Rickey, Rice Head to Cooperstown

As expected, Rickey Henderson was a first ballot selection to the Baseball Hall of Fame in voting announced a short time ago. But Jim Rice is the man who really has to be ecstatic today. After unjustly failing to get in for several years, the Red Sox slugger and non-friend to the media received 76.4% of the vote to enter the halls of Cooperstown.

Henderson, the game's all time stolen base king (he'll be the first to remind you) was an easy choice. He's also the top run scorer of all time and second in walks to Barry Bonds, and stroked 3,055 hits. The only thing keeping him out of the hall, was his continual desire to play well into his forties.

Rice put up the numbers, but never got along with reporters, and it took it's toll in his post-career life as he snubbed time and time again for the Hall. As someone we watched in our teens, we knew that Rice deserved to be in the Hall. He was one of the most terrifying sluggers in the game, more so than Big Papi or even Manny Ramirez. We congratulate him on finally getting his due.

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Breaking News: Goose Gets in the Hall

Rich "Goose" Gossage's days of whine and groussing are over. The reliever has made it into the baseball Hall of Fame with 86% of the vote. It was Gossage's 9th attempt at entry.

Jim Rice has to wait yet again as he came up 14 votes short.

Complete vote results from mlb.com:

Player	Total Votes	Percentage
Rich Gossage	466	85.8%
Jim Rice	392	72.2%
Andre Dawson	358	65.9%
Bert Blyleven	336	61.9%
Lee Smith	235	43.3%
Jack Morris	233	42.9%
Tommy John	158	29.1%
Tim Raines	132	24.3%
Mark McGwire	128	23.6%
Alan Trammell	99	18.2%
Dave Concepcion	88	16.2%
Don Mattingly	86	15.8%
Dave Parker	82	15.1%
Dale Murphy	75	13.8%
Harold Baines	28	5.2%
Rod Beck	2	0.4%
Travis Fryman	2	0.4%
Robb Nen	2	0.4%
Shawon Dunston	1	0.2%
Chuck Finley	1	0.2%
David Justice	1	0.2%
Chuck Knoblauch	1	0.2%
Todd Stottlemyre	1	0.2%
Jose Rijo	0	0%
Brady Anderson	0	0%

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Time to Finish the Rice

It's easy to talk about players on your own team when it comes to Hall of Fame consideration, but it means a lot more when you feel a player from another team deserves merit. And as much as Goose Gossage can go on talking about being slighted, no one has been more slighted than the Red Sox' Jim Rice.

For those of you too young to remember the career of the Red Sox' left fielder/DH, he was every bit as intimidating as Manny Ramirez or Big Papi. Maybe even more so than the two combined. The look of determination and concentration in Rice's eyes when he stepped to the plate was unmatched. He would unleash his compact swing like a bolt of lightning and more often than not, the ball would disappear over Fenway's green monster or clang off it's body.

In 16 seasons in Boston, Rice compiled a .298 average with 382 HRs and 1,451 RBI. He topped the 100 RBI mark 8 times, and fell 3 short of a 9th season in triple digits. He hit 39 home runs, a remarkable 3 times, and won the MVP award in 1978 when he put up these gaudy numbers- 46 HRs, 139 RBI, 406 total bases, a .907 OPS, and a .315 average.

Unfortunately for Rice, the Red Sox, for the most part, stunk during his career. He missed the '75 post-season, and made it just twice- the infamous '86 team and an '88 team that lost in the ALCS to Oakland. Rice hit just .159 in the playoffs and though he hit .333 in his only World Series, he failed to drive in a run.

Rice worked hard on his defense and was an adequate left-fielder. His surly attitude with reporters has probably cost him more than anything with H of F voters. Some may say his numbers are below more standard credentials - 400 HRS, 1,500 RBI - but he was dominant in his career, and that span lasted more than a decade.

It's time to do what's right, and put Rice in the hall.

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