Could this be the year of the Goose?

[tanstaafl2]

And perhaps a little Rice to go along with the Goose?

Does Mark "not here to talk about the past" McGuire have a shot this year given his poor showing last year? Who else makes the grade?

Looks like it might be a thin year for the Baseball HoF. But it might be the best chance for some of the players that have been on the bubble recently with no players looking to be guaranteed first round selections like Ripken and Gwynn last year.

25 players made the ballot this year. Results will be announced after the first of the year.

Holdovers (% of vote last year - 75% required to be elected)
Rich "Goose" Gossage (71.2)
Jim Rice (63.5)
Andre Dawson (56.7)
Bert Blyleven (47.7)
Lee Smith (39.8 )
Jack Morris 202 (37.1)
Mark McGwire (23.5)
Tommy John (22.9)
Dave Concepcion (13.6)
Alan Trammell (13.4)
Dave Parker (11.4)
Don Mattingly (9.9)
Dale Murphy (9.2)
Harold Baines (5.3)

Newbies
Brady Anderson
Rod Beck
Shawon Dunston
Chuck Finley
Travis Fryman
David Justice
Chuck Knoblauch
Robb Nen
Tim Raines
Jose Rijo
Todd Stottlemyre

Players eligible this season but not included on the ballot: Luis Alicea, Alex Arias, Andy Benes, Mike Benjamin, Dennis Cook, Delino DeShields, Darrin Fletcher, Rich Garcés, Chris Haney, Dave Hollins, Bobby J. Jones, Tom Lampkin, Darren Lewis, Mike Magnante, Dave Mlicki, Mike Morgan, Jesse Orosco, Hipólito Pichardo, Armando Reynoso, Henry Rodríguez, Lee Stevens, Greg Swindell, Mike Trombley, John Valentin, Randy Velarde, Ed Vosberg, and Mark Wohlers.

And a wee bit of trivia:

What was the last year more than 2 members were elected by the BBWAA?

Who were the ones elected in that year?

What was the last year that no one was elected by the BBWAA?

Who finished at the top of the ballot that year, just short of the required percentage?

[mrkelley23]

Personal opinion: I think several of these names ought to be in, but my percentages are far different from the writers.

I think Blyleven should've gotten in WAY before this, and Dawson either last year or this year.I think McGwire belongs in, but I am okay with a suitable (five years or so) purgatory while he moves up the charts. I'm not sure Mattingly and Trammell belong in, but they deserve to be much higher on this list than they are.

And if Gossage gets in, Smith should be not far behind. It really grinds my butt the advantage guys who played in big cities (read: Gossage and Rice) have over the "small market" guys (Blyleven and Dawson). And even that couldn't help Donnie Baseball.

[ToLiveIsToFly]

Tim Raines should be a complete no-brainer first ballot hall of famer.

[littlebeast13]

Looks like the list of newbies is pretty much what I had predicted after last year's vote except for Andy Benes and Jesse Orosco. Neither has a shot at making the Hall, but both should have gotten their token appearance on the ballot....

Next year will be the year of Paquette. Get that placque ready....

lb13

[tanstaafl2]

Tim Raines should be a complete no-brainer first ballot hall of famer.

Probably so but the voting is rarely logical. He is certainly the pick of this class but I wouldn't be surprised to see him not be selected in the first year. The lack of significant competition in this years new eligible players might work in his favor though.

[peacock2121]

I thought maybe goosing was coming back into style.

[tanstaafl2]

Since there were no takers.

What was the last year more than 2 members were elected by the BBWAA? (To clarify I mean the year they were enshrined in the Hall. The ballots were completed the prior year.)

Spoiler

1999

Who were the ones elected in that year?

Spoiler

Nolan Ryan (98.79%), George Brett (98.19%) and Robin Yount (77.46%). All three were selected in their first year of eligibility.

What was the last year that no one was elected by the BBWAA?

Spoiler

1996

Who finished at the top of the ballot that year, just short of the required percentage?

Spoiler

Phil Niekro, who finished with 68.3% of the ballots. He would be the only person elected in the following year.

[fantine33]

Since there were no takers.

Sorry, Snoopy, I had nothing to take. I haven't watched a baseball game since October, 1986.

I only know about the Gossage thing, because I kind of have no choice, but I do remember Tim Raines when he played for the Denver Bears. My only other real thought while reading your list was that I thought David Justice was still playing. Ha!