Rich "Goose" Gossage was the only candidate inducted into Cooperstown this year by the writers. He got 466 votes, over 85%. You need 75% to qualify for the Baseball Hall of Fame. If there was a Hall of Fame for mustaches, Goose would have been inducted long ago. I'm glad for him, because he has waited for a long time, but my personal feeling is that he's kind of on the bubble in terms of players who should be admitted.
Boston's Jim Rice fell 16 votes short this year at 392, 72.6%. Next year will be his last shot. Which is fine - to me, Rice is the poster boy for an All-Star player, a wonderful player, who is not a Hall of Fame player. If you're a Boston fan, chill out and wait 6-7 years for the grand party that will be Curt Schilling's well-deserved induction.
Mark McGwire got exactly the same number of votes he got in 2007 - 128. Which is unusual, usually it goes up. Looks like the steroids issue is really biting. It's quite possible that he will never make it in... Sosa is an almost certain "no" now, and even Bonds is in question. 5 years ago, could you have imagined that?
The only guy I'd vote for who did not make the Hall in 2008 is Lee Smith. I'd think about Bert Blyleven, and Tommy John too.
John Miller thinks that Alan Trammel and Jack Morris were jobbed.
Goose Gossage basically defined the modern closer. For that alone he is Hall worthy. Additionally, the stats have been tweaked for relievers. Under todays rules, Gossage would have had a lot more career saves.
Morris is another guy who might define the "really good, but not Hall of Fame" category. Was he the best pitcher of the 1980s? Probably. Did he help my team win the World series in 1992? Yes. Hall of Fame... when I put him beside Maddux, Clemens (who was Hall-worthy before the alleged steroids), or guys like Steve Carlton, I'm not so sure.
If double-play combinations could go in as a unit, I'd probably vote for Alan Trammel and Lou Whittaker. Apart, not so much. But I'd vote for Trammel over Jim Rice, and probably over Andre Dawson as well.
Trammel - no. Morris real close but just not enough.
I think Blyleven not being in there is a greater travesty and Fred McGriff's 493 non Steroid homers look a lot better to me than plenty of guys who are in.