The Hall's 2010 Writers Ballot -- The Candidates (part 1 of 3)

The first nine of the 26 candidates on this year's Hall Of Fame ballot.

1. Roberto Alomar (playing record)

Writers ballot rookie.

Career: 17 seasons, 1988-2004 -- San Diego Padres 1988-90, *Toronto Blue Jays 1991-95, Baltimore Orioles 1996-98, Cleveland Indians 1999-2001, New York Mets 2002-03, Chicago White Sox 2003 & '04, Arizona Diamondbacks 2004.
Peak season: 1999 -- 24 HR (career high), 120 RBI (career high), .323/.422/.533, 182 hits, 138 runs (led AL), 139 OPS+, 139 RC.
Other outstanding seasons: 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2001.
Primary position: second baseman.
Honoraria and claims to fame: 12 All-Star selections (nine starts), ten AL Gold Gloves for 2B, four AL Silver Sluggers for 2B, MVP Awards for the 1992 ALCS and the 1998 All-Star Game. Member of 1992 & 1993 World Series champion Blue Jays and five other postseason teams. Led AL in runs scored in 1999.

Alomar, scion of a baseball family (father Sandy Sr. and brother Sandy Jr. both played; Robbie and Jr. were teammates in San Diego, Cleveland, and Chicago), was a brilliant fielder at a tough position, and along with Craig Biggio (Hall eligible 2013), was the premier player at second base for a generation. And he did a lot of good work with his bat, as well. Roberto was an excellent postseason performer, putting up slashes of .313/.381/.448 in 58 games, and he demolished the Athletics in 1992, including a game-tying home run in the ninth inning of Game 4 off Dennis Eckersley, a game which Toronto won in extras to take a 3-1 lead in the ALCS. Sure, that's just one moment, but it's a memorable moment, and those only help. Not that Alomar's candidacy needs help -- his career is golden and definitely Hall-worthy.

However, with one impassioned but bad decision, he probably won't get in this first try. Late in the 1996 season -- Baltimore at Toronto, 27-September -- Alomar was called out on strikes in the top of the first inning. Alomar argued the called strike three -- perfectly legitimate -- but the argument escalated, home plate umpire John Hirschbeck ejected Alomar, and then Alomar spit on Hirschbeck. Oops; you just don't do that sort of thing. Alomar served a short suspension the next season, he and Hirschbeck made amends, and apparently both of them consider it a long-buried event. But it's the sort of thing that will follow Alomar until his obituary is printed, and I suspect the writers, enough of them anyway, will use The Spitting Incident as reason enough to impose a one-year embargo on Alomar's Hall candidacy. He'll get in, but not this year. (shrug) Whaddya gonna do?

Chipmaker's vote: Yes!

Prediction: around 50%, and elected in 2011.


2. Kevin Appier (playing record)

Writers ballot rookie.

Career: 16 seasons, 1989-2004 -- *Kansas City Royals 1989-99 & 2003-04, Oakland Athletics 1999-2000, New York Mets 2001, Anaheim Angels 2002-03.
Peak season: 1993 -- 18-8, 2.56 (led AL), 5 complete games, 1 ShO, 238.2 IP, 186 K, 179 ERA+, 1.106 WHIP.
Other outstanding seasons: 1990, 1992, 1996, 1997.
Primary position: right-handed starting pitcher.
Honoraria and claims to fame: One All-Star selection, led AL in ERA in 1993, member of the 2002 World Series champion Angels.

Appier was a workhorse, never pitching fewer than 185 innings (and usually well more) in a full season from 1990-2002 except once (1998) when he was injured. He delivered a lot of quality from the mound, even if most of it was in Kansas City, from where he got little attention from fans or the media. He wasn't the same after the injury, even though he finally got some postseason action -- Oakland in 2000 and the champion Angels in 2002, though he got knocked around pretty badly that October -- and the end came quickly. Appier put up a distinguished career, but not a great one.

Appier got votes for the Cy Young Award only once, in 1993, finishing third behind winner Jack McDowell and Randy Johnson. Appier received one first-place vote, which was cast by Phil Rogers, then with the Dallas Morning News, if I recall correctly. Appier was the internet/stathead choice that year -- McDowell certainly wasn't -- and I still slightly admire Rogers for casting that vote for Kevin, even if the stuff he writes today doesn't indicate that his thinking still runs along such lines.

Chipmaker's vote: No.

Prediction: I hope he skirts past relegation -- geez, Harold Baines keeps hanging on -- but I think Appier will get some single-digit vote total and be done.


3. Harold Baines (playing record | 2009 ballot review)

Years on ballot: 3.
Peak return: 5.9% (2009).
2009 return: 5.9% (avoided relegation by six votes, a personal high).

Career: 22 seasons, 1980-2001 -- *Chicago White Sox 1980-89, '96-97, & 2000-01, Texas Rangers 1989-90, Oakland Athletics 1990-92, Baltimore Orioles 1993-95 & '97-2000, Cleveland Indians 1999.
Peak season: 1984 -- 29 HR (career high), 94 RBI, .304/.361/.541, 142 OPS+, 109 RC.
Other outstanding seasons: 1989, 1991, 1996.
Primary position: right field for seven seasons, then designated hitter.
Honoraria and claims to fame: Six All-Star selections (one start), one Silver Slugger, led the AL in slugging average in 1984. Good postseason hitter (.324/.378/.510 in 31 G, 102 AB). Jersey #3 retired by the White Sox. His 1628 RBI currently grant Baines the title of "Most RBI Not In The Hall", at least until Rafael Palmeiro gets on the ballot and takes permanent ownership.

Nothing new to see here. Good hitter, not great. If a primary designated hitter is ever going to be elected, Edgar Martinez will be the first.

Chipmaker's vote: No, again.

Prediction: heck, let's see him hit that 5-6% range for the fourth time.


4. Bert Blyleven (playing record | 2009 ballot review)

Years on ballot: 12.
Peak return: 62.7% (2009).
2009 return: 62.7% (67 votes short of election).

Career: 22 seasons, 1970-90 & 1992 -- *Minnesota Twins 1970-76 & '85-88, Texas Rangers 1976-77, Pittsburgh Pirates 1978-80, Cleveland Indians 1981-85, California Angels 1989-90 & '92.
Peak season: 1973 -- 20-17, 2.52, 258 K, 158 ERA+.
Other outstanding seasons: 1974, 1977, 1984, 1989.
Primary position: right-handed starting pitcher.
Honoraria and claims to fame: Two All-Star selections, led AL in strikeouts once and shutouts three times. Fifth highest career strikeout total, third highest when he retired. 287 career wins (which, alas, is just short of 300). Member of two World Series champion teams, the 1979 Pirates and the 1987 Twins. An excellent postseason pitcher -- 5-1, 2.47 in 8 games, 6 starts, 47.1 IP, 36 K, 8 BB.

Extremely silly baseball bonus points: A longtime announcer for the Twins, Blyleven has a habit of circling fans on the telestrator, which has led to the enduring habit of Twins fans holding up "Circle Me, Bert" signs in hopes of being among the chosen. Yes, this is ridiculous, but it's the sort of thing baseball embraces. Shoot, fans still love dot races.

What? What does it take? What does it take to get this man's brilliant career highlighted enough to win election? He's got three ballots left. Please, BBWAA voters, let's not have to revisit Blyleven again for the 2011 ballot. Vote him in. Happy ending.

Chipmaker's vote: YES!

Prediction: jumps to 69%, prolonging the infuriation yet another year or two.


5. Ellis Burks (playing record)

Writers ballot rookie.

Career: 18 seasons, 1987-2004 -- *Boston Red Sox 1987-92 & 2004, Chicago White Sox 1993, Colorado Rockies 1994-98, San Francisco Giants 1998-2000, Cleveland Indians 2001-03.
Peak season: 1996 -- 40 HR, 128 RBI, .344/.408/.639, 211 hits, 142 runs (led NL), 45 doubles, 32 stolen bases, 149 OPS+, 158 RC. Sure, Coors Field was his home park, but this was still an excellent season.
Other outstanding seasons: 1988, 1994, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002.
Primary position: center field. Moved to right field late, and finally, designated hitter.
Honoraria and claims to fame: Two All-Star selections, one AL Gold Glove for outfield, two Silver Slugger (one AL, one NL) for outfield, led NL in runs scored and slugging average in 1996.

The 1987 Red Sox had an amazing harvest off the farm -- Burks, Mike Greenwell, John Marzano, Todd Benzinger, and Sam Horn. The five of them got 1519 at-bats, over 27% of the team's season total. They all went on to have pretty good careers, Burks the best of the bunch. Realize that the 1987 Sox were not a good team, which was all the more disappointing coming off the brilliant 1986 almost-won-it-all season. The rookies were one of the few bright spots.

So I like Ellis Burks. He wasn't the next Willie Mays, he wasn't even the next Eric Davis, but he was an exciting player who had speed and hit with some power. And he kept that going well after he left Boston. But it wasn't enough to merit the Hall. In his five seasons in the hitting paradise that is Coors Field, he excelled in two and was just a bit above league average in the other three. He never played over 150 games after '96, even when DHing. Little injuries took away some of his potential, and this has happened to greater players. Really good career; not great.

Chipmaker's vote: No.

Prediction: deserves better than relegation, but probably won't be back on the next ballot.


6. Andre Dawson (playing record | 2009 ballot review)

Years on ballot: 8.
Peak return: 67.0% (2009).
2008 return: 67.0% (44 votes short of election).

Career: 21 seasons, 1976-96 -- *Montréal Expos 1976-86, Chicago Cubs 1987-92, Boston Red Sox 1993-94, Florida Marlins 1995-96.
Peak season: 1981 -- 24 HR, 64 RBI, .302/.365/.553 in 103 games (the Expos played 108 games in the strike season), 157 OPS+, 83 RC.
Other outstanding seasons: 1980, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1990.
Primary position: center field early, right field later.
Honoraria and claims to fame: 1987 NL MVP, 1977 NL ROY, eight All-Star selections (seven starts, five at CF and two at RF), eight NL Gold Gloves for outfield, four NL Silver Sluggers for outfield, led NL in hits in 1983, home runs and RBI in 1987. Career 438 homers, 1591 RBI, 2774 hits. Jersey #10 retired by the Expos (which the successor Washington Nationals do not maintain).

No change here, so I'll use my standard line: Dawson would look good on a plaque, but the Hall is not suffering for his absence.

But his election is inevitable. His returns have been creeping up, now just a few points short, and he's got enough runway left (six more ballots after this one) that it's just a matter of time. We won't have any final ballot, Jim Rice-style melodrama with Dawson. Congratulations if (when) he makes it, no tears if he doesn't.

Chipmaker's vote: No. I'm not alone, but I am in the minority.

Prediction: elected with 76%.


7. Andres Galarraga (playing record)

Writers ballot rookie.

Career: 19 seasons, 1985-98 & 2000-04 -- Montreal Expos 1985-91 & 2002, St. Louis Cardinals 1992, *Colorado Rockies 1993-97, Atlanta Braves 1998 & 2000, Texas Rangers 2001, San Francisco Giants 2001 & 2003, Anaheim Angels 2004.
Peak season: 1998 -- 44 HR, 121 RBI, .305/.397/.595, 63 walks (career high), 157 OPS+, 134 RC.
Other outstanding seasons: 1988, 1993, 1996, 1997. His 2000 was pretty good too, especially the first half, as he came back from cancer therapy.
Primary position: first base.
Honoraria and claims to fame: Five All-Star selections (one start), two NL Gold Gloves for 1B, two NL Silver Sluggers for 1B, 1993 NL batting champion, led NL in hits and doubles in 1989, HR in 1996, RBI in 1996 & '97. Known as the "Big Cat". Two-time winner of The Sporting News' Comeback Player Of The Year Award (1993 & 2000).

Galarraga was never a great player, but he put up some nearly-great seasons, even allowing that his home park was Coors Field for the best of them. Injuries and illnesses kept him off the field a good bit, particularly after age 29, though he did have three seasons of 150+ games in his late 30s. His physical woes bottomed out when he was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and missed the entire 1999 season. His comeback the following year was inspiring and he still had some playing left in him, but missing a season doesn't make him a better player, just a better story. First basemen have to hit a ton, and Galarraga was always a few hundred pounds short.

The Sporting News discontinued its Comeback Player Award after the 2006 season, and Galarraga was one of only three players to win it twice, along with Bret Saberhagen and Rick Sutcliffe. While any positive honor is worth noting, a Comeback Player Award has always confounded me a bit. It's a backhanded way of saying that, last year, you were either injured a lot, or sucked, and glad to see that's over with. Winning it twice doesn't make it seem any better, since the recipient must have had two disastrous seasons.

Chipmaker's vote: No.

Prediction: one and done, below 5%, relegated.


8. Pat Hentgen (playing record)

Writers ballot rookie.

Career: 14 seasons, 1991-2004 -- *Toronto Blue Jays 1991-99 & 2004, St. Louis Cardinals 2000, Baltimore Orioles 2001-03.
Peak season: 1996 -- 20-10, 3.22, 10 complete games, 3 ShO, 265.2 IP, 177 K, 155 ERA+, 1.250 WHIP.
Other outstanding seasons: 1994, 1997.
Primary position: right-handed starting pitcher.
Honoraria and claims to fame: Three All-Star selections, 1996 AL Cy Young Award, led AL in innings pitched, complete games, and shutouts in 1996 & 1997. Member of the 1992 and 1993 World Series champion Blue Jays (though he did not pitch in the '92 postseason).

Hentgen had one brilliant season and a few other strong ones, but was otherwise around league average, though he was typically good for 175 innings or more. He was injured soon after moving to Baltimore, lost most of two seasons, and when he came back he wasn't the same and didn't have much left. A very good pitcher for a stretch, but not Hall measure.

Chipmaker's vote: No.

Prediction: less than 1% of the vote, relegated.


9. Mike Jackson (playing record)

Writers ballot rookie.

Career: 17 seasons, 1986-99, 2001-02, 2004 -- Philadelphia Phillies 1986-87, *Seattle Mariners 1988-91 & '96, San Francisco Giants 1992-94, Cincinnati Reds 1995, Cleveland Indians 1997-99, Houston Astros 2001, Minnesota Twins 2002, Chicago White Sox 2004.
Peak season: 1998 -- 1-1, 1.55, 40 saves, 64.0 IP, 55 K, 307 ERA+ (!), 0.875 WHIP (!).
Other outstanding seasons: 1988, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2002.
Primary position: right-handed middle relief pitcher, occasional closer.
Honoraria and claims to fame: Led NL in games pitched in 1993. Member of six postseason teams, including the 1997 AL champion Indians.

Other than his Cleveland years and part of one season in Seattle, when he was a closer (and a darn good one), Jackson was a middle reliever. As such, he has no counting stat to show how good he was at it -- other stats, sure, but Hall voters generally don't dig deep before making their decisions, and Holds aren't official (Baseball Reference credits Jackson with 179, with no indication where that ranks him). Jackson pitched in 1005 games, ranking him 12th all-time and 8th when he retired, so that speaks well of him.

I cannot support Jackson's Hall candidacy, even though I sort of want to. I talked about this last year when Jesse Orosco was on the ballot, one of the best middle relief pitchers the game has ever seen. I had no delusions that Orosco should have been elected, but there hasn't yet been an ongoing, detailed dialogue on what makes, or might make, a middle reliever considered Hall class, and Orosco offered the perfect starting point. If he'd gotten just the 5% necessary to stay on the ballot, there was a chance that debate would have, haltingly, begun. Didn't happen -- he got one vote, and was gone. Jackson was about the same quality of pitcher as Orosco, over a shorter career, and generally less impressive -- Orosco had more of a legendary/iconic vibe to him, probably due to the longevity and games pitched record. Qualitatively, they're close. I'm still not sure what might make a middle reliever worthy of the Hall, but if it wasn't Orosco last year (in a decision received from on high, rather than reached through discussion, dammit), then it's not going to be Jackson this year, either.

Chipmaker's vote: No.

Prediction: cast aside with fewer than five votes. Though, just maybe, and curiously by dint of his strong seasons as a closer, Jackson might get just enough love to stay on the ballot, and get that middle reliever discussion brewing. I doubt it, but hold out thin hope anyway.


Part 2 soon.