There are actually 27 players on the ballot, and I found it difficult to limit it to nine for the poll -- I cut guys like Torre and Flood because if they get in it will be as much for non-player exploits, while others like Allen, Lolich, Mays and Minoso -- they have cases as good as some of those listed, but I had to cut somewhere!

Just for the record, though I am an admitted Yankee fan, I didn't post the vote currently up for either Munson or Maris ... I went with Kaat. I'll switch that vote to John when he gets on this list.

C'mon, someone voted "Other" -- who??

Roger Maris?  Really?  He was about as good a hitter as Santo, but instead of being one of the top five defensive third basemen of all time, Maris was a fair defensive rightfielder. 

Of this list I'd only vote for Santo and Kaat.  Can't see any reason for Maris to get into the Hall outside of a special mention for his 61 home run season and 2 MVP's.  If he goes in then we might as well toss guys like Jesse Barfield (#4 on his similarity list and one of the best defensive outfielders every) in too, and as big a fan of Barfield as I am there is no way I see him as a HOF'er.

No love for Jim Acker?

:)

My vote for other is Buck O'Neil.

Good choice, but Buck O'Neil is not on the ballot.

Torre deserves to be in for his player accomplishments IMO, quite a bit of it he did as a catcher, which makes his numbers and longevity in the game (albiet in the later years not at C) all the more impressive.

I voted for Santo.... one of the top 10 3rd basemen of all time in my opinion, but I 'd also put a plug in for Jim Kaat , Maury Wills and Luis Tiant. Listening to games on the radio in the 60's nobody struck fear into my heart(Giant fan listening on KNBR) than Wills getting on base as you just knew he would steal second, maybe 3rd and then score. Tiant... well the windup alone gets him in for me but of course he also put up some pretty good numbers but maybe borderline in the counting ones so thats why he's not in or any of the above for that matter.

If these guys had played in the 20s and 30s, they'd probably all be in by now.  I think Santo is the most egregious oversight but Kaat is also very deserving and I think El Tiante as well.  I can't understand why Gil Hodges hasn't made it yet - he seems to come close every year.

I'd like to see Tiant in the Hall, just because he was so much fun. I have a copy of one of his 1975 World Series starts, and he was so entertaining to watch that fans were applauding as he wound up. (Roger Angell has a description of the various windups Tiant used, including the Slipper Kick and the Fall Off The Fence.)

Plus, he was apparently very funny. Once, when pulled over for speeding, he apparently responded, "I'm a pitcher, and I was bringing some heat."