Alomar doesn't make it into HOF

[Schad]

Really? Didn't know that. So how do they decide? An interesting case will be Fred McGriff, if he even gets in. He had his best years as a Blue Jay, but won a ring with the Braves.

It's a recent thing...within the last three years, I think. They made the change so that you wouldn't have situations where a player (say, Roger Clemens) who played the bulk of their career with one team but left on bad terms can use the hat to stick it to their old team.

McGriff is a tough one; my bet would be on the Braves, but he could just as easily go in as a Jay. We should just be thankful that Robbie didn't remain with any other team long enough for the league to justify putting him in as an Indian or Oriole.

[Avenger]

lol at Dawson, how the hell do all these mediocre players continue to get in the HOF? This might make me a paranoid Canadian but this is complete American media bias. Would Dawson really get in the hall if he never moved from the Expos, would Robbie Alomar really not be a first ballot hall of famer if did what he did with the Jays in a storied American franchise and i could say the same thing with Tim Raines?

[Modern_epic]

Really? Didn't know that. So how do they decide? An interesting case will be Fred McGriff, if he even gets in. He had his best years as a Blue Jay, but won a ring with the Braves.

It's a recent thing...within the last three years, I think. They made the change so that you wouldn't have situations where a player (say, Roger Clemens) who played the bulk of their career with one team but left on bad terms can use the hat to stick it to their old team.

McGriff is a tough one; my bet would be on the Braves, but he could just as easily go in as a Jay. We should just be thankful that Robbie didn't remain with any other team long enough for the league to justify putting him in as an Indian or Oriole.

It's a bit older than that, though I'm not sure the exact year either. There is a good chance it is Dave Winfield's fault, though. Or maybe you could call it the Boss's.

At least one player has a blank cap, and given how many teams McGriff was on, I wouldn't be surprised if McGriff would go in that way also. If not,my money is on the Braves. Not that he will make the Hall, so while an interesting discussion, it is a moot point.

[Geddy]

I was flipping channels this evening and caught a bit of Off The Record and Landsberg was talking to some baseball writer from Delaware. Whoever that idiot was he sure was full of a lot of crap saying that he will never vote for Alomar regardless of what his stats were. He then went on to say that he's been voting for Mcgwire since he became eligible and he doesn't care about the steroid issue. It's exactly as Schad put it:

No surprise there...for some of the BBWAA, the vote isn't about the players, it's a masturbatory exercise in proving their dedication to some non-existent ideal. Mariotti is just that kind of a moron.

[Avenger]

I was flipping channels this evening and caught a bit of Off The Record and Landsberg was talking to some baseball writer from Delaware. Whoever that idiot was he sure was full of a lot of crap saying that he will never vote for Alomar regardless of what his stats were. He then went on to say that he's been voting for Mcgwire since he became eligible and he doesn't care about the steroid issue. It's exactly as Schad put it:

No surprise there...for some of the BBWAA, the vote isn't about the players, it's a masturbatory exercise in proving their dedication to some non-existent ideal. Mariotti is just that kind of a moron.

Yeah i saw that too. They asked him why he voted for McGuire despite the Steroid issues and he said something like "what he puts in his body is up to him". I mean WTF,how can you be okay with one of the biggest cheats in sports history, a guy who has shown no remorse and still not forgive someone like Robbie who did something stupid in the heat of the moment and has repeatedly tried to make amends for it.

[satyr9]

I never follow these types of stories about HOF. Usually I just don't care about who gets in or not, but I'm pretty astounded Robbie doesn't go and the stories about these writers are pretty ridiculous. Fan votes are awful things, but these guys sure don't make this alternative look much better.

Anyway, he'll get in soon enough. The rest is just lameness.

[kelso]

Jay Mariotti is a bloody moron. If you want laugh every now and then at the expense of useless sports writers like him, check out this site:

http://firejaymariotti.blogspot.com/

mariotti drives me crazy on that show whose name escapes me right now (on before PTI on weekedays here in Ontario)....oh well, I forget...too much chronic over the years....

[OldNo7]

Around the Horn. A slew of terrible people on that show. I like Adande though.

[OldNo7]

ESPN indicates it doesnt know what cap Dawson will wear yet but will discuss it with him soon. There is a poll on the article, 53+% indicating he should go in as an Expo.

[evilRyu]

It's a recent thing...within the last three years, I think. They made the change so that you wouldn't have situations where a player (say, Roger Clemens) who played the bulk of their career with one team but left on bad terms can use the hat to stick it to their old team.

McGriff is a tough one; my bet would be on the Braves, but he could just as easily go in as a Jay. We should just be thankful that Robbie didn't remain with any other team long enough for the league to justify putting him in as an Indian or Oriole.

It's a bit older than that, though I'm not sure the exact year either. There is a good chance it is Dave Winfield's fault, though. Or maybe you could call it the Boss's.

Yes, i always thought that the "rule" was much older as well.. no source to back that up though.

Too bad for Robbie. But why is everyone guaranteeing he will make it next year? I'm guessing no spectacular player is going to become eligible next year?

[Hoopstarr]

The only serious contenders next year are Bagwell and Palmeiro. Then there's fringe guys like Larry Walker, Juan Gone, Kevin Brown. But that has nothing to do with Alomar not getting in this year. They're not "saving him for next year" or anything like that. He didn't get in simply because of a-hole voters not wanting to award him "first ballot entry". Otherwise, arguably the best 2B ever should've made it in easily.

[Modern_epic]

I don't buy the argument for Alomar over Joe Morgan. I never really did, but Joe Posanski posted an article this week that sealed it. He showed that Morgan was quite possible the best player of the 70s. Alomar might not even make the top ten in the 90s.

Which isn't to say Alomar is not a sure fire hall of famer who should have made it this year. Just that Joe Morgan is probably underrated.