hall of fame Archives | Baseball Essential

Should the “Character Clause” Only Be Invoked for Bad Character?

Feb 4, 2021

Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Dale Murphy Hall of Fame Case When it comes to voting for the National Baseball Hall of Fame, the discourse each year is less and less about a player's on-field ...

No One Has Been a Hall of Famer Longer Than Sandy Koufax

Jeff J. Snider

Jan 19, 2021

Baseball History, Features, Hall of Fame

On January 19, 1972, former Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Just three weeks past his 36th birthday, "The Left Arm of God" became the you...

It’s Not Your Imagination: There Have Been Way Too Many Hall of Fame Deaths This Year

Jeff J. Snider

Dec 3, 2020

Features, Hall of Fame, Headlines, Major League Baseball

I will not be the first one to point out that 2020 has been a unique year, and not in a good way. While there have been good things to happen -- especially for a Dodger fan like me -- both the real world and th...

Takeaways from this year’s Hall of Fame voting

Tom Gibbons

Jan 23, 2020

Hall of Fame, Headlines

1. Schilling is not a slam dunk to get in Curt Schilling reached the 70% mark in the BBWAA voting announced Jan. 21. Historical voting patterns indicate that if you get that close and have time left on the bal...

Many Factors Contributed to Mariano Rivera’s Unanimous Hall of Fame Election

Jeff J. Snider

Jan 23, 2019

Features, Hall of Fame, New York Yankees

On Tuesday, former New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera became the first player ever inducted into the Hall of Fame with 100 percent of the vote. Babe Ruth was not unanimous. Greg Maddux was not unanimous. Yo...

Hall of Fame: Mariano Rivera’s Potentially Unanimous Induction

Tom Dorsa

Jan 21, 2019

Baseball History, Hall of Fame, Major League Baseball, Offseason, Opinions & Predictions

As you probably know, no Baseball Hall of Fame inductee has ever been enshrined unanimously by voting members of the Baseball Writers Association of America. Not Ken Griffey Jr. (99.32%), not Tom Seaver (99.84%...

2019 Hall of Fame Vote: Locks, Returns, and Longshots

Tom Dorsa

Jan 26, 2018

Baseball History, Features, Hall of Fame, Major League Baseball, Offseason, Opinions & Predictions

On Wednesday afternoon, the Baseball Writers Association of America unveiled the 2018 class of Major League Baseball stars being inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. 600...

The Case for Johan Santana to Remain on the Hall of Fame Ballot

Justin Birnbaum

Jan 8, 2018

Hall of Fame, Minnesota Twins, New York Mets, Opinions & Predictions

Injuries robbed Johan Santana of some of his prime years, but is that enough of a reason to let him fall off the Hall of Fame ballot in his first year? The 2007 New York Mets will forever be remembered for one...

Consider Justin Verlander’s Hall of Fame Induction Done

Tom Dorsa

Jan 8, 2018

Detroit Tigers, Hall of Fame, Houston Astros, Opinions & Predictions

Baseball folklore is unforgiving, and sometimes the most dominant athletes in their era can have a span of elite play essentially forgotten. There are a number of factors that contribute to this phenomenon, but...

Reviewing the newest names on the 2018 Hall of Fame ballot

Jason Kelly

Nov 21, 2017

Baseball History, Hall of Fame, Headlines, Opinions & Predictions, Statistics

The 2018 Hall of Fame ballot was released on Monday by the Baseball Writers Association of America, and it included 19 new faces headlined by the likes of Chipper Jones and Jim Thome. While the Hall of Fame can...

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