Nevertheless, the idea that Rice was the "most feared" hitter of his era, a notion that is both...

Nevertheless, the idea that Rice was the "most feared" hitter of his era, a notion that is both unproven and unprovable, has carried the day.

Five years after he played his final game, when the idea that he was the most feared slugger of his era should have been most fresh in the minds of the electorate, Rice finished eighth in the balloting with 137 votes, just shy of 30% of the pool. He was the second-highest vote getter among corner outfielders, just behind Tony Oliva. Four years later, on an admittedly deep ballot, Rice garnered 146 votes, appearing on 29.4% of the ballots. The idea that Rice was the most feared hitter in baseball during his career, which again should have been fresh in the minds of the voters, carried little weight with more than 70% of those with ballots.

Joe Sheehan

5 months ago royalsreview Comment 49 comments 0 recs |

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I think....

I think we need to find out who left Rickey Henderson off of their ballots and revoke their voting rights.

I don’t care if he was a lock leaving him off the ballot so they can vote in another one of their gutsiest or most feared players should be punishable.

by belt on Jan 12, 2009 5:57 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Corky Simpson was one.

The Allard Baird of incisive internet discourse.

by kcbottom9th on Jan 12, 2009 6:12 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Hahaha, saw that...

“Uhh, sorry guys I forgot.”

by belt on Jan 12, 2009 6:23 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Then he got cranky...

http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/01/12/corky-simpson-elderly-gentleman-of-leisure-believes-the-intern/

by Warden11 on Jan 12, 2009 10:21 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Nice link Warden. Guess we're just sewer rats.

by hunter s. royal on Jan 12, 2009 11:21 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Think Corky has seen

Gran Torino?

by Warden11 on Jan 13, 2009 9:32 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Baseball H.O.F voting is a joke.

The idea that Rice was the most feared hitter in baseball during his career, which again should have been fresh in the minds of the voters, carried little weight with more than 70% of those with ballots.

Rock Raines got 21% of the vote this year I think so those numbers mean little. The idea that these guys become eligible in the minds of voters after certain numbers of tries just spoils the system. The idea that Babe Ruth didn’t garner 100% of the vote so no one should is just plain dumb.

It takes 46 muscles to frown but only 4 to flip 'em the bird.

by kcscoliny on Jan 12, 2009 6:19 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

FEAR

Say hello to HOFers Juan Gonzalez and Albert Belle

Relive Royals History at royalsretro.blogspot.com

by RoyalsRetro on Jan 12, 2009 9:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Jose Offerman!

FEAR, BABY!

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by devil_fingers on Jan 12, 2009 9:55 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

THAT'S CLASSIC

It takes 46 muscles to frown but only 4 to flip 'em the bird.

by kcscoliny on Jan 12, 2009 11:26 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

interestingly

Mark McGwire garnered a smaller percentage of the vote this year. One would think that with time perhaps beginning to mitigate the memory of his disastrous Congressional testimony (if only slightly), that he would be getting more support for the HOF. All I can say is, baseball writers need to get off their pedestals. They were happy to cover McGwire while he and Sammy Sosa were making baseball tons and tons of money.

by DarthYoshi on Jan 12, 2009 6:39 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Don't worry

Nobody will visit Rice’s exhibit/plaque.
That’ll be our payback.

If it were up to me, Mr. Rice would have no place in the HoF but now that it’s over, who cares. It’s done and over and there’s nothing we can do to change it.
I just find it funny that his stats didn’t get any better but this idea that he’s “worthy” of the HoF got stronger, whatever.

I’m glad Rickey got voted in though!

by Royal from Queens on Jan 12, 2009 9:14 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I might give up my firstborn to be there for Rickey's induction speech

I think Bill Simmons proleptically gave it a 99 or something on the Unintentional Comedy Scale already years ago

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by devil_fingers on Jan 12, 2009 9:18 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

My Favorite Rickey

Story; Rickey is on 3B, taking a perfunctory lead. The 3B coach is going over the various scenarios as to what to do if this or that happens while Rickey gazes obliviously at the field of play. When the coach is done with his spiel, Rickey turns to him and says, “Man, no one throw Rickey out.” End of discussion.

I used to be an A's fan until they left town and got good.

by philofthenorth on Jan 12, 2009 9:51 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Jim Rice is like a fine plum wine

it apparently gets better and better with age

The concept of progress acts as a protective mechanism to shield us from the terrors of the future. - Collected sayings of Muad'Dib

by buddyball on Jan 12, 2009 9:26 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

yes!

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by devil_fingers on Jan 12, 2009 9:27 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Really don't get

The Alan Trammell vote

Or why Dale Murphy is considered so much less a candidate than Rice or Dawson.

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by RoyalsRetro on Jan 12, 2009 9:42 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Trammell: Cal Ripken

Sam Bradford: Tim Tebow

I guess “there can only be one” also applies to saints

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by devil_fingers on Jan 12, 2009 9:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Bradford's inability to snap the ball without looking to the sideline for last minute instructions...

kinda annoying

by royalsreview on Jan 12, 2009 9:59 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I think that's just their goofy offensive system

also — he doesn’t have the advantage of divine omnipotence like certain life-changing young men. Give him a break.

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by devil_fingers on Jan 12, 2009 10:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Bradford equals overrated

He plays primarily in a shotgun offense one in which he rarely gets touched. Reading a defense while you dropback sounds easy but just checkout the coaches coaching the guys who haven’t done it at the senior bowl, very funny. Plus he negates his heighth with a earhole release point. That combined with a average arm appears like a bust to me. That being said if he goes to Detroit he has a chance at being at least average. Any QB worth a damn in Detroit needs to realize he should throw the ball in Calvin Johnson’s direction 15 times per game. That is how bad Marinelli and the rest of those bums were they have quite possibly the best overall talent in the league on the field and they don’t realize they need to just get him the damn ball.

Oh by the way Tebow will suck in the pros too.

It takes 46 muscles to frown but only 4 to flip 'em the bird.

by kcscoliny on Jan 12, 2009 11:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You think Tebow will suck?

I do wonder if all the college shotgun spread offenses aren’t doing these guys any favors, but does Tebow’s size, speed, and strength remind you a little of the Good Daunte Culpepper (before the injuries and boat trip)? Maybe that was just Moss…

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by devil_fingers on Jan 12, 2009 11:40 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

That was just Moss

Tebow has a long throwing motion. That is a tough thing to change and keep your accuracy. I distrust most Top 5 college team QB’s. They are surrounded with top end talent that makes them look alot better than they usually are. Look at the good young QB’s to play in this league recently.

Rivers – NC State
E. Manning – Ole Miss
Rothlesberger?- Miami of Ohio
M. Ryan- Boston College
Flacco- Delaware via Pitt
Cassel-Road the bench at USC

It takes 46 muscles to frown but only 4 to flip 'em the bird.

by kcscoliny on Jan 13, 2009 12:01 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

tom brady, peyton manning, carson palmer

TPJ...you're dead to me

by billybeingbilly on Jan 13, 2009 2:36 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs

Tom Brady

doesn’t really fit in with that group. Peyton and Carson Palmer top 3 picks. Remember, Brady wasn’t the man at Michigan.

by Warden11 on Jan 13, 2009 9:35 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Brody Croyle...

The concept of progress acts as a protective mechanism to shield us from the terrors of the future. - Collected sayings of Muad'Dib

by buddyball on Jan 13, 2009 4:33 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

FWIW

Flacco wasn’t very good this year and Cassell is a good example of a guy being “surrounded with top end talent that makes him look a lot better than he actually is”…but in the NFL.

The immoderate moderator

by NYRoyal on Jan 13, 2009 3:24 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

flacco

he wasn’t great but remember he was a rookie from a D-II school. still, he is a QB I’d consider building a franchise around. I think he’s going to be great. he might have the best arm in the league already.

Founder of the Johnny Giavotella fan club.

by doublestix on Jan 13, 2009 3:28 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I’d rather have a good QB than a “great arm”, just as I’d rather have a good pitcher than a “live arm” that can’t really pitch. And other skills in addition to a great arm are even more important for QB’s than it is for pitchers.

The immoderate moderator

by NYRoyal on Jan 13, 2009 3:33 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

i know

i think he will be great. it’s not just the arm. i was hoping the chiefs could get him last year in the second round, although the Ravens jumped way up and got him. the learning curve is going to be bigger because he was a small school guy.

Founder of the Johnny Giavotella fan club.

by doublestix on Jan 13, 2009 5:33 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I have to keep reminding myself

that people like Joe Posnanski are big-time outliers among the BBBWWWWAAAAA or whatever.

Most (or enough) of the voters simply think they don’t need to know much of anything about the sport to vote on it.

The funny thing is, I’d bet most of the are East and West Coasters who think of Middle America as full of benighted souls…

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by devil_fingers on Jan 12, 2009 9:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

i listen to the radio a lot while i'm "working"

and when I saw that today was HOF announcement day, i realized that i was going to have to switch to FM or listen to CDs

generic sports radio guys of a certain age love them there Jim Rice…

by royalsreview on Jan 12, 2009 10:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I wonder if this makes Bobby Grich want to kill someone?

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by devil_fingers on Jan 12, 2009 10:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Jim Rice = Albert Belle

with worse numbers

by royalsreview on Jan 12, 2009 9:58 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Joey is much scarier though

I mean, Rice may have been a “feared” hitter but Joey is a scary human being.
Don’t f- with Joey.

by Royal from Queens on Jan 12, 2009 10:00 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

in all seriousness...

during his peak years… what an animal

every time he swung i expected a line drive

by royalsreview on Jan 12, 2009 10:02 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I'm a bit young

And only caught Belle in his final years but man, even when he was 30+ years old, he was awesome. I won’t say he was a favorite player of mine but even as a kid I enjoyed watching him bat. He was one guy I can say I stopped what I was doing to watch him bat.
The only guy who has that aura now is Albert Pujols, and he’s not favorite player of mine either.

by Royal from Queens on Jan 12, 2009 10:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I sort of compare him to Vlad

The concept of progress acts as a protective mechanism to shield us from the terrors of the future. - Collected sayings of Muad'Dib

by buddyball on Jan 12, 2009 10:33 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Amazing you say that

because Vlad is his number two comp on baseball-reference.com

by Royal from Queens on Jan 12, 2009 10:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

sheer luck

they both swing real hard and are/were good at making contact. plus they are both monsters.

The concept of progress acts as a protective mechanism to shield us from the terrors of the future. - Collected sayings of Muad'Dib

by buddyball on Jan 12, 2009 10:53 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Jim Rice, career park- and league adjusted batting wins: 28.9

Albert Belle, the same: 33.9

Jim Rice, career plate appearances: 9058

Albert Belle, career PAs: 6673

Let’s player “best three”

Best three BTWn seasons:

Peter Gammons’ Mission: 4.4, 4.8, 3.9

Joey Asshole: 5.2, 5.6, 6.0

wow, that’s a really tough call… I just can’t tell you who was better

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by devil_fingers on Jan 12, 2009 10:08 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Bernie Williams

28.4, played CF. Best hitter on the “Yankees Dynasty” of the 1990s.

I wonder how hard Gammons, Shaughnessy, and Simmons are going to campaign for him.

Jason Giambi: 44.9

Jose Canseco: 30.3

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by devil_fingers on Jan 12, 2009 10:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Nah

I just don’t see it with Bernie. I don’t think the BBWAA will put Bernie in, atleast not until quite possibly 2026, his last year of eligibility.

by Royal from Queens on Jan 12, 2009 10:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

but that's what I mean

he has better numbers than Rice, and I’d say was clearly the better player.

Better hitter than Kirby Puckett, too, even if he wasn’t quite the defender (of course, Puckett didn’t “get” to have a decline phase.

I guess Bernie just isn’t quite the wonderful human being Kirby was.

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by devil_fingers on Jan 12, 2009 10:18 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Bernie is boring

he was quiet and played the guitar.
If he did magic tricks or told knock-knock jokes to the media, it might take him 5 years to make the hall of fame rather than the 15 it will probably take.

by Royal from Queens on Jan 12, 2009 10:34 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs