HOF ballot inc. 3 Tigers -- Trammell, T Fryman, Jack Morris

11/26/2007 10:26 AM ET
2008 Hall of Fame ballot to be mailed this week
Raines, Justice, Knoblauch among first-time candidates

Baseball Writers' Association of America

A former World Series Most Valuable Player and other contributors to world championships are among 11 new candidates on the 2008 Hall of Fame ballot that will be mailed later this week to more than 575 voting members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

Jose Rijo, who was the World Series MVP in 1990 for the Cincinnati Reds, is in the company of other World Series ring-wearers Tim Raines, David Justice, Chuck Knoblauch, Todd Stottlemyre and Robb Nen.

They join 14 holdovers from the 2007 balloting in which Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn were elected. Rich "Goose" Gossage, the closing reliever for the New York Yankees' 1978 World Series title team, was 21 votes shy of the total required in the previous election.

Candidates must be named on 75 percent of the ballots cast to gain entry into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. Gossage was on 71.2 percent of the record 545 ballots cast. For election, 409 votes were necessary. Gossage had 388. Ripken was on 537 ballots (98.5 percent) and Gwynn 532 (97.6), the two highest point totals in the history of BBWAA balloting, which began in 1936. The other players named on at least half the ballots were former American League Most Valuable Player Jim Rice with 346 (63.5) and one-time National League MVP Andre Dawson with 309 (56.7).

Rijo compiled a 116-91 record over a 14-season career, the highlight of which was his 2-0 mark and 0.59 ERA in the Reds' sweep of the Oakland Athletics in the 1990 World Series. Rijo previously appeared on the Hall of Fame ballot in 2001 after having not pitched since 1995. But he returned to the majors that year and pitched again in 2002. Although Rijo received only one vote in 2001, the rules of the voting allow him another opportunity on the ballot because of his return to the game.

Raines was part of two Yankees' championships in 1996 and '98. His prime seasons were with the Montreal Expos, now the Washington Nationals, and he holds franchise records for runs (947), triples (82) and stolen bases (635). Raines, who spent time with the Chicago White Sox, A's, Baltimore Orioles and Florida Marlins, was a career .294 hitter with 2,605 hits and 808 stolen bases, the fifth-highest career total. He won the NL batting title in 1986 and was the MVP of the 1987 All-Star Game at Oakland.

Justice, the NL Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Award winner in 1990, made it into postseason play in 10 of a possible 13 seasons during his 14-year career (the playoffs were canceled in 1994) and won World Series titles with the Atlanta Braves in 1995 and the Yankees in 2000. He was the MVP of the Yankees' ALCS victory that year over the Seattle Mariners. Justice had 14 home runs and 63 RBIs combined in 21 postseason series and 112 games.

Knoblauch, the AL Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year Award winner in 1991, opposed Justice in that year's World Series won by the Minnesota Twins, the first of four rings earned by the Gold Glove second baseman. Knoblauch, a .289 career hitter with 407 stolen bases, was part of the Yankees' three consecutive Series triumphs of 1998, 1999 and 2000.

Stottlemyre, who won 138 games over 14 seasons, was in Toronto's rotation when the Blue Jays won back-to-back Series in 1992 and '93. Nen was the closer for the Marlins' title team in 1997.

The other first-year candidates are pitchers Rod Beck and Chuck Finley, infielder Travis Fryman, shortstop-outfielder Shawon Dunston and outfielder Brady Anderson. The five-year waiting rule was waived in the case of Beck, who died June 23.

Writers with 10 or more consecutive years' experience make up the electorate, which must return ballots by a Dec. 31 postmark. Votes are counted jointly by the BBWAA's Jack O'Connell and Ernst & Young partner Michael DiLecce. Results will be announced Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2008, on the Websites of the Hall of Fame (www.baseballhalloffame.org) and the BBWAA (www.baseballwriters.org).

The ballot: Brady Anderson, Harold Baines, Rod Beck, Bert Blyleven, Dave Concepcion, Andre Dawson, Shawon Dunston, Chuck Finley, Travis Fryman, Rich "Goose" Gossage, Tommy John, David Justice, Chuck Knoblauch, Don Mattingly, Mark McGwire, Jack Morris, Dale Murphy, Robb Nen, Dave Parker, Tim Raines, Jim Rice, Jose Rijo, Lee Smith, Todd Stottlemyre, Alan Trammell.
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Jack Morris: Ninth year on the ballot ... Pitched 18 seasons, 14 with Detroit ... Three 20-win seasons, 11 seasons with 200-plus innings and three 200-strikeout campaigns ... Received Cy Young Award votes seven times: 1981 (third), '83 (third), '84 (T-seventh), '86 (fifth), '87 (ninth), '91 (fourth) and '92 (fifth) ... Made 14 Opening Day starts, tied with Steve Carlton, Randy Johnson, Walter Johnson and Cy Young for second-most ever, two behind Tom Seaver (16) ... Named AL Pitcher of the Year by The Sporting News (1981) ... Named to five All-Star teams (1981, '84, '85, '87, '91); started games in 1981, '85 and '91; owns a 2.53 ERA with eight strikeouts in 10 2/3 ASG innings ... Named WS MVP in 1991 with a 2-0 record, 1.17 ERA, and a 10-inning 1-0 victory in Game 7 ... Ranks 31st all-time in strikeouts and tied for 39th in wins ... Tossed a 4-0 no-hitter vs. the Chicago White Sox on April 7, 1984 ... Led all MLB pitchers in the 1980s with 162 wins, 133 complete games, 332 starts and 2,443 innings ... Held AL record for most consecutive starting assignments (515) before broken by Roger Clemens in 2001 ... Topped AL in strikeouts (232) and innings (293 2/3) in 1983, and shutouts (six) in 1986 ... Tied for the AL lead in wins twice (1981, '92), starts twice (1990, '91) and complete games once (1990)
... Holds AL career record for most putouts by a pitcher (387) ... Four AL Championship Series (1984, '87, '91, '92); owns a 3-2 record with a 4.87 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 40 2/3 ALCS innings ... Three World Series (1984, '91, '92); owns a record of 4-2 with a 2.96 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 51 2/3 WS innings ... Member of three WS champion teams (1984, '91, '92).
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Alan Trammell: Seventh year on the ballot ... Played 20 seasons, all with the Detroit Tigers ... Seven .300 batting average seasons, one season with 200-plus hits, one season with 100-plus RBIs, and three seasons with 100-plus runs scored ... Finished in top 10 in MVP voting three times in 1984
(ninth), '87 (second), and '88 (seventh) ... Named WS MVP (1984); batted .450 with six RBIs and two HR in 20 WS at-bats ... Shares single-game WS record for driving in all of team's runs (four) on Oct. 13, 1984 ... Six All-Star teams (1980, '84, '85, '87, '88, '90) ... Won four AL Gold Glove awards (1980, '81, '83, '84) ... Named 1983 AL Comeback Player of the Year by The Sporting News ... Finished tied for fourth in the 1978 BBWAA AL Rookie of the Year Award voting ... 20-plus HR twice, 30-plus doubles six times, 20-plus stolen bases three times, and 30-plus stolen bases once ... Five career grand slams ... Had 20-game hitting streak (Aug. 5-22, 1984) and 21-game hitting streak (May 24-June 16, 1987) ... Shares ML record for most years by a shortstop (20) ... Led AL in sacrifice hits in 1981 (16) and '83 (15) ... Led AL shortstops in double plays (102) in 1990 ... Two ALCS (1984, '87); batted .258 with five RBIs and one HR in 31 ALCS at-bats ... One World Series (1984); member of 1984 WS championship team.
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Travis Fryman: First year on the ballot ... Played 13 seasons for the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians ... Five-time All-Star (1992-94, 1996, 2000) ... Won a Gold Glove Award for his defense at third base in 2000 ... Won a Silver Slugger Award in 1992 at SS ... Finished sixth in the 1990 AL Rookie of the Year voting ... Two seasons with a batting average of .300 or better (1993, 2000) ... Seven seasons with 20 or more home runs ... Seven seasons with 30-plus doubles, and nine with at least 20 ... Knocked in 100-plus RBIs three times, and at least 80 in six others ... Batted .191 (13-for-60) with two doubles, a home run and six RBIs in 20 postseason games (four series).

No sure-fire nominees this year. Could bode well for Tram and JackMo!!

I always felt that Jim Rice was oh-so-shy of HOF status but would love to see him elected as well.....

Goose Gossage, Tim Raines, Mattingly...eh??

I agree with you Tigersaint! However, there are a few names that should not be on the ballot regardless whether or not they meet requirements, like Rijo, Stottlemyre and Knoblauch. Nothing against these guys, but their numbers are not worthy of being on a MLB HOF ballot, yet they probably will recieve at least a few votes, votes that could go towards a candidate like Rice, Tram or Morris! They should have a preliminary vote and eliminate 5 or 6 guys before the main election!

I hope Tram and Morris get in! They deserve it! Sorry Travis! You were very good but not great! TRAM AND MORRIS WERE! YEAH!

Travis Fryman could join Sean Casey in the "All Great Guys Hall of Fame"!!

I always liked Fryman! C'mon Tram!! woo hoo!!!

Fryman was really cool to me and my ex's son when we met him years ago in Detroit for an AUTO!!
He actually talked with us for a long time. Very cool!!

He is a nice guy!

But I really want Trammell and Morris to get some votes!!

Alan especially....

Me too! Let's vote!

SoulRat wrote:

Me too! Let's vote!

If only we could.....

I know... stupid HOF

Well start your own sports newspaper and someday maybe you could vote!

That's a lot of trouble... you start one and I'll do the voting... deal?

Deal!

You are SOOOO lazy. Isn't that exacty how THIS board got started.....LOL!!

LOL!!!! yes

SoulRat wrote:

LOL!!!! yes

Saint and I will do it then and can try to take the credit!

!! Hey now, I never ever took credit for this, I only take credit for appointing catbox to admin because he does all the work... and Lo set it all up... I did nothing but, well, run my mouth about... nothing

And you do a good job at that!!!

LOL!

gogetemtigers wrote:

Saint and I will do it then and can try to take the credit!

What do you need me to do? I'm good at running MY mouth also!!

Ain't THAT the truth

Hey!! Thanks for the support!!

Anytime :mwah:

Can I book a 4:20?

TRAM AND MORRIS WOULD GET MY VOTE!

:haha: of course you can!