Last call for the Hall

OK maybe not the last last call, but the Veterans Committee is considering 10 former players who have seen their ship sail on induction to date.

I'll give you a tip - don't try and untangle who played when and how they're eligible in the final few graphs. I'm sure that it is all pretty simple, but not the way the Hall of Fame outlines it in this release. Pre-War, Post-War, starting their careers prior to such and such a date? Some are up every other year, others every 5 years... It's like reading stereo instructions in German.

Still the lucky 10 are:

Dick Allen, Gil Hodges (note: I know someone's dad must be happy today), Jim Kaat, Tony Oliva, Al Oliver, Vada Pinson, Ron Santo, Luis Tiant, Joe Torre and Maury Wills will be considered for election by the Veterans Committee for enshrinement in 2009, with votes to be cast by Hall of Fame members this fall. Any candidate to receive 75 percent of the vote among all ballots cast will earn election to the Hall of Fame and will be enshrined on July 26, 2009. There are 64 living Hall of Famers.

Santo, huh? Never would have guessed he wasn't in the Hall. I have to think by this point, the committee is doing it just to spite the poor guy.

For what it's worth, I'm going Hodges, Oliva, Tiant if I had to pick three off the top of my head. I'd add Wills, too, but I'd like another look at his numbers before committing to that.

For those who are curious, the big list of those for consideration are:

The 21 candidates considered by the Screening Committee: Allen, Ken Boyer, Bert Campaneris, Rocky Colavito, Mike Cuellar, Steve Garvey, Hodges, Kaat, Ted Kluszewski, Mickey Lolich, Roger Maris, Lee May, Minnie Minoso, Thurman Munson, Oliva, Oliver, Pinson, Santo, Tiant, Torre and Wills.

(Image from: MLB.com)