Everybody is writing about the Hall of Fame, with the announcement coming later today. We had our own votes, the results are here:
I'm guessing that Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Frank Thomas will make the cut. Craig Biggio will be close and Jack Morris will just miss out and have to wait for the veteran's committee to put him in. Maddux and Thomas really should be unanimous selections but won't be, because the BBWAA are strange people.
Thoughts on some of the others:
Jack Morris: I have kind of mellowed on him, I don't think he should be in the Hall, but I don't think it would be terrible if it did. The only reason I'd a little irritated is that his getting in would be a victory for 'old school stats. I liked him better than I thought I would on the Blue Jays broadcasts. I wouldn't vote for him.
Barry Bonds: The best player in baseball history, he should be in the Hall. Yeah he used, but I think he'd be in the Hall even if he hadn't. He's just an unlikable person, I can't make myself feel bad about him being on the outside looking in, but I'd vote for him.
Roger Clemens: Again, he should be in, but he's such a scum that I wouldn't be able to vote for him. That said, there are a lot of lousy humans in the Hall.
Jeff Bagwell: I don't understand why anyone wouldn't vote for him.
Mike Piazza: Another no doubter.
Tim Raines: Absolutely should be in the Hall. It is a crowded ballot, but if you don't have room for Raines, you are filling it out wrong.
Jeff Kent: To me, he's a near miss, mostly because it is a crowded ballot.
Edgar Martinez: I don't see any reason why a DH should be excluded from the Hall, but I don't think Edgar has the numbers, I wouldn't vote for him.
Mark McGwire: Sorry, I wouldn't vote for him. To me, without the steroids, he isn't close to a candidate. He does have a high OBP, but I think that's a result of all the home runs, pitchers were scared to pitch to him. It is kind of unfair, the writers, who aren't going to elect him to the Hall, are the ones who covered their eyes to his drug use and hailed him as a hero, back in the day.
Larry Walker: It is a crowded ballot, but he gets one of my spots.
Fred McGriff: It is unfair, 7 more home runs and he'd be in. On a less crowded ballot, I'd vote for him. I hope he gets 5% of the vote so he can stay on the ballot.
Mike Mussina: Another one that is close, but I never thought of him as a Hall of Famer when he played, and there are a lot of good choices on the ballot, I hope he gets on 5% of the ballots and we can consider him again next year.
Alan Trammell: A favorite of mine. There were 3 great short stops, in the AL, in his era, Robin Yount, Cal Ripken and Trammell. The other two are in the Hall, he should be too.
Lee Smith: Saves are overrated, but he had a lot of them. No I don't think he should be in the Hall.
Sammy Sosa: See McGwire. McGwire was a much better player.
Rafael Palmeiro: Even before the 'read my lips' I didn't think he belonged in the Hall.
So my ten player ballot would be Maddux, Glavine, Thomas, Piazza, Raines, Baggio, Bagwell, Walker, Bonds and Trammell.
Who would be on your ballot?