In late 2009 after I started this blog, I began previewing the HOF class for 2010. I took 2 years off in 2012 and 2013. I probably still did it, but I didn't post them on line. My process is this, first I preview those returning to the ballot and then I preview those new to the ballot,
Then finally I list out who I would vote for if I had a ballot. But I actually do a little more than that. Since the official ballot allows for 10 selections I always start with the idea of who I would vote to if I had to pick 10 players and then order my selections by saying who the 10th player would be and who the 9th player would be and so on, When I get to the point of who I would vote for if I could vote for any # of players between 1 and 10 I announce that as my official ballot but then keep on counting down until I imagine I could only vote for 1 player.
This year there has been a lot of discussion on line about the limit of 10. I think 10 is a fine limit and my official ballot has never been more than 8. But this year I will start if writers were allowed 12 votes and work my way down from there. The reason why I do this is two fold. 1 every year when I research my selections I do it mostly with pen and paper and generally the only notes I have from the previous years are the blog posts themselves. Which means I am often hard pressed to remember who was thinking about at 11. Last year 4 people got elected and they were on my list so knowing who was on the cusp of making it last year would be helpful. The second reason is that the extra votes allow me a little leeway in making my choices which is evidenced by my first choice.
If I were allowed to vote for 12 players elgible for the 2016 HOF class. My12th vote would go to Garret Anderson (Anderson was not on the ballot last year). There are certainly other players on the ballot who I normally would consider before Anderson. Larry Walker has been in my top 10 in other years for example. However I would choose Anderson for 1 reason only. I have a friend named Garret Anderson and if you ever get a chance to nominate a friend into the HOF, I think you should!
If I were allowed to vote for 11 players, my 11th vote would go to Mike Mussina (I did not vote for Mussina last year). Mussina is definitely worth of consideration in the hall. He just falls short of my top 10.
If I were allowed to vote for exactly 10 players, my 10th vote would go to Jim Edmonds. (Edmonds is on the ballot for the 1st time this year)
If I could only vote for exactly 9 players my 9th vote would go to Trevor Hoffman. (Hoffman is a first timer as well). I may consider Hoffman on my official unofficial ballot in years to come, but I don't feel comfortable support candidacy until my 3rd choice in this years ballots HOF fate is decided)
My 8th choice if I could vote for 8 would be Allen Trammel (Allen was not in my top 10 last year) . I have alway been on the fence about Trammel, Ihave him in my top 8 this year as a sense of urgency since this is his last year on the ballot.
My 7th choice on a 7 player ballot would be Edgar Martinez. (Martinez was 10th on my list in 2015). I have no problem voting for a lifelong DH in the HOF my main reason for not having him any higher is that was consistently the 2nd or 3rd biggest offensive producer on his team.
In my 4 previous ballots, my 6th and 5th choices have appeared 2 times each in the position right before my official unofficial ballot. That is because, in my mind they are both inches shy of being so HOF worthy that I would link their name with mine. This year # 6 is Mike Piazza (9 last year) and # 5 is the crime dog himself , Fred McGriff (McGriff was not in my top 10 last year.)
If I were given a HOF ballot, my ballot would contain 4 names. Th 4th name would be Jeff Bagwell. (Jeff was 7th on my list of 8 players on my official unofficial ballot last year.
If I was given a HOF ballot and told to vote for only 3 players, the 3rd player would be Lee Smith (he was my 5th choice last year) . Relievers and Designated hitters get discriminated on by many voters and it is a shame that Smith is not yet in and does not figure to get in on the writer's ballot.
If I could only vote for 2 players in the HOF, it would be very easy to pick those 2. #2 would be Ken Griffey Jr.(This is his first year on the ballot.
#1 would be Tim Raines. (Raines was my 2nd choice in 2015, thrird choice in 2014, 1st choice back in 2011 and 2nd choice in 2010) Raines should already be in by now. he only has 2 more years to go from his 55% of the vote last year to the 75% needed,
That is who I would vote for. Here are my predictions for how I think the vote went.
I think 3 of the following 5 players will be elected to the Hall this year. Well, Ken Griffey is a lock.
So actually 2 of Raines, Bagwell, Piazza and Hoffman. My heart says Bagwell and Raines my head says Piazza and either Bagwell or Hoffman.
