Sutter to wear Cardinals cap

[paynomind]

As reported on MLB.com

[griffelh]

Funny, I always think of him as a Cub.

[ShaftDu]

i thought they made the decision the players can't decide after Wade Boggs decided to in as a Tampa Bay Devil Ray?

[Huskyfan82]

I think it depends on the player. Sutter played almost equal time with the Cubs and Cardinals. It was like Gary Carter (who chose between Expos and Mets, chose Expos) and Carlton Fisk (Red Sox and White Sox, chose Red Sox). Roger Clemens has made no secret he wants to go in as a Yankee, though he may have backed away from that the last few years.

David

[Cujo]

i thought they made the decision the players can't decide after Wade Boggs decided to in as a Tampa Bay Devil Ray?

I heard Jose Canseco has the same sort of deal when he signed with Tampa Bay where if he got in, he'd go in wearing a D-Rays hat as well.

[griffelh]

I think it depends on the player. Sutter played almost equal time with the Cubs and Cardinals. It was like Gary Carter (who chose between Expos and Mets, chose Expos) and Carlton Fisk (Red Sox and White Sox, chose Red Sox). Roger Clemens has made no secret he wants to go in as a Yankee, though he may have backed away from that the last few years.

David

No, the HOF makes the decision. I just find it surprising that they picked the Cardinals, because although he won a World Series with them, as Carter did with the Mets, I think the average fan who is not a Cardinals or Cubs fan pictures him as a Cub.

[BJ Sands]

I think the average fan whois not a Cardinals or Cubs fan pictures him as a Cub.

I disagree. I'm a Cubs fan and the image I have of Sutter is him striking out Gorman Thomas to win the 1982 World Series for the Cardinals.

[Gothamite]

i thought they made the decision the players can't decide after Wade Boggs decided to in as a Tampa Bay Devil Ray?

I heard Jose Canseco has the same sort of deal when he signed with Tampa Bay where if he got in, he'd go in wearing a D-Rays hat as well.

Yep. Tampa Bay signed that deal with both of them. Trying to buy themselves some history.

That was one of the reasons the Hall took the choice away from the player. I would think that they would consider the players' opinion, in the event of a close call....

I lost a lot of respect for both of them from those deals. They were willing to sell ad space on their Hall of Fame plaque? Hardly shows the proper respect for the game and the Hall.

[Gothamite]

I think the average fan whois not a Cardinals or Cubs fan pictures him as a Cub.

I disagree. I'm a Cubs fan and the image I have of Sutter is him striking out Gorman Thomas to win the 1982 World Series for the Cardinals.

I wish you wouldn't bring that up....

[griffelh]

i thought they made the decision the players can't decide after Wade Boggs decided to in as a Tampa Bay Devil Ray?

I heard Jose Canseco has the same sort of deal when he signed with Tampa Bay where if he got in, he'd go in wearing a D-Rays hat as well.

Yep. Tampa Bay signed that deal with both of them. Trying to buy themselves some history.

That was one of the reasons the Hall took the choice away from the player. I would think that they would consider the players' opinion, in the event of a close call....

I lost a lot of respect for both of them from those deals. They were willing to sell ad space on their Hall of Fame plaque? Hardly shows the proper respect for the game and the Hall.

Leave it to the Devils Rays....they can't even bribe potential Hall of Famers without screwing it up for everyone!

[sacker12]

I can see why he won't go in as a Brave. He was only there two years.

[BJ Sands]

I think the average fan whois not a Cardinals or Cubs fan pictures him as a Cub.

I disagree. I'm a Cubs fan and the image I have of Sutter is him striking out Gorman Thomas to win the 1982 World Series for the Cardinals.

I wish you wouldn't bring that up....

Fine. The second most-enduring image I have of Sutter is him serving up two game-tying homers to Ryne Sandberg on June 23, 1984.

I don't think that will be mentioned on his plaque, however.

BTW, why does the HoF force guys to go in as a member of one team? Never really figured out the logic. A guy like Sutter, or Roger Clemens, is a good example of why this practice is outdated. Many guys have done great stuff with multiple teams and are integral parts of the history of more than one club. Doesn't make sense to have to choose.

[the admiral]

Catfish Hunter's cap is blank.

[CC97]

They take the players preference into consideration but it's ultimately up to the HOF... they did this because of the Devil Rays deals but I think the Dave Winfield sweepstakes is what put it over the edge, the bidding war between San Diego and the Yankees was really stupid.

San Diego won tho.

Anyways, when Gary Carter was elected he told the HOF he wanted to go in as a Met but they put him in as an Expo. Carter's time with the Mets was nothing compared to his decade with the Expos.

[VitaminD]

I just find it surprising that they picked the Cardinals, because although he won a World Series with them, as Carter did with the Mets, I think the average fan who is not a Cardinals or Cubs fan pictures him as a Cub.

Nah... I have no feelings one way or the other for the Cubs or Cards (though Dad's a Cards fan FWTW), and I always remember Sutter as a Cardinal. My only Cubs memory of Sutter is him serving up a game-winning HR at Wrigley to Mike Schmidt.

[logodawg]

i thought they made the decision the players can't decide after Wade Boggs decided to in as a Tampa Bay Devil Ray?

I heard Jose Canseco has the same sort of deal when he signed with Tampa Bay where if he got in, he'd go in wearing a D-Rays hat as well.

Those two should have been banned just because those Devil Rays caps are so damn ugly!

[OnWis97]

i thought they made the decision the players can't decide after Wade Boggs decided to in as a Tampa Bay Devil Ray?

I heard Jose Canseco has the same sort of deal when he signed with Tampa Bay where if he got in, he'd go in wearing a D-Rays hat as well.

Yep. Tampa Bay signed that deal with both of them. Trying to buy themselves some history.

That was one of the reasons the Hall took the choice away from the player. I would think that they would consider the players' opinion, in the event of a close call....

I lost a lot of respect for both of them from those deals. They were willing to sell ad space on their Hall of Fame plaque? Hardly shows the proper respect for the game and the Hall.

I agree with this post. As much as it SHOULD be up to the player, I like the HOF stepping in to stop an onslaught of players with a Wade Boggs arrangement from coming in with their "Twilight years" team.

Sorry D-Rays, you can't manufacture history.

I think the HOF should let the player decide, but have veto power if the player played fewer than five seasons with the chosen team.

[Sec19Row53]

I think the average fan whois not a Cardinals or Cubs fan pictures him as a Cub.

I disagree. I'm a Cubs fan and the image I have of Sutter is him striking out Gorman Thomas to win the 1982 World Series for the Cardinals.

I'm another Cubs fan who considers Sutter to be a Cardinal. The two biggest moments I think of him are the end of the Brewery Series and changing the "Willie McGee" game into the "Ryne Sandberg" game. McGee had hit for the cycle and had been named the game's MVP by Bob Costas prior to Sandberg's first homer off of Sutter in the bottom of the ninth.

[Bouj]

They take the players preference into consideration but it's ultimately up to the HOF... they did this because of the Devil Rays deals but I think the Dave Winfield sweepstakes is what put it over the edge, the bidding war between San Diego and the Yankees was really stupid.

San Diego won tho.

Anyways, when Gary Carter was elected he told the HOF he wanted to go in as a Met but they put him in as an Expo. Carter's time with the Mets was nothing compared to his decade with the Expos.

Considering the number of players that will be coming along that played for so many teams, mayber the HOF should go the Catfish Hunter route and have a few logo-less caps. Of course, Hunter's reasoning was that he didn't want to disrespect either the A's or Yanks, so he asked for a blank cap.

Yes, the HOF gets final say, but they do ask the player if he has a preference. When Sutter had equally memorable contributions to more than one team, and a reasonable argument could be made for both STL & CHC, then the player's preference would win out. In the case of Gary Carter (and Clemens to come), if the player chooses a team that he might be just as identified with, but didn't have as distinguished a resume', then the HOF will choose the other team. I have zero doubt Clemens either has the "B" on his cap or no logo at all (which he may request if he can't have the "NY").

(I went to HS with a guy who works at the HOF, I asked him about it at the reunion.)

On a side note, it might be fun to guess what logo some future HOFer's will wear (aside from obvious one-teamers).

2007

Gwynn - the "SD" that the Padres have worn since the mid-80's, but has changed colors over the years

McGwire - (assuming he eventually does get in, I'm not here to argue either way) either the "StL" or the "A's", I think this will fall into the Carter category and the HOF will say OAK even though we all might think STL

Ripkin - the Oriole as it appears on the cap now, since that is what he wore most of his career

2008

no serious new candidates, so perhaps:

Dawson - Expos logo

Gossage - blank or "NY"

Rice - Sox "B"

2009

Henderson - if there was ever a guy born to have the blank cap, it's Rickey.

2010

potentially Edgar Martinez, but probably not

[Cujo]

2009

Henderson - if there was ever a guy born to have the blank cap, it's Rickey.

I've got Rickey going in wearing an Oakland hat. That's how I best remembered that guy before he turned into "Rent-A-Scrub".