The Hall's 2011 Veterans Committee Expansion Era ballot -- voting results

The Veterans Committee has elected retired General Manager Pat Gillick to the Hall's rolls.

The returns (75%, 12 votes of 16, needed for election):

...candidate......................... votes.. %

--- ELECTED ---
1. Pat Gillick (executive)........... 13 .. 81.3%
--- not elected ---
2. Marvin Miller (executive)......... 11 .. 68.8%
3. Dave Concepcion (player)........... 8 .. 50.0%
4t. Ted Simmons (player)............. <8 .. ≤43.8%
4t. Vida Blue (player)............... <8 .. ≤43.8%
4t. Steve Garvey (player)............ <8 .. ≤43.8%
4t. Ron Guidry (player).............. <8 .. ≤43.8%
4t. Tommy John (player).............. <8 .. ≤43.8%
4t. Billy Martin (manager)........... <8 .. ≤43.8%
4t. Al Oliver (player)............... <8 .. ≤43.8%
4t. Rusty Staub (player)............. <8 .. ≤43.8%
4t. George Steinbrenner (executive).. <8 .. ≤43.8%

Congratulations to Gillick.

Miller -- well, I'm disappointed, but this man's candidacy has been so mishandled, maltreated, and abused for so long that I no longer can summon genuine outrage. Still, falling short by one vote, I have to wonder who the fifth "no" vote was. I am confident that all four of the electors from the executive ranks opposed Miller, and that all seven players (plus Herzog, who as a former player enjoys some benefits from Miller's efforts) were in favor, so the writers had to be the swing vote, and one of them withheld his support. (In a rare move, the Hall has approved elector Tom Verducci, writer for Sports Illustrated, disclosing his vote on Miller in order to clear up some vicious rumor -- he was in favor. Good choice, Verducci.) Let's keep the torch aloft for Miller, one of the seminal figures in baseball history.

The Hall has expanded the "less than" voting results, which used to top out at 25% but now reaches the 50% mark. Too bad, and I really don't see the point of this secrecy, particularly increasing it. I did find it curious that the Hall named the "less than 50%" candidates in the order given above, with Simmons, clearly the best candidate among the players, listed first, the only one out of alphabetical order. Perhaps he was the highest finisher in this bloc? Of those down here, I supported only Simmons and Steinbrenner, and The Boss with trepidation, so it doesn't upset me that he missed. I think he'll get the plaque eventually, especially if the Hall continually juggles the membership of the voting committee or, in what has been a real habit in recent years, reformatting the committee method completely.

Congrats again to Gillick. Now on to the BBWAA ballot.