You might as well since you're throwing votes away, BBWAA. Let's look at some people who actually received votes during this HoF cycle.
Marquis Grissom
Career WAR of 30.6 in 17 seasons puts him at 1.8 WAR/season. His career Batting RAA and Fielding RAA are both in the negative. He had only 5 seasons where his OPS+ was above 100. 4 votes.
Career WAR of 30.6 in 17 seasons puts him at 1.8 WAR/season. His career Batting RAA and Fielding RAA are both in the negative. He had only 5 seasons where his OPS+ was above 100. 4 votes.
B.J. Surhoff
I take no pleasure in this. B.J. Surhoff was one of my favorite players growing up. Career OPS+ is 98 so we may as well call it 100 and say he was average for his career. Admittedly for a catcher you take that if he can field reasonably well and Surhoff apparently did with five seasons of FRAA of 10 or higher. Still, a career OPS of .745 and 1.8 WAR/season in 19 seasons is not a HoF resume. 2 votes.
I take no pleasure in this. B.J. Surhoff was one of my favorite players growing up. Career OPS+ is 98 so we may as well call it 100 and say he was average for his career. Admittedly for a catcher you take that if he can field reasonably well and Surhoff apparently did with five seasons of FRAA of 10 or higher. Still, a career OPS of .745 and 1.8 WAR/season in 19 seasons is not a HoF resume. 2 votes.
The rest of the people who received votes I have little to no problem with as they either had a few really good years (Al Leiter) or long productive careers (John Olerud). I can't bring myself to get worked up about Benito Santiago's one vote. It was probably a guy in San Diego who still owes him dinner or something.
Posts
In the past, I've seen writers vote for players they like or respect but know have no chance of enshrinement as sort of an "attaboy." Assuming that writer didn't have something better to do with the vote, that seems fine by me. But this ballot was pretty stacked, so...yeah.
ReplyDeleteOf course, it's also possible that four people voted for their memories of a young, 70 SB Marquis Grissom. Because, you know, you had to be there.
Here's one of the two Surhoff votes:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2011/1/5/1916784/barry-stantons-explanation-for-surhoff-vote
I have no problem with this particular tip of the cap to Surhoff. It's cute, and there are reasonable arguments (particularly if you're a small Hall supporter) for NOT maxing out the ballot this year and thus NOT missing out by voting B.J., though personally I can't imagine not voting for ten in a field like this.
But Stanton's may be the worst HoF ballot I've ever seen in my life. His list? Jack Morris, B. J. Surhoff, Don Mattingly, Tino Martinez, and Edgar Martinez.
With one exception (Martinez, Edgar), I disagree with all the names on that list. But really, it's the omissions that make the ballot so very, very awful. Morris (fine) but no Blyleven (decidedly not fine)? Mattingly (meh) and Martinez (wha??) but no Bagwell (madness!) or even McGriff (still better), for that matter?
Yeesh.
And as for why a dude who got caught plagiarizing Joe P even HAS a HoF vote, I have no idea.