Baseball Hall of Fame: 8 ballots, and some actual agreements
With more than a dozen qualified candidates, just 10 slots available on the ballot and the ever-present cloud of performance-enhancing drug use complicating the process, this year's baseball Hall of Fame ballot once again sparked significant debate, moral dilemmas and quandaries for voters.
A glance at ballots cast within the USA TODAY NETWORK is enough to confirm that.
Our 10-year members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America showed that even in a small sample, gleaning a consensus among the 75% necessary to elect players is challenging.
This much we know: Wednesday evening will be a slam-dunk celebration for Ken Griffey Jr., a unanimous pick in our survey and also external polls that show he has a chance to break the all-time vote percentage mark of 98.84, by Tom Seaver when results of balloting are announced.
For the other dozen or so candidates? It will be nervous time - although our panel produced unanimous support for a quartet that may find themselves in Cooperstown come July.
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A look at eight Hall of Fame ballots cast by USA TODAY NETWORK staffers, and the rationale behind them:
Dave Ammenheuser, The Tennessean
On my ballot: Jeff Bagwell, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Ken Griffey Jr., Trevor Hoffman, Edgar Martinez, Mike Mussina, Mike Piazza, Tim Raines, Curt Schilling.
Why they're in: Just one slam dunk (Griffey), but so many others who were the best of the best during their specific eras. First time I’ve voted for Bonds and Clemens, giving into the fact that their careers were Hall-worthy before their alleged PED use. Hoffman, Martinez and Raines likely won’t reach the 75% plateau, but were among the sport’s all-time best at what they did (closer, designated hitter, base stealer).
In the future: Could have easily gone with 12-13 this time. Strong arguments could be made to include Lee Smith, Fred McGriff, Jeff Kent and Gary Sheffield. The field will get much tougher in the next five years with Vladimir Guerrero, Jorge Posada, Manny Ramirez, Ivan Rodriguez, Chipper Jones, Jim Thome, Andy Pettitte, Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter all becoming eligible.
Peter Barzilai, USA TODAY Sports
On my ballot: Bagwell, Bonds, Clemens, Griffey, Martinez, Mussina, Piazza, Raines, Schilling, Alan Trammell.
Why they're in: After years of telling anybody who would listen I would never vote for Bonds or Clemens, I emerged from deep contemplation on this, my first ballot, with a new perspective. The rationale is simple, and not particularly new: While the evidence is overwhelming those two used banned PEDs, it’s not nearly as easy to identify other dopers, and I’m no criminologist. As for the rest of the ballot, I struggled with Martinez, Mussina and Schilling. Ultimately I decided Martinez’s contributions with the bat as a DH outweighed his lack of contribution with the glove, and that Mussina and Schilling were among the elite pitchers of an era that heavily favored hitters.
In the future: While not a supporter of the maximum 10-person ballot rule, I’m also not ready to wave home several of this year’s borderline candidates in the future, including Trevor Hoffman, Gary Sheffield and Larry Walker. Plus next year brings a new wave of questions and numbers crunching for Vladimir Guerrero, Manny Ramirez, Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez and others.
Scott Bordow, Arizona Republic
On my ballot: Bagwell, Griffey, Hoffman, Martinez, Mussina, Piazza, Raines, Schilling, Trammell
Why they’re in: Griffey was the obvious choice. Schilling’s post-season brilliance gave him the nod, and I voted for Hoffman because he was one of best at his position, even if the value of the save statistic has been questioned.
In the future: I’ll continue to vote against players who have used PEDs, Clemens and Bonds the most obvious examples. That other cheaters may have gotten into the Hall of Fame for decades is not my concern. I didn’t have a vote then. I do now, and as long as integrity, sportsmanship and character are part of the criteria they will not appear on my ballot.
Mark Faller, Arizona Republic
On my ballot: Bagwell, Griffey, Martinez, Mussina, Piazza, Raines, Schilling
Why they're in: This year I’m comfortable with voting for just those seven. I’ve voted for Bagwell every year he’s been on the ballot and did so again this time. I’m also continuing to vote for Piazza, the best offensive catcher of his generation who, far as we can tell, lacks any substantive link to PEDs.
In the future: Among the other newcomers, names that stood out at first glance were Jim Edmonds and two closers – Trevor Hoffman and Billy Wagner. For these three, it may take strong belief in the power of advanced metrics to get over the top.
Gabe Lacques, USA TODAY Sports
On my ballot: Bagwell, Bonds, Clemens, Griffey, Hoffman, Piazza, Raines, Gary Sheffield, Trammell, Larry Walker
Why they're in: Hoffman was my last man in; I'm reluctant to include relievers, but his performance compares favorably to Mariano Rivera, who will likely be deemed a first-ballot lock. Walker's appeared on all four of my ballots, a nod to a legitimate five-tool player who stacks up well against previously enshrined outfielders and was far from a mere Coors Field creation.
In the future: Will give stronger consideration to Mussina and particularly Curt Schilling, whose ERA-plus of 127 is superior to Hall of Famers like Bert Blyleven, John Smoltz and Tom Glavine.
Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY Sports
On my ballot: Bagwell, Bonds, Clemens, Griffey, Hoffman, Fred McGriff, Piazza, Raines, Sheffield, Sammy Sosa
Why they're in: These 10 players simply were the finest players of their era, and all happened to play in the heart of the steroid era. It’s impossible to know who used, and who didn’t, but the numbers don’t lie. They all deserve to be elected into the Hall of Fame.
In the future: Mike Mussina, who won 270 games despite pitching his entire career in the offensive powerhouse of the AL East, and in the heart of the steroid era, will get in, but it will take time.
Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY Sports
On my ballot: Bagwell, Griffey, Hoffman, Jeff Kent, Piazza, Raines
Why they're in: Griffey is an automatic and Hoffman was the National League’s answer to Mariano Rivera, though with only a fraction of the postseason appearances. I won’t consider obvious steroids guys like Bonds and Clemens until their last year on the ballot – my version of putting them in purgatory for their sins – but the suspicions about Piazza and Bagwell don’t rise to the same level, so I’m voting for them with some trepidation. Raines was one of the top leadoff men of all time and his career .810 OPS is only 10 points below Rickey Henderson’s. Kent averaged 28 homers and 110 RBI over a nine-year stretch as a second baseman.
In the future: Upon closer scrutiny of Billy Wagner’s candidacy, I was surprised by how strong a case he had – he personified dominance as a reliever – and would consider voting for him. Mike Mussina and Gary Sheffield also warrant closer examination. And I’m curious how Omar Vizquel – a nonpareil defensive shortstop who played in an era when the position became more geared toward offense – will be judged when he becomes eligible in a couple of years.
C. Trent Rosecrans, Cincinnati Enquirer
On my ballot: Bagwell, Bonds, Clemens, Griffey, Mussina, Piazza, Raines, Schilling, Trammell, Walker
Why they're in: I vote for the 10 greatest players on the ballot. There's no gamesmanship or trying to figure out who needs support the most. I rank the players one-through-32 and mark off the top 10. That's where my 10 come from, the 10 players with the 10 best careers.
In the future: Edgar Martinez, Gary Sheffield, Jeff Kent, Trevor Hoffman, Billy Wagner and Jim Edmonds - all have compelling cases, they just came up short compared to the other 10.
Totals (8 ballots; 75% required for induction):
T-1. Griffey 8, 100%
T-1. Bagwell, 8, 100%
T-1. Raines, 8, 100%
T-1. Piazza, 8, 100%
T-5. Bonds, 5, 62.5%
T-5. Clemens, 5, 62.5%
T-5. Hoffman, 5, 62.5%
T-5. Mussina, 5, 62.5%
T-5. Schilling, 5, 62.5%
T-10. Martinez, 4, 50%
T-10. Trammell, 4, 50%
T-12. Sheffield, 2, 25%
T-12. Walker, 2, 25%
T-14. McGriff, 1, 12.5%
T-14. Kent, 1, 12.5%
T-14. Sosa, 1, 12.5%
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