Keith Hernandez Doesn’t Make Hall of Fame Ballot
The Baseball Hall of Fame released its Expansion Era ballot on Monday, and one name is noticeably absent — Keith Hernandez. Six players and six managers/executives are on the ballot, but not the best fielding first baseman of all time.
This was Hernandez’s first time qualifying for this ballot, which represents men who played in the expansion era from 1973-present. A player has to be retired for 21 years; Hernandez just missed qualifying for the 2010 ballot by one year.
It never should have come down to the Veterans Committee — Hernandez should already be in the Hall. If Bill Mazeroski, Ozzie Smith and Brooks Robinson, considered the best fielders at their respective infield positions, are enshrined, then so should Hernandez.
The players who made the ballot are all very good — Dave Concepcion, Steve Garvey, Tommy John, Dave Parker, Dan Quisenberry and Ted Simmons. But come on, Keith Hernandez is more deserving than all of them. Those guys were not the best at their position at anything, while Hernandez certainly was.
Of course, Mets fans are biased towards Hernandez because of the role he played in 1986 and his continued role with the team today as a broadcaster. But putting that bias aside, Keith Hernandez should be in the Hall of Fame.
By the way, the rest of the ballot contains Joe Torre, Tony La Russa, Bobby Cox, Bill Martin, George Steinbrenner and Marvin Miller. Torre, LaRussa and Cox will all likely get in.
The Expansion Era ballot rolls around again in another three years. Perhaps Keith Hernandez will get some respect then.
How the fcuk can Garvey be on the list and not Hernandez?????
The Hall of Fame is a joke. Sorry, but it is. The fact that Ozzie Smith got in on a first ballot proves it to me. He was the beneficiary of a generous hometown scorer who made many of his errors into hits or put the blame on the receiving defender. Ozzie Smith got into the Hall on the basis of his own self-promotion, not the least of which was his circus act of doing standing backflips on the Astroturf field. That Keith Hernandez is not a member is no reflection on him.