Nobody will ever be satisfied with the vote, and I think baseball likes it that way, but here we go.
Jeff Bagwell, Tim Raines, and Ivan Rodriguez are the newest members of the Baseball Hall of Fame. They will join Bud Selig and John Schuerholz for the induction ceremonies in July and the best part: Bill King gets the Ford C. Frick Award posthumously.
Raines will be inducted in the 10th and final year of eligibility. Cutting down the window from 15 to 10 years may have forced some voters to take a more serious look at worthy candidates, forcing the newbies wait a year or two.
To me, Raines has been worthy from the get-go.
People ask, “if he wasn’t voted in the first year, why is getting in now? If he wasn’t good enough then, why is he better now?” It’s the same question you could ask of many players. It depends on the year they become eligible, who they’re up against, and the fact that members of the BBWAA are limited to 10 votes. In some years, that means great players must wait. At that point it becomes very subjective.
Plus, it’s really, really hard to reach the 75% threshold, and it should be. I like the group going in this year, I think they’re all deserving. It’s disappointing that Trevor Hoffman just missed. Will I think about it once I’ve finished this article? No. Just disappointing in the present tense. He still has time.
Now, what we learned from this year’s voting totals.
Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens both received significant bumps this year, getting over 50% and increasing the chances they could be voted in within the next few years. The voting base is changing and softening on the steroid era. All we can do is compare these guys to their era, not knowing how level the playing field really was.
How many times did Bonds face a pitcher who was juicing? How many times did Clemens face a hitter who was juicing?
I’ve already forwarded the argument that juicers are probably already in the Hall; and oh by the way, the supposedly pure older generation players (some who popped greenies) — do you think they would’ve turned down the chance to juice? I doubt all of them would. Players have been trying to get an edge, one way or another, since the game began.
By supporting Bonds and Clemens, I’m not saying it’s OK to cheat. It isn’t. I’m just being a realist. I’m looking at what they did on the field given many extenuating circumstances.
I’m glad baseball has gotten tougher on PED’s and I think the sport could get tougher still, but everyone from the commissioner on down let an ugly era unfold. Everyone. Far be it from me to get on a high horse. I wish Bonds hadn’t cheated (he wasn’t tagged but if you followed the court case you know better), but I still think he’s an HOF-level player.
I will say this: NO WAY Jeff Kent should be at 16%, or Fred McGriff 21%. Bob Costas made a good point on MLB Network: if you’re going to vote for guys like Bonds and Clemens, how about some love for the people we can reasonably presume did not cheat? That’s an issue that must be addressed in the coming years.
I think more than three players will be inducted next year. No-doubter Chipper Jones is coming up, and Jim Thome and Omar Vizquel figure to make strong bids. Trevor Hoffman and Vladimir Guerrero just missed this time, and they stand a very good chance in 2018.
Meanwhile, there are serious leftovers. Like a killer lasagna that’s probably better the next day:
Clemens, Bonds, Edgar Martinez, Mike Mussina, Larry Walker, Curt Schilling, Manny Ramirez, McGriff, Kent, Gary Sheffield and, uh, Sammy Sosa.
You may now argue among yourselves. I’ve got leftover lasagna and a full-bodied cabernet on my first ballot tonight.