My 2017 Baseball Hall of Fame Ballot

[clubgop]

Vladimir Guerrero- When you looked at this player and saw his violent uppercut power swing you would think he is a typical power hitter. But the stats say otherwise. Great average and on base percentage with few strikeouts for such a slugger.

Ivan Rodriguez- One of the greatest fielding catchers of all time. Kept runners on first base just out of respect for his arm. Not the most consistent hitter but gave good at-bats by being patient and selective.

Trevor Hoffman- Closers and DH’s are now coming to a HOF ballot near you and we are going to have to find a way to deal. You may not like the way teams and GM’s will chase the Save, but they are here to stay. That being said, being the best there ever was until Mariano Rivera came along should get you into Cooperstown.

Jeff Kent- Unprecedented, unmatched power from a second baseman. Most HRs among all 2B. If you think Ryne Sandberg is a HOFer than Kent must be as well.

Mike Mussina- Pitched in the AL East his whole career in the DH and steroid era and emerged with the most wins and a lower ERA than just about any other pitcher. Pitch most of his games in Camden Yards, Yankee Stadium, and Fenway all hitters ballparks.

Barry Bonds- This is the Hall of Fame not the Hall of People I Want My Kids to Be Like. He was never formally caught and those Hits count, all of them. You can’t unring all those bells.

Roger Clemens- See Barry Bonds

Jeff Bagwell- See Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens with a side of outrage. They got nothing on this guy, undeniably qualified but someone whispered something somewhere and now we all have to pose about PED’s? If that is your stance fine, but you still have to attain some burden of proof. The other guys, I get but not this one.

Tim Raines- The prodigal son of all disciplines of Saber Metrics. Ridiculous on Base percentage, not an easy out even when he was stealing all those bases when he shouldn’t have even been running. This is his final year of eligibility and he needs to get in.

Curt Schilling- Not the longevity of his contemporaries Glavine or Maddux but his clutch performance is proven time and again in undeniable fashion. If there is one game that is a must win and I have to choose between Gregg Maddux and Curt Schilling, Curt Schilling gets the ball every time. Hell Curt Schilling may get the ball in those circumstances with the choice of any pitcher of any era.

That’s 10 my ballot is full. One name in partivular is a glaring snub. Manny Ramirez statistically is qualified for the Hall and when my ballot is not full I probably will vote for him but with 2 positive steroid test I just can’t put him on there when there are other deserving candidates.

[TheReal_ND]

Bagwell's jersey was retired along with Biggio's. Killer B's. Don't really follow sports but it was pretty cool when the Astro's made it to the playoffs. I was drinking 40's in my first ever apartment with no cable and a beat up old Xbox. Gave me something to watch in between MASH reruns yep.

[Ex-California]

I agree with you on every count.

Even though Bonds, Clemens, Bagwell and probably Schilling were on the juice, it wasn't technically illegal then.

Manny being Manny was after it was definitely illegal and tested for. He does have the numbers though.

Being a Giants fan and getting to watch Kent and Bonds in their prime obviously has me giving them an empathetic yes

[clubgop]

I agree with you on every count.

Even though Bonds, Clemens, Bagwell and probably Schilling were on the juice, it wasn't technically illegal then.

Manny being Manny was after it was definitely illegal and tested for. He does have the numbers though.

Being a Giants fan and getting to watch Kent and Bonds in their prime obviously has me giving them an empathetic yes

Well I am Phillies fan and I don't get the Schilling thing. To me it's a no brainer. It has to be his politics because the writers are lefty assholes.

[Fife]

If I had a ballot this year, I think I'd go with: Raines, Bagwell, Smith, McGriff . . . and Clemens, Bonds, and Sosa.

I'm about 85% committed on Guerrero, but not first ballot. Shit he was fun to watch play.

[clubgop]

If I had a ballot this year, I think I'd go with: Raines, Bagwell, Smith, McGriff . . . and Clemens, Bonds, and Sosa.

I'm about 85% committed on Guerrero, but not first ballot. Shit he was fun to watch play.

There he is. I waiting for you to reply.

If they are a Hall of Famer they are a Hall of Famer. McGriff, I just can't. Did you change your mind on him I thought you weren't with him a year before.

[Fife]

If I had a ballot this year, I think I'd go with: Raines, Bagwell, Smith, McGriff . . . and Clemens, Bonds, and Sosa.

I'm about 85% committed on Guerrero, but not first ballot. Shit he was fun to watch play.

There he is. I waiting for you to reply.

If they are a Hall of Famer they are a Hall of Famer. McGriff, I just can't. Did you change your mind on him I thought you weren't with him a year before.

I've gotten softer over time. 493 is close enough for me this far past first ballot. Plus I'm just a damn McGriff fan. If you looked up "pro" in the dictionary, you wouldn't be surprised to see his picture.

[clubgop]

If I had a ballot this year, I think I'd go with: Raines, Bagwell, Smith, McGriff . . . and Clemens, Bonds, and Sosa.

I'm about 85% committed on Guerrero, but not first ballot. Shit he was fun to watch play.

There he is. I waiting for you to reply.

If they are a Hall of Famer they are a Hall of Famer. McGriff, I just can't. Did you change your mind on him I thought you weren't with him a year before.

I've gotten softer over time. 493 is close enough for me this far past first ballot. Plus I'm just a damn McGriff fan. If you looked up "pro" in the dictionary, you wouldn't be surprised to see his picture.

Yeah, I am a small hall guy and with 1B its a high bar. If I am setting up a team, I'd take McGriff over 90%-91% of 1st baseman but for me HOF has to be 95% or higher.

[Ex-California]

I agree with you on every count.

Even though Bonds, Clemens, Bagwell and probably Schilling were on the juice, it wasn't technically illegal then.

Manny being Manny was after it was definitely illegal and tested for. He does have the numbers though.

Being a Giants fan and getting to watch Kent and Bonds in their prime obviously has me giving them an empathetic yes

Well I am Phillies fan and I don't get the Schilling thing. To me it's a no brainer. It has to be his politics because the writers are lefty assholes.

Guaranteed. The best thing that could happen to baseball is a mass die off of the BBWA

[Fife]

Yeah, I am a small hall guy and with 1B its a high bar. If I am setting up a team, I'd take McGriff over 90%-91% of 1st baseman but for me HOF has to be 95% or higher.

I did a google search this morning, and this Braves blogger has a pretty good recent take on McGriff's stats. Makes you think: http://tomahawktake.com/2016/11/28/the- ... d-mcgriff/

This guy makes a great point also about '94. We are just now getting enough perspective to see how deeply those idiots damaged the game. Crime Dog would be sitting at about 510 or so* but for that, and voted in several ballots ago. Nothing to be done about it now.

*He was the best HR guy in the bigs when the strike occurred. Bonds was a pretty distant second at that moment.