Baseball Ink’s Hall of Fame Vote

This is a discussion on how I would vote if in fact I was a member of the esteemed community of The Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA).  Just a reminder about voting eligibility:

The BBWAA is again authorized to elect players active in 1989 or later, but not after 2003; the ballot, announced on December 1, 2008, includes candidates from the 2008 ballot who received at least 5% of the vote but were not elected, along with selected players, chosen by a screening committee, whose last appearance was in 2003. All 10-year members of the BBWAA are eligible to vote; ballots must be returned by December 31.

Voters are instructed to cast votes for up to 10 candidates; any candidate who receives votes on at least 75% of the ballots will be honored with induction to the Hall. Results of the 2009 election by the BBWAA will be announced on January 12. The ballot consists of 23 players, the lowest number ever. Those candidates who receive less than 5% of the vote will not appear on future BBWAA ballots, but may eventually be considered by the Veterans Committee

I wanted a bit of a methodology, so instead of solely relying on my fading memories and prejudices, I used the Keltner list to avoid any such failings.   This list was devised by Sabremetician, Bill James, to help discredit an HOF campaign to get a rather pedestrian third baseman, named Ken Keltner, voted into the HOF.  The questions are pretty simple, but direct.  Here they are:

1. Was he ever regarded as the best player in baseball? Did anybody, while he was active, ever suggest that he was the best player in baseball?
2. Was he the best player on his team?
3. Was he the best player in baseball at his position? Was he the best player in the league at his position?
4. Did he have an impact on a number of pennant races?
5. Was he a good enough player that he could continue to play regularly after passing his prime?
6. Is he the very best player in baseball history who is not in the Hall of Fame?
7. Are most players who have comparable career statistics in the Hall of Fame?
8. Do the player’s numbers meet Hall of Fame standards?
9. Is there any evidence to suggest that the player was significantly better or worse than is suggested by his statistics?
10. Is he the best player at his position who is eligible for the Hall of Fame but not in?
11. How many MVP-type seasons did he have? Did he ever win an MVP award? If not, how many times was he close?
12. How many All-Star-type seasons did he have? How many All-Star games did he play in? Did most of the other players who played in this many go to the Hall of Fame?
13. If this man were the best player on his team, would it be likely that the team could win the pennant?
14. What impact did the player have on baseball history? Was he responsible for any rule changes? Did he introduce any new equipment? Did he change the game in any way?
15. Did the player uphold the standards of sportsmanship and character that the Hall of Fame, in its written guidelines, instructs us to consider?

For my vote I threw out two questions:  Is he the very best player in baseball history who is not in the Hall of Fame? That’s because none of the names on the list are Pete Rose or Shoeless Joe Jackson.  And If this man were the best player on his team, would it be likely that the team could win the pennant? That’s because baseball is a team sport and this is an individual honor.  Since it’s my vote, it’s my rules.

Here’s my list with the totals filled in.

(*First year of eligibility.  Jim Rice and Tommy John are in their 15th and final year of eligibility.)

That’s the scoring.

You’ll notice that I didn’t vote for Tommy John and Bert Blyleven.  I believe that these pitchers were good and even very good briefly.  They were never considered the best pitchers in the league or even on their own team.  I put them in the Don Sutton category.  And no, just because Sutton’s in doesn’t mean these guys should be.

Why not Lee Smith?  Lee was always a feared closer.  But he was used mostly in save situations and I’m not convinced that Lee is the same caliber as the relievers already in.

Dale Murphy reminds me of Roger Maris.  A couple of great seasons, a few goods.  A really nice, memorable career, but not Hall of Fame material.

Did they even mean to put Dan Pleasac and Jesse Orosco on the ballot?  Both of them are the same type – lefty specialist who was brought in in the late innings to pitch to one batter.  Please.

Now here is my vote in order and my justification.