Hall Of Fame - Class of 2016

While this topic doesn't necessarily have anything to do with fantasy, as an avid baseball fan I feel obligated to at least touch on the topic a bit.  Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Piazza were inducted and both were deserving in my humble opinion.  Griffey should have received 100% of the vote and I will rant about that in just a bit.

Other that I felt strongly for that should and I think will eventually get in:

• Tim Raines: He was elite at many thing in his era, however has one REALLY big obstacle in his way that will never leave: Rickey Henderson.  That was Raines's peer; and when you are compared to one of the greatest of all time, it can diminish you accomplishments, as great as they may be.  I strongly feel that if Raines has played in a different decade, he would have already been in the hall.  
  
  
• Jeff Bagwell: In an Era with ridiculously juiced numbers all around him, Jeff was consistently producing power and average at a very high level.  There are a number of other articles essentially showing that he was never really the top guy in any season (with the exception of 1994 - the strike shortened season).  He was however consistently putting up elite level runs, hr's, average, RBI's, and OPS.  Again, when he was being compared to Bonds, Sosa, McGwire, and others that were putting up silly numbers, Bagwell's were dwarfed.  He was however an excellent player for a very long time.

There are others that I'm still not sure about.  I think I'm more selective than most and feel the elite of the elite should be the only ones in the hall.  Sure Hoffman compiled 600 saves over a very long career, but Wagner was an infinitely more dominant pitcher looking at their respective peripherals.  I wouldn't throw a tantrum if Hoffman was inducted, I'm just not as much of a fan of compilers getting in.  I'd rather have the uber elite even if it was for a shorter period of time.

It was nice to see Griffey set the record for highest % of the vote for an induction, but it's time for the voters to get off of their high horse.  Seriously, there isn't a valid reason not to vote for him.  It was a class act that everyone loved AND was amazing to watch.  Multiple elite seasons AND compiled gaudy career stats that only a few have ever done before.  So what is the reason not to vote for him: Because if Ruth, Gehrig, Williams, etc... didn't get 100% of the vote, then no one should?  I say who cares.  Just because other mistakes were made in the past doesn't mean we should keep making them.  There are a number of players that should have already received 100% of the vote, and while in the scheme of things it's really not a big deal, it really does rub me the wrong way.  I was very much hoping he got 100% for another reason other than him deserving it: I believe once it happens once, that will set the new precedent.  After that it should happen much more easily for other deserving players.

I would love to see what happens in the next few years when there are even more polarizing players than Griffey.  Who wouldn't vote for Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter (and I'm a Yankee hater saying this)?