Lee Smith and Harold Baines get the hall call

[red321]

From the ‘vets committee’...which probably means it’s time to disband the vets committee. 

I can see an argument for Smith....but Baines?

on the plus side....they told Lou Pinella to stuff it. 

[Docwaukee]

Harold Baines?  

yikes.  

[Blarg]

That is a head scratcher. 

[Docwaukee]

I feel like this opens the door for every good but not great player out there.  At least Bobby Grich will get in now.  

[eligrba4ever]

Congratulations to former Angel Lee Smith. He helped Percy transition to the 9th.

[Tank]

Harold Baines? Holy smoke.

 

[Lou]

1 hour ago, Tank said:

Harold Barnes? Holy smoke.

being Marvin's brother sealed the deal 

[ScottT]

Wow. Baines is a  terrible choice. 

[popo85]

Congrats to both huge fan of each of them, Lee was part of one of my fav Angel teams 95 and was the first of 3 great Angel closers in a row with Perci following then K-Rod

[arch stanton]

If Baines is in can Edgar be far behind?

[Lou]

Baines has to be the most-improved HOFer ever. 

6.1% of the vote was the highest percentage he received while on the regular ballot. 

[Inside Pitch]

2 hours ago, Dochalo said:

Harold Baines?  

yikes.  

It's really become all about who your buddies are and if they are on a committee ...   Bobby Grich ranks 8th all time in WAR at 2B, Baines ranks 74th among RFers....

Baines is a HOFer...  Grich is not....

Attica! Attica!

[Erstad Grit]

Lee Smith with the best closer for a generation. I'm good with him.

Was Baines even a top 5 DH for a 7 year period? 

[Puget Sound Angel]

If nobody is truly worthy, then they should not have a vote that year.

[m0nkey]

Jack Morris and Harold Baines in the same calendar year. Nice

[Blarg]

7 hours ago, Inside Pitch said:

It's really become all about who your buddies are and if they are on a committee ...   Bobby Grich ranks 8th all time in WAR at 2B, Baines ranks 74th among RFers....

Baines is a HOFer...  Grich is not....

Attica! Attica!

At first I thought it was Harrold Reynolds they voted in and I was thinking WTF?

I'm with you on Grich being passed over. Maybe one day he will get the same respect Blyleven finally got when the voters actually looked closer at what they did independent of team performance.

[WeatherWonk]

11 hours ago, eligrba4ever said:

Congratulations to former Angel Lee Smith. He helped Percy transition to the 9th.

I never understood why he had been passed over, for so long. He was way up in the saves list when he retired, wasnt he? Very dominant for a decent period.

[jsnpritchett]

Baines getting in is a big ol' LOL.  Dude never finished higher than 9th in MVP voting (and only got votes in 4 seasons), was only an All-Star 6 times in 22 seasons, and only led the league in one major offensive category (slg % in 1984--and his mark was the lowest league-leading total since 1976 (and no one has led the league with a lower slg % since).  Just a baffling decision.

[fan_since79]

It's the Hall of the Very Good.

Harold Baines, a good (but not great) hitter who avoids injury and runs up decent career numbers through sheer longevity. He also did not have to play the field during the last decade of his long career.

38.7 WAR. 1.75 WAR per season.

Nope.

 

[zenmaster]

Baines was voted in for racking up numbers over a very long career. Definitely not a HOFer in my opinion. Good to above average player but not HOF worthy.

[T.G.]

Harold Baines?

[Hubs]

Edgar Martinez is likely in, as he had way better numbers than Baines.

There are no doubt some undeserving players in the Hall, but I don't like that the veteran committee is now just 16 people. And that you just have to get 12.

 

[Dtwncbad]

I have nothing against Harold Baines but if you cant play in the field, you are an incomplete player.  If you get into the HOF with no defensive ability, you are getting there with your bat only, then maybe your offensive numbers should be considerably higher and meet a HIGHER standard.

Baines' offensive numbers if he played everyday in the OF would be borderline.

So it is EASIER to get in as a DH??

Not against a DH getting in but without any value at all on the field, the offensive numbers can't be borderline.

Lifetime 38 WAR? That is Ray Langford/Mark Gubicza/Magglio Ordonez territory.

[Dtwncbad]

It has been said elsewhere, but in one isolated post:

Baines in the HOF over Bobby Grich is a freaking crime.

The committee should be embarrassed.

[T.G.]

What are the odds that the only 12 guys in the whole world that thought Baines was a HOF'er would be on this pannel?