If It's Broke, Don't Fix It

So seems to be the Hall of Fame's attitude towards the Veterans' Committee.

Coincidentally, Jim and I were discussing the Vets' Committee earlier today. The gist of the conversation came down to whether we really need the Committee at all.

Let's face it -- most of the truly marginal Hall of Famers (if such players can be said to be marginal) were elected by the Veterans' Committee. But we don't want to turn the clock back to that era of laxness.

However, ratcheting up the standards so that nobody can get in is pointless, too.

I've heard Joe Morgan and a few others make the argument that Ron Santo and Minnie Minoso and Gil Hodges (and the others) all had their shot with the BBWAA -- and how can anyone hold the Vets' Committee at fault if those guys weren't good enough to get the nod from the writers?

That's a fair cop. But if that's the reasoning, why have the Committee at all? After all, the only guys who are on the Committee's ballot are the guys who didn't get elected by the writers. And thus (by this logic, at least) are therefore unworthy of election.

The Hall of Fame directors should make some changes to the current voting procedure, and not necessarily just for the players. There are plenty of managers, executives, umpires, and others who should be in Cooperstown that deserve better than the Vets' Committee current quadrennial shafting. I love Ron Santo, but I think it would be far more shameful if guys like Doug Harvey, Walter O'Malley, Marvin Miller, and Bill James were left out for no better reason than Bob Feller and his Crotchety Old Geezer Club didn't want to let anyone else into their little clique.