With the Hall of Fame hoopla today, I decided to look at how I would vote if I had a ballot with the BBWAA. I obviously don't, so this is an irrelevant post, but oh well.
This is not entirely off the top of my head, as I have spent a long time thinking about every player's case and discussing it with others, but I would probably spend more time if I were an actual voter.
Anyway, two things: 1) If I think a player belongs, I think he should go on the ballot at the earliest possible vote; I don't prescribe to refusing to vote for a deserving player on the first ballot. 2) If I were actually voting, I would refrain from voting for a player until I was certain he belonged. If it came to year 15 and I thought he probably belonged, I would probably go ahead and vote at that point. If I was worried about someone falling off the ballot and I thought he deserved consideration, I'd vote for him.
Anyway, this would be my 2010 ballot. I would give reasons and such, but I doubt anyone will actually read this. If anyone wants reasons and does read this, they can just ask in the comments.
Roberto Alomar
Jeff Bagwell
Bert Blyleven
Kevin Brown
Edgar Martinez
Mark McGwire
Rafael Palmeiro
Tim Raines
Alan Trammell
Larry Walker
That's exactly 10, filling the ballot, but there's honestly no one else I consider strongly past that, so it works out perfectly. I'm not sold on Kevin Brown, but I do think he's close at worst, and he ended up not getting the votes necessary to survive. I wouldn't have made a difference, it turns out, but he deserved to be on the ballot longer.
Anyway, unfortunately, only Blyleven and Alomar got in. With the loss of Brown, that would leave me seven people next season to vote for. Fortunately, the only new comer next year I would give any consideration is Bernie Williams. I don't think he has quite as strong a case as Brown, but I'd try and keep him on the ballot if that seemed necessary.
Anyway, looking at future years, here's the last list of guys I'd be voting for each year through 2016, and guys I'd consider strongly in parenthesis. Just to fill this out. My understanding of baseball has grown over the last five years, so no doubt it will grow in the next five. Players are kind of in order I'd vote for them, but not necessarily.
2013: Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Curt Schilling, Mike Piazza, Craig Biggio (Kenny Lofton, Sammy Sosa)
2014: Greg Maddux, Frank Thomas, Tom Glavine, Jeff Kent, Jim Edmonds
2015: Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson, John Smoltz
2016: Ken Griffey Jr.
