Hawk in HOF, Alomar falls short

[Lee]

Alomar short on first year of eligibility


NEW YORK -- Andre Dawson was elected to the Hall of Fame, while Bert Blyleven and Roberto Alomar fell just short of earning baseball's highest honor.

Dawson received 420 of 539 votes in voting announced Wednesday by the Baseball Writers' Association of America, 15 more than the 75 percent necessary to gain election.

The eight-time All-Star, appearing on the ballot for the ninth time, had fallen 44 votes short last year.

Blyleven had 400 votes, up from 338 last year, and likely will get in, what with two more tries on the BBWAA ballot.

Alomar received 397 votes in his first appearance, and was followed by Jack Morris with 282.

Baseball's HOF is a joke. How does it take this long for Dawson to get in (still cant believe blyleven isnt in) and how isnt Robbie Alomar not a sure first time hof'er. Easily one of the top 5 2nd basemen of all time. 12 all star appearances, 10 gold gloves and a 300+ lifetime batting average. Basball writers should be embarassed.

 

[Otsego Mar]

Yea I've never understood how baseball conducts its HOF process.

I heard Jay Marriotti on Around The Horn talking about how the 1st ballot of the HOF (for baseball) is "sacred" and that only sure-fire bets should get in. Not exactly sure about that.

 

[Amherstcavsfan]

Why Bert Blyleven is not in the HOF yet, I'll never know.

Bunch a morons who run the Baseball HOF.

 

[ChicagoCavFan]

Too bad for Robbie. Tim Kurkjian was talking on SC last night about Robbie being a sure thing. And I get ALL of my information from ESPN. Damn them!

 

[Cratylus]

The entire entity that IS Major League Baseball is a joke.

Fixed.

 

[Hurl Bruce]

Alomar is top 5 EASILY all time 2B...how he wasn't first ballot is beyond belief.

 

[Tony_The_Calf]

Bert Blylevin missing by 5 votes is an outrage...yet..there were 5 blank ballots that were returned..really?...

 

[kosis]

He also spits in the faces of umpires. Don't really care for those types of athletes.

 

[Lee]

He also spits in the faces of umpires. Don't really care for those types of athletes.

One bad act that he repeadily appologized for. He even went to the umpire himself. I am not actually a big Alomar fan, porbably liked Dawson the most out of the bunch and he was the only one not an Indian, but just saying as a sports fan its ridiculous, and I am not even begining to talk about the all time hits leader not in the HOF.

Baseball is such a joke and they have earned all the lost fans over the years. Personally, I blame the commisioner and baseball for the whole steroid issue more than the players themselves. If you dont test for it, what do you think was going to happen?

This is just one more thing wrong with baseball, i am not even sure why i am bitching about....after all, this is just par for the course with MLB.

 

[Soda]

Yea I've never understood how baseball conducts its HOF process.

I heard Jay Marriotti on Around The Horn talking about how the 1st ballot of the HOF (for baseball) is "sacred" and that only sure-fire bets should get in. Not exactly sure about that.

I was also going to respond to the original post by saying, "because Jay Mariotti has a vote."

That guy is a complete cynic and douche. Gotta love how people have their own agenda of the baseball HOF without every playing, completely disregarding slam dunk statistics.

 

[PIP]

One of my all time favorites in all honesty... Those 1999 and 2001 seasons were awfully special...

Had nice speed---some pop in his bat---crazy patience at the plate--the ability to go the other way--slick fielding-- and was clutch as all hell for the most part..

IMO one the smartest and best all around players ever...AND arguably the best at his position, and that guy can't get in ????

F'n retards..

 

[Gunther]

I detailed my thoughts about the HOF in this thread:

http://www.realcavsfans.com/showthread.php?t=26756

but basically, tough shit to Alomar this year, he's not a first ballot HOF'er. One more year isn't going to hurt him - he can get in next year.

Blylevin was completely robbed yet again.

 

[macbdog]

Alomar will get in next year. He paid the price for being a prick and a quitter, and that price was having to wait 6 years for induction instead of 5. I think we can spare the outrage in this situation. Alomar's life isn't ruined. The HOF isn't a joke- the baseball HOF is still the benchmark and the only one of the major sports that has maintained any level of authenticity.

Andre finally getting in? I am mixed on him- I think he was borderline. Time changes perspective. Dawson's stats fell short of the automatic induction milestones (500 HRs, 3000 hits, etc) and he was up for induction as folks where watching offensive records getting shattered. Now with those abnormal numbers being swept aside en-masse by the voters- despite the rules in place regarding voting- Dawson's lack of benchmark HOF numbers is now not a problem for the voters.

I have to wonder if the scrutiny of the steroid era hasn't lead to an abnormal nostalgia for the 80s hitters, and if we aren't seeing a reverse effect: a sentimental voting for Hawk, not so much based on the feeling that he is one of the greatest to ever play the game but someone considered 'clean'. We just trust that he made his money in baseball the honest way. I think we just saw his HOF chances gain a trampoline effect from this assertion.

 

[macbdog]

As for Blyleven, he isn't in because it is the Hall of Fame, not the Hall of Really Good and Consistent. In that case, Jim Kaat and Tommy John needs to be elected ASAP. Blyleven deserves a Lifetime Achievement award as a guy who was a good no. 2 type pitcher for many years. He was very durable and put up the #s that he did b/c he broke in at age 19. These are great attributes to have as a ballplayer. They are not, though, HOF-caliber.

 

[PIP]

I dunno, the HOF for baseball does seem like a joke more than the others IMO... Seems more like a popularity contest than anything else.. And then you have to hear schmucks who call themselves "baseball purist" try to explain their positions on things that make no sense...

Like Dawson working his was up... Or how Gary Carter is a HOF catcher but Ted Simmons barely gets a sniff at it despite comparable numbers...

These voters are lame...