Baseball Hall of Fame 2016 Edition

12/31/2015 6:47 pm
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It's time for my Thirteenth annual "If I had a Hall of Fame Vote" post.

My previous ballots:
2004 - 2005 - 2006 - 2007 - 2008 - 2009 - 2010 - 2011 - 2012 - 2013 - 2014 - 2015

A few reminders:
1. Voters can vote for up to ten players.
2. I'm a "Big Hall" guy so I voted for ten.
3. I reserve the right not to have reasonable explanations for any or all of my selections.
4. To be inducted, players need to be named on 75% of the ballots cast.
5. The real results will be announced on January 6th.

Eligible Players:

Holdovers from last year - Jeff Bagwell, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Nomar Garciaparra, Jeff Kent, Edgar Martinez, Fred McGriff, Mark McGwire, Mike Mussina, Mike Piazza, Tim Raines, Curt Schilling, Gary Sheffield, Lee Smith, Sammy Sosa, Alan Trammell, Larry Walker

First-timers - Garret Anderson, Brad Ausmus, Luis Castillo, David Eckstein, Jim Edmonds, Troy Glaus, Ken Griffey Jr., Mark Grudzielanek, Mike Hampton, Trevor Hoffman, Jason Kendall, Mike Lowell, Mike Sweeney, Billy Wagner, Randy Winn

Go to Baseball Reference.com for player stats.


My Ballot:

Jeff Bagwell - Eligible since 2011; 6th time on my ballot ('11-'16)
Barry Bonds - Eligible since 2013; 4th time on my ballot ('13-'16)
Roger Clemens - Eligible since 2013; 4th time on my ballot ('13-'16)
Ken Griffey Jr. - Eligible since 2016; 1st time on my ballot ('16)
Edgar Martinez - Eligible since 2010; 6th time on my ballot ('10-'13,'15,'16)
Mike Mussina - Eligible since 2014; 1st time on my ballot ('16)
Mike Piazza - Eligible since 2013; 4th time on my ballot ('13-'16)
Tim Raines - Eligible since 2008; 9th time on my ballot ('08-'16)
Curt Schilling - Eligible since 2013; 2nd time on my ballot ('13,'16)
Alan Trammell - Eligible since 2002; 13th time on my ballot ('04-'16)


Dropped from last year's ballot:
Craig Biggio ('13-'15) (elected)
Randy Johnson ('15) (elected)
Pedro Martinez ('15) (elected)

Added this year:
Ken Griffey Jr. (first-time eligible)
Mike Mussina (first time in top ten)
Curt Schilling ('13) (back in top ten)

Eligible, and voted for in the past, but not this year:
Fred McGriff ('10-'12)
Mark McGwire ('07-'13)
Lee Smith ('06,'07)
Larry Walker ('12)
matt.jpgMatt - Ombudsman
12/31/2015 @ 07:14:21 PM
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Like in the last few years, there are more than ten players on the ballot who should be inducted. The Hall needs to eliminate the 10-man limit, and/or do something else to get rid of the backlog of deserving players. Next year's leading candidates (Vladimir Guerrero, Manny Ramirez, and Ivan Rodriguez) will likely add to this backlog.

If there were no limit this year, I would have also voted for: Jeff Kent, Fred McGriff, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and Larry Walker. I would have also strongly considered: Jim Edmonds, Nomar Garciaparra, Trevor Hoffman, Gary Sheffield, and Lee Smith.
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newalex.jpgAlex - I was too weak to give in Too strong to lose
01/01/2016 @ 08:55:06 PM
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2015 me did 2016 me a favor and updated my list after the vote last year emoticon

Top ten:
Barry Bonds
Roger Clemens
Ken Griffey Jr. (new)
Jeff Bagwell
Mike Mussina
Larry Walker
Curt Schilling
Mike Piazza
Alan Trammell
Tim Raines (added back)

Dropped from last year - elected:
Randy Johnson
Pedro Martinez
John Smoltz
Craig Biggio

Dropped from last year – The Rule of 10:
none

Additional votes:
Edgar Martinez
Sammy Sosa
Jeff Kent
Jim Edmonds
Gary Sheffield
Mark McGwire

My perpetual VC ballot (Fails since 2000)

Kevin Brown
Bret Saberhagen
Luis Tiant
Kenny Lofton
Lou Whitaker
Dave Stieb
Kevin Appier
David Cone
Keith Hernandez
Chuck Finley
Rafael Palmeiro
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matt.jpgMatt - Washington Bureau Chief
01/06/2016 @ 06:47:56 PM
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Griffey and Piazza are elected. Bagwell, Raines, and Hoffman fall just short.

http://baseballhall.org/hof/class-of-2016
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thumbnailCAW1I0O3.gifMatt - 3875 Posts
01/06/2016 @ 06:52:25 PM
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Also, Alan Trammell falls off the ballot after his 15th and final year of eligibility. Nomar Garciaparra and Jim Edmonds also fall off the ballot for failing to reach 5%.

EDIT: I believe Mark McGwire will also be off the ballot from now on, as this was his 10th year on the ballot, and the HOF recently changed the limit from 15 years to 10 years (Trammell and Lee Smith were grandfathered in to the old limit).
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Matt perfected this at 01/06/2016 11:47:32 pm
newalex.jpgAlex - But let history remember, that as free men, we chose to make it so!
01/06/2016 @ 11:09:33 PM
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Good to see a number of guys improve their vote %, but really, how does at least Bagwell still not get in?
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jeremy.jpgJeremy - Cube Phenomenoligist
01/08/2016 @ 11:19:48 AM
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Did 3 people not thing Griffey was deserving, or was this a "he's going to get in...I can help some other guy" type thing, or what's the deal there.

The HOF is considering having Griffey's cap on backwards on his plaque, which I think is fitting, although ultimately I hope they asked Jr on that.
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Jeremy perfected this at 01/08/2016 11:21:37 am
scott.jpgScott - 6225 Posts
01/08/2016 @ 01:02:27 PM
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Jeremy Wrote - Today @ 11:19:48 AM

The HOF is considering having Griffey's cap on backwards on his plaque, which I think is fitting, although ultimately I hope they asked Jr on that.


Is this true? I didn't see a sarcasm emoticon.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/14524076/ken-griffey-jr-wear-seattle-mariners-cap-mike-piazza-gets-new-york-mets-hall-fame-induction

Either there was some jokes about it, or it just suggested here, Griffey is going in with a forward facing Mariner's cap.

Edit: "Griffey was asked a few months ago by the Hall whether he would want his plaque to show a backward cap, the image that many fans have him. Griffey was clear about wanting it to have a Seattle marking."
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Scott edited this 3 times, last at 01/08/2016 1:05:30 pm
fry6beeu9.jpgJeremy - 9475 Posts
01/08/2016 @ 03:28:14 PM
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There was a big "push" for it from fans and media and such, which led to legit talk of whether or not they would even consider it, and the HOF had said they wold consider anything that added to the "likeness" of a player.

I would like to see that personally, though I hadn't looked up what Griffey's position on it was, which is why I added the "assuming he wants that" caveat.
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Jeremy edited this at 01/08/2016 3:30:04 pm
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