Mariano Rivera Is a Hall of Famer

As a Yankees fan from birth, who grew up going to games when this man and the Yanks were at their peak, this is where he belongs.

Also, a really nice guy. My dad saw him at a Modell's in NYC once and he signed a baseball for him.

 

It is pretty mind blowing no one has been elected unanimously before. He deserves it though.

 

As a despiser of the Yankees, who grew up watching games in which this man consistently dashed the dreams of teams I was rooting for, this is where he belongs. Hard to imagine there ever being a more terrifying closer.

I'm especially surprised at the unanimous vote for Mo considering how many of the old baseball writers/voters seem to discredit the value of relief pitching. Really nice to see something like this for a change.

 

That walking on the moon stat is nuts. Can't stand the Yanks but man was Rivera fun to watch; glad I had the pleasure to grow up seeing him pitch.

Amped to see Doc Halladay get in!

 

Incredible to me that Griffey wasn't the first unanimous player, but Mariano Rivera is an absolute legend.

 

Take jeters piece on Rivera on the player tribune no less with a grain of salt.

Steroids era reliever that never tested positive for steroids (not suspected) who was handed leads by steroid users that then had to pitch against potential steroid users to win.

I love baseball just everything about it. Even so I totally stepped away from baseball after all the steroid stuff. Unfortunately I got tired of creating my own personal asterisks.
If you don’t take steroids but your teammates did and carried you are you tainted? Etc.
Maybe around 2008-09 i completely walked away. Came back sometime in 2015 and just started with a clean slate. Cheers to Mariano and every hof but I’m not really into it too much shadiness and secrets.

 

I have to assume it's because certain voters knew the players like Griffey, Ryan, etc. were going to be sure thing first ballot inductees, so they chose to use their picks on other players who more on the fringe of being inducted. Here are the percentages. Each voter gets up to 10 votes per year.

 

It's been a "thing" for some baseball writers for a long time that no one should get in unanimously. They're stupid and punitive.

 

That's interesting. I can't imagine being so petty.

Side note: I think I'm going to throw a party for my fellow baseball-loving friends when Barry Bonds is finally no longer eligible to be inducted.

EDIT: I also just noticed that my favorite player, Will Clark, made the ballot for the "Veterans Committee." Nice to see the nod to him there, but he doesn't deserve to be in the HoF. If I could just go back in time and stop him from breaking his elbow going for that foul ball back 1994 (or 1995), he might have had a shot. His swing was never the same after that. Then again, there's a good chance his heavy association with the strike of 1994 would have kept him out of the Hall anyway.

 

I'm so glad that the HOF voters who intentionally vote NO on baseball legends have either gotten over themselves or aged out of voting. The fact that modern players such as Cal Ripen Jr., Ken Griffey Jr., and Tony Gwinn didn't get 100% votes of embarrassing.

 

My favourite omission from that article is that one of those playoff runs scored lead to the Arizona Diamondbacks winning a World Series.

It is a crazy stat though, for the sake of perspective. He deserved in. Same as Halladay, Martinez, Messina. The first ballot thing is weird, but in is in, no matter if your Rivera or Tim Rains.

These guys were the players I watched growing up and made a lasting impression on what baseball greatness was. Larry Walker needs in next, but I’m still glad to see Bonds and Clemens on the outside.

Maybe in 10 to 15 years if there is some real remorse and proper omission I could see people add them post window of opportunity. And A-Rod. And Pete Rose somehow. But with no fanfare or speech. Not saying I want that though. Maybe if fellow Hall members took a vote to finally decide once and for all of steroid era and modern behave conduct factors in. Hard to do anything about stuff that happened decades ago that can’t be properly proven sadly.

 

I'm curious that if A-Rod continues his broadcasting career and does a good job with it if it'll change the general opinion toward him and garner him enough good favor and votes to get in. He's certainly doing more to change public opinion than McGuire, Bonds, or Sosa.

 

David Ortiz as well. I believe he either failed a test or or was on a list at some point.

Clemens and Bonds are just confrontational, but steroids and PED’d are known to do damage to the way ones brain works

 

If there is never again another unanimous vote, the only one in history got it right.

 

How guys are voted for the HOF is so flawed it's insane.

 

Ken Griffey Jr and Nolan Ryan could have been 100%. Whomever voted no on those two first balance should have had privileges revoked

 

That's entirely ego and pithy "I'll show them" stuff, that's why the entire process is so flawed.

 

So flawed. I get it when smaller market players get overlooked, but record holders and generational players are obvious.

Happiest for the Halladay Family. He was so good. Playing in Toronto on a weaker team and still winning all the time. Felt like he didn’t get entirely respected until he proved himself in Philly in the big stage. He was always that good though.

 

There also been some interesting writing and reporting on how punitive voters have been on players playing in Colorado. Larry Walker should be headed in. His stats, even when adjusted, are very great. Not unanimous great, but he was amazing between his time in Montreal and Colarado. Plus MLB/PA took away his best chance at a World Series in ‘94 when they hd an amazing team.

I agree writers shouldn’t be punitive outside of cheating.

 

Mussina getting in this year may have helped Walker next year with Jeter the only lock. Has to make a big jump but I think it's possible, hope he does

 

He’d be only the second Canadian ever to make it in, and he’s had a huge impact on baseball on for Canadians, paving the way for modern so greats like Justin Morneau, Joey Votto, Russell Martin, James Paxton, and on and on. Fergie Jenkins was still the first. Considering that MLB is played two countries, I’d think they should remain open to Walker.

A Canadian born journalist was responsible for Tim Raines getting in, somyiu never know.