Does the character clause apply to managers?

Whitaker won't be eligible until the 2016 (2017 Election Year) vote. Hopefully, Grich at least makes the player cut this time around, while Cox, Torre, LaRussa and Miller all get the necessary votes to usher them in and make it possible that this group can start electing players.

Ha. I assume you're referring to LaRussa's propensity for the bottle

Bill Simmons @BillSimmons

I don't even care who makes the Baseball Hall of Fame. That place stopped making sense 4-5 years ago. It's been ruined.

I thought it was Bobby Cox and domestic abuse, but yea, the VC doesn't really care about off-the-field stuff so much.

Bill Simmons @BillSimmons

I don't even care who makes the Baseball Hall of Fame. That place stopped making sense 4-5 years ago. It's been ruined.

This is the Simmons who supported Rice, Morris, and John for the HOF while opposing Blyleven, Raines and Trammell?

The VC has outlived its usefulness. Anyone whose career ended before 1970 has been considered and reconsidered and given a fair hearing. If they want to look at the Dwight Evanses and Bobby Griches again, sure. But the Deacon Whites and Gil Hodges? What is the point of this?

I'm not exactly sure what Simmons is referring to as ruining the HOF 4-5 years ago

Does anyone think the HOF has it in them to fudge the results if no candidate makes it? Such that Biggio or Morris gets in?

I'm guessing he's ballparking when McGwire became eligible and it became obvious that the writers were going to impose a steroids blackball. And he's right.

Along with the results, BBWAA is going to post ballots from writers who have agree to reveal them on their Web site at 2.

12 minutes until I'm completely confused by Piazza's omission. On the other hand, because I want to be more positive this year, I am gratified Raines is climbing up the ladder with his support. Also, I'm pretty happy our HOF nightmare is about to end.

So I guess The End Of The World commences in about five minutes.

Does anyone think the HOF has it in them to fudge the results if no candidate makes it? Such that Biggio or Morris gets in?

To be fair his ballot was probably given to him by Boras.

Looks like Kenny Lofton is going to get Kevin Browned.

Just like Kevin Brown was Lou Whitakered.

So you'd be creating a rule to make the equivalent of Robin Yount wait a year. Silly.

I think they should drop the character clauses if the inductee agrees to spend one hour in the stocks on induction weekend (assuming they can find one big enough to clap around some of these guys' necks).

Along with the results, BBWAA is going to post ballots from writers who have agree to reveal them on their Web site at 2.

Isn't that a different Heyman?

Where are you guys getting your results? ESPN and Yahoo! still haven't posted them yet.

Where are you guys getting your results? ESPN and Yahoo! still haven't posted them yet.

Sooo...

Anyone know a good hotel near the Hall of Merit?

[Biggio's] total reflected 68.2 percent of the electorate, which consists of BBWAA members with 10 or more consecutive years of Major League Baseball coverage. Five blank ballots were among those submitted. Other players named on more than half the ballots were pitcher Jack Morris with 385 (67.7 percent), first baseman Jeff Bagwell with 339 (59.6), catcher Mike Piazza with 329 (57.8) and outfielder Tim Raines with 297 (52.2).

Biggest disappointment... Lofton off of the ballot. Not that I would have voted for him, but he should be on the ballot.

There are some great basements available at the bed and breakfasts near by.

I object, your honor! This election is a travesty. It's a travesty of a mockery of a sham of a mockery of a travesty of two mockeries of a sham.

Biggio -2, Piazza -2.5, Raines -7, Bagwell even, Morris +8

Unbelievable.

Well, Morris is done. He's not making it through the BBWAA.

They said they're going to do some kind of retro induction of players (12?) who weren't inducted at Cooperstown because of wartime travel restrictions. Hornsby, Gehrig(?), and some others. They seem to have an unerring knack of honoring dead people.

But - this is just an utter embarrassment of a debacle for the BBWAA.

Well, Morris is done. He's not making it through the BBWAA.

Why do you say? He's at 68 with another year.

I can't see any way, with Maddux, Glavine, and Mussina all hitting the ballot in 2014, that he gets them.

Maddux and Glavine are huge factors, but I can't believe that too many of the voters are going to prioritize a first ballot vote for Mussina over a last ballot vote for Morris. Morris is hanging off the cliff, but there's still a possibility that enough votes will decide to throw him a rope next time around.

Like I said earlier, this is a feeble attempt to convince people to come to an event that will honor three guys who died before that war.

Yea, really perplexed by how Sandy Alomar gets almost as many votes as Kenny Lofton and Bernie Williams.

I can't believe that too many of the voters are going to prioritize a first ballot vote for Mussina over a last ballot vote for Morris. Morris is hanging off the cliff, but there's still a possibility that enough votes will decide to throw him a rope next time around.

I think Morris has pretty much capped out his support.

Because next year features THREE pitchers that are undeniably better than him

And they still couldn't get anyone to 75%. They couldn't come to a consensus on anyone.

The other names? Other than relatives, I don't think they'd draw any more people to the ceremonies than the die-hards who would go even if no player was inducted, and the only speech was by the Frick award winner.

MLB network just had an interview with a HOFer who was picked up in an airport with coke, hash and marijuana saying he would think long an hard about attending a HOF weekend with a known steroids user.

Because next year features THREE pitchers that are undeniably better than him