Comments | clydeclod: How the Hall of Fame SHOULD work...

clydeclod

How the Hall of Fame SHOULD work...

Jan 12, 2006 22:27

Previously posted to Craig's Blog:

Here's my problem: How is someone a Hall of Famer one year and not the 12 or so prior times he's been on the ballot? I say you either are or you aren't -- you don't BECOME one AFTER your playing days are over. If anything, the people who voted for Bruce Sutter this year and not in ( Read more... )

Comments 3

corsair553 January 14 2006, 00:22:21 UTC

I think I disagree with you completely. First of all, I think the whole argument is based on a flawed premise. Yes, Bruce Sutter didn't do anything different between the first year on the ballot and his last year on the ballot. However, just because he got voted on his 12th try does not mean that he wasn't a hall of famer the first 11 ( ... )

clydeclod January 14 2006, 17:28:39 UTC

You miss the point about the courtesy votes. Each vote for undeserving players like Hal Morris is one less vote that can be cast for the few players on the ballot who DESERVE to get them. If you've been given the honor of having a ballot to file, then it's your CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY to vote for the people who SHOULD be in the Hall, because THAT'S WHAT THE VOTES ARE FOR! The votes are not out of some vague "respect", but rather serving a very specific purpose.

Thus, it's reasonable to put the onus on ballot-casters at the very outset. Much like a political office-holder, if they are not able to perform their duties, they should be parted from them. There are plenty of baseball beat writers, so give the job to the people who actually care and pay attention.

By the way, your first paragraph completely AGREES with my initial premise as I wrote it...

So how's that law school arguing cases thing going for you? ;)

corsair553 January 14 2006, 18:41:09 UTC

Hall of Fame voting isn't that you get 5 votes and they have to be apportioned accordingly, you get a yes or no vote on each person up for admission. Thus, your first paragraph is null. I would've expected a journalist to know that.

And my first paragraph was merely setting up the discussion, not actually arguing anything, so, law school case arguing thing is going just fine.