Blyleven Snubbed Again

by Jesse on Jan 8, 2008 2:05 PM EST in News Comment 8 comments

Congratulations to Goose Gossage. Keep checking MLB.com for updates, and post your thoughts here.

Sorry, Bert. We still heart you.

Initial Reactions

Bert Blyleven received 336 votes, or 61.9%. I really am shocked. I shouldn't be, but I am.

How does Jack Morris (not that we don't love you too, Jack) out-vote Tommy John? 233 votes for Morris (42.9%) to only 158 for John (29.1%).

Tim Raines, who is one of the four or five on this list who do belong, somehow manages a meager 132 votes, good for 24.3%.

Rod Beck, Travis Fryman, Robb Nen, Shawon Dunston, Chuck Finley, David Justice, Chuck Knoblauch, Todd Stottlemyre attain eleven votes between them. Rightly so.

Jose Rijo and Brady Anderson garnered zero votes. Also correct.

Apart from Gossage, this year's only Hall election, Jim Rice (392, 72.2%) and Andre Dawson (358, 65.9%) were the only other players to finish in front of Bert in voting. All three deserve Hall membership....which is kind of Bert's MO these days. Keeps Hall of Fame company, but for some inexplicable reason isn't a member himself.

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Bert went up

14% though. Sadly, with the standout Ricky going on the ballot, I feel that Bert might lose votes again next year.

by TMoney on Jan 8, 2008 2:17 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

This is good improvement for Bert

I think now he'll get in before he falls off the ballot. He's clearly qualified.

Raines' total is a disappointment, but you might see a significant increase next year, since a lot of voters have a strange first ballot thing going. Of course, when being compared to Ricky, as he will next year will be tough.

by Eric in Madison on Jan 8, 2008 2:53 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Yeah...

...pretty much everyone looks bad when compared to Ricky.

by ubelmann on Jan 8, 2008 4:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Well

Well, it's getting closer for Bert. Hopefully he'll get there...

Baseball is great because you cant take a knee or kill the clock. You gotta put the ball over the plate and give the other guy his damn shot E Weaver abridged

by AdamOnFirst on Jan 8, 2008 4:20 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

He'll only get there..

if some of the old idiot voters die off.

Seriously, I try not to ever be disrespectful in arguments about this, but if you're someone arguing against Bert, you're an idiot. Plain and simple. There's simply no defending it. None.

I would say the same for Raines and Gossage. Everyone else there's an argument one way or the other. But for those 3, if you disagree, you shouldn't be allowed to follow baseball anymore. And you are probably an Angel fan then.

I know that's harsh, but hey, I had to get that off my chest.

by djskilbr on Jan 8, 2008 4:53 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I

guess I wouldn't go that far. However, there are certain people who construct an argument for Jack Morris, but not Blyleven are the true idiots. I'm looking at you Jon Heyman.

by TMoney on Jan 8, 2008 7:05 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah

Yeah, there really isn't a very compelling argument against Bert. And that's without even using anything other than simple, old-fashioned counting stats. If you use newer numbers like Era and park adjusted ERA and things, Bert looks even better.

Baseball is great because you cant take a knee or kill the clock. You gotta put the ball over the plate and give the other guy his damn shot E Weaver abridged

by AdamOnFirst on Jan 8, 2008 11:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Can you see....

ANY rational argument against any of those 3 candidates though? I honestly can't.

And ditto on Heyman. Man he is stupid.

Personally, only Raines/Bert are locks in my mind of who SHOULD be in now (since Gossage is now in). Not sure I would vote for any of the others on the ballot, though cases can be made for a few.

by djskilbr on Jan 9, 2008 12:34 AM EST reply actions 0 recs