Mark Buehrle on the Hall of Fame ballot

[HomeFish]

I don't think Mark Buehrle will be elected to the Hall of Fame, but for the next few years at least expect many articles in the media debating his merits as a Hall of Famer.

[Nellie Fox]

I don't think Mark Buehrle will be elected to the Hall of Fame, but for the next few years at least expect many articles in the media debating his merits as a Hall of Famer.

If he even gets enough votes this time to remain on the ballot for the next few years. A player has to get 5% of the vote to remain. If he were a Yankee, a Red Sox, a Dodger, he'd get serious consideration. As it is, there's a good chance he'll drop off the ballot after this year.

[LITTLE NELL]

Here's the thing, pitching has changed drastically, the way things are going I don't think we will ever see a 300 game winner again except for maybe Clayton Kershaw and not too many 20 game winners in a season, in that context Mark might make the HOF, he had outstanding stats and had 2 no hitters including a perfecto, he was definitely one of the best pitchers of his era.

[Mohoney]

If he even gets enough votes this time to remain on the ballot for the next few years. A player has to get 5% of the vote to remain. If he were a Yankee, a Red Sox, a Dodger, he'd get serious consideration. As it is, there's a good chance he'll drop off the ballot after this year.

There also were some Gold Gloves he should have won but didn't win. Not that I'm bitter about it...

[blurry]

He's a HOF in our hearts!

[ChiTownTrojan]

The problem with Buehrle's candidacy is that he was never considered one of the best pitchers in baseball. It's not just the lack of K's - he never had an ERA under 3, for example. He definitely has the "highs" (perfect game and no hitter), but his value was in his durability and dependability (200 IP streak, low walk totals). For many voters that's almost the definition of a "Hall of Very Good" pitcher, but not a HOFer.

Sox fans love him not just for his performance but also for his attitude and personality, but I don't think that will carry much in terms of HOF voting.

[vegandork]

Love Buehrle, but nobody should be voting him into the hall of fame. He's not even Andy Pettite good lifetime. Pettite won world series, played for the Yankees, and had better numbers and can't get in. So even if Buehrle had done it for a big market, he'd still be short of a guy that's short.

[TDog]

Here's the thing, pitching has changed drastically, the way things are going I don't think we will ever see a 300 game winner again except for maybe Clayton Kershaw and not too many 20 game winners in a season, in that context Mark might make the HOF, he had outstanding stats and had 2 no hitters including a perfecto, he was definitely one of the best pitchers of his era.

Buehrle could have played longer. He reportedly didn't want surgery, which I find refreshing. If I had a vote, he would be on my ballot. I hope he gets the 5 percent to stay on the ballot next year. The longer he stays on the ballot, the more support he might pick up as the appreciation for what he brought to the game overshadows the voters and analysts who have to use their statistical crutches. Of course, Buehrle is the only pitcher with a perfect game and an additional no-hitter who is not in the Hall of Fame.

Ron Santo only got 3.9 percent of the vote in his only year on the ballot. People forget how little respect there was for him in coming off his career. You generally don't see Santo on those silly lists of Hall of Famers who should be purged. I saw one once that began with Aparicio and Fox, and I once listened to a newspaper sports editor's tirade about why Aparicio didn't belong. In bringing up Santo, though, I am not suggesting that Buehrle would spend the rest of his life lobbying for the Hall of Fame and even whining about it.

I think it would be a great thing to see Buehrle elected, although I'm sure it won't be on this ballot. Even if doesn't get in, I wouldn't say he doesn't deserve the honor.

[Mohoney]

Love Buehrle, but nobody should be voting him into the hall of fame. He's not even Andy Pettite good lifetime. Pettite won world series, played for the Yankees, and had better numbers and can't get in. So even if Buehrle had done it for a big market, he'd still be short of a guy that's short.

Andy Pettite would be in the Hall of Fame if not for self-inflicted PED taint.

[Dumpjerry]

Love Buehrle, but nobody should be voting him into the hall of fame. He's not even Andy Pettite good lifetime. Pettite won world series, played for the Yankees, and had better numbers and can't get in. So even if Buehrle had done it for a big market, he'd still be short of a guy that's short.

Buehrle won a World Series and playing for the Yankees does not give someone automatic election to the HOF.

[vegandork]

Buehrle won a World Series and playing for the Yankees does not give someone automatic election to the HOF.

Pettite won multiple World Series and DID play for the Yankees. And he's not going to get in. And no, it's not because of PEDs. It's because Pettitte, who was better in his career than Buehrle, isn't good enough to be in the Hall.

[ChiTownTrojan]

How many HOF pitchers had a 3.81 career ERA or higher? How many never had a season with an ERA below 3.12?

Those aren't rhetorical questions, I'm actually curious and I'm not sure how to look it up.

[HomeFish]

Buehrle won a World Series and playing for the Yankees does not give someone automatic election to the HOF.

Yeah reading the comments on MLB blogs, a lot of Yankees fans think there is a bias against the Yankees in HOF voting. To be fair, New England is really overrepresented among sports writers.

[TDog]

How many HOF pitchers had a 3.81 career ERA or higher? How many never had a season with an ERA below 3.12?

Those aren't rhetorical questions, I'm actually curious and I'm not sure how to look it up.

How many MVPs have drawn fewer walks than they've hit home runs in their MVP seasons? That isn't a rhetorical question either. I only know of one and haven't looked to see if there are others. I read this years ago and dismissed it, but things I've read and heard have kept this garbage fresh in my mind for nearly a decade.

If you need to look at statistics to decide who to vote for or to talk you out of voting for an MVP candidate or for the Hall of Fame membership, you really aren't qualified to be voting.

[ChiTownTrojan]

How many MVPs have drawn fewer walks than they've hit home runs in their MVP seasons? That isn't a rhetorical question either. I only know of one and haven't looked to see if there are others. I read this years ago and dismissed it, but things I've read and heard have kept this garbage fresh in my mind for nearly a decade.

If you need to look at statistics to decide who to vote for or to talk you out of voting for an MVP candidate or for the Hall of Fame membership, you really aren't qualified to be voting.

So... you think preventing runs is irrelevant to whether a pitcher belongs in the HOF?

ERA isn't some obscure, complicated stat. It is quite literally a measure of how effective a pitcher is at preventing (or giving up) runs. Last I checked, that is a pitcher's primary job description. If we can't look at how effective a player is, how are we supposed to choose who is a hall of famer - through a popularity contest? Maybe that would be the best literal translation of what constitutes a "hall of famer," but I hope you agree that has never been the criteria.