Goose Gossage elected to HOF

[Brass]

Yes, Jim Rice was terrible to the media, and that's why he won't be elected into the Hall of Fame, which brings up the point that no writer or member of the media should be able to elect who goes into the Hall

Yeah, these guys are around the game a lot, but they are watching it, they're not actually playing it, which is a big difference. Writer's hold grudges, for instance against Rice, and acceptance into the Hall SHOULD NOT be reflected on what you did OFF the field, but rather ON the field. Pete Rose, IMO, should be in the Hall of Fame for what he did on the field, as a player. Jim Rice put up great numbers, and he's not in the Hall because he hurt some 125 lb. writer's feelings 20 years ago. All of these writers have probably never even picked up a baseball bat in their lives, or even faced a pitch, so why should they decide? I think a board of current and former players and managers should be set up. Each board can have a "sub-division" reflected on their era in the game, such as the 70's or 80's. When a player from a paticular generation or era is eligable for the Hall, the sub-division votes. Not writers.

Jim Rice deserves to be in the Hall. No one can argue that.

[buildingmaint]

I would like to know who appointed sports writer's as the most competent source to decide who will get into the Baseball HOF ? Would sports writer's allow baseball players to vote on who went into the Sportswriters HOF. Would it not be appropriate for players , coach's and owners to vote on HOF inductee's . What kind of HOF is it , when they won't let in the all times hits leader, all time home run leader in , and if Clemens is precieved to be guilty , one of the games best modern times pitcher in . Not a very good one .

[rams80]

It amuses me to hear modern journalists speak of integrity.

[mantleisthebest7]

I've been waiting for the day Gil Hodges gets in, but Im afraid that if the Veterans Committee doesnt get thier heads out of thier cracks, he'll never get in. As far as Gossage, it is about freaking time someone got him in. He has been one of the more deserving candidates the past few years, and im very glad that Cooperstown fially got off its keester and called Goose up. But they are still screwing up. and though I do believe that Jim Rice should DEFINETELY be in, I think one of the more major, if not the biggest snub this year was Lee Smith. Dont know who he is? I'll gladly tell you. He's just some guy that held the all time saves record before Trevor Hoffman broke the record. C'mon, are you freaking serious? so guys like Rollie Fingers, Bruce Sutter, Goose Gossage, and Hoyt Wilhelm get in at thier position, yet the once-all time saves leader doesnt? He should have been in years ago. Its like if Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Babe Ruth, and Harmon Killebrew got in while Hank Aaron were to be snubbed. Its just weird to take it in. The all time leader in every positive category should hands doen be in. So on that note, Lee Smith better get in soon. Like, next year, or Cooperstown will, with the constant snubbings of Gil Hodges, Ron Santo, Roger Maris, Jim Rice and Lee Smith, make a terrible name of itself in my own opinion.

[Bronxmet]

I'm happy for another thing; Goose will be the first since Phil Rizzuto in 1994 to don a Yankees cap in his Hall of Fame Plaque. Winfield went in 2001, but as a Padre. Boggs went in 2005, but as a Red Sox.

[infrared41]

Jim Rice deserves to be in the Hall. No one can argue that.

Wanna bet? I don't think Rice is even close to a Hall of Famer. He's no different than Dave Parker, Dale Murphy, Harold Baines, Andre Dawson, etc. All really good players. None of them are truly great or hall of fame material. If you put Rice in then you need to put all the guys I just mentioned in too. Dale Murphy is probably the best of those players and he's borderline at best.

Jim Rice put up really good numbers over his career. They are by no means "great numbers." I liked Jim Rice as a player but I wouldn't vote for him if I had a HOF ballot.

The guys that truly got screwed this year are Bert Blyleven and Jack Morris. Those two have HOF numbers. I think Gossage is questionable. If he had that same career without a stint with the Yankees I wonder if he still would have gotten in.

[spyboy1]

The Twin Cities sports media were reciting the case for Blyleven and it's pretty damn impressive.

World Series champion: 1979, 1987

Ranks 26th on MLB Career Wins List (287)

Ranks 13th on MLB Career Innings List (4,970)

Ranks 5th on MLB Career Strikeouts List (3,701)

Ranks 11th on MLB Career Games Started List (685)

Ranks 9th on MLB Career Shutouts List (60)

Ranks 13th on MLB Career Batters Faced List (20,491)

Every year he doesn't get it, they compare him to Hall of Famer Don Drysdale, which only makes more of a case to vote him in.