Figured this hasn't received a thread, so why not? What better thing to get debates going than the good ol' HOF.
This years ballot is a very short one, just 23 players - the smallest in history.
• Harold Baines
• Jay Bell
• Bert Blyleven
• David Cone - Blue Jay in 1992 and 1995
• Andre Dawson
• Ron Gant
• Mark Grace
• Rickey Henderson Blue Jay in 1993
• Tommy John
• Don Mattingly
• Mark McGwire
• Jack Morris Blue Jay in 1992/1993
• Dale Murphy
• Jesse Orosco
• Dave Parker Blue Jay in 1991 to end his career
• Dan Plesac Blue Jay in 1997-1999, 2001 and 2002
• Tim Raines
• Jim Rice
• Lee Smith
• Alan Trammell
• Greg Vaughn
• Mo Vaughn
• Matt Williams
Many are going to be one and outs, but the guy getting in for certain is good ol' pain in the butt Rickey Henderson. 3000+ hits, just shy of 300 HR, 2000+ walks, 1406 stolen bases, 2295 runs scored. Just a wow all around. He was viewed as a HOF'er almost from day one and kept building on it. Still seems weird that he was briefly a Blue Jay.
First timers also include Ron Gant, David Cone (another ex-Jay), Jesse Orosco, Dan Plesac (another ex-Jay), Mo Vaughn and Greg Vaughn (cousins), Mark Grace (most hits in the 90's), Matt Williams (could've broke the HR record in '94 if it wasn't for the strike), and Jay Bell.
Jim Rice and Tommy John are on the ballot for the final time with Rice likely to get in and John not - the opposite of how I'd like it but such is life.
Over 50% last time were Rice (72.2%), Dawson (65.9%), and Blyleven (61.9%). Two guys were in the 40's - Lee Smith and Jack Morris. In the 20's you had John, Raines, and McGwire. Everyone else was too low to expect to ever make it via the writers (even though Alan Trammell deserves it and Dale Murphy is a better candidate than Rice imo) with only Baines below 10%. Baines just barely cracked the 5% level last year (what you need to stick) - if he had 2 fewer votes he would've been removed. Should be interesting to see if he stays around for the 2010 ballot.
So, my ballot (if I had one) would be Henderson, Blyleven, Raines, McGwire, John, Trammell with a 'nice guys deserve a vote too' sent out to Dan Plesac. Dawson I could be talked into due to my Expo fandom but only after Raines gets in. Cone & Smith are my 'tempting but nah' guys. Rice, Murphy, Morris and the rest just are not HOF'ers imo but belong in the Hall of Very Good players.
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20081201142249276