his two PED suspensions. Will he get in? I just don't see how that is even possible. Again: not putting him in only makes the Hall look petty and deluded....but he won't get in--probably won't even pass the first vote. I'd say Rodriguez is absolutely in, Guerrero and Posada might get in and I can see Wakefield and Ordonez getting some love over time. But I'm not feeling any of the other guys (though I gotta say Jason Varitek was always one of my faves).

MLB Hall of Fame

There are four new members-elect of the Baseball Hall of Fame: Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz, Craig Biggio.  Johnson absolutely was one of the best pitchers I ever watched, along with Nolan Ryan one of the only pitchers batters truly feared.  Pedro was amazing, man, he was effortlessly brilliant at his peak, Koufax-like numbers, and, like Brazilian soccer, fun to watch whether he won or lost.  Smoltz had a varied career, adapted himself to his opportunities as well as any player I can remember.  Biggio was never what I thought of as a Hall of Famer when I saw him play but he was consistently above average for years and years and played on a lot of good teams, in baseball that matters a lot.  No complaints on any of those guys but judging from the rest of the voting, I would make a much more lenient steward of the Hall.

The guys that didn't make it this year: Mike Piazza, Jeff Bagwell, Curt Shilling, Tim Raines, Roger Clemens, Edgar Martinez, Alan Trammell, Barry Bonds, Larry Walker, Gary Sheffield, Mike Mussina, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Don Mattingly, Nomar Garciaparra

Of the guys that didn't make it this year I think Mike Piazza will make it next year, should've been in by now frankly but I think his support increases plenty enough for him to make it.

I'm not sure if the election of longtime teammate Biggio makes it easier or harder for Jeff Bagwell. I'd think it'd be easier but maybe not.  Bagwell struck me as the more dangerous of the two all that time they were together.

I'd vote for Tim Raines, like Biggio a good player for a long time, contributed to a lot of good teams over the years.

It appears that Curt Shilling will not make the Hall of Fame which is a joke.  Shilling was easily one of the best pitchers I ever saw--that particular eye test is important in Hall of Fame I think, as much or more than the numbers.  Did they seem like Hall of Famers when they played?  For Shilling that answer is hell yeah, of course.  Watching Shilling pitch with runners on base was one of my all time favorite things in all my years of baseball fanboyishness.  Annoying jerk, sure.  Political goofball, yup.  Idiot businessman, I guess so.  But his baseball playing was superior to a lot of guys in the Hall and he was one of the best I ever saw.  The fact that he wasn't chummy with the press corps shouldn't keep him from the remembrance he deserves.

You know who else was one of the best I ever saw?  Roger Clemens.  Barry Bonds too.  I don't care about steroids.  Steroids don't make you good at anything, they only make you bigger (sorta, actually you still gotta do that on your own).  Bigger is not necessarily better and there have been plenty of dudes busted for steroids that sucked at baseball.  But they don't get called in front of Congress.

Mike Mussina is another criminally underrated pitcher.  Not sure what the complaint against him is but he was a badass for a long time in the AL East, contributed to good teams, went deep in the playoffs, many time All Star, the guy was a badass.  He wasn't Pedro or Clemens or even Shilling but, let's say he was the Craig Biggio of pitching.  Still good enough to get into the Hall, it seems to me.

I'd vote for Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, again my disdain for the media's self-appointed morality-in-baseball czar kinda makes me root for both of them to get in.  Truth be told, I think McGwire is a borderline candidate, he had some monster years but for long stretches he was just Dave Kingman 2.0, but the argument against him inspires me to think him worthy.  And Sosa mostly annoyed me as a player but his numbers are pretty badass.  What?  Are we suddenly not into numbers any more?  I thought this was the golden age of statistical analysis...

I'm on the fence about Edgar Martinez (the sweetest right-handed swing of his generation), Alan Trammell (like Biggio, a good player for a long time), Larry Walker (great hitter but not sure he had the rich career of a Hall of Famer), and Gary Sheffield (had some monster years, good longevity, played on good teams, not a bad candidate).

Gotta give some love for Nomar Garciaparra who got enough votes to be invited back next year.  He had a coupla all-time great years but didn't really do it for the long haul like you like to see in a baseballer.  But still, the last Red Sox icon to get shooed away right before they win championships? Ouch!  That's gotta be worth some pity votes.

I wouldn't vote for Lee Smith.  He was the first real save guy, had some lights out years.  But saves have had too many badasses since Smith to put him in the top tier.

I wouldn't vote for Jeff Kent, personally I always found him to be waaaay more of an irritating jerk than Barry Bonds...that's gotta mean something.

Although he was one of my favorite players back in the day, I couldn't vote for Fred McGriff.  The Crime Dog had his days but I don't think he rose to that level.

Don Mattingly appeared on the ballot for the last time.  Kinda weird to think he's not in the Hall of Fame.  A great Yankee that everybody loved?  How he is not in the Hall of Fame?  I can see him getting put in by a veterans committee in the future.

Of the guys that didn't even survive the first cut, I got no complaints.  Even though I always thought Carlos Delgado was a badass, I can't say I look back on him as a Hall of Famer.  Nor the likes of Troy Percival, Aaron Boone, Tom Gordon, Darin Erstad, Brian Giles, Jason Schmidt, Cliff Floyd, Jermaine Dye, Rich Aurilia, Tony Clark or Eddie Guardado.

I would've put a lot more dudes into the Hall of Fame than the current gatekeepers.  But then again I was always soft on drugs.