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sixto · 12-11-2002, 02:51 PM

My ballot started with Blyleven, Carter, John, Kaat, Murray, Rice, Sandberg on it. First to go were Tommy John and Jim Kaat. They have good cases - low career ERAs, good winning pcts, 288 and 283 wins, pitched effectively to age 45 and 43. low SO and poor H/IP ratios soured me on both. Very similar careers. In similarity scores, every pitcher they're similar to is a borderline HOFer. Too borderline.

Then I took out Rice. To me he had a sustained career of greatness and his '77-'79 stretch was one of the greatest 3-year stretches in the last 50 years. But I just wasn't feeling it. He's a HOFer to me, but not this year.

Then Sandberg. Just because Bobby Doerr was voted in - long after his career was over - doesn't mean Sandberg is a first-ballot player. In my opinion he will be one of the weakest first-ballot HOFers ever this year. He was a great player and has a HOF case. But not as a first-year nominee.

I went with Murray, Carter and Blyleven, whose SO and H/IP numbers, as well as his ability to win on bad teams, made the difference for me.

I love HOF discussions.

12-11-2002, 02:51 PM	#9
sixto Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 2,271	My ballot started with Blyleven, Carter, John, Kaat, Murray, Rice, Sandberg on it. First to go were Tommy John and Jim Kaat. They have good cases - low career ERAs, good winning pcts, 288 and 283 wins, pitched effectively to age 45 and 43. low SO and poor H/IP ratios soured me on both. Very similar careers. In similarity scores, every pitcher they're similar to is a borderline HOFer. Too borderline. Then I took out Rice. To me he had a sustained career of greatness and his '77-'79 stretch was one of the greatest 3-year stretches in the last 50 years. But I just wasn't feeling it. He's a HOFer to me, but not this year. Then Sandberg. Just because Bobby Doerr was voted in - long after his career was over - doesn't mean Sandberg is a first-ballot player. In my opinion he will be one of the weakest first-ballot HOFers ever this year. He was a great player and has a HOF case. But not as a first-year nominee. I went with Murray, Carter and Blyleven, whose SO and H/IP numbers, as well as his ability to win on bad teams, made the difference for me. I love HOF discussions.