Molitor and Eckersley Are Elected to Hall

The last time Paul Molitor and Dennis Eckersley faced each other on a baseball field, Eckersley was a 43-year-old reliever with the Boston Red Sox, Molitor was a 42-year-old designated hitter with the Minnesota Twins, and Molitor came to bat with the bases loaded in the ninth inning of a tie game in September 1998.

“I dropped a bunt toward third, Eck made an off-balance throw, I beat the play, and the run scored to end the game,” Molitor recalled. “I remember Eck swearing at me on the way to first base.”

Reminded of the play Tuesday, Eckersley began laughing.

“They’re 25 games out of first place, the bases are loaded in September, and he drops a bunt on me,” Eckersley said. “He’s a little weasel, is what he is ... but it worked.”

Molitor and Eckersley will have plenty of time to reminisce about the play -- and reflect on their distinguished careers -- this summer when they are inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on July 25. Both were elected to the Hall of Fame on Tuesday in their first year of eligibility, bringing to 100 the number of players enshrined in Cooperstown, N.Y.

Molitor, one of baseball’s most consistent hitters and toughest outs from 1978 to 1998, was picked on 431 of the 506 ballots (85.2%) cast by reporters who have been members of the Baseball Writers Assn. of America for 10 years.

Eckersley, who developed into one of the game’s most dominant closers after moving from the Chicago Cub rotation in 1986 to the Oakland Athletics’ bullpen in 1987, was named on 421 ballots (83.2%). A player must be chosen by at least 75% (380) of the voters.

“Cooperstown is one of those places you hear about all your life, but until you visit, it doesn’t do it justice,” said Molitor, who attended former Milwaukee Brewer teammate Robin Yount’s induction in 1999. “It’s overwhelming to see that group of names in one room, and to think you’re going to join that is kind of surreal. This whole thing, getting the call [Tuesday], it’s like an out-of-body experience. Seeing my plaque in Cooperstown will give me the same kind of feeling.”

Eckersley, who is third on the career saves list with 390, was in the Boston area with friends when he was notified of his selection.

“I went crazy,” he said. “I’m overwhelmed. I don’t know what to think. I need to regroup here. I feel like a child.”

Falling short on this year’s ballot was second baseman Ryne Sandberg (309 votes), closer Bruce Sutter (301), outfielder Jim Rice (276), outfielder Andre Dawson (253), relievers Rich “Goose” Gossage (206) and Lee Smith (185) and pitcher Bert Blyleven (179). Pete Rose, ineligible for the ballot because of his lifetime ban, received 15 write-in votes, three fewer than last year.

Rose’s autobiography, in which he admits he bet on baseball while managing Cincinnati from 1985 to 1987, is scheduled to be released Thursday, and the headlines produced by Rose’s confession and interview to be aired on ABC television Thursday have overshadowed the Hall of Fame vote somewhat.

“I’m a little disappointed in the timing of it,” Molitor said, referring to the Rose book. “I’m sure Pete has his reasons for selecting this time, but it does take away from the current class [of inductees].”

Eckersley wasn’t about to let Rose ruin his day.

“Believe me, I’m so thrilled to be in the Hall of Fame,” Eckersley said. “It’s bad timing ... but it doesn’t bother me.”

There was some question whether Molitor’s candidacy would be hurt by the fact that the oft-injured infielder -- he went on the disabled list 14 times -- spent the last eight years of his career as a designated hitter, and whether a closer deserved to be in the Hall of Fame -- only two other pitchers who were primarily relievers, Hoyt Wilhelm and Rollie Fingers, have been inducted.

But the evidence in support of Molitor and Eckersley was overwhelming. Molitor, with his quick wrists and intelligent approach, is ninth on the career list with 3,319 hits and had a career average of .306 with 1,782 runs and 1,307 runs batted in in 21 seasons for Milwaukee (1978-92), Toronto (1993-95) and Minnesota (1996-98). A seven-time All-Star, Molitor had a .368 postseason average and was named most valuable player of the 1993 World Series for Toronto.

“You couldn’t throw a fastball by him,” Eckersley said of Molitor. “He was a great all-around player.”

Relying on pinpoint control of his fastball and slider, Eckersley was baseball’s most effective reliever from 1988 to 1992, when he had a 1.90 earned-run average, averaged 44 saves a season and had a 9.9-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio (378-38). The six-time All-Star won the American League MVP and Cy Young awards in 1992 and had an incredible 0.61 ERA in 1990.

“I couldn’t hit his slider when I was looking fastball, I couldn’t hit his fastball when I was looking slider, and he had a way of being unpredictable,” Molitor said of Eckersley. “And he could throw any pitch at any time into a tea cup.”

*

(Begin Text of Infobox)

In the Hall, but Not Beyond Compare

A look at some players who have been passed over for the Hall of Fame, despite similar statistics to players that are enshrined. The player not in the Hall is listed first.

*--* DON MATTINGLY vs. KIRBY PUCKETT

*--*

*--* Play G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI Avg OB% Slg% er Matt 1,785 7,003 1,007 2,153 442 20 222 1,099 307 363 471 ingl y Puck 1,783 7,244 1,071 2,304 414 57 207 1,085 318 363 477 ett

*--*

* Comment: Mattingly hit .300 or better seven times, Puckett eight times. Mattingly had 30 or more homers three times and 100 or more RBIs five times, compared to one and three for Puckett. Mattingly won nine Gold Gloves, Puckett six. Puckett supporters will note he was on two World Series winners, but so was Gary Gaetti. Puckett drew a lot of sympathy votes because his career was cut short when he got hit in the eye with a pitch. However, Mattingly’s career was also cut short by a back injury. Puckett was inducted in his first year of eligibility with 82% of the vote. Mattingly has been on the ballot four times and drew the most support in 2001, when he was named on 28% of the ballots.

*--* JIM RICE vs. ORLANDO CEPEDA

*--*

*--* Player G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI Avg OB% Slg% Rice 2,089 8,225 1,249 2,452 373 79 382 1,451 298 352 502 Cepeda 2,124 7,927 1,131 2,351 417 27 379 1,365 297 350 499

*--*

* Comment: Cepeda won one MVP award and finished in the top five one other time. Rice won one MVP award and finished in the top five five other times. Cepeda led the league in homers once and RBIs twice. Rice led in homers three times and RBIs twice. Cepeda was a seven-time All-Star, Rice was an All-Star eight times. After he retired, Cepeda was sentenced to five years in jail after trying to pick up 160 pounds of marijuana at an airport. In his best year on the ballot, Cepeda was seven votes short of election, before being elected by the veterans’ committee in 1999. Rice, who was unpopular with the media, received almost 58% support in 2001, his best year on the ballot so far.

*--* RYNE SANDBERG vs. BILL MAZEROSKI

*--*

*--* Play G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI Avg OB% Slg% er Sand 2,164 8,385 1,318 2,386 403 76 282 1,061 285 344 452 berg Maze 2,163 7,755 769 2,016 294 62 138 853 260 299 367 rosk i

*--*

* Comment: Mazeroski, who won eight Gold Gloves, was one of the best defensive second basemen of all time, but would he have made the Hall without hitting the Series-winning homer for the Pirates against the Yankees in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series? And should that be enough to get a player in? Sandberg was NL MVP in 1984 and won nine Gold Gloves. Besides, he was vastly superior to Mazeroski as a hitter. Mazeroski, who never received more than 42.3% of votes on the ballot, was elected by the veterans’ committee in 2001. Sandberg received 49% on the ballot in 2003, his first year of eligibility and 61.1% of the vote this year.

*--* GIL HODGES vs. TONY PEREZ

*--*

*--* Player G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI Avg OB% Slg% Hodges 2,071 7,030 1,105 1,921 295 48 370 1,274 273 359 487 Perez 2,777 9,778 1,272 2,732 505 79 379 1,652 279 341 463

*--*

* Comment: Perez never led the league in any major offensive category and never won any major awards. He was a seven-time All-Star. Hodges also never led in any major offensive category, but he won three Gold Gloves, and probably would have won several more if the award had been given before 1957. He was an eight-time All-Star and the manager of the 1969 Miracle Mets. Perez was elected in 2000, his ninth year on the ballot. Hodges received support on 63.3% of the ballots in 1983, his last year on the ballot.

*--* BRUCE SUTTER vs. ROLLIE FINGERS

*--*

*--* Player G IP H ER HR BB SO W-L ERA Saves Sutter 661 1,042.1 879 328 77 309 861 68-71 2.83 300 Fingers 944 1,701.1 1,474 549 123 492 1,299 114-118 2.90 341

*--*

* Comment: Sutter led the league in saves five times, won the NL Cy Young Award in 1979, and finished in the top five three other times. He also finished in the top 10 in MVP voting five times. He was a six-time All-Star. Fingers led the league in saves three times, won the AL Cy Young Award and MVP award in the strike-shortened 1981 season. He finished in the top five in Cy Young voting one other time, and finished in the top 10 in MVP voting one other time. Sutter was also the innovator of the split-fingered fastball, and contributions to the game is one of the criteria for election to the Hall of Fame. Fingers was elected in his second year of eligibility. Sutter received support on 53.6% of the ballots in 2003, his 10th year on the ballot and on 59.4% of the ballot this year.

*--* BERT BLYLEVEN vs. ROBIN ROBERTS

*--*

*--* Player G IP H ER HR BB SO W-L ERA Blyleven 685 4,970 4,632 1,830 430 1,322 3,701 287-250 3.31 Roberts 609 4,688.2 4,582 1,774 505 902 2,357 286-245 3.41

*--*

* Comment: Roberts won 20 games six times and led the league in strikeouts twice. He finished in the top 10 in ERA nine times. Blyleven won 20 games once, led in strikeouts once and finished in the top 10 in ERA 10 times. Blyleven is fifth on the all-time strikeout list (Roberts is 36th) and is ninth on the shutout list with 60 (Roberts is 29th with 45). Roberts was elected with 86.9% of the vote in 1976. Blyleven was on 29.2% of the ballots in 2003, his sixth year on the ballot. He received 35.4% of the vote this year. --

*

Houston Mitchell

**

Honorable Efforts

Paul Molitor is the first player elected to the Hall of Fame who played at least 40% of his games as a designated hitter. A look at Hall of Famers with at least 10% of their games played at DH:

*--* Player Games as DH Total Games % at DH Paul Molitor 1,174 2,683 43.8% Reggie Jackson 630 2,820 22.3% Eddie Murray 573 3,026 18.9% George Brett 506 2,707 18.7% Dave Winfield 419 2,973 14.1% Carl Yastrzemski 411 3,308 12.4% Frank Robinson 321 2,808 11.4% Billy Williams 251 2,488 10.1%

*--*

*

-- Houston Mitchell

**

2004 Hall of Fame Voting

506 votes cast; 380 needed; x-elected:

x-Paul Molitor...431

x-Dennis Eckersley...421

Ryne Sandberg...309

Bruce Sutter...301

Jim Rice...276

Andre Dawson...253

Rich Gossage...206

Lee Smith...185

Bert Blyleven...179

Jack Morris...133

Steve Garvey...123

Tommy John...111

Alan Trammell...70

Don Mattingly...65

Dave Concepcion...57

Dave Parker...53

Dale Murphy...43

Keith Hernandez...22

Joe Carter...19

Fernando Valenzuela...19

Dennis Martinez...16

Dave Stieb...7

Jim Eisenreich...3

Jimmy Key...3

Doug Drabek...2

Kevin Mitchell...2

Juan Samuel...2

Cecil Fielder...1

Randy Myers...1

Terry Pendleton...1

Danny Darwin...0

Bob Tewksbury...0

Note: By receiving fewer than 26 votes (less than 5%), Hernandez, Carter, Valenzuela, Martinez, Stieb, Eisenreich, Key, Drabek, Mitchell, Samuel, Fielder, Myers, Pendleton, Darwin and Tewksbury are no longer eligible for election by the BBWAA.