2015 HOF Candidates

[QuinlansMinion]

but there's different credentials for wanting someone on your team and them getting into the hall of fame.

 

Thats the problem.  The hall of fame is a beauty contest, doesnt determine who the best players were at all.  

[Stradling]

Yeah you said he never stopped taking steroids even after the huge scandal and when he was being investigated by the federal government.

So you clearly must have injected him yourself or you have some inside information. Maybe youre right the reason he never broke down was because he was always roiding, probably had nothing to do with his talent.

So he never broke down because of his talent? You speak in these extremes that are just silly. Of course people would take Bonds over Biggio, the problem is Bonds cheated and that's the ONLY reason he isn't in the hall.

[DW711]

Thats the problem.  The hall of fame is a beauty contest, doesnt determine who the best players were at all.  

 

Asking guys to be decent and not take steroids (especially when you had a ticket to the hall of fame already punched halfway through your career) isn't a lot to ask.

Edited January 7, 2015 by DW711

[Dave Saltzer]

Here is a different take on the HoF voting. This was the first year that I was able to participate in the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America's (IBWAA) Hall of Fame voting. I took the responsibility very seriously. I am still debating whether or not to publish the names of the players for whom I voted. I respect Jeff Fletcher as a reporter very much, and respect his decision to publish the names of those he voted for to get into Cooperstown, as well as those reporters who do not, and will continue to reflect on my decision to reveal my ballot.

 

IBWAA SELECTS FIVE IN 2015 HALL OF FAME VOTE

January 6, 2015 Â· by Howard Cole Â· in 2015 Hall of Fame

Los Angeles– In its 2015 Hall of Fame election the IBWAA selected Randy Johnson (with 98.24% of the vote), Pedro Martinez (95.15%), John Smoltz (82.82%), Jeff Bagwell (81.94%) and Tim Raines (79.30%). A 75% threshold is required for election.

Curt Schilling finished in sixth place, with 65.64%. Roger Clemens garnered 64.76% (after receiving 56.64% in 2014) and Barry Bonds received 63.44% (57.52% last year).

There are 338 members in the IBWAA, of which 227 voted in this election, both essentially doubling last year’s totals.

Per a group decision in January, 2014, the IBWAA allows members to vote for 15 players, instead of the previous 10, beginning with this election. With their first opportunity to do so, 136 members voted for more than 10 candidates. Fifty-two members voted for 15 players. The average vote per member was 11.084.

The 2015 IBWAA Hall of Fame ballot compared identically to the BBWAA ballot, with the following exceptions:

1. Craig Biggio’s name did not appear on the IBWAA ballot because he was elected by the group in 2014.

2. Mike Piazza’s name did not appear on the IBWAA ballot because he was elected by the group in 2013.

3. Barry Larkin’s name did appear on the ballot because he has not reached the 75% threshold in an IBWAA election.

Complete voting results are as follows:

Player Name

Votes

Percentage

Randy Johnson

223

98.24%

Pedro Martinez

216

95.15%

John Smoltz

188

82.82%

Jeff Bagwell

186

81.94%

Tim Raines

180

79.30%

Curt Schilling

149

65.64%

Roger Clemens

147

64.76%

Barry Larkin

146

64.32%

Mike Mussina

146

64.32%

Barry Bonds

144

63.44%

Edgar Martinez

129

56.83%

Alan Trammell

113

49.78%

Larry Walker

89

39.21%

Mark McGwire

81

35.68%

Gary Sheffield

74

32.60%

Jeff Kent

70

30.84%

Lee Smith

52

22.91%

Fred McGriff

49

21.59%

Sammy Sosa

46

20.26%

Don Mattingly

35

15.42%

Nomar Garciaparra

17

7.49%

Carlos Delgado

16

7.05%

Tony Clark

4

1.76%

Jermaine Dye

4

1.76%

Brian Giles

4

1.76%

Tom Gordon

3

1.32%

Eddie Guardado

2

0.88%

Rich Aurilia

1

0.44%

Cliff Floyd

1

0.44%

Troy Percival

1

0.44%

Aaron Boone

0

0.00%

Darin Erstad

0

0.00%

Jason Schmidt

0

0.00%

Ballot tabulations by Brian Wittig & Associates.

 

[Lou]

Why wouldn't you want to reveal who you voted for?

[Lou]

Was Bonds some kind of houdini that could take these super potent steroids that supposedly made him the player that he is, and not get caught by any drug testing measure on earth?  Especially when he was under a huge spotlight.  

 

 

 

Lance Armstrong agrees

[Spirit]

Lance Armstrong agrees

 

Ha!

[mancini79]

Why wouldn't you want to reveal who you voted for?

Doesn't want to explain for voting for Rich Aurilia.

[Tank]

Maybe im not a reasonable adult then.

 

well, you're certainly making a case for it in this thread.

[Spirit]

Lance Armstrong agrees

 

 

The rules are different if you're only rockin' one ball. 

[arch stanton]

Voting shall be based upon the player’s record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played.

 

 

There's no guideline for weighting the criteria. Clearly some writers weigh integrity and character higher than others.

[Blarg]

Jeff, how can you justify voting Smoltz in, but leaving Mussina off? What, exactly, was better about Smoltz?

I watched the pre HOF interview and here sat Pedro and the Big Unit and all I could think is Smoltz really doesn't belong at that table. Just my opinion but he was a second tier to the guys he was being interviewed with.

[Blarg]

Voting shall be based upon the player’s record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played.

 

 

There's no guideline for weighting the criteria. Clearly some writers weigh integrity and character higher than others.

 

Or actually consider it instead of just going by a stat sheet. Obviously QuinlansMinion believes it should be the Hall of Bro.

[disarcina]

geez. to me Smoltz in the HOF as a first ballot guy is a no brainer.......

 

perhaps fellow HOF'er Dennis Eckersley -- but what other pitcher dominated as a starter (and Smoltz did so on what is arguably the best (ever) rotation in MLB) and then turns around and dominates as as a closer out of the pen?

 

To me, Smoltz is a definite first ballot guy -- yeah, he gets in with Randy Johnson who's impressive stats are quite impressive and probably won't be matched by others --particularly in today's game.

 

and Pedro Martinez?  His 2.89 ERA says it all.

 

Biggio --could be one of the best GAMERS of all time.  Loved the way that guy played the game. 3,000 hits, 400 plus SBs and 291 HRs.  HOF worthy stats, plus FOUR GOLD GLOVES and All Star player at three different positions........Heck he may be on the list of best catchers......that list of HOF guys isn't a big one........I'd rank him ahead of Gary Carter at the catching position.

 

and for just plain TRUE GRIT -- this guy was a ballplayer's ballplayer.......could be number 1 of the guys in the HOF in that category (but might drop to second if Pete Rose ever gets in.......put aside the betting ban stuff, the stupid TV ads and the sad sight of Pete Rose hustling his baseball card and autograph across the country -- back in the day, Mr. Hustle played the game all out, every pitch, every out, every inning, every game, day in, day out -- sort of easy to forget that now).

[Vegas Halo Fan]

Glad to see John Smoltz get in, one of my favorites from my years following the Braves. Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux preceded him, and Steve Avery might have been right there had he had a longer career. In the 1991 LCS against Pittsburgh Avery won two 1-0 games in two of the most dominant post-season appearances I have ever seen. There were three 1-0 games in that series, and the Braves won two of them. Ironically, the 1-0 game they lost was pitched by former Brave Zane Smith.

Edited January 11, 2015 by Vegas Halo Fan

[stormngt]

Most steroid users don't test positive. They have the money to use hiding agents that is always one step ahead of the drug testers.

Most players being suspended today are discovered through a criminal investigation like Balco. A ROD didn't test positive with the latest suspension

Ask any player if they know the ramifications of betting on baseball. Don't blame the Hall for Rose's stupidity. Name one marquee player that tested positive when Bonds was playing. Before you say that report that came out, that was done in a very limited fashion and was done on the East Coast.

[Stradling]

Most steroid users don't test positive. They have the money to use hiding agents that is always one step ahead of the drug testers.

Most players being suspended today are discovered through a criminal investigation like Balco. A ROD didn't test positive with the latest suspension

That was my point. QM was basically saying if Bonds was taking Roids why wasn't he caught, simple, because no one was really caught.

[Troll Daddy]

In Bonds defense he didn't knowingly take steroids. He was tricked into the clear & cream by his trainers.

Edited January 11, 2015 by Troll Daddy

[Stradling]

In Bonds defense he didn't knowingly take steroids. He was tricked into the clean & cream by his trainers.

Haha, I will assume you are making a joke, because if not then this was your worst showing of "trying to hard".

[Troll Daddy]

Haha, I will assume you are making a joke, because if not then this was your worst showing of "trying to hard".

Thanks for playing along.