One of the annual discussions most baseball fans will have at some point is about who should be in the Hall of Fame. For the most part, those enshrined have either made significant contributions to the game or played at a level far and above the average player. And when the annual ballot comes out around November, it's fun to consider who you would select as your 10 candidates if you were so honored as to have a vote. Certainly, there are players that anyone would say is a sure thing. And yet, no one has ever been voted in by the BBWAA unanimously. EVER. Not Babe Ruth (who finished second in the balloting in 1936), not Cy Young (passed over his first year on the ballot), not Joe Dimaggio (less than 90%), not Ted Wiliams (20 votes short of unanimous with a career OBP of .482). I think you get the point.
So where do these votes go if they're not given to the ultra-desrving? Heres 6 examples from the last 5 years of voting and their most significant statistical achievement(s):
Chuck Knoublauch. Played 12 years. Won Rookie of the Year. Led the league in triples once, and HBP once.
Jay Buhner. Played 15 years. Led the league in strikeouts twice.
Gregg Jefferies. Played 14 years. Led the league in doubles once.
Walt Weiss. Played 14 years. Never led the league in anything.
Terry Steinbach. Played 14 years. Never led the league in anything.
Juan Samuel. Played 16 years. Led the league in strikeouts 4 times, in total outs 3 times and triples twice.
These players actually recieved at least one vote. Someone should look at who voted for them, and very quietly unplug whatever device that is keeping them alive. I would absolutely LOVE to hear an argument made for any of these (and many others) why they deserved even one vote. I know none of them stood a chance at election, but why are people voting for them when there are obviously others way more deserving of one of those 10 selections?
Cooperstown is a wonderful place. The only way some of these retirees should get in is via paid admission.
Brooklyn Decker
Kim Cloutier
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I agree. They need to keep the HOF exclusive and only let in the great players. Not players who were pretty good for a long time.
The Pitt Panther:…
Telford, PA
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Rickey Henderson's election continues to prove the point. What would it take to get all the BBWAA to agree on something, if not this?
metsmutt
Schenectady , NY
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