This combination photo shows former Washington Nationals manager Davey Johnson, left, before a spring training exhibition baseball game in Lakeland, Fla., March 17, 2015 and former Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Mike Schmidt, right, before a baseball game on June 5, 2016, in Philadelphia. The Contemporary Baseball Era committee is set to evaluate Hall of Fame cases for eight people, including four former managers. Hall of Fame slugger Mike Schmidt believes Dave Johnson deserves a spot in Cooperstown. (AP Photo)
The Hall of Fame could be getting some new members this weekend, by way of the Contemporary Baseball Era committee. I bet you didn’t know that existed.
Up for election this year are managers Cito Gaston, Dave Johnson, Lou Piniella and Jim Leyland, umpires Joe West and Ed Montague, and executives Hank Peters and Bill White.
The selection process for this competition is a bit quirky. The individuals were chosen for the ballot based on making their biggest impact after 1980, but behind closed doors, the 16-person panel will discuss their entire body of work before and after that date.
In my opinion, it’s a great thing to honor those who dedicated so much of their lives to our sport. Guys like Joe Torre, Jim Kaat and Tim McCarver, for example, great players who went on to another phase of the game and excelled. Can you imagine dedicating 50 years to baseball? An amazing legacy. All of these men did just that and deserve recognition.
Here’s where the voting committee comes in, it’s a tough job. You’re talking about an honor that will change these men’s lives. They range in age from mid-70s to mid-80s. Piniella has been on the ballot before, missing by one vote. Imagine that, one committee member’s vote kept him out of the HOF. Same happened to Dick Allen twice, one vote short.
It takes 75% for election — 12 of the 16. The panel includes several members already enshrined in Coopertown — Torre, Jim Thome, Chipper Jones, Jeff Bagwell,…
Read the full article here
Leave a Reply