Larkin is a HOFer

For someone like me, who's generally, on the Baseball Hall of Fame, a "small Hall" guy, but, who tries to keep an open sabermetric mind, and who recognizes the "nuance" of someone elected in his second or third year, this year's Hall of Fame voting was OK to a bit better, overall.

Barry Larkin got in on his third try. Tim Raines didn't quite break 50 percent, as I predicted last week, but came very close. Bernie Williams, despite ESPN "fluffing," only got a little over 10 percent.

Sadly, although he broke 50 percent, Jeff Bag well still fell a ways short. And, next year, with Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, it may be tough for him to move up much, either because voters who think he roided, too, will be reminded of it, or just because of them sucking oxygen out of the voting booth.

More unfortunately, Jack Morris hit the 67 percent mark, and may just get in the Hall with one of his two remaining chances. Even with Game 7 of the 1991 World Series, he does not belong in. And, without it, any non-"homer" HOF fan or voter wouldn't even bring his name up.

Next year? Neither Clemens nor Bonds gets in. Jokingly, Rusty Hardin threatens to sue the Base Ball Writers Association of America on Clemens' behalf, while (half?) jokingly, Bonds says it is all about race.

Bagwell creeps up to around 60 percent. Raines hits 60 percent on his way to getting in, in two more years. None of the "older roiders" does any better than they have so far.

Meanwhile, ESPN's David Schofield gets an early start on "fluffing" a big Hall for next year. To even consider not only Morris, but also Edgar Martinez and Larry Walker and others