One year after no players were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, there should be a flurry of new entrants in 2014. My ballot will show eight names, double the highest amount I’ve ever tabbed in my two decades of voting. And I don’t vote for the druggies either.
The top vote-getter this year should be pitcher Greg Maddux, who won 355 games and captured four consecutive Cy Young Awards. There’s no reason he should not receive 90% of the vote. His long-time Braves teammate, Tom Glavine, should also get in as he compiled a 305-203 record in 22 seasons and won two Cy Youngs.
Craig Biggio and Mike Piazza, who came up as catchers, also deserve to be inducted. Biggio was the top vote-getter last year with 68% (75% is needed) but may have been the victim of the first-ballot prejudice many voters employ. Biggio collected 3,060 hits, including an amazing 668 doubles, the most of any right-handed batter in history and fifth all time. He primarily played second base and also a couple of seasons in the outfield. Piazza is the top power-hitting catcher in history, smacking 396 homers at the position and 427 overall while also hitting .308 lifetime.
First-time nominees Frank Thomas and Mike Mussina also should be inducted. I don’t believe there should be a distinction between a first-ballot Hall of Famer and any other. If you are worthy enough, you should be selected in your first year. Biggio and Piazza may have been denied last year because of this attitude.
Thomas slugged 521 home runs and drove in 1,704 runs while batting .301. He also won back-to-back Most Valuable Player Awards. Mussina registered a .638 winning percentage and only five pitchers with 250 or more wins have a better mark. He also won seven Gold Gloves and his best season may have been his last when he won 20 games at the age of 39.
Finally, reliever Lee Smith and first baseman Fred McGriff deserve entrance in my view. Smith is third all time in saves with 478 behind only Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman and was an intimidating presence on the mound. McGriff smacked 493 homers and knocked in 1,550 runs, numbers not all that different than Thomas’s.
Players such as Jeff Bagwell, Jack Morris, Tim Raines and Edgar Martinez were considered but fall short of greatness in my view. Managers Joe Torre, Bobby Cox and Tony La Russa have already been chosen by the Veterans Committee. The results will be announced on Jan. 8.