Time to put Minnie Minoso of Cooperstown (finally) and beyond in the Baseball Hall of Fame vote this weekend

As exciting as it may be, the world of baseball isn’t completely closed yet. Although the frenzy of signing and trading of the free agent that has been thrilled for the past few days will stop for now because the door is locked, there’s a lot of baseball business still going.

One of the more important categories is coming this Sunday, when the biggest gap in Hall of Fame baseball team membership can be filled: The omission of White Sox legend Saturnino Orestes Armas (Arrieta) Minoso, remembered by history as Minnie.

Minnie Minoso is one of 20 greats who will be considered at the winter meetings this weekend for inductance to the Hall of Fame. And, yes, the winter meetings will take place even without Major League Baseball’s presence. Small tournament section of the meetings will still happen, and those appointed to consider the two votes of the Hall’s epochal committee shall convene, as scheduled.

The ballots are as follows:

• The Early Baseball Committee (covering Early Time to 1950) will consider Bill Dahlen, John Donaldson, Bud Fowler, Vic Harris, Grant “Home Run” Johnson, Lefty O’Doul, Buck O’Neil, Dick “Cannonball” Redding, Allie Reynolds and George “Tubby” Scales.

• The Golden Days Committee (from 1950 to 1969) will consider Dick Allen, Ken Boyer, Gil Hodges, Jim Kaat, Roger Maris, Minoso, Danny Murtaugh, Tony Oliva, Billy Pierce and Maury Wills.

It’s been an important weekend for the Hall, where it is hoped that 2022 will bring the full Hall of Fame experience to life, including the annual Legendary Parade, the introduction ceremony itself, and scores. of fans making their way to Cooperstown, New York, every July. After festivals were canceled because of the pandemic in 2020, 2021 saw a miniature version of September, in which Derek Jeter, Larry Walker, Ted Simmons and the late Marvin Miller were introduced without There were parades and smaller crowds than the others that would flock to upstate New York, especially Jeter.

The point is, Induction Weekend is a lot more enjoyable – and more engaging – when there are real participants. And there is no guarantee that This year’s BBWAA ballot will create any new Hall of Fame.

Sadly, out of this group of 20, the only contenders still alive are Kaat, Oliva and Wills, so obviously it would be nice if one or all of that trio joined. We’ll get there, but for now I want to really focus on Minoso, the most glaring omission in the boardroom of the Hall, at least among those who are no longer on the BBWAA ballot.