BBTF's Hall of Merit Discussion :: 2016 Hall of Merit Election Results: Griffey Jr., Mussina, Smoltz and Sheffield elected!

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Monday, December 21, 2015

2016 Hall of Merit Election Results: Griffey Jr., Mussina, Smoltz and Sheffield elected!

Ken Griffey, Jr., Mike Mussina, John Smoltz and Gary Sheffield join the Hall of Merit as the Class of 2016!

Griffey was named on the top of 21 of the 26 ballots cast, leading the way with 619 of a possible 624 points.

Mussina finished second with 551 points - he was in the top four on 22 ballots. Smoltz finished 3rd with 522 points, top four on 19 ballots. Sheffield secured the last spot with 459 points, he was named on all but one ballot and was top four on 15 of them.

There’s a new guy at the top of the backlog - Jim Edmonds finished a solid fifth in his first election with 386 points. Edmonds was much closer to Sheffield than the sixth place finisher, Sammy Sosa was to him. Sosa finished with 208 points.

Jeff Kent jumped over Kenny Lofton and Buddy Bell into 7th place with 167 points. Lofton was 8th with 160. Bell finished with 116 points in 11th place, slipping behind Kent, 9th place Ben Taylor (135) and 10th place Luis Tiant (119). Vic Willis (114) and Bobby Bonds (113) were right there in that pack.

From there it was a bit of a drop to the next group which included Tommy Bridges (76), Phil Rizzuto (75), Gavy Cravath (67), Bucky Walters (65), Sal Bando (64) and Dick Redding (62). Thurman Munson rounded out the top 20 with 57 points. Bus Clarkson, Urban Shocker and Bob Johnson were right behind him.

Other prominent newcomers on the ballot were Trevor Hoffman, who finished 32nd with 34 points, named on 3 ballots, and Billy Wagner, who was tied for 62nd with 12 points, named on one ballot.

Ivan Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez, Vladimir Guerrero and Jorge Posada will be the most prominent newcomers in 2017.

See below for the complete voting.

RK   LY  Player             PTS  Bal   1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9 10 11 12 13 14 15
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 1   n/e Ken Griffey, Jr.   619   26  21  5                                      
 2    4  Mike Mussina       551   26   1 14  5  2  2  1                          1
 3    5  John Smoltz        522   26   2  4 11  2  3  1  1     1        1        
 4    6  Gary Sheffield     459   25   2  1  2 10  4  2  1        1     1        1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 5   n/e Jim Edmonds        386   23      2     7  4  3  4  1              1  1  
 6    7  Sammy Sosa         208   17               2     4  1  5     3  1  1     
 7   10  Jeff Kent          167   12         1  1     4  2     1     1     1     1
 8    8  Kenny Lofton       160   14         1        2  1  1     4     1  1  2  1
 9   12  Ben Taylor         135   13               2     1  2     1     1  2  3  1
10   11  Luis Tiant         119   12                     1  3  1  1        3  1  2
11    9  Buddy Bell         116   11               2           2  1  1  2  1  1  1
12   13  Vic Willis         114   11                  1        3  2  1  1  1  2  
13   14  Bobby Bonds        113   10         1     1     1  1        2  1     1  2
14   23  Tommy Bridges       76    6            1  1  1           1           1  1
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
15   16  Phil Rizzuto        75    6               1     2  1        1     1    
16   18  Gavy Cravath        67    6               1        1  1        2  1     
17   28  Bucky Walters       65    6                  1     1     1  1  1     1  
18   15  Sal Bando           64    6                        2     1  2        1  
19   17  Dick Redding        62    4            1     2           1              
20   42  Thurman Munson      57    5                  1  1        2              1
21T  27  Bus Clarkson        56    5                  1  1        1  1          
21T  31  Urban Shocker       56    5                     1  1  1        1  1     
23   29  Bob Johnson         55    6                        1  1     1     1     2
24   35  Wally Schang        51    4               1        2           1        
25   30  Tommy John          49    5                  1           1     1     2  
26   19  Hilton Smith        47    5                        1     1  1        1  1
27   21T Hugh Duffy          46    4               1        1     1              1
28   20  Don Newcombe        40    4                           1     1  2        
29T  34  Tommy Leach         39    4                     1        1        1     1
29T  33  Fred McGriff        39    4                  1              1     1     1
31   46T Dale Murphy         36    3                     1     1     1           
32   n/e Trevor Hoffman      34    3                        1  1        1        
33   21T Bert Campaneris     33    3                        2                 1  
34   39  Bob Elliott         30    3                           1  1           1  
35T  40T Luke Easter         30    2                  2                          
35T  25  Jim McCormick       30    2         1                             1     
37   36  Mickey Welch        27    3                                 1  1  1    
38   24  Brian Giles         25    3                              1        1     1
39   45  John Olerud         22    3                                       1  2  
40T  --  Dave Concepcion     22    2                        1           1        
40T  48  Vern Stephens       22    2                           1     1           
42T  57T Jose Cruz           22    1         1                                    
42T  52T Dizzy Dean          22    1         1                                   
42T  38  Addie Joss          22    1         1                                   
42T  --  Billy Nash          22    1         1                                    
46   49T Nomar Carciaparra   21    2                        1              1     
47T  52T Babe Adams          21    1            1                                
47T  --  Tom York            21    1            1                                 
49T  49T Frank Chance        20    2                              1     1        
49T  64T Bobby Veach         20    2                                 2           
51   72T Dave Bancroft       17    2                                 1        1  
52   --  Norm Cash           16    2                                       2    
53   54  Ed Cicotte          16    1               1                             
54   32  Kevin Appier        15    2                                    1        1
55T  55T Jack Quinn          15    1                  1                          
55T  --  Jimmy Ryan          15    1                  1                          
57T  40T Lou Brock           14    1                     1                      
57T  57T Ernie Lombardi      14    1                     1                       
57T  43  Dolf Luque          14    1                     1                       
60   57T Lee Smith           13    1                        1                    
61   26  Ed Williamson       12    2                                             2
62T  57T Orel Hershiser      12    1                           1                 
62T  --  Jim Kaat            12    1                           1                 
62T  64T Tony Mullane        12    1                           1                 
62T  n/e Billy Wagner        12    1                           1                 
62T  --  Roy White           12    1                           1                 
67T  62T Luis Gonzalez       11    1                              1              
67T  44  Kirby Puckett       11    1                              1              
69T  --  Toby Harrah         10    1                                 1           
69T  72T Carl Mays           10    1                                 1           
69T  79T Gene Tenace         10    1                                 1           
72T  67T Ron Cey              9    1                                    1        
72T  --  Wilbur Cooper        9    1                                    1       
72T  72T Elston Howard        9    1                                    1        
72T  79T Joe Tinker           9    1                                    1        
76T  69T Frank Tanana         8    1                                       1     
76T  --  Frank Viola          8    1                                       1     
78T  46T Tommy Bond           7    1                                          1  
78T  --  George J. Burns      7    1                                          1  
78T  72T Carlos Delgado       7    1                                          1  
78T  55T Carlos Moran         7    1                                          1  
82T  --  Art Fletcher         6    1                                             1
82T  79T Lefty Gomez          6    1                                             1
82T  --  Sam Leever           6    1                                             1
Dropped Out: Burleigh Grimes(37), Dwight Gooden(51), Tony Perez(57T), Willie Davis(62T),
Tony Phillips(64T), George Uhle(67T), Perucho Cepeda(69T), Tony Pena(69T), Jim Rice(72T),
Mike Scioscia(72T), Cesar Cedeno(72T), Dave Parker(79T).
Ballots Cast: 26 

JoeD has the Imperial March Stuck in His Head Posted: December 21, 2015 at 10:36 PM | 21 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
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1. JoeD has the Imperial March Stuck in His Head Posted: December 21, 2015 at 10:56 PM (#5118305)

Congrats to the new electees!

2. JoeD has the Imperial March Stuck in His Head Posted: December 21, 2015 at 11:24 PM (#5118311)

Caps ... typically we use Pennants Added or something similar to at least frame the discussion (so peak is weighted a little more than just straight WAR). Wins Above Average isn't bad for this either as a frame of reference. I'm not going to take the time to figure Pennants Added for these guys by team unless I have to though.

Griffey - Mariners: WAR 70.4 Mariners, 12.7 Reds, 0.4 White Sox; WAA 45.6, 1.0, -0.1 - duh.
Mussina - Orioles: WAR 47.6 Orioles, 35.1 Yankees; WAA 28.5, 20.2 - closer than I expected, but still an Oriole.
Smoltz - Braves: WAR 67.0 Braves, 0.3 Cardinals, -0.8 Red Sox; WAA 39.2, 0.0, -1.2 - duh.
Sheffield - ?: 17.0 Dodgers, 14.2 Marlins, 11.2 Braves, 8.7 Yankees, 5.8 Padres, 2.8 Tigers, 1.4 Brewers, 0.3, Mets; WAA 10.1 Dodgers, 7.4 Braves, 6.6 Marlins, 3.4 Yankees, 3.1 Padres, -0.7 Mets, -1.0 Tigers, -2.7 Brewers.

Those numbers pro-rate Sheffield's 1994-95 for the strike. It's close. He was an All-Star 3x for the Dodgers, 2x each for the Marlins, Padres and Yankees.

Top seasons by MVP vote were Yankees (2), Braves (3), Padres (3), Marlins (6), Yankees (8), Dodgers (9), Braves (17).

He had 89 post season plate appearances for the Yankees, 71 and his ring for the Marlins, and 40 for the Braves.

I lean Dodgers, but can see the case for the Marlins. He was there for 5 years, and would have more value there if he hadn't missed a year and a half with injuries while he was there. He was in LA for 3.5 years. Thoughts?

3. The Honorable Ardo Posted: December 22, 2015 at 04:07 AM (#5118348)

I associate Sheffield most closely with the Marlins, but one's mileage may vary.

Is next year another elect-4? If so, Pudge, Manny, and Vlad are well placed for first-year induction, setting up a spirited Jim Edmonds vs. Jorge Posada debate for the fourth spot.

4. Qufini Posted: December 22, 2015 at 08:14 AM (#5118360)

2017 is elect-3

5. bbmck Posted: December 22, 2015 at 08:41 AM (#5118366)

Neyer on Sheffield's Cap

Gary Sheffield has played for eight teams. He's got four top-6 MVP finishes, each with a different team. He's spent as many as four seasons with just one team (the Marlins) but was on the DL for big chunks of two of those seasons. So, what do you do with him?

Well, let's start by eliminating the Brewers (bad memories), Braves and Tigers (two seasons), Padres (just one-and-a-half seasons) and Mets (one season). That leaves the Marlins, Dodgers, and Yankees. But Sheffield played only 347 games as a Yankee, and didn't play particularly well (by his own standards).

Which leaves the Marlins and Dodgers. Sheffield played 556 games as a Marlin, with a 156 OPS+. He played 526 games as a Dodgers, with a 160 OPS+. Close enough to a tie, right? Except for two things. Sheffield was a key to the Marlins' World Championship in 1997, while he never played a postseason game with the Dodgers. Also, Sheffield is a Florida native.

Verdict: Marlins

6. DL from MN Posted: December 22, 2015 at 10:14 AM (#5118408)

Edmonds is pretty clearly a "frontlog" candidate. I think next year will be Ivan Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez and Jim Edmonds with Guerrero and Posada slotting somewhere in the group with Sosa, Kent and Lofton. It will be a while before we elect someone from the backlog again.

I think the big jump for Tommy Bridges is the people who didn't vote for him didn't come back for this election.

7. DL from MN Posted: December 22, 2015 at 10:29 AM (#5118418)

Smoltz is one of the few players from this era that we elected after the HoF.

8. JoeD has the Imperial March Stuck in His Head Posted: December 22, 2015 at 01:30 PM (#5118604)

I can live with Sheffield as a Marlin. Sheffield played pretty well as a Yankee though, I disagree with Rob there. I mean he didn't deserve it, but he was runner-up for an MVP award with the team and finished 8th in his other full season.

9. Qufini Posted: December 22, 2015 at 02:27 PM (#5118658)

There’s a new guy at the top of the backlog - Jim Edmonds finished a solid fifth in his first election with 386 points. Edmonds was much closer to Sheffield than the sixth place finisher, Sammy Sosa was to him. Sosa finished with 208 points.

I'm happy with this election- we inducted a solid top four- but I think Edmonds finishing this far ahead of Sosa is the big news. It sets up Edmonds to be elected soon, possibly next year if he can hold off Vladimir Guerrero.

10. John (You Can Call Me Grandma) Murphy Posted: December 23, 2015 at 06:56 PM (#5119555)

Verdict: Marlins

I really don't see a strong argument for any other team but the Marlins. Rob is right, IMO.

11. lieiam Posted: December 23, 2015 at 11:52 PM (#5119650)

Thanks all for continuing with the project. I was hoping to "get it together" and finally post a Hall of Merit ballot (I do have a prelim ballot on the discussion thread) but didn't manage to get to updating certain things I needed to do in order to post a "real" ballot. Still, I've been reading along this whole time and it's great stuff.

12. Howie Menckel Posted: December 28, 2015 at 09:54 PM (#5121456)

All-time 'Votes Points' thru 2016 - those still eligible in 2017 election are in CAPS

[ronw or RickA likely will fix the occasional mistakes, and thanks for that as always]

for newer voters, the top leftovers might be another small group to at least kick the tires on

Bob Johnson moves up a slot to 29, and Schang up one to 47

TOP 50, ALL-TIME, unofficial (pts this year)
DUFFY...... 27936.5 (46)
VAN HALTREN 26923.5 (x)
Beckley.... 25856
Browning... 24502.5
WELCH...... 18838 (27)
REDDING.... 18676 (62)
Childs..... 18484
Griffith... 17924
Waddell.... 17596
Jennings... 16976

LEACH...... 16050 (39)
ChaJones....15875
Bresnahan.. 14965
Sisler..... 13892
Pike....... 13399
Sewell..... 12769
RYAN....... 12678.5 (15)
CRAVATH.....12636 (67)
Mendez..... 12555
Thompson... 12349

WALTERS.....12084 (65)
Roush...... 12005
Bennett.... 11503
Moore...... 10904
Rixey...... 10789
Caruthers.. 10704
Beckwith.... 9896
GRIMES.......9876 (x)
BJOHNSON.....9832 (55)
DOYLE....... 9816 (x)

HStovey......9576
Mackey.......8930
AOms.........8385
Start........8378.5
McGinnity....8232
McGraw.......8145
DPearce......8073
McVey........7985.5
FGrant.......7969.5
BMONROE......7947 (x)

Kiner........7746
Suttles......7690
NFox.........7587
Trouppe......7494
WFerrell.....7259
WILLIAMSON...7021 (12)
SCHANG.......7005 (51)
CPBell.......6968
WILLIS.......6862 (114)
Galvin.......6585

Others in active top 50 (X if no votes this year):

DDean 6014, Rizzuto 5354, Elliott 5318, Bridges 5301, BTaylor 5189, Joss 5020, Tiant 4422, TPerez 4385X, FChance 4018, Traynor 3848X, CMays 3803, NCash 3802, OCepeda 3465X, McCormick 3439, BoBonds 3391, Cicotte 3359, SRice 3301X, LBrock 3236, EHoward 2947, BClarkson 2785, Singleton 2723X, Tiernan 2709X, VStephens 2678, FJones 2636X, Klein 2601X, Puckett 2580, Veach 2418, Mullane 2409, Staub 2396X, GJBurns 2388X, Dunlap 2298X, Lombardi 2292, Concepcion 2171, Bancroft 2139, Newcombe 2041

13. 185/456(GGC) Posted: December 29, 2015 at 06:41 AM (#5121522)

Whatever happened to Pennants Added? Did JAWS supplant it? It seemed like a more sophisticated approach than (WAR+WAR7)/2.

14. Morty Causa Posted: January 03, 2016 at 10:26 AM (#5124677)

Sheffield? I don't know. Wasn't his lousy fielding and attitude taken into consideration?

15. ERROR---Jolly Old St. Nick

Posted: January 03, 2016 at 11:24 AM (#5124694)

Terrific choices, all of them.

16. DL from MN Posted: January 03, 2016 at 12:55 PM (#5124744)

Sheffield? I don't know. Wasn't his lousy fielding and attitude taken into consideration?

Yes it was. We elected Dick Allen too.

17. ronw Posted: January 06, 2016 at 07:33 PM (#5127730)

With today's HOF election there are:

260 HOM members
253 HOF members (non exec/mgr/pioneer only)

74 HOM pitchers
81 HOF pitchers

21 HOM catchers
19 HOF catchers

22 HOM 1B
22 HOF 1B

23 HOM 2B
21 HOF 2B

19 HOM 3B
16 HOF 3B

26 HOM SS
25 HOF SS

24 HOM LF
20 HOF LF

27 HOM CF
26 HOF CF

23 HOM RF
23 HOF RF

18. ronw Posted: January 06, 2016 at 07:51 PM (#5127749)

Differences with HOM/HOF

64 HOM players not in HOF
57 HOF players not in HOM

30 HOM Negro Leaguers
30 HOF Negro Leaguers

6 HOM Negro Leaguers not in HOF

C: Quincy Trouppe
3B: John Beckwith
SS: Grant Johnson
SS: Dick Lundy
SS: Dobie Moore
CF: Alejandro Oms

6 HOF Negro Leaguers not in HOM

1B: Ben Taylor
3B: Ray Dandridge
3B: Judy Johnson
P: Hilton Smith
P: Leon Day
P: Andy Cooper

11 HOM pitchers not in HOF

Roger Clemens
Curt Schilling
Mike Mussina
Bob Caruthers
Wes Ferrell
Rick Reuschel
Kevin Brown
David Cone
Bret Saberhagen
Dave Stieb
Billy Pierce

18 HOF pitchers not in HOM

Mickey Welch
Vic Willis
Burleigh Grimes
Dizzy Dean
Waite Hoyt
Chief Bender
Addie Joss
Jack Chesbro
Herb Pennock
Catfish Hunter
Lefty Gomez
Candy Cummings
Rube Marquard
Jesse Haines
Bruce Sutter
Andy Cooper
Hilton Smith
Leon Day

5 HOM catchers not in HOF

Ted Simmons
Bill Freehan
Quincy Trouppe
Charlie Bennett
Cal McVey

3 HOF catchers not in HOM

Ernie Lombardi
Ray Schalk
Rick Ferrell

6 HOM 1B not in HOF

Jeff Bagwell
Rafael Palmeiro
Mark McGwire
Keith Hernandez
Will Clark
Joe Start

6 HOF 1B not in HOM

Ben Taylor
Tony Perez
Orlando Cepeda
Frank Chance
Jim Bottomley
George Kelly

6 HOM 2B not in HOF

Bobby Grich
Lou Whitaker
Willie Randolph
Cupid Childs
Hardy Richardson
Ross Barnes

4 HOF 2B not in HOM

Tony Lazzeri
Johnny Evers
Red Schoendienst
Bill Mazeroski

8 HOM 3B not in HOF

Graig Nettles
Ken Boyer
Dick Allen
Darrell Evans
Stan Hack
John Beckwith
Heinie Groh
Ezra Sutton

5 HOF 3B not in HOM

Ray Dandridge
George Kell
Pie Traynor
Judy Johnson
Freddie Lindstrom

7 HOM SS not in HOF

Bill Dahlen
Alan Trammell
Jack Glasscock
Grant Johnson
Dobie Moore
Dick Lundy
Dickey Pearce

6 HOF SS not in HOM

Luis Aparicio
Joe Tinker
Dave Bancroft
Travis Jackson
Phil Rizzuto
Rabbit Maranville

1 HOM DH not in HOF

Edgar Martinez

0 HOF DH not in HOM

N/A

8 HOM LF not in HOF

Barry Bonds
Tim Raines
Sherry Magee
Minnie Minoso
Jimmy Sheckard
Charlie Keller
Harry Stovey
Charley Jones

4 HOF LF not in HOM

Jim Rice
Heinie Manush
Lou Brock
Chick Hafey

6 HOM CF not in HOF

Jim Wynn
Alejandro Oms
Pete Browning
Paul Hines
George Gore
Lip Pike

5 HOF CF not in HOM

Kirby Puckett
Earle Combs
Hack Wilson
Hugh Duffy
Lloyd Waner

6 HOM RF not in HOF

Pete Rose
Larry Walker
Joe Jackson
Dwight Evans
Reggie Smith
Gary Sheffield

6 HOF RF not in HOM

Sam Rice
Harry Hooper
Kiki Cuyler
Chuck Klein
Ross Youngs
Tommy McCarthy

19. OCF Posted: January 06, 2016 at 11:45 PM (#5127978)

Looking at ronw's list of "n HOF xx not in HOM": are any of them live candidates? Checking for votes on the 2016 ballot. You can judge for yourself whether that makes them live candidates who still have a chance.

Negro Leaguers:

Taylor 9th (135 pts, 13 out of 26 voters)
H. Smith 25th (47 pts, 5 voters)

Pitchers

Willis 12th (114 pts, 11 voters)
H. Smith 25th (47 pts, 5 voters)
Welch 37th (27 pts, 3 voters)
Joss 39th (22 pts, 1 voter)
Dean 39th (22 pts, 1 voter)
Gomez 82nd (6 pts, 1 voter)
Grimes, Sutter no votes this year, some support in recent years

Catchers

Lombardi 57th (14 pts, 1 voter)

1B

Taylor 9th (135 pts, 13 voters, as mentioned above)
Chance 49th (20 pts, 2 voters)
Cepeda, Perez no votes this year, some support in recent years

2b

None have any votes this year; I think Evers has had some support (seems the best of the group)

3b

None have any votes this year; I think Traynor has had some support

SS

Rizzuto 15th (75 pts, 6 voters)
Bancroft 51st (17 pts, 2 voters)
Tinker 72nd (9 pts, 1 voter)
Aparicio no votes this year, some support in recent years

LF

Brock 57th (14 pts, 1 voter)
J. Rice no votes this year, some support in recent years

CF

Duffy 27th (46 pts, 4 voters)
Puckett 67th (11 pts, 1 voter)

RF

S. Rice no votes this year, some support in recent years

So our most likely candidate for going back and belatedly agreeing with the HOF seem to be Willis, Rizzuto, and Taylor. With still some room for persuasion with Hilton Smith. The rest of the HOF members are probably not going anywhere on our ballot. Even so, there's a gap between the likes of Tinker/Evers/Chance or Brock or Duffy or Welch or Bancroft where we can say, "We haven't found room, but the HOF wasn't crazy to pick them" versus the likes of Lloyd Waner or Jim Bottomley or Ray Schalk, choices that are a lot harder to defend.

20. The Honorable Ardo Posted: January 16, 2016 at 04:49 AM (#5135468)

[Posted here because the 2017 discussion thread isn't working for me]

Our surfeit of pitchers centered in the 1935-50 time span lends further support to Hilton Smith's candidacy.

Also, I'm voting for Luke Easter next year. The news of Monte Irvin's passing brought me to re-examine Easter, and I concluded that Fred McGriff - who I have just off-ballot - is Easter's floor with a good chance Easter was better. (McGriff's Tampa years from 1998-2001, at ages 34-37, look a lot like Easter's Cleveland career at the same age.)

21. JoeD has the Imperial March Stuck in His Head Posted: December 02, 2016 at 03:34 PM (#5361552)

Whoops, wrong thread.

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Monday, December 21, 2015

2016 Hall of Merit Election Results: Griffey Jr., Mussina, Smoltz and Sheffield elected!

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