This is the thread to follow the road to Cooperstown for Big Frank. Enjoy.

 

Bob Nightengale ‏@BNightengale 21m

 

The Hall of Fame ballot will be out today at 2 p.m ET.: http://www.BBWAA.com . Greg Maddux, Frank Thomas and Tom Glavine head the newcomers

After last year, nothing these clowns will do is going to surprise me.

 

However, I'm leaning toward the feeling that he'll get in this year. Because the whole DH controversy will force people to go back and look at his numbers in perspective -- using both current players and steroid pariahs as frames of reference -- and when you do that you can't help but be shocked both at how dominant he was in his prime and how underrated he was in his decline phase.

This is the thread to follow the road to Cooperstown for Big Frank. Enjoy.

 

Bob Nightengale ‏@BNightengale 21m

 

The Hall of Fame ballot will be out today at 2 p.m ET.: http://www.BBWAA.com . Greg Maddux, Frank Thomas and Tom Glavine head the newcomers

Really hope Frank makes it.

All-time ranks from baseball-reference.com:

 

T-4th in sacrifice flies with 121

10th in walks with 1667

14th in OPS at .9740

T-18th in home runs with 521

T-19th in adjusted OPS+ at 156

20th in OBP at .4191

36th in offensive WAR with 79.8

42nd in total bases with 4550

51st in position player WAR with 73.6

 

There is no reasonable excuse to exclude this man from a ballot.

Thomas, Maddux and Glavine, all in. Biggio and Morris possibly in. Morris has the whole final year on the ballot thing going for him. Coming close but falling short will be Bagwell, Raines and Piazza (all in the 60%+ range).

Morris should not get in. Yes, he has a couple of incredible postseason runs, but his numbers just don't hold up. He's already immortalized in the Hall of Fame with a lot of his performances, especially game 7 in 1991, but, hell, Miguel Batista had some pretty damn good outings in 2001 too and we aren't going to nominate him because of that, are we? I mean, Freddy Garcia is nicknamed "Big Game Freddy," and he had a pretty incredible performance in a World Series clinching game, but nobody is nominating him for the Hall of Fame.

Morris should not get in. Yes, he has a couple of incredible postseason runs, but his numbers just don't hold up. He's already immortalized in the Hall of Fame with a lot of his performances, especially game 7 in 1991, but, hell, Miguel Batista had some pretty damn good outings in 2001 too and we aren't going to nominate him because of that, are we? I mean, Freddy Garcia is nicknamed "Big Game Freddy," and he had a pretty incredible performance in a World Series clinching game, but nobody is nominating him for the Hall of Fame.

 

I agree 100% on Morris. He should not be in, but I just don't trust HOF voters at all. I mean someone actually voted for Aaron Sele last year.

I agree 100% on Morris. He should not be in, but I just don't trust HOF voters at all. I mean someone actually voted for Aaron Sele last year.

 

I seem to remember that. I think he did it as a favor to Sele knowing full well that he wasn't going to vote for the full 10 guys anyways and he was a friend of Sele. I think that's actually kind of cool.

I thought they were actually announcing the inductees today, not just the eligible players. What a major bummer.

The ballot is now officially out.

 

http://baseballhall.org/news/press-release...allot-out-today

keithlaw ‏@keithlaw 23m

 

Easy calls for me: Raines, Bonds, Maddux, Bagwell, Clemens, Thomas, Piazza, Biggio, Schill, Mussina. Leaves off 5+ worthy names.

 

Jim Callis ‏@jimcallisMLB 24m

 

Biggio, Bonds, Clemens, Glavine, Maddux, McGwire, Piazza, Raines, Thomas, Trammell. All but impossible to limit to 10.

The only reason Keith Law is voting for Frank is because he played for the Blue Jays.

Edited November 26, 201312 yr by witesoxfan

Baseball Hall ‏@BaseballHall 50m

 

The @officialBBWAA has announced the 2014 Hall of Fame Ballot. Results to be announced Jan. 8. http://baseballhall.org/news/press-release...allot-out-today …

keithlaw ‏@keithlaw 23m

 

Easy calls for me: Raines, Bonds, Maddux, Bagwell, Clemens, Thomas, Piazza, Biggio, Schill, Mussina. Leaves off 5+ worthy names.

 

Jim Callis ‏@jimcallisMLB 24m

 

Biggio, Bonds, Clemens, Glavine, Maddux, McGwire, Piazza, Raines, Thomas, Trammell. All but impossible to limit to 10.

 

I love seeing the support for Raines. It might not be for a few years, but I think eventually he gets there.

If I could vote for 16 players:

 

Bagwell, Biggio, Bonds, Clemens, Glavine, Kent, Maddux, Mattingly, McGriff, Morris, Mussina, Piazza, Raines, Schilling, Thomas, Trammell

 

I'm easy, but I wouldn't vote for Edgar Martinez, Larry Walker, Sosa, McGwire, Palmeiro, or the rest.

If I could vote for 16 players:

 

Bagwell, Biggio, Bonds, Clemens, Glavine, Kent, Maddux, Mattingly, McGriff, Morris, Mussina, Piazza, Raines, Schilling, Thomas, Trammell

 

I'm easy, but I wouldn't vote for Edgar Martinez, Larry Walker, Sosa, McGwire, Palmeiro, or the rest.

 

Edgar Martinez has a .300/.400/.500 slash line. That's good enough for me.

If you look around, there's virtually no one who is not including Thomas on their actual or hypothetical ballots

Went to Cooperstown in 2012 but would definitely be up to make the trip again for The Big Hurt's induction (doesn't hurt to live 4 hours away). The hotels in Cooperstown were pretty expensive on a non-inductee weekend (although the town was overrun with little leaguers since there's apparently always a summer tourney going on there) so we stayed in Oneonta (~20 min away IIRC, and plenty of places to eat (great pizzerias) there since it's a college town).

If you look around, there's virtually no one who is not including Thomas on their actual or hypothetical ballots

 

If I could give Frank any advice over the next 5 weeks--don't talk.

If you look around, there's virtually no one who is not including Thomas on their actual or hypothetical ballots

 

I have yet to see a single one.

Frank is a no doubter for the HOF and clearly one of the most dominant baseball players not just of his generation, but also of all time. I think his percentage will be closer to the 75-80 % mark as many voters will have to spread their votes around to keep certain guys on the ballot still. A guy like Schilling who I personally think is a HOF, probably doesn't crack the top 10 on this years ballot, but enough voters will leave others off to make sure he can get in later.

Can't wait to celebrate with some Big Hurt Beer!

If I could vote for 16 players:

 

Bagwell, Biggio, Bonds, Clemens, Glavine, Kent, Maddux, Mattingly, McGriff, Morris, Mussina, Piazza, Raines, Schilling, Thomas, Trammell

 

I'm easy, but I wouldn't vote for Edgar Martinez, Larry Walker, Sosa, McGwire, Palmeiro, or the rest.

You would vote in 2 admmited cheaters but leave Edgar out?

 

It's a hell of a ballot tho. If Morris gets in than Mussina does too.

 

I would go: Thomas, Maddux, Biggio, Glavine. And making cases for Piazza, Trammell and Mussina.

 

And maybe Clemens based on his numbers before the steriods in which he dominated from'84 to '93

 

Actually Mcgriff should be considered 493 HR ain't no cakewalk.

You would vote in 2 admitted cheaters but leave Edgar out?

 

It's a hell of a ballot tho. If Morris gets in than Mussina does too.

 

I would go: Thomas, Maddux, Biggio, Glavine. And making cases for Piazza, Trammell and Mussina.

 

And maybe Clemens based on his numbers before the steriods in which he dominated from'84 to '93

 

Actually Mcgriff should be considered 493 HR ain't no cakewalk.

 

I could probably be swayed on Edgar, but I'm not sure he had enough great seasons as just a DH. But I'm not voting, so if 75% of the people do vote him in, then good for him.

 

To me, McGriff is Willie McCovey, but didn't get to 500 home runs because of the 1994-1995 strike. He missed 60-65 games where he certainly would have hit 7 more homers. Plus, I think he was clean in a dirty era.

I find it kind of funny that nobody got in last year yet this year is the deepest group and guys may not get votes in order to keep others on the ballot.

 

Thomas, Maddux, Glavine and Piazza should all get in. That is it.

 

Next year Bonds and Clemens.

 

Makes the PED statement a little. Three players that have never been attributed to PEDs in then let the PED connected guys have their day next year.