1. Is Craig Biggio a first ballot HOFer? Support your answer please.
He will be close on the first ballot, but I think he will miss it but will eventually make it in. His 3,000 hits is what will get him there. The big reason he will miss it on his first attempt is that there are some voters who just aren't going to vote for anyone in the steroids era. Those on the edge may look at his lowered average after being injured in 2000, and then see that after recovering from the injury he went on to have a career high season in home runs at nearly 40 years of age (which could be viewed as a potential sign of steroid use). If he doesn't make it by his 5th ballot then he won't make it until either the veterans committee votes or the whole steroids saga is cleared and the voters in the press start voting for steroids era players.
2. Is Jeff Bagwell a HOFer? I don't mean anytime soon necessarily. It can be 14th ballot for all I care. I just wanna know your opinions. Again support your answer.
I think Jeff Bagwell is in the same boat as Biggio in terms of getting voted in. He has successfully gotten more votes each year so he may eventually get in, but I think it will be close until the veterans committee votes. Personally I hope both Biggio and Bagwell get in as they both had great careers and if neither had gotten injured their numbers would be even more impressive.
3. The only player with 3000 hits who has been on a HOF ballot and not currently made it in is Rafael Palmeiro. Is he a HOFer? Do the steroid allegations end his chances? Did he even intentionally use? He to this day claims he never intentionally took them. Support answer!
Palmeiro is an interesting case. He has the standard 3000 hits and 500 HRs that have typically given automatic entry to the HOF. However the steroid allegations are killing his chances. Whether he used intentionally or not is impossible to tell (he has no reason to ever admit to intentionally using, and every reason to deny it). The gist is that he used them and that makes his numbers tainted. Now if you delve more deeper into his stats you notice that when Jose Canseco (Mr Steroid, as I call him) joined the Rangers Palmeiro's yearly home runs almost doubled, and every full season he played thereafter he hit over 30 HRs. Prior to Canseco coming to the Rangers Palmeiro hit well for average but only had mediocre homerun totals. I think he may eventually get in if the veterans committee starts letting in a lot of the great steroids era players, but he won't ever be voted otherwise.
4. Does Bert Blyleven deserve to be in the HOF? It took a long time and the numbers nearly said no then suddenly rebounded after many years to let him in. Support answer!!
Yes he deserves to be in the HOF and should have gotten in sooner. His strikeout total alone should have gotten him in within his first few years of eligibility. He was a colorful player and his attitude may have kept him out for so long. I think if he had played for the Yankees or Red Sox for even a couple years he would have gotten in much sooner. I am glad that the sabermetrics boom helped him get in, because he deserves it.
5. Lastly, but certainly not least. Does my boy Frank Thomas deserve to be a HOFer? If he makes it will he be a first ballot HOFer? Support answer!!
YES!! He deserves to be in the HOF and to be a 1st ballot entry. However again the issue of steroids era numbers may hurt him just a little bit. I don't think he ever used them, but some voters will just not vote for anyone with high HR totals during the 90s. I think he will get in on the 1st ballot, but it will be closer than it should be.
He will be close on the first ballot, but I think he will miss it but will eventually make it in. His 3,000 hits is what will get him there. The big reason he will miss it on his first attempt is that there are some voters who just aren't going to vote for anyone in the steroids era. Those on the edge may look at his lowered average after being injured in 2000, and then see that after recovering from the injury he went on to have a career high season in home runs at nearly 40 years of age (which could be viewed as a potential sign of steroid use). If he doesn't make it by his 5th ballot then he won't make it until either the veterans committee votes or the whole steroids saga is cleared and the voters in the press start voting for steroids era players.
2. Is Jeff Bagwell a HOFer? I don't mean anytime soon necessarily. It can be 14th ballot for all I care. I just wanna know your opinions. Again support your answer.
I think Jeff Bagwell is in the same boat as Biggio in terms of getting voted in. He has successfully gotten more votes each year so he may eventually get in, but I think it will be close until the veterans committee votes. Personally I hope both Biggio and Bagwell get in as they both had great careers and if neither had gotten injured their numbers would be even more impressive.
3. The only player with 3000 hits who has been on a HOF ballot and not currently made it in is Rafael Palmeiro. Is he a HOFer? Do the steroid allegations end his chances? Did he even intentionally use? He to this day claims he never intentionally took them. Support answer!
Palmeiro is an interesting case. He has the standard 3000 hits and 500 HRs that have typically given automatic entry to the HOF. However the steroid allegations are killing his chances. Whether he used intentionally or not is impossible to tell (he has no reason to ever admit to intentionally using, and every reason to deny it). The gist is that he used them and that makes his numbers tainted. Now if you delve more deeper into his stats you notice that when Jose Canseco (Mr Steroid, as I call him) joined the Rangers Palmeiro's yearly home runs almost doubled, and every full season he played thereafter he hit over 30 HRs. Prior to Canseco coming to the Rangers Palmeiro hit well for average but only had mediocre homerun totals. I think he may eventually get in if the veterans committee starts letting in a lot of the great steroids era players, but he won't ever be voted otherwise.
4. Does Bert Blyleven deserve to be in the HOF? It took a long time and the numbers nearly said no then suddenly rebounded after many years to let him in. Support answer!!
Yes he deserves to be in the HOF and should have gotten in sooner. His strikeout total alone should have gotten him in within his first few years of eligibility. He was a colorful player and his attitude may have kept him out for so long. I think if he had played for the Yankees or Red Sox for even a couple years he would have gotten in much sooner. I am glad that the sabermetrics boom helped him get in, because he deserves it.
5. Lastly, but certainly not least. Does my boy Frank Thomas deserve to be a HOFer? If he makes it will he be a first ballot HOFer? Support answer!!
YES!! He deserves to be in the HOF and to be a 1st ballot entry. However again the issue of steroids era numbers may hurt him just a little bit. I don't think he ever used them, but some voters will just not vote for anyone with high HR totals during the 90s. I think he will get in on the 1st ballot, but it will be closer than it should be.
Collecting John Stockton, Karl Malone, Ivan Rodriguez, Gary Carter & UF player rookie year cards. Plus Jedd Gyorko rookie and prospect cards.
Jedd Gyorko 2010-2013: Have 329/419 including 1/1s
Wantlist: http://sites.google.com/site/sportscardsite/set-needs/
Jedd Gyorko 2010-2013: Have 329/419 including 1/1s
Wantlist: http://sites.google.com/site/sportscardsite/set-needs/