One year after the village of Cooperstown, N.Y., was overrun with tomahawks and cursive-A caps for an induction featuring a trio of iconic former Braves, John Smoltz could join his Big Three pitching mates as a first-ballot inductee Tuesday when the National Baseball Hall of Fame announces its Class of 2015.
Randy Johnson and Pedro Martinez, who won eight Cy Young Awards between them, are locks for first-ballot election, and Craig Biggio, who had 3,060 hits in 20 seasons, should reach the 75-percent threshold for election from voting members of the Baseball Writers Association of America after falling just two votes shy last year.
It’s been 60 years since more than three players were elected, but that streak is in peril. Smoltz, the only pitcher in history to collect at least 200 wins and 150 saves, has the best chance to join Johnson, Martinez and Biggio.
It’s the most star-laden ballot in years, although some — most notably Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds — aren’t likely to get 75 percent of votes because of links to, or suspicion of, steroid use.
Smoltz could join former Big Three mates Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine, a pair of 300-game winners inducted last year alongside revered former Braves manager Bobby Cox, a unanimous selection by the Veterans Committee. After tens of thousands of Braves fans flocked to upstate New York for that weekend, many could soon be making plans to return this July if Smoltz is elected.
“The career that (Smoltz) had is certainly deserving of getting in here, I think,” Hall of Fame pitcher Rollie Fingers said.
As of Monday morning, the website Baseball Think Factory reported that Smoltz was included in 87.3 percent of 150 ballots made public. (Johnson was on 99.3 percent and Pedro Martinez on 98 percent.)
Among voters who included Smoltz was Ken Rosenthal, FoxSports.com writer and MLB Network Insider.
“I feel strongly that he should get in,” Rosenthal told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “A couple of things stand out: He sacrificed for his team to pitch in relief, and obviously would have a stronger case as a starter if he had not. Some might argue he wasn’t Eckersley — OK. But as much as we talk about penalizing steroid guys for the character clause, I believe players deserve credit in certain instances for character, integrity, sportsmanship. Smoltz certainly qualifies.”
Smoltz and Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley are the only pitchers to have a 20-win season and 50-save season. Eckersley had a 191-171 record, 390 saves, a 3.50 ERA and 2,401 strikeouts in 3,285 2/3 innings over 24 seasons.
Smoltz had a 213-155 record, 154 saves, a 3.33 ERA and 3,084 strikeouts in 3,473 innings in 21 seasons — along with at least five arm surgeries (elbow and shoulder). Smoltz also ranks as one of the greatest postseason pitchers, with a 15-4 record and 199 strikeouts in 209 innings in 41 games (27 starts) over 25 series.
Eckersley was a first-ballot Hall of Fame selection in 2004, named on 83.2 percent of ballots to join Paul Molitor (85.2 percent) in a two-man class.
Among 571 ballots submitted last year, Maddux was named on 555 (97.2 percent) and Glavine on 525 (91.9 percent), with Frank Thomas (83.7 percent) rounding out a three-man class. Players are eligible five years after retirement, and Smoltz retired a year later than Maddux and Glavine.
Smoltz got votes from 14 of 17 ESPN staff members who submitted ballots, including senior writer Jerry Crasnick.
“Smoltz gets overshadowed by Randy and Pedro this year, but I didn’t have to think very hard before putting his name on my ballot,” Crasnick told the AJC. “His credentials as a starter were compelling enough, particularly when you factor in his amazing postseason numbers. And that dominant three-year run as a closer put him over the top.”
Rosenthal said Smoltz’s postseason dominance further strengthened his HOF credentials.
“Goodness gracious,” Rosenthal said. “His (postseason) innings total was the equivalent of an entire regular season, and his performance was simply outstanding.”
Some former teammates said Smoltz is the most competitive person they ever knew, and many opposing hitters – as well as former Braves pitching coach Leo Mazzone – said he had the best pure stuff among the Big Three.
His toughness was off the scale: Smoltz only retired after being unable to fully recover from shoulder surgery that ended his 2008 season with the Braves and limited him to 15 starts with Boston and St. Louis in 2009.
He was a Cy Young winner in 1996, going 24-8 with a 2.94 ERA and 276 strikeouts in 253 2/3 innings, leading the league in wins, innings and strikeouts. He pitched another 38 innings in five postseason starts, winning four games to give him 28 wins, 309 strikeouts and 291 2/3 innings during the ‘96 regular season and postseason.
He came back in ’97 to lead the league again with 256 innings, raising his two-season totals to 517 strikeouts in 509 2/3 innings over 70 starts, plus another 52 strikeouts in 53 postseason innings those two years.
He paid a price, battling arm ailments the next two seasons before missing the 2000 season and part of ‘01 recovering from Tommy John surgery. He moved to the ‘pen soon after returning and led the league with a Braves-record 55 saves in 2002 in his first of three full seasons as closer.
