The Bronx is Boiling: David Cone in the HOF?

This is the time of year that history buffs love in baseball. It’s when the sports writers of the world unite and vote on the newest inductees of MLB’s Hall of Fame. The second the votes are released, someone has a dissertation prepared on the biggest snub, or someone from the past that was once again overlooked.

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This is Don Mattingly’s last ballot and I have already discussed my feelings surrounding his case (which you can recollect my plea for Donnie right here), but most recently we had to hear about Jack Morris and Bert Blyleven being snubbed for so many years. I felt neither were Hall of Fame-worthy, but Blyleven snuck in, while Morris’ time ran out for the ballot. It’s time to look deep into this controversial era of Hall of Fame voting and wonder if a guy like Blyleven got in, why are some other people not? The Bronx is boiling and I need to blow some steam.

THE HALL OF FAME

There is that old saying that, “It’s the Hall of Fame, not the Hall of Very Good.” I agree with that, but there is no denying that some very pedestrian players have been admitted in the Hall of Fame. Usually it’s a numbers game, but in the case of Blyleven, he met none of the requirements. The other end of the spectrum has someone like Craig Biggio, who was the first member of the 3,000 Hit Club not to gain admittance.

If people were so hung up on Blyleven and Morris, how come no one ever raised a stink about David Cone? Coney pitched less years than both Morris and Blyleven, so he never reached the same numbers as they both accomplished. But if Morris and Blyleven were so great, how come they couldn’t reach the 300-Win Club? And how come they could never, over a two decade career, capture a Cy Young Award?

Coney had one Cy Young Award, and if you take a look at his first full year as a starter in 1988, he nearly had two. Coney, in his debut season as a full-time starter and just his third year in the league, went 20-3 with a 2.22 ERA and 213 strikeouts. He hurled 8 complete games, four of which ended in shutouts. Unfortunately for Cone, Orel Hershiser decided to go three months without allowing a run and took home the award that year, despite Cone having a better ERA and more strikeouts.

Cone also won as many World Series as Blyleven and Morris did combined, and we all know when it comes to sports, the ring is the thing. Four of Cone’s five World Series’ rings came of course in pinstripes, where he would become a mini-legend. He would never lose a World Series game he appeared in over the course of his career.

Morris and Coney united in the 1992 World Series in the Blue Jays rotation. Morris seemingly did everything he could in that World Series to give it to the Braves going 0-2 with an 8.44 ERA. Although Cone didn’t win any of his games in that Series, the Blue Jays won both of his starts and took home the first title in the history of their franchise (and country!).

And then there was July 18, 1999. I remember where I was when Orlando Cabrera sent the fly ball into the air that eventually landed in Scott Brosius’ glove. I remember jumping with my friends as Coney fell to his knees and then into Joe Girardi’s arms. A perfect game. It was outstanding and really the pinnacle of Cone’s career as age would set in. The same pitcher who had strung together eight consecutive winning seasons, would go just 14-24 over the final years of his career after that magical day.

Does all this make David Cone a Hall of Famer? I don’t think so. He never even reached the 200-win mark and in baseball, numbers are everything. But what Coney was, was very good. Much like Jack Morris and Bert Blyleven. And I liked both pitchers, but don’t think either should be allowed in the Hall without paying admittance like the rest of us. Blyleven eventually got in, and people are still moaning about Jack Morris as one of the all-time biggest snubs.

If they can get in, then a case can be made for a David Cone. Wait until you see the Bronx is Boiling if Andy Pettitte gets snubbed and someone like Blyleven sits in the Hall. It won’t be a pretty day.

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