1/9: Al kkkeiper's Hall Of Fame List
9:30 p.m.
• I forgot all about Major League Baseball's Hall of Fame voting results being today. Oops. I was going to do a candidate-by-candidate review of their respective careers, awards, win-shares and all that other stuff, but who really reads all that shit anyway? Instead, here is Al kkkeiper's voting ballot for this year's Hall of Fame wanna-bes.
1) Harold Baines -- No.
2) Albert Belle -- No.
3) Dante Bichette -- No.
4) Bert Blyleven -- No.
5) Bobby Bonilla -- Fuck No.
5) Scott Brosius -- No.
6) Jay Buhner -- No.
7) Ken Caminiti -- No. This guy was one of my favorite players when he was still in the game. I remember him breaking down on Jim Rome's show. It's a shame he died, but he brought it on himself, so fuck him.
8) Jose Canseco -- No. For some reason I've been liking this guy more and more. When he wrote that book a bunch of people dissed him for being a rat, but as it turns out, it looks like he was more spot on than first thought. Why shouldn't he make a quick buck naming names? The roided up players did much worse for their paychecks.
9) Dave Concepcion -- Hmm, no. This is an interesting candidate because being from Shittsburgh this guy gets compared a lot to Bill Mazerowski, who recently got in the Hall. Both were great fielders, but weren't anything special at the plate, unless it was Game 7 of the 1960 World Series.
10) Eric Davis -- No.
11) Andre Dawson -- Had to think about this one for a second. Err, no.
12) Tony Fernandez -- No.
13) Steve Garvey -- I'm leaning toward yes, but I think that's just because of the name recognition. I'm sure his stats will say otherwise.
14) Rich Gossage -- No.
15) Tony Gwynn -- Yes. One of my favorite all-time players. I like him even more now that I heard a clip on ESPN this evening in which he said that he's "sweating like a slave" while talking about his recent induction. Uh oh.
I never saw Tony Gwynn sweating as a slave, ever ... ever.
Is it OK for me to go out in the hot sun and perspirate while waiting for a baseball to get hit to me in the outfield?
Why yes it is -- that's why we were brought over to this country. We could pick cotton and hit baseballs out in the sun better than all those crackas.
16) Orel Hershiser -- No.
17) Tommy John -- No.
18) Wally Joyner -- No. I remember when he came into the big leagues he was some can't-miss Hall of Famer. I guess he'll just have to settle for being a millionaire.
19) Don Mattingly -- Like Garvey, I'm leaning toward yes, because I remember those years he had in the '80s. I'm sure other people who pay attention to stats and all that shit will outvote me on this one.
20) Mark McGwire -- Fuck all the haters, I'll vote him in. Does he deserve to go? I don't know. But Major League Baseball turned a blind eye toward players roiding up in the 1990s, so deal with it. I heard on Mike and Mike this morning that some sportswriter from Illinois turned in a blank ballot because he can't vote on any players from the "steroid age" or something like that. Get off your high horse. If you don't want to make a statement, give your ballot to someone else. Asshole.
21) Jack Morris -- Hmm, another one that gave me pause. He's probably not deserving, but I'll put him ahead of Garvey and Mattingly.
22) Dale Murphy -- I remember him from the Braves back in the 1980s. If he didn't get in by now he never will.
23) Paul O'Neill -- No, although I liked him as a player.
24) Dave Parker -- No.
25) Jim Rice -- No.
26) Cal Ripken Jr. -- What am I going to say here? Of course. I remember during his final years he wasn't all that productive, but whatever.
27) Bret Saberhagen -- No.
28) Lee Smith -- I dunno. I have no idea. Might as well ask that pseudo-baseball expert who stole my when-I'm-talking-about-baseball name via AIM.
Nice answer Al kerry. I'll say yes out of spite.Fww76: You there?
alkeiper: yeah
Fww76: How many relief pitchers are in the Hall of Fame?
alkeiper: Hoyt Wilhelm, Bruce Sutter, Dennis Eckersley and Rollie Fingers.....four
Fww76: Uh ... would you include Lee Smith?
alkeiper: good question.....I didn't put him on my personal ballot, but I don't think his election would be a disservice
29) Alan Trammell -- No, although I remember him and Lou Whitaker being a long-time tandem in Detroit..
30) Devon White -- No.
31) Bobby Witt -- I thought he was still playing.
Regarding my Concepcion comment above, here is what I said about Bill Mazeroski's induction back in March of 2001.
Will Bill Mazeroski's Hall of Fame nod begin a trend for baseball inducting Gold Gloves instead of big bats?
After many years, one of Major League Baseball's greatest errors has been corrected. Coincidentally, this mistake revolved around a player that didn't commit many of them.
Bill Mazeroski's recent induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame proves that there is some sanity left in baseball.
There's no doubt that the former Pittsburgh Pirate has been jilted from hobnobbing with baseball's other legends for years.
Although known mostly as the guy who hit the series-winning home run in 1960 against the New York Yankees, Mazeroski’s unparalleled fielding for years at second base was what finally earned him a spot in baseball immortality.
Aside from being an eight-time Gold Glove winner, Mazeroski holds the record for second basemen with 1,706 double plays. In fact, by leading the National League in double plays from 1960-67, it can be argued that Mazeroski set the standard for playing defensive at second base.
With all his defensive accolades, Mazeroski was no easy out at the plate. A career .260 hitter may not be sound like a Hall of Fame average today, but back in a time when second basemen were known more for fielding than hitting this added offensive punch was a welcome blessing for any team in a pitching-dominated era.
However, this homely average, among other average batting statistics, were cited for years as the roadblocks in Mazeroski’s way to Cooperstown.
While baseball purists all over rejoice at a wrong being righted in Mazeroski’s induction, I can’t help but wonder if this was a one-time freak occurrence or the beginning of a snowball effect that will give other sound players the recognition they deserve as well.
My question will soon be answered in upcoming years when former Cincinnati Reds shortstop Dave Concepcion takes his cuts in front of the Baseball Writers Association of America. So far Concepcion hasn’t fared too well, barely getting one-sixth of the votes needed for induction last year.
There are many parallels to Mazeroski and Concepcion, even though the latter began his professional baseball career at a time when the former was ending his.
Concepcion is a five-time Gold Glove winner with a career batting average in the mid-.260s. Ironically, Concepcion’s achievements may be overshadowed by his teammates’ success.
Playing in the middle of the Big Red Machine during the 1970s, it wouldn’t be hard to overlook a little shortstop in a team featuring redwoods like Pete Rose, Joe Morgan, Johnny Bench and Tony Perez. In addition, Concepcion’s successor at the shortstop position wasn’t too bad either -- his name was Barry Larkin.
Much like Mazeroski, Concepcion’s offensive contributions were limited, but they weren’t anemic. Although he didn’t hit a championship-winning home run, Concepcion was able to produce when it counted.
He led the NL in game winning RBI’s in 1981, and even though his career World Series average is a mediocre .267, in four of his trips to the Big Game -- four more than most ballplayers see in their careers -- Concepcion topped .300 three times and .400 once.
Will the Baseball Gods allow Concepcion the same leeway as Mazeroski? There’s always a chance that the light will shine on Concepcion, but right now the chances of that happening do not look good. The world of sports seems to have a habit of leaving an odd man out of an elite group of players (not all of the Steel Curtain or the Purple People Eaters reside in Canton), and the former Reds shortstop looks to be another victim of having to playing around more recognized teammates.
Another drawback to Concepcion’s inability to wow the BBWAA could be that today’s top shortstops are known more for the pop in their bat than a vacuum glove. Put a .267 shortstop of yesterday up against the numbers of a Derek Jeter or Alex Rodriguez today and the elder ballplayer would undoubtedly get overshadowed by bigger and better offensive statistics.
Is this evaluating method fair?
Not really.
But that’s life and, like it or not, solid fundamentals sometimes take a back seat to gaudy statistics.
First he was overshadowed in Cincinnati by an all-star lineup, now his position is recognized more for offensive output rather than defensive excellence. No wonder Concepcion’s jersey number was 13.
I will be pleasantly surprised if Concepcion gets into the Baseball Hall of Fame, but right now the odds of that happening look slim to none. You can argue that some current Hall of Fame shortstops don’t have Concepcion’s offensive or defensive numbers, but then again Pee Wee Reese and Joe Tinker weren’t considered for induction while Nomar Garciaparra was battling for a batting title.
Will momentum from Mazeroski’s induction spill over to other players with solid but unspectacular careers? We’ll find out in the years ahead when the BBWAA and Veterans Committee vote on future Hall of Fame inductees.
It may seem unfair for yesterday’s heroes to be compared against today’s bigger, stronger and faster superstars, but just imagine the next generation of shortstops and the feats they could be capable of if we can go from Concepcion to Jeter in one generation.
It makes you wonder if we’ll think of Garciaparra the same way we currently do with Concepcion and Mazeroski 20 years from now.
11:30 a.m.
• Wow, what an incredible BcS game last night. Congratulations are in order to Boise State for being the only undefeated team in Division 1 College football. Wait a second, Boise State is not the top team in college football? But I thought all the non-playoff talking heads on television said the NCAA regular season is like one big playoff! Boise State is the only undefeated team in college’s top division. So then it’s only natural that they should be ranked first overall. And people wonder why I don’t give a shit about college football.
• I was driving home from work yesterday when a van in front of me had the following bumper sticker: “This vehicle was paid for by Union wages!” Uh, ok. So my scab money won’t be accepted by the local car dealership the next time I need to purchase a vehicle? Alrighty then. I wonder if the bumper sticker was also paid for by Union wages? Now that I think about it, was the bumper sticker itself created by Union labor?
• Remember my out-of-control niece’s suicide note I talked about Sunday that got in the way of my “Roadhouse” viewing? All lies. And the other times she has said that she tried to off herself? Lies. Like there was any doubt.
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