And this year's winners are...

By John Gottlieb
The Phanatic Magazine

Every year I wax poetic about how the writers have done such a bad job with the privilege they’ve been handed by voting for the Hall of Fame...this year won’t be any different.

Whether it’s Bill Conlin, who won’t vote for any first ballot Hall of Famers, or the other seven morons that also thought Cal wasn’t good enough last year, or whether it’s the three idiots that actually think Dante Bichette belongs in Cooperstown, it’s clear that more tinkering needs to be done to the voting system.

The Vets committee didn’t vote someone in for two years and they couldn’t change the process fast enough. AND SOMEHOW MARVIN MILLER STILL ISN’T IN.

However, this year there is no clear-cut favorite. There is no definite inductee. There are many retreads and one or two will get in as a product of a weak ballot. The criteria to become a Hall of Famer shouldn’t change depending on who else is eligible to receive votes.

Writers get to vote for as many as 10 candidates and whoever gets 75% of the vote will get enshrined in Cooperstown on July 27.

One thing that must be written is that no one ever becomes more of a Hall of Famer; they either deserve to be in or not. Dave Concepción is on the ballot for the 15th and final year. What makes his candidacy better this year than any of the previous 14? That being said players shouldn’t be on the ballot that long. Kick players out after seven years. They get seven shots before moving on and taking their chances with the Veteran’s Committee.

The next step is to get a better vetting process. Guys like Dante Bichette and new additions on this year’s ballot, including Todd Stottlemyer, Travis Fryman, Brady Anderson, Chuck Finley, etc., should never see the ballot. They are clearly not Hall-worthy. (Rod Beck was going to be left off the ballot, even though he was eligible, but was put on after his unfortunate passing.)

The only newcomer of the 11 that were added to this year’s ballot that has a shot of collecting a substantial amount of votes is Tim Raines. But the fact that he refused to hang up the cleats until a few years too late will hurt his chances.

Andre Dawson was on Jim Rome’s ESPN show on Monday and he said he didn’t think the younger writers did enough homework to warrant a vote. Make the writers pass some sort of criteria that shows they are doing the appropriate amount of work before casting a ballot. I know that you have to be part of the Writer’s Association for at least 10 years, but that’s not good enough, especially when Bobby Bonilla got two votes.

Dawson is probably right and it’s a shame. There are too many writers that probably only remember the end of Dawson’s career, and that’s what they will judge him on.

Here is who I would vote for on my ballot, if I had one:

Rich “Goose” Gossage – Was a dominant relief pitcher in the 70’s and helped the Yankees get two titles. He made nine All-Star teams, led the league in saves three times (And he did this when the closer position wasn’t as defined. Gossage led the league by finishing 55 games in 1978, but he only recorded 27 saves. He was consistently counted for more than an inning. No reliever was more intimidating than Gossage during his time.

Jim Rice – For 12 years Rice was the best player in the American League. From 1975 to 1986 Rice led the league in home runs, extra-base hits, RBIs, slugging, and runs. It’s time for writers to get off Rice’s back for not being a friendly guy. He deserves to be in and he’s running out of time. He’s looking to become the first guy since Red Ruffing in 1967 to be enshrined in his 14th year or later.

Jack Morris – He leads the 80s with 162 wins, 133 complete games, 332 starts and 2,443 innings. He is the only pitcher to lead a decade in wins and not be in the Hall. He has four World Series rings; look it up; he also got one with the 1993 Blue Jays.) Morris has a trio of 20-win seasons, 11 campaigns with 200-plus innings and three 200-strikeout seasons. He’s also tied for second with 14 Opening Day starts, joining Steve Carlton, Randy Johnson, Walter Johnson and Cy Young for second-most ever, and a pair behind Tom Seaver (16). He was 7-4 with a 3.80 earned run average in 13 postseason starts with five complete games and 64 strikeouts in just under 93 innings pitched, including one of the greatest postseason pitching performances with a 1-0, 10-inning victory over the Braves in the seventh game of the 91 Series.

Andre Dawson – He has 438 home runs, a Rookie of the Year, eight Gold Gloves, an MVP (on a last-place team) and finished second twice. If he got in he would have the lowest on-base percentage (.323) of any member but he was one of the best players of the 80s. He was right there with Mike Schmidt and George Brett. He is one of only six players in major league history with more than 300 homers and 300 steals, including Barry and Bobby Bonds, Willie Mays, Reggie Sanders and Steve Finley. “The Hawk” is also one of three players with 400 home runs and 300 stolen bases club, along with the Home Run King and his godfather.

Here are the guys that just missed getting my vote

Bert Blyleven – His 287 wins, 3,701 strikeouts, and 60 shutouts are impressive numbers but he wasn’t dominant enough. He had longevity on a number of bad teams. He only won 20 games once, made only two All-Star teams, and only received Cy Young votes in four seasons.

Tommy John – See Bert Blyleven. I liked Blyleven until I compared him to Tommy John, and the numbers are too similar. John had 288 wins with three 20-win campaigns, 46 shutouts, and 2,245 whiffs. Would we be having this conversation if hadn't had a surgery named after himself.

Tim Raines – “Rock” was a seven-time All-Star (1981-87), while leading the National League in stolen bases four times and runs twice. He won the 1986 NL batting title (.334), and hit .300 or higher in eight seasons. He has six 100-run seasons, and 16 campaigns of 10 or more stolen bases. Raines is the NL record-holder for highest stolen-base percentage (.857) with at least 300 steals, and the MLB record-holder for highest stolen-base percentage (.847) with at least 300 attempts. He ranks fifth all-time in stolen bases (808) and 45th all-time in runs (1,571). He should get in...but not this year.

Don Mattingly – Injuries sapped of what could’ve been a phenomenal career. He was a fantastic defender with nine Gold Gloves, an MVP, a six-time All Star, and he has a share of the MLB record with a HR in eight consecutive games and the most grand slams (six) in a season.

Lee Smith – He held the record for most saves because he held on to his career for soooooooo long.