Article: Running Down the Hall (of Fame Ballot): 2019 Edition

[one_eyed_jack]

 

Maybe the answer is to not have a place to immortalize only a select few players and to not have a process where only a few who played the game are enshrined. I know there are great players whose talents were just, well, more, but they didn’t do it completely alone. They had teammates. They had coaches and managers. Scouts and owners who gave them their shot. Family and friends who supported them. <shrug> I guess I’m one who thinks the HOF is kind of overrated. The game, that’s what I love. And all the players who make it come to life, not just the superstars. They don’t do it alone and aren’t often the ones who ... make it entertaining. What about players like Astudillo who will never reach HOF status but who is someone you’d buy a ticket to see play? Yeah, I think the HOF is overrated and not filled with everyone who makes this game what it is.

 

I understand the idea of a HOF, and don't disagree with reserving the highest honor for the very best of the best, but it does leave a lot of players who contributed a lot to the game out.

 

I've wondered whether the binary HOFer/non-HOFer distinction is too simplistic, and maybe there should be other categories that can be used to honor guys who aren't worthy of induction to the HOF, but are still worthy of recognition.

 

The defensive wizards.  The super sluggers.  The scrappy, speedy lead-off hitters.

 

The guys who excelled for short stretches and were on HOF trajectories until injuries derailed their careers.

 

The iron men who had productive 20+ year careers.

 

The current HOF process results in these guys getting critiqued and put down for everything they weren't.  Wouldn't it be better if there were some way to celebrate and honor what they were?

 

 

 

[biggentleben]

I love how he mentions DiMaggio. Joe D was not even put in on his first ballot.

[sweetmusicviola16]

 

I understand the idea of a HOF, and don't disagree with reserving the highest honor for the very best of the best, but it does leave a lot of players who contributed a lot to the game out.

 

I've wondered whether the binary HOFer/non-HOFer distinction is too simplistic, and maybe there should be other categories that can be used to honor guys who aren't worthy of induction to the HOF, but are still worthy of recognition.

 

The defensive wizards.  The super sluggers.  The scrappy, speedy lead-off hitters.

 

The guys who excelled for short stretches and were on HOF trajectories until injuries derailed their careers.

 

The iron men who had productive 20+ year careers.

 

The current HOF process results in these guys getting critiqued and put down for everything they weren't.  Wouldn't it be better if there were some way to celebrate and honor what they were?

Tony Oliva, HOF!!!!

[Mike Sixel]

I'm all in on Bonds getting in. Players used all kinds of drugs before him, and after him they still do. But then, I don't really care about the Hall debates. But if there is a Hall, he should be there, no question.

[gunnarthor]

 

I'm all in on Bonds getting in. Players used all kinds of drugs before him, and after him they still do. But then, I don't really care about the Hall debates. But if there is a Hall, he should be there, no question.

He is in the hall. He just doesn't have a plaque. Huge difference. The museum tells the story of baseball and it tells that story with exhibits that include Bonds and Rose and Shoeless Joe. It includes the bash brothers. They just aren't honored in the plaque room. 

 

I think this years class was pretty good but Rivera getting 100% was stupid. 

[ashbury]

Rivera getting 100% was stupid. 

I think it's safe to say literally 100% of the people empowered to vote on the question disagree with your position. That's rare for any position, on any topic.

[Mike Sixel]

 

He is in the hall. He just doesn't have a plaque. Huge difference. The museum tells the story of baseball and it tells that story with exhibits that include Bonds and Rose and Shoeless Joe. It includes the bash brothers. They just aren't honored in the plaque room. 

 

I think this years class was pretty good but Rivera getting 100% was stupid. 

 

It should be 100% clear that we are talking about getting a plaque......if not, that's 100% what I meant. He is one of the 3 best players ever. 

[Jim Hahn]

I think the Hall of Fame can be interesting and even a little bit funny. I consider it the Hall of the most famous, not necessarily the Hall of the very best players. There are all sort of inequities all over the place, in part because of the rather vague requirements and in part because of who does the selecting.

 

One interesting example is Brooks Robinson and Ken Boyer. Brooks was a 1st ballot, Boyer has been snubbed for decades. They were contemporaries with their peaks years at the same time. Boyer played in the tougher league, was by far the better hitter ( Brooks had one year where his OPS was as good Boyer' s career ops), and was much more versatile, playing over a 100 games in cf one year. Defensively, Boyer was very good. I think he won 6 gold gloves.

 

Brooks was a good hitter, considered maybe the best defensive 3b of all time, and played well in a number of post seasons. He deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. I don't know if Boyer deserves to be in the Hall, but the stats say He was the better player.

 

This is part why I don't worry about who's in the Hall. There are many other ways to celebrate the many great players in the game.

Edited January 23, 2019 by Jim Hahn