2015 Hall of Fame Ballot Unveiled (Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz and Craig Biggio elected; post 22)

[Bombers]

New:

1. Randy Johnson

2. Pedro Martinez

3. John Smoltz

4. Gary Sheffield

Top Carryovers from last years ballot:

5. Craig Biggio 74.8

6. Mike Piazza 62.2

7. Jeff Bagwell 54.3

8. Tim Raines 46.1

9. Roger Clemens 35.4

10. Barry Bonds 34.7

[TURBO]

UNIT should be automatic! One of my all time favorites!

[Invader3K]

Johnson seems like a 1st ballot shoo-in, and I would think Smoltz has a strong chance as well. Hoping Sheffield doesn't make it in eventually, though he probably will. Not really sure on Pedro...he'll probably be voted in eventually, but the writers will probably make him "pledge" and not vote him in this go-around.

 

I would guess Biggio and Piazza probably make it this time as well.

[reillymcshane]

New:

1. Randy Johnson

2. Pedro Martinez

3. John Smoltz

4. Gary Sheffield

Top Carryovers from last years ballot:

5. Craig Biggio 74.8

6. Mike Piazza 62.2

7. Jeff Bagwell 54.3

8. Tim Raines 46.1

9. Roger Clemens 35.4

10. Barry Bonds 34.7

This is a heck of a list.

[torts]

i'd be surprised if Smoltz didnt get in on a first ballot. not surprised.. more like shocked.

[BrewBalls]

I predict Johnson, Smoltz, Biggio and Piazza are all voted in with Martinez and Bagwell in the 55-65% range.

[dlk9s]

Not really sure on Pedro...he'll probably be voted in eventually, but the writers will probably make him "pledge" and not vote him in this go-around.

Pedro will easily get in on the first ballot.

[SRB]

If I were a player getting voted in I would publicly decline on the grounds that it is embarrassing to be in a "Hall of Fame" that Barry Bonds is not in. (I'm none of the players listed though, sadly...)

[Bombers]

I predict Johnson, Smoltz, Biggio and Piazza are all voted in with Martinez and Bagwell in the 55-65% range.

I wish that would happen but the tough part is a voter can only vote for 10 people (and they never use all 10.) Plus a player needs to be on 75% of the ballots. It makes it tough to get more than 2 in, in any given year. See this: http://www.baseball-almanac.com/hof/hofmem3.shtml

 

Last year saw 3 voted in and so did 1999 (Ryan, Brett, and Yount) ... But it's rare. I think it's the unit, Smoltz and Biggio

[joepepsi]

How does Pedro not get in on the first ballot? He is arguably the most dominating pitcher in his prime of all time. Career ERA of 2.91 pitching in the steroid era, 10 K/9ip, 2.4BB/9, 4.15K/BB ratio. Simply outstanding.

[JohnBriggs12]

i'd be surprised if Smoltz didnt get in on a first ballot. not surprised.. more like shocked.

 

I don't think Smoltz quite makes it on first ballot. If he wasn't on same ballot as Johnson and Martinez he would but I think he waits a year. Biggio gets in this year to round out the class with Piazza and Smoltz just short.

 

Sheffield won't get 40%.

[Funketown]

I consider both Randy Johnson and Pedro to be top-10 all time pitchers. Heck, you make an all-time "greatest of the greatest" team and they may both crack the starting rotation, assuming selection based on performance in their primes.

 

The only guys on there which I can make an argument for not including are Sheffield and Raines, and I prefer a "small hall".

 

I'm voting for:

Johnson

Martinez

Smoltz

Biggio

Piazza

Clemens

Bonds

Bagwell

[Outlander]

Johnson, Martinez and Biggio will for sure get elected this year. Hoping that Piazza does as well as he should already be in. Would be nice if Bagwell and Biggio went in the same year but Bagwell has too much ground to pick up this year, maybe 2016. Thinking Smoltz will be waiting a while with similar pitchers like Schilling and Mussina out there. Glad that ballot clogger Mattingly will finally be removed. Wouldn't mind if Sosa received less than 5% since he stands no chance of getting elected by the writers.

[DuWayne Steurer]

Pedro had a 9 year run where he had almost 70 WAR. That's absurd.

[Bombers]

Pedro had a 9 year run where he had almost 70 WAR. That's absurd.

Ya, that is true. Maybe this is the year where 4 guys get in during the same year. Smoltz may be the odd guy out but Randy and Pedro should be in for sure.

[trwi7]

If I had a vote I would use all 10 of my picks on Eddie Guardado.

[LS Brewer]

Everyone on the OP's list except for Sheffield should be in

[Bombers]

HOF Ballot Tracker is predicting a class of 5. They track down all the public ballots and make predictions. If 5 people make it that would be great

http://www.bbhoftracker.com/

 

·Randy Johnson (named on 98.59 percent of ballots)

·Pedro Martinez (97.89 percent)

·John Smoltz (87.32 percent)

·Craig Biggio (80.99 percent)

·Mike Piazza (78.87 percent)

[Outlander]

Still don't think Piazza gets in. There are still too many voters that don't reveal their vote and lump Piazza in the steroid category without any real evidence.

[Baldkin]

Still don't think Piazza gets in. There are still too many voters that don't reveal their vote and lump Piazza in the steroid category without any real evidence.

 

It's hilarious that for something that is all about integrity of the game that these guys don't have to make their votes public.

 

The fact that I could legitimately vote for 15 or so guys on this ballot makes the only vote for 10 thing silly, as does the "I'm only going to vote for 3 guys" attitude of some of the sports writers.

 

My votes, in order:

 

1. Bonds

2. Pedro

3. Johnson

4. Clemens

5. Schilling

6. Mussina

7. Smoltz

8. Raines

9. McGwire

10. Bagwell

11. Sosa

12. Biggio

13. Edgar Martinez

14. Trammel

15. Larry Walker

16. Sheffield

17. Lee Smith

18. McGriff

 

I mean, that's a ridiculous list.

[JimH5]

My 10 vote ballot would include Unit, Pedro, Schilling, Smoltz, Mussina, Biggio, Raines, Edgar, Trammell and Kent.

[Baldkin]

4 got in.

 

Johnson, Pedro Martinez, Smoltz and Biggio.

 

I'm just shocked at how much better people view Smoltz than Mussina or Schilling.

[stoutdude04]

Dislike how much Tim Raines gets no love. I enjoyed watching him even late in his career.

[igor67]

I'm OK with a 10 player ballot limit, but I also recognize the nature of the current situation so getting 4 players in this year is nice as it cuts down on the numbers game a little bit. That said I'm very much OK with known (not randomly accused) PED guys not making it in, so there is a lot less of a crunch in my mind.

[JohnBriggs12]

4 got in.

 

Johnson, Pedro Martinez, Smoltz and Biggio.

 

I'm just shocked at how much better people view Smoltz than Mussina or Schilling.

 

Some of it has to do with his visibility in the booth and the media but you're absolutely right. He's not close to the same level as the Big Unit or Pedro. Heck for most of his career he was the #3 starter on his own team. In fact Mussina and Schilling beat Smoltz in most of those lists that rank guys HOF credentials based on various categories. I have no problem with Smoltz getting elected but on the first ballot? Mussina and Schilling are his equals and belong in the Hall.

 

Mussina might be getting tarred for being on the same staff as Clemens and Pettite when they were taking PEDs, and Schilling has rubbed some people the wrong way.