Bernie headlines 13 newcomers on Hall of Fame ballot

November 30, 2011 by Mike Axisa 33 Comments

The BBWAA announced the 2012 Hall of Fame Ballot today, with former Yankees star Bernie Williams headlining the group of 13 newcomers. Fellow former Yankees Ruben Sierra, Tony Womack (ha!), and Terry Mulholland are also on the ballot for the first time, joining holdover Don Mattingly. This will be Donnie’s 12th year on the ballot, though he received just 13.9% of the vote last time around. It would take a campaign that would make Jim Rice blush to get Mattingly in the Hall before his 15 years on the ballot are up.

As for Bernie, I don’t expect him to ever get voted into Cooperstown, but I do hope he gets a decent sized vote and maybe spends a few years on the ballot. He was a personal fave, I hope he does well.

http://www.twitter.com/jordansmed JGS

Tony Womack played a key role in a Game 7 of the World Series. Isn’t that the only qualification that matters?
- http://bleedingyankeeblue.com Jesse
  
  Yep! And that’s why Jack Morris should be in the HOF…Look at what he did in Game 7 of the ’91 WS!!!!
  - Icebird753
    
    or Joe Carter
dontchaknow

Bernie is the reason I started to love Yankee baseball and baseball in general as a younger kid.
- Guns of the Navarone
  
  Samesies.
- jjyank
  
  Agreed. Bernie was the Yanks’ biggest star at the time I starting following the Yanks, and he’s my favorite player of all time. I don’t think he’s quite HOF material, but it’d be nice to see him stay on the ballot for a few years as a showing of respect for a great career.
  - Greg c
    
    Man. You guys make me feel old. I remember when Bernie was a light-hitting basestealer coming up with sluggers like Bam Bam Muelens and Gerald Williams, and splitting time with All-Star Roberto Kelly. I’m sorry you guys missed Don Mattingly’s prime and time with Rickey Henderson and Dave Winfield, but you were fortunate to miss the eras of no pitching, 46 Year old Tommy John as the opening day pitcher, guys like Espinoza, Stanki and Kelly as starters for several years, and rapists in the outfield.
    - Dale Mohorcic
      
      I’m of the same era. Melido Perez and Scott Sanderson as aces. Tim Leary and Rick Rhoden and Ed Whitson and Andy Hawkins and Steve trout as big import starters. Steve Farr as the closer. Mel Hall “Neon” Dion James and Claudell Washington in the outfield. Matt Nokes and Don Slaught and Mark Salas behind the dish. The immortal Dan Pasqua. Cecilio Guante and Hipolito Pichardo. The unfortunate names of my youth. Its a wonder I ever became a Yankee fan. Guess I always rooted for the underdog. : p
Peter R

I didn’t think Bernie has actually officially retired? Don’t you have to make it official to make the ballot? Prob just missed something.
- Plank
  
  Rickey still hasn’t officially retired.
  - Sean C
    
    That’s be cause you’re still the best, Rickey.
    
    Love,
    Rickey.
Brooklyn Ed

YAY for Bernie, can’t believe its been 5 years since he last played. I think this year, Larkin & Bagwell will get in.
- Dale Mohorcic
  
  Barry or Gene?
Tom in Georgia

Bernie ran like a gazelle in the outfield, but ran the bases like a gnu. I liked his hitting and range in the field, but his arm was terrible. He plays a nice guitar, though. Not HOF,
- Plank
  
  I appreciate any player who can be compared to a gazelle in any part of their baseball playing career or private life.
  
  I’m often called a gazelle in the kitchen, unfortunately I play baseball like Steven Hawking.
J.R.

Hasn’t Williams refused to retire?
- Tom Zig
  
  he hasn’t played in 5 years, so he’s eligible.
- Plank
  
  He’s not retired in the same way that I’m an undrafted free agent. Both are technically true and equally ridiculous.
Mickey S

I wonder if Billy Crystal will be on the next ballot, he’s about equal with Tony “I paved the way for Cano” Womack.
Jimmy McNulty

If Jim Rice gets in Bernie should too…it’s only fair.
Joe M

Bernie was a good ball player. Only the greatest of the greats
get into the hall. I liked Bernie but he falls way short of the hall
- Paul O’neill’s Batting Helmet
  
  “Only the greatest of the greats
  get into the hall.”
  
  You need a “should” between “greats” and “get.” Some horrible selections led to a big-time dilution several decades ago, mostly by the ridiculous Veterans Committees. Bill James has a good book on the HOF selection process and how arbitrary it can be: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whatever_Happened_to_the_Hall_of_Fame%3F
  
  By some of the standards they selected some of those also-rans, Donnie and Bernie should be/have been 1st ballot inductees.
  - RetroRob
    
    Agreed. It seems that some other teams’ marginal candidates and fan favorites (Jack Morris and Jim Rice, to name two) get these huge campaigns for election, where similar Yankee players get just the opposite and are talked down right from the start, even by Yankee fans.
    
    Kirby Puckett gets elected on the first ballot in some love fest, and Bernie Williams is immeidiately dismissed. For the record, I’d rather have Bernie, and if Bernie played his career in the MetroDome and Puckett played him career at Yankee Stadium, I’m convinced Bernie would be considered overwhelmingly to be the better candidate.
    - thenamestsam
      
      Always loved Bernie. How good you think he ultimately was depends a lot on what you think of his fielding. UZR and TZ absolutely kill him on fielding, FRAA thinks he was pretty good in the beginning of his career and really bad at the end which matched up more with how I felt watching him. I think he’s pretty close based on comparisons to say Kirby Puckett, and as a sentimental choice I’d probably vote for him.
Burn Baby Burn

Easily my favorite player in any sport of all time, not HOF worthy but he will always be as important as a HOF to us Yankees fans
Pat D

Bernie will probably send a bunch of years on the ballot, like Mattingly, Dale Murphy and Dave Parker.

But he’ll just never come close to getting in.
Pat D

Once again, I’ve let myself get suckered into an ESPN.com comment board.

This time it’s because there are just way too many really stupid, ignorant people posting shit over there.
- YanksFanInBeantown
  
  And this is different from every other ESPN.com comment board because…
  - Pat D
    
    Oh, it’s not.
    
    This time it’s somehow offending me more than usual.
Kiko Jones

Ber-nie Wi-lliams!!!
TLVP

Bernie will get in, elected by a veteran committee that consists of Derek and Mo… They will also elect Tim Raines, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte, Paul O’Neil, David Cone, David Wells, Tino Martinez, Chili Davies, Chuck Knoblauch, Scott Brosius, Orlando Hernandez, Darryl Strawberry, Chad Curtis, Jeff Nelson, Graeme Lloyd and, of course, Luis Sojo

Anytime someone is critical they will simply say 125-50…
- TLVP
  
  PS Image being Mike Jerzembeck and being able to say “I played for the 1998 Yankees”. 12.79 ERA in 3 games and 6.1 inning pitched or not. He was still a member of the best team in history
Billion$Bullpen

Don Mattingly WILL in fact get it, but on the old timers side of things some day.