2015 Hall of Fame ballot

[SouthSideRyan]

Seriously. Get out.

[DiamondMind]

But he did cheat. Why is that such an aggressive statement?

[Sammy Sofa]

Because, for the bajillionth time, it was a long, long, LONG "steroid era" (anyone who thinks it started in the late 80's is a feeb) and by the time Sosa was around a ridiculous amount of players were using PEDs. You'd be better off trying to pick out the rare few that never did as opposed to pointlessly condemning the "cheaters," who ultimately were doing something that the league had little to no interest in cracking down on until the government basically said they had to. To say he was a "[expletive] who cheated repeatedly" is just pandering nonsense that makes it sound like he was doing something exceptional and unusual vs. how almost all other players were playing at the time. It's pointless purse-clutching and a prime example of meatballism. Edited January 5, 2015 by Sammy Sofa

[SouthSideRyan]

But he did cheat. Why is that such an aggressive statement?

 

Unless you're talking about corking his bat, you don't know that.

[JennieGarthAlgar]

Because, for the bajillionth time, it was a long, long, LONG "steroid era" (anyone who thinks it started in the late 80's is a feeb) and by the time Sosa was around a ridiculous amount of players were using PEDs. You'd be better off trying to pick out the rare few that never did as opposed to pointlessly condemning the "cheaters," who ultimately were doing something that the league had little to no interest in cracking down on until the government basically said they had to. To say he was a "[expletive] who cheated repeatedly" is just pandering nonsense that makes it sound like he was doing something exceptional and unusual vs. how almost all other players were playing at the time. It's pointless purse-clutching and a prime example of meatballism.

 

Someone should put together a gif of all of Sosa's hits against Maddux/Glavine/Smoltz/Johnson/Martinez. That'll show 'em how silly they're being.

[Janelle-Alexis]

Someone should put together a gif of all of Sosa's hits against Maddux/Glavine/Smoltz/Johnson/Martinez. That'll show 'em how silly they're being.

 

Not that he shouldn't be in the HOF, but as a Cubs he only had 41 hits against those pitchers. He did have an .805 OPS against Glavine, though.

[Cubswin11]

An .805 OPS back then was nothing special, god I miss those days.

[NewUserName]

I can't wait til they vote someone in who they find out later was taking PEDs. Maybe then they will realize how silly trying blackball everyone they suspect.

[Guest]

Said on Baseball Tonight four getting in so I assume Randy Johnson, Pedro, Biggio and Smoltz.

[Banedon]

Said on Baseball Tonight four getting in so I assume Randy Johnson, Pedro, Biggio and Smoltz.

 

OUTRAGE

 

 

Just wanted to be the first.

[bukie]

@JeffPassan 4 minutes ago

Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz and Craig Biggio have been elected to the Hall of Fame. It's the biggest BBWAA class since 1955.

 

@JeffPassan 17 seconds ago

Randy Johnson gets in at 97.1 percent. Pedro Martinez at 91.1 percent. John Smoltz at 82.9 percent and Craig Biggio at 82.7 percent.

[Guest]

But he did cheat. Why is that such an aggressive statement?

 

Unless you're talking about corking his bat, you don't know that.

 

Oh, come on. We know he did (well, assuming you consider using steroids to be cheating given the landscape of the game at the time). And that's fine. They all did (mostly). They all still should.

 

Why even bother clinging to like the 2% chance that it was all Jeff Pentland?

Edited January 6, 2015 by David

[Guest]

I can't wait til they vote someone in who they find out later was taking PEDs. Maybe then they will realize how silly trying blackball everyone they suspect.

 

plenty of amphetamine users are in

[Illini Iceman]

I guess Piazza will probably get in next year since Griffey is the only big name first year guy. At least Darin Erstad can say he got one vote...

 

Votes Player Percentage

534 Randy Johnson 97.3%

500 Pedro Martinez 91.1%

455 John Smoltz 82.9%

454 Craig Biggio 82.7%

384 Mike Piazza 69.9%

306 Jeff Bagwell 55.7%

302 Tim Raines 55.0%

215 Curt Schilling 39.2%

206 Roger Clemens 37.5%

202 Barry Bonds 36.8%

166 Lee Smith 30.2%

148 Edgar Martinez 27.0%

138 Alan Trammell 25.1%

135 Mike Mussina 24.6%

77 Jeff Kent 14.0%

71 Fred McGriff 12.9%

65 Larry Walker 11.8%

64 Gary Sheffield 11.7%

55 Mark McGwire 10.0%

50 Don Mattingly 9.1%

36 Sammy Sosa 6.6%

30 Nomar Garciaparra 5.5%

21 Carlos Delgado 3.8%

4 Troy Percival 0.7%

2 Aaron Boone 0.4%

2 Tom Gordon 0.4%

1 Darin Erstad 0.2%

0 Rich Aurilia 0.0%

0 Tony Clark 0.0%

0 Jermaine Dye 0.0%

0 Cliff Floyd 0.0%

0 Brian Giles 0.0%

0 Eddie Guardado 0.0%

0 Jason Schmidt 0.0%

[Guest]

I do my very best to avoid award debates, but I just have to see this written out.

 

Someone voted for Darin Erstad to make the Baseball Hall of Fame.

 

Two someones voted for Aaron Boone to make the Baseball Hall of Fame.

 

There is a limit on how many people a voter can choose as worthy of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

 

 

Amazing.

[bukie]

Looks like 9 voters that need voting privileges revoked.

[SouthSideRyan]

But he did cheat. Why is that such an aggressive statement?

 

Unless you're talking about corking his bat, you don't know that.

 

Oh, come on. We know he did (well, assuming you consider using steroids to be cheating given the landscape of the game at the time). And that's fine. They all did (mostly). They all still should.

 

Why even bother clinging to like the 2% chance that it was all Jeff Pentland?

 

Because a 2% chance means we don't know he did?

[UMFan83]

Sosa stays alive!

[Guest]

But he did cheat. Why is that such an aggressive statement?

 

Unless you're talking about corking his bat, you don't know that.

 

Oh, come on. We know he did (well, assuming you consider using steroids to be cheating given the landscape of the game at the time). And that's fine. They all did (mostly). They all still should.

 

Why even bother clinging to like the 2% chance that it was all Jeff Pentland?

 

Because a 2% chance means we don't know he did?

 

Because everything we "know" we have 100% irrefutable proof of.

 

I'd rather embrace the steroids and the awesomeness they brought the game than pretend it's something that we should naively turn a blind eye to out of shame out of the implication that it should tarnish his reputation somehow.

Edited January 6, 2015 by David

[SouthSideRyan]

But he did cheat. Why is that such an aggressive statement?

 

Unless you're talking about corking his bat, you don't know that.

 

Oh, come on. We know he did (well, assuming you consider using steroids to be cheating given the landscape of the game at the time). And that's fine. They all did (mostly). They all still should.

 

Why even bother clinging to like the 2% chance that it was all Jeff Pentland?

 

Because a 2% chance means we don't know he did?

 

Because everything we "know" we have 100% irrefutable proof of.

 

Most things we "know" we have some proof of. I don't think I'm setting the standard too high here.

[SouthSideRyan]

Looks like 9 voters that need voting privileges revoked.

 

I'm an optimist, I want to believe there's a guy with all 4 of them on the ballot together.

[Banedon]

I do my very best to avoid award debates, but I just have to see this written out.

 

Someone voted for Darin Erstad to make the Baseball Hall of Fame.

 

Two someones voted for Aaron Boone to make the Baseball Hall of Fame.

 

There is a limit on how many people a voter can choose as worthy of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

 

 

Amazing.

 

Apparently there were writers that left off guys they knew would get in, like Johnson and Pedro, so they could vote for guys at the bottom of the ballot.

 

Matt Spiegel was ranting that they need to remove the 10 vote limitation, and while I really could give two shits about the HoF, it sounds like a good idea to me. The percentages will still work out.

[SouthSideRyan]

I'd rather embrace the steroids and the awesomeness they brought the game than pretend it's something that we should naively turn a blind eye to out of shame out of the implication that it should tarnish his reputation somehow.

 

I'm not turning a blind eye and don't give a [expletive] about who used what. I am greatly annoyed that the narrative is Sammy Sosa, proven steroid user, most other guys, clean all-american boy.

[Guest]

Aside - Edgar Martinez really really needs to be in the HOF.

[bukie]

I do my very best to avoid award debates, but I just have to see this written out.

 

Someone voted for Darin Erstad to make the Baseball Hall of Fame.

 

Two someones voted for Aaron Boone to make the Baseball Hall of Fame.

 

There is a limit on how many people a voter can choose as worthy of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

 

 

Amazing.

 

Apparently there were writers that left off guys they knew would get in, like Johnson and Pedro, so they could vote for guys at the bottom of the ballot.

 

Matt Spiegel was ranting that they need to remove the 10 vote limitation, and while I really could give two [expletive] about the HoF, it sounds like a good idea to me. The percentages will still work out.

That's what he did to get other worthy options more votes. Tranmere and Raines I think. Not Darin [expletive] Erstad.