# It's Hall of Fame time again. Vote for your baseball favorites! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 2, 2005, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-hall-of-fame-time-again-vote-for-your-baseball-favorites/333788 "2005-12-02T19:27:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2005, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-hall-of-fame-time-again-vote-for-your-baseball-favorites/333788/1 "2005-12-02T19:27:07Z")
Yes, it’s that time of year again. The ballot is out for the 2006 Baseball Hall of Fame. Here’s this years BBWAA ballot candidates: Rick Aguilera (1st year on the ballot) Albert Belle (1st year) Bert Blyleven (9th year) Will Clark (1st year) Dave Concepcion (13th year) Andre Dawson (5th year) Gary DiSarcina (1st year) Alex Fernandez (1st year) Gary Gaetti (1st year) Steve Garvey (14th year) Dwight Gooden (1st year) Rich Gossage (7th year) Ozzie Guillen (1st year) Orel Hershiser (1st year) Gregg Jefferies (1st year) Tommy John (12th year) Doug Jones (1st year) Don Mattingly (6th year) Willie McGee (2nd year) Hal Morris (1st year) Jack Morris (7th year) Dale Murphy (8th year) Dave Parker (10th year) Jim Rice (12th year) Lee Smith (4th year) Bruce Sutter (13th year) Alan Trammell (5th year) Walt Weiss (1st year) John Wetteland (1st year) So how 'bout it, my SDMB baseball-philes? Who would you vote for? Who will actually get elected? Of the first-timers which are seeing their ONLY appearance on the ballot? Remember, if any of them don’t get at least 5% of the vote (voters may vote for up to 10 candidates) they get dropped from the ballot and have to wait for the Veteran’s Committee. Bring forth your baseball wisdom. It’s not that the season is so short…it’s that the off-season is so LONG. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2005, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-hall-of-fame-time-again-vote-for-your-baseball-favorites/333788/2 "2005-12-02T19:33:46Z")
I would vote for: Rich Gossage (7th year) Jim Rice (12th year) Orel Hershiser (1st year) Next year maybe, definitely not 1st round. I don’t see any slamdunks, just the 2 neglected that I listed above. Jim ---
**Author:** ![Wartime\_Consigliori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9d8465/32.png) [@Wartime\_Consigliori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wartime_Consigliori)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2005, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-hall-of-fame-time-again-vote-for-your-baseball-favorites/333788/3 "2005-12-02T19:36:59Z")
I wouldn’t vote for any of them, but I’m kind of a snob when it comes to HOF standards. Orel Hershiser might squeeze in someday, I dunno. Since they’ll probably elect somebody strictly for the pure hell of it, the writers might just enshrine that Worthless Bastard Steve Garvey and give me yet another reason to loathe a game I once loved. Tough to speculate who among the 1st years will make the 5% cut. Most of them had solid careers, but none of them really jump out at me. ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2005, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-hall-of-fame-time-again-vote-for-your-baseball-favorites/333788/4 "2005-12-02T19:56:14Z")
I don’t think Don Mattingly should make it, he swung with a cranky bat.\* I have no idea what this means, but I heard a sports journalist use the phrase wrt Mattingly when I lived in the US and it stuck in my head. So, there’s no way that cranky bastid Don makes it. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2005, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-hall-of-fame-time-again-vote-for-your-baseball-favorites/333788/5 "2005-12-02T20:17:56Z")
Assuming I’m in the BBWA and have the usual ten votes: Dave Concepcion (13th year) Andre Dawson (5th year) Steve Garvey (14th year) Rich Gossage (7th year) Tommy John (12th year) Don Mattingly (6th year) Jack Morris (7th year) Dave Parker (10th year) Jim Rice (12th year) Lee Smith (4th year) ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2005, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-hall-of-fame-time-again-vote-for-your-baseball-favorites/333788/6 "2005-12-02T20:28:42Z")
I wouldn’t vote for anybody this year. If I got to feeling too guilty about that, I’d give a vote to Lee Smith. ---
**Author:** ![USCDiver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uscdiver/32/354_2.png) [@USCDiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/USCDiver)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2005, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-hall-of-fame-time-again-vote-for-your-baseball-favorites/333788/7 "2005-12-02T20:51:49Z")
Walt Weiss? _[Walt Weiss](http://www.baseball-reference.com/w/weisswa01.shtml)_ ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2005, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-hall-of-fame-time-again-vote-for-your-baseball-favorites/333788/8 "2005-12-02T20:56:07Z")
> [@USCDiver](#): > > Walt Weiss? _[Walt Weiss](http://www.baseball-reference.com/w/weisswa01.shtml)_ Every year there seems to be one like Weiss. ---
**Author:** ![rackensack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@rackensack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rackensack)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2005, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-hall-of-fame-time-again-vote-for-your-baseball-favorites/333788/9 "2005-12-02T21:04:38Z")
Included by reference are [my comments](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5550261&postcount=18) in the corresponding thread last year. Haven’t changed my opinion on any of the returning candidates, so it’s down to the newbies: Rick Aguilera (1st year on the ballot) Albert Belle (1st year) Will Clark (1st year) Gary DiSarcina (1st year) Alex Fernandez (1st year) Gary Gaetti (1st year) Dwight Gooden (1st year) Ozzie Guillen (1st year) Orel Hershiser (1st year) Gregg Jefferies (1st year) Doug Jones (1st year) Hal Morris (1st year) Walt Weiss (1st year) John Wetteland (1st year) Belle, Clark, Gooden, Hershiser, and Wetteland will probably get votes, but none of them are HOF material, in my opinion. Might be Blyleven’s year finally, if the voters are inclined to elect someone in an otherwise weak year. Gossage, Sutter, and Lee Smith might do better as well, though I’d be surprised if any of them get in. Dawson also might sneak through this year given the other candidates, and I expect Garvey, Rice, Parker, Murphy, and Mattingly to get some support as well, but I don’t see any of them getting in either. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-hall-of-fame-time-again-vote-for-your-baseball-favorites/333788/10 "2005-12-03T00:21:56Z")
Walt Weiss was Rookie of the Year. Gary DiSarcina was a career .292 OBP who never finished in the top 10 of any significant statistical category. I’ll take Goose Gossage, and give some deserved votes to Lee Smith, Jim Rice, and Bert Blyleven. Gossage is the only one who really deserves it, though. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-hall-of-fame-time-again-vote-for-your-baseball-favorites/333788/11 "2005-12-03T00:31:10Z")
DiSarcina was a great guy and a good player, but certainly not HOF material. Blyleven gets my vote. Gaetti? Yeah, he had pretty good stats until he swore off partying and hard livin’ and found God- then his numbers really dropped off… 😉 But it’s true… ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-hall-of-fame-time-again-vote-for-your-baseball-favorites/333788/12 "2005-12-03T02:28:22Z")
Having utterly forgotten to vote myself I’ll offer this. Blyleven. He should have been in years ago. If he’d had the luck to pitch on winning teams he’d have 325 wins and be in already. I’m still not sure what constitutes a HoF career for a relief pitcher. I’m not sure anyone really is all that sure. Gossage, Smith and Sutter were all great pitchers but do they make it? Damfino. Otherwise I’m always sentimentally in favor of Andre Dawson. He put up those numbers in the anemic eighties, for God’s sake. ---
**Author:** ![DrLoveGun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@DrLoveGun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrLoveGun)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-hall-of-fame-time-again-vote-for-your-baseball-favorites/333788/13 "2005-12-03T02:29:56Z")
Gossage maybe. The rest of the pack I don’t see making it. I certainly don’t consider any of them HOF material. And there aren’t any current players that jump out at me either. Maybe this will be the year Pete Rose is allowed back in baseball so that we can have a worthy player\* inducted. Maybe we could induct Rose and Shoeless Joe. Even better. By player, I mean to disregard his off the field bad behavior. There is no place for that in baseball. ---
**Author:** ![Blueapple](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Blueapple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blueapple)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-hall-of-fame-time-again-vote-for-your-baseball-favorites/333788/14 "2005-12-03T02:42:41Z")
This year has some weak first balloters, but check out next year: Harold Baines, Derek Bell, Dante Bichette, Bobby Bonilla, Jeff Brantley, Jay Buhner, Ken Caminiti, Jose Canseco, Eric Davis, Tony Fernandez, Tony Gwynn, Darryl Hamilton, Pete Harnisch, Charlie Hayes, Glenallen Hill, Ken Hill, Stan Javier, Wally Joyner, Ramon Martinez, Mark McGwire, Paul O’Neill, Gregg Olson, Cal Ripken Jr., Bret Saberhagen, Jeff Shaw, Kevin Tapani, Devon White, Bobby Witt. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-hall-of-fame-time-again-vote-for-your-baseball-favorites/333788/15 "2005-12-03T03:11:47Z")
First of all, guys, in terms of WHO will make it, it’s really easy to say; there being no first ballot choices among the newbies, just look at last year’s ballot and pick off anyone above 65 percent. That means Bruce Sutter will probably get in. The march towards election is very predictable. Bery Blyleven finished 5th, at about 40%. He has no chance of being elected. Zero. Players don’t go from 40 to 75 in one year. It just doesn’t happen. Blyleven, giving the voting history, is 99.5% likely to never be elected. Anyway, player by player: > [@Jonathan Chance](#): > > Rick Aguilera (1st year on the ballot) Had his moments, but no. > [@](#): > > Albert Belle (1st year) Belle was a great, great player, terribly underrated. For all his attitude problems with the press and fellow human beings away from the field, he always seemed to get along decent with his teammates and he never stopped hustling. I watched him play a game with the Orioles in Toronto, I think in his last season, 2000. The Orioles were in an awful slump and the Blue Jays were whipping them like a rented mule for the third day in a row. The Orioles had obviously given up, on the game, the season, and themselves; they were just an embarassment. Except for Belle. He stole two or three bases, was on base three or four times - he was the only guy in a Baltimore uniform who looked he was even trying. Had he not gotten hurt he’d be a no-brainer in 2011 or so. He has no chance now, and I’m fine with that because his career was very short, but the man could play some baseball. Still… No. > [@](#): > > Bert Blyleven (9th year) I vote yes. Should have been in eons ago. > [@](#): > > Will Clark (1st year) One of the most underrated players in baseball history. Injuries, again, and bad hitting parks in his best years. Wouldn’t be the worst player in by any means but I’m in no rush to vote for him. No. > [@](#): > > Dave Concepcion (13th year) Very good player for great teams but not quite good enough. No. > [@](#): > > Andre Dawson (5th year) Dawson could hit and he was a heck of a defensive player for awhile, but he didn’t get on base much so he wasn’t a really great hitter, so for now I’m voting No. > [@](#): > > Gary DiSarcina (1st year) Until I read this name in the OP I forgot the man existed. I’m shocked he made it to the ballot. > [@](#): > > Alex Fernandez (1st year) Fernandez had some great years with Chicago, but he’s an instructive example on aging in baseball. You notice players like Barry Bonds and Dave Winfield who play into their 40s, but most player - even really, really good ones - are washed up between the ages of 30 and 32. Alex Fernandez never threw a pitch in the major leagues after his 31st birthday. > [@](#): > > Gary Gaetti (1st year) Gaetti, on the other hand, lasted forever. Never a great player. No. > [@](#): > > Steve Garvey (14th year) Garvery is underrated now, for two reasons: 1. His batting numbers don’t look good as compared to today’s inflated numbers; they were in a very low-offense context, and 2. He was unfairly saddled with the reputation of being a bad defensive player by the “fielding runs” crowd, which still follows him around despite the fact that Fielding Runs is totally bogus, and he actually was a pretty good first baseman. Still, he wasn’t that great. Close, but no cigar. > [@](#): > > Dwight Gooden (1st year) Somewhere out there, right now, Doc’s smoking something. > [@](#): > > Rich Gossage (7th year) Yes. Why Gossage finishes behind Bruce Sutter every year I just do not understand. Gossage was just as good as Sutter, and his career was literally twice as long. I think Gossage just barely makes it. > [@](#): > > Ozzie Guillen (1st year) Lord, no. > [@](#): > > Orel Hershiser (1st year) Had one of the best years I’ve ever seen in 1988, but obviously as a whole his career is not up to this standard. > [@](#): > > Gregg Jefferies (1st year) I didn’t even notice he’d retired. Jeffries, though it’s forgotten now, was a Grade-AAA+++ can’t miss prospect. He was pretty good, never great. Washed up at 32. > [@](#): > > Tommy John (12th year) Very good for a long time; never really attained greatness. > [@](#): > > Doug Jones (1st year) Jones was about as good as Bruce Sutter, which is why I don’t understand the Sutter love. His ERA was just a shade less impressive in context, but his career was a shade longer. They had almost exactly the same number of saves - 303 for Jones, 300 for Sutter. Why should Sutter be a Hall of Famer, but Jones not? > [@](#): > > Don Mattingly (6th year) Great player for 5 years or so, but career accomplishments a little short for me. I say no. > [@](#): > > Willie McGee (2nd year) Sure had his moments. McGee’s 1985 MVP Award, at least it seems to me, is frequently cited as one of the all-time bad choices. I’ve never understood that. He had a phenomenal season. He deserved it all the way. Boy, he sure was ugly though. Still… no. > [@](#): > > Hal Morris (1st year) Career .304 hitter, so the man could hit. Struggled against lefties. Not a Hall of Famer, obviously. > [@](#): > > Jack Morris (7th year) I think I’ve said this about him before, but Morris when he was playing was always an intense, confrontational guy, kind of an asshole. Since he retired he’s been back in Toronto for some alumni events, and he’s just a different person - the nicest guy you’d ever care to meet. He’ll sit in the broadcast booth and talk about all the teams and player he played with and he doesn’t have a bad thing to say about anybody. Even his voice sounds different. My Dad was like that. He was and is a wonderful man, but when he was working he could get very intense, and he’d lose his temper a lot. Since he retired that’s gone away. Some men just need to get away from their jobs, I guess. Anyway, Morris was a good pitcher and if they put him in the Hall of Fame I wouldn’t complain too loudly, but he won as many games as he did as much because of all the excellent teams he pitched for as for his own abilities. He wasn’t anywhere near as good a pitcher as Bery Blyleven, but Blyleven never had a team like the 1992 Blue Jays, who socred like six and a half runs a game for Morris and turned his league-average ERA into a 21-6 record. So no. > [@](#): > > Dale Murphy (8th year) Murphy had a hell of a run from 1982 to 1987. I’ll say no, because overall his career isn’t any better than eight-ten guys not in the Hall, but he’s another player who I’m saying No to who would still be better than 30-40 guys already in the Hall. > [@](#): > > Dave Parker (10th year) See “Dale Murphy.” > [@](#): > > Jim Rice (12th year) The Jim Rice debate will never end. Yes, he could hit. He also grounded into a historically colossal number of double plays, like had a short career, wasn’t a very good defensive player and while he was a very good hitter, he wasn’t so overwhelming that it makes up for his drawbacks, IMHO. No. > [@](#): > > Lee Smith (4th year) Once again; why Bruce Sutter, but not Lee Smith? Smith was just as good and pitched longer. > [@](#): > > Bruce Sutter (13th year) See comments on all the other relief pitchers; if Sutter is elected this year, which looks likely, IMHO he may well be the worst Hall of Fame pick of all time. > [@](#): > > Alan Trammell (5th year) Trammell compares well with a modrange Hall of Famer shortstop. I’m gonna say Yes. > [@](#): > > Walt Weiss (1st year) No. > [@](#): > > John Wetteland (1st year) Better pitcher than Sutter, but even shorter career. ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-hall-of-fame-time-again-vote-for-your-baseball-favorites/333788/16 "2005-12-03T03:15:02Z")
> [@Blueapple](#): > > This year has some weak first balloters, but check out next year: > > Harold Baines, Derek Bell, Dante Bichette, Bobby Bonilla, Jeff Brantley, Jay Buhner, Ken Caminiti, Jose Canseco, Eric Davis, Tony Fernandez, Tony Gwynn, Darryl Hamilton, Pete Harnisch, Charlie Hayes, Glenallen Hill, Ken Hill, Stan Javier, Wally Joyner, Ramon Martinez, Mark McGwire, Paul O’Neill, Gregg Olson, Cal Ripken Jr., Bret Saberhagen, Jeff Shaw, Kevin Tapani, Devon White, Bobby Witt. That list has two first-balloters, Gwynn and Ripken, plus McGwire, who we all thought was a lock, but may not make it at all now. Looking at it, this is the first appearance of the “steroid generation” - McGwire, Canseco, Caminiti, Bichette(?). This group is right in the middle of my generation of ballplayers, so I am embarrased to say: Who the hell is Ken Hill? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-hall-of-fame-time-again-vote-for-your-baseball-favorites/333788/17 "2005-12-03T03:59:41Z")
> [@jrfranchi](#): > > Every year there seems to be one like Weiss. Read the rules: every player with 10 years of major league service is automatically put onto the ballot five years after they retire. They remain on the ballot as long as they get 5% of the votes cast. It was an ego thing, but harmless. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-hall-of-fame-time-again-vote-for-your-baseball-favorites/333788/18 "2005-12-03T04:38:37Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Read the rules: every player with 10 years of major league service is automatically put onto the ballot five years after they retire. They remain on the ballot as long as they get 5% of the votes cast. You may want to re-read ther rules, then, because that is not how it works. A player must have 10 years to qualify, but a screening committee does determine what players make the ballot, and they do remove some players with the requisite ten years. Generally speaking the dividing line is whether or not the player was a regular player for most of his career, which Weiss, of course, was. ---
**Author:** ![rackensack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@rackensack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rackensack)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-hall-of-fame-time-again-vote-for-your-baseball-favorites/333788/19 "2005-12-03T04:38:52Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Read the rules: every player with 10 years of major league service is automatically put onto the ballot five years after they retire. They remain on the ballot as long as they get 5% of the votes cast. > > It was an ego thing, but harmless. Actually, this is the second year in a row you’ve said that, and now it’s the second year in a row that I’ve pointed out that it’s not true. Used to be, but isn’t anymore. From the [“Rules for Election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame by Members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA)”](http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/hofers_and_honorees/rules.htm): > [@](#): > > **3. Eligible Candidates — Candidates to be eligible must meet the following requirements:** > > A baseball player must have been active as a player in the Major Leagues at some time during a period beginning twenty (20) years before and ending five (5) years prior to election. > Player must have played in each of ten (10) Major League championship seasons, some part of which must have been within the period described in 3 (A). > Player shall have ceased to be an active player in the Major Leagues at least five (5) calendar years preceding the election but may be otherwise connected with baseball. > In case of the death of an active player or a player who has been retired for less than five (5) full years, a candidate who is otherwise eligible shall be eligible in the next regular election held at least six (6) months after the date of death or after the end of the five (5) year period, whichever occurs first. > Any player on Baseball’s ineligible list shall not be an eligible candidate. > > **4. Method of Election** > > BBWAA Screening Committee — A Screening Committee consisting of baseball writers will be appointed by the BBWAA. This Screening Committee shall consist of six members, with two members to be elected at each Annual Meeting for a three-year term. The duty of the Screening Committee shall be to prepare a ballot listing in alphabetical order eligible candidates who (1) received a vote on a minimum of five percent (5%) of the ballots cast in the preceding election or (2) are eligible for the first time _and are nominated by any two of the six members of the BBWAA Screening Committee_. (Emphasis added). So while any player played for ten years and who’s been retired for at least five years is _eligible_, they don’t make the ballot unless they’re nominated for the ballot by at least two screening committee members. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2005, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-hall-of-fame-time-again-vote-for-your-baseball-favorites/333788/20 "2005-12-03T16:17:01Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Read the rules: every player with 10 years of major league service is automatically put onto the ballot five years after they retire. They remain on the ballot as long as they get 5% of the votes cast. > > It was an ego thing, but harmless. If you are going to correct someone with a sarcastic or derisive tone, please at least have your facts right. Even if you were correct, which you weren’t, all I said was > [@Me](#): > > Every year there seems to be one like Weiss. Meaning: Almost every ballot has a candidate that is not in any way a decent candidate. There is usually someone who would be lucky to get a single vote. Concerning Jim Rice: There is a little more to Jim Rice than just his stats, at least to Yankee fans. He was the most feared and most clutch hitter on the 70’s Red Sox teams. What Thurman & Nettles used to do to Boston, Rice would do to the Yanks. So I always paid him some extra respect. This is why I would vote for him. He wasn’t as deadly as George Brett but he was close. Edgar Martinez is another guy that I would give a vote to even though his stats are a little soft except doubles and his defense was terrible at best. He was so clutch in big spots that he was the most feared hitter even when Griffey and A-Rod were still there. His numbers against Rivera were the best of anyone in the league. I know we can’t measure the intangibles, but Joe D. is considered one of the best players in the history of the game. His stats won’t back this up. It was the intangibles. Jim (Die hard Yankee Fan that watch Rice play and beat us) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-hall-of-fame-time-again-vote-for-your-baseball-favorites/333788.md?page=2)