Welcome to our community

Be apart of something great, join today!

"Today's Era" Committee HOF nominees released

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

rsmath

Active member
Nov 8, 2008
6,086
1
Cut and paste from Hall of Fame website:


2019 Today's Game Era Ballot

Six former big league players, three managers and one executive comprise the 10-name Today’s Game Era ballot to be reviewed and voted upon Dec. 9 at the Baseball Winter Meetings Las Vegas. The Today’s Game Era is one of four Eras Committees, which provide an avenue for Hall of Fame consideration to managers, umpires and executives, as well as players retired for more than 15 seasons.

Harold Baines, Albert Belle, Joe Carter, Will Clark, Orel Hershiser, Davey Johnson, Charlie Manuel, Lou Piniella, Lee Smith and George Steinbrenner are the candidates the Today’s Game Era Committee will consider for Hall of Fame election for the Class of 2019. Baines, Belle, Carter, Clark, Hershiser and Smith are included for their contributions as players. Johnson, Manuel and Piniella are included for their contributions as managers, and Steinbrenner is included for his work as owner of the New York Yankees. All candidates except for Steinbrenner are living.
 

Austin

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2008
5,706
41
Dallas, Texas
I thought for sure Lou Whitaker would be on the ballot since his longtime double play partner Alan Trammell was just elected.

Out of the players, I think Albert Belle is most worthy. His 10 full season stats are incredible, and he only retired early because of a back injury, not because of a decline in play. He had 103 rbi before he was forced to retire. I don’t think he was ever accused of steroids either, although he was probably using based on his monster numbers and perceived ‘roid rage.

I think Steinbrenner will get in, and he deserves it. Wouldn’t be surprised if Lee Smith is elected either.

Weird that Charlie Manuel is a finalist. Sure he won a World Series and had some division titles, but he only managed for 12 years and is definitely not considered a legendary manager. There are managers with multiple World Series titles like Tom Kelly, Cito Gaston and even the Yankees’ Ralph Houk that aren’t Hall of Famers, so why Charlie Manuel?

Lou Piniella and Davey Johnson aren’t worthy either. Each won 1 World Series title.
Piniella won only 6 division titles and 1 pennant in 23 years as manager.

And Johnson underperformed with those great ‘80s Mets teams, winning a World Series, but only one other division title in 7 years. I guess he deserves credit for babysitting a bunch of crackheads, but that doesn’t make him HOF worthy. Neither does his few division titles with the Orioles and Nationals.
 
Last edited:

WizardofOz1982

Well-known member
Sep 30, 2017
1,736
1,498
Oklahoma
Players

Maybes:
Albert Belle - A couple more seasons would probably have gotten him in easily. His rep as a jerk will probably cancel out any consideration he gets for having to end his career early because of his back.
Lee Smith - I don't like the "If So and So is in, then this guy should be too" arguments but if guys like Gossage, Fingers, etc. are the standards for relievers in the Hall then Smith should be in. Smith was one of the best at a defining time for that role.

Hall of Very Good:
Will Clark - He had one of the sweetest swings ever and was a very good player but not good enough for the Hall.
Orel Hershiser - He was a bulldog and a heck of a lot of fun to watch on the mound but shouldn't be in the Hall.

Why are they on the list:
Harold Baines - No clue. There are so many better choices.
Joe Carter - World Series heroics aside he shouldn't even be on a ballot. It's amazing that he had multiple 30 HR, 100 RBI seasons in which he posted negative overall value due to bad defense.

How do these guys keep getting left out:
Lou Whitaker - Still don't understand how he fell off the ballot after one try. He is better than several 2B in the Hall by a good bit.
Bobby Grich - So underrated. He's also better than several 2B in the Hall by a good bit.
Ted Simmons - Easy choice if he'd played in any era not dominated by some guy named Bench. Time to put him in the Hall. He's a top 10 catcher all time.

Managers/Executives

Yes:
George Steinbrenner - Love him or hate him, he deserves to be there. He was one of the front runners of the modern era of baseball as we know it now.

No:
Davey Johnson - I know which teams he managed but I honestly can't remember a single moment from his career.
Charlie Manuel - Why is he on the ballot?
Lou Piniella - He was a Hall of Fame character for sure but that's about it.
 
Last edited:

gamecockfanatic

Active member
Jun 17, 2009
945
25
Gamecock Country
i may be wrong , but i THINK whitaker (as well as grich and simmons) aren't eligible this time around...i THINK the modern era ballot is comprised of players whose major league careers began either IN or after 1980 and those three all started prior to 1980.....if i'm correct , they may be included on the next round for players whose careers began then....

fwiw - of the players on this year's list , i could live with baines , belle , carter , and smith but not on board with clark or hershiser....
 

WizardofOz1982

Well-known member
Sep 30, 2017
1,736
1,498
Oklahoma
i may be wrong , but i THINK whitaker (as well as grich and simmons) aren't eligible this time around...i THINK the modern era ballot is comprised of players whose major league careers began either IN or after 1980 and those three all started prior to 1980.....if i'm correct , they may be included on the next round for players whose careers began then....

fwiw - of the players on this year's list , i could live with baines , belle , carter , and smith but not on board with clark or hershiser....

Probably right. They have to have been retired 15 years to be part of this ballot though so that makes it an awfully tight window.
 

WizardofOz1982

Well-known member
Sep 30, 2017
1,736
1,498
Oklahoma
i may be wrong , but i THINK whitaker (as well as grich and simmons) aren't eligible this time around...i THINK the modern era ballot is comprised of players whose major league careers began either IN or after 1980 and those three all started prior to 1980.....if i'm correct , they may be included on the next round for players whose careers began then....

fwiw - of the players on this year's list , i could live with baines , belle , carter , and smith but not on board with clark or hershiser....

Probably right. They have to have been retired 15 years to be part of this ballot though so that makes it an awfully tight window.
 

rsmath

Active member
Nov 8, 2008
6,086
1
Players

Maybes:
Albert Belle (...) His rep as a jerk will probably cancel out any consideration (...)

not sure I believe this part that you and others always bring up.

The Era Committee is comprised of 16 members from the HOF, executives, and veteran sports writers.

Since it's not an entirely BBWAA electorate but rather just a minimal amount as I assume veteran sports writers are BBWAA members, I think there is a chance that HOF staff and executives and hopefully those few select veteran sports writes are more likely to look beyond his attitude towards the media and look more at the stats compared to the real HOF voting where BBWAA members heavily favored his attitude towards the media and didn't elect him.

I would like to see Belle and Steinbrenner get in. Hershiser for sentimental reasons although I know it's not likely.
 

forgerelli

Member
Apr 4, 2013
383
8
Players
How do these guys keep getting left out:
Lou Whitaker - Still don't understand how he fell off the ballot after one try. He is better than several 2B in the Hall by a good bit.
Bobby Grich - So underrated. He's also better than several 2B in the Hall by a good bit.
Ted Simmons - Easy choice if he'd played in any era not dominated by some guy named Bench. Time to put him in the Hall. He's a top 10 catcher all time.

Agreed on all 3.

Scott F
 

WizardofOz1982

Well-known member
Sep 30, 2017
1,736
1,498
Oklahoma
not sure I believe this part that you and others always bring up.

The Era Committee is comprised of 16 members from the HOF, executives, and veteran sports writers.

Since it's not an entirely BBWAA electorate but rather just a minimal amount as I assume veteran sports writers are BBWAA members, I think there is a chance that HOF staff and executives and hopefully those few select veteran sports writes are more likely to look beyond his attitude towards the media and look more at the stats compared to the real HOF voting where BBWAA members heavily favored his attitude towards the media and didn't elect him.

I would like to see Belle and Steinbrenner get in. Hershiser for sentimental reasons although I know it's not likely.

He's already been through the Today's Game process once in 2017 with a comparable HoF Board appointed panel and got fewer than 5 votes. I don't think there's much chance he makes it in, whatever the reason may be.
 

Sig40cal

Member
Jul 23, 2012
253
0
Atlantic Highlands, NJ
not sure I believe this part that you and others always bring up.

The Era Committee is comprised of 16 members from the HOF, executives, and veteran sports writers.

Since it's not an entirely BBWAA electorate but rather just a minimal amount as I assume veteran sports writers are BBWAA members, I think there is a chance that HOF staff and executives and hopefully those few select veteran sports writes are more likely to look beyond his attitude towards the media and look more at the stats compared to the real HOF voting where BBWAA members heavily favored his attitude towards the media and didn't elect him.

I would like to see Belle and Steinbrenner get in. Hershiser for sentimental reasons although I know it's not likely.

I've read and heard that even in his own clubhouse he was not well liked, all this while driving in 140 runs a year. How unpopular do you have to be if your own team still dislikes/hates you with the numbers he put up? I'm thinking VERY.
 

rsmath

Active member
Nov 8, 2008
6,086
1
How unpopular do you have to be if your own team still dislikes/hates you with the numbers he put up? I'm thinking VERY.

It reminds me of how some people can be. At the office (or between the lines in apparently Belle's case) they are great because they are professionals, but away from the office (or outside the lines) they can be a-holes because it's "off the clock".

Didn't know Belle had already been through a Era Committee before. Since he didn't make it then with the assumption of more forgiving voters than the BBWAA, I doubt he's ever going to make it no matter how many more Era Committee's he is eligible for.
 

Randy Shields

Well-known member
Aug 20, 2008
2,224
441
OH-IO
"Sweet" Lou Whitaker most certainly deserves to be put on the ballot but that can only be done by the Modern Era Committee. The way I understand it the old Veterans Committee has been split into 4 new categories: Early Baseball Era (1871-1949), Golden Days Era (1950-1969), Modern Baseball Era (1970-1987), and Today's Game Era (1988-Present) Unfortunately the Modern Era Baseball Committee only meets twice every 5 years, (compared to the other 3 only meeting once every 5 years) and will not meet again until the 2019 Winter meetings so Lou won't be able to be nominated--IF he is and should be, until later next year.
 

Members online

Latest posts

Top