Tyler Kepner of the Times preps us for the Baseball Hall of Fame results due to be announced on Wednesday.
A helpful supplement is the Baseball Reference Hall of Fame Monitor Leaderboard.
My picks for the Hall: Second baseman Roberto Alomar is automatic, and as a bonus we can watch Mets fans leap from tall buildings; shortstop Barry Larkin joins him in the infield. Dawson and Blyleven will be close but out; Edgar Martinez will not be the first DH to make the Hall.
EVENTUALLY: Dawson in; wait 'til next year for Blyleven and Alomar:
After waiting eight long years to make it to the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Andre Dawson is this year's sole electee, it was announced on Wednesday. Roberto Alomar and Bert Blyleven, who came oh so close, will have to wait another year.
Dawson, an outfielder with power, who played most of his career on injured and fragile knees, made it on his ninth try, earning 77.9 percent of the votes cast...
...
Forging the tightest vote in Hall of Fame history, Blyleven finished just five short with 74.2 percent, and Alomar, considered one of the top second basemen of his era, registered the most votes ever for a first-year candidate without getting elected. He had 73.7 percent and his 397 votes were eight shy of the necessary 75 percent level.
"As I sit here, it's awful to think about five votes," Dawson said about Blyleven, the right-handed pitcher whose career overlapped with "The Hawk." "I feel for him that he has to wait another year. Five votes are very hard to swallow."
Blyleven was shut out in his 13th opportunity on the ballot. Alomar, a second baseman, was among 13 players on the ballot for the first time. Barry Larkin, the former Reds shortstop, had the next-highest percentage among first-timers with 51.6 percent. Edgar Martinez, the Mariners designated hitter, finished at 36.2 percent. They are the only three of the 13 first-timers on the ballot who will back next year.
Since no candidate measuring above the 70 percent mark has missed election, Alomar and Blyleven seem certain to make it in 2011.
chirping
Posted by: crickets | January 05, 2010 at 01:57 PM
Kepner missed the most important stat: did they play for a New York team? [Or at least Boston]
Posted by: JorgXMcKie | January 05, 2010 at 02:03 PM
Michael Yon was handcuffed in the Seattle airport going through security because he wouldn't tell them his income. Prt Authority came over & released him....UFB
Posted by: PMII | January 05, 2010 at 02:23 PM
Blyleven belongs in the Hall. Nastiest curveball in the history of the game.
Posted by: Danube of Thought | January 05, 2010 at 02:33 PM
DoT,
Didn't Bert end up coaching the Netherlands in the Baseball Classic this year? I think so. Agree about the curve - best since Herb Score.
Where is Dale Murphy? Can't refuse him since he is the New York Times pick.
Posted by: Jack is Back! | January 05, 2010 at 03:14 PM
The NYT has a Sports section?
What's next, Comics?
(teed up)
Posted by: Buffy LaRouche | January 05, 2010 at 03:35 PM
I think each candidate should have to prove that he accomplished a miracle to be canonized in the Hall. It works for the Vatican and it would get guys like Ron Swoboda in there.
Posted by: srp | January 05, 2010 at 03:41 PM
Bert deserves it simply as the nastiest (in a good way) practical joker in the game. A truly wonderful human being and a very underrated pitcher. Had the pleasure of watching him ply his craft in Anaheim for several years.
Posted by: matt | January 05, 2010 at 04:36 PM
Crime Dog deserves it just for the nickname, and Raines and Morris were damn good as well.
Posted by: matt | January 05, 2010 at 04:38 PM
Jorg, Dawson's numbers during his stints with BOS and FLA might impede his election.
Posted by: Dave (in MA) | January 05, 2010 at 04:53 PM
Bah TM,
I don't give a carp about any Hall O' Fame quality baseball player unless he can deliver live broadcasts of MLB games overseas in real time, ala' Ichiro, L.A.'s Matsui, Boston's Daisuke, or your Yanker's Ace, Taiwanese Pitcher Chien-Ming Wang. Other than that they are all forgettable, unless of course ">http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2008-07-09-dorisday_N.htm"> they claimed they had sex with Doris Day.
Hubba hubba that!
Posted by: daddy | January 05, 2010 at 05:42 PM
The Big Unit, a HOF shoe in, retired this afternoon at age 46.
Posted by: Jim Rhoads a/k/a vjnjagvet | January 05, 2010 at 08:09 PM
The Big Dodd did as well.
Posted by: Dave (in MA) | January 06, 2010 at 03:02 AM
a very underrated pitcher.
Cryleven underrated? LOL no. He was very good about caring more about his stats than the teams he played for though....
Posted by: Captain Hate | January 06, 2010 at 08:06 AM