Broadcasters offer Hall calls
Sox broadcasters pick through list
Times change, but some traditions endure. When the Baseball Hall of Fame was being organized in 1936, newspapers were the primary source of baseball coverage. It was natural that veteran writers do the voting.
In those days, radio was emerging, and television wasn't yet in the, er, picture.
Now, 78 years later, the tradition of having writers vote for the Hall each year continues, but it leaves several generations of qualified broadcasters sitting on the sideline.
"Our board of directors is quite happy with the way the writers' organization has conducted the balloting through the years," said Jeff Idelson of the Hall of Fame. "Another issue is that almost half of the broadcasters are paid by their teams, and club employees aren't allowed to vote."
Locally, however, that disclaimer doesn't apply to radio voices Jerry Trupiano and Joe Castiglione, who are paid by WEEI. Both are all for broadcasters, especially those with 10 years of service, having a vote. That's the same requirement that applies to newspaper beat writers. And neither was shy about sharing his picks.
"We should have a vote," said Trupe. "We're there every night. Even the beat writers don't make every road trip these days."
This year's ballot has newcomers Dennis Eckersley and Paul Molitor. The top holdovers, with their number of votes from last year's balloting (372 were needed for election) were: Bruce Sutter (266), Jim Rice (259), Andre Dawson (248), Ryne Sandberg (244), Lee Smith (210), Goose Gossage (209), Bert Blyleven (145), Steve Garvey (138), Jim Kaat (130), Tommy John (116), and Jack Morris (113).
Basic rules: Vote for up to 10 players; voting shall be based upon the player's record, playing ability, integrity, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to the team(s) on which the player played; no write-ins.
That said, the Trupiano ballot would contain checks next to these names: Eckersley, Molitor, Blyleven, Gossage, Morris, Sutter, Rice, and Smith. Toughest omission: Fernando Valenzuela. "Fernando could hit and field his position, and was a huge fan favorite." Other borderline candidates: Dave Concepcion, Don Mattingly, Keith Hernandez.
The Castiglione selections: Eckersley, Molitor, Morris, Rice, Gossage, Sutter. Toughest omissions: Joe Carter (a newcomer on the '04 ballot), Sandberg, Dawson, and Alan Trammell.
Does Castiglione think he should have a vote? You bet. "I've broadcast some 3,500 games since 1979," he said. "I know the rules were set up when broadcasting was in its infancy, but it's time to get in tune with the times, and I think any club broadcaster would agree with me."
Approaches to voting are varied. Some writers believe few, if any, players are "first ballot Hall of Famers;" others urge new voters to include 6-10 names on their ballots to keep players involved on the ballot (a player must be picked by 5 percent of the voters to remain on the ballot).
On the Sox TV side, both Sean McDonough and Jerry Remy tend to be strict constructionists.
"I'm one of those who think the Hall should be for the very best of the best," McDonough said. "As someone once said to me, `If you have to think about it, he's not a Hall of Famer.' "
That said, the McDonough ballot would have just two names: "Dennis Eckersley [a no-brainer] and Ryne Sandberg." And a lot of tough omissions: Rice, Molitor, Morris, Blyleven, Smith, Sutter, and Gossage.
"I've gone back and forth on Rice," he said. "He has better numbers than some who are in. That doesn't mean you put him in, because some who are in should not be in. His numbers are similar to Dale Murphy, Joe Carter, and Andre Dawson, all of whom are on the ballot. I think Rice was the dominant player of that group for about a five-year span, but it's hard to put Rice in without at least some, if not all of those other guys."
On Molitor: "If we all agree that Mays, Williams, DiMaggio, Ruth are the best of the best, how far down do we go from there? To me, Molitor is too far down. I think he will get in, however. Among the pitchers, Morris, Blyleven, Smith, Sutter, and Gossage all are close, but no cigar."
The Remy ballot would have four checks: Eck ("a shoo-in"), Molitor ("a terrific all-around player"), Rice, and Sandberg. "Rice was the most dominating player during the late '70s," said Remy. "That was my era. There was no question he was the MVP of that time. The unfortunate part is that his career ended a few years too soon so his total numbers don't impress some voters."
One vote all agree on is for the Ford Frick Award. They'd love to see late Sox broadcaster Ken Coleman enshrined. "He belongs both in Cooperstown and Canton, Ohio [football]," said Castiglione.
"I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Ken wins," said McDonough. "There are some great names on that list, and I think Lon Simmons and Dave Niehaus are both deserving as well and that both will get in at some time. I really don't know much about the candidates from years ago. My question would be `Why aren't they in by now?' But they all may have been fabulous, I just don't know about them." The other finalists are: Gene Elston, Joe Nuxhall, Jack Graney, France Laux, Hal Totten, Graham McNamee, and Ty Tyson.
Hall ballots are due Wednesday. Results will be announced Jan. 6.
A great eight
This writer's ballot goes in with checks next to the following eight names: Concepcion, Eckersley, Garvey, Gossage, Molitor, Morris, Sutter, Sandberg . . . The Super Bowl commercials have become a story unto themselves on game day. Now, they'll have their own show -- "Super Bowl's Greatest Commercials" -- Jan. 31 (Channel 4, 9-10 p.m.) . . . The NFL is airing a series of promos for the playoffs and Super Bowl featuring Don Cheadle. Among them: A spot taped in the LA Coliseum in which Cheadle recreates the Patriots' Adam Vinatieri kicking in the snow . . . NBC Sports boss Dick Ebersol -- recently extended through 2012 -- can keep a secret. Last summer, he paid $50,000 to charity to have Carly Simon whisper in his ear the name of the person who was the inspiration for her hit song "You're So Vain." We all know a secret usually ceases to be secret once that happens, but this one hasn't surfaced.
Nice gifts
Comcast sent an early Christmas present to Patriots fans by announcing that WBZ-TV (Ch. 4) would be added to its HD Tier as Ch. 804. That means Comcast HD subscribers can see tomorrow's Bills-Patriots game (1:30 p.m.) in HD. "The NFL Today" (Ch. 4, 12:30-1:30 p.m.) plans pregame features on Bills quarterback Drew Bledsoe and the "snowball effect" the Patriots have enjoyed with their home-field advantage. CBS has announced that all five of its postseason NFL telecasts, including Super Bowl XXXVIII in Houston Feb. 1, will be broadcast in HD.
Bill Griffith's e-mail address is griffith@globe.com
