Barry Larkin, Lee Smith Worthy Of Baseball Hall Of Fame

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This year?s Baseball Hall of Fame ballot which I received a couple of weeks ago is devoid of any Tom Seavers, Cal Ripkens or Rickey Hendersons. It may be the weakest list in my nearly 20 years as a voter.

Nobody is even remotely close to first-ballot consideration as first-timers such as Jeromy Burnitz, Vinny Castilla, Brian Jordan, Javy Lopez, Bill Mueller, Terry Mulholland, Phil Nevin, Brad Radke, Tim Salmon, Ruben Sierra, Bernie Williams, Tony Womack and Eric Young all could be one and done. Only Williams has a realistic chance to receive five percent of the vote and remain for another year.

In fact, there will be many ballots returned this year with no checkmarks besides any of the players? names at all and a possibility that no one will gain the 75 percent of the vote required for election when the results are announced early next month. I will not be one of those sending back a clean, white ballot. Why hold the ceremony if no one is going to be inducted? But others would argue that unworthy players should not be elected just because there?s a ceremony every year.

Although it?s a weak class, there are a couple of names worthy of a checkmark in my opinion. The first is reliever Lee Smith, someone I?ve voted for every year since he was eligible 10 years ago. One of the best closers in the history of the game, Smith, who spent most of his career with the Chicago Cubs, amassed 478 saves, which was first all-time when he retired. Future Hall of Famers Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman have since surpassed the mark.

The other is Cincinnati Reds shortstop Barry Larkin, a 12-time All-Star and a former National League Most Valuable Player. Larkin garnered 62 percent of the vote last year in finishing third to inductees Roberto Alomar and Bert Blyleven, which is always a positive sign for future years. Outside of Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith, Larkin was considered the best at his position in his career and was a better hitter than Smith.

Next year will be an extremely controversial one as Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds, two of the best to ever play the game, will appear on the ballot for the first time. Both have been accused of using illegal steroids but have not admitted it. Bonds was convicted of obstruction of justice in April but didn?t go to prison while Clemens? perjury case was declared a mistrial in July. However, they are clearly guilty in the all-important court of public opinion and in the minds of many voters, including myself.

If Mark McGwire and Rafael Palmeiro, admitted steroids users, are not allowed in (and they won?t be), it is difficult to make cases for Clemens and Bonds. But that?s a discussion for next year at this time.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/sportsmoney/2011/12/22/barry-larkin-lee-smith-worthy-of-baseball-hall-of-fame/

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