The View From Wisconsin

Even though I don't have a say in the matter, here's who I think will be inducted into Cooperstown in August:

• Wade Boggs. This is what you call you basic no-brainer selection. Love him, hate him, chicken or Margo, he's a hall of famer.
• Ryne Sandberg. He has been slowly gaining ground in the HOF vote; however, if he doesn't get in this year, he may not get in for a while (due to the candidacies of Ripken, McGwire, Gwynn, etc).
• Bert Blyleven. Everything tells you he should be in the Hall. He's gotten more and more votes every year he's been on the ballot. He might never get elected by the BBWAA, but he will get in, eventually.

As for the Veterans Committe selections - well, it's still a big unknown, but I suspect we'll get at least one chosen from the Vets this year - and possibly three:

• Gil Hodges. He received the highest total vote (61.7%) in the previous VC balloting; I think he's a qualified candidate, more as a manager than as a player.
• Tony Oliva. Second highest vote total of the Vets in 2002-03; his candidacy was discussed in Bill James' book, Whatever Happened To The Hall of Fame? Baseball and the Politics of Glory. I'd be leaning more towards him not getting in, because of the injury factor. However, his selection could lead to more deserving candidates to finally get in (Parker, Dawson, Rice).
• Ron Santo. The Hall of Fame itself wants to honor this guy. He was named as a finalist in the Ford Frick Award for broadcasters, and he was the third-leading vote getter in the last VC balloting (56.8%). I doubt that Ron will get the Ford Frick Award, mostly because Jerry Coleman is such a slam-dunk favorite in that one (though Niehaus would be an interesting pick). Santo's selection, along with Hodges and Oliva, would clear up the VC ballot immensely by 2006-07.