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Marc S.The new system,while it admirably gets rid of much of the "old-boy network" of the old system that let in a watered-down group of Hall of Famers, unfortunately is probably so restrictive that no one has any hopes of entering under the new paradigm.
As I noted elsewhere..."However -- taking Hall of Famers from different generations, times, etc. and getting them to reach a 75% concensus on anything seems to be very difficult -- especially if many of them do not have a personal basis from which to judge their peers to players from generations before.
Do you think Kirby Puckett has any good knowledge of Gil Hodges' career vis a vis his contemporaries? Enough to make a sound judgment? How does Steve Carlton view Carl Mays' career? Does he have any freaking basis for comparison besides looking in a baseball reference book (and what is to say he would even put that amount of time in such an endeavour). Given all the intangibles -- 75% makes it very tough for anyone to get elected."
If I had to speculate -- I would say that no one will get elected in 2005 or 2007 -- and by that time, the HOF may elect to re-design the Veterans' Committee strategy again so that it may clear the way for at least a few people to enter Cooperstown's Hallowed Halls.