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.