Fangraphs Crowdsource HOF Ballot

Phil Gurnee ♦ December 31, 2018 ♦ Leave a comment

Can I have a do-over? Jay Jaffe reminded fangraphs members that today was the last day to submit their 2019 HOF vote in their HOF Crowdsource ballot. I used to be a big HOF debate person as I watched solid HOF candidates get zero traction and disappear off the ballot before a groundswell of support could get them in like Bert Blyleven but my passion for that debate has waned.

I had stayed so far out  I didn’t’ even know who was on the ballot until I decided to put in my two cents. I probably should have stayed out of the discussion. I voted with my gut and sent it in. Only after I voted did I read the awesome breakdown by Jay Jaffe on the 2019 HOF ballot. 

This is my HOF ballot.

Rick Ankiel – no

Because so many of the PED-tainted group were still on the ballot it was easy to use all ten of my votes. I would have used more but I decided to use my votes on the guys who should have been in a long time ago.  Did the election of Harold Baines change my mind? Yes, I can’t leave out Edgar Martinez if Harold Baines is in the HOF. I did think that Scott Rolen, Lance Berkman, Mike Mussina, Curt Schilling, and Andy Pettitte had legit cases but they didn’t make my cut.

This wasn’t a fun exercise, I had to hold my nose to vote for players who at one time cheated or who I actually loathed. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were players I couldn’t stand from day one, long before their PED days. They were also the two of the best players of their era and my easy first two picks. Mariano Rivera was my 3rd pick. Roy Halladay was my 4th pick. Edgar Martinez was my 5th pick.

At this point, Jay Jaffe and I are seeing eye to eye. It gets dicey after that. Larry Walker was my 9th pick, just before Manny Ramirez. He was Jay’s sixth pick.  Gary Sheffield, Manny Ramirez, Jeff Kent all got my vote, but their defensive shortcoming didn’t get them much JAWS support. Each was borderline at best according to Jay. That left Sammy Sosa whose offensive career wasn’t enough and may have been my poorest choice.

This meant that four of my ten would not have passed the JAWS test. They were borderline choices but Jay really likes Rolen who I noted in my notes was someone who I planned on voting for.  The others were Mike Mussina, Todd Helton, and Billy Wagner. I have no plans of supporting Billy Wagner for the HOF. I knew Mussina had a good argument and can easily support that vote. Todd Helton? I’ll have to review the data for that one.

Even if I had a do over I would not include Wagner or Helton. I suppose I would drop Jeff Kent and Sammy Sosa for Scott Rolen and Mike Mussina. I’m good with that.