http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2286997


Name Votes Percentage
Bruce Sutter 400 76.9
Jim Rice 337 64.8
Rich Gossage 336 64.6
Andre Dawson 317 61.0
Bert Blyleven 277 53.3
Lee Smith 234 45.0
Jack Morris 214 41.2
Tommy John 154 29.6
Steve Garvey 135 26.0
Alan Trammell 92 17.7
Dave Parker 76 14.4
Dave Concepcion 65 12.5
Don Mattingly 64 12.3
Orel Hershiser 58 11.2
Dale Murphy 56 10.8
Albert Belle 40 7.7

Really thought the 'roids scandal would make room in the HOF for Rice, Murphy, Mattingly, Dawson...maybe next year.

There's really no one on the list that is really close. Rice maybe, but isn't he getting close to running out of eligibility time?

Sutter was elected on his 13th (lucky?) try...I didn't even think he was out of the game that long.

Sutter

'Roids scandal will really be tested next year when McGwire is on the ballot. Next year is shaping up for a good one with Ripken and Gwynn eligible.

2007

2008 looks very iffy, though.

Wow, '08-'10 looks terrible. Henderson is probably the best bet of those (he's in by virtue of his speed), with slim possibilities for Martinez and Galaraga, whose numbers look like Rice's but are aided by Coors Field.

I'd imagine those who don't make it in '07 have good shots to get in in the following weak years. Gwynn and Ripken are shoo-ins, probably unanimous first-ballots. Canseco and McGwire have their problems, but it'd be tough not to vote for the latter. To me, Baines benefits in one of the following years from a weak crop and is good enough to make it on his second or third ballot. Canseco (and, if he doesn't make it, Big Mac) might also benefit if the former can shut up.

Saberhagen had some great years, and Fernandez was consistently good, but neither were great enough to make it, IMO.

I'm really bummed for Gossage, who deserves to be there as much as Sutter (who definitely belongs).

Congrats to Walt Weiss, Gregg Jefferies, Doug Jones, and Gary Gaetti for getting votes

I agree AD.

Gossage was DOMINANT....just didnt have as much longevity unfortunately to warrant enough consideration

22 Seasons - and statistically equal to Wilhelm and Fingers

As much as Sutter, he deserves it.

You almost wonder which writers vote for some of those guys?... Unless they figure they should cast a vote for them in hopes that other writers will do the same and the player will at least get 5% and stay on the ballot.

But, Walt Weiss... 1 vote! What moon are some of these writers on?

I say the HOF is becoming a joke. Albert Belle has career number comparable to Kirby Puckett, he suffered the same "type" of injury yet he gets 7.7% of the vote? The sports writers don't like him so he doesn't get in.

I wonder if Kirby would be in if the writers knew he was cheating on his wife, drinking, using prescription meds and a general !@#$ to his family.

And Mattingly's numbers are VERY similar to Puckett's and Donnie dosent even get close.

But lets not get into that, we know there are Anti Yankees fans here who dont want Donnie in

And Keith Hernandez has very similar #s to those guys as well.

Just because Puckett got in (probably largely on his role as the heart and soul of 2 championship teams), I don't think that every guy who hit .300 should be a HOFer.

There's really not a compelling case for Belle, Mattingly or Hernandez IMO.

I love seeing the names on the ballot every year. Gary Disarcina...REALLY? Next year, Kevan Tapani, Charlie Hayes, Jeff Shaw...Brings back somememories..but not nearly enough to warrant HOF criteria.

Albert Belle .295 BA/.369 OBP/. 933 OPS/389 2B'S/381 HR/ 1239 RBI in 12 seasons

Kirby Puckett .318 BA/ .360 OBP/ .837 OPS/414 2B'S/207 HR/1085 RBI in 12 seasons.


Albert had a degenaritve hip and that's why he never was able to finish his career. But, he should be in.

Albert, Don Mattingly, Kirby and Dale Murphy should all be in the hall of fame and there shouldn't be any doubt about it. They were the face of baseball in the mid to late 80's and early 90's.

No he shouldnt. He is not a hall of fame player. We have gone too far with the hall of fame. Too many people get in. To me the hall of fame is Micky Mantle, Joe Dimaggio, Babe Ruth, Killibrew, Nolan Ryan, Lou Gehrig, Ty Cobb, Johnny Bench, ted williams, hank aaron, johnny bench, sandy kofax, Lou Brock etc etc. Albert Belle (or kirby puckett for that matter) do not need to be in the hall of fame. It dilutes the honor, which is not fair the the greats.

Albert Belle was great. First player ever to hit fifty doubles and fifty homers in the same season, and it was in the strike shortened season of 95.

Doesnt make him great. Jose Canseco has the first 40/40 season. Shoud he be in? Albert Belle was far from great. He was a good player. He did some good things, but he does NOT belong in the same group as Mantle, Mays, Aaron and Ted Williams.

Great in that "puffed up because he used dianabol so hard he counted with his foot" kind of way.

Granted Belle was no Mays Arron or Ted Williams but look at these numbers:

1992 .260 34HR 112 RBI
1993 .290 38HR 129 RBI
1994 .357 36HR 101 RBI (strike shortned year)
1995 .317 50HR 126 RBI (143 games)
1996 .311 48HR 148 RBI
1997 .274 30HR 116 RBI
1998 .328 49HR 152 RBI
1999 .297 37HR 117 RBI
2000 .281 23HR 103 RBI

Far from great? Not a chance. So what if he was a bad guy, he was a DOMINANT run producer in his time.