The Swamp

We haven't brought up the potential impact of HOF players actively lobbying for deserving players, but it's happening. And if it keeps happening from guys like Pedro and Randy, I think it might work.

Ryan wrote:We haven't brought up the potential impact of HOF players actively lobbying for deserving players, but it's happening. And if it keeps happening from guys like Pedro and Randy, I think it might work.

My wet dream was someone like Maddux going up there and delivering a great speech and then at the very end, dropping in a "Oh, btw, we all were on one thing or another so quit being so sanctimonious and celebrate the game"

Mine is that I'm having a threesome and then I look up and see on the ESPN scroll "Derek Jeter confirms that he used every single PED ever"

Gunpowder wrote:Mine is that I'm having a threesome and then I look up and see on the ESPN scroll "Derek Jeter confirms that he used every single PED ever"

A threesome sounds exhausting.

AB_skin_test wrote:

Gunpowder wrote:Mine is that I'm having a threesome and then I look up and see on the ESPN scroll "Derek Jeter confirms that he used every single PED ever"

A threesome sounds exhausting.

Just have the other guy do most of the work.

I know there's the Veteran's Committee, but I would wish in a perfect world, that during induction weekend, the living HOFers could get together in camera and do a vote themselves on the upcoming candidates. Make it the way they do NFL HOF, but it's their contemporaries giving testimonials. Like if Cal Ripken stood up among the living members and said "guys, Trammell and Whitaker were awesome. If I'm here, then those guys deserve to be here too". Make it the same 75%, and only report if they induct someone other than the BBWAA.

I really think this could assist with the whole PED issue. If Hank Aaron stood up and said, "guys, c'mon. We did greenies back in our day. Right Michael Jack? Right Willie? Hell, I did. If I'm cool with Bonds passing me, let's consider this part of our sport's past. There's been a ton of bad shit that happened in baseball, like the color line, cheaters, the damn Black Sox. It's part of our history. Bonds earned the right to go in."

I don't know. Just bringing up a fantasy.

Poll the living HOFers on camera and they'll have to expand the building into Ontario

L-Jam3 wrote:I know there's the Veteran's Committee, but I would wish in a perfect world, that during induction weekend, the living HOFers could get together in camera and do a vote themselves on the upcoming candidates. Make it the way they do NFL HOF, but it's their contemporaries giving testimonials. Like if Cal Ripken stood up among the living members and said "guys, Trammell and Whitaker were awesome. If I'm here, then those guys deserve to be here too". Make it the same 75%, and only report if they induct someone other than the BBWAA.

I really think this could assist with the whole PED issue. If Hank Aaron stood up and said, "guys, c'mon. We did greenies back in our day. Right Michael Jack? Right Willie? Hell, I did. If I'm cool with Bonds passing me, let's consider this part of our sport's past. There's been a ton of bad shit that happened in baseball, like the color line, cheaters, the damn Black Sox. It's part of our history. Bonds earned the right to go in."

I don't know. Just bringing up a fantasy.

I wish they'd say it to a media member on live television. I think if the players themselves really made a stand, it would force the writer's hands.

Ryan wrote:Poll the living HOFers on camera and they'll have to expand the building into Ontario

Hall of Good Guys

I shouldn't have used a damn legal term there. I didn't mean "on camera", I meant "in camera", some fucking bullshit legal Latin phrase that means "in private". I should have just said "privately in a hotel room with no cameras". Fucking legal jargon, no wonder I left that industry.

I'm more pissed off than I should be about this. I fucking hate when people use big words or jargon when a simple lay word would suffice perfectly. That's why I want to throw a flaming, shit-stained brick through Gregg Easterbrook's house. I hate even more when I do that. I just ruined my entire fucking morning.

No worries. We already knew you're a pretentious douche.

That must have caused some actual courtroom problems at some point. That's like if "in child" was Latin for "legal guardian"

Somehow or another I knew you were using the legal term. I don't know what that says about me.

rass wrote:No worries. We already knew you're a pretentious douche.

Just wait until I start talking up my FJ! record so far this year.

AB_skin_test wrote:Somehow or another I knew you were using the legal term. I don't know what that says about me.

That you're also a pretentious douche.

DSafetyGuy wrote:

AB_skin_test wrote:Somehow or another I knew you were using the legal term. I don't know what that says about me.

That you're also a pretentious douche.

Oh yeah! That seems like an equitable surveillance.

Gunpowder wrote:Mine is that I'm having a threesome ... on ... Derek Jeter

I don't think you're the only one here with this fantasy. The gift basket has just got to be terrific.

L-Jam3 wrote:I'm more pissed off than I should be about this. I fucking hate when people use big words or jargon when a simple lay word would suffice perfectly. That's why I want to throw a flaming, shit-stained brick through Gregg Easterbrook's house. I hate even more when I do that. I just ruined my entire fucking morning.

Then you'd be a tortfeasor.

EdRomero wrote:

AB_skin_test wrote:

Gunpowder wrote:Mine is that I'm having a threesome and then I look up and see on the ESPN scroll "Derek Jeter confirms that he used every single PED ever"

A threesome sounds exhausting.

Just have the other two guys do most of the work.

fify

This is a pretty huge decision ...

Congratulations, Tim Raines.

Really excited to see how annoyed I can get over Trevor Hoffman. Should be a blast.

So how will the reduced number of voters affect the guys who are being blackballed? Back of napkin showed that if everyone who no longer has a vote was a NO for Bonds/Clemens et al then they'd be up in the high forties instead of mid thirties. That's not enough, but will the reduced number of people on the ballot end up helping as well?

First year guys are:

Ken Griffey Jr.
Trevor Hoffman
Billy Wagner
Jim Edmonds
Jason Kendall
Garret Anderson
Troy Glaus
Mike Hampton
Luis Castillo
Randy Winn
Mike Lowell
Mark Grudzielanek
David Eckstein
Brad Ausmus
Mike Sweeney

Griffey (obviously) and Edmonds would be the two guys I would grant immortality, and both on the first ballot. And color me surprised that Mark Grudzielanek played until 2010.

Fuck no to Edmonds.

Just because I hate that guy.

I'd vote for Edmonds and Eckstein, just to make sure I've pissed off every person on the planet who follows this stuff.

I'm looking forward to the inevitable three or four votes Eckstein will actually, really get.

Oh, he'll get more than that for his right waying and shit. Griffey's a no-brained, Edmonds is an eventual yes but I'm thinking he can't be any higher than 14th or something on the ballot right now.

I hope Ausmus' managerial work means the one guy who was going to give him a token vote changes his mind.

I love the Rose decision. So much.

I thought I was fine with him being returned to the fold and eligible for the HOF. But, this made me smile really big; I guess I still hate him.

Its that smug "I'm going to do what I want and still get my way" attitude that really makes me root against him.

Some fascist asshole is getting his ass handed to him by a hedgehog baseball writer on Twitter right now

Ha. Shut the fuck up.

Reminder that this year's announcement is tomorrow afternoon, so feel free to use this space for bitching before/during/after.

Here's to a reverse hex for Tim Raines. I think he has one more year after this. And I suppose I'm obligated to bitch about the certain snubs for Bonds and Clemens, (I just cannot bitch about one w/o the other, as much as I love one and hate the other.) And ffs, Piazza is overdue.

If I had a ballot, I would end up gaming the shit out of it then praying this wasn't the year the masses decided to do the same (which they haven't, given what's been released). Fangraphs career WAR in parenthesis ...

My 10 Man Ballot:
Barry Bonds (164.4)
Roger Clemens (133.7)
Mike Mussina (82.2) - Wildly underrated. I bet he's in within 3 years if he had hung on for the 2009 WS. Voters are idiots.
Curt Schilling (79.7) - Speaking of.
Jeff Bagwell (80.2)
Larry Walker (68.7) - One of three I'm not 100% on, but think could fall off ballot and wouldn't want to risk.
Alan Trammell (63.7) - Throwaway vote to prove a point.
Tim Raines (66.4) - 55% to 75% seems like a huge jump. I fear there will be backlash to Morris not getting nudged over the line.
Jim Edmonds (64.5) - Of the three maybes, he's the one I'm most convinced should be. Somehow only 19% of his WAR is defensive so its not shaky math carrying him.
Gary Sheffield (62.1) - Same as Walker but with a little more conviction.

No but Yes:
Ken Griffey Jr. (77.7) - In no matter what.
Mark McGwire (66.3) - Not getting in this year, could fall off the ballot, but its his 10th year. Its not happening.
Mike Piazza (62.5) - In no matter what.

No because No:
Edgar Martinez (65.5) - Thome, McGwire, Sheffield, Manny and Frank Thomas all have a higher offensive WAR and, inexplicably, higher defensive demerit. Serious fuckup in the calculation. DH should be like RP to get in, where its Rivera and then everyone else. Martinez isn't there.
Sammy Sosa (60.1) - Nope.
Jeff Kent (56.1) - No, but partially because I think because it would make the Whitaker snub all the more infuriating. Which is dumb but whatever.
Fred McGriff (56.9) - Its not called the Hall of Very ...

< 5%:
Nomar Garciaparra (41.4)
Jason Kendall (39.8) - Some guys could never be HoFers. Given enough career restarts, Kendall could have. But I read he was a dick so I don't feel all that bad.
Troy Glaus (34.4)
Lee Smith (26.6)
Mike Hampton (28)
Luis Castillo (28.4)
Trevor Hoffman (26.1) - Nope.
Billy Wagner (24.2) - Slightly less emphatic nope but still a strong nope.
Randy Winn (28.1)
Mark Grudzielanek (23.2)
Garret Anderson (24)
Mike Lowell (26)
Mike Sweeney (21.1)
David Eckstein (16.8)
Brad Ausmus (17.2)

Tim Raines : Baseball Hall of Fame :: The Smiths : Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

If Raines gets snubbed again, I'm going to spend the rest of the week listening to 'The Queen is Dead.' (As if I needed an excuse.)

I'm all in on Billy Wagner. He's the second-best closer ever unless Papelbon finds a few more good years.