Philadelphia Phillies: Placido Polanco receives a Hall of Fame vote

Every year, there are players that get a few votes for the Hall of Fame as appreciation for their career instead of their worthiness for induction. Former Philadelphia Phillies All Star Placido Polanco appears to be that player this year.

When taking a look at the MLB Hall of Fame ballot this year, there are those players who appear to be guaranteed enshrinement. There has been speculation that Mariano Rivera will be the first unanimous player to be inducted into the Hall. Edgar Martinez may finally get enough votes to become the first designated hitter to be allowed into those hallowed halls. Then, there are the questions as to whether or not Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens will get any closer to finding their way into the Hall of Fame.

One player that is highly unlikely to be inducted is former Philadelphia Phillies All Star Placido Polanco. He had a relatively solid career, a two time All Star and three time Gold Glove winner. He posted a solid career, posting a lifetime .297/.343/.397 batting line with 348 doubles and 107 homers. Polanco ended his career with 2142 hits, and had eight years with 150 or more hits in a season. Those are respectable numbers, but not the type of production that tends to generate a Hall of Fame vote.

However, Polanco received just that. New York Daily News writer Bill Madden made the decision to place one of his checkmarks next to Polanco’s name on the ballot, calling it “a vote for defense.” His hope, simply, is to keep Polanco on the ballot for another year.

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One can understand why Madden would want to vote for a stellar defensive player and try to get them closer to enshrinement. Players like Ozzie Smith and Bill Mazeroski have made the Hall of Fame for their glovework, far more than for their ability with the bat. Polanco does hold the record for the best fielding percentage in baseball history at both second and third, as well as the record for the most consecutive games and chances at second without an error.

This is not the only player that he voted for based on his defense. Madden also voted for Omar Vizquel, who has a bit stronger of a case for induction based on his overall numbers. Of course, he did not vote for Scott Rolen, citing injuries and his not being able to lead the league in any category.

In the end, the voters have their own criteria for their selections. On a ballot of 35 players this year, only a maximum of ten can earn that coveted checkmark. And naturally, that will lead to some curious decisions as to who gets the vote, as the voters look to honor a player that may have been overlooked during their career.

Such is the case with former Philadelphia Phillies All Star Placido Polanco. Even if he is not inducted into the Hall of Fame, he was able to earn at least one vote.