I Don't Get It
I'm not really a baseball fan. Don't know the players that well and never watch any games on TV, although I don't mind going to the ballpark to watch a game live. So forgive me if I'm being ignorant, but I really don't get the Baseball Hall of Fame voting process.
Yesterday, relief pitcher Goose Gossage got elected on his ninth try. Jim Rice, who only has one year of eligibility left, fell just 16 votes short of the magical 75% criteria. What I don't get is...why does the number of people voting for a certain person change from year to year?
For example, Gossage didn't get enough votes to get in the last 8 times but this year he did. What's changed in the last year that people changed their mind on his worthiness? It's not like he went back out there and played another season to prove himself. Gossage's stats were the same this year as they were in his first year of eligibility. If you find him worthy now, why didn't you find him worthy then? This really puzzles me.
A lot of big names are called "first year ballot" Hall of Famers, meaning they're sure to get in on their first try. Why? What's the difference? Whether someone is voted in on their 10th try or their 1st try, they're both Hall of Famers. If they're worthy of that title, then why make them wait 10 years for it? I just don't get it.
And how does someone like Cal Ripken, Jr. only get 98% of the votes? Who are these 2% of writers who aren't voting for him? Huh? Wade Boggs and Ozzie Smith with only 92%? Who's not voting for these guys? The whole process just seems so ridiculous.
So what does a Jim Rice have to do between now and next year to make sure he gets in on his last attempt? Kiss some ass? Pay some guys off? Why would someone who didn't vote for him this year vote for him next year?
I'm really curious about this stuff so I'm hoping that a baseball fan can explain this to me. Because the football and basketball selection procedures are different and make a bit more sense. But the baseball process is lost on me. If it's just a matter of politics and voters don't vote people in right away cuz they want to make him wait....that's just ridiculous. For example, if a voter is saying I'll vote for Ripken on the first year and I think Gossage is worthy as well, but I won't vote for him till his 9th year cuz he's not as worthy as Ripken...well, that's just silly. In your eyes they're both worthy so just friggin' vote for them on the first ballot!
Am I missing something here? Someone please enlighten me!
Yesterday, relief pitcher Goose Gossage got elected on his ninth try. Jim Rice, who only has one year of eligibility left, fell just 16 votes short of the magical 75% criteria. What I don't get is...why does the number of people voting for a certain person change from year to year?
For example, Gossage didn't get enough votes to get in the last 8 times but this year he did. What's changed in the last year that people changed their mind on his worthiness? It's not like he went back out there and played another season to prove himself. Gossage's stats were the same this year as they were in his first year of eligibility. If you find him worthy now, why didn't you find him worthy then? This really puzzles me.
A lot of big names are called "first year ballot" Hall of Famers, meaning they're sure to get in on their first try. Why? What's the difference? Whether someone is voted in on their 10th try or their 1st try, they're both Hall of Famers. If they're worthy of that title, then why make them wait 10 years for it? I just don't get it.
And how does someone like Cal Ripken, Jr. only get 98% of the votes? Who are these 2% of writers who aren't voting for him? Huh? Wade Boggs and Ozzie Smith with only 92%? Who's not voting for these guys? The whole process just seems so ridiculous.
So what does a Jim Rice have to do between now and next year to make sure he gets in on his last attempt? Kiss some ass? Pay some guys off? Why would someone who didn't vote for him this year vote for him next year?
I'm really curious about this stuff so I'm hoping that a baseball fan can explain this to me. Because the football and basketball selection procedures are different and make a bit more sense. But the baseball process is lost on me. If it's just a matter of politics and voters don't vote people in right away cuz they want to make him wait....that's just ridiculous. For example, if a voter is saying I'll vote for Ripken on the first year and I think Gossage is worthy as well, but I won't vote for him till his 9th year cuz he's not as worthy as Ripken...well, that's just silly. In your eyes they're both worthy so just friggin' vote for them on the first ballot!
Am I missing something here? Someone please enlighten me!
posted by Myong Choi at 9:33 AM
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