Baseball 2014

[The Minsky Moment]

HOF vote:

Maddux, Glavine and Thomas in.
Biggio missed by 2 votes.  His % is up and he will get in, probably next year.
Morris did well on his final ballot but came up short.  Clearly the right result despite a very fine career.

I'm not going to say much about the steroid issue because I said my piece in the 2013 thread.  Piazza gained a few votes but not anywhere near the level that should be earned by the greatest hitting catcher who ever lived.  Bagwell actually lost ground this year despite the lack of any evidence whatsoever of steroid use.  It is a ridiculous situation that cannot continue.

Tim Raines also lost votes despite no steroid issue - I assume this is because of ballot crowding.  Unfortunately that is only getting worse as lots of strong candidates (RJ, Pedro, Smoltz, Griffrey, Hoffman) and Roid suspect backloggers (Sheffield, Pudge, Manny) go on tha ballot in the next few years.  That is another sad side effect of the steroid mess - solid but B level HOFers are going to struggle for ballot room and get shunted aside.

Along those lines, Trammel lost significant support and looks hopeless now, despite comparing quite favorably to Biggio.  Given the drop in support and the backlog, even a campaign and a 14th year bump probably won't carry him in.

Mussina only got 20% in his first year and Schilling dropped below 40% notwithstanding Glavine (who is not materiallt a stronger candidate than either) breezing through with over 90%.  This is not a roid issue, just a general BBWAA voting incompetence problem.

[Admiral Yi]

Mike Mussina??  HOF??

[Valmy]

How the hell did Maddux not get voted unanimously?  The Baseball HOF voters make no sense.

The main thing I remember about Glavine is his douchebaggery during the 1994 players strike.  Annoyed I will have to see him if I ever visit Cooperstown.

[The Minsky Moment]

How the hell did Maddux not get voted unanimously?  The Baseball HOF voters make no sense.

There is always a few douchebags that vote no on everyone first time out of "principle", or some similar stupidity.  Or there may be some blank ballot protestors.

Yi- if you look at the numbers carefully, I think there is a good case that Mussina was better than Glavine.  The ERAs are similar but Glavine pitched in the NL with good defenses behind him most years, Mussina pitched in the AL and during his period in the Yankees was backed by some of the worst defenses in modern baseball history.  Glavines career totals look more impressive in part because he hung around 2 years past his sell-by date, while Mussina retired literally at the top of his game.  If you prefer to focus on conventional stats like W-L, Mussina won 270 games with a win percentage of .638.  No one has ever won that many games at over 60% and not made the Hall.  IMO it is not really close. 

[Admiral Yi]

But wasn't Moose a perennial play off goat?

[The Minsky Moment]

But wasn't Moose a perennial play off goat?

No
Liftime postseason record 7-8, 3.42 ERA, 4+ k/w ratio.
He actually pitched better post-season than regular season.  Just didn't get good run support/luck.

[sbr]

I love dan LeBetard for his stunt with deadspin. 

I am still happy Biggio didn't get in.

[jimmy olsen]

I love dan LeBetard for his stunt with deadspin. 

I am still happy Biggio didn't get in.

Why?

More than 3000 hits, 5th in doubles all time and a solid defensive player. He's definitely worthy.

[Valmy]

Biggio should have gotten in.  That was ridiculous.  But he only missed by two votes so he should get in next year.

[derspiess]

I love dan LeBetard for his stunt with deadspin. 

I am still happy Biggio didn't get in.

Why?

More than 3000 hits, 5th in doubles all time and a solid defensive player. He's definitely worthy.

...and now tainted.

[Ed Anger]

I love dan LeBetard for his stunt with deadspin. 

I am still happy Biggio didn't get in.

Why?

More than 3000 hits, 5th in doubles all time and a solid defensive player. He's definitely worthy.

...and now tainted.

One of my favorite baseball players too.

*takes a drink*

[Barrister]

And here's the top contender for the most boring thread of 2014.

Man, even a curling thread would be more interesting than this.

[Valmy]

And here's the top contender for the most boring thread of 2014.

Man, even a curling thread would be more interesting than this.

No need to be bitter just because no Kansas City Royals got in this year.

[dps]

How the hell did Maddux not get voted unanimously?  The Baseball HOF voters make no sense.

No one else ever has been, so why would you expect him to be the first?  In fact, probably some guys didn't vote for him on the theory that if Ruth, Aaron, Mays, etc., weren't unanimous choices, no one should be.  Apparantly some sportswriters' parents never taught them that 2 wrongs don't make a right.  Heck, some of 'em turn in ballots so shitty that I suspect their parents never potty trained them either. 

[Ed Anger]

And here's the top contender for the most boring thread of 2014.

Man, even a curling thread would be more interesting than this.

*takes a drink*