Election results for the Baseball Writers Association of America ballot for the Hall of Fame will be released on January 9. We’re coming into a time where a lot of the candidates played while I was growing up. With that in mind, here’s who I would vote for.
Jeff Bagwell – As a Cubs fan I remember the “Killer B’s” of Houston all too well and Bagwell was a huge part of it. I don’t believe he was a steroid user (perspective on his stats) and he was just a standout at first base. As I go through old baseball cards, he’s one I pull out. Totally feels like a Hall of Famer to me.
Barry Larkin – Ozzie got the notoriety at Shortstop because of his splash, but Larkin was as good, if not better in Cincinnati. A no brainer to me, I can’t believe he didn’t make it in last year when he got just 62.1% of the vote, short of the 75% needed.
Fred McGriff – Another guy who wasn’t flashy, and I must admit, probably my most debatable selection. 493 home runs, a .284 batting average, nearly 2,500 hits. Here’s an example of someone hurt by the steroid era because those numbers would look a lot better if not for the prodigious output of the times.
Tim Raines – I love the base stealers and I think Rock Raines gets forgotten about that since stolen base output has diminished. 808 steals are a lot and don’t forget that this man was an all-star every year from 1981 to 1987, while playing on some horrible Astroturf up in Montreal. He deserves more love and deserves not to be forgotten.
The leave offs…
There is going to be a time to vote some of the steroid guys in, but I’m just not ready yet. McGwire, Palmeiro, they’re going to have to go in, but I’m not ready to give them my kiss yet. (From the looks of it, neither are writers as McGwire received just 19.8% of the vote and Palmeiro just 11.0% of the vote last year.) Give it say five years or so and we can put them in.
Bernie Williams is an interesting case. He was a very strong player for the Yankees and merits some consideration. But upon closer review, you can’t put this guy in anywhere close to before Tim Raines. Williams was a five time all-star, Raines a seven timer. Both have multiple rings, both a career average in the .290s, but Raines had those steals, and those extra couple of all-star appearances matter as it shows he was elite for nearly a decade, instead of just hall of one.
Alan Trammell is another tough case. He anchored that Detroit infield for a decade and a half and was a six time all-star. Very close call and I think I’m ThisClose to giving him my vote, but I just can’t.
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