2015 Hall of Fame ballot announced

[MetalDog]

Pedro Martinez and Randy Johnson headline this years Baseball Hall of Fame ballot.  Both, to me, seem a sure thing: dominant in their times, ace of a staff, multiple Cy Young Award winners, and, less important, World Series winners.  The rest of the class is not near as impressive.  The closest to a sure thing that I can see, is John Smoltz.  He was an effective starter and dominant reliever for the Braves during their 14 year run as division winners.  He won a Cy Young AND a Relief Man of the Year award.  And is a World Series winner, for what that's worth.

The article contains a complete list of who is on this years ballot as well as the holdovers from last year and their percentage of the vote.


http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/randy-johnson--pedro-martinez-lead-2015-hall-of-fame-ballot-164434898.html


Sad to say, this will be Don Mattingly's 15th, and final, year on the ballot.  As someone who grew up watching Donnie Baseball be the lone bright spot of some dreadful Yankee teams in the 80's, I'd like to think he deserves inclusion with the Yankee greats who have gone before him.  Unfortunately, that place will not be the Hall.  There is little in his career resume to warrant a spot in that august assemblage.

[bayonetbrant]

Smoltz is in.  Until Maddy-boy went all ape-shit these past 3 years in the post-season, Smoltz was arguably the most dominant post-season pitcher of all time.  And very few were ever as dominant as both a starter and closer the way he was over his career.

[bayonetbrant]

Johnson, Smoltz, Pedro, and Biggio out to make it this year.

Nomar will get in, but maybe not in his first year.

Sheffield was good enough to get in - a scary-dominant hitter in his prime, and pretty damned good not in his prime - but had a lot of social baggage that'll hamper his case.

Of the rest of the list, my 2¢ are that the following guys ought to be in:
Edgar Martinez
Tim Raines
Mike Piazza
Alan Trammell
Curt Schilling (and not just 'cuz he might see this )
Larry Walker
Jeff Bagwell

I like Mattingly, but he just doesn't 'feel' like he belongs to me.  Same with Mussina and Kent.
Most of the first-timers shouldn't even sniff the hall.  A bunch of them just make you go "oh yeah, that guy..."

[Arctic Blast]

1700 hits, 229 homers, 936 RBI, 927 runs...I'm not seeing the case for Nomar in the HoF, to be honest. The first half dozen years of his career were outstanding, and the rest was pretty mediocre overall. And the first 6-7 seasons weren't so stupid dominant that they make up for the many middling years to follow.

Pedro, Smoltz and Johnson damn well should be locks. Biggio should (finally) get in this time. Might not be much else beyond those 4, though Piazza should be in as well.

[MetalDog]

Sheff was a hired gun, kind of like Reggie.  And he could MASH!  And his off the field will be, 'boys will be boys,' thirty years from now.  Of the rest you named, Nomar is a Red Sox Mattingly, so no go.  The Killer B's, Biggio and Bagwell, certainly drove those Houston teams.  I think Biggio will get in not Bagwell.  The Hall voters have a hard time putting in a guy who was mostly a Dh and I think that will be Martinez's downfall.  He lucks out when Frank Thomas comes up though.  Frank played the field longer than Edgar, but, the Big Hurt did a lot of that damage from the DH spot.  Raines and Rickey Henderson were almost the same guy, but Rick was better at being that guy, so I don't think 'Rock,' makes it in.  Someone needs to come up with a Tinkers to Evers to Chance for Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker.  those guys were AWESOME in the field.  Not sure that gives Trammell the cachet to get in.  Piazza is the best hitting catcher of all time.  He's got my vote.  And Larry Walker was a professional hitter.  Coors Field or not, that guy could see the ball hit the ball.  Might could make a case for him.  And last but not least, Schilling, who I am conflicted over.  Super props on the heart and talent matching the moments, but, he did them as a Sox AND a D'back to my Yankees.  And for that, I can't forgive him.

[bayonetbrant]

Nomar also has a .313 career avg, 2 batting titles and 6 all-star teams in the golden age of shortstops, so there's a case to be made for him.

People who think that Bagwell was just a masher never paid attention to how excellent he was on the basepaths.  Guy went first-to-third all the time, and had over 200 steals.  He was also an excellent fielder until his shoulder gave out.  He only committed 129 errors in his career, and several times was a league leader at 1B for fewest errors in a season as well a leading the league about 5 times with assists at 1B. 


Piazza is the best-hitting catcher of all time.  If Bench and Fisk are in, Piazza goes in.

[bayonetbrant]

interesting projections from one fo the SI writers

http://www.si.com/mlb/strike-zone/2014/01/10/jaws-and-the-2014-hall-of-fame-ballot-what-to-expect-over-the-next-five-years#more-15309

[Arctic Blast]

Yeah, I do think Bagwell deserves to be there as well. But he (and Piazza) are both being hurt by voters and their ridiculous 'Mighta been roids!' obsession with every hitter from that entire generation.

[Bison]

John Smoltz is one of the great all time post season pitchers and deserves to be a 1st ballot selectee, however I think he'll come up just short and will wait a year or two before being elected.  I hope I'm wrong. Smoltz pitched against Jack Morris in what might be the greatest pitching duel ever in a World Series game 7 both pitchers threw 9 innings of shut out baseball, before Morris threw a shut out 10th and the Braves reliever gave up the winning run.  (Twins win!  Woot!)  Biggio, Pedro, and Johnson all deserve to be in the HoF.  Personally I'd love to see Tim Raines get elected, but I'm afraid that might not ever happen.

[Bison]

Please someone tell me Bob "Douchebag" Costas isn't a HoF voter.  The only thing he should be allowed to have a fucking opinion on is the color of his toupee.  Jackass.

[bayonetbrant]

he's not a BBWAA member, because he's a broadcaster, not a writer.  There have been a lot of people that have called from broadcasters to get votes over the years, but not b/c someone like Costas should have a vote, but b/c someone like Vin Scully should have one.

[Bison]

Well that's good.  Too bad about Scully, but the thought that Bob would have a say is just too much.  I cannot explain the level of distain I have have for Costas.  I mute the TV when he's on just so I don't have to hear the sound of his voice.  Anyway it'll should be one of the better group of inductees in several years.