2018 Baseball Hall of Fame Ballot

[clubgop]

Chipper Jones- My fellow National League East fans rest easy he can’t hurt you anymore. No doubt about this one. There was no way to get around this guy in the lineup. A switch hitter with power and consistency.

Jim Thome- Built like Paul Bunyan with a swing to match. A power hitter that was patient. 612 home runs and no PEDs is an automatic.

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. I really thought I would only have to vote for this guy once, but it just goes to show that the reform that the BBWAA undertook last year should not be finished.

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

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.

Omar Vizquel- Gonna have to face it, I’m addicted to glove. This player won a golden glove at age 39 at shortstop. One of the best fielding shortstops to ever play the game. A decent consistent bat, but an absolute bulwark at the heart of a defense.

That’s 10 my ballot is full. 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.

[Fife]

Check out this compilation if you all haven't seen it yet: http://www.bbhoftracker.com/

My ballot this year:

Chipper Jones
Jim Thome
Vlad Guerrero
Clemons
Bonds
McGriff

***********

Vizquel gets a vote on second ballot
Hoffman gets a vote next year

I think I was about ready to go with Sosa a year ago. Oy.

And I still say that if not for the strike, the Crime Dog would have been enshrined years ago. Missed it by *that* much.
http://lastwordonbaseball.com/2017/12/19/10753/
https://www.mlb.com/news/fred-mcgriff-a ... -264677568

[clubgop]

Check out this compilation if you all haven't seen it yet: http://www.bbhoftracker.com/

My ballot this year:

Chipper Jones
Jim Thome
Vlad Guerrero
Clemons
Bonds
McGriff

***********

Vizquel gets a vote on second ballot
Hoffman gets a vote next year

I think I was about ready to go with Sosa a year ago. Oy.

And I still say that if not for the strike, the Crime Dog would have been enshrined years ago. Missed it by *that* much.
http://lastwordonbaseball.com/2017/12/19/10753/
https://www.mlb.com/news/fred-mcgriff-a ... -264677568

In a couple years the ballot will be slim Pickens I think he'll get in.