A Hall of a Problem

Rickey Henderson is now a member of the Hall of Fame and deservedly so.  However, accompanying him into the sacred confines of Cooperstown is Jim Rice.  Jim Rice is one of the great players of his era, but not Hall of Fame worthy.  For a home run hitter he managed to hit only 382 lifetime home runs.  His highest total cam in the only year he topped 40, 1978, his MVP year when he hit 46 and drove in 139 runs, also a career best.  In an 8 year carerr, Rice drove in 100 or more runs in only 8 seasons.  Compare Rice's numbers compiled over a 16 year career to Albert Belle's who compiled his numbers in a 12 year career:

Home runs:

Rice - 382 (46 being the highest)

Belle - 381 (50 being his highest but he surpassed 40 two other times)

RBI:

Rice - 1451

Belle - 1239

Average:

Rice - .298

Belle - .295

Many don't even consider Albert Belle Hall of Fame material.  The Baseball Writers Association of America has shown Belle hostility in the past, never voting for him for an MVP, the highest he ever achieved was 3rd.  The BBWA sees themselves as the protectors of Baseball but they are just a bunch of thugs who gang up on people whom they don't like.  For example, Dave Kingman was never a liked man in the media and he is the only player with 400 or more homers NOT in the Hall of Fame of those who have become eligible.  With the Steroid Era Kingman is likely to see some company, however.  

If Rice is Hall of Fame material then Tino Martinez is at the very least a qualified candidate.  Tino hit 339 homers, drove in 1271 runs, collected 1925 hits, and played a stellar first base.  We saw what happened with the baseball writers when it came time for him to win a gold glove, they gave it to Raffy Palmeiro instead who only played 25 games at first.  Tino despite putting up similar numbers in his career to Rice will be laughed off the ballot.  

So why then did Rice get elected?  Think back to the time when you were a kid.  You probably collected baseball cards in old shoeboxes like I did.  Now think about this;  you probably held the players of your generation, for example the Don Mattingly's Wade Boggs', Tony Gwynn's, Cal Ripken, Jr.'s, Rickey Henderson's and Dave Winfield's of mine, in high regard.  You saw them play, grew up idolizing them, and wanted to be them.  The BBWA grew up watching Jim Rice.  They were the ones collecting his cards in old shoeboxes.  Jim Rice is a very good player.  However, he is NOT a Hall of Famer.  However, Jim Rice was a giant of the writers time.  That is how he got in, by being bigger than the kids who voted for him. 

Another gripe of mine considering the Hall of Fame is the lack of a fan's vote.  The Baseball Writer's have one.  The Veterans Committee has one.  Why not the fans?  the fans are entrusted to pick the All-Star game starters every year.  Why not have a special vote for the fans that allows one man per cycle to be elected by the fans.  Is this not our game?  Are we not to be represented by our favorite players?  The Hall of Fame can even put that on his plaque, that he was elected by the fans.  Maybe the Hall of Fame can set up a whole wing dedicated to the Fan's Hall of Fame.  Maybe this isn't a good idea but it can't be worse than letting Baseball writers who voted Raffy Palmeiro a Gold Glove for playing 25 games at first base.  Sadly, the Hall of Fame just doesn't hold the credibility it once did.  Maybe it will again one day.  Sadly, I doubt it.

Who for the Hall?

I got to thinking last night while I was at work about all the great baseball players that I have seen.  Of course, the extension of this is, how many of these players are Hall of Fame worthy?  Well, shall we venture into the great debate?

Lee Smith, P:  He held the record for most career saves before Trevor Hoffman broke it.  This year Goose Gossage will be inducted into the Hall of Fame and deservedly so.  I just don't understand how Smith, who recorded 478 career saves to the tune of a 3.03 ERA, is not in the Hall already.  Smith deserves to be enshrined.

Don Mattingly, 1B:  Nine gold gloves, .307 career average, 1,099 RBI's, 222 home runs, 1 AL MVP and no way he gets into the Hall of Fame.  He was my favorite player growing up and it hurts to say this but he falls just short of getting his enshrinement.  Had Donnie Baseball not been betrayed by his back he probably would have gotten in.

Jim Rice, OF:  There has been a cult-following for Rice to get into Cooperstown.  382 home runs, 1451 RBI's, .298 average, 1 MVP award and no Hall for Rice.  In my opinion Rice falls 18 homers short or a few hundred RBI short.  He was never the most dominant hitter in his time, as evidenced by his only leading the league in homers once.  He was also intentionally walked 77 times in his career, I think Bonds was walked that many times on purpose in a single season.  

Omar Vizquel, SS:  The poor man's Ozzie Smith.  Eleven Gold Gloves and still going.  Vizquel has quietly put together one of the best careers by a shortstop in recent memory.  He is only a 3-time all-star but Vizquel has been one of the best at his position for years.  He has 2,619 hits and is still going.  He has swiped 382 bases, and did hit .333 in a year.  If Ozzie Smith gets in, then Vizquel gets in.  Besides, Vizquel does have better numbers than Luis Aparicio.

Mark McGwire, 1B:  The great steroid debate will rage on here.  Given the amount of steroids that were prevalent in the game during the years he played I say McGwire gets in.  He holds the record for most homers by a rookie, never tested positive, and did help rejuvenate baseball.  Yeah, he gets in.

Sammy Sosa, OF:  Again, the steroid debate rears its ugly head.  Sosa never tested positive for any illegal substance except a corked bat in one game.  He did bash 60+ homers in 3 of 4 years which is hard to ignore.  I'm going to say he is elected.  Hard to ignore 609 homers.

Barry Bonds, OF:  Never tested positive but is in court for the whole BALCO mess.  He holds the single season and all-time home run records.  He was the most feared hitter of his era.  I am very conflicted on this right now.  I am going to have to allow him in because even before he grew four sizes he was a Hall of Famer.  Barry gets in.  His steroid use gets mentioned on the plaque.

Roger Clemens, P:  Before steroids, saved syringes, Brian MacNamee, and lying before Congress he was the best.  You can't ignore what he has done.  Clemens gets in if Barry gets in with the same steroid asterisk.

Rafael Palmerio, 1b-OF:  See Bonds and Clemens.  Raffy gets in.  3,000 hits and 500 homers = hall of fame.

More will come.  Let me know who you think should or shouldn't get in out of this group.