Alomar, McGriff among new Hall finalists
November 27, 2009
NEW YORK (AP)—Roberto Alomar is among 15 first-time candidates of this year’sHall of Fame ballot, joining holdovers Mark McGwire, Andre Dawson and BertBlyleven.
Edgar Martinez(notes), Barry Larkin and Fred McGriff also are new to the ballotthis year. There are 26 candidates, three more than last year when RickeyHenderson was elected in his initial appearance and Jim Rice made it on his 15thand final try. Dawon fell 44 votes shy of the 75 percent needed and Blyleven was67 short.
Also on the ballot for the first time are Kevin Appier, Ellis Burks, AndresGalarraga, Pat Hentgen, Mike Jackson, Eric Karros, Ray Lankford, Shane Reynolds,David Segui, Robin Ventura and Todd Zeile.
Other holdovers on the list announced Friday include Harold Baines, DonMattingly, Jack Morris, Dale Murphy, Dave Parker, Tim Raines, Lee Smith and AlanTrammell.
McGwire, hired last month as hitting coach of the St. Louis Cardinals, is onthe ballot for the fourth time. While he hit 583 homers, eighth on the careerlist, he has been stigmatized since his 2005 congressional testimony, when heevaded answering whether he had used steroids. He received 118 votes (22percent) in last year’s vote, down from 128 in each of his first two tries.
Segui has admitted he used steroids.
Alomar, a 12-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glove second baseman, had a .300batting average, 210 homers and 474 steals in 17 major league seasons.
Martinez spent all 18 seasons with Seattle, winning two AL batting titlesand finishing with a .312 average and 309 homers. A seven-time All-Star, he wasa designated hitter in 1,412 of 2,055 career regular-season games.
Larkin was a 12-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove shortstop in 19seasons, all with Cincinnati. He had a .295 career average with 198 homers andwon the 1995 NL MVP award.
McGriff is tied with Lou Gehrig for 26th on the career home run with 493 andhad a .284 average in 19 seasons. He led the AL in homers for Toronto in 1989and the NL for San Diego in 1992.
Reporters who have been in the BBWAA for 10 or more consecutive years areeligible to vote, and results will be announced Jan. 6. Inductions, which willinclude anyone elected by the Veterans Committee, are scheduled for July 25 atCooperstown. The Veterans Committee vote will be announced Dec. 7.
The complete ballot: Roberto Alomar, Kevin Appier, Harold Baines, BertBlyleven, Ellis Burks, Andre Dawson, Andres Galarraga, Pat Hentgen, MikeJackson, Eric Karros, Ray Lankford, Barry Larkin, Edgar Martinez, Don Mattingly,Fred McGriff, Mark McGwire, Jack Morris, Dale Murphy, Dave Parker, Tim Raines,Shane Reynolds, David Segui, Lee Smith, Alan Trammell, Robin Ventura, Todd Zeile
