BBF VC Progressive HoF Election: 2015

[Ace Venom]

2015 Players VC Election

Below is the final ballot for the 2015 VC Players Election. Voters can vote for as many candidates as they wish with 75% support required to elect a player. Voting will be open for seven days, at which point we'll tabulate votes provided we have a quorum consisting of at least 12 of the 15 VC members having voted. Anyone is free to participate in the discussion and submit a ballot but only ballots from the 15 VC members will be counted. Voting ends on Monday, March 4 at 7:00 PM EST.

- The 2016 ballot will consist of:
1) Every player that previously made a final VC ballot;
2) Every player that received at least 1/3 support in the regular election;
3) Every player that lasted 15 years on the regular ballot.

-Voters can vote for as many players as they wish on the ballot and can also vote for up to 2 write-in candidates. If any write-in candidates receive at least 50% support, I'll list him on the next ballot. I will supply a master list so voters know who is eligible for write-ins.

- If a player on the ballot does not receive at least 2 votes he will not appear on the following ballot (though the player will be eligible for write-in votes). So the 2015 ballot will consist of:
1) Every player from the 2015 ballot who received at least 2 votes;
2) Every newly eligible player that received 1/3 support in the regular election or lasted 15 years on the regular ballot; and
3) Any players who received at least 4 (or roughly 1/3) votes as a write-in in the 2015 elections.

Final Ballot (64)
Dave Bancroft
Buddy Bell
Chief Bender
Bobby Bonds
Jim Bottomley
Clay Carroll
Norm Cash
Perucho Cepeda
Rocky Colavito
Earle Combs
Cesar Cedeno
Dave Concepcion
Gavvy Cravath
Lave Cross
Kiki Cuyler
Dom DiMaggio
Darrell Evans
Dwight Evans
Johnny Evers
Rollie Fingers
Jim Fregosi
Vic Harris
John Hiller
Gil Hodges
Elston Howard
Frank Howard
Tommy John
Bob Johnson
Judy Johnson
Steve Garvey
Ron Guidry
Jim Kaat
George Kell
Charlie Keller
Chuck Klein
Ted Kluszewski
Sparky Lyle
Heinie Manush
Mike Marshall
Don Mattingly
Bill Mazeroski
Stu Miller
Dobie Moore
Jack Morris
Thurman Munson
Buddy Myer
Don Newcombe
Tony Oliva
Dave Parker
Vada Pinson
Willie Randolph
Jim Rice
Al Rosen
Red Schoendienst
Rusty Staub
Bruce Sutter
Ben Taylor
Mike Tiernan
Joe Tinker
Hippo Vaughan
Bobby Veach
Lon Warneke
Maury Wills
Hack Wilson

- Bold denotes newly eligible.

PAST RESULTS

Player			Year Elected
Sal Bando		2005
Wally Berger		2000
Tommy Bridges		1970
Wilbur Cooper		1950
Clark Griffith		1940
Burleigh Grimes		1960
Charley Jones		2000
Tony Lazzeri		1980
Tommy Leach		1940
Ernie Lombardi		1980
Herman Long		1925
Rabbit Maranville	1925
Carl Mays		1970
Jim McCormick		1995
John McGraw		2010
Cal McVey		1920
Graig Nettles		2010
Dickey Pearce		1920
Lip Pike		1920
Sam Rice		1955
Hardy Richardson	1920
Eppa Rixey		1955
Phil Rizzuto		1980
Jimmy Ryan		1930
Wally Schang		1980
Jimmy Sheckard		1945
Urban Shocker		1990
Reggie Smith		2005
Joe Start		1920
Ezra Sutton		1920
Bucky Walters		1970
Mickey Welch		1920
Jimmy Wynn		2000

Links to Past Results

1920
1925
1930
1935
1940
1945
1950
1955
1960
1965
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010

2015 Master List

Babe Adams
Joe Adcock
Johnny Antonelli
Buzz Arlett
Bobby Avila
Dave Bancroft
Dick Bartell
Ginger Beaumont
Buddy Bell
Chief Bender
Lu Blue
Bob Boone
Tommy Bond
Bobby Bonds
Jim Bottomley
Bill Bradley
Kitty Bransfield
Harry Brecheen
Chet Brewer
Clete Boyer
Charlie Buffinton
Jack Burdock
George J. Burns
Oyster Burns
Rick Burrelson
Bert Campaneris
Jose Canseco
Clay Carroll
Rico Carty
Norm Cash
Phil Cavarretta
Cesar Cedeno
Perucho Cepeda
Ron Cey
Ray Chapman
Jack Chesbro
John Clapp
Jack Clark
Boileryard Clarke
Harlond Clift
Rocky Colavito
Earle Combs
Dave Concepcion
Jack Coombs
Waler Cooper
Larry Corcoran
Tommy Corcoran
Gavvy Cravath
Lave Cross
Candy Cummings
Nig Cuppy
Kiki Cuyler
Abner Dalyrmple
Alvin Dark
Harry Davis
Willie Davis
Paul Derringer
Dom DiMaggio
Bill Dinneen
Mike Donlin
Bill Donovan
Jack Doyle
Fred Dunlap
Frank Dwyer
Jimmie Dykes
Darrell Evans
Dwight Evans
Johnny Evers
Roy Face
Ferris Fain
Ron Fairly
Duke Farrell
Bob Ferguson
Tony Fernandez
Rick Ferrell
Rollie Fingers
Chuck Finley
Cherokee Fisher
Ray Fisher
Wes Fisler
Silver Flint
Curt Flood
Davy Force
Russ Ford
George Foster
Rube Foster
Dave Foutz
Bud Fowler
Jim Fregosi
Augie Galan
Larry Gardner
Steve Garvey
Kid Gleason
Dwight Gooden
Juan Gonzalez
Mike Griffin
Ron Guidry
Chick Hafey
Noodles Hahn
Ned Hanlon
Vic Harris
Topsy Hartsel
Claude Hendrix
Tommy Henrich
Babe Herman
Buck Herzog
John Hiller
Gil Hodges
Solly Hofman
Harry Hooper
Elston Howard
Frank Howard
Dummy Hoy
Waite Hoyt
Miller Huggins
Catfish Hunter
Travis Jackson
Jackie Jensen
Bob Johnson
Judy Johnson
Fielder Jones
Joe Judge
Jim Kaat
Benny Kauff
George Kell
Charlie Keller
George Kelly
Brickyard Kennedy
Don Kessinger
Jimmy Key
Silver King
Chuck Klein
Johnny Kling
Ted Klusewski
Harvey Kuenn
Mark Langston
Arlie Latham
Sam Leever
Jim Lemon
Andy Leonard
Dutch Leonard
Sherm Lollar
Al Lopez
Bobby Lowe
Dolf Luque
Sparky Lyle
Denny Lyons
Sal Maglie
Fergy Malone
Heinie Manush
Marty Marion
Roger Maris
Pepper Martin
Bobby Mathews
Don Mattingly
Firpo Marberry
Rube Marquard
Mike Marshall
Bill Mazeroski
Jimmy McAleer
Dick McAuliffe
Dick McBride
Tommy McCarthy
Gil McDougald
John McGraw
Deacon McGuire
Ed McKean
Don McMahon
Levi Meyerle
Stu Miller
Dobie Moore
Jack Morris
Thurman Munson
Bobby Murcer
Buddy Myer
Billy Nash
Robb Nen
Graig Nettles
Don Newcombe
Bobo Newsom
Jack O'Connor
Lefty O'Doul
Tip O'Neal
John "Buck" O'Neill
Paul O'Neill
Tony Oliva
Al Oliver
Dave Orr
Orval Overall
Dave Parker
Mel Parnell
Lance Parrish
Tony Pena
Herb Pennock
John Peters
Deacon Phillippe
Vada Pinson
Cumberland Posey
Boog Powell
Jack Powell
Del Pratt
Jack Quinn
Ted Radcliffe
Willie Randolph
Jeff Reardon
Ed Reulbach
Rick Reuschel
Jim Rice
J.R. Richard
Claude Ritchey
Wilbert Robinson
Al Rosen
Jack Rowe
Cy Seymour
Ray Schalk
Red Schoendienst
Curt Simmons
Ken Singleton
Reggie Smith
Chick Stahl
Eddie Stanky
Rusty Staub
George Stone
George Stovall
Bruce Sutter
Jesse Tannehill
Ben Taylor
Gene Tenace
Jeff Tesreau
Roy Thomas
Mike Tiernan
Joe Tinker
Cecil Travis
Hal Trosky
Terry Turner
Elmer Valo
Johnny Vander Meer
Hippo Vaughn
Bobby Veach
Mickey Vernon
Lon Warneke
Dixie Walker
Lloyd Waner
John Warner
David Wells
John Wetteland
Doc White
Frank White
Roy White
Will White
Jim Whitney
Cy Williams
Jimmy Williams
Matt Williams
Ned Williamson
Maury Wills
Hack Wilson
Hooks Wiltsie
Joe Wood
Rudy York
Tom York
Eddie Yost
Ross Youngs
George Zettlein
Chief Zimmer

[jalbright]

B. Bell
Bob Bonds
Cedeno
P. Cepeda
Keller
Moore
Randolph
Sutter
H. Wilson

[PVNICK]

Dave Bancroft
Dwight Evans
Johnny Evers
Rollie Fingers
Jim Fregosi
Tommy John
Bill Mazeroski
Dobie Moore
Tony Oliva
Vada Pinson
Willie Randolph
Jim Rice
Al Rosen
Bruce Sutter
Mike Tiernan


and no this list probably makes no sense, but these are my usual votees

[jjpm74]

Ballot:

Dave Bancroft
Buddy Bell
Chief Bender
Bobby Bonds
Cesar Cedeno
Perucho Cepeda
Dave Concepcion
Lave Cross
Kiki Cuyler
Dom DiMaggio
Darrell Evans
Dwight Evans
Johnny Evers
Ron Guidry
Gil Hodges
Catfish Hunter
Bob Johnson
Charlie Keller
Don Mattingly
Dobie Moore
Thurman Munson
Don Newcombe
Willie Randolph
Rick Reuschel
Bruce Sutter
Mike Tiernan
Hack Wilson

[Brad Harris]

Buddy Bell
Bobby Bonds
Norm Cash
Cesar Cedeno
Perucho Cepeda
Ron Cey
Gavvy Cravath
Darrell Evans
Dwight Evans
Jim Fregosi
Bob Johnson
Charlie Keller
Jimmy Key
Dobie Moore
Graig Nettles
Don Newcombe
Lance Parrish
Willie Randolph
Rick Reuschel
Reggie Smith
Bruce Sutter
Ben Taylor
Mike Tiernan
Hack Wilson

[Bigfoot 88]

Chief Bender
Bobby Bonds
Earle Combs
Dave Concepcion
Dwight Evans
Gil Hidges
Frank Howard
Tommy John
Judy Johnson
Steve Garvey
Jim Kaat
Chuck Klein
Dave Parker
Don Newcombe
Jim Rice
Bruce Sutter
Maury Wills
Hack Wilson
Babe Adams

[Domenic]

This will be one of my larger ballots, as I've lessened my own standards a bit and hope to rectify some oversights that I feel are a bit too curious.

Buddy Bell
Bobby Bonds
Perucho Cepeda
Cesar Cedeno
Gavvy Cravath
Dom DiMaggio
Darrell Evans
Dwight Evans
Elston Howard
Bob Johnson
Charlie Keller
Dobie Moore
Thurman Munson
Tony Oliva
Willie Randolph
Ben Taylor
Lon Warneke
Hack Wilson

[Cowtipper]

Buddy Bell
Chief Bender
Bobby Bonds
Jim Bottomley
Clay Carroll
Norm Cash
Perucho Cepeda
Rocky Colavito
Earle Combs
Cesar Cedeno
Dave Concepcion
Gavvy Cravath
Lave Cross
Kiki Cuyler
Dom DiMaggio
Dwight Evans
Johnny Evers
Rollie Fingers
Vic Harris
John Hiller
Gil Hodges
Elston Howard
Frank Howard
Tommy John
Bob Johnson
Judy Johnson
Steve Garvey
Ron Guidry
Jim Kaat
George Kell
Charlie Keller
Chuck Klein
Ted Kluszewski
Sparky Lyle
Heinie Manush
Mike Marshall
Don Mattingly
Bill Mazeroski
Stu Miller
Thurman Munson
Buddy Myer
Tony Oliva
Dave Parker
Vada Pinson
Jim Rice
Al Rosen
Red Schoendienst
Rusty Staub
Bruce Sutter
Ben Taylor
Hippo Vaughan
Bobby Veach
Lon Warneke
Maury Wills
Hack Wilson

Not voting for:

Dave Bancroft
Darrell Evans
Johnny Evers
Jim Fregosi
Dobie Moore
Jack Morris
Graig Nettles
Don Newcombe
Willie Randolph
Mike Tiernan
Joe Tinker

[Ducati12]

Dave Bancroft
Chief Bender
Jim Bottomely
Earle Combs
Kiki Cuyler
Johnny Evers
Rollie Fingers
George Kell
Chuck Klein
Heinie Manush
Bill Mazeroski
Jim Rice
Red Schoendienst
Bruce Sutter
Joe Tinker
Hack Wilson

[SavoyBG]

Buddy Bell
Chief Bender
Bobby Bonds
Norm Cash
Kiki Cuyler
Darrell Evans
Dwight Evans
Rollie Fingers
Jim Fregosi
Frank Howard
Tommy John
Judy Johnson
Sparky Lyle
Don Newcombe
Willie Randolph
Reggie Smith
Rusty Staub
Maury Wills

[Jar of Flies]

After more thoroughly reading the rules, I realize I need to chose from the field of 64, and can add two write-ins, so the revised ballot:

Dave Bancroft
Buddy Bell
Perucho Cepeda
Gavvy Cravath
Darrell Evans
Dwight Evans
Tommy John
Bob Johnson
Charlie Keller
Dobie Moore
Thurman Munson
Graig Nettles
Don Newcombe
Willie Randolph

Two write-ins:
Rick Reuschel
Reggie Smith

[Ace Venom]

Buddy Bell
Bobby Bonds
Norm Cash
Perucho Cepeda
Jack Chesbro (write-in)
Rocky Colavito
Earle Combs
Larry Corcoran (write-in)
Kiki Cuyler
Dom DiMaggio
Darrell Evans
Dwight Evans
Johnny Evers
Rollie Fingers
Frank Howard
Tommy John
Bob Johnson
Judy Johnson
Ron Guidry
Jim Kaat
Charlie Keller
Chuck Klein
Sparky Lyle
Heinie Manush
Bill Mazeroski
Dobie Moore
Thruman Munson
Tony Oliva
Vada Pinson
Willie Randolph
Jim Rice
Al Rosen
Bruce Suuter
Joe Tinker
Lon Warneke
Hack Wilson

[DoubleX]

Dave Bancroft
Buddy Bell
Bobby Bonds
Norm Cash
Lave Cross
Kiki Cuyler
Darrell Evans
Dwight Evans
Johnny Evers
Rollie Fingers
Frank Howard
Tommy John
Bob Johnson
Judy Johnson
Dobie Moore
Thurman Munson
Buddy Myer
Willie Randolph
Red Schoendienst
Mike Tiernan
Bobby Veach
Hack Wilson

Did we elect Willard Brown?

Still disappointed to see Tommy John not picking up support. He's clearly within our range (17 year period with an OPS+ over 115, that does it here in terms of career success).

[Ace Venom]

Did we elect Willard Brown?

We elected him in the 1992 Negro League Players VC election.

[Fielding Marshall]

Babe Adams
Dave Bancroft
Buddy Bell
Chief Bender
Bobby Bonds
Jim Bottomley
Clay Carroll
Perucho Cepeda
Rocky Colavito
Earle Combs
Cesar Cedeno
Dave Concepcion
Gavvy Cravath
Lave Cross
Kiki Cuyler
Dom DiMaggio
Darrell Evans
Dwight Evans
Johnny Evers
Rollie Fingers
Vic Harris
John Hiller
Elston Howard
Frank Howard
Tommy John
Bob Johnson
Judy Johnson
Steve Garvey
George Kell
Charlie Keller
Ted Kluszewski
Sparky Lyle
Heinie Manush
Mike Marshall
Don Mattingly
Bill Mazeroski
Stu Miller
Dobie Moore
Thurman Munson
Buddy Myer
Don Newcombe
Tony Oliva
Willie Randolph
Rick Reuschel
Jim Rice
Al Rosen
Red Schoendienst
Rusty Staub
Bruce Sutter
Ben Taylor
Mike Tiernan
Joe Tinker
Hippo Vaughan
Bobby Veach
Lon Warneke
Hack Wilson

[Ace Venom]

This election is closed. We elected five players this round: Buddy Bell, Bobby Bonds, Dwight Evans, Willie Randolph, and Hack Wilson. I'll post the full official results tomorrow.

[jjpm74]

It's nice to see Wilson finally join Berger.

[DoubleX]

The way we've expanded at 3B is pretty interesting, as we've clearly expanded into the second (and maybe third tier) which consists of players that are difficult to distinguish. Yet, there seems to be one player clearly among that group that we haven't elected - Darrell Evans. With Graig Nettles, Sal Bando, and now Buddy Bell elected, and going back farther to Stan Hack, Ken Boyer and Bob Elliott, Evans seems like a somewhat curious omission.

[PVNICK]

The way we've expanded at 3B is pretty interesting, as we've clearly expanded into the second (and maybe third tier) which consists of players that are difficult to distinguish. Yet, there seems to be one player clearly among that group that we haven't elected - Darrell Evans. With Graig Nettles, Sal Bando, and now Buddy Bell elected, and going back farther to Stan Hack, Ken Boyer and Bob Elliott, Evans seems like a somewhat curious omission.

More curious, so to speak, in that 3, 4, 5 years ago Evans was one of the notable recent omissions ahead of all his contemporaries listed above. Bell was a shock. With all due respect to everyone who voted for him, I would think you would find few, if any, articles written promoting him as a HOFer while he was active or soon thereafter. In fact you might be hard pressed to find more than a few seasons of him getting an all star push or MVP consideration. Perhaps we know better now, he did crack my top 20 3B list, but it was still surprising.

[SavoyBG]

This election is closed. We elected five players this round: Buddy Bell, Bobby Bonds, Dwight Evans, Willie Randolph, and Hack Wilson. I'll post the full official results tomorrow.

This was good to see even if it did come from the veteran's comm. We finally elected a bunch of non Cooperstown people from modern days whose numbers indicate that they were overlooked hall of famers. People like Dwight Evans and the others here may not have been thought of as hall of famers by contemporary observors, but either were lots of the old time players who we elected.

[Ace Venom]

2015 VC Final Results (13 Votes Cast, 10 Required for Election)
1) Dwight Evans: 11 Votes (84.61%) - Elected
t2) Buddy Bell: 10 Votes (76.92%) - Elected
t2) Bobby Bonds: 10 Votes (76.92%) - Elected
t2) Willie Randolph: 10 Votes (76.92%) - Elected
t2) Hack Wilson: 10 Votes (76.92%) - Elected
t6) Darrell Evans: 9 Votes (69.23%)
t6) Bruce Sutter: 9 Votes (69.23%)
t8) Charlie Keller: 8 Votes (61.54%)
t8) Dobie Moore: 8 Votes (61.54%)
t10) Perucho Cepeda: 7 Votes (53.85%)
t10) Johnny Evers: 7 Votes (53.85%)
t10) Rollie Fingers: 7 Votes (53.85%)
t10) Tommy John: 7 Votes (53.85%)
t10) Bob Johnson: 7 Votes (53.85%)
t10) Thurman Munson: 7 Votes (53.85%)
t16) Dave Bancroft: 6 Votes (46.15%)
t16) Frank Howard: 6 Votes (46.15%)
t16) Judy Johnson: 6 Votes (46.15%)
t16) Jim Rice: 6 Votes (46.15%)
t20) Norm Cash: 5 Votes (38.46%)
t20) Earle Combs: 5 Votes (38.46%)
t20) Gavvy Cravath: 5 Votes (38.46%)
t20) Kiki Cuyler: 5 Votes (38.46%)
t20) Dom DiMaggio: 5 Votes (38.46%)
t20) Bill Mazeroski: 5 Votes (38.46%)
t20) Don Newcombe: 5 Votes (38.46%)
t20) Tony Oliva: 5 Votes (38.46%)
t20) Mike Tiernan: 5 Votes (38.46%)
t29) Cesar Cedeno: 4 Votes (30.77%)
t29) Dave Concepcion: 4 Votes (30.77%)
t29) Chuck Klein: 4 Votes (30.77%)
t29) Sparky Lyle: 4 Votes (30.77%)
t29) Al Rosen: 4 Votes (30.77%)
t29) Red Schoendienst: 4 Votes (30.77%)
t29) Ben Taylor: 4 Votes (30.77%)
t29) Lon Warneke: 4 Votes (30.77%)
t37) Lave Cross: 3 Votes (23.08%)
t37) Elston Howard: 3 Votes (23.08%)
t37) Steve Garvey: 3 Votes (23.08%)
t37) Ron Guidry: 3 Votes (23.08%)
t37) Jim Kaat: 3 Votes (23.08%)
t37) George Kell: 3 Votes (23.08%)
t37) Don Mattingly: 3 Votes (23.08%)
t37) Buddy Myer: 3 Votes (23.08%)
t37) Vada Pinson: 3 Votes (23.08%)
t37) Rusty Staub: 3 Votes (23.08%)
t37) Joe Tinker: 3 Votes (23.08%)
t37) Bobby Veach: 3 Votes (23.08%)
t37) Maury Wills: 3 Votes (23.08%)
t50) Vic Harris: 2 Votes (15.38%)
t50) John Hiller: 2 Votes (15.38%)
t50) Ted Kluszewski: 2 Votes (15.38%)
t50) Mike Marshall: 2 Votes (15.38%)
t50) Stu Miller: 2 Votes (15.38%)
t50) Dave Parker: 2 Votes (15.38%)
t50) Hippo Vaughan: 2 Votes (15.38%)
t57) Jack Morris: 0 Votes

Write-in candidate votes

Rick Reuschel: 4 Votes (30.77%)
Babe Adams: 2 Votes (15.38%)
Ron Cey: 1 Vote (7.69%)
Jack Chesbro: 1 Vote (7.69%)
Larry Corcoran: 1 Vote (7.69%)
Catfish Hunter: 1 Vote (7.69%)
Jimmy Key: 1 Vote (7.69%)
Lance Parrish: 1 Vote (7.69%)

Comments: Dwight Evans led the pack with 11 votes. Darrell Evans and Bruce Sutter both missed by a single vote. Sutter was one of the best closers of his time. I have to admit I've been forgetting to put Quisenberry on the ballot, which is a mistake I'll correct in the next election. I think both have a good case for our Hall. Sutter just needed one more vote to get there, so the real question is, "Why not Sutter?" Darrell Evans is being held back and does have a solid case. Rick Reuschel went from a brief ballot appearance (two years?) to a spot on the next ballot since he accumulated four votes as a write-in candidate.

Jack Morris dropped off the ballot rather quickly. I'm a bit surprised he didn't get a single vote, but I don't think he belonged. Keller just can't seem to get over the threshold. Johnny Evers seems to finally be picking up some steam with his candidacy. Most of the others are about where they have been. Dobie Moore would be a welcome addition, but there are a number of factors keeping him out.

[jjpm74]

We may have overcompensated at third base, bit after Nettles was elected, I didn't se a distinction between him, Bell and Darrell Evans, so I added Darrel Evans and Buddy Bell