Rickey Henderson is the only lock for Cooperstown induction in 2009
This year’s Baseball Hall of Fame ballot includes 10 first-time candidates, and it’s looking like there could be another small Hall class this summer in Cooperstown.
The only absolute lock among the newcomers is career steals leader Rickey Henderson — unless he decides to suit up for a team this spring. (The Oakland A’s could use him, you know. He’s only 49.)
The other first-timers are Jay Bell, David Cone, Ron Gant, Mark Grace, Jesse Orosco, Dan Plesac, Greg Vaughn, Mo Vaughn and Matt Williams, and I don’t see any of them getting in.
The ballot will include just 23 players — the smallest group ever. Others include Mark McGwire, Jim Rice, Harold Baines, Bert Blyleven, Andre Dawson. Tommy John, Don Mattingly, Jack Morris, Dale Murphy, Dave Parker, Tim Raines, Lee Smith and Alan Trammell.
Could this be the year Rice, Dawson, Blyleven, Smith and Morris get in? Maybe (they were the top five to not get in last year), but I’m not holding my breath.
McGwire? I’m not here to talk about the past, but his numbers are largely power-based — and that’s the entire aspect of his career that’s in question. (I seriously doubt he’ll ever get in.)
Card-wise, I consider Henderson’s Rookie Card to be one of the finest of the 1980s. It books for $60.
Voting results will be announced on Jan. 12.
Chris Olds has collected sports cards and memorabilia since 1987. Before coming to Beckett Media, he wrote about the hobby for the Orlando Sentinel on his blog, SportsStuff, and for the San Antonio Express-News and The Tuscaloosa (Ala.) News. Do you have a comment, question or idea? Send e-mail to him at colds@beckett.com.
Alan Trammell better get in soon! You can’t tell me Ozzie Smith or Omar Vizquel is a better SS than Trammell.
I blogged about this earlier today. Rickey is definitely a lock, but I think Jim Rice is a given since this is his last time on the ballot for the writers and came so close last year. Bert Blyleven is also a strong possibility.
The other two to get high vote counts will be Andre Dawson and Tim Raines, but I don’t see either of them getting in before Jim Rice.
@Obama — Ozzie Smith was a better SS than Trammel, sir.
However, saying that in no way diminishes the greatness of Allan Trammel.
Rickey? No doubt.
Rice? Maybe.
Raines? Probably not … unfortunately.
Don’t get me started on Mark McGwire — pure foolishness and pathetic arrogance on the part of the major media outlets. Stinking hypocrites.
If I were voting, I’d have Henderson, Smith, Raines, Dawson and Morris on my ballot.
C’mon Blyleven! I think Henderson and Rice are two others to make it in.
Jack Morris gets far too little love. He dominated the 80’s.