True to his style as a Sherwin-Williams kind of guy, Ryne Sandberg won’t try to describe his 16-year career as some masterwork by Picasso. He would rather not discuss it all.
“You’re asking me to brag about myself,” Sandberg said Tuesday when asked if any part of his game had been undervalued. “If my persona fits the Hall of Fame, then it will happen sometime.”
On the day Paul Molitor and Dennis Eckersley were elected to the Hall of Fame, the most intriguing subplot was Sandberg positioning himself to be the first former Cubs great elected to the Hall since Ferguson Jenkins in 1991. Eckersley passed through Wrigley Field, sure. But he got in for his work in Oakland and Boston, not his 27-26 record with the Cubs.
Molitor is in for his batting, eighth on the career list with 3,319 hits. He was listed on 85.2 percent (431 of 506) of the ballots cast by 10-year members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. For election, players must get at least 75 percent of the vote. Eckersley was on 421 ballots (83.2 percent).
Sandberg was third with 309 votes, followed by Bruce Sutter (301), Jim Rice (276), Andre Dawson (253), Rich Gossage (206), Lee Smith (185) and Bert Blyleven (179).
Sandberg likely is headed to the Hall. He missed election by a wide margin (71 votes), yet his climbing totals foretell likely election. Rather than being bitter about being passed over, Sandberg was heartened by a 65-vote jump after his first year on the ballot.
“I must say I feel honored finishing in third place behind two Hall of Famers who were voted in,” Sandberg said. “With the increase in percentage, that’s nothing but positive.”
Famecasting
2005 class
Ryne Sandberg will face a modest group with Wade Boggs, who retired with 3,010 hits, as the only possible first-timer to be elected. Other newcomers include Tom Candiotti, Chili Davis, Willie McGee and Jim Abbott. And maybe Pete Rose too.
2006 class
Rookie candidates will include Albert Belle, Will Clark, Gary Gaetti, Orel Hershiser, Gregg Jefferies, Rick Aguilera, Hal Morris and Dwight Gooden.
2007 class
If he’s not in by then, Sandberg will have very little chance with Cal Ripken Jr., Tony Gwynn and Mark McGwire head- lining a big class. Others are Harold Baines, Jose Canseco, Wally Joyner, Paul O’Neill, Bret Saberhagen and Eric Davis.
2008 class
With Rickey Henderson off the ballot because he’s still playing, another modest list with David Justice, Dave Martinez, and Mike Morgan among the big names.
Source: MLB.COM
2004
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Hall of Fame voting
As voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America: 506 votes cast, 380 needed for election.
Paul Molitor 431
Dennis Eckersley 421
Ryne Sandberg 309
Bruce Sutter 301
Jim Rice 276
Andre Dawson 253
Rich Gossage 206
Lee Smith 185
Bert Blyleven 179
Jack Morris 133
Steve Garvey 123
Tommy John 111
Alan Trammell 70
Don Mattingly 65
Dave Concepcion 57
Dave Parker 53
Dale Murphy 43
Because they received fewer than 26 votes (less than 5 percent), these players are no longer eligible for election:
Keith Hernandez 22
Joe Carter 19
F. Valenzuela 19
Dennis Martinez 16
Dave Stieb 7
Jim Eisenreich 3
Jimmy Key 3
Doug Drabek 2
Kevin Mitchell 2
Juan Samuel 2
Cecil Fielder 1
Randy Myers 1
Terry Pendleton 1
Danny Darwin 0
Bob Tewskbury 0
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Edited by the Sports staff of RedEye.
