My ballot was completed before the December deadline. Next year, I am going to actually mail it. Let them throw it out. Anyway, I think I have a new record for picks this year with six. I will post them in order.
1) Tony Gwynn – forget about all those .370 seasons. Anyone ever check his strikeout totals. I think his worst year was 35.
2) Mark McGwire – steroids, shmeroids, they weren’t even illegal if and when he did them. Plus, you can’t tell me definitively that all those players were clean in the 60’s and 70’s. The voters have a conscience? But Ty Cobb, Gaylord Perry and others are in…
3) Cal Ripken – He gets in for longevity and revolutionizing his position. Although, I don’t think he’s a slam dunk sure fire as people make him out to be. Yes, he revolutionized his position, but I think he is here cause of the streak more then anything else. I still put him in cause I reward longevity and career milestones (see pick 5)
4) Jack Morris – most wins in the 80’s, pitcher I’d most want in a one-game situation. Game 7 of the 91 world series, nuff said. Plus, when asked about having women reporters in his locker room he stated “I don’t talk to women when I am naked unless they are on top of me or I am on top of them.”
5) Bert Blyleven – career numbers put him in. A longevity vote. Agreed he was never the best player of his era, but if Ripken and others go in for milestones, I think you put Bert in also. Also, a friend of mine showed me this clip which should put him over the top from last year.
6) Tony Fernandez – he needs 5% to stay on the ballot at least one more year. Arguably greatest Jay of all time. Might have the all-time Dominican hits record (I have no clue) and I just love watching him play.
Honorable mentions go to Jim Rice and Goose Gossage. I saw Rice play a couple of times and if Puckett is in, so should Rice. The man was a monster and if you talk about hitters of his era, this guy was it. I saw him once hit 5 homers in a double header, every time he came up you thought it was going out of the park. As for Gossage, do I think he’s a hall of famer, no. But if you have Suter in, how can you not have Gossage in who has better numbers across the board.
I know that there is like a 90% chance that only Gwynn and Ripken get in and nobody else. I don’t buy the crap that Gwynn and Ripken should go in by themself to make their induction more prestigious. The McGwire snub hurts. Can someone buy me this poster. http://www.puresportsart.com/warehouse/bashbrothers88cos.htm