Womack: Veterans committee should review players separately for Hall of Fame
From SABR member Graham Womack at The Sporting News on December 13, 2016:
When the Today’s Game Committee met just over a week ago, it did the thing it’s done repeatedly over the past several years. It voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame the two most obvious candidates on its ballot, Atlanta Braves president John Schuerholz and former MLB commissioner Bud Selig.
Beginning with the 2011 induction, what’s colloquially known as the “veterans committee” has voted in just two players, both dead, while voting in three managers, four executives and an umpire. Six of the 10 selections have been candidates up for consideration for the first time by any Hall of Fame voting body: Selig, Schuerholz, Pat Gillick, Tony La Russa, Joe Torre and Bobby Cox.
There’s an easy explanation for why this has happened. Beginning with the 2011 induction, Hall of Fame committees have considered candidates on one ballot each year. These committees are the first to consider managers, executives and umpires. The Baseball Writers’ Association of America doesn’t vote on these candidates, though players can stay on its ballot as long as 10 years.
What this leads to are ballots with inner circle managers, executives and umpires competing for consideration with players passed over by the BBWAA — generally second and third-tier candidates.
Read the full article here: http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/news/baseball-hall-of-fame-voting-process-veterans-committee/efk405nno74k1m170tgfb9tqx
Originally published: December 13, 2016. Last Updated: December 13, 2016.