RINGOLSBY: Rice good, but not Hall good

By Tracy Ringolsby, Rocky Mountain News

Published January 1, 2009 at 4:15 p.m.

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Photo by T.G. Higgins © Getty Images/1986

Jim Rice is on the Hall of Fame ballot for the 15th and final time and probably will earn the votes for enshrinement.

Jim Rice epitomizes the puzzle of voting for the Hall of Fame.

He is on the ballot for the 15th and final time, and most likely, later this month when the 2009 inductees are announced, Rice will slip in, probably along with first-time candidate Rickey Henderson.

What is confusing is how Rice finally could get support from at least 75percent of the veteran members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America this time.

It’s not as if he has had an at-bat, much less driven in a run or hit a home run, in the past 20years, but somehow, after the five-year waiting period between his retirement and his first appearance on the Hall of Fame ballot, Rice has seen his support grow from 29.8 percent of the voters in 1995 to possibly the necessary 75 percent this time.

Rice did not get to the 50 percent level for the first time until 2000, and then a year ago, he came 16 votes of enshrinement.

It doesn’t make sense.

Rice was a very good player, but very good isn’t Hall of Fame worthy. The Hall of Fame is for the elite of the elite of the elite.

Rice was arguably the best player on his own team only once, 1978, a season known for heartbreak in New England. A veteran of 15 big-league seasons, he retired at age 36, and his last three years were marginal at best. He had a combined 31home runs and 162 RBI in those three years.

Oh, he was a definite threat at the plate, but the idea he was among the most intimidating hitters of his era is misguided.

He was issued only 77 intentional walks in his career, never more than 10 in a season. He struck out more than twice as many times as he walked (1,423to 670) and is sixth all time with 315 grounded into double plays.

Infield chatter

Three outfielders who are more qualified for the Hall of Fame than Rice:

Andre Dawson. Gold Glove center fielder with power, speed and leadership.

Tim Raines. A shade below Henderson, but he helped change the image of the leadoff hitter.

Dale Murphy. Two-time National League MVP, annual Gold Glove center fielder with power.

The rotation

Henderson is the only first-time eligible to make one ballot, but he isn’t the only player to receive support from the voter.

A look at one voter’s ballot:

Henderson, outfielder. He not only holds the all-time record for stolen bases (1,406) but also runs (2,295). His 2,190 walks are second all time to Barry Bonds. Henderson, however, received only 61 intentional walks compared with 688 for Bonds, meaning Henderson drew more unintentional walks (2,129) than any player in history. He revolutionized the role of the leadoff hitter.

He deserves to be a unanimous choice, but he won’t be. Nobody ever has been. Tom Seaver came closer than anybody, and even he was left off five of the 430 ballots cast in his year of election.

Alan Trammell, shortstop. He’s Ozzie Smith without the back flips and with more run production.

Jack Morris, right-handed pitcher. He was big time in big games.

Bert Blyleven, right-handed pitcher. He dominated hitters with a curveball by which all others are judged.

Lee Smith, closer. His all-time record for saves was broken by Trevor Hoffman.

Out in left field

While center fielders are not known for being big-time run producers, the position has produced more Hall of Famers — 25 — than any other offensive position.

There are 23 shortstops in the Hall of Fame, 21 first basemen and 21 right fielders, 19 left fielders, 18 second basemen and 16 catchers.

Paul Molitor, in 2004, became the first Hall of Famer whose primary position was designated hitter.

Closing statement

Mark McGwire became the first player to reach 70 home runs in 1998 and finished his career with 583 home runs, eighth on the all-time list. The numbers, however, don’t add up to Hall of Fame enshrinement, and the decision has nothing to do with the cloud of performance-enhancing drugs that hovers over McGwire.

McGwire was a career .263 hitter who managed to hit .300 only three times in 15 full big-league seasons. He failed to hit above .250 four times. He had only 1,626 career hits and struck out 1,596 times.

In Bill James’ statistical analysis of similar players, the four who came closest to McGwire were Jose Canseco, Jim Thome, Jason Giambi and Carlos Delgado.

MILE HIGH WATCH

* Cherry Creek alumnus Josh Bard is getting a new chance to conquer an old problem.

Signed by Boston to a $1.6million nonguaranteed contract, Bard will be Boston’s backup catcher with one of his primary duties being catching knuckleballer Tim Wakefield.

With the Red Sox in 2006, Bard struggled early in the season catching Wakefield, including having four passed balls in one game, which prompted his trade to San Diego.

At the time, general manager Theo Epstein said he was confident Bard could handle Wakefield but he needed more time to adjust, and the Red Sox couldn’t give him that time during the regular season.

Bard’s 2008 season in San Diego was marred by injuries. He missed 54 games early because of a high ankle sprain, and when he returned, he strained his right triceps.

* Right-hander Sean Smith, the player to be named the Rockies received last season from Cleveland for infielder Jamey Carroll, has signed a minor league contract with Pittsburgh. Smith was 6-8 with a 5.57 ERA at Triple-A with the Indians and Rockies last year.

* Former big-league third baseman Steve Buechele, John Elway’s roommate at Stanford, will manage Texas’ High-A affiliate at Bakersfield in 2009. It’s Buechele’s first job in baseball since retiring as a player in 1995.

* Four coaches who were not retained by the Rockies have found work. Former bullpen coach Rick Mathews remains with the organization as a special assistant who will work in the minor league system as a basic troubleshooter.

Third base coach Mike Gallego has a similar role with Oakland. Ditto hitting coach Alan Cockrell with Seattle, which got permission to talk to Cockrell the day after he had taken the job as a minor league hitting coach with Atlanta.

Bench coach Jamie Quirk is a professional scout with Cincinnati.

• January 1, 2009

  6:06 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  no_more_republicans writes:

  Ringolsby - I think your cowboy hat is on a bit too tight. You think 583 home runs doesn't add up to Hall of Fame enshrinement??? Do the words "Harmen Killebrew" mean anything to you? There's only one reason to keep McGwire out of the hall - them steroids. And, I'm not sure that's even a good reason, considering he wasn't doing anything against the rules at the time that he was doing it.

  As for Rice, he most certainly was amongst the most intimidating hitters of his era. I don't know if he's Hall worthy, either, but, I don't think any of your arguments are effective. The numbers are close, the time is there - the reason it's taken so long is because time has a way of making solid players like Rice look like Hank Aaron compared to the current crop of idiots.

• January 1, 2009

  6:16 p.m.

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  FreeToChoose writes:

  I agree on a NO vote for Rice... confused by your YES votes on Smith and Morris. They were similar players to Rice in terms of impact: very, very good players, but hardly the very best in the game.
  Kuddos on pointing out the greatness of Tim Raines whose accomplishments might forever be diminished because he played in Montreal. Hopefully HOF voters will take notice... someday.

• January 2, 2009

  8:38 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Blind_Pete writes:

  Harmon Killebrew hit his homers in a pitcher's era. McGwire hit his in a batter's era. Without the juice, he would have only hit in the 400's, and his batting average would have been even lower.

  I agree with the "no" vote on Jim Rice. There are better players than Rice who have not made the grade.

  I agree with a "yes" on Tim Raines. Even though he played in shadow of Rickey Henderson, so did Gehrig play in shadow of Ruth for most of his career. Fact is, fans of our generation had the pleasure of watching two of the all-time greatest leadoff hitters. Raines deserves the Hall along with Henderson.

  I would think that Jack Morris is a tough decision. Statistically, I just don't think that he deserves the Hall. (254 wins, 3.90 ERA) But, if you are in game seven of the World Series, he's got to be on the short list of pitchers one would want to hand the ball.

• January 2, 2009

  11:36 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  R2 writes:

  Tracy, on the Jim Rice front, you just don’t know what you’re talking about.

  I watched Jim Ed play every day for a decade: power hitter, clutch hitter – including in the ’86 world series when it counted. And he played the perilous Green Monster like a virtuoso.

  The real issue is that lots of sportswriters don’t like Rice because he did not kiss up to, well, sportwriters. They found him "remote." Baseball fans saw it differently. One day, he hit a savage line drive into the crowd. When ushers did not respond, Rice jumped into the stands, grabbed the young boy hit by the line drive and carried him into the Red Sox dugout to get medical attention.

  If sportwriters cannot vote for players on their merits – that’s okay. But hand it off to someone who can.

  Ron Riley,
  Evergreen, CO

• January 2, 2009

  2:53 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  jbowen43 writes:

  Gil Hodges

• January 2, 2009

  10:13 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  AvsIn7 writes:

  Gil Hodges? No.

• January 3, 2009

  7:30 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  Tracy Ringolsby writes:

  Ron, I respect your opinion, but don't agree. As a fan of the Red Sox I can see why you have the feelings you do, but fans have faults, just likes writers, in their evaluations.
  First off, I didn't find Rice particularly difficult to deal with, and I was covering American League teams throughout Rice's career. That has become the common crutch for those in support of his election, and it is a foolish statement. Trust me, if people were going to be left out because of personalities, there is a long list of folks already enshrined who would have never received votes.
  Rice was a dangerous hitter, but not an intimdiating or feared hitter. He was a hitter who if pitched to properly was a strikeout or double play victim in clutch situations.
  And as for his defense, for anyone to try and put his play in the field on an elite level they have to be look through Red Sox colored glasses.

• January 3, 2009

  10:46 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  R2 writes:

  You asked for it:

  Jim Rice: Most valuable player, 1978 -- and finished top 5 in MVP voting five other times (1975, 1977, 1979, 1983, 1986).

  Jim Rice: For 11 years (1975-86), led the American League in:
  1) Runs scored,
  2) Hits,
  3) Home runs,
  4) RBIs,
  5) Slugging percentage,
  6) Total bases,
  7) Extra-base hits,
  8) Go-ahead RBIs,
  9) Multi-hit games, and
  10) OUTFIELD ASSISTS

  Jim Rice: His 406 total bases in 1978 was the most in the A.L. since Joe DiMaggio in 1937. No A.L. player has hit for 400+ bases since Rice in 1978.

  ALSO? "a dangerous hitter, but not an intimdiating or feared hitter" ?? That sounds like distinctions without a difference.

  ALSO? Jim Rice: Posted a batting average of .310 and slugging percentage of .515 in double play situations.

  Jim Rice: Named one of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players of All Time (Ritter, Honig)

  Jim Rice: Only nine other retired ballplayers rank ahead of him in both career home runs and batting average (Aaron, Foxx, Gehrig, Mantle, Mays, Musial, Ott, Ruth, Williams).

  Jim Rice: Better than a lot of players in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

  Thank you for reconsidering Jim Rice in your vote for the Baseball Hall of Fame.

  Ron Riley,
  Evergreen, CO

• January 4, 2009

  12:57 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  troopermsu writes:

  Jim Rice should be in the HOF. But, he was only an average outfielder. He had so many outfield assists because he got run on alot because opponents generally didn't fear his arm. Great hitter, average fielder. I would cast my vote for him in the HOF if I had one.

• January 5, 2009

  10:31 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  jakzhumans writes:

  So let me see if I have this right. Using your own words, Tim Raines is just "a shade below Henderson", and Henderson "deserves to be a unanimous choice", yet you didn't vote for Raines. What kind of standards are you applying if being a shade away from unanimous makes you unworthy of induction?

• January 5, 2009

  11:52 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  capecrusader writes:

  If you want a reason for Rice's increasing vote total, look no further than the whole steroid argument. When Rice was first put on the ballot, his numbers paled in comparison to the eye-popping numbers the juicers of the early to mid- 90's were putting up. As time passed and we all understood steroids to be such an issue, people slowly started to realize Rice's greatness. And to complain that he retired at 36 doesn't make much sense. He was battling injuries and he wouldn't be the first person to retire at 36 and be in the Hall.

  I'm tired or writers coming up with bogus reasons for not voting for a player, and holding numbers over their heads as if that is the only key that will allow entry into Cooperstown. The HOF is not just for those who could compile the most stats, there is also a greater effect of how said player affected the game, and there is NO DOUBT, Rice was feared in his day. If you want to point to his "low" intentional walk totals, you must compare this numbers to the other leaders that played in the same time period. It would be interesting to see how he stacks up if managers in Rice's era didn't view the intentional walk as we see it today.

• January 6, 2009

  2:58 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  MavrickG writes:

  Only one real thought and thats if you hit over 500 home runs you need to be in the hall. Is there any other hitter with 500 home runs thats not in the hall? The teams Mark played for wanted dingers, not batting average. If he wasn't so focused on the long ball his average would probably have been much better over the years.

• January 6, 2009

  4:14 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  claroofusjones writes:

  Years go by, and no discussion about the elephant in the room - a man by the name of Peter Allen Rose. A Rose by any other name... deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.

• January 9, 2009

  3:31 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  troopermsu writes:

  Betting on baseball, even if it is on your own team to win, is unforgiveable in terms of HOF enshrinement. There has to be a price to pay for Rose's betting. It's too bad for his fans. But if you let him in then future generations of ballplayers won't have the disincentive to not gamble.

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