ATLANTA — With the voting results of the 2013 Hall of Fame class in mind, Braves legend Tom Glavine has made it clear over the past few months that he is not 100 percent certain he will be a first-ballot player in Cooperstown.
Due to a variety of arguments and counterarguments, the baseball writers kept many of the game's most recognizable stars -- from Craig Biggio to Barry Bonds to Roger Clemens -- out of the Hall of Fame. So what's stopping them from keeping the likes of Glavine or Greg Maddux out the first time around?
Well, for one thing, the two former Braves do not carry the type of gray-area baggage that many of their era's biggest stars do today.
In terms of numbers, which carry so much weight in this process, Glavine and Maddux have it all: 300 wins, microscopic ERAs, 20-win seasons, etc. But, where some other players boast the typical counting numbers -- remember, Biggio hit the hallowed 3,000-hit plateau -- Glavine and Maddux also reached the peak of their profession: multiple Cy Young awards, World Series title, the works.
In other words, chances are their names will be called very, very soon.
Glavine took the time to join the Chopcast team -- Zach Dillard and Cory McCartney -- to talk about the Hall of Fame and more this week. Here are the highlights:
-- As a former pitcher for the Braves and Mets, what are the main takeaways from watching Zack Wheeler and Matt Harvey? What could their presences mean for the future of the Mets organization?
-- After watching this past year's voting process, what is the mindset heading into the first year of eligibility?
-- Being an NHL Draft pick as well, are there any what-if scenarios for Glavine?-- Are young athletes specialized in one sport too quickly?
-- Coming from a guy who was not placed on the disabled list until the final season of his career, what are some ways that franchises can best prevent pitching injures? Are pitch counts even a good idea?
