Bruce Sutter slammed a lot of doors during his Hall of Fame pitching career. For a change, with his 2006 election, he opened a wide one -- through which deserving closers are expected to follow him into the Cooperstown shrine.
That was supposed to have been a job for Lee Arthur Smith, who instead has joined the tangle of relievers camped on the doorsill. So among the first to travel the trail blazed by Sutter figures to be the 6-foot-6, 240-pound jovial giant who held the career saves record for 14 years, until Trevor Hoffman went beyond 478 in September.
That saves record had been viewed as the leading plank of Smith's unsuccessful Hall campaigns, so it would be ironic for him to gain entry after having lost that distinction. Yet there is no denying the encouraging precedent set by Sutter -- who, incidentally, logged 178 fewer saves during his 13-year career than did Large Lee in his 18 seasons.
Sutter, elected in his 13th year on the BBWAA Hall of Fame ballot, began his candidacy with even lower support than had Smith. In fact, not until his eighth ballot did Sutter reach the 45 percent vote accorded Smith in 2006, on his fourth try.
That is Smith's top vote draw to date. A candidate must get 75 percent of the vote to gain election, and results of the 2007 BBWAA Hall of Fame election will be announced on Jan. 9. The induction ceremony will take place on July 29 in Cooperstown.
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Smith hoping Sutter paved path to Hall
Smith hoping Sutter paved path to Hall
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