Update: TCB Astros Hall of Fame Class of 2012

by David Coleman on Jan 16, 2012 4:22 PM CST in Houston Astros History

So the results are in and we have five guys who are getting inducted in the first-ever TCB Astros Hall Fame. Lance Berkman is your fifth inductee, joining Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio, Cesar Cedeno and Nolan Ryan.

I understood the arguments against Cedeno and Ryan, so I'll tell you my thinking about both of them. Ryan may not be quite as iconic as J.R. Richard in franchise history, but he had many great years with Houston and was integral to that 1986 team. Plus, with Cedeno, Ryan, Biggio/Bagwell and Berkman, we've got representatives from four of the five decades Houston has been a team. That's pretty good for a first class.

Also, I like the idea of coming up with rules for induction. I just threw together this first class, frankly, but I like how it turned out. Still, we should make some requirements for entry.

First up, let's set the number of years with Houston as 8. That's a pretty substantial number without being too short. The real HOF has a 10-year minimum, but that's just as arbitrary as my 8. Should that number be higher or lower?

Second, active players can be considered. It's up to you, the voter on these guys to determine how you want to handle them. Obviously, enough of you voted for Berkman to get him in this class, so we'll let you, the reader, handle this.

Third, a player needs double-digit votes to stay on the ballot for next year. That means, sadly, Roger Clemens will be ineligible for two different reasons next year. Oh well, Rocket. Guess we won't be the only Hall snubbing you soon.

Who does that leave for next season's ballot? Well, I'll let you decide. The holdovers from this season are the following:

Roy Oswalt - 33 votes

Larry Dierker - 66 votes

Jimmy Wynn - 42 votes

Jose Cruz - 40 votes

Those four will make up next year's ballot, but we'll add a few guys to it. Then, when the time comes, I'll set up a ballot that you can use to vote for up to five of them for induction. Sound good?

Over the next few weeks, we'll hold Induction Ceremonies for these guys with a post highlighting their Astros career. Let me know if you want to write the induction for a particular guy and you can do the honors.

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8 years with Houston seems too long

It might turn this into just a list of good players who somehow hung around for 8 seasons.

by Brad E on Jan 16, 2012 8:01 PM CST via mobile reply actions

It's a good sign if you're unhappy

I’m bummed that Berkman got in and Dierker did not. I’m seriously worried about some of you guy’s judgement! Actually I’m fine with all of the criteria except having active players eligible. Cooperstown’s 5 years is too long but we could at least wait one year, please? I think we need some perspective that only time away from the game brings. Their is no question that Fat Elvis would have gotten in anyway so maybe it’s moot. I might have even voted for him some year when there weren’t any other really good choices. See, I’m still bitter about him rolling over and playing dead his last season or so here and then working his butt off for the Cards. For this he gets in OUR hall, really??? Now if he was retired for awhile I would surely get past my angst and look at his body of work as an Astro instead of holding a grudge over his finish. So, do the right thing here guys and institute a time after retirement clause.

by Dirtshirt on Jan 16, 2012 9:20 PM CST reply actions

You realize this is just an academic exercise, right? Berkman was voted in overwhelmingly by the readers of this site, not the writers. I sure didn’t vote for him.

by CRPerry13 on Jan 17, 2012 3:19 PM CST up reply actions

Yup, that was apparent. The guys I was concerned about were the Berkman voters. The writers are the ones who can grant my wish for some retirement time before enshrinement.

by Dirtshirt on Jan 17, 2012 7:00 PM CST up reply actions

OK we promise that you can be retired for a time before we enshrine you. :) :) How’s that? Seriously….personally, I agree. The one thing I agree with the BBHOF over is the waiting period. I think it’s ridiculous how NBA players and coaches can enter the HOF during their careers or immediately after.

Yao Ming for HOF? That’s just ridiculous.

by CRPerry13 on Jan 17, 2012 9:17 PM CST up reply actions

It’s five years for a player. The contributor stuff is just kind of whatever. Hell, it’s nice to allow coaches to get honored in case they die soon after they retire.

by MadMartygan on Jan 17, 2012 9:30 PM CST up reply actions

Before the grammar police haul me away

See what all that pent up angst does, it makes you use the incorrect form of “there”. Stupid homonyms, they’re (did it right that time) as bad as Berkman!

by Dirtshirt on Jan 16, 2012 9:26 PM CST reply actions

There is no Astros Hall of Fame Bagwell, Biggio, and Berkman

"Rommel, you magnificent bastard, I read your book!" - George S. Patton

by chilam balam on Jan 17, 2012 10:49 AM CST up reply actions

A new HOF

Since we are selecting from a smaller pool of players than the real HOF I think we need different rules. For instance, I think we should have limited spaces maybe 25 or so. Then when it is full a player has to be voted out of the HOF. If you wanted to, we could break it down by position so it would be an Astros all time team. Personally I think there should just be a limited number of spaces. once it is full there will be two rounds of voting the first round will be to determine weather a guy is hall worthy if he is then he gets a run off with who he’d be replacing. If he wins he’s in and the other guy is out or the otherway around and the player goes back on the next years ballot to try again. Or some such system. If we just keep having these votes there will be guys getting in just because there is no one else on the ballot and fans feel the need to vote yes on someone. It’s not like we hate many of these guys like the writers do. Then there can be another ranking for players: years in the hall of fame or years leading the Astros all time position team. It’s not perfect but maybe it will be different from all the other hall of fames and be fun and force more difficult decisions. It could even lead to a new level of HOF where if a guy is in it for 20 years he moves up to the immortals and cannot be removed and his space on the basic HOF opens up. So there would be more trials for a player to pass.

And I agree with the retired requirement also I wish Bagwell Biggio Ryan and Cedeno had been up for votes even if 2 of them were garauntees. I feel like this got off to start that automatically nullifies it since the choice was taken away from the masses and given to the elite. That’s just my opinion. And had they been on the ballot I would have only voted for Biggio Bagwell and Cedeno. So next year it would be more interesting and it would give them the extra recondition of beating out Ryan.

Also if we are going to take this seriously there should be a link somewhere that goes to the hall where we can read about all the players find links relating to them and post our own personal recollections and stories about them.

by ntn on Jan 17, 2012 3:36 PM CST via mobile reply actions

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