...and going by only the new class, who do you vote for? And why? Homer-ism is 100% invalid, sorry all 11 Tampa Bay fans in Crimedawg's corner.
Basically if DK votes for Shane Reynolds, which wouldn't shocking by any means, we ignore it!
1B Fred McGriff
1B Eric Karros
2B Roberto Alomar
SS Barry Larkin
1B Andres Galarraga
3B Robin Ventura
DH Edgar Martinez
DH Ellis Burks
SP Pat Hentgen
SP Kevin Appier
SP Shane Reynolds
No one here is a Hall of Fame player
...and going by only the new class, who do you vote for? And why? Homer-ism is 100% invalid, sorry all 11 Tampa Bay fans in Crimedawg's corner.
Basically if DK votes for Shane Reynolds, which wouldn't shocking by any means, we ignore it!
Marshall: MILSWANCAs?
Ted: Wait, I can get this. Mothers I'd like to sleep with and never call again.
Barney: Circle gets the square!
The 2074 MSL NL Gold Glove Recipient at Third Base.
Yes, I left off several. And I could have left off a lot still. Dan Wheeler has a better shot at making the Hall than David Segui, Mike Jackson or Todd Zeile.
Marshall: MILSWANCAs?
Ted: Wait, I can get this. Mothers I'd like to sleep with and never call again.
Barney: Circle gets the square!
The 2074 MSL NL Gold Glove Recipient at Third Base.
wheres donnie baseball... then again you did already disqualify homerism, but his numbers are comparable to pucketts, and he was the best defensive 1st baseman in the game for many years.
Alomar, McGriff, Edgar Martinez
S3SL: Toronto Blue Jays' GM - rebuilding to division winner
http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/7...illsnewbh6.jpg
Alomar, Edgar Martinez (hes .300, .400, .500 in his career, DH or not hes in), Larkin.
2003 Hybrid World Champion (115-47 reg season, 11-4 playoffs)
TBL: Anaheim Angels 2006-present (238-244 regular season, 1 division title)
MSL: St Louis Cardinals 2013-present (2734-2936 regular season, 5 division titles, 2 championships)
TSSL: Seattle Mariners 2006-2029, Pittsburgh Pirates 2030-present (209-277, 5 division titles w/SEA, 1 championship w/SEA)
I voted for McGriff, Alomar, Larkin, and Martinez.
Alomar wins out for me, barely over Larkin. I don't think multiple people are deserving from this specific class. Perhaps many make the proverbial hall of good/very good. There's no clear cut choice or choices, they all have huge defining flaws. No one reached any standout milestones. No 3,000 hits or 500 homeruns.
I give Alomar the nod, he had more hits, homeruns, steals, walks, Gold Gloves, and seemingly more of an overall impact on the modern age position (in his case 2B, as opposed to Larkin at SS). Both had double digit all-star appearances. Both won rings.
Larkin had an MVP, but let's consider the 1995 MVP race:
Runner up was Dante Bichette and his Coors inflated power stats, Mike Piazza and his 112 games, and third place was Greg Maddux. Larry Walker had less than 500 abs. And then there's Tony Gwynn, who finished 9th despite killing Larkin in hits, was his equal for OPS, had 90 rbi despite just 9 homeruns (Larkin had just 66). How Larkin won over Gwynn or Bonds, I don't know, I don't remember what was going on in 1995 MVP race.
Advantage, Alomar, and it's hardly debatable.
Marshall: MILSWANCAs?
Ted: Wait, I can get this. Mothers I'd like to sleep with and never call again.
Barney: Circle gets the square!
The 2074 MSL NL Gold Glove Recipient at Third Base.
Alomar, Larkin and Martinez
Hard to argue with the stats for Edgar, but I went with Alomar straight up.
Maybe I'm short changing Edgar and Barry, but I just don't care. I see Alomar as a dominant player at his position for many years, and Larkin was just some guy who won an MVP out of nowhere.
Maybe it's my inner Reds-hater.
I pretty much agree with everything KOZ said. Even though I love Larkin, as he was the best NL shortstop during his era. Yet Alomar was clearly the more dominant player. He is a clear cut HOF without even a second thought.
Greatest 2B of all time? Not quite a Rogers Hornsby, but he is definitely in the second tier with the likes of Sandberg.
I also voted for Edgar Martinez. The dude had me screaming to keep a DH for years. That is both his flaw and legacy though. He is the greatest DH of all time. Yet we all hate seeing a player not have skills on the other side of the game. I have read many managers say that it wasn't Griffey Jr. that their pitchers were afraid of facing. When the game was on the line; it was Martinez.
It could also be argued that Griffey's best years were definitely in Seattle where he hit in front of Edgar the entire tenure. Did that have anything to do with his greatness?
I hate that argument because I am downgrading my favorite all-time player. But it is a thought that is justifiably pondered.
Edgar and Roberto get the nods from me.
Roberto Alomar and Edgar Martinez
If Andy Pettitte has another strong year in 2010, he should be a Hall of Fame candidate.
Edgar Martinez-One of the sweetest pure hitter during his time. Won several batting championships.
Roberto Alomar-One of the best 2B defensively and also had a really good bat.
Barry Larkin: Great hitter and team leader at SS for the Reds.
What about reverse homerism? I refuse to vote for Alomar on the principle that a) He absolutely DIED the moment he came to the Mets, and b) the accusations of him raping a chick to give her AIDS.
Larkin, and Martinez for me.