EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted January 4, 2004 http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/events/h...y2004/index.jsp With the HOF announcement coming Tuesday, I think this is a good time to discuss HOF candidates. Who are your picks. Here's mine, and why. Paul Molitor Of the 19 eligible players with 3,000 or more hits, not one of them is excluded from the Hall of Fame. With 3,319 hits, Molitor is in solid company. Goose Gossage If you are going to elect any relievers into the Hall, you have to start with Gossage. For ten years, he was the best relief pitcher in baseball. Gossage went nine years without posting an ERA above 3. Dennis Eckersley 197 career wins AND 390 career saves. Eckerlsey redefined the closer role, and pitched effectively into his 40s. The fact that no similar pitchers exist speaks volumes about his career. Ryne Sandberg Not only was Sandberg the best hitting second baseman of his day, he was also a perennial gold glove winner. Also stole 344 bases. Andre Dawson The Hall is loaded with outfielders, so why add Dawson? For starters, Dawson is one of the best power/speed players in history. He hit 438 home runs, gathered 2,774 hits, and stole 314 bases. Don't forget that he played center field for half of his career, and that he won several gold gloves while playing center. Alan Trammell Of all my picks, I suspect this one will take the most effort. The argument here is simple. Alan Trammell is superior to above half of the players currently in the Hall of Fame. I entered the career stats of all HOF shortstops into a spreadsheet, and computed the averages. Trammell works out just about even or above in all aspects. The average HOF SS has a career OPS of 758. Trammell's career OPS is 767. Quite simply, there's no excuse to excuse Trammell, given the established standards of the Hall of Fame. Bert Blyleven The popular pick among sabermetricians. Blyleven has 287 career wins. If he had 13 more, he'd be in already. Blyleven retired 3rd all time in strikeouts, and his three most similar comps (Don Sutton, Gaylord Perry, Ferguson Jenkins) are in the Hall of Fame. Blyleven was actually very similar to Don Drysdale, except Blyleven pitched after the age of 32. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JHawk 0 Report post Posted January 4, 2004 I'd agree with all those. I'd also add that Blyleven won most of those 287 games playing for mediocre at best teams, and if they take that into consideration he ought to be a shoo-in. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianChris 0 Report post Posted January 4, 2004 No argument with any of those. Gossage has been a sticking point with me for years...he was a better reliever than Eck over their entire careers. I'd love to see Jimmy Key and Dave Stieb get in, but I know that's a lost cause. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
2GOLD 0 Report post Posted January 4, 2004 No love for Lee Smith? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phoenixrising 0 Report post Posted January 4, 2004 I don't know about Lee Smith. He has the career saves record, but I really don't think he was the dominant closer Gossage and Eckersley were. My Hall of Fame Picks: Molitor, Eckersley, Dawson and Sandberg. I think the other guys might sneak in over the next couple of years... Wade Boggs is the only shoo-in vote until McGwire, Ripken and Gwynn are eligible (I think 2007). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rob E Dangerously 0 Report post Posted January 4, 2004 Cecil Fielder all the way baby! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vern Gagne 0 Report post Posted January 4, 2004 Molitor, Eckersley, Blyleven, Dawson, and Sandberg Bruce Sutter was 106 votes shy. Doubt he'll get that many this year. I also expect Sandberg, and Dawson to make significant jumps in vote totals this year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bored 0 Report post Posted January 4, 2004 http://forums.thesmartmarks.com/index.php?...=ST&f=8&t=45871 Anyways no real suspense as it will be Molitor and Eckersley and I'll be shocked otherwise. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vern Gagne 0 Report post Posted January 4, 2004 The honest to god's truth is Molitor, and Eckersley are probably the only two I'd actually vote for. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr. Tom 0 Report post Posted January 4, 2004 My picks would be Molotor, Eckersley, Gossage, Dawson, and Blyleven. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Czech Republic 0 Report post Posted January 4, 2004 Molitor and Sandberg Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted January 6, 2004 For those interested, mlb.com will have live radio coverage of the announcement. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NoCalMike 0 Report post Posted January 6, 2004 is Rickey Henderson retired yet? If so, get him in ASAP. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianChris 0 Report post Posted January 6, 2004 is Rickey Henderson retired yet? If so, get him in ASAP. He played with the Dodgers last year. Don't know where he'll end up this season. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vern Gagne 0 Report post Posted January 7, 2004 Blyleven is being screwed. He's not even getting half the votes necessary. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
