Thoughts on the Baseball Hall of Fame Voting

Due to the owner’s and the television network’s greed, baseball went to a three round post season and it is the failures of all three pitchers elected to Baseball’s Hall of Fame yesterday in those post season games that leaves me less than thrilled that they were accorded “first ballot” honors.

I think Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez and especially John Smoltz (who also became an outstanding relief pitcher) were tremendous pitchers, with so called Hall of Fame credentials.

However, though each played on one championship team, is that enough to offset their multitude of post season pitching failures to get them “first ballot” election?

My opinion is no and also that the Hall of Fame is more concerned with having people in and less so with true standards. (Unless you are the all time hits leader or the all time home run leader, but that is another story.)

Joe DiMaggio, for whom a case could be made as the greatest baseball player ever this side of Babe Ruth, did not make the Hall in his first year of eligibility.

I will not insult Craig Biggio, as he was a very good player, but please tell me you acknowledge that one could write the history of baseball in Biggio’s time without including him–you certainly can.

Biggio was a “compiler,” who never played in a World Series. His election seems to throw more “proverbial dirt” at Pete Rose and Barry Bonds, the aforementioned all time hits and home run leaders.  I wonder their reactions–are they insulted that a player like Biggio is in and they are not?

Tim Raines, twice an integral part of Yankees World title teams and, yes to show I am not a dinosaur, Edgar Martinez, the great designated hitter, belong in the Hall as would Smoltz, Martinez and Johnson eventually (but not on first ballots).

One world title for all those post season appearances for those Atlanta Braves. Surely in short series pitching and managing are tantamount. They failed oh so many times, yet three pitchers and their manager were elected to the Hall of fame in the last two years.

I strongly disagree with that result but alas baseball, its Hall of Fame, its playoff structure, and other things have deteriorated so much.

Chalk this up as another “clue at the scene of the crime,” that is the erosion of baseball.

Baseball Hall of Fame, Cooperstown, NY