It's a travesty how the Houston Astros are looked on a national stage. Biggio is a first ballot hall of famer, yet didn't get in on the first go around. Bagwell, arguably first ballot, but you could argue second go around, here he is on his 7th, SEVENTH!! ballot and he's looking to finally get accepted. The guy is, what, the second best NL 1B of the last 50 years? How does that amount to nothing, god almighty these ballot casters should be sent out to the woodshed.
+8 new votes confirmed, 4 more to clinch. Seems like he's gonna get in fairly comfortably, but these voters are weird.
There's a part of me, assuming the balloting keeps trending the way it is, that will be a little pissed if Bags gets in with 90%+ of the vote. How does one get 90% (a number that I think many can agree would mean a sure-fire HOF'er) in their 7th year but wasn't in the previous 6 years? I'm pumped that things are going this well so far but a little perturbed that we still have to talk about this.
He Is a sure fire hall of famer. If you're pissed that he should have gotten in sooner, well welcome to the club. : ) Don't try to make any logic out of hall of fame voter or the voting process. Let's just hope he gets in now.
The voter purge was absolutely massive for Baggy. The HOF cleared out some guys, because prior to last year his numbers had been in the 55% range, and didn't appear to have any real upward trajectory. Then he jumped to 71%, and once a guy gets close, there is usually bandwagon support for whatever reason. And he won't get 90%, he'll probably be in the 80-85 range. I don't think too many guys changed their opinion last year, the jump was mainly due to the hall taking out some of the trash. And his total this year will be mainly due to the bandwagon jump , which I agree, is stupid.
Biggio and Bagwell defined an Astros era of about a dozen years. Bagwell was derailed by that devastating shoulder injury, but was very productive up to that point. Biggio was scrappy and faded slowly away, to the point a lot of folks were mad that he was hindering the development of Chris Burke. But these guys kept the Astros in the thick of things for their careers. Every year the Astros had a chance to get in the playoffs. The team came close but it wasn't to be. Bagwell didn't have the longest career, but he was very productive for most of it. He was mostly always seen as the super star, while Biggio was seen as a supporting co-star. Still somewhat shocked Biggio got in before him. Good for Baggy it's looking so well.
He didn't have upward trajectory primarily to some very crowded ballots (he was headed upward the first 3 years before dipping). The purge definitely expedited and guaranteed his eventual selection. I loved the purge, and I loved moving from 15 years to 10 years. I'm mad it took this long, but in the end that doesn't matter. He'll be in. He'll be able to be at the podium, with his family watching.
I'm waiting for the enshrined player who should have been in years prior (it would be awesome if it were Bagwell for me) who has at least a bit of ego with some pride who gets up there and rips the writers in their speech. I'd love to see a player who put up the numbers, was a class act, and did it the right way but was shafted for years until finally making the cut going up there and telling it like it is.
I think Bagwell had an aura about him. It was his team and he knew it. He came out as salty sometimes, but it was because he respected the game and didn't tolerate nonsense. It would have been something to have gotten that World Series ring, but he can't be faulted for personnel decisions beyond his control. Had they just kept that nucleus of Gonzo, Caminiti, Finley, Shilling, Bagwell, Biggio, Wagner, Kile, Reynolds, protected Abreu, we'd be here counting our World Series rings. But hindsight is 20/20, what's done is done
Sorry, but quite literally go **** yourself Jim Bowden. You were there, GM of the Reds, back in the day when you could have tried to make a change. Did you ever once say anything publicly? No.
I've once tried to explain how HOF ballot works and how writers vote to someone who doesn't follow baseball. Suffice to say it was the most ludicrous, nonsensical thing, he had ever heard.
Bowden has publicly supported Bagwell's candidacy. Bowden says his teams never used steroids to his knowledge (He is either a liar, or was deliberately not wanting to know), so what does he know about PED users?
He has to be talking about Pudge. It was very well known that Pudge and Juan Gone were using PED's within baseball circles. Prior to the release of the Mitchell Report, Pudge was asked at his locker if his name would be on the list of players that tested positive, and he only would say: "Only God knows."
It makes his very high support so surprising, though I think he'll fall just short this year. He was named by Canseco and believed to be on the 2003 list. If all 5 guys with a realistic shot this year get in (Bagwell & Raines for sure, with Vlad, Hoffman, & Pudge waiting next to their phones), the ballot could really start to clear up (and it needs to with Chipper, Rolen, Andruw Jones, & Thome hitting the ballot in 2018 along with a few other players that will certainly garner attention, but probably never actually make it). The ballots get way weaker after that though.
It's going to be interesting how things change next year when these voters have to reveal their ballots.
Baggy has gained another vote that he didn't get last year putting him at 9. He's over 93% so far. i probably check the link Castor gave us 10 times a day.
