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Another year, another annoying Hall of Fame vote. We have 13 more years of this. With the advances in medical science, we can't expect mortality to help turn the voters over like we used to. Barry Bonds wasn't voted into the Hall of Fame by the BBWAA. He might never be. Bonds had 36.2 percent last year. He was at 34.7 this year. That's less than encouraging.
Congratulations to Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, and Frank Thomas, though. All three are deserving members of the Hall, of course. Even if you're a smallest-of-the-small Hall person, those three get in.
Craig Biggio missed by one or two votes. That's obnoxious. Back he goes onto a super-crowded ballot for next year.
As much as I longed for Mike Piazza's mustache to get caught in a bug zapper, I'm pretty disappointed he didn't get in. Also, Jeff Bagwell was the most feared hitter the Giants would see for about a decade, give or take. If there's a Hall of Get That Guy Away From the Giants, Bagwell (along with Gary Sheffield and Kevin Brown) would be a first-ballot shoo-in.
I used to think Kent was something of a lock for the Hall, but that was before I saw how crowded the ballots are. I'm glad he got over five percent (15.2 percent), and I think in about a decade, he'll get some serious consideration. The MVP helps him, which means if I had to to back and time and argue against Bonds in 2000, I'd have some practical ammunition. Tiebreaker goes to the guy who needs it more for Cooperstown.
Curt Schilling isn't in. Tim Raines isn't in. Alan Trammell doesn't get nearly enough respect. Roger Clemens was like the Barry Bonds of pitching, except he wasn't nearly as huggable and warm. What a wretched result. Next year, Randy Johnson, John Smoltz, and Pedro Martinez go on the ballot, so nothing gets easier.
The headline is a goof, but six people actually voted for Moises Alou, and there was one vote each for J.T. Snow and Armando Benitez. Someone sat down with the ballot, licked the tip of his or her pencil, thought about it for a while, put his or her head down, and made a mark next to Armando Benitez's name.
But the big news is the dropping support for Barry Bonds. There is a museum about baseball, and this museum has plaques that tell the stories of the very best players in baseball history. This museum does not include a plaque of Barry Bonds. Grow up, museum.
