Hey all! I am back!!!! I apologize for the delay, but things have been hectic for me the past 6 weeks. I know what you're thinking,"Why are you doing the Hall of Fame when you aren't finished with your Best of Series?" My answer is too you is easy, it just happened and still fresh. We have Ken Griffey, Jr. and Mike Piazza, both are definitely Hall of Fame worthy baseball players. What did you think of "The Snub"? Why did it take so long for Piazza to make it? Both definitely made the correct decisions when it came to which cap to wear in the Hall.
Ken "The Kid" Griffey, Jr. definitely deserved this nod. Every single sports fan knew he was a first ballot Hall of Famer. Not only was he an offensive juggernaut, but he was beyond amazing as a defensive player as well. We could say he was the Willie Mays of our lifetime. He was plain fun to watch. I am a Yankees fan and as hard as was to watch some of those match ups, he always made things interesting. Offensively, he was in the same group as Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. Defensively, he was the equivalent of Omar Vizquel. Before he made his Major League debut, the Mariners never had an winning record. He certainly helped their cause throughout the 90's. Griffey was a difference maker. When it comes to the Hall of Famers, the voters take into consideration character, leadership, and the impact the player had on his team. Yes, there are players in their solely based on stats, which is fine, but impact on teams definitely should have an impact. He was also the first overall number 1 draft pick ever voted into the baseball Hall of Fame.
Mike Piazza was just the opposite. Hes the lowest draft pick to ever be voted into the Hall of Fame. He was the 1390th pick in the draft. What a steal he was for the Dodgers. It happened to be a favor Tommy LaSorda did for Piazza's father. Look how it all turned out. He spent 12 of his 19 seasons in 2 of the biggest markets in the country, Los Angeles and New York. Even though played extraordinarily well for LA, it appeared he had a bigger impact for the Mets. He helped them contend for most of his time with them, including winning the NL Pennant in 2000. Piazza also was the all time home run leader for catchers. It was not until his 4th time on the ballot that he made it in the Hall of Fame. The main reason it took so long is because of his potential to link to PED's, which was never proved.
As much as these 2 players were deserving of their inductions, I truly believe Jeff Bagwell, Tim Raines, and Trevor Hoffman deserved to make this year as well. Next year's ballot includes first timers Manny Ramirez, Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez, and Vlad Guerrero. Manny has the numbers, but because of his direct link to steroids, he'll won't make it in like Bonds and Clemens. In my opinion, Pudge is the overall best catcher, offensively and defensively. Vlad was a great player, but if he makes it in to the Hall, it will take time. Next year, my vote would go to Pudge, Raines, Bagwell, and Hoffman making into the Hall. Congrats to Piazza and "The Kid", your elections were well deserved. I hope the BBWAA gets their stuff together and votes the right players into the Hall. Happy New Year!
