[Andre] Dawson only player elected to Hall of Fame

[Drum]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/baseball/mlb/01/06/hall.of.fame/index.html

NEW YORK (SI.com) -- In one of the tightest elections ever, Andre Dawson was the only player elected by the Baseball Writers Association of America to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Dawson received 77.9 percent of the vote, just above the 75 percent needed for enshrinement. Bert Blyleven got 74.2 percent, missing election by just five votes. Roberto Alomar, widely expected to be a shoo-in, finished third with 73.7 percent. Jack Morris and Barry Larkin were the only other players to top 50 percent.

Dawson was the 1977 National League Rookie of the Year with the Montreal Expos and the 1987 NL MVP with the Chicago Cubs. He made eight All-Star teams and won eight Gold Glove awards in his 21-year career spent with the Expos, Cubs, Red Sox and Marlin. Dawson finished with 438 home runs and 1,591 RBIs.

Dawson had receieved at least 50 percent of the vote in all but one of his eight previous years on the ballot and had 67.9 percent in 2009.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/baseball/mlb/01/06/hall.of.fame/index.html#ixzz0brSkLCJ3
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[insanity]

1. Shame about Edgar

I don't think he'll ever get in despite being the best DH the league has ever seen. Congrats to Dawson though.

[trotsky]

2. Blyleven got robbed again.

What a joke.

[dakota_democrat]

3. +1

[Captain Hilts]

9. He didn't have enough personal 'pizazz'. Yes, he belongs in the HoF. It IS a shame. nt

[trotsky]

12. Only member of the 3000 strikeout club not to be in there, right?

It's a damn fucking shame.

[Captain Hilts]

14. Everyone remembers Tekulve because he's so weird looking. Manny, Stargel, etc...

Murtah. Doc Ellis. Blylevn kind of gets lost in the shuffle.

[trumad]

4. The writers are smoking crack.

In his career, Alomar established remarkable milestones for a second baseman, including:

* making twelve straight All-Star teams (1990–2001)
* winning a record ten gold gloves at second base (1991–96, 1998–2001)
* batting over .300 nine times (1992–1997, 1999–2001)
* posting an OBP over .400 five times (1992–93, 1996, 1999, 2001)
* scoring 100 or more runs six times (1992–93, 1996, 1999–2001)
* driving in 100 or more runs twice (1999, 2001)
* stealing 30 or more bases eight times (1989, 1991–93, 1995, 1999–2001)
* winning four Silver Slugger awards (1992, 1996, 1999–2000)

[Auggie]

5. I wonder if some are holding "The Spit" against him n/t

[trumad]

6. They can be ridiculously petty...

[SidDithers]

8. Would also have been the first player to go in wearing a Jays uniform...

He should have been a first-ballot inductee.

Sid

[nomorenomore08]

7. I just can't believe some of the guys considered eligible. I mean, David Segui? Todd Zeile?

Zeile at least had over 1,000 RBI's, but that's still not HoF-worthy in the modern era.

[fishwax]

10. it's only because this is their first year of eligibility

Basically, most players who have 10+ years in MLB will be on the ballot the first year that they're eligible. Players who get less than 5% of the vote don't remain on the ballot the next year, though, so those you've mentioned won't be back next year.

[DaveinMD]

11. the thing Dawson did best was make outs

Only a 323 career on base percentage. He is not a hall of famer. Having him in over Raines, Alomar, Larkin and Blyleven is a freaking joke.

[nomorenomore08]

13. Well, he is 34th all-time in RBI's. And 438 home runs is a high total for a career that started

(ostensibly) before the steroid era.

As far as all-time RBI totals, with the exception of Harold Baines, everyone ahead of Dawson on the list is either in the Hall, not eligible, or still playing.

[DaveinMD]

15. he has the lowest obp

of any hall of famer by 20 points. Raines was 60 points higher. He was great at making outs. He had a few massive home run years, mainly in the years that they juiced the ball. Not a hall of famer. Not even close. Blyleven, Raines, Alomar, and Larkin should be. What a joke.

[hughee99]

16. I didn't think those number sounded right, so I took a quick look

Bill Mazeroski (.299), Luis Aparicio (.311), and Brooks Robinson (.322) were lower and Ernie Banks .331 is in the neighborhood. If you want to talk about any HOF within 20 points of him, you'll hear names like Johnny Bench, Robin Yount, Carlton Fisk, Phil Rizzuto, Tony Perez, Cal Ripken.

In 1987, Dawson hit 49 HR's, only Dale Murphy (44) also broke 40, Kevin McReynolds finished 9th in all of baseball with 29. Are you sure that was a "juiced ball" year?

Even though I was a fan, I'm not saying Dawson belongs in the Hall, but it's not like they're inducting Kevin Maas.

[DaveinMD]

17. Sorry

I meant corner outfielders. My bad.

When they elect him over 4 more deserving candidates, that's really bad.

Kevin Maas was awful after two really good months. What fun months they were in a horrific season.

[hughee99]

18. I think Alomar will get in next year

and Bert Blyleven will get in eventually. I think the voters were still holding the spitting incident against Alomar. It will be interesting to see what happens when Bonds is eligible.

[DaveinMD]

19. Blyleven

has been kept out way too long. Raines not getting more than 25 percent shows the utter stupidity of the voters. He was a better player than Dawson

[Awsi Dooger]

20. He went to my high school so I guess I'm happy for him

This will be my one baseball post of the year