Being a Atlanta native Dale Murphy is a star to me. He did what only 12 other players (most of which are in the HOF) did which is win back to back MVP’s. He hit more HR’s than anyone in the 80′s, second most RBI’s, 5th in hits, oh and played on a down right horrible team 8 of those 10 years. And played whatever position he was asked to play. He didn’t deserve the 1st ballot honor but needs to be in the HOF. If Ozzie Smith who was really only a gold glove SS and nothing else and he is in the HOF, why not Murphy? If Ryne Sandberg who has fewer HR’s, RBI’s, and Hits than Murphy why is Ryne in the HOF and not Dale?

It is a hall of “players that kissed up to the writers so that the writers could vote them in”. Or a Hall of Popularity. The baseball HOF is almost as bad as the Rock and Roll HOF.

The steroid users is a whole other issue, I would not have voted Bonds, Clemens and the like on the 1st try but would let some in eventually. But if the writers didn’t vote in Pete Rose then I don’t see the steroid guys getting in either.

Biggio deserved election, but I understand some view him as not being a ‘slam dunk’. He was kept out of being a first year election. I think the vote was a protest vote against the steroid boys. Will they get in? Maybe at some point. Leo Durocher was kept out because of character issues, until after he died. This is what may end up happening with Rose and the steroid boys.

As infuriating as this vote is, most efforts at reform run into serious problems once you discuss them.

Also, nobody getting in means much less money for the museum side of the Hall to preserve the 160 year history of the game, its artifacts and archives, because there will be no big influx of visitors to celebrate the newest inductees. As someone who cares about historic preservation, that really sucks. The HoF lost over 2 million dollars last year, and it will now be worse this year.

It certainly won’t help all the other businesses in the Cooperstown area that depend on tourism dollars either.

But Tom “hold the color line” Yawky is in?

Two thirds of them also think Bonds and Clemens are not Hall-worthy.

At least 6 voters thought Clemens should be in the Hall, but not Bonds.

More than a third believe that Bagwell, Biggio, Piazza, Raines and Schilling are not worthy.

This is basically the same electorate that gave Jim Rice over 3/4 of the vote a few years ago.

Anybody think the Hall and BBWAA have even a tattered shard of credibility left?

It’s become as bad as the annual awards (cough, cough) debates.

All white noise for me at this point – ad nauseum.

How does TWO-TIME NL MVP DALE MURPHY NOT MAKE IT INTO THE HALL OF FAME?

While I applaud the voters for not inducting the drug abusers – why don’t we recognize those great players that performed without any enhancers and truly were MVP and Hall of Fame performers.

Very sad that Dale Murphy will never be in the Hall.

I know the First Ballot thing is not part of any sort of guidance, but let’s face it, we all know who got the most votes during their first year of eligibility (Tom Seaver at like 98.8%) and track that sort of thing (I don’t know how guys like Mays & Aaron weren’t unanimous, BTW). I know there’s no separate room or anything like that in the Hall (I was there this past summer) for First Balloters, and yet. . . they can be tracked and ostensibly represent the “best of the best.” So keep out the “known” PED users (and I understand that even that direction has its problems) from getting that “First Ballot” designation and then vote them in next year. Call it the “Character Clause Compromise” – a relatively minor roadbump on the way to the HOF following a(n otherwise) HOF-worthy career. . . .

Also, Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations did a piece from KC. You can eat REALLY well there.

In the immortal words of Bob RyanJay Sherman, “It STINKS!”

ftfy