Basball H.O.F. - The 2026 Contemporary Era Ballot...let's discuss important things.
Below are the names. This will be interesting, because they recently selected Harold Freaking Baines, who had a lower career W.A.R. than all of the players on this year's list.
We've had the Bonds/Clemens debate here. Arguably, Sheffield is in or out depending on whether or not you argued the same way for those two. The others are interesting choices. Personally, I can see the committee choosing Murphy and Mattingly. I don't know how they will view the rest, and the P.E.D. guys are probably going to hinge on who is selected for the committee.
Barry Bonds
Roger Clemens
Gary Sheffield
Jeff Kent
Dale Murphy
Carlos Delgado
Don Mattingly
Fernando Valenzuela
Replies to: Basball H.O.F. - The 2026 Contemporary Era Ballot...let's discuss important things.
Murphy played in a baseball desert
Had a great career when the Braves were the 90's Arizona Cardinals.
Mattingly is one of the best pure hitters the game has ever scene. Also cannot ignore his nine gold gloves. It sucks what happened to his back.
With Mattingly, it's almost like the Terrell Davis situation.
Great for a shorter duration due to injury. He also had the misfortune of a peak career right before the P.E.D. era (like Murphy) and right before the Yankees became a dynasty. Strongly believe his candidacy would be different had he produced the same way for those 90's Yankees.
Wait til they are dead, like they did with Ole Pete.
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This is actually the Leo Durocher rule
Like Pete, he associated with gamblers (probably bet on his own games, although that wasn't ever proven). Plus, like Pete, he was an asshole that nobody liked. He was voted into the Hall of Fame in 1994, after he was dead.
Paging Barry Bonds! A hole among a holes indeed.
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Barry Bonds is prone to getting a big head...
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And well earned...Pitchers knew the odds of Barry launching one into the stands were very good.
Not only did Barry have the power (admittedly enhanced), but his eye/hand coordination was HOF worthy.
But they are still holding fast with keeping Shoeless Joe out.
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His 1911 season is unfairly forgotten.
.408 Batting Average, 42 strikeouts, 193 OPS+, 41 Stolen Bases (caught ZERO times), 19 triples....Wow!!!
Sadly, Ty Cobb was playing at the time, so he didn't win M.V.P.
Maybe those heartless MFers should watch Field of Dreams.
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Agree, and without the roids their numbers would not be so good.
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Bonds and Clemens deserve to have their plaques in the men's rest room above the urinals.
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I think there ought to be a steroid-era room
There is no universe in which Clemens and Bonds should not be in the Hall. Add as many asterisks as you want.
Of the rest, I think Kent is a yes.
And if Mattingly gets in but not Hernandez, the building should be burned to the ground. Just one man's opinion.
Agree on Bonds and Clemons...MLB was only too happy promoting the "Bash Brothers" before
they joined the party.
Some have suggested simply putting it on their plaque.
List their accomplishments, teams, etc. And then note that significant evidence exists that they used performance-enhancing drugs late in their careers. I don't have the answer, but I do know that P.E.D. users are absolutely already in. I don't like Bagwell and Piazza and Ortiz having plaques but Bonds and Clemens not.
I'm not wild about Kent, simply because his best seasons coincided with Bonds behind him in the lineup giving him way better pitches to hit.
Agree with you on Mattingly.
I'd be fine with that
I hated Roger Clemens. But he was one of the top 2 or 3 pitchers of my lifetime.
And Bonds's 2004 season was one of the most dominant ones a hitter has ever had.
Put them in. And McGwire and Sosa. But make note.
Enter under two giant crossed syringes...
Glad I took my kids there before this became front and center. Have no interest any longer...
Re: Basball H.O.F. - The 2026 Contemporary Era Ballot...let's discuss important things.
Mattingly was a great hitter but he also was a great fielder. He had to be a star among some awful Yankee teams. I'd put Bonds and Clemens in too. Murphy was very good. Not sure on the others. I am pissed off that the voters didn't put Yogi Berra in on the first ballot who was considered one of the greatest catchers of all time, when you include his bat, clutch efforts and 10 world championships. They put Ozzie Smith in on the first ballot and though he was a wizard in the field. he couldn't hit.
IMHO none of those men deserve to be in the HOF.
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I think Murphy is worth re-visiting.
His first eligibility for H.O.F. voting came in 1999 right after the power explosion of the 90's that quickly watered down his accomplishments compared to recent power hitters, and we now know why.
Interesting thought.
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