Hall of Fame Ballot

All the discussion about Gil Hodges makes me think the SOMPA should cast our own ballots ahead of the BBWAA election in a few days.
I vote for
Pedro
Randy Johnson
Schilling (11-2 post season record pushes him over the top)
Bonds (just to annoy Clemens)
Piazza
Bagwell
Braden Looper (He has a great name, and now I can't be accused of being a Hall of Fame elitist snob)

Schilling (11-2 post season record pushes him over the top)

Schilling no. I cannot put someone in just based on postseason record. To me that is rewarding a player for just being on a good team. If you put Schilling in you gotta put Morris in. And the list probably goes on and on.

You ready to put these guys in HOF?

World Series
Phil Garner had career .500 BA and .571 OBP
Amos Otis .468 BA, .538 OBP, .957 SLG .1.45 OPS

Billy Hatcher career .404 playoff BA
Nelson Cruz is 9th in all time playoff HRs.
How about Bernie Williams? 2nd in career playoff HRs with 22. First in RBI with 80. He is only among the leaders because he was lucky enough to play for the yankees during one of their dynasties.

If Schilling were truly borderline HOF playoff record might push him over top. But his overall regular season career to me does not put him in the discussion or even close.

Schilling only had a few great seasons in his mid to late 30's. That makes me suspect he roided up.
Mussina has better numbers than Schilling, but I wouldn't put Moose in. He was a coward who left games to avoid getting pinned with losses.

Drysdale's in the HOF and Schilling is better in just about any category you could name.

His ERA+ is 127 and his Winning Pct. is 587 vs Drysdale's 120 ERA+ and a Winning pct. of only .557 despite playing for a perennial contending team.

Schilling exceeds the average Hall of Famer on:
black ink
gray ink
HOF Monitor (avg is 100 Schilling is 171).

Based on career WAR he is the 27th best pitcher of all time.

So, if Schilling were a borderline HOF guy, I would certainly factor in his post season success.

But he isn't. Borderline. Based on his stats he should be an automatic HOF'er, maybe even a first ballot guy.

Lot of unsavory characters in the Hall. Don't care about steroids as an exclusionary criteria nor other assorted instances of generalized scumbaggery. Veterans committe should elect Shoeless Joe and Rose.

1.Bonds (only Ruth was better).
2. Pedro (best ERA+ in history)
3. Big Unit (should be on every ballot) Yeah he was shaky like Koufax was as a younger player. Neither one appears to have used roids, despite their being late bloomers)
4. Clemens Extraordinary career, even if was a total asshole.
5. Bagwell.
6. Piazza Best hitting catcher ever to play in the MFL.
7. Walker
8. McGwire
9. Schilling
10. Biggio You can make a case that all of these guys should be or should have been first ballot HOF'ers.

Based on the roid logic, Brett should be stripped of his HOF status for getting caught using a corked bat and how many of the old, old timers used cocaine --they all did if they drank Coca-cola. As long as we're at it, get rid of Mays and Mantle -given their bans for being front men for casinos.

Drysdale's in the HOF and Schilling is better in just about any category you could name.

His ERA+ is 127 and his Winning Pct. is 587 vs Drysdale's 120 ERA+ and a Winning pct. of only .557 despite playing for a perennial contending team.

Schilling exceeds the average Hall of Famer on:
black ink
gray ink
HOF Monitor (avg is 100 Schilling is 171).

Based on career WAR he is the 27th best pitcher of all time.

So, if Schilling were a borderline HOF guy, I would certainly factor in his post season success.

But he isn't. Borderline. Based on his stats he should be an automatic HOF'er, maybe even a first ballot guy.

Drysdale probably doesn't belong in. A comparison Schilling's numbers with a couple guys not in makes a case for him not getting in, certainly not 1st ballot.

Here are Schilling's numbers ranked #45 All-Time best pitcher
http://www.baseball-reference.com/playe ... cu01.shtml

Jim Kaat ranked #43
http://www.baseball-reference.com/playe ... ji01.shtml

Tommy John Ranked #34
http://www.baseball-reference.com/playe ... to01.shtml

At first I found this a little depressing because of the 'roids issue, especially since a lot of 'roids candidates probably would have made it without PEDs. But I can't bring myself to vote for Bonds, and if I'm not voting for Bonds, then I can't really vote for the other seriously 'roids compromised guys either. I am including some guys (e.g. Piazza, Bagwell) who are suspected of PED use, but without substantial evidence.

Even so, I had no trouble finding ten guys to vote for who I think are HOF-worthy, so I cheered up.

My ten in alphabetical order, followed by each player's WAR

Bagwell -79.6
Biggio -65.1
Johnson (Randy) -102.1
Martinez (Pedro) -84.0
Mussina -83.0
Piazza -59.4
Raines -69.1
Schilling -79.9
Smoltz -69.5
Trammell -70.4

Major source: http://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/hof_2015.shtml

Notes.
•Randy and Pedro are obvious first round picks. Smoltz might get in this year, but it's not a lock.
•Biggio will clearly make it this year. He was just a fractional percentage point shy last year.
•Pizza (62.2%) has a chance for this year, but is by no means a sure thing. Still, he'll get in eventually if he's at this level in his 3rd year of eligibility.
•Mussina got 20% in his first year. Sometimes that kind of support grows, sometimes it doesn't. But he seems to me clearly HOF worthy. His record really speaks for itself. 270 wins. 20 wins in his final season. W/L% of .638. OPS+ 123. He's a better pitcher than at least 20 guys currently in the HOF. Note that Mussina's WAR is well ahead of Smoltz. So is his JWAR (63.8 to 54.2).
•Trammell's WAR puts him right in the pack with everyone else. He's hanging in there with 20% of the BWWAA vote in his 13th year, but will obviously never make it via this route. Still, I think he's worthy--and a better player than half the SS who are in the HOF.
•Raines might just make it before his eligibility expires, but I kinda doubt it. Still, I think he's worthy--one of the greatest leadoff men ever, and leadoff men typically get stiffed by the HOF.

The rankings in Baseball reference are based on fan voting and are filled with countless abusrdities. That argument doesn't even merit straw man status.

This guy''s argument have solid points. I'm not adverse to Schilling being voted in, but others are his equal.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/5954 ... 13-or-ever

"Schilling, in my view should be relegated to the Hall of Very Good with Tommy John, Billy Pierce and Jim Kaat."

Bagwell
Biggio
Pedro
Big Unit
Smoltz

If post season success counted I would think Smoltz would be an easy pick but I would vote for him ignoring those numbers. I think being a starter, reliever, and starter again will hurt him since he doesn't have the counting numbers and I wouldn't be surprised to see him not make it this year. Pedro and the Unit I think will get 75% easily.

Trammell, Raines, Piazza, Mussina are all close and if I had a real vote I would have to look at them more carefully.