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Todd SchultzI believe you have to wonder about Blyleven and the Hall of Fame. He really did not pitch on alot of horrible teams; in fact, more often than not his team finished .500 or better. He started with a playoff team in Minnesota that sported two HOFers and 2 others on the cusp (Kaat and Oliva). His one full year in Texas they won over 90 games, and he then went to Pittsburgh for three years and got to a World Series (88 and 83 wins the other two years). Even his forgetable four year stop in Cleveland found them over .500 in the strike year and him hurt almost all of '82 (so it wouldn't have mattered how good or bad the team was), re-joined the Twins in time for another World Series appearance, and then played in California on another 90 win team. In short, he was not a part of a bunch of hapless, perennial cellar dwellers.
Don't get me wrong, I like Bert and wish him well,his broadcasts are insightful and entertaining and he did have THE best curve ball. Still, I'd like to hear what his contemporaries think about him. You may remember, Tbob, how he was grousing and wanting out of Minnesota in '75 and flipped off the crowd at the Met. He lasted only one full year in Texas, on a good team where he pitched well, only three in Pitt, then 4 1/2 in Cleveland, same in Minny, and three with the Angels. Hired gun, or were there other reasons he traveled so much? Not that that should matter come HOF time, but he may have burned some bridges.