2015 HOF,

Happy New year!  A new year means a new HOF class will be announced shortly for indu
ction in Cooperstown this summer.  Having attended last years festivities gives me even more of a thrill to do my annual prognostication

In 2014 there were 36 players on the BBWAA (Baseball Writers Association of America) ballot. 3 of those players were elected to the Hall of fame for induction in 2014,  Frank Thomas, Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine.  1 player Jack Morris failed to receive 75% of the votes cast for the 15th year and fell off the ballot.  15 players were removed from the ballot after failing to appear on at least 5% of the ballots cast.  14 of these players were in their 1st year of eligibility as well as Rafael Palmeiro who was on the ballot for the 4th year.  This leaves 17 players who  are returning from the 2014 ballot.

In 2014 the Baseball Hall of fame amended their election rules.  Previously a player had 15 years to receive the 75% of the vote needed for election to the Hall,  The time period is now being shortened to 10 years with players who have appeared on the ballot for 10 of more years already being grandfathered in to get up to 15 years if needed.

 The 17 players returning from last years ballot listed from highest percentage of votes received to lowest are ...

Craig Biggio  74.8% of vote in 2014  3rd year on ballot,  Additional time to be on ballot: 7  years.  Highest vote total 2014.

Mike Piazza 62.2% of vote in 2014.  3rd year on ballot,  Additional time to be on ballot: 7  years. Highest vote total 2014.

Jeff Bagwell 54.3% of vote in 2014. 5th year on ballot with 5 years remaining.  Highest vote total was 59.6% in 2013 his 3rd year of eligibility

Tim Raines 46.1%  of vote in 2014. 8th year on ballot  with 2 years remaining. Highest vote total  was 52.2% in 2013 in his 6th year of eligibility

Roger Clemens   35.4% of vote in 2014.  3rd year on ballot,  Additional time to be on ballot: 7  years. Clemens received his highest % (37.6)  in 2013 his first year on ballot.

Barry Bonds  34.7% of vote in 2014. 3rd year on ballot,   Additional time to be on ballot: 7  years.  Bonds received his highest % (36.2) in 2013 , his first year on ballot.

Lee Smith 29.9%  of vote in 2014. 13th year on ballot  with 2  years remaining.  Lee's highest % 50.6  was in 2012, his 10th year on ballot.

Curt Schilling 29.2% of vote in 2014. 3rd year on ballot,  Additional time to be on ballot: 7.  Curt's highest % of 38.8% was on his frst year on the ballot in 2013

Edgar Martinez 25.2% of vote in 2014. 6th year on ballot  with 4  years remaining. Edgar's  highest %  of 36.5 came  in 2012 his 3rd year of HOF consideration.
his
Alan Trammell  20.8% of vote in 2014. 14th year on ballot. Next year would be his  last year on ballot.   His highest % , 36.8,  came in 11th year of eligibility (2012) 36.8 in 2012 (11th year)

Mike Mussina 20.3 %  of vote in 2014.  2nd year on ballot (8 additional years remaining)

Jeff Kent 15.2%  of vote in 2014. 2nd year on ballot (8 additional years remaining)

Fred McGriff  11.7% of vote in 2014.  6th year on ballot with 3  years remaining)  Highest % 23.9 in 2012 (3rd year)

Mark McGwire 11.0 % of vote  in 2014. 9th year on ballot, Next year would be his  last year on ballot.  His highest % 23.7 in 2010 (4th year)

Larry Walker 10.2% of vote in 2014. 5th year on ballot  with 5  years remaining. Larry's highest  % 22.9  came in 2012, his 2nd year on the ballot

Don Mattingly 8.2%  of vote in 2014. 15th and final year on ballot. Mattingly's  highest %  28.2 came in 2001 his 1st year on the ballot

Sammy Sosa only  received 7.2% of the vote in 2014.  This is 3rd year on the ballot and would have 7 more elections if he is able to continue to receive more than 5% of the vote.  In 2012 Sosa received 12.5%, his highest percentage so far.

Joining the 17 returnees are 17 players on the ballot for their first time.  They are listed alphabetically with each team that they played for.

Rich Aurilla (Giants, Reds Padres, Mariners)
Aaron Boone (Reds, Indians, Nationals, Yankees, Astros, Marlins)
Tony Clark (Tigers, Diamond Backs, Mets, Red Sox, Padres, Yankees)
Carlos Delgado (Blue Jays, Mets, Marlins)
Jermaine Dye (Royals, White Sox. A's, Braves)
Darin Erstad (Angels, Astros, White Sox)
Cliff Floyd (Marlins, Expos, Mets, Rays, Red Sox, Padres, Cubs)
Nomar Garciaparra (Red Sox, Dodgers, Cubs, A's)
Brian Giles (Pirates, Padres, Indians)
Tom Gordon (Royals, Red Sox, Phillies, Cubs, Yankees, Diamond Backs, Astros. White Sox)
Eddie Guardado (Twins, Mariners, Rangers, Reds)
Randy Johnson (Mariners, Diamondbacks, Expos, Yankees, Giants, Astros)
Pedro Martinez (Red Sox, Mets, Expos, Dodgers, Phillies)
Troy Percival (Angels, Rays, Cardinals, Tigers)
Jason Schmidt (Giants,Pirates, Braves Dodgers)
Gary Sheffield (Marlins, Dodgers, Brewers, Yankees, Braves, Padres, Tigers, Mets)
John Smoltz (Braves, Cardinals, Reds)



In the actual HOF voting process, each writer can  vote for up to 10 players on the ballot.  So each year, I state who I would vote if I had to vote for exactly 10 players and keep on lowering the amount until I state who I would vote for if I had only 1 vote.  I also state how many players I would vote for on my official ballot if I could vote for up to 10.

Here are my votes for this year ...


If I could vote for 10 players, my 10th vote would go to Edgar Martinez.

If I could vote for only  9 players, my 9th vote would go to Mike Piazza.

Last year I voted for Piazza 8th, and revealed my actual ballot would have 7 players on it.  Again this year Piazza barely misses the mark.

My official ballot would have 8 players on it and  my 8th vote would go to Jermaine Dye.

Yes , Jermaine Dye.  I voted for JD, much for the same reason why I put Robin Ventura on my "official" ballot a few years back.  As I explained then, I feel people who watch local great players owe it to the nation to keep the great but not necessarily HOF players on the ballot a few years so others can come to appreciate their greatness.  I just could not bring myself to not vote for the 2005 World Series MVP,

Speaking of the 2005 World Series, my 7th vote would go to Jeff  Bagwell.

Just like last years my 6th and 5th votes are virtually a tie between a Cubs reliever and a Braves starter.  However, this year I will put the Braves starter, John Smoltz as my 6th vote.

Given only 5, my 5th vote would go to Lee Smith.

Just like last year, my 4th vote would go to Craig Biggio.

If I had just 3 votes, my 3rd vote would go to Pedro Martinez.


If I could only vote for 2 players on the 2015 ballot, my 2nd vote would go to Tim Raines.

If I could only vote for 1 player this year, that vote would go to the Big Unit, Randy Johnson.

That's what I would do.

Here is what I think Will happen

4 of the following 5 players  will be inducted this summer:

Randy Johnson
Craig Biggio
John Smoltz
Jeff Bagwell
and
Pedro Martinez

Pedro and Johnson being mortal locks,  and either Smoltzy or Bagwell being the odd man out.  My money says Bagwell won't make it, this time.

I will check in after the announcement to talk about what really happened.

Hall of Fame Part 1

My son and I were at Cooperstown over the weekend. We went to see Frank Thomas, Greg Maddux and Tony LaRussa and the rest of the 2014 class be inducted.

Over the next few posts I will share clips to the speeches and some pictures of the players inducted.  Let's start with good old #35 Frank Thomas.

Here is a link to his very impressive and moving induction speech.

My Hall of Fame Voting

I have not written on this blog for about 18 months.  Tomorrow the results of the  Baseball hall of fame voting for the class of 2014 come out.  Each voter can vote for up to 10 players.  I am not a member of that association but each year I pretend to be and say who I would vote for If I had 10 votes 9 votes and down until we get to one,  I also say what my actual ballot would look like.

This year there are 36 names on the ballot 19 for the first time,   any of these players  who get 75% of the vote or more we'll be elected into the hall of fame.  Any players who get less than 5% of he vote will be removed from next years ballot.  Anyone who gets between 5% and 75% will return 5 % the ballot until they a) receive 75 % or more of the vote, b) receive less than 5% of the vote or c) go 15 years on the ballot without being voted in.  This year Jack Morris is on the ballot for the 15th year.  From 2007 to 2013 his % of vote has increased each year.  Last year he received.67.7 % of the vote 2nd only to Craig Biggio in his first year on the ballot.  He received 68.2% of the vote last year.  Joining Morris on the ballot for the third time or more are:

Don Mattingly 14th year on ballot 13.2%  in 2013 highest %  28.2 in 2001 (1st year)

Alan Trammell 13th year on ballot 33.6% in 2013 highest % 36.8 in 2012 (11th year)

Lee Smith 12th year on ballot 47.8% in 2013 highest % 50.6 in 2012 (10th year)

Mark McGwire 8th year on ballot 16.9% in 2013 highest % 23.7 in 2010 (4th year)

Tim Raines 7th year on ballot 52.2% in 2013 is highest %

Edgar Martinez 5th year on ballot 35.9% in 2013 highest % 36.5 in 2012 (3rd year)

Fred McGriff 5th year on ballot 20.7% in 2013 highest % 23.9 in 2012 (3rd year)

Jeff Bagwell 4th year on ballot 59.6% in 2013 is highest %

Larry Walker 4th year on ballot 21.6% in 2013 highest % 22.9 in 2012 (2nd year)

Rafael Palmeiro 4th year on ballot 8.8% in 2013 highest % 12.6 in 2012 (2nd year)

Players, beside Biggio in their 2nd year of eligibility are:

Mike Piazza 57.8%, Curt Schilling 38.8%, Roger Clemens 37.6%, Barry Bonds 36.2% and Sammy Sosa 12.5%

On the ballot for the first time in 2014 are (in alphabetical order): Moises Alou, Armando Benitez, Sean Casey, Ray Durham, Eric Gagne, Tom Glavine, Luis Gonzalez, Jacque Jones,  Todd Jones, Jeff Kent,  Paul LoDuca, Greg Maddux, Mike Mussina, Hideo Nomo, Kenny Rogers, Richie Sexson, J.T. Snow, Frank Thomas,  and Mike Timlin.

Before I go into my 10 votes I want to say short words for two people one who won't be on the ballot next year and one for someone who should still be on the ballot.

1st Harold Baines -  In 2011 in his 5th year on the ballot Baines received 4.8% of the vote and was removed from the ballot.  I think that the 5% rule should be for the first 3 years and if you make less 5% after that you need to do so in consecutive years to be removed or a total of 3 years in non cpnsecutive years.  I don't make the rules but Baines would be no less than my 4th vote on this years ballot if he was still elgible.

2nd Jack Morris - As I mentioned earlier this is his last year on the ballot, and if the ballot wasnt so stacked this year he'd have a good chance of getting in.  I think last year was his best  to make it and he fell short.  He never did make it on my top 10.  But since Bert Blyleven.  If I did have 12 votes this year and Baines was still on the ballot I would go ahead and make a vote for Morris.

Here is how I would vote based on the 36 names on the ballot.

If I could vote for 10 players, my 10th vote would go to Larry Walker.

If I could vote for 9 players, my 9th vote would go to Fred McGriff.

If I could vote for 8 players, my 8th vote would go to Mike Piazza

I think if I had an official ballot I would vote for 7 or 8 playes. I am kind of wavering on Piazza so for now lets imagineHOF ballot had 7 places.

My 7th vote would go toJeff  Bagwell

Limited to 6 my 6th vote would go to Lee Smith but when compared to my 5th vote Tom Glavine I could easily switch those 2 around.

My 4th vote would go to Craig Biggio

My 3rd vote would go to Tim Raines.  3 years ago Raines got my top vote so that says something about the two players ahead of him.

If I could only vote for who I thought were the 2 most HOF worthy players on this years ballot my 2nd vote wouldo go to Greg Maddux.

If I could only vote for 1 player from this years ballot, I would surely vote for Frank Thomas.

At this time I usually pick who I think will make the Hall.  With so many worthy candidates it is hard to say.  I know Maddux will make it and think 2 of the 5 following will join him: Biggio, Thomas, Glavine , Piazza and Bagwell for a total of 3 elected.  4 will not surprise me, nor would it totally surprise me if Morris squeaked in.
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If my top 3 Top 3 Thomas, Maddux and Raines were the only ones to make it this year I'd be equally shocked as delighted.  I don't generally see eye to eye with the HOF voters, but I'd be very glad if this year was an exception

The Big Inning

The Chicago white Sox have been a major league base ball team for more than 110 years. I have been a rabid fan for over 40. Yet if you asked me what I considered their single best inning in franchise history, I ld would not hesitate with an answer.

Dog Day Afternoon or Spring Training

Yesterday the mail came and totally disrupted lunch. This was because the  White Sox Kid's Club packets came.  Each year I sign all the kids up for White Sox Kid's Club.  For no cost they usually get a poster, some stickers and other White Sox material and 2 ticket vouchers for each kid to attend a select ball game.

Major league baseball has become something pretty hard to attend on our family's budget.  Thanks to the White Sox, we are able to go as a family once a year on them. 

Each year when we get the tickets we then go to the Sox website and make sure that the Sox still have their Dog Day promotion and that it is one of the dates available on the voucher.  Dog Day is when White Sox fans can bring their dogs to the game.  We don't have a dog, but our girls love to go to that game and generally get to pet a dog or two before the dog's enter the stadium.  It is also one of the only games, if not the only game where fireworks are not shot off at some point during the game.  Fireworks and dogs are a pretty explosive mix.  My son was pretty skittish about fireworks when he was younger and a no fireworks day was certainly a plus for them.

So today, I took Puppy to to U.S. Cellular field to trade in our vouchers for actual tickets to the dog day game.  We finished her school work on the elevated train ride on the way to the ball park.  We went to the park, which was relatively empty since the Sox are in the middle of a series in Cleveland right now. 

After we got the tickets, we took some pictures at some of the statues outside the park, including this one which celebrates the 2005 World Series.  As I was taking this picture, I saw a man walking into the park from the parking lot.  It was Jerry Reinsdorf.  When I pointed him out to Puppy as the owner of the White Sox, he stopped walking and waved at us.  I practically melted.

I had packed us a lunch, so we ate and then played a little catch.  

Dog day is in 2 weeks, I hope it's as special for us as a family as our Daddy, daughter trip was today.