NEW YORK - Bruce Sutter could become the first pitcher with no career starts elected to the Hall of Fame when results of 2006 balloting are released today.
With no strong first-year candidates, Sutter, fellow reliever Rich Gossage and outfielder Jim Rice appear to be the players most likely to gain election among the 29 on the Baseball Writers' Association of America ballot.
Only three pitchers who spent most of their careers as relievers are in the Hall: Hoyt Wilhelm (52 starts), Rollie Fingers (37 starts) and Dennis Eckersley (361 starts). Wilhelm was elected to the Hall in 1985, Fingers in 1992 and Eckersley in 2004.
"Lee Smith, Sutter, Goose Gossage. I'd like to see more closers," Ryne Sandberg said last year, "There's nothing better on a team than a big closer."
Cy Young Award winners Orel Hershiser and Dwight Gooden were among the 14 first-timers on the ballot, a group that includes Albert Belle, Will Clark and White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen.
Sutter is 19th on the career list with 300 saves. Gossageis 16th with 310 saves - he also made 37 starts, all in his first six seasons.
The ballot next year welcomes Mark McGwire, which means the focus will shift to whether stats in the steroid era should be evaluated differently. Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn also are on next year's ballot for the first time.
Thorny subject
Pete Rose was not on the ballot, and under current rules, his 15 years of eligibility for BBWAA voters expired with this election. Baseball's career hits leader, who agreed in 1989 to a lifetime ban after betting on the Cincinnati Reds while he managed the team, received nine write-in votes last year, his lowest total. He has been written in on 239 of 6,687 ballots (3.6 percent) over 14 years.- Associated Press
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