Ryne Sandberg: Not HOF???

[Rocketman]

Can someone please explain to me how the second baseman with the most home runs in history, an MVP, 344 lifetime stolen bases, over 1000 career RBI, and 9 gold gloves NOT get into the Hall of Fame?

Ryne Sandberg was, without a doubt, the premiere second baseman of the 1980s and early 1990s. He was the best both defensively and offensively - pretty darn hard to do. His career stats are certainly hall worthy for a middle infielder, and his peak seasons (84, 85, 89, 90, 91) are some of the best ever for a second baseman. Furthermore, he was the star player on the historically rich (if tragic) Chicago Cubs... yet somehow doesn't even get 50% of the vote to make the hall on his first time around.

I repeat, can someone explain to me why he won't be enshrined this year?

[CPatriarch]

Ryno did not get in this year because it was his first year of eligibilty. Very few HoF'ers get in on their first try...it took Carter five or six times...getting in on the first year of eligibilty is reserved for the few who pass one or more of the huge milestones like 500HRs or 3000 hits.

[Carissa]

Sandberg deserved better from voters
http://espn.go.com/mlb/columns/caple_jim/1488657.html
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By Jim Caple
ESPN.com


Monday I wrote how torn I am each year when I don't vote for certain players on my Hall of Fame ballot. Today I'm writing how I'm disappointed that others didn't vote for Ryne Sandberg.

Sandberg received roughly half the votes cast (244), well shy of the 75 percent needed for his ticket to Cooperstown. That's too bad because he easily deserves the honor.

It's hard to remember in this era of inflated offense, when second baseman such as Jeff Kent, Bret Boone and Alfonso Soriano put up numbers once restricted to center fielders, but when Sandberg was in his prime, the question that players, fans, writers, and broadcasters occasionally asked was not whether he was the best second baseman in the game (he was, at least until Robbie Alomar took over that title) but the best in history (he wasn't, but he was among them).

He was briefly the highest-paid player in baseball history, and for good reason. For a long time, he was his league's best fielding second baseman and its best hitting second baseman. Jayson Stark pointed out in his column on Monday, from 1982-92, Sandberg led all second baseman in runs, RBI, home runs, batting average, OPS, fielding percentage and 500-assist seasons.

The 1984 NL MVP, Sandberg started 10 consecutive All-Star Games and won nine consecutive Gold Gloves. He hit 277 career home runs (most ever by a second baseman), averaged 24 during a nine-year stretch (when 24 still was a significant number) and led the league with 40 in 1990 (which shows you how much the game has changed). He hit .300 five times and scored 100 runs (a terribly unappreciated mark) seven times. He led the Cubs to their only two division titles.

I dislike making comparison to other players in Cooperstown because using the least talented Hall of Famers as a barometer often sets the bar so low that you can make a case for many undeserving candidates. But in Sandberg's case, it's worthwhile because he was so obviously as good as -- and usually significantly better than -- half the second basemen already in the Hall: Johnny Evers, Red Schoendienst, Billy Herman, Bobby Doerr, Nellie Fox, Tony Lazzeri, Bid McPhee and Bill Mazeroski.

What hurt Sandberg is his abrupt retirement in 1994 and dubious return a few years later. That surely cost him more compelling totals and the memory of his final seasons probably cost him some votes.

That's too bad because what Sandberg did in the years prior to that first retirement earned him a ticket to Cooperstown.

Jim Caple is a senior writer for ESPN.com. He can be reached at cuffscaple@hotmail.com.

[TinoBambino]

Only the shoe-ins get in on their first year a la Ryan, Brett, Yount, etc... Sandberg will get there, it will just take him a few years.

[Bozidar]

Originally posted by TinoBambino
Only the shoe-ins get in on their first year a la Ryan, Brett, Yount, etc... Sandberg will get there, it will just take him a few years.

exactly... it's a no-brainer

[DiMaggio5CF]

Originally posted by CPatriarch
Ryno did not get in this year because it was his first year of eligibilty. Very few HoF'ers get in on their first try...it took Carter five or six times...getting in on the first year of eligibilty is reserved for the few who pass one or more of the huge milestones like 500HRs or 3000 hits.

The great Joltin' Joe DiMaggio was a third-ballot Hall-of-Famer.

It kind of amazes me that some lesser ballplayers can get in when The Yankee Clipper needed three tries to make it.

[BobbyMurcerFan]

I think Joe was victimized by a career that ended a little too soon and a CF wall that ended a little too far away.

Not to in any way indicate that Joe was not a worthy first ballot HOFer. He clearly was.

[Yankchic22]

My only question is... And please dont think Im mean for asking... How did Kyle get 7 votes?

[penguin4]

Originally posted by Yankchic22
My only question is... And please dont think Im mean for asking... How did Kyle get 7 votes?

Sentimentality.... probably from writers, ex-ballplayers, etc, who were close friends. Kile is like the seventh row of the Presidential ballot that continually garners a handful of votes from friends and family -- wishful thinking, even though they know there's not a shot in hell.

And adding to the list of players who weren't first-balloters, the great Cy Young wasn't even among the original five who got in -- he didn't get in until the next year and even *then* with only 76% of the vote -- and his name is on the award measuring the standard of pitching excellence!! (Why didn't they just call it the "Walter Johnson" or "Christy Matthewson" award?)

[Big_E]

I've never understood this crap about "first-ballot" hall of famer or not. People who won't vote for someone just because they're on the ballot for the first time. Either you're good enough, or you're not. This crap about not voting for someone their first year is just BS.

[YanksRockMan]

I agree with Big_E......First year stuff is BS. Sandberg was a terrific hitter, but like DiMaggio, he'll probably end up as a third ballot hall of famer. He's definitely gonna become a hall of famer, but It may take time.

[Stick Michael]

Originally posted by Yankchic22
My only question is... And please dont think Im mean for asking... How did Kyle get 7 votes?

Sympathy votes, and nothing more.

More disturbing, how is it that the guy who voted for Danny Tartabull is still allowed to cast HOF ballots?!

James

[Hitman23]

Originally posted by Stick Michael
Sympathy votes, and nothing more.

More disturbing, how is it that the guy who voted for Danny Tartabull is still allowed to cast HOF ballots?!

James

I noticed that, too!

i agree with CPatriarch. he'll get in, it will just take a few tries.

[Slippery Elm]

Originally posted by Stick Michael


Sympathy votes, and nothing more.

More disturbing, how is it that the guy who voted for Danny Tartabull is still allowed to cast HOF ballots?!

James

Remember 1967? Yaz should have been unanimous MVP - but some writer voted for. . . CESAR TOVAR.

You heard me.

[Soriambi]

Originally posted by Slippery Elm


Remember 1967? Yaz should have been unanimous MVP - but some writer voted for. . . CESAR TOVAR.

You heard me.

Cesar Tovar 1967: .267-6-47

Yaz 1967 .326-44-121

...........

[BobbyMurcerFan]

:rolleyes: