Yes!

Best Cubs closer

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Sherman remarked, "Well, Grant, we've had the devil's own day, haven't we?" Grant looked up. "Yes," he replied, followed by a puff. "Yes. Lick 'em tomorrow, though."

Used to love watching him come in from the pen when I was kid.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

I’m pretty sure I aged a year by the time he got to the mound with how slow he walked.

Always looked like he was dying.

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

Dude threw as had as anyone at the time — about 94.

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Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

A big clap on the back to Lee Smith and all Cubs fans. Also a nod of the cap to the affirmative action policy that got Smith in.

We need that HoF to be more diverse--by any means possible. It's good to get in on your merits, like a certain # 3 that I know, but whatevs--he's in and the HoF more closely mirrors our society. Win-WIN.

wth?? affirmative action got him in? bs. he was a great closer that's why he got in.

they let anyone into the HOF these day, eh?

Look I think the save is one of the most overrated stats in baseball especially these days but if any relievers get in ( maybe Hoffman and Rivera excepted ) it should be the guys from the 70s and 80s who pitched more than one inning . Smith is not a HOF worthy.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

I remember Harry Caray claiming he threw 103.

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Lee Smith deserves to be in the Hof. Should have been in earlier.

Uh, Smith had more IP than both Rivera and Hoffman...

And deserves induction. He had the career lead in what was thought to be an important stat.

And he deserves it in any event. Imho.

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

That era : Goosage , Sutter , Smith.

Another guy as a reliever who should be in the HOF : Dan Quisenberry. Guy was almost automatic every time he came out there. And he played in an era where a 1 inn save was unheard of.

Smith was one of those guys for the first 10 years of his career

Cool. I don't think when he pitched I was looking at a HoF'er.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

If Trevor Hoffman is a "no-brainer", Smith is in.

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Reality is your friend, not your enemy. -- Seacrest

I'm openly biased and thus happy as a clam that he got in. I'm open to consider very good arguments both for and against his induction, though I'm still waiting to come across one for either side.

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

He was one of the best ever at what he did, and what he did is important in winning baseball games in the modern era.

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Rick Hahn is the best GM in baseball.

I think the biggest thing with Smith is that when he played, relievers weren't even considered to possibly be HOFers. So, a lot of fans don't think he should be in because when they were watching baseball at the time, relievers weren't that type of player. But he was one of the best or the best of that Era.

Nowadays, relievers are seen as much more important and HOF worthy, and his numbers still stack up with the greats of this era who people think are HOFers. Looking at Smith from a present day lense, he definitely deserves the Hall.

Essentially the argument over Smith being in the HoF or not isn't really an argument about Smith, but an argument about closers in general.

If you think closers should be in the Hall - Gossage, Sutter, Fingers, Hoffman, etc. then Smith belongs.

If you don't think closers should be in the Hall, then Smith doesn't belong. I've got bad news for you though if you're arguing that closers shouldn't be in the HoF.

He was one of the two or three best over a decade and pitched in a few hitters' parks. Read an article once that showed how he was hard to replace. After he left the Cards and Cubs, they basically had no closer and had to go spend money to get good ones (Henke) or trade big for one (Cubs--was he part of the Palmiero/Moyer deal?). I think the Red Sox got Reardon (who I thought sucked, apart from his WS with the Twins). I swear, every time I turned on the tayvay, Reardon was getting bombed.

Smith was one of the early closers and then he stayed around (effectively) for a long time and in both leagues.

Interesting how some think that closers should not be in the HoF. Having seen so many blown saves (and losses), I can't abide by that. A good closer wins you a division or pennant.

Besides, Eckersley and Rivera shortened the game for their teams. I wouldn't have sex with either, but I'd like to talk to Eckersley's current wife.

Yup.

Thats fair enough but I think there are enough differences to set the really elite from the very good. I look at Smith as more of a compiler but its fine, he's in.

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Proud member of the white guy grievance committee

It aint the six minutes. Its what happens in those six minutes.

How can a top closer not be a "compiler"?? His job is to get as many saves as he's given the chance to get, and he did well at that. It's not like he was piling up points and minutes during garbage time in an NBA game.


I wonder what (to me heretofore unknown) fact about his last year in the majors is more inneresting ...
(a) it was 1997
(b) it was with the Expos

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George