Comments on: Jim Rice, Andre Dawson, Mark McGwire – 2009 Hall of Fame Nominations

By: Rudy Gamble

Rudy Gamble — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 16:19:31 +0000

@Alex Tepperman: Funny stuff. Good luck w/ the new blog!

By: Alex Tepperman

Alex Tepperman — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 15:58:17 +0000

Nice article.

Jim Rice getting elected isn’t the end of the world, but it’s pretty silly.

Come check out my own interpretation:
http://sportingschmooze.blogspot.com/2009/01/joe-rogan-elected-to-mlb-hall-of-fame.html

By: Rudy Gamble

Rudy Gamble — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 17:46:17 +0000

@IowaCubs: Thanks Iowa. I knew you'd be good for a solid argument on Santo's behalf. If I make it through my Starting Pitcher analysis (which is looking awesome) and Middle Infielder, I'll do one covering 3Bs (and eventually Catchers)....

By: IowaCubs

IowaCubs — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 17:40:14 +0000

@Eric W:
@Rudy Gamble:
Ron Santo was the second of his kind: a power hitting third baseman. Only Brooks Robinson before him had more than 250 hr at that position, leading the way for the likes of Mike Schmidt and the modern day Chipper Jones-type.

–5 time Gold Glove winner
–9x All-Star
–Named by Bill James as one of the 100 best players of all time
–2,254 hits, 342hr, .826 career OPS, 774 XBH… all in a pitcher’s era and playing mostly in the hitter unfriendly NL East.

Sure he had Ernie Banks and Billy Williams hitting behind him, but if it hadn’t been for the diabetes that sidelined him for about 10% of his career, he probably would have gotten those 2500 hits and 400hr and he’d already be in the HOF.

By: Rudy Gamble

Rudy Gamble — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:11:33 +0000

@Eric W: Ron Santo certainly has a good case. I haven’t analyzed 3B, though, to say definitively whether I’d vote for him. But I bet IowaCubs would

@Jimmy ray: I’m considering two more of these articles – one covering middle infielders and one covering pitchers. I try to attack these open-minded – I certainly didn’t go into this one thinking that Dick Allen and Reggie Smith were going to pop to the top. So I don’t have a strong opinion yet on Trammell/Whitaker except that I don’t see how both shouldn’t be on the ballot. As for Morris, I’ll give it some thought but I don’t see it. The one stat that is glaringly mediocre is his ERA/WHIP numbers. 4.08/1.296 is really not impressive. His ERA+ (adjusted against the league) was 105. The stats for seem to say he was a good to very good pitcher who pitched on some very good teams (remember, that Toronto and Minnesota cores one championships w/o him).

By: Jimmy ray

Jimmy ray — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 15:10:48 +0000

I’m a tiger fan and there are three players from the 84 tigers that belong but get no love, jack Morris, Lou whitaker and alan tramble. Sweet Lou and tram belong on stats alone when you compare them to players already in the hall. the problem with the HOF is the voters.How is ozzie smith a first ballot hall of famer and tram barely gets any votes? Is it because he didn’t skip onto the field and tumble like a cheerleader? Pitching wise, many voters are just to stupid to realize that the Criteria has changed for pitching. All the pitchers now will have played their whole carrer with a lower mound, hence a higher era. Morris also played his whole carreer in the DH era! he was on 3 championship team and threw perhaps the greatest game ever in the WS ( a 10 inning shout out!) Dawson is the only guy I would vote in from your list.

By: Eric W

Eric W — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 07:53:38 +0000

of all the eligible players Ron Santo is the most deserving of a entrance to Cooperstown unless you consider pete rose and shoeless joe eligible