Hall Of Fame Voter Who Gave Away His Vote Explains His Regrets And Why He Feels The System Is Flawed
It was a move applauded by those who believe the Hall of Fame selection process is broken and scorned by those who thought it was an attention-seeking stunt that harmed the integrity of a traditional process.
On Thursday, Le Batard went on "The Dan Patrick Show" to talk about the rationale behind the decision and what he regrets.
"With the clarity of retrospect, I've got a couple of regrets about what happened [on Wednesday]," said Le Batard. "One, I wouldn't have [revealed myself on Wednesday] because then I become the story and not the Hall of Famers. That part was disappointing and I have nobody to blame but myself on that one. And two, I probably would have done it through one of ESPN's platforms instead of Deadspin."
More importantly, Le Batard explained that one reason he gave up his vote is because he is an example of why the system is flawed.
"If I were constructing a system of the most qualified people in the world to protect this treasure (the Baseball Hall of Fame), I would not be one of the people on the committee," Le Betard told Dan Patrick. "I would have somebody with better qualifications on the committee. We're still doing this the way we did this in 1936! Baseball writers are the only ones allowed [to vote]. [Baseball statistician] Bill James doesn't have a vote...Bill James!"
One of the biggest complaints against the Hall of Fame voting process is that too many people have votes (571 this year) and too many people are voting for the honor who are not qualified, including former writers who no longer cover the sport.
At this point it is unclear what consequences Le Batard will face, although he will almost certainly lose his membership in the Baseball Writers Association of America as well as his Hall of Fame vote. But whether you agree with his decision or not, it is clear that his move spurred a debate the sport needed.