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January 31, 2009

Two Weeks!

There is a great story about Joe Dimaggio and the song "Mrs. Robinson".  It seems when Joe first heard the lyric, "Where have you gone, Joe Dimaggio?  Our nation turns its lonely eyes to you..." he didn't like it because he thought it was making fun of him in someway.  But that wasn't Paul Simon's intent, instead he was mourning the lack of heroes at a turbulent time in history (the 1960's).  I have been thinking of that story a lot recently as I have watched the news.  Baseball has a remarkable ability to provide some joy in dark times and we could really use some joy right now. 

I think of the great character Terrence Mann (played by the magnificent James Earl Jones) in "Field of Dreams" and his wonderful speech about the game.

"The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again."

This game is part of the literary fabric of our country, ir is part of our soul.  We need it now, more than we have needed it in a long time.  And in two short weeks, pitchers and cathers will report.  Games start in less than four weeks and Opening Day is just over two months away.

I cannot begin to guess when the economy will get better and when this country will pull out of this funk, but I know having baseball back will help, if only a little. 

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 09:34 AM | | Comments (21)

January 12, 2009

Fixing The Hall Of Fame Process

So Rickey Henderson and and Jim Rice made the Hall Of Fame today. Congratulations to both of them on a great accomplishment.  What bothered me about today's results is that Henderson only made 94.8% of the ballots in his first year of election.

What is there about Rickey Henderson that doesn't scream Hall Of Famer?  No one in baseball history has more steals or runs scored.  He had 3,000 hits and added 297 home runs to his impressive credentials.  In short, I cannot understand how he was left off of ballots.  

But, it really shouldn't shock me.  After all, Hank Aaron only got 97.8% of the vote and he was the home run and RBI leader at the time he was voted on.  BL recently opined on this site that Greg Maddux should get 100% of the vote and while I agree I am also sure that he will not.

The reason is each voter has an agenda.  Jim Rice didn't make the Hall Of Fame until now because he was, by most accounts, a moody jerk to the press.  That's a terrible reason to use when deciding to vote for a player, but baseball writers seem to live in a consequence-free world.  That has to end, and it has to end now.

So, I propose that the writers agree to a new set of criteria with their Hall Of Fame votes.  There needs to be some sort of demerits system with the vote.  If a player gets elected, let's say with over 80% of the vote in a given year and you don't vote for him then you get a strike.  Using baseball rules, three strikes means you are out, or in this case you lose your vote. That would stop voters from putting their personal agendas in front of their duty when they vote.  Baseball needs to do something to change this ridiculous process.

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 08:56 PM | | Comments (7)

January 07, 2009

A Guest Blogger

A frequent commenter, BL is also a Red Sox fan who has relocated down to Atlanta.  He asked if he could post about the Hall Of Fame and we were more than happy to let him.  Thanks BL!

 
In December, Greg Maddux formally announced his retirement from baseball.  Everybody agrees he was amazing for so long and that his record speaks volumes and will be a first ballot HOFer.  No new news there.  What I want to discuss is should he be the first ever 100% unanimously elected player into the Hall.

What you say?  Nobody has ever received 100% of the voters’ votes?  How can that be?

Babe Ruth?
Hank Aaron?
Lou Gehrig?
Ty Cobb?
Tom Seaver?
Honus Wagner?
Ted Williams?
Willie Mays?

Obviously arguments, strong arguments, could be made that these and other players should be no-brainers in getting 100% votes when they get in.

The upcoming election, in 5 years, for Greg Maddux should be the next test on whether anybody could claim 100% of the votes going in.  Not Bonds in 4 years (assuming he is done), not Sosa, not Glavine, Clemens or Smoltz.  Maddux is the golden goose for Hall of Fame voting.  Was he better or more deserving than Seaver, or any of the greatest pitchers already in the Hall?  Arguments can be made for both sides.  That isn’t what the voting should be about. 

It should not be, “Seaver, Ryan, Carlton, Feller…none of those guys got 100% so I won’t vote for Maddux to preserve their place in history”.

History is that, history.  Sometimes in history mistakes have been made.  The current and future should not repeat historical mistakes, that is why people study history. 

Bold Statement alert:  Any voters that don’t vote for Greg Maddux in 5 years should absolutely have their voting rights removed forever!

To reiterate, Greg Maddux isn’t the best pitcher ever, he is one of the best ever though.  The facts that nobody has ever gained entrance with 100% votes SHOULD not matter in this particular vote.

I had the pleasure of being in Atlanta during Maddux’s entire run through here.  I have a great reference to great pitching having been in Boston during Clemens’ run through Beantown.  I have seen two of the greats first hand, live and on tv, many many times and am biased by having them pitch for my hometown teams in their primes.  Clemens will have issues getting in first ballot (see McGuire/Bonds) but with Maddux nobody will argue he gets in first ballot.  In 5 years if he doesn’t get 100% of the votes, a congressional committee should be formed to investigate.  Seems they have time for baseball issues anyway, just add it to the docket.

Posted by Peter (Yankees) at 10:34 PM | | Comments (6)