Hurray for Sutter: Thoughts on the Hall-of-Fame Ballot

I wrote about my Hall-of-Fame picks recently. The results are in today. Here are my thoughts:

1) Bruce Sutter winning election was expected in part because he was the top contender from last year not elected. Sutter waited 13 long year on the Hall ballot and made it. He deserved it for the way he pioneered the relief pitching position as a dominant reliever.

2) On the close also-rans:

Jim Rice and Goose Goosage both saw significant jumps in their vote totals.

As the AP explained:

Rice's percentage increased to 64.8 from 59.5 last year, and Gossage's rose to 64.6 from 55.2, which bodes well for the pair. The highest percentage of votes gained by a player who wasn't elected in a later year was 63.4 by Gil Hodges in 1983, his final time of the ballot.

Though, I don't think he deserves it, the light is probably at the end of the tunnel for Rice, though I have to say probably. Next year will be his 13th year of elligibility and with McGwire, Gwynn, and Ripken up I can't see Rice getting in. So, he'd have to do it in his 14th year. Last time that happened: Bill Terry in 1954.

On other hand, I could imagine Goose Goosage making it next year. The argument next year around Hall-of-Fame voting will be, "They let Eckersley and Sutter in, look at how great Gossage is." Regardless, he's got another 8 years to build support, but I think he's probably in easily by 2008.

Andrea Dawson ended up with 61% and he's got 10 years of elligibility left, so he should be a lock as well.

Bert Blyleven is up considerably from last year to 53% of the vote. What happens from here on out will be interesting to watch. This was his 9th year of elligibility. Its easy to see him gaining some votes and getting in or fading away entirely.

Lee Smith has got to feel good after this vote. He's up to 45% of the vote in his 4th year of elligibility. Its a good sized jump and a good position to gain admittance within 4 or 5 years.

3) Why 15 Years Can Be Too Long:

Steve Garvey once again ended up nowhere close to election to the Hall of Fame at 26.0% flat. Next year will be his last shot. Tommy John at 29.6% needs a shot in the arm for his campaign with 3 years left to go. Dave Concepcion ended up with a 12.5% with 2 years left. I would have voted for Dave Parker, but he's going nowhere with 4 years left and 14% of the vote.

The Hall-of-Fame does need to consider making some changes. I don't think its fair to fans or players to leave them lingering on the ballot with fairly low numbers for so long. I think the 5% threshold is fine for the first year, but after so long, come on, they're not going to be elected and it should be ended rather than winter after cruel Winter going through this same charade. Here's what I'd propose:

1) The first two years, a player must have 5% to remain on the ballot.
2) For the third and fourth year, a player must get 10% to remain on the ballot.
3) For the fifth year on, a player must get 20% to remain on the ballot.
4) For the tenth year on, a player must get 30% to remain on the ballot.

4) New Faces

Albert Belle remained on the Hall-of-Fame ballot (7.7%) but the biggest shock to me was that Orel Hershiser did so well at 11.2%. That was .4% better than Dale Murphy.

Hershiser is proof what a good personality will do for you in balloting. Though its kind of like comparing apples to oranges, I'd rather have Belle or Murphy on my all-time team than Hershiser.

Murphy was 2 time NL MVP, 7 time-all-star and 5-time Gold Glover. He bashed 398 career homers in a very good career. Belle, I think should go into the Hall of Fame on the basis of 9 straight seasons with 100 RBI, and 8 straight with 30 or more Homers. He would have done so much more if his career hadn't cut short as 33.

As for Hershiser, he's at 11% now because of a good personality, some magical moments in the late Summer of 1988. He did win 200 games in his career but was only 12% better than the average pitcher. Of course, with this much support, he, unlike Belle will probably be on the Hall of Fame ballot for 15 years. *sigh* I guess every generation needs its Steve Garvey.

Also being discussed at Baseball Think Factory and The Florida Masochist