Harold Baines.....Lee Smith in Hall of Fame

[TonySoprano]

55 minutes ago, bobmc said:

Good "hearing" your voice!  Sadly, I was at a Reds ballgame this summer when they played the ex-Orioles Machado and Co.   I was crowd watching and happened to look downward and saw a much-hobbled Joe Morgan being assisted into his wheelchair as he was leaving.  It was a sad but very real look at the aging process.

Quote

Morgan has been in ill health since 2014. He missed Rose’s induction into the Reds Hall of Fame last year and Rose’s number retirement last summer. Rose’s voice cracked when he talked about Morgan. 

Not only did he make the ceremony Saturday. He walked up the stage with the help of a pair of canes. More than a few people in the crowd got choked up watching that.

Morgan’s health problem began with a knee replacement that didn’t go well. He later had a bone-marrow transplant. Morgan has kept the details private — even to those close to him.

“When Joe was sick, I didn’t realized he was that sick,” Rose said. “Because, first of all, he’d never tell you. I called him every other day or every day. He always sounded good.”

But the situation was grave.

“He was near death,” Bench said. “He was an invalid. Now, he sees ahead. He sees the end of the tunnel. It’s not another train coming. It’s something to be happy about.

“Once again, he’s back to being Joe.”

https://www.wcpo.com/news/insider/joe-morgan-makes-pete-roses-big-day-perfect

[ShaneDawg85]

I loved Harold Baines as a player.  But, when I saw the news on the ticker I honestly thought it was April Fools or something.  We could run off any number of players, as several already have, who should have gotten in at this point, or who never will but should.  Harold Baines was a darn fine hitter for his period, before and after the steroid era.  But, nice guy, clean player or not, off the top of my head I'd vehemently argue any number of players belong in the Hall before Harold Baines ever did.  

[ShaneDawg85]

Totally spurious reasoning, but part of me sits here thinking that Harold Baines getting in does wonders in the future for players like Nick Markakis.  Similar WAR, less homers but will be in the ballpark on hits, better defensive player, quiet and unassuming but never rumored to be a malcontent or a cheater.  I don't think Markakis will get into the Hall, and as much as I love the man he probably shouldn't.  But, if you let in guys like Harold Baines and the bar drops lower, you never know what could happen.

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, ShaneDawg85 said:

Totally spurious reasoning, but part of me sits here thinking that Harold Baines getting in does wonders in the future for players like Nick Markakis.  Similar WAR, less homers but will be in the ballpark on hits, better defensive player, quiet and unassuming but never rumored to be a malcontent or a cheater.  I don't think Markakis will get into the Hall, and as much as I love the man he probably shouldn't.  But, if you let in guys like Harold Baines and the bar drops lower, you never know what could happen.

Voters won't put him in.  These committees?

I will be surprised if some folks don't consider someone like Baines a "real" Hall of Famer.

[weams]

This is a repudiation of eligibility based on WAR.  Also, had either of these men had blemishes on their personal scoreboard they would not have been chosen by this group.

I see it as a balance to the inevitable induction of more steroid guys. 

[wildbillhiccup]

10 minutes ago, ShaneDawg85 said:

I loved Harold Baines as a player.  But, when I saw the news on the ticker I honestly thought it was April Fools or something.  We could run off any number of players, as several already have, who should have gotten in at this point, or who never will but should.  Harold Baines was a darn fine hitter for his period, before and after the steroid era.  But, nice guy, clean player or not, off the top of my head I'd vehemently argue any number of players belong in the Hall before Harold Baines ever did.  

I had the same reaction. I also think this probably opens the door for Edgar Martinez to get elected too. In general I'm not sure how I feel about players who spent their entire careers as DHs getting int the Hall. 

[TonySoprano]

In my book, Harold Baines is a fine gentleman, but Cooperstown is not supposed to be the Hall of the Very Good, which is what Harold was as a player.   Harold had a very strong advocate in Jerry Reinsdorf, reminiscent of what Phil Rizzuto had in Yogi Berra when it came time for a vote in 1994.
 

Quote

The only way a man as quiet, dignified and respected as Baines could be at the center of controversy is this: where he’s placed in the Hall of Fame. The decision will not be seen as anything but a rebuke of the Baseball Writers Association of America voters, who gave him less than five percent of the vote in his fifth year on the ballot, and never as much as 10 percent during his run. Reinsdorf was worried that the writers’ lack of regard for Baines might hamper his fate with the committee, but despite the appearance of a particularly beloved player for his beloved White Sox getting in thanks to the votes of a committee he sat on, he pushed back against any speculation that he “lobbied” for Baines.

“I wouldn’t say lobby,” Reinsdorf said. “There are 16 people on the committee. We went over each player one by one, each person, and then we broke for lunch. We came back and Jane Clark asked if there was anyone who wanted to say anything about anyone else, so a few people made additional comments. I wouldn’t call it a lobbying. I think it was a great discussion. There was no arm twisting. It was a secret ballot so people could vote the way they wanted to want. So whoever voted for him must have believed he deserved to get in.”

https://theathletic.com/704070/2018/12/10/harold-baines-hall-of-fame-election-delights-white-sox-confounds-everyone-else

[Can_of_corn]

5 minutes ago, wildbillhiccup said:

I had the same reaction. I also think this probably opens the door for Edgar Martinez to get elected too. In general I'm not sure how I feel about players who spent their entire careers as DHs getting int the Hall. 

I view DHs the same way I view relief pitchers.

[Redskins Rick]

7 minutes ago, wildbillhiccup said:

I had the same reaction. I also think this probably opens the door for Edgar Martinez to get elected too. In general I'm not sure how I feel about players who spent their entire careers as DHs getting int the Hall. 

He didnt spend his whole career as DH, check his stats.

He has more OF games then he did DH games.

 

[ORIOLE33]

If Baines is in, Ortiz is going to get in on the first ballot. Baines was good, but was he hall of fame worthy? 

[Redskins Rick]

2 minutes ago, ORIOLE33 said:

If Baines is in, Ortiz is going to get in on the first ballot. Baines was good, but was he hall of fame worthy? 

Not based on his career WAR of 38.

[Can_of_corn]

3 minutes ago, ORIOLE33 said:

If Baines is in, Ortiz is going to get in on the first ballot. Baines was good, but was he hall of fame worthy? 

I think Ortiz is getting in and getting in early but Baines isn't going to make it easier.

These are different groups putting folks in and the committee tapping Baines isn't going to make Ortiz's case to the writers more appealing. 

I do think that if they keep the current group of committee's putting folks in we will see a surge in hall membership.

[Frobby]

12 hours ago, Babypowder said:

Pretty low bar for this committee, it appears.

Too low for my taste.    But congrats to them, I guess.  

[Redskins Rick]

15 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

I think Ortiz is getting in and getting in early but Baines isn't going to make it easier.

These are different groups putting folks in and the committee tapping Baines isn't going to make Ortiz's case to the writers more appealing. 

I do think that if they keep the current group of committee's putting folks in we will see a surge in hall membership.

Ortiz has PEDs taint, right or wrong.

I dont believe Baines had any hints.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

I interpreted this as Orioles hall of fame inductees when I first read this headline. 

I know Lee Smith was just a reliever but his career WAR is 29!  Mariano Rivera is almost double at 56.