How Ex-Mets Fared in Hall of Fame Vote

For the second straight year, a former Met was elected to the Hall of Fame. Just like Tom Glavine last year, Pedro Martinez had his best seasons before he joined the Mets. He was one of several ex-Mets on the ballot.

Martinez’s Mets career would have to be called a disappointment. His first season was his only complete one. Then the injuries hit. He made only 79 starts in four years, going 32-23 with a 3.88 ERA. Not the numbers for which the Mets paid $53 million.

Still though, Martinez was perhaps the most fun Met to watch in recent years. He always had a smile on his face. And when he was on, he was something to see. Pedro Martinez will obviously not be wearing a Mets hat on his Hall of Fame plaque, but his time in Flushing was very memorable.

Mike Piazza garnered nearly 70% of the vote. His total has steadily increased each year on the ballot, and he is virtually guaranteed election next year. By all rights he would have been a first-ballot Hall of Famer, but once he’s in, he’s in.

I was stunned by the lack of support for Carlos Delgado. He received just 3.8% of the vote, failing to garner the 5% needed to remain on the ballot. The guy hit 473 home runs, hitting at least 30 in 11 of 12 seasons. He had nine seasons of 100+ RBIs. However, he was just never dominant. He only made two All Star teams and only came close to an MVP once. Still, he merited more than one year on the ballot.

Delgado was probably a victim of the 10 player limit rule. As good as he was, there were 10 better players on the ballot. Perhaps the Veterans Committee will be kinder to him some day.

Gary Sheffield will remain on the ballot, though, with 11% of the vote. There was a time when 500 home runs meant automatic induction. But because of PEDs, the number means less than it used to. Speaking of PEDs, Sheffield admitted to unwittingly using them, and the voters are apparently holding it against him.

Jeff Kent, one of the least popular Mets ever, got 14% of the vote. Who cares?

Cliff Floyd and Tony Clark got exactly zero votes combined.