Tim Kurkjian & Ken Rosenthal React to 2024 HOF, Predict 2025 HOF

[@chrisweidner4768]

Always enjoy Tim. Talk about someone living the exact life they love.

[@JFoxman]

The continued snub of Billy Wagner is galling.

[@Josh-ut4wv]

well hopefully 10th year is the one that gets it done as there have only been two guys who made 70+ and missed the hall all others that got 70+ not in their final year all got in that next year. One of those two got in by the Veterans in 1996 and the other is Curt Shilling so Billy Wagner has a good shot to make up those 5 votes. As many of the voter absorbers got in this year or dropped off due to it being their 10th year. There are some in 2025 who will get a lot of votes and get in but this gives Wagner the best shot to get in. Now even if he misses it here the Veterans will probably put him in.

[@seamsWILD]

1000% agree

[@briankendall7878]

I think he's a 9th/10th ballot guy and it's looking like 10 is the magic number. Hopefully once he's in it helps Francisco Rodriguez. And likewise with John Franco on the Veterans Committee

[@JamesMaccarone]

I know AJ can rub people the wrong way but I find his candor absolutely refreshing. He tells you how it is without fear of pissing people off.

[@Dinobot2]

Yeah but he's still wrong about everything and is a hot take machine and is going by pure emotion. For a guy who covers baseball and played baseball he should do more than a glance at baseball reference before saying "this guy got in, so should this guy!"

[@Michaelasoulin]

He sucks

[@BrutusMcCrunch]

Miserable human being

[@b25907]

There is a reason he was always voted as one of the worst MLB players by his coworkers. He sucks

[@briankendall7878]

He's a complete jackass,the exact same as he was when he played. Nobody can stand the guy for a reason.

[@littlesame]

Tim and Ken are ultimate duo

[@carlowens9720]

Ichiro will get every vote in 25!!!!!!

[@Rytoast99]

I am almost certain he will not be unanimous. There are voters that wont vote for players that never won a championship, thats just their criteria as wack as it is

[@drewnevdecker3182]

Not fake news! Much appreciated. All interesting questions and logical commentary! Tim K and AJ are true legends! Kenny's right behind!

[@Thaeffintruth]

Sheffield shouldve been in. And Ichiro and CC deserve to be in next year .

[@JD-yo3fo]

Cc has 3000 strikeouts he’s a hall of famer

[@nobeardthepirate9172]

Schilling has 3000 k too.

[@JD-yo3fo]

@@nobeardthepirate9172 he should be in as well. However I know the voters aren’t happy with his off the fields comments. But I truly feel cc having 251 wins and 3000 strikeouts gets in

[@nobeardthepirate9172]

@@JD-yo3fo i agree on CC, i was just making a point of stats don't matter even if you've never been accused of cheating or betting or even actions. Shilling said unfavorable things but it's not like he beat his wife/gf or kids or has the kind of accusations toward Vizquel.

[@JD-yo3fo]

@@nobeardthepirate9172 I don’t agree with what he said. However I feel like the hall of fame is becoming confusing. It use to be certain things automatically got you in. Like 3000 hits or 3000k now it’s all over the place lol

[@nobeardthepirate9172]

@@JD-yo3fo johnny damon has nearly 2800 hits and got 1 vote.

[@addictedtoJB]

Beltran Felix Wagner Jones Ichiro for 2025? Also, feel free to fill in the last 5 spots (I don't actually remember who's fully on the list).

[@nobeardthepirate9172]

I don't see Felix making it, i would vote for him but, Johnny Damon has nearly 2800 hits and got 1 vote and fell off his firt year.

[@addictedtoJB]

@@nobeardthepirate9172 yes but, my counter argument would be; Felix spent his entire career with 1 team, and, I think, they take that into consideration as well.

[@Rytoast99]

Utley will probably get a few more votes. I could see him getting to 60% next year

[@patrick_m_GA]

Great podcast guys! With all due respect to Mays, Andruw, and Torii, the Secretary of Defense Garry Maddox was the greatest defensive CFer I ever saw, and remember: TWO THIRDS OF THE EARTH ARE COVERED BY WATER AND THE OTHER THIRD BY GARRY MADDOX!

[@dalemorris4092]

Aj is salty as fuck about Joe getting in

[@georgeriley4818]

Petite was linked to steroids. So, you you really shouldn't compare his numbers to Sabathia

[@MarioSilva-zv9yv]

Spread votes amongst former vet players,managers, both hitting, pitching coaches, play-by-play, and last media. A Hall of Famer checks every box .

[@Mountainman1965]

No, The media hammered the guy for several years before he got fed up with them and walked away.

[@ryandeeken1554]

jeff kent should be in

[@jordane19969]

Aj consistently sounds salty about mauer getting in. Probably due to him taking his job

[@briankendall7878]

He's salty because he's a bitch, always has been. Dude was and still is very disliked

[@shadowguy20004]

Beltran, Kent, Wagner, Sheffield. Clearly the BBWAA has a bias againts the Mets.

[@OneEightTwoZero]

You forgot Delgado, Johan Santana and Wright

[@sammcmillan300]

First ballot definitely matters.

[@MrBentheretwo]

Numbers alone don't make a HOF. Character is the least talk about reasons why a player deserves the vote over numbers. personally, i like a player that stays with a team through thick and thin. Who is great with kids on and off the field because, after all, they are playing a kid's game

[@shanaeverowe9626]

Problem is, there are plenty of players already in for decades that are known to be horrible people. Talking outright racists, wife beaters and the like. Eventually the only thing history will remember will be the stats and awards

[@MrBentheretwo]

@@shanaeverowe9626 I'm may be mistaken but I'm pretty sure that some of the HOF players that make you're list have in their bio the history of the things that should have barrier them from the hall but I should look that up it's been 30 yrs since I've been to the hall

[@ufc4debunking245]

It's the Hall Of Fame not Character Of Fame 😂

[@Mountainman1965]

Can’t vote for Andrew Jones. Saw him getting lap dances and druck too many times.

[@indyracingnut]

I love how they just breezed right past Ichiro...like yeah, he automatic...lets talk about the iffy candidates...

[@long-time-first-time]

AJ is always defending the players with discriminatory blemishes on their record. Let's not play dumb. Torii Hunter will never make it to Cooperstown because of his relentless campaign against gay rights, and his comments about dark latino players.

[@johngoldsworthy7135]

Oh gawd don’t upset the alphabet police

[@briankendall7878]

His WAR isn't as high as contemporaries like Edmonds, Jones, Lofton and Beltran either. That's the main reason he's not getting in. His Era is very crowded with excellent CFs. There's only so much room Jones is going to get in, Lofton should definitely be in considering he was probably better than Jones Edmonds in 20 years probably cracks through

[@TheMess1998]

AJ...lets talk about Todd Helton vs Paul Konerko.

[@Mountainman1965]

So how about Curt Schilling. You can’t tell me for the vast majority it’s a political game.

[@kenw2225]

With 2001 and 2004 sock game. Schilling is necessary to tell the story of baseball. Plus his career was worthy with counting stats and rates. Definitely political

[@muhammadrifqi7308]

Curt Schilling refused to be inducted if he was voted on by journalists (bbwaa). He prefers the era committee route. You can only blame Curt if the journalists respected his request.

[@razkable]

Steroids

[@razkable]

Cc should get in first ballot...

[@dsnow42]

JR was the greatest defensive and offensive CF ever

[@Thaeffintruth]

2nd best .... Willie Mays was the best

[@mikekeeler6362]

Butt having players do the picking doesn't always work either because you get some players who don't like this guy or that guy for whatever reason

[@Walk-on-Wildcat]

It’s a joke until Kenny Lofton gets in

[@naturallawman2965]

What is up with all of this Chase Utley love from the writers? Rollins was a FAR SUPERIOR player and got a fraction of the votes. Utley won a ring in 08 & a pennant in 09 with the Phils and a couple of pennants with the Dodgers at the end. Congrats. But Hall of Famer? This dude was ultimately a bust. Had a very short peak in the late 2000s, never won an MVP, and the rest of his career played like Morgan when he was with the Phils, older. I don't get it.

[@briankendall7878]

WAR tells another story.

[@GardenLove-yh3rv]

Yogi Berra, Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig, Nolan Ryan, Mantle.....These are players that dominated their sport. The HOF has to be restructured so the criteria is at its highest. There are so many players in the HOF that shouldn't be there( 90+ percent). Take the voting rights away from the writers and pick a HOF committee of 5 of the best baseball experts and let them decide who gets in. It should be the equivalent of the Nobel prize to let a player be elected. 90 plus percent of all the elected players presently in the HOF are above average players but none of them are a Yogi Berra, Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig, Nolan Ryan, Mantle!

[@briankendall7878]

It's never been like this in any world,ever. It's never existed that way literally ever

[@seamsWILD]

Billy Wagner deserves better

[@johngoldsworthy7135]

These old guys take baseball (children’s game) waaay too seriously. The way they’re treating AJ over pretty fair questions is ridiculous

[@briankendall7878]

If Pierzynski wouldn't be such a douchebag then maybe people would treat him better. The dude is one of the most universally disliked players of all time

[@michaelmeyer2725]

Chase Utley shouldn't get in without a ticket. If Whittaker and Kent don't get in, then Utley doesn't either.

[@briankendall7878]

Grich also

[@tommayrant2279]

CC is tied with Bob Gibson in wins.

[@briankendall7878]

The wins are irrelevant. If Sabathia had only 2500Ks he wouldn't be getting in.

[@michaelbaucom4019]

Respect Tim K, but, only voting for 8 when you have 10 choices is wrong Mauer getting in on first ballot brings up this question: will the same happen for Buster Posey?

[@christiansanchez3842]

How is it wrong who else did you want him to vote for??

[@addictedtoJB]

Remember that 1 time a guy voted ZERO in?

[@jamaalgresham9092]

It isn't wrong if he only thought 8 guys were worthy of being a HOFer.

[@nobeardthepirate9172]

Posey gets in first ballot even though he is ALMOST identical to thruman munson (not hof) when it comes to every stat. Its a popularity contest amongs writers.

[@amihays7449]

Sour grapes from aj😢

[@karllauritzen7202]

And AJ ...LANGUAGE,,,GROW UP TOUGH GUY

[@johngoldsworthy7135]

Lighten up gramps

[@thomascourt4935]

I agree. I want to be able to watch a baseball discussion between adults without a f-bomb coming in without a warning. Kurkjian's reaction when it happens says it all - it's a laugh that basically says, "Hey! Is the obscenity really necessary?"

[@briankendall7878]

@@johngoldsworthy7135 Has nothing to do with age. Pierzynski is a tool and always has been. I'm 30, I grew up watching that prick He was universally disliked by everybody for a good reason.

[@mikekeeler6362]

What about Al Oliver Vada Pinson and Rusty Staub they're not in and they're Hall of Famers

[@briankendall7878]

No they're not. Oliver,maybe Pinson won 1 award the entire time he played and made an all star game in 2 seasons. Pinson is literally Johnny Damon Staub never won any awards at all and has no black ink. No,he is not. In no way shape or form are either of those two HOF deserving.

[@mikekeeler6362]

@@briankendall7878 neither is Richie Allen

[@mikekeeler6362]

@@briankendall7878 all I can say is if Frank Robinson used to promote Vada Pinson Frank thinks he's a Hall of Famer

[@briankendall7878]

@@mikekeeler6362 Wrong Allen's Black Ink and adjusted stats are insane. Unlike them he had the accolades in a shortened career It is not even close. Allen's adjusted offensive stats are up way up there historically. It's not debatable

[@briankendall7878]

@@mikekeeler6362 Then why was he only a 2X all star when he played? And won a single gold glove. He's literally identical to Johnny Damon. It's his friend what the hell do you expect him to say? Objectively speaking Pinson is not a HOF'er,he is literally insanely identical to Johnny Damon

[@luiscurbelo5851]

Bobby Abreu > Ichiro

[@RememberTheGreatsSports]

The Hall of Fame in all sports, not just baseball, has been watered down so badly with so many people now voting. Nearly 400 people voting for baseball, that is the population of a small Midwestern village or town, no wonder no one can agree on who gets in and doesn't. I mean seriously Felix Hernandez and Dustin Pedroia? Why are they even on any ballot? Does anyone really think of them as the greats of the game? I don't even know if either of them were in even Top 10 players ever even in their peak years.... Wish I could make a living as part of it being to vote for absurd people in a sport. I mean there are some no brainers like Ichiro, but I'd rather see guys like Tommy John, Bill Madlock, Al Oliver, Dale Murphy, Dave Parker who have better numbers than the guys who get in now. I mean to put it in perspective Adam Wainwright who was by far a good pitcher for his era struggled to get 200 wins this past year for his career marks. Rick "Big Daddy" Reuschel has more wins than him. Do you even think of Rick as a HOFer? I don't..... Just my two cents as a fan, for what it's worth.

[@nobeardthepirate9172]

Every player that reaches 10 years is eligible, if you cant understand that as a basic qualifying rule, then every opinion you have can be discounted.

[@RememberTheGreatsSports]

@@nobeardthepirate9172 Well let me rephrase then: I do understand the rule, I am saying why would anyone waste votes on people who clearly are not at that level, it seems like a waste of everyone's time The whole system is flawed. I do not know the original voting numbers historically, but I highly doubt it was 400 voters. But if you want to attack me then fine attack me, just saying the system isn't right.

[@acruzro95]

​@RememberTheGreatsSports I agree with your take. The caveat is however that some players fall out of the ballot and new ones need to be added. For example, let's assume Andrew Jones doesn't get in the HOF but then a worse centerfielder gets in 10 years from now with worse numbers just because he became eligible in an easier year .

[@acruzro95]

​@@RememberTheGreatsSportsI put that parentheses because you compared an old pitcher that used to be doing 7 8 9 innings a start vs wainwright who pitched in the era of 6 innings or less.

[@nobeardthepirate9172]

@@RememberTheGreatsSports you mentioned pitcher wins like the matter. People with your attitude is why Johnny Damon who has 2700+ hits, 500 + doubles, 1500+ runs, 1000+ rbi, 400+ steal, 1000+ walks. Get a single vote.

[@HDobson24]

Why are postseason numbers hardly looked at in HOF voting? Manny Ramirez has the most postseason home runs and Andy Pettitte has the most wins and they can’t even get 50% of the ballot.

[@briankendall7878]

PEDs

[@godjupiter5755]

The Hall is a joke. Everybody and anybody gets in. Look at the jokes of the last 30 years? Compare them to the talents that got in the 30 years prior.

[@StopSayingLiterally]

I'm 65. Today's players are better than the ones I watched as a kid in the '60s and '70s.

[@godjupiter5755]

@StopSayingLiterally I grew up at the same time. I don't know what is failing you, your memory, or your eyesight, but no way Mauer is any Johnny Bench

[@nobeardthepirate9172]

Whats you opinion of Edgar?

[@RememberTheGreatsSports]

Agreed!

[@briankendall7878]

You may want to actually educate yourself on whose actually in,this is not true and never has been.

[@robertlowrie8446]

4:30 Mauer played defense, Posada didn't.

[@razkable]

Dh and first base is defense now..they both played catcher lol

[@robertlowrie8446]

@@razkable Posada played catcher but not defense. Mauer was an all-time great arm and glove, posada was just a good hitter who could get by at catcher.

[@razkable]

Posada is a cheater...

[@dcrawford928]

I take Jimmy Rollins over Utley in opinion.

[@dark_knight_3304]

AJ thinks Tori is better than Griffey? I’m just saying cause he said he played with Tori and he’s the best he ever saw but he also played like 3 month with Griffey in Chicago me personally imo I’m taking Griffey over Tori and I love Tori one of my favorite outfielder growing up

[@razkable]

With older jr...

[@michael-rc5pv]

Mauer isn't a hofer i don't care what these 2 are saying and AJ is right batting average doesn't matter that's all you hear

[@froddo420]

I'm sorry but this tells me you didn't watch enough of Joe mauer

[@briankendall7878]

Yeah, sorry. But you do not know what you are talking about.