Kuzul

It is easy to second-guess or to cry “foul” at the Hall of Fame voting done by the Baseball Writers Association of America.

At least this year they did pick the correct winners. Everybody knew it was only a matter of time before Roberto Alomar punched his ticket. He would probably have been a first-ballot man had it not been for the spitting incident.

He actually was the high scorer on the list with over 90 percent of the sports writers writing his name.

Had Bert Blyleven missed again this year, he would have had only one more shot. He cleared the hurdle this year with a surprisingly small amount of clearance. The “Dutchman” garnered 79.7 percent of the votes.

That was all well and good. My problem comes with a few players I thought would do much better.

Jeff Bagwell received only 41.7 percent of the votes and lagged behind nominee war-horses Jack Morris and Lee Smith.

“Bags” surely has the numbers to be included among the hallowed men of Cooperstown. He was a Rookie of the Year, an MVP, a four time All-Star, won three Silver Slugger Awards and one Gold Glove Award.

He hit 30 homers or more nine times and drove in 100 or more eight times. He finished with .297/449/1529. He had a most impressive OBP of .408, so what was there not to like?

The man was never mentioned in a steroid article or appeared on any list of “questionable” suspects. 

Why so little love?

Tim Raines should already be enshrined, but I will go there anyway. Why is he constantly overlooked? He was not just one of the most prolific base thieves in history. He was on every NL All-Star team from 1981 until 1986 inclusive.

He led the NL in batting in 1986 with a .334 clip and also led in OBP with .413. He batted over .300 seven times and won one Silver slugger Award.

37.5 percent of the vote is disgraceful for a player on the ballot for his fourth time, with his credentials.

I was mystified that Larry Walker tallied only 20 percent of votes in his initial campaign. The man is legend.  He won an MVP, three batting titles, one HR title and finished his career with an OBP of .400.

Walker was a five time All-Star, won seven Gold Glove awards along with three Silver Slugger awards.

He batted over .300 nine times, hit 30 HR or more four times and once belted 49 and I don’t care that most came at Coors Field. His final numbers are .313/383/1311.

I was shocked that Alan Trammell received just over 24 percent in his 10^th year of eligibility. He was my top pick for eligible SS not in the Hall of Fame in April of 2009. It is clear to me that he will not make the HOF and will be snubbed and written off as was Tommy John just a few years ago.

I think the biggest surprise to me was the total lack of respect for Rafael Palmeiro. I understand many have written him off as a “user.” Whatever he was late in his career, he was also on the very short list of players who hit 500 HR and collected over 3000 hits.

That list includes only Hank Aaron, Eddie Murray, Willie Mays and of course Palmeiro. Impressive wouldn’t you say?

It was also alarming to see that two time MVP winner Juan Gonzalez barely made the cut for next year. With a .295/434/1404 line you would think that he would have been more than just a one time appearance which is what he nearly was with only 5.2 percent.

That is my two cents, what’s yours?

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Think back four years ago.

No, not to the point when unemployment was still under 6%, the debt was under $10 trillion or the St. Louis Cardinals were reigning World Series Champions, but to the voting in January 2007.

Baseball writers, fans and historians all knew that it was going to be a unique day, when Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn, two of the surest Hall of Famers anyone who had watched baseball between 1982 and 2001 ever saw, went into Cooperstown.

An entire career of 20 years or more with only one franchise. Hometown sports heroes.

It was rare then, but as we look back, it going to be even more rare that we see even ONE player elected to the Hall of Fame who ever stays his entire career with one franchise.

Looking at the two newest members of the Hall of Fame: They were the product of the free agency era for sure. Bert Blyleven did spend 10 of his 22 years with the Twins, but in two stints of six years early in his career and four years late in his career.

One of the most mind-blowing statistics that I saw was that he lost between 15 and 17 games each year for four straight seasons (1971-74), yet never struck out fewer than 224 batters, had an ERA higher than 2.81 or completed fewer than 11 games during any of those seasons.

Roberto Alomar never spent more than five years with any team. A journeyman at the end of his career, his five-year stretch with the Blue Jays from 1991-95 remains as great a stretch by any second basemen in MLB history. He averaged .308, 11 HR, 71 RBI, 40 SB, and 90 Runs during that stretch, even though two of those seasons were cut short by the MLB Players’ strike.

But neither of these players is the sports hero or likened to one franchise, let alone spending their entire career with one team; neither of these players spent more than HALF of their career with any one team.

So the question is: What future Hall of Famers will go in to Cooperstown, with no doubt in anyone’s mind, what cap is on their plaque?

We’ll start with players already retired, but not yet voted in:

BARRY LARKIN

Larkin was this year’s highest vote-getter not to get in, which bodes well for him in 2012.

While he did play 19 seasons with the Cincinnati Reds (1986-2004), his hit totals may seem a bit low, but there were four seasons (’86, ’97, ’01, ’03) where he missed more than half of the season either in the minors or out with injury.

His 12 All-Star appearances, nine Silver Sluggers, seven Gold Gloves, 1995 NL MVP and .295 career average with almost 1000 RBIs as a shortstop and almost 400 SB will put a “C” on his plaque in the next year or two.

JEFF BAGWELL

Bagwell earned a healthy 42% of the vote in his first year of eligibility. The eight-time All Star owns a Rookie of the Year Award (1991), an MVP (1994) and spent all 15 major league seasons (1991-2005) with the Houston Astros.

The .297 career average, .408 career OBP, and .948 career OPS with 449 HR and 1500+ RBI definitely helps his case.

He was dominant for over a decade at his position and like most players, age caught up with him once he reached 37.

He could get in as early as 2012, but he’ll need a big jump in votes to get in.

CRAIG BIGGIO

Bagwell’s teammate for 15 seasons (and 5 others before and after) spent all 20 seasons with the Houston Astros, from 1988 to 2007.

Seven All-Star selections, five Silver Sluggers and four Gold Gloves were earned mostly at second base, but also at catcher. His versatility and 3000 hits will endure him to voters in 2013, once he’s eligible. 

Just Missed The Cut

Bernie Williams, John Smoltz, Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez

Williams had a very good career, but his power numbers for a center fielder won’t hold up.

The Braves’ trio will all go in wearing Braves’ caps, but Smoltz’s year with Boston and St. Louis, Glavine’s tenure with the Mets and Maddux’s extensive time with the Cubs and brief stints with LA and San Diego mean they don’t make this list.

Bonds’s stint with the Pirates doesn’t hurt him, but steroid allegations mean that although he WOULD go in as a Giant, he may never get voted in.

Griffey will go in as a Mariner, but it was weird seeing him in a White Sox uniform in 2008.

Edgar Martinez was a fantastic hitter, but I don’t see the voters putting him in the Hall because as a DH, he needed more productive years, especially with regards to power numbers, to make his career numbers seem impressive.

Now For The Current Major Leaguers:

DEREK JETER

Jeter’s been Mr. Yankee since he arrived in 1995. Sure, he showed his greedy side with this past offseason’s negotiations for his new contract, but it would be unbelievable if anyone saw him in something other than Yankee pinstripes.

He’ll likely retire with about 2000 Runs scored, 1400+ RBI and 3500 hits, along with a career batting average well over .300.

He’s a shoe-in sometime around 2021 on the first ballot.

CHIPPER JONES

Larry Wayne Jones will have statistics that are wonderful when his career is over, but don’t tell the whole story.

He’s spent all 17 seasons with the Atlanta Braves, the organization that selected him No. 1 overall in the 1990 draft. If he plays through the 2011 season, he’ll likely reach 2500 hits, 1500 RBI and 1500 runs and 450 homers, most of it as a third baseman and a switch-hitter.

His combination of average (.306) and power (436 HR, 1491 RBI) are both top three all-time for switch hitters and he’s third all-time in homers by a third baseman.

In 2018, a script “A” will be on his plaque, with plenty of Mets fans taunting “Laaaaarreeeeeeee” in the audience.

MARIANO RIVERA

In his 16 seasons (1995-2010) with the Yankees, Rivera has become the pre-eminent shutdown closer in the regular season and postseason.

He’s amassed over 1000 strikeouts as a reliever, and is second on the all-time saves list with 559.

He’ll likely retire as the saves leader when he chooses to hang ’em up. I’d say around 2018, Cooperstown will have NY ready for his plaque.

ALBERT PUJOLS

Pujols may go down as the greatest hitter since Ted Williams, and maybe even better when he does call it a career.

His 10-year career with the Cardinals—he could retire today and be elected with 90%+ of the vote in 2016, his numbers are that amazing.

He’s only 30 years old and already has a World Series ring, three MVP’s, nine All-Star selections and a career .331 average with over 400 HR and 1200 RBI.

He’s never had a stat line worse than .312 BA, 32 HR, 103 RBI, and .955 OPS. His career numbers will probably be in Hank Aaron’s territory (.300+ average, 750+ HR, 2100+ RBI) when he calls it a career.

He’s still got plenty of years ahead of him, but I can’t fathom the St. Louis faithful ever letting Albert play anywhere else.

 ICHIRO SUZUKI

Thanks to those readers who reminded me about the hit machine. All Ichiro has done since his arrival from Japan is play ten seasons with the Mariners, match Pujols’ .331 career average, score 1000 Runs, rack up 2200 hits, and steal almost 400 bases.

He’s earned 10 Gold Gloves, three Silver Sluggers, went to 10 All-Star Games, won two batting titles, an MVP and the Rookie of the Year. Like Pujols, he’s a rare talent with the bat that Seattle fans would never let play anywhere else. If he stays healthy, he might reach 3,000 hits in just 13 or 14 seasons – no one else has done it that quickly, or come even close.

Too Early To Tell.

These guys have put up great numbers with one team (five-plus seasons), but whether they stay with their current franchise, keep up their current pace or have enough to get voted in is impossible to know

Jorge Posada, Jason Varitek, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Brian McCann, David Wright, Jimmy Rollins, Prince Fielder, Todd Helton, Mark Buehrle, Michael Young

Looking at the list of potentials, I can see one possible year (2018) that two franchise lifers both head to Cooperstown: Chipper Jones and Mariano Rivera both have contracts that conclude after the 2012 season and both will be over 40 when that season ends.

Jones’ injuries may end his career sooner or Rivera might stick around longer. Jeter’s contract is up after 2013, but most in baseball think he’ll try to play into his 40s before calling it quits.

So if you went to Cooperstown to see Tony and Cal enshrined, you may have seen the last day like that ever in baseball history.

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It’s always been a restrictive club. A player’s got to earn his election to the Baseball Hall of Fame, has to pay his dues.

Unanimous election is unheard of; even making it on the first ballot is a challenge.

Yet while many baseball purists and dignitaries alike laud the intricate web of unspoken guidelines that the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) adheres to, others worry that the Hall is becoming too restrictive, showing more respect for baseball historians than the fans.

Of course, the Hall of Fame is meant to be more than a chapel for baseball’s worshipful masses, standing as a brick-and-mortar narrative for the game itself.

As protectors of that narrative, the Hall of Fame, the league, and the BBWAA have always worked to keep out those deemed unworthy: players who peak just shy of greatness and those who flout the rules and act dishonorably.

For some the definition of “greatness” is subjective and at times unreachable or even indecipherable. Is Fred McGriff‘s career, one on par with or better than Hall of Famers Willie Stargell and Willie McCovey, really worth just 17.9 percent of the vote this year?

Did it really take 14 years for the B.B.W.A.A. to recognize “greatness” in Bert Blyleven? As if his career wins and strikeouts matured over time.

Were players like John Franco and Joe Carter really as unworthy of a second year on the ballot as Travis Fryman and Kirk Rueter? Is 300 wins realistic? Are 400 home runs insignificant now or must the bar be lowered?

While the debate never ceases on the “just misses” and the definition of greatness their appears to be a developing consensus with regard to this era’s admitted, discovered, and suspected cheaters.

This bias, healthy and perhaps just, was first inflicted on Mark McGwire (whose candidacy would have been suspect without PED’s) and now Rafael Palmeiro.

Only four men have hit 500 home runs and reached the 3,000 hit plateau. Three are in the Baseball Hall of Fame, the fourth is Rafael Palmeiro.

Still “Raffy” was only able to get 11 percent of the vote in his first year of eligibility thanks to his positive test for PED’s in 2005.

As time goes by more players with the stink of PED’s will become eligible, armed with gaudy numbers and a hope that time has eased the scorn of purists.

See the B.B.W.A.A. can and likely will keep these guys out of the Hall of Fame on the strength of rumor if they can find nothing more fungible. Same as they’ll keep out anyone who falls short of their ever tightening view of greatness.

Remember they protect the narrative, the sanctity of not just the Hall but also of the game itself. And it is an important job within the realm of this sport. A dividing line between good and legendary, real and fake.

The Hall of Fame needs gate keepers, but it also needs to reflect on the complete history of the game. A history that will be slighted by omission.

This is the price you pay for fireworks, baseball’s long ball era hangover. And while many of the players that will become eligible for the Hall of Fame will seem irredeemably flawed, each will have his merits despite those failings.

Together, baseball’s band of cheats have had a deep and sustained impact on the game for good or bad, an impact that can’t be whitewashed away.

We can’t escape or effectively ignore this last quarter century in baseball history, this most recent renaissance that will always be soiled by fraud.

And while those players who so carelessly jeopardized the purity of the game should see their legacies marred and their cases for enshrinement weighed heavily, the Hall of Fame must represent this bleak time just like any other.

After all, it stands to reason that if you ignore history in an effort to protect the past, you tarnish the future.

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The Baltimore Orioles have been in the news this week quite a bit.  First it was the startling developments of reliever Alfredo Simon in the alleged shooting on New Year’s Eve.  Then some positive personnel developments with the acquisition of first baseman Derrek Lee (pending physical) and closer Kevin Gregg.

The icing on the cake for the O’s and their fans was the news today that Roberto Alomar has been elected to the Hall of Fame.

The Orioles have been horrendous for well over a decade since their last postseason appearance in 1997.  Their second baseman at the time was Roberto Alomar.  Time flies when you root for a losing franchise, doesn’t it?

Alomar was one of the leaders of the Orioles in the mid-’90s.  I remember looking forward to going to Camden Yards and hanging out with 40,000-plus fans donning the black and orange, in unison screaming “O!” during the National Anthem, and then watching Cal Ripken, Alomar, Brady Anderson and company handle their opponents night in and night out.

It is fitting that Ripken went to the Hall first, and is a nice reminder today that, once upon a time, the Orioles had great talent and amazing depth on their major league roster.

The Orioles may be a few years from seeing general manager Andy MacPhail’s great plan come to fruition, but at least for one day the fans of the O’s can remember—and celebrate—one of the great players to don an Orioles uniform.  Congrats, Robby, we will always be grateful for your efforts and dedication to the city and the Orioles organization.

This article is also featured on the Bird Bytes blog.

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Earlier today, three overqualified Hall of Fame caliber first basemen were denied entry into Cooperstown. 

The first two, Mark McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro, committed their steroid sins and, right or wrong, are serving their time as the first official martyrs of Bud Selig’s “Steroid Era.”

The third player, Jeff Bagwell, committed an egregious crime of his own.  

He had the audacity to be born in 1968.

By having the nerve to play baseball in the 1990s, and playing it quite well, Bagwell has eliminated any hopes of receiving a copper plaque.  His 449 home runs and 1,529 RBI mean nothing.  Getting on base over 40 percent of the time becomes irrelevant.  A career 149 OPS+, that ranks 19th out of all players in MLB history with 8,000 PA, goes forgotten. 

All because he played baseball in the 1990s.

In any other era, Bagwell is a Hall of Famer.  (I do not designate between first-ballot and thereafter.  If a player was not worthy of the Hall in his first year on the ballot, why would he be worthy from then on?  Players do not get better during retirement.) 

A 1970s version of Jeff Bagwell is voted in easily, all while chewing amphetamines during his acceptance speech.  The 1980s version may have done a line of coke off the podium.  But the real Jeff Bagwell’s accomplishments are looked upon negatively because many of his peers used performance enhancing drugs.

Keep in mind, this is one of the few players who have NEVER been involved in any steroid scandal or implications.  Bagwell is being kept out of Cooperstown because he suffers from a case of HisStatsWereALittleTooGood-itis.  A disease that Roberto Alomar somehow survived in spite of his suspect 1998-2001 peak and subsequent fall from the face of the earth.

And therein lies the Hall of Fame’s major problem: There is no way for any good player to prove that he never used steroids. 

As far as I know, Frank Thomas and Curt Schilling are the only two players who spoke out against steroids during their playing careers.  Are we to penalize everyone else?  Or are we going to open Pandora’s Box and pick and choose who we think used? 

(I don’t know about you but Ryan Franklin never really looked like a steroid user to me.  In fact, at 6’3’’, 190 lbs., he has a very similar build to Derek Jeter.  A Jeter whose best power numbers came in 1999, right before signing a massive 10-year contract for those of you interested in red flags.  #jussayin)

No.  We are to accept the past and move on. 

The best players of this generation should be in the Hall of Fame regardless of what substances they may or may not have used to assist them.  What is the BBWAA accomplishing by keeping them out?  They are simply trying to make up for the fact that they failed to report on steroids in baseball as it was happening.

Too late, folks.  What’s done is done.  The retroactive moral punishment of our game’s biggest stars is diminishing the quality of baseball’s most sacred museum. 

When Baby Nicholas takes his first trip to Cooperstown, and he asks me where the great players from back in the Stone Age when I grew up are, what am I going to tell him? 

Me: Well son, um, here’s Ken Griffey Jr.’s plaque.

Baby Nicholas: Cool!  Who did he play against, Dad?

Me: Oh look! Right here!  Greg Maddux!

Baby Nicholas: That’s it?  Just two players?

Me: Uhhh…Did I ever tell you about when Eli Manning marched the Giants downfield to ruin the New England Patriots’ perfect season and win the first of his three Super Bowls?

Baby Nicholas: Yes Dad.  About a thousand times.

Me: Oh.  So are you ready to head home yet?

*Note: Baseball writers must have special powers.  Somehow, they know for a fact that Griffey and Maddux never used steroids.*

It is just foolish.

In an article documenting the indifference that teams show towards failed steroid tests, my favorite writer, Joe Sheehan, discusses how players like Guillermo Mota and J.C. Romero have failed steroid tests yet continued their careers, received multi-million dollar contracts, and in some cases, went on to win championships—while their sin of steroid use has all but been forgotten. 

Sheehan writes, “Players, management and owners have had six years to express their opinion about players who are caught using PEDs, and they have done so in a very clear fashion.  No matter your status, you can be caught and come back to a very lucrative job so long as you keep your mouth shut and take your medicine, and as long as we think you can help us win a championship.”

For all I know, Bagwell may very well have used steroids.  But if major league teams don’t care who uses, why do we?  Let’s not try to rewrite history just because we are unable to rewrite history. 

Vote Bagwell, McGwire, and Palmeiro in 2012.

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People didn’t expect Edgar Martinez to earn election into the Hall of Fame today. The fact that he didn’t wasn’t a shock to anyone.

Some eyebrows were raised when his support dropped by a few votes, though.

The arguments for or against his election can be made over and over. We’d be blue in the face and likely see no one from either side sway to the other. We know the numbers, and we know the DH argument.

There’s a bigger problem in the room now, though. One that is likely to plague the election process for the next decade or longer.

Writers are forced to play games.

The members of the BBWAA who have a Hall of Fame vote are limited to 10 selections on their ballot. To exasperate the issue, voters are being faced with more questions about steroids, and the Hall of Fame has given them a vague set of rules to consider when casting their vote.

Some writers who would rather be safe than sorry in the case of Jeff Bagwell. With a loaded ballot this year, perhaps they’d rather spend one of their 10 votes elsewhere while also avoiding the steroid controversy.

Another writer voted for Tino Martinez and BJ Surhoff, but not Roberto Alomar or Bert Blyleven. The latter two were elected today. Surely, that writer doesn’t think Martinez and Surhoff are more deserving than Alomar and Blyleven, right?

Would we be wrong to assume that writer felt confident Alomar and Blyleven would get in, thus deciding to spend those votes elsewhere?

I believe the Hall of Fame has put these writers in an unfair position.

What if these games end up costing a guy his enshrinement? Fans would be angry, but remember that these voters are people, too. They are the ones with the burden to make a decision under these rules.

While I disagree with the stance some of them have to err on the side of caution, it is their right under the current format of the ballot rules.

They then face the dilemma of publishing their votes with reasoning or withholding that information. Either decision would come with backlash from the fans.

This is not court of law. Nor is it a body of congress. Therefore, we can’t expect the voters to abide by rules we’ve come to know in our government. They don’t have to see it as innocent until proven guilty and they don’t have to represent our feelings with their vote.

I don’t feel bad for the pressure put on all of the writers, though.

Dan Graziano of AOL Fanhouse chose not to vote for Jeff Bagwell, because he has suspicions. I could get into why I feel voters should not be playing the role of morality police or directly or indirectly influencing people to form a negative opinion of someone who has not been found guilty of anything.

I’m more concerned, though, with how the Hall of Fame may have unintentionally instilled an inflated sense of power into some of these writers.

In his piece a week ago, Graziano had this to say about his right to vote how he sees fit:

“I could withhold a vote because I don’t want people in the Hall of Fame who have blue eyes, or owned cats, or ever played on a Texas team. It’s my vote, and the only standards to which I am beholden are my own.”

The Hall of Fame’s rules are short and vague. Short enough, in fact, that you can see they do not allow a voter to leave a player off because of his eye color or domestic animal of choice. They ask the voters to consider how well the player performed, and how they acted on and off the field while a member of the baseball community.

Would Graziano really vote that way? I’d certainly hope not, but the mere fact that he’d publish a thought like that is concerning. Do either the Hall of Fame or BBWAA care that one of the gatekeepers to this hallowed institution finds that as acceptable, joke or not?

I would think voting for the Hall of Fame is an extreme honor that is taken very seriously. I have no doubt it is to many voters.

Others, though, and the Hall of Fame itself?

Seems like they need to revisit the policies and practices on who is left out in the cold.

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Roberto Alomar and Bert Blyleven were voted into the Hall of Fame today, while Jeff Bagwell fell just short with only 41.7 percent of the vote.

Players rarely make it into the Hall of Fame their first time on the ballot, some needing up to all 15 years of eligibility to get in (like Jim Rice). But that doesn’t mean they are any less deserving of the honor.

A total of 19 players made their first appearances on the Hall of Fame ballot this year, including such former stars as Raul Mondesi, Bret Boone, and B.J. Surhoff. But only four of them got enough votes (at least five percent) to be back on the ballot next year.

Here’s a look at those players. 

Begin Slideshow

If you need to think about whether or not a player is a hall of famer, then he’s not.

It really is that simple.

The players elected to the Hall of Fame should be the guys who give you goosebumps. The hitters who, when they stepped into the batter’s box, you stopped to watch. The pitchers who, when they took the mound, gave you a chance to see a no hitter or perfect game.

Lou Gherig. Hank Aaron. Willie Mays. Sandy Koufax. Satchel Paige. Those guys.

Today, Bert Blyleven was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. His name was included on 79 percent of the ballots (75 percent is required for election).

Wait, 79 percent? So that means 21 percent said “No.” If there are voters who don’t think you are a hall of famer—not just fans, but voters—then you aren’t a hall of famer.

Blyleven won 20 games once. It happened in his fourth year in the majors (1973) and he never did it again in his 22-year career. He didn’t win 300 games (287). From 1976 to 1992, Blyleven tallied 200 strikeouts just twice (1985, 1986).

Is that a hall of famer? Obviously the answer is yes, but did he have the kind of stats to have his name next to the all-time greats?

I’m not saying that everyone in the Hall of Fame deserves to be there. That’s obviously not true.

But that’s my point.

Is Ken Griffey, Jr. a hall of famer? Of course he is. You can answer that question without thinking or looking up any stats.

Is Greg Maddux a hall of famer? Yes. No need to look up stats. Yes, he is.

Pedro Martinez? Yes.

But there are guys that will be eligible for the Hall of Fame in the next few and people are going to be debating whether or not they’re hall of famers. There shouldn’t be any debate. What would be the harm in NOT voting anyone into the HOF one year? Why does someone have to go in every year?

Jeff Bagwell didn’t get in this year. There are guys who are going nuts that he’s not in. Then there are guys who are so sure he’s not a hall of famer. There should be no debate.

On top of that, you don’t get in on the first ballot…you don’t get in. What is this second chance stuff? Roberto Alomar was elected to the Hall of Fame this year, after falling short in 2010. He spit on an umpire and could be a bit curt with the media, so that same media kept him out as punishment.

Now, a year later, he gets 90 percent of the votes. Come on. So he wasn’t last year, but he is this year?

Don’t get me wrong. I think Alomar is a hall of famer. But the idea that he was this year but not last year as some sort of punishment is ridiculous.

When voting for the Hall of Fame, the players who get inducted cannot possibly be questioned. Will there always be debate? Sure. But there are guys who are not debatable, not in any way, and those are the hall of famers.

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The Major League Baseball Hall of Fame is getting three new members.

It was announced Wednesday that Bert Blyleven and Roberto Alomar each received votes from the required 75 percent of the ballots from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America to be elected into the Hall of Fame, joining long-time general manager Pat Gillick, who was elected by the Veterans Committee last month.

For Blyleven, who amassed 287 wins, 3,701 strikeouts and a 3.31 ERA over his 23-year career as a major league starter with six different franchises, it was a long time coming.

Unsuccessful in his first 13 years of eligibility, Blyleven missed out by five votes last year, but received votes on 79.7 percent of ballots this time around. He is the first starting pitcher to be elected since Nolan Ryan in 1999.

Blyleven is fifth all-time on baseball’s strikeout list, and his 60 shutouts are ninth.

“It’s been 14 years of praying and waiting,” Blyleven told news services in a conference call. “I’d like to thank the Baseball Writers of America for, I’d like to say, finally getting it right.”

The wait was a bit less excruciating for Alomar, who gets in after being eligible for two years.

Alomar, a 12-time All-Star, received 90 percent of the vote after failing to be elected a year ago, perceivably because of his infamous incident with John Hirschbeck in 1996, when Alomar spat in the face of the former major league umpire.

A .309 career hitter, Alomar totaled 2,724 hits and 474 stolen bases in his 17 seasons, and his 10 Gold Gloves are the most of any second baseman in history. He also won two World Series rings in 1992 and ’93 with the Toronto Blue Jays.

“Robbie deserves to be in the Hall of Fame,” said Gillick, who won two of his three world titles as Alomar’s general manager in Toronto. “He’s the best second baseman I have ever seen. Robbie could do it all.”

The 73-year-old Gillick served as the general manager of the Blue Jays, Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners and, most recently, Philadelphia Phillies, where he won the last of his world championships in 2008.

Gillick is the 32^nd executive to be elected, but only the fourth credited with being a team architect, according to the Hall of Fame.

The three, who will be inducted on July 24, are all well deserving, and voters absolutely made the right call, if only a decade or so late on sending Blyleven through.

But the writers didn’t smile upon everybody.

Of the 27 names involved in the voting, only four were on 50 percent or more of the writers’ ballots, including several famous—or infamous—players.

Rafael Palmeiro, who along with Eddie Murray and Hank Aaron is the only player with 500 home runs and 3,000 hits in a career, received just 11 percent of the votes. He is joined by fellow slugger Mark McGwire, who received 19.8 percent of the votes, the lowest mark of his five times on the ballot.

Palmeiro and McGwire, who are 12^th and 10^th, respectively, on baseball’s all-time home run list, are presumed to be suffering in Hall balloting because of their link to steroid use.

And the same may be said of former Houston first baseman Jeff Bagwell, who has never tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs, but received only 41.7 percent of votes in his first year of eligibility.

“I’m so sick and tired of all the steroids crap, it’s messed up my whole thinking on the subject…” Bagwell admitted to ESPN.com. “So much has gone on in the last eight or nine years, it’s kind of taken some of the valor off it for me.

“If I ever do get to the Hall of Fame and there are 40 guys sitting behind me thinking, ‘He took steroids,’ then it’s not even worth it to me. I don’t know if that sounds stupid. But it’s how I feel in a nutshell.”

Other big names on the ballot included Barry Larkin, who finished closest to Blyleven with 62 percent of votes, Jack Morris (53.5), Lee Smith (45.3), Tim Raines (37.5), Edgar Martinez (32.9), Alan Trammell (24.3), Larry Walker (20.3) and Fred McGriff (17.9).

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On Wednesday afternoon, the Baseball Hall of Fame announced the induction of Bert Blyleven (among others) after a 14-year wait.  Blyleven’s election comes on the heels of the elections of Jim Rice (class of ’09) and Andre “Hawk” Dawson (’10) after comparably long waits.  With these three men all in, we can now turn our sights to other players who have spent many years (five or more for the sake of this article) on the ballot and are still waiting for the all-important call from Cooperstown.  I took each player who will be on their fifth ballot or late in 2012.  Players are ordered not by merit, but by time on the ballot to avoid any claims of favoritism.

Dale Murphy: 1977-1993 (14th Ballot in 2012): .265 BA, 398 HR, 1,266 RBIs, 1982 and ’83 NL MVP, 7-time All-Star, 5 Gold Gloves, 4 Silver Sluggers (12.6 percent in 2011)

With the exception of his batting average, Dale Murphy’s numbers compare quite favorably to Hall of Famer Jim Rice.  Even if they don’t put him in the Hall, they certainly should garner better than 12.6 percent over the ballots cast.  Two MVPs for Murphy against one for Rice, seven All-Stars vs eight, four Silver Sluggers vs two, five Gold Gloves vs none.  Murphy hit 16 more home runs and drove in 200 less RBIs in two more seasons.  When comparing Murphy to Jim Rice, one must ask, are too few people voting for Murphy, or did too many vote for Rice?

Murphy dominated from 1982 through ’87, hitting .289 and averaging 36 HR and 105 RBIs.  He made the All-Star game each year and won both of his MVPs along with all of his Gold Gloves and Silver Sluggers in that period.  After 1987, Murphy was unable to match that type of success again.  He hit over .250 only once (1991 with the Phillies) and never again drove in over 90 runners.

The .265 career BA and short window of dominance are the biggest marks against Murphy. 

Jack Morris: 1977-1994 (13th Ballot in 2012): 254 W, 3.90 ERA, 2,478 K, 5-time All-Star (53.5 percent in 2011)

Morris was the winningest pitcher of the 1980s with 162 victories.  The pitchers that led every previous decade in wins have all reached the hallowed hall of Cooperstown.  The 1990s’ leader Greg Maddux is a sure-fire first ballot Hall of Famer as well.  Morris won four World Series rings with the Tigers (1984), Twins (’91) and Blue Jays (’92 and ’93).  His gutty ten-inning performance in game seven of the ’91 World Series is the accomplishment that is most closely associated with Morris.  Now that Bert Byleven (a player with significantly better stats across the board) has been inducted, the debate can begin in earnest over Morris.

The two biggest marks against Morris are his 3.90 career ERA and lack of a Cy Young Award.  Will that be enough to hold him out?  Only time will tell.  It is worth noting that of the players on this list, Morris was the only one to receive better than 50-percent of the vote in 2011.

Don Mattingly: 1982-1995 (12th Ballot in 2012): .307 BA, 222 HR, 1,099 RBI, 1985 MVP, 6-time All-Star, 9 Gold Gloves, 3 Silver Sluggers (13.6 percent in 2011)

“Donnie Baseball” had one of the most dominant six-year periods of any player in that era.  From 1982-1989, Mattingly hit .327 and averaged 27 HR and 114 RBIs per season.  In that period, Mattingly won his MVP, made all six of his all-star appearances, and collected five Gold Gloves and three Silver Sluggers.

Unfortunately for Mattingly and his supporters, back problems severely shortened the prime of his career.  After the ’89 season, Mattingly would never again reach 20 HR or 90 RBIs in a season.  Only once (’94) did he manage to hit over .300.  I fear that his lack of longevity will be enough to keep him out of Cooperstown.

Allen Trammell: 1977-1996 (11th Ballot in 2012): .285 BA, 185 HR, 1,003 RBIs, 1,231 R, 236 SB, 6-time All-Star, 4 Gold Gloves, 3 Silver Sluggers (24.3 percent in 2011)

Allen Trammell was one of the key contributors to the Tigers during their run in the 1980s.  Playing shortstop in an era dominated by Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith and future Hall of Famer (in my book at least) Barry Larkin led many to overlook the accomplishments of Trammell in Detroit.  Trammell was a sure-handed defender playing the toughest position on the field.

However, Trammell was a streaky hitter.  There were a handful of seasons when he would hit well over .300 before suddenly slipping back to an average in the .270s or worse the next year.  For his career, Trammell struck out more than he walked.  Though a solid fielder, he lacked the flashy defensive abilities that defined the careers of Smith and (potential HOFer) Omar Vizquel.

Lee Smith: 1980-1997 (10th Ballot in 2012): 71 W, 3.03 ERA, 478 S, 1,251 K, 7-time All-Star (45.3% in 2011)

For many years, relievers had a difficult time getting votes for the Hall.  Recently, this trend has begun to shift.  Goose Gossage and Bruce Sutter were both elected after long waits and current closers Trevor Hoffman and Mariano Rivera are looking like first-ballot HOFers.  At the time of his retirement, Lee Smith had the career lead in saves by over 100 on Dennis Eckersley.  Smith was the first pitcher to collect saves in such a large quantity.

Working against Smith is his 3.03 ERA (high for a Hall of Fame-caliber reliever) and low strikeout totals compared to his competition.  Many have made the argument that Smith was nothing more than a “compiler” of statistics over his 18-year career.

Mark McGwire: 1986-2001 (6th Ballot in 2012): .263 BA, 583 HR, 1,414 RBIs, 1987 AL ROY, 12-time All-Star, 1 Gold Glove, 3 Silver Sluggers (19.8 percent in 2011)

Mark McGwire was one of the most prolific homerun hitters in the history of the game.  “Big Mac” averaged 36 HR per season (that number jumps to 39 if you don’t include the 18 games he played in 1986) including injury-riddled 1993 and ’94 when he combined for 18 HR.

Given recent revelations, much of McGwire’s power numbers have come in to question.  Without his HRs, McGwire doesn’t have much to stand on.  He was a below-average defender at the position widely considered to be the easiest position on the field.  He hit .263 for his career and his RBI totals are quite low when you consider how many homeruns he hit (for the sake of comparison, Dave Winfield drove in 400 more runs while hitting 100 less homers).

Tim Raines: 1979-2002 (5th Ballot): .294 BA, 170 HR, 980 RBIs, 2,605 H, 808 SB, 7-time All-Star, 1 Silver Slugger (37.5% in 2011)

The supporters of Tim Raines often refer to him as the Rickey Henderson of the National League.  On the surface, that makes a lot of sense.  Both were leadoff men who hit for a similar average, stole a bunch of bases, and played LF instead of CF.

However, there is only one stat in which Henderson doesn’t blow Raines away.  Raines hit 15 points better than Henderson.  Other than that, Henderson has over 500 more steals, over 400 more hits, over 100 more homers, and 135 more RBIs.

Now that you have some information on the seven player who will be on the ballot for the fifth time or more in 2012, which ones do you think deserve to be elected?  Which ones will be elected?  I look forward to reading and responding to your comments on this subject.

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