Congratulations to Goose Gossage on making the Hall of Fame. I remember him as being one badass pitcher. He claims that his trademark mustache wasn't to scare hitters, it was to tick Yankees owner George Steinbrenner off. But it scared hitters too.
Andre Dawson and Jim Rice came close, but didn't make it. I tend to be a "small-hall" type of guy with stricter standards for the Hall. Or so I tell myself. I'm not sure whether I think these guys should be in, but if the existing standard(s) is an indication, then Goose is borderline in, and I think Jim Rice should be borderline in as well.
Last year I heard one talk show host make an interesting point on qualifications for the Hall. He said that he just knows a hall-of-famer when he sees one. It's just obvious if somebody belongs in the Hall. Ruth, Mays, Cobb, Walter Johnson, Koufax. These guys are obvious. Rafael Palmero, despite the number of homers, just doesn't feel like a Hall kind of guy.
Gossage was more than borderline HoF to me. I'm very happy that he got in. Palmeiro will never make it after going out in a cloud of steroids. Rice and Dawson are trickier. I suspect that both will get in eventually (Rice next year).
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