Monday, January 9, 2012

Congratulations, Barry Larkin

It's official, Barry Larkin will be going to Cooperstown in July:
Former Cincinnati Reds shortstop and current ESPN analyst Barry Larkin was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on Monday, getting 86.4 percent of the vote by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
A player needs at least 75 percent to gain election. A 12-time All-Star and the 1995 NL MVP, Larkin got 62.1 percent of the vote last year, falling 75 votes short as Roberto Alomar and Bert Blyleven were elected.
Larkin spent his entire major league career with the Reds from 1986-2004, hitting .295 with 198 home runs, 960 RBIs, 2,340 hits and 379 stolen bases. He won three Gold Gloves and the 1990 World Series.
He had hoped to return for a 20th season in 2005 at age 40, but retired after the Reds told him they didn't want him back.
Larkin will be inducted on July 22 at Cooperstown, N.Y., along with the late Ron Santo, elected last month by the Golden Era Committee.
This is richly deserved.  I have to express my puzzlement at the voters actions.  Last year, 62% of the voters thought he deserved in, but this year 86% thought so.  What's the difference in a year?  Is it just about who else is on the ballot each year?  Of all the players who have been inducted into the Hall of Fame, Barry Larkin is the one whose career I followed most closely. 

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