My Late HOF Post

Well, I should be getting back to some semblance of normal posting now.  Maybe not every day, as I have a termination of parental rights trial starting soon (I'm representing the parent possibly getting their rights terminated), which is a thing I absolutely hate doing.  I also have a robbery trial in a couple of months that things are starting to get heated on.  But, 2019 cards are now out and I have significantly more time now than I did even just a week ago since my brief has been completed.

Anyway, the BBWAA Hall of Fame results were announced a couple of weeks ago and we have four new Hall of Famers in Mariano Rivera, Edgar Martinez, Roy Halladay, and Mike Mussina.  Rivera was the first unanimous Hall of Famer, which was predictable and nice, but ultimately meaningless.  I don't think anyone thinks he is a more elite player than Hall of Famers like Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron or Ted Williams.  Halladay and Mussina will be entering the Hall of Fame with no logos on their cap.  It makes sense to me in Mussina's case, since his career was almost split evenly between the Orioles and Yankees (I would give the slight edge to the O's though).  Halladay though spent significantly more time with the Blue Jays than the Phillies and had most of his best years there.  His widow said no cap though, so I will not argue with her.

As for the Red Sox:

CURT SCHILLING (5th, 60.9%, 7th year on ballot)

Schilling continues to climb incrementally, but he also continues to say really dumb things on his Twitter.  I think he should be in, certainly now that Mussina is in.  Schilling was a significantly better pitcher than Mussina.  He has Mussina beat in almost every pitching category except wins, mostly due to Schilling getting a slow start on his career and playing for bad teams quite a bit.  I suspect he might get elected next year with only Derek Jeter having much of a chance on the ballot of the newcomers.

ROGER CLEMENS (6th, 59.5%, 7th year on ballot)

Again, Clemens is gaining a little bit each year.  Clemens is one of the greatest pitchers of all time, if not the greatest.  Obviously the steroid cloud hangs over his head, though it should be noted that he never tested positive and was not convicted of perjury (which is one of the hardest crimes to find someone guilty of, but still).  Hopefully in the next three years he will get in.

MANNY RAMIREZ (11th, 22.8%, 3rd year on ballot)

Due to being suspended for PED use twice, I do not see it as terribly realistic that Ramirez will get in any time soon.  I hope he does, because his numbers certainly call for his election.  I just do not see PED use as a reason to keep a player out.  And yes, I feel the same way about Alex Rodriguez.

BILLY WAGNER (14th, 16.7%, 4th year on ballot)

Wagner is building himself a nice little following.  I doubt he ever gets elected by the BBWAA, but maybe he does well enough that he could get in on one of the Eras ballots.

DARREN OLIVER, KEVIN YOUKILIS, DEREK LOWE, JASON BAY (0 votes each, eliminated)

Predictably, these four players failed to pick up a single vote, and I am not sure any of them actually deserved one.  They all had their moments, and were very good, sometimes great players, but the Hall of Fame is for a select few, and none of these four rose to that level.  

So that's it for this year.  Congratulations to Mariano Rivera, Edgar Martinez, Roy Halladay, and Mike Mussina.  They will join Lee Smith and Harold Baines at the induction ceremony in July.  Smith is the player I am happiest about, since he is the only one to spend any time with the Red Sox.  

Next year's potential Red Sox newcomers to the ballot include Josh Beckett, Marco Scutaro, Brad Penny and Alex Gonzalez.  Of them, only Beckett has much chance of picking up some votes, and I still do not see him staying on the ballot.