Off-Topic Forum

Congrats to Lee Smith and Harold Baines on getting elected to the Hall of Fame by the Today’s Game Committee.

I'm sure there will be those happy to see a guy like Harold Baines get into the Hall of Fame.  I'm not one of those people. 

Lee Smith - OK

Harold Baines - Really?????? Mattingly and Murphy are more deserving than Baines.

Yeah, I don't get that one.

And Dewey should be getting in next also. And now that Baines is in it helps eliminiate the DH bias. Martinez, who was probably getting it anyhow, shouldn't have an issue and now can't hold anything against Big Papi.

Smith I can see. He was a multi-inning reliever who did hold the saves record until Hoffman and Rivera came along.

I'm with vrooomed.  

Really? Harold Baines?

Hey, I'm happy for the guy and his fans, but I think I could name at least a half-dozen other players that I would have put in before him. Maybe this means a couple of my favorite Royals players, Frank White and Dan Quisenberry have a chance.

What, no Hal McRae? I mean we are talking DH's here....

kcjays wrote:

I'm with vrooomed.  

Really? Harold Baines?

Hey, I'm happy for the guy and his fans, but I think I could name at least a half-dozen other players that I would have put in before him. Maybe this means a couple of my favorite Royals players, Frank White and Dan Quisenberry have a chance.

My uncle was such a big fan, he named his cat Harold Baines.

Reinsdorf and Larussa on the committee of 12 couldn't have hurt his cause.

Even though the names are different, I can't figure out the difference between this year's committee and last year's.

Either way, congratulations to both.  The HOF is a neat tourist attraction that some people take a little too seriously.  Induction day is one of the most fun events I've ever attended in my life. Go if you get a chance!

I loved Hal McRae's hard-nosed, take no prisoners style of play. ( I'm sure there's a YouTube video of him taking out Willie Randolph at second base.) He was born for the DH position because I'm pretty sure that I wasn't the only person who cringed when he went out to play the outfield. But even as big of Royals fan as I am, and I always root for them, even I wouldn't call Hal McRae hall of fame worthy.

HOF Committees based on when a player's greatest contributions were

TODAY'S GAME (1988 TO PRESENT)

MODERN BASEBALL (1970-1987)

GOLDEN DAYS (1950-1969)

EARLY BASEBALL (PRIOR TO 1950)

In my mind, Baines was a contemporary of Trammell and Morris, from last year's group.  That's why I'm confused. I associate him with the Winning Ugly teams of the early 80s.