I heard that, too. I think I would agree. James changed the way we look at baseball stats. He invented OBP, runs created, and a host of other tools like The Favorite Toy. His ideas have revolutionized how some teams (A's, Jays, for example) think and react.
But I also agree with Derek Zumsteg's lastest at BP calling James on the carpet for his ridiculous assetion that all the evidence that Pete Rose bet on his own team is circumstantial.
He's Rolie Polie Olie - and in his world of curves and curls, he's the swellest kid around.
I like James' work too, but how exactly would he get into the Hall of Fame? Is there some sort of "Special Contributor To Our Understanding of The Game" wing opening up?
pieman: Rose should be in the Hall because he was a great damn baseball player. He should also be banned from ever working in Pro ball in any capacity for what he did as a manager. Why is that so hard to rectify?
He bet on games he was playing in and/or managing. When you lose the integrity of the game, you lose all.
He knew betting on baseball would get him kicked out of the game, yet he did it anyway. He signed the document. In addition to being a criminal, he's stupid too.
He's Rolie Polie Olie - and in his world of curves and curls, he's the swellest kid around.