The Great Hall of Fame Debate

The Hall of Fame debate is back for another year. The arguments continue and we have not seen too much progress in terms of ballot time or voting percentages. You now only get 10 years on the ballot rather than 15. I am not a supporter of this at all. It is just a fast way to clear the ballot and it is not a solution. With the crowded ballot it is also possible that someone who is at 5% but deserves to get consideration can get knocked off the ballot. Everyone deserves to get a long look on the ballot especially after the voters have made it crowded. My biggest problem when going over my ballot is that I can easily vote for 17 players. I don't understand why the voters have a limited vote especially at 10. Personally I think it should be unlimited. Now everything has to be considered , all stats. That includes some of the newer stats such as WAR.

 Randy Johnson is a must vote. Johnson is a 300 game winner. He also won five CY Young awards. Johnson was a ten time All Star pitching in both the NL and AL over his career. Johnson led the league in strikeouts nine times. Johnson had a 3.50 era in 11 postseason series. Johnson was the co-MVP in the 2001 World Series. Johnson was one of the scariest pitchers on the mound. He will easily make the cut.

   

Pedro Martinez is another guy who should easily get in. Martinez dominated baseball on the mound during the Steroid Era. Martinez finished his career with a 2.93 era. He also led the league in era five times. In 2000 Martinez went 18-6 , with a 1.74 era. Easily one of the best seasons in history. Martinez won three Cy Young Awards and a World Series ring with the 2004 Red Sox. 

John Smoltz is another first timer who would receive my vote. Smoltz not only dominated as a starter but also as a closer. In the postseason as a reliever and starter he went 15-4 with a 2.67 era. Smoltz finished his career with 213 wins and 154 saves. He was an 8 time all star. 

Craig Biggio is a member of the 3,000 hit club. I do not hold it against Biggio because he chose to play longer and reach the 3,000 hit milestone. Biggio was more than a  slap hitter as he belted 291 home runs.  Had he hit nine would have been already enshrined? No one came closer then him last year and I think he gets in this year. Biggio was a leader for the Astros team and earned the right to play until whenever he wanted. A 281 batting average should not be looked at as a knock. 

 Jeff Bagwell had 449 home runs over a 15 year career. Bagwell is a winner of the Rookie of the Year and MVP award. Bagwell is being held out by a group of voters who believe it is okay to hold guys   out just from suspection of PED use. This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. Bagwell had a career slugging percentage of 540 and OPS of 948. For those who like sabemetrics along with the standard stats , Bagwell produced here also. 

Mike Piazza is possibly the greatest hitting catcher of all time. There are some knocks on his defense but Piazza was as tuff as they come behind the plate. For me Piazza was easily a first ballot guy. I am not a Mets fan but I was outraged like all of them when he got snubbed. It's the same story here. Some believe he used PED's so they won't vote him in. He had 427 home runs primarily from the catcher position. He averaged 37 homers over a 162 game season. He also had a career average of   

308. He also knocked in 1,335 runs and had an Slugging percentage of 545 in his career. 

This is the part of the ballot for me that some will find controversial I would vote for Barry Bonds , Roger Clemens and Mark McGwire. For me I go by the numbers but I also understand that PED use was a part of the game for a long time. I do not know what their stats would be had they been clean and I will not try. Bonds is the home run king and the walks king. Clemens a 300 game winner and he also won 7 Cy Young Awards. Both men were great before they were believed to be using substance. McGwire is more tricky because I knew on a crowded ballot either he or Sosa would be left off for me. McGwire may have used PED's but represented more. McGwire helped bring baseball back in 1998 years after the strike. His season where he broke Roger Maris's single season record will always be baseballs most exciting. Everyone was behind him and had to know what he was doing. I don't think it's fair to know cast him out as baseball did. 

After voting for those three also I have just one spot left and eight candidates that I find worthy. For  me the hardest decision was whether I would put Tim Raines or Gary Sheffield on my ballot. I don't have a ballot but I suppose had I have one I would vote Sheffield because I was saw him play and was a great hitter for  years. Gary Sheffield is one of the best hitters right handed hitters I ever saw. 

Those who missed my Cut but Just because of the limit.

1. Tim Raines deserved to be voted in for a while now. He has over 800 steals. He will be right back on my ballot after some of the log jam evens out a little. 

2. Mike Mussina had 270 wins and his numbers are extremely close to Jim Palmers. Once Johnson and Martinez are voted in he will be right back on my ballot. It is hard to put Smoltz on and leave Mussina off , but Smoltz was dominat in the postseason and pitched as a closer and a starter.  

3. Curt Schilling was a dominant post season pitcher. In the five elimination postseason games he started his team won them all.

4. Sammy Sosa had over 600 home runs. He also hit 60 in three seasons and didn't lead the league in homers in any of those seasons.

5. Alan Trammell was 285 hitter and a great defensive shortstop.

6. Lee Smith finished his career with the most saves all time. There is nothing else you need to know on why he should have his day in Cooperstown.

7. Edgar Martinez was one of the best hitters during the time he played. The DH argument is   outdated.

These seven players could have easily made my ballot. That's why I think they need to change the ten person limit. It is out dated.