January 10, 2006
Moving Up Next Year
I want to disagree with some conventional wisdom:
Sutter was on the ballot for the 13th time, the first player elected so late since Ralph Kiner in 1975. Rice was appearing for the 12th time and has three years remaining on the writers' ballot. Gossage was on the ballot for the seventh time.
It might be difficult for Rice and Gossage to gain votes next year, when Cal Ripken Jr., Tony Gwynn and Mark McGwire appear on the ballot for the first time. Each voter may select up to 10 players.
There's plenty of room for Rice and Gossage to move up. With 520 ballots cast, there were a maximum of 5200 votes possible. Only 2933 votes were cast. That's more than enough room to vote for the first timers and Rice and Gossage.
David, many voters only vote for a player or two...some send back empty ballots. Only a few vote for more than 3...then there's the buffoons who vote for guys like Walt Weiss and Doug Jones.
It's a broken system, without a doubt.
Unfortunately, the conventional wisdom seems to be correct in this case, if only because of the lack of wisdom among many of those balloting.
It's not impossible, but with all the sanctimonius debate that'll occur because of McGwire next year, it probably won't leave much room for a push for Rice and Gossage.
re: Jim Rice
If Jim Rice is elected to the HOF, he will be the first African American elected from the Boston Red Sox in the history of that franchise.
This would be a substantial and signficant milestone in baseball history.
Three original franchises--the Phillies, the Red Sox and the Tigers--lack an African American in the HOF. This is not coincidental, as they were among the last three teams to integrate, in 1956-57-58, and only after much outside pressure.
I would advocate that the Phils do more to push for Dick Allen's election by the Veterans Committee on these grounds as well; and that Detroit push for Sweet Lou Whitaker as well. Don Wilson would have been a great pick but he just doesn't have the stats.
Jim Rice has legitimate win shares for election to the HOF.
--Arthur John Kyriazis
--Philly
