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Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Kansas City Royals’ Hall of Fame voting shenanigans: Jimmy Gobble (5.23 career ERA) second in early results

People voted for Sanjaya too.

Apparently, a rogue element of jokesters has organized itself with the intent on getting longtime bad left-hander Jimmy Gobble elected to the Kansas City Royals’ Hall of Fame.
This year’s list of candidates includes Bo Jackson, Darrell Porter, Kevin Seitzer, John Wathan, Jermaine Dye and Al Cowens, and all except one — Bo — are running behind Gobble as of Tuesday night. Jimmy has been gobbling up online votes at a 20 percent-plus clip. Bo leads with over 40 percent.

Gobble, not that you need to be reminded of the hard numbers because you remember the generally stinky results, finished his career with a 5.23 ERA in 235 major league appearances for K.C. His first nine starts were OK in 2003 for the last Royals team to finish over .500, and he had a good ERA out of the bullpen as a specialist in 2007. He is friends with Zack Greinke, so he’s probably a good guy.
Gobble was the 43rd overall pick of the 1999 draft and, at one time, was rated by Baseball America the No. 50 prospect in Major League Baseball. So he could have been somebody but, as far as ballplayers go, he was a below-average left-handed pitcher. I’m being really nice here — Gobble was a turkey!

And someone out there thinks it’s HEE-larious that Gobble is even on the ballot in the first place, so why not embarrass the Royals more by making it look like he has a chance to win? The Royals HOF (located inside of Kauffman Stadium) has admitted 25 members (including groundskeeper George Toma) since it opened in 1986. So it’s exclusive. And the Royals, though kids today might not believe it, have an actual tradition that includes some great players — such as Porter, who deserves to be enshrined.

RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: March 20, 2013 at 02:19 PM | 25 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: jimmy gobble, royals, twitter

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1. Transmission Posted: March 20, 2013 at 04:41 PM (#4392867)

Royals Hall of Fame Voting Rules and Guidelines for Eligibility

Royals Hall of Fame Voting (Regular Phase) shall be completed every other year by a committee of 40 total electors consisting of the following: (1) All living members of the Royals Hall of Fame; (2) Select Royals Board members; (3) Select members of the Kansas City Chapter of the Baseball Writers of America; (4) Select Kansas City Electronic Media members; (5) Select members of Royals Front Office Staff; and (6) Royals Fans casting votes as a virtual committee member via social media from this page. Royals fans will collectively cast a total of three (3) elector ballots for three eligible candidates. Individual electors can vote for up to three players on their ballots. Fan votes will be allocated to three players as follows: the top vote getter from this online fan ballot will receive three (3) elector votes, the second highest vote-getter will receive two (2) elector votes, and the third highest vote-getter will receive one (1) elector vote. The KC Royals will monitor the online voting and determine the allocation of the three (3) fan elector ballots in their sole discretion.

The Fine Print

In other words, the Royals designed this so that fan input would be both minimal and overrideable.

2. RJ in TO Posted: March 20, 2013 at 04:52 PM (#4392895)

It seems like a reasonable selection to me. After all, is there really a better example of Royals baseball from the last 20 years than someone like Jimmy Gobble?

3. Gonfalon B. Posted: March 20, 2013 at 05:02 PM (#4392918)

When it comes to the last generation of the Kansas City Royals, I'm more of a "small Hell" guy.

4. Bob Tufts Posted: March 20, 2013 at 05:04 PM (#4392924)

I am extremely insulted.

5. Der-K, the bloodied charmer Posted: March 20, 2013 at 05:21 PM (#4392950)

You've got my vote, Bob!

6. Hang down your head, Tom Foley Posted: March 20, 2013 at 05:53 PM (#4392989)

It will be Francoeur.

7. Misirlou is on hiding to nowhere Posted: March 20, 2013 at 05:55 PM (#4392993)

When it comes to the last generation of the Kansas City Royals, I'm more of a "small Hell" guy.

Or Smell Hall

8. Misirlou is on hiding to nowhere Posted: March 20, 2013 at 05:56 PM (#4392995)

On a more important note, how the hell is jackson ahead of Porter? Porter was a legitimate great player, Jackson was a sideshow

9. Crispix reaches boiling point with lackluster play Posted: March 20, 2013 at 05:58 PM (#4392997)

It seems like a reasonable selection to me. After all, is there really a better example of Royals baseball from the last 20 years than someone like Jimmy Gobble?

Was Neifi Perez on the ballot?

10. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: March 20, 2013 at 06:03 PM (#4393004)

On a more important note, how the hell is jackson ahead of Porter? Porter was a legitimate great player, Jackson was a sideshow

Its a Hall of FAME, not Hall of Merit. I think club Hall of Fames are for popular players (like say Cookie Rojas, who does not belong on merit). Bo clearly fits that profile, as does Joe Randa (why isn't he on the ballot????) while maybe someone who was pretty good but fairly unpopular like Danny Tartabull could be left out.

11. Misirlou is on hiding to nowhere Posted: March 20, 2013 at 06:08 PM (#4393011)

Its a Hall of FAME, not Hall of Merit.

Darrell Porter 4 times AS (3 with Royals), 2 time top 10 MVP, ROY 3rd place

Bo Jackson 1 time AS, 1 time top 10 MVP.

Jackson was not more baseball famous by any stretch. he beats Porter in Nike endorsement money, sure.

12. DL from MN Posted: March 20, 2013 at 06:15 PM (#4393018)

That someone who thinks it is hilarious that Jimmy Gobble got past the screening committee is 100% correct.

13. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: March 20, 2013 at 06:25 PM (#4393029)

Jackson was not more baseball famous by any stretch

Of course he was. I don't see how number of All-Star appearances is the end-all metric in baseball fame.

That being said, I think Darrell Porter should probably be in too.

14. Bruce Markusen Posted: March 20, 2013 at 06:27 PM (#4393033)

Paul Schaal should be a member of the Royals' Hall of Fame. After all, he's been married eight times.

15. ajnrules Posted: March 20, 2013 at 06:31 PM (#4393034)

Well, in the 22 hours since that article was posted, Darrell Porter went from 0% to 43% and is now leading, so there is some justice in the world!

I'm kind of sad Mike Macfarlane didn't make it onto the ballot. He was one of my favorites growing up and possibly the second best catcher in Royals history.

EDIT: Never mind. Just read the fine print about the Veteran's Committee voting. Has it really been 15 years since Macfarlane was traded? :(

16. the Hugh Jorgan returns Posted: March 20, 2013 at 06:35 PM (#4393036)

That someone who thinks it is hilarious that Jimmy Gobble got past the screening committee is 100% correct.

Yep, was thinking the same thing. Why the committee would even consider someone like Gobble who is not even close to being borderline?

17. cardsfanboy

Posted: March 20, 2013 at 06:37 PM (#4393039)

I'm kind of sad Mike Macfarlane didn't make it onto the ballot. He was one of my favorites growing up and possibly the second best catcher in Royals history.

And the catalyst for Bill James ranking of top 100 players per position in the New historical baseball abstract.

Darrell Porter 4 times AS (3 with Royals), 2 time top 10 MVP, ROY 3rd place

Bo Jackson 1 time AS, 1 time top 10 MVP.

Jackson was not more baseball famous by any stretch. he beats Porter in Nike endorsement money, sure.

I agree, it might be a fine line as obviously Jackson was more famous, but in regards to baseball value/fame, it's not like Porter was an unknown.

18. Misirlou is on hiding to nowhere Posted: March 20, 2013 at 06:49 PM (#4393047)

Porter was also the 1982 NLCS and WS MVP. Yeah, nothing to do with the Royals, but neither was jackson's endorsements.

19. Jolly Old St. Nick Still Gags in October

Posted: March 20, 2013 at 08:21 PM (#4393119)

Apparently, a rogue element of jokesters has organized itself with the intent on getting longtime bad left-hander Jimmy Gobble elected to the Kansas City Royals’ Hall of Fame.

Sorry, it had to be linked....

20. Howie Menckel Posted: March 20, 2013 at 08:29 PM (#4393122)

I've mentioned before that my wife is related to Darrell (Porter was her maiden name), and it would be a pretty big deal to the extended family to see him inducted, even posthumously.

I realize people are just goofing around with Gobble, and it doesn't mandate anything, but there are real people out there who care about this stuff.

21. AJMcCringleberry Posted: March 20, 2013 at 09:24 PM (#4393168)

Jackson was a sideshow

I wish my team could have a sideshow who hit 30 HRs with a 120 OPS+

22. Misirlou is on hiding to nowhere Posted: March 20, 2013 at 09:53 PM (#4393196)

I wish my team could have a sideshow who hit 30 HRs with a 120 OPS+

Most teams have. They don't put them in a HOF:

Cubs - Henry Rodriguez 1998
BOS - Jason Bay 2009
BAL - B J Surhoff 1999
CLE - Corey Snyder 1988
DET - Rob Deer 1992
SDP - Kevin McReynolds 1986
MIL - Carlos Lee 2006

and so on.

23. RoyalsRetro (AG#1F) Posted: March 20, 2013 at 10:26 PM (#4393213)

Most teams have. They don't put them in a HOF:

BAL - B J Surhoff 1999

Ahem.

24. Misirlou is on hiding to nowhere Posted: March 20, 2013 at 10:35 PM (#4393221)

BAL - B J Surhoff 1999

Ahem.

OK, Luke Scott

25. Cooper Nielson Posted: March 20, 2013 at 10:54 PM (#4393235)

That someone who thinks it is hilarious that Jimmy Gobble got past the screening committee is 100% correct.

Indeed. I'm not a Royals fan and I've aged out of the Internet-snark-is-awesome demographic, but I think this is pretty funny.

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Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Kansas City Royals’ Hall of Fame voting shenanigans: Jimmy Gobble (5.23 career ERA) second in early results

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