Yes, Goose, No Rice

I'm not sure I understand the voting for the Hall of Fame. Jim Rice was scary as a hitter for a bunch of years. Somehow he was overshadowed for a while by Fred Lynn, but I watched as Rice broke his bat on a checked swing - he didn't hit the ball at all, just stopped his swing and the bat head kept going after the handle had stopped. I can't even imagine the strength you'd need for that. The man was pitched around and still put up monstrous numbers - average, RBIs, homers. What gives? Was he the greatest defensive player ever? No. But how many average fielders are in the Hall? Rice was a dominant hitter. Put him in the Hall of Fame.

Gossage was also dominant. One of the first closer to actually earn the name - he put out fires, he shut the door. Not only was he dominant, but he played for a dominant team...not the Padres.

Maybe that's why Rice isn't in the Hall. The Red Sox were always also-rans and ne'er-do-wells. Never dominant. Still, that seems lame to expect Rice to be able to carry a team - Andre Dawson got almost as many votes as Rice and I don't recall Dawson ever scaring pitchers like Rice did. Except for his one truly awesome year*. Dawson did field better and, of course, he was a threat on the bases. Don't get me wrong. I don't think the Hall would be crazy to let Dawson in. But I don't see how he gets in if Rice doesn't make the cut.


* 49 home runs and 137 RBIs.