Shutout Is Difficult to Justify

It may be easier to resolve the budget dispute than get elected to the baseball Hall of Fame.

Phil Niekro and Don Sutton, the only 300-game winners not in the Hall, have failed again.

So have Tony Perez, Ron Santo, Jim Rice and Steve Garvey.

In election results announced Monday, no one received the required 75% of the votes cast.

This was only the seventh time--the first since 1971--that eligible members of the Baseball Writers Assn. of America failed to elect a candidate.

But it is consistent with a pattern of the last three years. Only one player--Reggie Jackson, Steve Carlton and Mike Schmidt--was elected in each of those.

There was no one of that automatic caliber on this year’s ballot, but still it is a baffling trend, given the statistical cases that can be made for Niekro and Sutton, as well as the position players, Perez, Rice, Santo and Garvey.

All had careers comparable or superior to players in the Hall.

However, no one expects six or seven players to be elected every year. The diligence and conservatism--if that’s what it is--of the writers is to be applauded.

The Hall is for great players, not good players, but a shutout seems hard to explain or justify.

Said Perez, the former Cincinnati Red first baseman who has more runs batted in than any player not in the Hall:

“I think it’s getting harder and harder every year to get into the Hall of Fame. You have to have really super numbers or whatever. You’ve got to be Babe Ruth or Hank Aaron. My [vote] total went up this year but it could go down again next year. Who knows? I’m very disappointed.”

It has always been an inexact and inconsistent process, and Niekro, on the ballot for the fourth time, reacted to the latest rejection by saying he has said all he wants to say about it.

Sutton, on the ballot for the third time, is on a scuba-diving trip and refused comment through his agent.

Said Tom Lasorda, his former Dodger manager: “He pitched a lot of games for us and won a lot of games. You talk about durability, the guy never missed an assignment. He was a winner. He belongs in the Hall of Fame.”

Although Sutton (324-256) and Niekro (318-274) won more games than 43 of the 53 pitchers in the Hall, the durability that was their long suit might have worked against them in the minds of the voters.

Each pitched 23 seasons, averaging about 14 victories. Neither had a string of 20-win seasons. Neither dominated an era, as did Sandy Koufax, who entered the Hall with 165 victories.

Nevertheless, Niekro and Sutton may be closing in. Niekro gained 35 votes over last year, Sutton 36.

A record total of 470 ballots were submitted by 10-year members of the BBWAA. It took 353 votes to gain admission. Niekro got 321 or 68.3%. Perez got 309 or 65.7%. Sutton got 300 or 63.9%.

They were the only players named on 50% or more of the ballots.

Tony Oliva (170 votes), Curt Flood (71) and the late Vada Pinson (51) were in their 15th and final year of consideration.

Only three of the 13 players on the ballot for the first time--Bob Boone, Fred Lynn and Keith Hernandez--received the 5% necessary to remain on it.

Pete Rose, not on the ballot because he is on baseball’s ineligible list, received 19 write-in votes, five more than last year.

“The absence of an electee this year emphasizes the exclusivity of membership in the Baseball Hall of Fame,” said Hall president Donald Marr.

Nevertheless, the Angels shouldn’t be entirely alone when they visit Cooperstown, N.Y., on Aug. 5 to play the Montreal Expos in the Hall of Fame game on the day after the induction ceremonies.

The veterans’ committee, which considers the qualifications of players no longer on the ballot, along with managers, executives and former Negro league stars, will meet March 5 at Tampa to discuss possible election of Nellie Fox, Gil Hodges and Jim Bunning, among others.

One or two seem certain to gain the necessary 75% approval of the 18-member committee.

In the meantime, Monday’s shutout is likely to prompt some to call for creation of specific statistical guidelines, as Niekro did the other day.

“Evidently, 300 is not the magic number I thought it was,” he said, then added that amid current conditions, 300-game winners are about to join the list of endangered species. “If it takes six or seven years for a 300-game winner to make the Hall, how long is it going to take the 250- or 260- or 270-game winners of the future ?”

Many with those totals--or fewer--are already enshrined, which makes the ongoing exclusion of Niekro and Sutton so difficult to fathom.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

The Voting

Results of the 1996 baseball Hall of Fame voting. 470 votes cast; 353 (75%) needed for election.

THE TOP 10

1. Phil Niekro: 321

2. Tony Perez: 309

3. Don Sutton: 300

4. Steve Garvey: 175

5. Ron Santo: 174

6. Tony Oliva: 170

7. Jim Rice: 166

8. Bruce Sutter: 137

9. Tommy John: 102

10. Jim Kaat: 91

THE NEXT 15

11. Dick Allen: 89

12. Curt Flood: 71

13. Luis Tiant: 64

14. Dave Concepcion: 63

15. Minnie Minoso: 62

16. Vada Pinson: 51

17. Joe Torre: 50

18. Ron Guidry: 37

18. Graig Nettles: 37

20. Bob Boone: 36

21. Mickey Lolich: 33

22. Fred Lynn: 26

23. Bobby Bonds: 24

23. Keith Hernandez: 24

23. Rusty Staub: 24

*

DROPPED

The following players were dropped from future consideration for failing to receive at least 24 votes (5%): Dan Quisenberry 18; Frank White 18; Bill Buckner 10; Jerry Reuss 2; John Tudor 2; Chet Lemon 1; Bob Knepper 0; Jeffrey Leonard 0; Johnny Ray 0; Claudell Washington 0.