Congratulations Wade Boggs & Ryne Sandberg!

[tcfrogs]

Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame today.

The complete vote (516 ballots, 387 to gain election, 26 to remain on ballot):
Player Votes %
Wade Boggs 474 91.9%
Ryne Sandberg 393 76.2%
Bruce Sutter 344 66.7%
Jim Rice 307 59.5%
"Goose" Gossage 285 55.2%
Andre Dawson 270 52.3%
Bert Blyleven 211 40.9%
Lee Smith 200 38.8%
Jack Morris 172 33.3%
Tommy John 123 23.8%
Steve Garvey 106 20.5%
Alan Trammell 87 16.9%
Dave Parker 65 12.6%
Don Mattingly 59 11.4%
Dave Concepcion 55 10.7%
Dale Murphy 54 10.5%
Willie McGee 26 5.0%
Jim Abbott 13 2.5%
Darryl Strawberry 6 1.2%
Jack McDowell 4 0.8%
Chili Davis 3 0.6%
Tom Candiotti 2 0.4%
Jeff Montgomery 2 0.4%
Tony Phillips 1 0.2%
Terry Steinbach 1 0.2%
Mark Langston 0 0.0%
Otis Nixon 0 0.0%

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

1. How do Rice, Sutter, and Morris get passed over?

I don't understand that at all. Especially Rice.

[XNASA]

2. Simple....the 2 homers that got Sandberg into the HOF..........

He hit both off of Sutter.

---In arguably his best game of the season, Sandberg drove in seven runs against the Cardinals on June 23, winning the game for the Cubs 12-11 with consecutive homers off Bruce Sutter in the ninth and tenth innings. St. Louis manager Whitey Herzog said of him after the game, "One day I think he was one of the best players in the NL. The next day I think he's one of the best players I've ever seen." Fellow All-Star George Brett made a point of never missing an opportunity to watch Sandberg play.---

http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/S/Sandberg_Ryne.stm

[kick-ass-bob]

3. I was there that day!!!

SRO crowd, I got to sit down in the 9th inning!

Great game!

[Magrittes Pipe]

4. Both deserving....

Although how Sandberg gets in while Lou Whitaker was dropped after his first ballot completely escapes me -- essentially, Lou Whitaker was the left-handed Ryne Sandberg. Or the Black Charlie Gehringer, take your pick.

And to see Blyleven mired at 40% is truly disgusting and further evidence that the BBWAA don't know what the hell they're doing.

[JohnKleeb]

6. Blyleven was better than Jim? Sutton

Ive seen their two careers compared. Whitaker is underrated as was Trammel.

[Magrittes Pipe]

19. Trammell gets screwed because guys like A-Rod, Jeter, & Nomar play SS now.

It wasn't much of an offensive position in the '80s, kids. Next to Ripken, Tram was THE shortstop of his generation. And...

George Fucking Bell?

Trammell may have deserved the MVP in '87. Probably Boggs, but Trammell had a good case. Bell certainly didn't deserve it.

[JohnKleeb]

21. Tram was good and I am one of hte world's biggest Ripken fans

Yeah I know short stop was nothing like how it is now.

[ProfessorGAC]

8. As Long As Steve Garvey Is Only At 20%, Nothing Else Matters

I was a fan of Ryno, so i'm glad he got in, but man did i loathe Garvey. I hope he doesn't even get to visit the Hall. Philandering, showboating fraud, who couldn't even pick up a ground ball! Rotten fielder, decent hitter, miserable human being.
The Professor

[Bertha Venation]

10. I remember when Lasorda helped him get a record he shouldn't have

I think it was most consecutive games in the NL, or most consecutive games by a 1B... something like that. The guy was played one inning with a broken thumb for a number of games in order to get the record.

My recollection is hazy, so feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. But I remember hearing about this when it was going on -- and I don't remember hearing any controversy -- and I didn't think it was right.

[JohnKleeb]

13. I think that sounds right

because the guy who had the most after Gehrig before Ripken broke it, some guy named Everett Scott I think was an American Leaguer.

[ProfessorGAC]

17. Billy Williams Held The NL Record

And, growing up, Billy was my favorite player. (I think it was 1,117, but wouldn't swear to it.)

So, when Garvey frauded his way into breaking Billy's record, it gave me another reason to dislike him. Like i needed any more reasons. There is something about that guy that is so "punchable".
The Professor

[JohnKleeb]

18. hmmm that sounds right

edit, duh I am an idiot, WIlliams is a hall of famer.
http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/hofers_and_honorees/hofer_bios/williams_billy.htm
Yeah man you remembered right.

[Bertha Venation]

25. something so punchable

could it be that perfect smile, that strong (glass) jaw? ;)

[ProfessorGAC]

26. I Think It's A Lot Of Things

I actually thought he was very overrated. There were plenty of better hitters, better power hitters, he couldn't field a lick, and if he had played in Kansas City or Milwaukee, 75% of the baseball public would never have heard of him.

He played in the big media market, and had Lasorda as a manager, so his name became big. Far bigger than his somewhat above average skills justified.

I should add: I haven't like many baseball players that could only hit. Fielding is a critical part of the game, and if one stinks at that, the best one can be is a 50% good player, no matter how well one hits. In addition, he was just so FAKE! The original plastic man.

And, one last thing: (Bet you're glad you restarted me, huh?). He CHEATED ON HIS WIFE! OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER, and then promoted him and his barbiedoll wife as the "perfect" allamerican couple. Nauseating.
The Professor

[sniffa]

5. i'd Like to thank margo adams

for giving him that sweet swing of his.

[underpants]

20. The fact that "sniffa" posted that makes oh so much better

I wonder what color Wade wants her to wear that day.

[sniffa]

23. not sure

but there has to be a chicken joke to throw in here too

[MaineDem]

7. Boggs and not Rice???

Crap!

[JohnKleeb]

9. Another underrated one

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=riceji01
You know before the curse was ended last year, I often wondered had Rice played in the epic 1975 world series if that would have made a difference.

[maveric]

12. Rice was the most feared hitter in baseball from 75-84

Lifetime .300 hitter. al most 3000 hits, won an MVP.
Sandberg?? One great season.
Boggs has 3000 hits and deserves to be there.
Where's Dewey Evans? More HRs that Rice, more hits and 9 Golden Gloves.

[Magrittes Pipe]

15. Evans is more deserving than Rice, IMO.

Rice had a stronger peak, but Dewey was more consistent and had a better career overall.

[Magrittes Pipe]

14. Boggs = second best 3B ever.

Whereas the Red Sox ALONE had two left fielders who were twice again as good as Rice.

[JohnKleeb]

16. who's the best in your opinion, Schimdt?

or Eddie Matthews. Not taking anything away from Boggs.

[Magrittes Pipe]

22. Schmidt.

Way better glove than Mathews, and a little better with the lumber as well.

Boggs was no showoff in the field, to be sure, and he didn't hit a lot of homers. But you'll be surprised at just how valuable an average defensive 3B who hits .350, walks 100 times, and hits 50 doubles can be. :D

[JohnKleeb]

24. I'd agree with that

Boggs was great too.

[tcfrogs]

27. Y'all are forgetting George Brett

Schmidt #1, Brett #2. All other third basemen are well behind those two.

[pmbryant]

11. All right, Sandberg!

Congratulations to one of my childhood sports heroes.

:toast:

Hopefully Sutter will get in the HOF soon. Didn't miss by much this year, it looks like.

--Peter