Rickey Henderson (94%) & Jim Rice (76%) are going to the Hall.

It took Jim Rice a long time, but he finally got enough votes.

What bothers me, is what makes Jim Rice qualified now as opposed to the other 7+ years he was eligible?

I mean, I know that there's always going to be 'borderline' HOF'ers, but in baseball, that line is very skewed.

Jack Morris (44%), Andre Dawson (67%), Bert Blyleven (62%)...there's no reason those two should be on the outside looking in.

Alan Trammell fell way short of the 75% needed to be elected. Tram only landed 17.4%

Other's who didn't get in: Mark McGwire (22%), Tim Raines (22%), Tommy John (31%), Lee Smith (45%), Don Mattingly (12%)

Rice shouldn't be in. Tram gets hosed again. See A-51.

Rice is a joke, his induction is a product of the vocal chowd nation and likely, Peter Gammons.

Rice is a joke, his induction is a product of the vocal chode nation and likely, Peter Gammons.

See, I am the greatest

chode

I see what you did there.

I have a feeling McGwire, Sheffield, Sosa, Palmeiro, Clemens, and of course Bonds will never see the HOF.

For the rest of the steroid era...

Frank Thomas, Jim Thome, Chipper Jones are debatable, HOF'ers.

Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, Ivan Rodriguez, Trevor Hoffman, John Smoltz, Ken Griffey Jr., Jeff Kent, Mariano Rivera, Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez, Ichiro, Pedro Martinez are locks to get in.

Derek Jeter will probably get in. Vlad Guerrero will probably get in.
Albert Pujols still has plenty of gas left in the tank, and he'll certainly be in some day.

WON'T Get In: Curt Schilling, Roberto Alomar, Omar Vizquel, John Franco, Mike Mussina, Juan Gonzalez, Todd Helton, Andruw Jones, Mo Vaughn, Albert Belle, Troy Percival, Jason Giambi, Larry Walker, Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell

Brandon Inge is a darkhorse.

Did you say Brandon Inge is a darkhorse?

Pudge will have to deal with the roid thing.

I see Robbie Alomar as a first balloter. The career he put up at 2nd base was pretty amazing offensively and he won 10 gold gloves, including 6 straight.

The Loogie Wing of the Hall welcomes him with open arms.

I'm sure Simmons will have a column tomorrow rationalizing the Rice selection based on how Rice played when he and his dad were at Fenway or something.

This is a ways away but one guy who could raise some eyebrows if his career stays on track is Adam Dunn. He just turned 29 and already has 278 homers. If he stays moderately healthy, he could make a run at 600 with no shadow of steroids. Chances are his bat speed will slow down well before then, but I think this guy gets harped on too much for what he can't do and gets nowhere near enough credit for what he can do.

I'm sure Simmons will have a column tomorrow rationalizing the Rice selection based on how Rice played when he and his dad were at Fenway or something.


lol

This is a ways away but one guy who could raise some eyebrows if his career stays on track is Adam Dunn. He just turned 29 and already has 278 homers. If he stays moderately healthy, he could make a run at 600 with no shadow of steroids. Chances are his bat speed will slow down well before then, but I think this guy gets harped on too much for what he can't do and gets nowhere near enough credit for what he can do.

I had no idea Dunn was just 29. Seems like he's been in the league forever.

Nobody's offering him a contract right now because he'll cost a draft pick.

Even though his strikeout and batting avg. numbers are less than stellar, his OBP, HR, RBI, and walks are of HOF proportion...

I had no idea Dunn was just 29. Seems like he's been in the league forever.

Nobody's offering him a contract right now because he'll cost a draft pick.

Even though his strikeout and batting avg. numbers are less than stellar, his OBP, HR, RBI, and walks are of HOF proportion... To be honest, his career looks a whole lot like Mark McGwire's to the same point.

Minus the steroids I presume.

Obviously nobody knows for sure (OR AT LEAST NOBODY'S SAYING), but I've always kind of presumed that McGwire didn't start the juice until after he got hurt (in 93 I think?) when he was 28 or 29. That's when his numbers really took off at least. But if he had even just stayed on the same course, he probably would have been a HOFer or at least entered the discussion.

I forgot to mention a few more from the 'steroid era' who are up for debate in the coming years...

Edgar Martinez (I'm not sure 75% of the voters respect the DH)
Mike Piazza (lock)
Barry Larkin (if Ozzie Smith got in, Larkin should be...right?)
Fred McGriff (should be a lock)

Also from my earlier post, Roberto Alomar is a lock. I think I had him as a no.

You know who also should be in as a player, is Joe Torre. Go look at his numbers and consider he was a catcher, theres no argument...