Expansion Era Ballot For Hall of Fame Controversy?
Nov 6, 2013 7:45:06 GMT -5
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Post by prisonerno6 on Nov 6, 2013 7:45:06 GMT -5
Article below is in response to the announcement of the Twelve Finalists Comprise Expansion Era Ballot For Hall of Fame Consideration in 2014
EXPANSION ERA HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCEMENT COULD PROVE CONTROVERSIAL
Posted on November 05, 2013 by Jim Henneman
Baseball's Hall of Fame controversy will start even earlier than usual this year.
The main ballot, for players who have been retired for at least five years and have less than 15 years of eligibility remaining, won't even be mailed out to voting members of the Baseball Writers Association of America (those with at least 10 years' experience) until December -- and it will be loaded with first-year candidates who have the necessary credentials.
Not all of them will get the call when the announcement is made in January, but the cries of an anxious herd may pale in comparison with ones heard on Dec. 9.
That's when the Expansion Era Veterans Committee will make its announcement. It's conceivable the Veterans Committee will elect as many -- or more -- new members as the BBWAA, but either way, there will be a storm of protest of turbulent proportions. And here's the kicker -- little, if any, of the protest is likely to involve the six former players on the ballot, Dave Concepcion, Dave Parker, Tommy John, Ted Simmons, Steve Garvey and Dan Quisenberry.
The chances are overwhelming that there won't be a player from the Expansion Era (1961 forward) named this time around, but that doesn't mean the ballot is without legitimate candidates.
It is generally thought that retired managers Bobby Cox, Joe Torre and Tony La Russa are locks for eventual entry to the HOF. In addition, there has been a smattering of support in the past for another former skipper, Billy Martin, and that won't change, despite the presence of the more recently celebrated candidates.
But one of the underlying problems facing the HOF, something that's whispered rather than talked about, is the sudden preponderance of managers destined for enshrinement in Cooperstown.
The HOF has long prided itself on being the most exclusive fraternity around, the 1 Percent Club, and the idea that the percentage of managers (or executives and contributors) in the Hall of Fame could soon surpass that of those who played the game is a troublesome thought to some.
The inclusion of former Yankee owner George Steinbrenner on the ballot is an added challenge for the 16 members of the Expansion Era Committee, and we haven't yet mentioned the most controversial of the 16 nominees -- Marvin Miller, the late former executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association.
Most former players are outspoken in their support of the union boss, who led them to the promised land of free agency, and their disdain for the process that has denied him admission to the HOF. Miller has been on the Veteran Committees ballot before, missing by one vote of the 12 needed from the 16-member committee. He was still alive when that vote was taken, and his passing has amped up his support of the MLBPA.
This year's committee consists of eight Hall of Famers: Rod Carew, Carlton Fisk, Whitey Herzog, Tommy Lasorda, Paul Molitor, Joe Morgan, Phil Niekro and Frank Robinson. Plus, there are four executives -- Paul Beeston, of the Blue Jays; Dave Montgomery, of the Phillies; Jerry Reinsdorf, owner of the White Sox; and Andy MacPhail, most recently president of baseball operations of the Orioles -- along with media/historians Steve Hirdt, of the Elias Sports Bureau; Bruce Jenkins, of the San Francisco Chronicle; Jack O'Connell, secretary of the BBWAA; and Jim Reeves, recently retired from the Fort Worth Telegram.
In many ways, this election is going to be tougher and subject to more vehement debate than the players' election.
The players' election is an annual affair, and sometimes a gradual process. The HOF has wisely splintered the Veterans Committee into the Pre-Integration Era, the Golden Era and the Expansion Era. Each group comes up for consideration once every three years, meaning those missing out this time around face at least a three-year wait.
The rules are the same as for the general election -- to earn induction, a candidate has to receive 75 percent of the vote, meaning a candidate must be named on 12 of the 16 ballots, and history has told us that 75 percent is a tough number.
Making it even more difficult this year -- each committee member is restricted to four votes. Simple math tells us that Cox, Torre, La Russa, Steinbrenner and Miller can't all make it this time around.
A popular theory is that Cox, La Russa and Torre could be an entry, the feeling being that you can't take one without the other, but that is probably a dangerous presumption to make.
Miller will draw more sentiment than the duo of Steinbrenner and Martin (and if those two are ever going to make it, they should go in together -- but I wouldn't make hasty plans), which this time around leaves the players on the ballot as little more than afterthoughts.
But it will be a proper preliminary for the next round, the annual Modern Era announcement, which will be made in January.
Jim Henneman can be reached at JimH@pressboxonline.com
EXPANSION ERA HALL OF FAME ANNOUNCEMENT COULD PROVE CONTROVERSIAL
Posted on November 05, 2013 by Jim Henneman
Baseball's Hall of Fame controversy will start even earlier than usual this year.
The main ballot, for players who have been retired for at least five years and have less than 15 years of eligibility remaining, won't even be mailed out to voting members of the Baseball Writers Association of America (those with at least 10 years' experience) until December -- and it will be loaded with first-year candidates who have the necessary credentials.
Not all of them will get the call when the announcement is made in January, but the cries of an anxious herd may pale in comparison with ones heard on Dec. 9.
That's when the Expansion Era Veterans Committee will make its announcement. It's conceivable the Veterans Committee will elect as many -- or more -- new members as the BBWAA, but either way, there will be a storm of protest of turbulent proportions. And here's the kicker -- little, if any, of the protest is likely to involve the six former players on the ballot, Dave Concepcion, Dave Parker, Tommy John, Ted Simmons, Steve Garvey and Dan Quisenberry.
The chances are overwhelming that there won't be a player from the Expansion Era (1961 forward) named this time around, but that doesn't mean the ballot is without legitimate candidates.
It is generally thought that retired managers Bobby Cox, Joe Torre and Tony La Russa are locks for eventual entry to the HOF. In addition, there has been a smattering of support in the past for another former skipper, Billy Martin, and that won't change, despite the presence of the more recently celebrated candidates.
But one of the underlying problems facing the HOF, something that's whispered rather than talked about, is the sudden preponderance of managers destined for enshrinement in Cooperstown.
The HOF has long prided itself on being the most exclusive fraternity around, the 1 Percent Club, and the idea that the percentage of managers (or executives and contributors) in the Hall of Fame could soon surpass that of those who played the game is a troublesome thought to some.
The inclusion of former Yankee owner George Steinbrenner on the ballot is an added challenge for the 16 members of the Expansion Era Committee, and we haven't yet mentioned the most controversial of the 16 nominees -- Marvin Miller, the late former executive director of the Major League Baseball Players Association.
Most former players are outspoken in their support of the union boss, who led them to the promised land of free agency, and their disdain for the process that has denied him admission to the HOF. Miller has been on the Veteran Committees ballot before, missing by one vote of the 12 needed from the 16-member committee. He was still alive when that vote was taken, and his passing has amped up his support of the MLBPA.
This year's committee consists of eight Hall of Famers: Rod Carew, Carlton Fisk, Whitey Herzog, Tommy Lasorda, Paul Molitor, Joe Morgan, Phil Niekro and Frank Robinson. Plus, there are four executives -- Paul Beeston, of the Blue Jays; Dave Montgomery, of the Phillies; Jerry Reinsdorf, owner of the White Sox; and Andy MacPhail, most recently president of baseball operations of the Orioles -- along with media/historians Steve Hirdt, of the Elias Sports Bureau; Bruce Jenkins, of the San Francisco Chronicle; Jack O'Connell, secretary of the BBWAA; and Jim Reeves, recently retired from the Fort Worth Telegram.
In many ways, this election is going to be tougher and subject to more vehement debate than the players' election.
The players' election is an annual affair, and sometimes a gradual process. The HOF has wisely splintered the Veterans Committee into the Pre-Integration Era, the Golden Era and the Expansion Era. Each group comes up for consideration once every three years, meaning those missing out this time around face at least a three-year wait.
The rules are the same as for the general election -- to earn induction, a candidate has to receive 75 percent of the vote, meaning a candidate must be named on 12 of the 16 ballots, and history has told us that 75 percent is a tough number.
Making it even more difficult this year -- each committee member is restricted to four votes. Simple math tells us that Cox, Torre, La Russa, Steinbrenner and Miller can't all make it this time around.
A popular theory is that Cox, La Russa and Torre could be an entry, the feeling being that you can't take one without the other, but that is probably a dangerous presumption to make.
Miller will draw more sentiment than the duo of Steinbrenner and Martin (and if those two are ever going to make it, they should go in together -- but I wouldn't make hasty plans), which this time around leaves the players on the ballot as little more than afterthoughts.
But it will be a proper preliminary for the next round, the annual Modern Era announcement, which will be made in January.
Jim Henneman can be reached at JimH@pressboxonline.com
