ARGGGGHHHH!!!! Disregard the man behind the curtain and the extra two ballots! Darn server upgrades are screwing around with my computer.

John - a 1949 ballot discussion thread?

I don't post the discussion threads until the election is over, OCF.

My internet was out at work most of today due to flooding on the Deleware River. Still kind of shakey from home. Hope this makes it in on time!

1. Charlie Gehringer (n/e) – one of the best ever at second base.

2. Mule Suttles (3) -- with limited info, I can conclude that he was better than Eppa Rixey and Ted Lyons. That's all he needs to finish 3rd.

3. Ted Lyons (n/e) – would have made the top half of the ballot even without WWII credit.

4. Eppa Rixey (4) -- Lots of way above average innings. Lots of solid seasons. War credit.

5. Jake Beckley (5) -- I consider myself equal parts "peak" and "career", but I think this peak-minded electorate is leaving me with lots of the older career guys on top.

6. Gavy Cravath (6) – I’m waiting to see the MLEs, but I can’t imagine they’d move him down from here, rather than up.

7. Jud Wilson (7) -- at least.

8. Jose Mendez (8) -- We seem to love Wes Ferrell. I think Ferrell was no Jose Mendez.

9. Dolf Luque (9) -- It took the World War player dearth for Luque to finally get a solid shot at the majors, despite numerous seasons of top-rate pitching at a young age in Cuba, the Negro Leagues, and the top white minors. He doesn't get credit for more than he did, but he does get to fill out the left side of his bell curve a little. Those Cuban league games counted too, and I think they have to be considered in creating the "big picture".


10. Mickey Welch (10) -- Am I getting bored, or just less impressed with his numbers to 400th time I've looked at them? I don't know. In any case, I'm less inspired about pushing his candidacy than I have been in previous years, and his "subjective points" ranking is starting to slide a little.



11. Roger Bresnahan (11) -- A highly-leveraged catcher. Look at his PA/G compared to his peers. Either he got lots of rest in blowouts, or, more likely, he was #1 off the bench on his days off. If you had a catcher who could hit like left fielder, wouldn't you try to get an extra PA out of him on his rest days? Amazing peak, and a long-enough career if you know who to compare him to.

12. John Beckwith (12) -- I am satisfied that he was sufficiently better than Sewell to warrant a ballot spot.

13. Pete Browning (13) -- One of the best hitters ever, but with one of the shortest careers. Season adjusted, he's Albert Belle.

14. Bill Monroe (14) -- still one of the best.

15. Tommy Leach (15) -- My next "career only".

The election is now over. Results will be up shortly (depending upon what Jim Furtado is doing with the site tonight).

Woo hoo!