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Rice reacts

Jim Rice responded today to being left out of the Hall of Fame for the 13th straight year.

“I’m not disappointed because I’ve been down this road before,” Rice said. “I thought there was a chance and I guess I got a few more votes (nine). I had my fingers crossed really for the first time since the voting began. It didn’t happen, but we’ll have to see about next year and what that brings.”

Rice, who wore No. 14 throughout his career with the Sox, will be up for his 14th year of eligibility. Players stay on the ballot for 15 years, and then can get a chance through the Veterans Committee. Rice has been helped by an extensive statistical analysis done by Sox vice president Dick Bresciani, but Bresciani said the analysis needs to get out to more voters.

Rice said he found the voting interesting in that Goose Gossage seemed to benefit more by Mark McGwire’s omission than either he or Andre Dawson.

“Next year is going to be interesting because there’ll be a bunch of us – myself, Andre, Bert Blyleven, Lee Smith, and Goose who could get in. I understand it’s an important season. All I can do is hope for the next year and that enough new voters will take another look at my career and make the decision that I should be in.”