Jim Ed and The Hall

From Nick Carfado:

"Hall of Fame ballots will be in the hands of voters soon. This year, Jim Rice and Rickey Henderson appear to have the best chance to get in.

Longtime Red Sox publicist Dick Bresciani has brilliantly made a statistical case the last few years for Rice, who will be on the ballot for the 15th and final time.
Last year, Rice was named on 392 ballots (72.2 percent), just 16 votes short of election. According to Bresciani, it was the 21st time a player received more than 70 percent but less than 75 percent. On all 20 previous occasions, the player eventually was elected.

There have been five such instances in the last 20 years: Gaylord Perry, Orlando Cepeda, Bruce Sutter, Gary Carter, and Rich Gossage. A few more of Bresciani's points:

Rice ranked among the top five in AL MVP voting in 1975, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1983, and 1986. He is the only player to finish among the top five in AL voting at least five times between 1963-2005. He is one of 16 major leaguers to place among the top five in MVP voting at least six times. Of the 12 Hall of Fame-eligible players on this list, 11 are in Cooperstown, including eight who were elected on the first ballot. Rice is the only exception.

Rice is one of only 10 players to lead a league in runs, hits, home runs, and RBIs over a 14-year span. He and Rafael Palmeiro are the only players to accomplish the feat who are not in the Hall of Fame. Among the eight Hall of Famers on this list, five were elected on the first ballot.

Rice is one of 14 players to post four or more seasons of 200 hits and 100 RBIs. Among the retired players on this list, only Rice and Steve Garvey are not in the Hall of Fame.

From 1975-86, Rice was the most dominant player in the AL. During that stretch, he led the league in 12 categories and ranked among the top five in two others. He led the league over that period with 350 home runs, but unlike most sluggers of his day, he ranked fourth with a .304 batting average. He collected the most hits over that period and also ranked first with a .520 slugging percentage. He legged out 73 triples, including 15 in 1977 and 1978."

If the Goose is in then Rice should be as well