Junior, Piazza inducted into HOF and If I had a ballot
Ken Griffey, Jr. and Mike Piazza just booked a trip to Cooperstown in July, and they earned it.
Jeff Bagwell was just 15 votes short of joining “The Kid” and Piazza this year, with Tim Raines jumping to over 69% of the entire electorate. Trevor Hoffman finished with over 67%. Bagwell, who slashed .297/.408/.540 for his career and won Rookie the Year and the MVP in 1994, has never been associated with steroids. All three of these guys deserved to get in, but unfortunately did not. Hopefully/probably next year.
A small surprise was Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens only jumping to the mid-forties. They’re still seeing a good rise, but it would’ve been nice to see them get about 50%. In my opinion, they go in together – if they ever get enshrined.
But don’t let me away from Junior and Piazza; they were two of the players I remember watching when I was growing up, and I can say that I was proud to see Griffey to earn all but three votes in his first and only year on the ballot. Before the show I told a friend I thought Griffey, Hoffman, Piazza, and Raines actually get in, and despite one of the best relief pitchers ever and roadrunner Raines being left off too many ballots, the two who were elected were the two “for sure” candidates I thought for 2016. They didn’t prove me wrong. I speak more of the two inductees a little further down the page.
I’m not one of those people to be upset over someone not getting the minimum 5% to remain on the ballot for next year’s consideration. This year, notably Jim Edmonds and Nomar Garciaparra’s names were only checked on 2.5% and 1.8% of the ballots, respectively.
Jeff Kent, the best offensive second baseman of all-time only received 16% of the vote. Jeesh. Mike Mussina, who spent his entire career in the AL East/best offensive division in baseball doesn’t have alarming numbers, but considering he was clean throughout his time in the steroid era doing what he did (123 ERA+, best K:BB ratio ever) is pretty damn good. Jeesh.
Mark McGwire saw his final year of eligibility come to a close with receiving 12.3%, which isn’t a total surprise for me. Even without steroid allegations, I don’t see the former first baseman as a Hall of Famer. Similarly, Sammy Sosa – one of the best Chicago Cubs ever – will leave to see another year after receiving 7% of the vote this year. Almost 1,500 runs scored, over 2,400 hits, and 609 homeruns along with winning the MVP in 1998 rings loudly for a player who is only getting a handful of votes (in relative terms). I love Sammy unconditionally, and even with his numbers it’s unrealistic to see him ever get in and very likely he drops off after the 2017 class is announced. I just want him to get back to a good relationship with baseball, as he deserves that, or at least with the Cubs.
Griffey, Jr. and Piazza well-deserved their induction into the group of baseball’s greatest. Kudos to two of the best to ever play the game.
If I had a vote for the BBWAA, my ballot would be as follows: Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Griffey, Piazza, Kent, Hoffman, Mussina, Schilling, Gary Sheffield, and Raines.
Bonds: I could make the case that Barry Bonds is the best player in baseball history. 762 homeruns, 2,558 walks compared to 2,935 hits, and a 1.051 OPS. It’s simply magical to see these, and even more of his numbers. One could say, “Oh, but steroids!” Although it’s believed Bonds took PEDs, it’s also believed he began after players started to pass him up because of Steroids (i.e. McGwire, Sosa). Bonds was a hall of famer before people believed he began taking steroids and could’ve retired in 1999 and would be enshrined.
Clemens: 21 years in the AL East, 4,672 strikeouts, 143 ERA+, seven Cy Young’s, and one MVP. Obvious steroid allegations, but you still got to work and you’re not going to convince me he took steroids until after he was in the league for 12 when he won three of those Cy’s and that MVP with Boston.
Griffey: I don’t think I need to make a case for Griffey. Everyone knows what he’s done: 630 homeruns, 136 OPS+, and 10 gold gloves.
Piazza: It’s the same first sentence as Griffey. He’s arguably the best hitting catcher of all-time. I said “arguably,” so calm down Johnny Bench-die hard’s. 427 homeruns and a .308/.377/.505 career slash line with over 2,000 hits is absolutely outstanding as a catcher.
Kent: Like I mentioned above, he’s the best offensive second baseman of all-time. I believe writers leave him off because he was a very unlikeable guy. Honestly, I don’t care what criteria is listed for the ballot; his numbers don’t lie. 377 homeruns, 1,320 runs scored with 2,461 hits, and 560 doubles.
Hoffman: If it weren’t for Rivera, the known-Padre’s closer would be the best closer ever. Nearly 1,100 innings pitched with 601 saves and the dirtiest changeup in recent memory. Case closed.
Mussina: I basically made my case already. Dude more than held his own in the best division in baseball for two decades.
Schilling: It’s almost unbelievable how Curt Schilling didn’t win a Cy Young in his career. In fact, he finished second three times and fourth once. I would admit that his postseason stats weigh heavily into this, but his regular reason isn’t nothing to sneeze at. 133.1 playoff innings with four complete games a near 6:1 K:BB ratio.
Sheffield: He’s not the most respected pick, especially with me not having Bagwell on here. However, 509 homeruns and a .907 OPS and 140 OPS+ surely bears worthiness despite steroid allegations. He just gets past the cut for me for known or probable steroid users.
Raines: Seven of his 23 year career, Raines had single-digit or zero stolen bases. Wow. A career filled with 808 swipes, an .810 OPS for a non-power guy is outstanding, and he walked 1,330 times compared to 966 strikeouts. If Rickey Henderson didn’t exist, Raines would’ve been in years ago.
Next year, I expect Bagwell, Hoffman, and Raines to get in along with first-timer Vladimir Guerrero. Now that would be a helluva class.
*Featured pic courtesy of MLB.com
I am sure glad you don’t have a ballot. Bonds and Clemens? You’d probably reinstate Lance Armstrong as Tour de France champion and give medals back to Ben Johnson and Marion Jones. Are you hoping A-Rod is a first-ballot inductee? The farther away we get from the time baseball players cheated, the softer people seem to want to to on them. Who wrote this, anyway? Where’s the byline?
The byline is showing up on my end. It’s me – Cody.
As for Lance Armstrong, Ben Johnson, and Marion Jones – I don’t consider myself well-versed on that topic in order to comment on what those three individuals did in their respective sports.
For A-Rod – I don’t believe in “first ballot inductee” and that mumbo jumbo. If you’re a Hall of Famer, you’re a Hall of Famer. A-Rod would get my vote. Will he get in? No, and I won’t argue it just as I won’t argue against Bonds and Clemens (even though they should be). Bonds and Clemens were HOF’ers before steroids. PED-users are held to a little higher standard for me, but the three mentioned make the cut.