Ted Simmons was elected to the Hall of Fame!

Simba makes The Hall !!  Living in Milwaukee, I remember VERY well when Ted Simmons came over from the Cardinals, and the vital role he played for us behind the plate for five seasons, just as Milwaukee finally made themselves relevant by climbing out of the cellar after so many down years, and making it to their first (and still, only) World Series (after an INCREDIBLE win vs. the (then) California Angels in the ALCS) against his former team.......and one that was ours for the taking, before finally losing it in 7 games, back in 1982.  (For some reason though, I completely forgot that it was Atlanta he went to after leaving Milwaukee, for the final three seasons of his 21 year (!) big league career.).

Congratulations, Teddy !!  
























SAVE  FERRIS

"playing in the 3rd most games at catcher" does not make one  a Hall of Famer in any way, otherwise Bob Boone would be in the hall. Sound like someone who barely knows anything about baseball would say.

That said,  Simmons should have been in the Hall years ago (his games  total at catcher have nothing to do with it). What scares me though is they're just putting the same guys on these vet ballots (Simmons was on 2 years ago) and it appears they're just going to keep putting the same guys on until they all get in. Garvey, Mattingly, Murphy and those guys were solid players but not HOF and once you've been on the vets ballot a couple times and don't get in, that should be it forever.

I'm guessing Simmons goes in as a Cardinal.

But free agency did make it why it's 20 times mroe expensive to go to games than it ever was.  I haven't paid to see a game in years. I'll go when someone offers me tickets but that's it. I refuse to pay those prices. Marvin Miller was great for the players, he wasn't great for the fans.

Cause neither is a HOFer.

But don't fret. These guys make it to the vets list every couple years. They're determined to put them in. Once Baines got in, it opened the door for all those guys. Hell, if Baines is in, Dewey Evans should got in this time.  

It may not be for a few years but all those guys will get in and if you think the HOF was watered down now, wait until you see it with Garvey and Parker in.

Ted Simmons was a really good player and everything, but did he ever dominate? Was he ever the best catcher in the game when he played? Did he ever put the fear of God in you when your team played his team?

Honestly, the answer to all those questions is no.

I just feel a Hall of Famer should be a guy who dominated at least a little while in his career. A player that for at least a year or two could be described as the best player at his position. But that's me, I guess.

It's the Hall of Fame, not the Hall of "very good, but never dominant, players who had long careers and always dotted their I's and crossed their T's".

Thats rubbish as both were dominant players in the NL for many years. Both were league MVPs and multi year All Stars. No way Simmons gets in before them if he belongs at all and Miller now thats a joke.

Dominant for many years? That’s an exaggeration. They were both good players but the numbers just aren’t there, especially Parker’s. Winning an MV P isn’t the key that unlocks the door either. To get into the HOF one should be great - Gwynn, Brett, Maddux etc., or one Gets in like Don Sutton or Bert Blyleven with a body of work. Neither Garvey nor Parker fit those bills.

I think you need a combination of both, but some dominance is necessary for me.

Tim Lincecum was dominant for a few years, but obviously flamed out early, so I wouldn't call him a Hall of Famer. At the same token, Ted Simmons was really good for a very long career, but was never the most dominant player at his position, so I don't really see him as a Hall of Fame guy either.

A guy like Jim Rice had a nice, long career but for a few years may have been the most feared hitter in baseball. To me, that's the combo needed for a true Hall of Fame player.