Dawson or Blyleven for Hall of Fame in 2010?

Andre Dawson retired in 1996 and is still waiting for a call from the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York along with Bert Blyleven, who retired seventeen years ago..

Andre Dawson led the returning Hall of Fame candidates in the 2009 voting with 361 votes and and 67 percent of the votes.

Bert Blyleven was second with 338 votes and garnered 62.7 percent of the votes.

No other returning candidate received more than 45 percent of the votes so it is likely that Dawson and Blyleven would be the top vote getters among the returning candidates again in 2010.

These are the candidates that become eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2010:

2010: Roberto Alomar, Barry Larkin, Robin Ventura, Edgar Martinez, Fred McGriff, Kevin Appier, Ellis Burks, Ray Lankford, Pat Hentgen, Todd Zeile, Eric Karros, Mark McLemore, Andres Galarraga, Fernando Vina, Mike Jackson, Shane Reynolds, Dave Burba, David Segui, Andy Ashby

Roberto Alomar, Barry Larkin, Fred McGriff, Andres Galarraga and Edgar Martinez are the only first time nominees that should receive consideration for the Hall of Fame in 2010.

It is beyond me why Andy Ashby with a 98-110 record is among those eligible for induction for the first time in 2010.

Bert Blyleven, pitching for the Angels, last pitched in a major league game in 1992 and hopes to be voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame next January

2010 may be the year that Bert Blyleven finally receives his call from the Hall of Fame next January. He played his last game 17 years ago and still he is on the outside looking in.

If a voter goes by wins alone Tommy John with 288 wins would go in before Blyleven since he has 288 wins to the 287 for Blyleven. However even though Blyleven played four less seasons he struck out 1456 more batters than John.

Blyleven pitched 242 complete games to the 162 of John. Blyleven pitched 60 complete games to the 46 by John.

John does get the edge in 20 win seasons with three to the one of Blyleven.

Baseball-reference.com lists ten pitchers that had stats comparable to those of Byleven and Jim Kaat is the only pitcher on the list not already in the Hall of Fame.

Andre Dawson did not have a good career on base percentage with a .323 mark, which has probably hurt his Hall of Fame chances. He never walked more than 44 times in a season.

His career year was 1987, when he hit 49 homers and drove in 139 runs for the Cubs. He was on eight All Star teams, won the 1987 NL MVP and won eight Gold Gloves.

He hit 438 homers and drove in 1,591 runs during his career. He also stole 314 bases.

Blyleven last played a major league game in 1992 and Dawson played his last game in 1996.

The time has come for Dawson and Blyleven to receive the recognition they deserve so they can take their rightful place in the Baseball Hall of Fame.