I can't remember where I read it, nor can I find it right now.. but over the last couple of days, I read that the purge was a one-time event at this point, and nothing had been agreed to regarding the future. Do you have info suggesting they're going to do it again each year or just guessing?
Going forward, BBWAA members with 10 years of inactivity will be removed. This first purge got rid of a huge backlog, but each year more guys will get purged.
Via the BBWAA & HOF tracker... Non-Bagwell voters Adam Mertz Ann Killion(San Francisco Chronicle) Anonymous? (x4) Anthony Rieber(Newsday) Barry Stanton(Honorary) Bill Madden(At large) Bill Windler(Honorary) Bob Cohn Bob Dolgan(Honorary) Bob Hertzel Brian Heyman Bruce Jenkins(San Francisco Chronicle) Carrie Muskat(Honorary) Chris Assenheimer(The Chronicle-Telegram) Chris De Luca(Chicago Sun-Times) Claire Smith(Honorary) Dan Graziano Dan McGrath(Chicago Sun-Times) Dan Shaughnessy Danny Knobler(At large) David Borges(New Haven Register) David Maril(Honorary) Dick Scanlon(Lakeland Ledger) Frank Clines George A. King III George Willis Gordon Wittenmyer(Chicago Sun-Times) Guy Curtright(Honorary) Hal Bodley Howard Bryant(ESPN) James Walker(Honorary) Jeff Miller(Orange County Register) Jeff Schultz Jim Alexander(Riverside(CA) Press-Enterprise) Jim Hawkins(Honorary) John Altavilla John Black(Fort Bend Herald(Houston)) Jon Heyman(Formerly CBS Sports) Juan Vene(VIP-Wire international) Kevin Kernan(New York Post) Mark Herrmann(Newsday) Mark Kreidler(Honorary) Mark Newman(MLB.com) Mark Purdy(San Jose Mercury News) Marty Noble Mike Downey(Honorary) Mike Puma Mike Waldner(Daily Breeze(Torrance,CA)) Murray Chass(MurrayChass.com) Nick Pietruszkiewicz(ESPN) Paul Bodi(Honorary) Paul Gutierrez(Honorary) Paul Sullivan(Chicago Tribune) Pedro Gomez(ESPN) Peter Kerasotis Rick Morrissey Rob Parker Scott Miller(Bleacher Report) Shi Davidi(At large) Stephen Jacobson Steve Bisheff(Honorary) Steve Henson(USA Today) Steve Wine Steven Marcus(Newsday) Terence Moore Tim Dahlberg(Associated Press) Tom Keegan(Lawrence Journal-World) Tony DeMarco(Honorary) Tony Massarotti(Honorary) Voted for Bagwell last year but did not this year Dan McGrath Guy Curtright Jim Alexander Bagwell not popular in San Francisco, Chicago & New York.
Wonder how those guys voted for Bonds, Sosa, and Piazza? Also, there's a dude from Fort Bend, John Black, that didn't vote for Baggy? Boo that man!
I tried to figure out who John Black is and why a Houston writer wouldn't vote for Bagwell, but his web presence is so minimal he must be an older voter. Pretty disappointing. I wish we could engage him in a debate.
Bay Area - 1) mad because Bonds isn't close 2) should be showing extra love from all the GG's J.T. Snow stole from Pipes Chicago - 1) mad because Stros whooped the Cubs so many years 2) hating because they know Pipes>Hurt NY - 1) mad because many of their players were implicated with steroids 2) still mad about Hakeem whooping Ewing's ass
http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/14541368/espn-2017-baseball-hall-fame-ballot Bagwell/Raines/Hoffman all get 12 of 15 among ESPN voters for 2017. Bagwell got 11 of 18 ESPN votes in 2016.
I haven't checked the tracker in a few days; my last count was 22 who voted for Bonds but not Bagwell. Next October, those are the writers we'll target. We'll provide an email template and email address and ask Bagwell fans to send those writers a nice, engaging email note. If there's no PED hang-up, I can't fathom why Bagwell wouldn't make your ballot. Heyman, who finally voted Bonds and Clemens this year, voted for McGriff and not Bagwell which - and I'm being 100% serious - makes me wonder about his basic level of competency. I'm afraid he's not able to count. I really am.
The only info I can find on the guy is that he was the publisher of the Ft. Bend Herald. How that garners one a HOF vote is beyond me. How he remains a voter is even more mind blowing. The fact that a Houston-area writer didn't vote for Jeff Bagwell is simply incomprehensible.
Not voting for Bagwell in general is stupid because he obviously deserves to be in. Voting for McGriff, Sosa, McGwire, Thomas or Piazza and not Bagwell is crazy because he was a better player than all of them. Voting for Bonds and not Bagwell is not crazy because Bonds was better, much better. As great as Baggy was, and he was great, he wasn't on Bonds level, because a legit GOAT discussion can be made for Bonds. He was stupidly good, even before his helmet size started to grow. Fairly or unfairly I think a lot of people feel he was a HOF without cheating while Bagwell wasn't. I obviously disagree with how people are viewing Bagwell as a cheater without any evidence, I just don't think comparing him to Bonds is the best way to go.
No doubt, Bonds could be the GOAT and is clearly better than Jeff. But I think his angle was everybody KNOWS Barry cheated. Bagwell is only speculation.
