The birthday train keeps on a-rollin' with Shreveport, Louisiana's own Lee Arthur Smith. The barrel-chested fireman blows out 52 candles tomorrow, and it just so happens that he is on this year's Hall of Fame ballot. Many members of the BBWAA are filling out their ballots right about now, and in a month's time we will know whether Lee Smith and/or former teammates Andre Dawson, Harold Baines, Barry Larkin, Ellis Burks, Andres Galarraga, Ray Lankford, Don Mattingly, David Segui, and Todd Zeile are bound for Cooperstown next summer. In case you're counting, Lee played alongside nine out of the 25 other players on the ballot. What can you say? The dude got around: eight teams in 18 years. I'm sure he'd like nothing more for his birthday than to get a belated gift in the form of a call from that little rural town in New York. For now, he'll just have to play the waiting game.Since I know for a fact that some of you fine readers are as fond of The Simpsons as I am, I'll leave you with one of my favorite Homeric quotes:
"Aww, the waiting game sucks. Let's play Hungry Hungry Hippos."
It is an interesting ballot this year. I think/hope he'll get in. Goose's election is good sign for him.
ReplyDeleteI beleive another former O', Davey Johnson is also up for a nom under the mananger column...
ReplyDeleteShane - I'd like to think so too. Of course, the only one-inning closer to get in so far was Eck, and he was a decent starter for half of his career.
ReplyDeleteCraig - Sure is! I wrote a bit about that last month.
Simpsons references are always a good thing
ReplyDeleteSmith was a classic closer - in today's game he be an All-star selection every year and his salary would be more than $10 million per season.
ReplyDeleteRyan - You've got that right.
ReplyDelete30 YOC - Yeah, the Mets might give him $15 million!