The
2007 Hall of Fame ballot was released today, and there are a handful of names of ex-Sox on there -- including one whose name is spelled incorrectly.
Most of
what I wrote last year still applies, but there are a couple of noteworthy additions. First and foremost:
Harold Baines: He'll be an interesting case, if only because there hasn't been a more prominent player on the ballot who spent most of his career as a designated hitter. There was nothing wrong about Harold in the field, but his knees couldn't handle it. From 1987 on, he rarely played the field, and that will probably kill his chances.
The sad thing is, if he were maybe 5 percent more durable, he would've topped 3,000 hits, and I'm sure he would've had 16 more homers to hit 400. Then the electorate would've had a true dilemma on its hands, because if they vote for career over peak, Harold would've met a couple key milestones. There are only
eight players in the history of the game with 3,000/400, so it would've been hard to keep Baines out of the Hall.
Instead, 2,866/384 doesn't look nearly as impressive considering his non-spectacular rates (.289/.356/.465) and his lack of peak. He had one brilliant season -- 1984, when he hit double-digits in doubles, triples and home runs and led the league in slugging (the only time he'd finish in the top 10). Otherwise, he never came close to winning a batting title, home run crown or any other major offensive category.
Then again, Harold never had a bad season, even in his injury-shortened campaigns (I'll cut him some slack for his Age 41 & 42 seasons). Solid batting averages, solid walk/strikeout rates, solid power numbers year after year. The only true blemish is his durability -- he only played in 150 or more games in four out of his 22 seasons, which doesn't help him considering he didn't play the field for a majority of his career.
According to the numbers, the only true comparison to Baines is
Tony Perez, who is a Hall of Famer. But Perez had four edges on Baines -- a defensive position, a clear peak (1969-70, with five laudable seasons thereafter), two World Series rings, and he's friends with Joe Morgan. Baines probably won't have as many people stumping for him because he was too damn quiet. It's not a good sign when your organization retires a guy's number and nobody understands why. Of course, that had a lot to do with the fact that Harold was
still playing, but nothing good came of it.
At any rate, Harold had a fine career, and I'd vote for him if only to keep him around the ballot. If he peaks at 50 percent of the votes, that'd be a fair tribute.
Bobby Bonilla: He played 75 games with the Sox at the start of his career and showed promise. Bonilla didn't get a chance to show much more, because Hawk Harrelson shipped him to Pittsburgh in exchange for
Jose DeLeon midway through the season. DeLeon
wasn't anything special; Bonilla had a handful of outstanding seasons among a very respectable career.
Jose Canseco: My favorite player growing up. Kenny Williams provided for me the best three months I experienced as a Sox fan (before 2005) when he signed Canseco after Frank Thomas went down in June 2001. For a guy who couldn't find a job before Chicago came calling, he was a monster at the plate for the first two months,
hitting .285/.385/.531 and even stealing his 200th and final bag. His back acted up, and he limped to the finish line.
If there were room for him on the 2002 team, I think Kenny would've brought him back. However, with a healthy Frank Thomas, there was no use for Canseco, and the Sox cut him loose. Canseco wouldn't find major-league work again, thus keeping my Canseco #31 road gray jersey relevant. The last game I saw him play was
against Tampa on Aug. 6 -- Canseco homered, and nearly added another one later when he came two rows from hitting the concourse on a foul ball.
Dan Wright also pitched six no-hit innings before his bid was broken up with one out in the seventh, after which he was immediately pulled. After all, he'd walked seven guys and thrown 117 pitches!
What a weird time that was.
The rest:
Albert Belle:
I discussed his White Sox career
in an earlier post, but it’s an
interesting case. If he were a media favorite, he’d most likely be in.
But that wasn’t the case, so he’ll most likely be stonewalled. Not that
he deserves to be in – he’s a member of the Hall of the Very Good,
along with his moody slugging predecessor, Richie Allen.
Goose Gossage: He began his career as a White Sox, had a dominant 1975
season as a reliever before being converted into a starter, where he
was below-average. Then
Bill Veeck dealt him to Pittsburgh with
Terry Forster for the best season of
Richie Zisk’s life and
Silvio Martinez. That season under
Chuck Tanner was the last time he would ever start a game.
It’s hard to say why Tanner started him, but it’s easy to understand
why Veeck dealt him – Veeck was running out of money, and he couldn’t
retain Gossage. Zisk was the centerpiece of the memorable 1977 South
Side Hit Men; Gossage only pitched one year in Pittsburgh before going
off to New York and starting his HOF resume.
Gossage should deserve to make it, but he likely won’t be inducted this
year. I’m guessing his telling the New York Post, “God couldn't get out
of some of the situations that I was brought into” didn’t win any
points with Him or the HOF voters (who often confuse themselves with
Him when it comes to voting), since it kinda insults both of them.
Tommy John: The former radio candidate for the Sox pitched on the South Side early in his career before he became famous for
Tommy John
surgery. John was a .500 starter, though more because of the teams he
was on than his actual ability. He never had a below-average ERA with
the Pale Hose, and once posted a 1.98 ERA over 25 starts in 1968,
though that was also the same year
Bob Gibson posted a 1.12 mark and
Denny McLain won 31 games, so there you go.
As was the case with Gossage, the Sox traded a possibly HOF-caliber
pitcher for a hitter who provided immediate results. He was dealt to
the Los Angeles Dodgers for
Dick Allen,
who promptly won an MVP for the White Sox in 1972 . John performed well
with the Dodgers for two years before having his elbow worked on by Dr.
Frank Jobe. After taking the 1975 season off, he worked his way back
into the league in 1976 and then averaged 20 wins a season from
1977-1980.