Former closer Rich "Goose" Gossage isn't too happy that he failed to win election into baseball's Hall of Fame, according to a report in the New York Post.

 

Gossage received 336 votes, which is short of the 390 needed for election. The former right-hander finished behind fellow closer Bruce Sutter, who won election by getting 400 votes, and former slugger Jim Rice who got 337 votes.

 

Rich 'Goose' Gossage came up 54 votes short of induction into baseball's Hall of Fame.

 

"I just don't get it," a frustrated Gossage told The Post from Colorado on Tuesday. "I'm at a loss for words."

 

Gossage, a former Yankees' fireballer, seems angry that he failed to get into the Hall of Fame despite the fact that he has, among other things, more career saves, victories, and strikeouts (948) than Sutter.

 

"I just can't believe Sutter got in before me," Gossage added."He deserved it. I was hoping Sutter and I could go in together. ... I don't know if I ever will make it."

 

"You know what, I never hear from these guys who don't vote for me," Gossage said. "But I'll take on any writer, anywhere, on any show, and I will bury him."

 

Gossage also feels badly for peers such as Rice, Andre Dawson and Bert Blyleven — all of whom were left on the outside looking in.

 

The "Goose's" feelings concerning Rice's snub were particularly strong as he called it a "joke" that the Twins' Kirby Puckett was elected on the first ballot. Rice meanwhile is now 0-for-12 in Hall entry attempts.

 

"If Jim Rice had played in the Metrodome, he would have torn the place down, and that's nothing against Kirby Puckett, that's just the way it is," Gossage said.

 

What's more, Gossage often pitched two or three innings to earn his saves, and he says comparing him to current closers such as Trevor Hoffman or Mariano Rivera is like comparing apples to oranges.

 

"The job is so easy because they're only pitching one inning," Gossage said. "Writers have forgotten how the role has changed."

 

And don't get him started on Barry Bonds and other allegedly drug-enhanced sluggers we watch now.

 

"Hitting in a game is no different than hitting in a home run contest," Gossage said. "It [ticks] me off to say Barry Bonds is the greatest hitter. He's playing in a wussy era. The game is soft. You never get thrown at today. Last thing a hitter has to worry about today is getting hit. The first thing Hank Aaron had to worry about is: Am I going to survive this at-bat because I'm black."

 

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/5237536

Edited January 12, 200620 yr by Pierzynski 12

damn, good for you Goose. I feel the same way.

he is right, Gossage should be in if Sutter is. for that matter, I don't see why Blelevyn (sp?) isn't in.

Gossage was screwed!

I have to agree with him. Maybe next year. Sutter got in on the last cance ballot.

 

BTW, Sutter will not be wearing Cubbie blue

awsome. took the words outta my mouth. Way to go Goose! and F*** sutter because my Goose autograph is gunna be worth less now.

I have to agree with him. Maybe next year. Sutter got in on the last cance ballot.

 

BTW, Sutter will not be wearing Cubbie blue

I saw that on MLB.com, he'll be wearing the Cards cap.

The HoF is getting more like winning a Gold Glove, where there is almost no value. You can compare stats or ask hitters in that era who was a more dominant pitcher and almost all of them would say Gossage.

 

He pitched in the AL, compared to Sutter that pitched exclusively in the NL.

 

He played in 22 seasons compared to 12 for Sutter.

 

Gossage - 9 time All-Star , Sutter - 6 time All-Star.

 

The only thing that Sutter had over Gossage was a Cy Young award in 1979.

 

If you compare players and careers, Gossage is closest to Fingers and Hoyt Wilhelm (both HoFers). Sutter is closest to Doug Jones and Tom Henke.

 

They need to really take a look at these voters. The votes should be made public or the voters should be held accountable for their votes.

The Goose is right on with is comments regarding him and Sutter going in together at best and that Jim Rice belongs in while it WAS a joke that Kirby was a first ballot Hall of Famer.

 

We need to hear more from the Goose.

 

Sutter got in on the last cance ballot.

Not true.

 

you have 15 tries, assuming you remain above the 5% threshold, before they kick you to the veterans committee. Sutter got in on #13.

Not true.

 

you have 15 tries, assuming you remain above the 5% threshold, before they kick you to the veterans committee. Sutter got in on #13.

 

Thank you, I must have mis heard the report.

This definitely deserves a

 

*slow clap*

While I feel for him and agree with a lot of what he said, he sure does sound like Santo right there.

....and that is NOT a good thing....

While I agree he's been snubbed, and is deserving of the HOF, I think its pretty classless to rip the voters and players who have already been elected.

Agreed. I remember Gossage being a more dominant pitcher than Sutter, though I only really remember them from the early 80s to the end of their careers.

 

Puckett, though, was a five-tool player. That's a pretty low blow to compare him to Jim Rice, who was a very good player. This is one of those things where airing your dirty laundry is only going to make yourself look worse.

 

The Hall is for the very best at their position, and while I don't know if I could say that about Gossage, I sure as hell wouldn't say that about Bruce Sutter.

I don't mind ripping the voters, but if I was Sutter and just went to bat for Goose and Smith and relievers, and then read 'How did he get in before me???', I'd be pissed. Seems a little low.

 

Even though, personally, I agree that Gossage deserves it more...

Im not sure Gossage is doing a lot to help his chances of getting in in the future (even though they may be small) independent of whether he deserves to be in or not

I'm glad he ripped them but that probably also means it's going to be hard for him to be elected.

I have to agree with him. Maybe next year. Sutter got in on the last cance ballot.

 

BTW, Sutter will not be wearing Cubbie blue

 

Not a chance next year. Gwinn and McGwire are both eligible. There was a huge list in the suntimes.

"It [ticks] me off to say Barry Bonds is the greatest hitter. He's playing in a wussy era.

 

You go Goose!!! Why is it that the votes aren't made public?

Blyleven to me I will never understand, his numbers are worthy.

Not a chance next year. Gwinn and McGwire are both eligible. There was a huge list in the suntimes.

 

I think you probably meant to say Gwynn and Ripken. There's no chance McGwire gets in next year. If he gets in at all, it won't be for a few years.

I think you probably meant to say Gwynn and Ripken.  There's no chance McGwire gets in next year.  If he gets in at all, it won't be for a few years.

 

Your probably right about McGwire. I didnt even see Ripken the first time through, but i only skimmed through the list on break at work.

 

Here is the list from the sun times:

 

2007: Harold Baines, Derek Bell, Dante Bichette, Bobby Bonilla, Jeff Brantley, Jay Buhner, Ken Caminiti, Jose Canseco, Eric Davis, Tony Fernandez, Tony Gwynn, Darryl Hamilton, Pete Harnisch, Charlie Hayes, Glenallen Hill, Ken Hill, Stan Javier, Wally Joyner, Ramon Martinez, Mark McGwire, Paul O'Neill, Gregg Olson, Cal Ripken Jr., Bret Saberhagen, Jeff Shaw, Kevin Tapani, Devon White, Bobby Witt.

 

2008: Shawon Dunston, Travis Fryman, David Justice, Mike Morgan, Tim Raines, Randy Velarde.

 

2009: Mark Grace, Rickey Henderson, Dean Palmer, Dan Plesac, Matt Williams.

 

2010: Andres Galarraga, Edgar Martinez, Robin Ventura.

 

Source: Baseball Hall of Fame

I didn't realize it when he mentioned it, but Puckett's career numbers are fairly pedestrian. His batting average is very impressive, but his power numbers certainly aren't. The Gold Gloves probably help too. One wonders if he'd be a first ballot HOF'er with our current obsession with power numbers and OBP. I thought that he was one of those guys that was an instant in because he got 3,000 hits, but apparently I'm confusing my players. I didn't realize that he only played 12 years.

 

I've never been that big on Jim Rice. He had four seasons that I would call very good and a couple more that were pretty good. I'm not sure I'd call that HOF caliber. He kind of fits into the Rafael Palmeiro category with me: consistently above average but rarely elite. I think he's going to have a really tough time getting in because his numbers just aren't that impressive compared to current day numbers, and some people seem to believe that Fenway Park helped him a lot.

Edited January 12, 200620 yr by ZoomSlowik

I never really understood the first ballot vs. 13th ballot thing. The stats aren't improving, so why is it that all of a sudden he's HoF worthy?