A Grip on Sports: Derek Jeter is headed to the Hall of Fame, as he deserves, though not as a unanimous choice

A GRIP ON SPORTS • Baseball’s Hall of Fame is the oldest of the sports’ halls. Maybe the best, too, but that is probably in the eye of the visitor. It is not, however, the most exclusive, not anymore.

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• There are people who are really angry this morning. Derek Jeter was voted into the Hall of Fame yesterday. But he wasn’t unanimous. One voter had the gall to say, nope, Jeter wasn’t a first-ballot hall of fame player.

Let’s get out the pitchforks, torches and ropes. Find the person. String ‘em up.

For, you know, having an opinion that is unpopular.

Hope they don’t find me.

Actually, I don’t have a Hall of Fame vote. But if I did, I wouldn’t have voted for Jeter. Not this year.

Yes, he was a good player. Solid at the plate, solid in the field, with a long, productive career. But if I were voting I would divide my ballot a few ways. There would be the great of greats, the guys who I would vote for on the first ballot. Players like Mariano Rivera, Ken Griffey Jr., Hank Aaron, transcendent talents that are among the handful of best players the game has ever seen. Folks that would have been right at home going in the Hall with the first group ever elected.

Jeter would not be among them. Why not? No matter how much hype there always was in New York, he wasn’t that good of a shortstop. Not that he had to be Ozzie Smith, but he wasn’t even as good as about a handful of guys I could name.

Solid, sure. Great, nope.

He is a second-tier Hall of Famer for me. Deserves to be in. Not an all-time great.

Another Al Kaline or Paul Waner or Vladimir Guerrero, all of whom, if they had played for the Yankees, would have been near-unanimous choices.

And that’s it for the Hall as far as I’m concerned. It’s supposed to be reserved for the great, not the really, really good. A lot of guys are members who shouldn’t be. Guys like Mike Mussina, Trevor Hoffman, Bert Blyleven (the only Hall of Fame pitcher I ever caught), Barry Larkin, Bruce Sutter and way too many more.

The Hall’s doors are open way too wide and have been since the 1970s.

As more and more marginal Hall of Fame players have been inducted, the argument became “well, Player A is in and Player B has similar stats, so he should be in.”

Good players all. But not Hall of Fame ones.

• How do I reconcile this with my support of Edgar Martinez the past few years? Simple. My philosophy on Hall of Fame consideration is no longer mainstream. (It was for decades.) So if the doors have been opened so wide, they should have been open for Martinez, one of the best hitters of his generation. It’s that simple.

If the Hall were still a place where my vision held sway, he would not be in.

It isn’t. He is.

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WSU: It was a good weekend for the Cougars in basketball. It was made even better by the play of a couple of freshmen role players. Their roles last weekend were key to Washington State’s success. Theo Lawson has more in this story. … The football coaching staff is coming together and it has a Hawaiian tint to it. Theo has a story on the newest members of Nick Rolovich’s staff. … The latest Press Box pod includes a conversation between Larry Weir and Matt Chazanow. … Elsewhere in the Pac-12, Washington has been struggling late in games. … Oregon has received some help inside lately. … So has Colorado. … The conference has slapped the hand of another coach. This time it is Utah’s Larry Krystkowiak. … It’s always important to start for UCLA. … A transfer is Arizona’s best outside shooter. … Washington has some holes to fill on the offensive side of the football. … Oregon’s Justin Herbert is having a good time at the Senior Bowl. … Oregon State lost a staff member to Baylor. … Former Arizona State coach Todd Graham will replace Nick Rolovich at Hawaii.

Gonzaga: The Bulldogs are getting healthier. Well, two seniors are. And it is making a difference. Jim Meehan discusses the improving health of Admon Gilder and Killian Tillie and how that has made a difference. … Around the WCC, Yoeli Childs is back at practice for BYU.

Whitworth: The Whitman Blues seem to have the Whitworth Pirates’ number. It’s been true for a while. And was true again last night at the Fieldhouse. Dan Thompson was there as Whitman posted an 89-80 Northwest Conference victory over the host Pirates. … The Whitman women also won.

CCS and NIC: The two best teams in the Northwest Athletic Conference – though only one, CCS, is eligible for the postseason – meet tonight in Coeur d’Alene. Ryan Collingwood has a preview that also introduces the Sasquatch’s most out-of-nowhere player, Garrett White.

Preps: Yes, there was high school basketball last night. And, yes, we have roundups. GSL girls, GSL boys, area girls, area boys. They are all there. … Steve Christilaw took a look at this year’s Golden Throne spirit games between West Valley and East Valley.

Seahawks: Bobby Wagner is not playing in the Pro Bowl but he doesn’t need knee surgery.

Mariners: The M’s announced their minor league staffs.

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• If you read my above rant this morning, you may have noticed I didn’t mention the players eligible for the Hall of Fame who used steroids (or may have used them). No need. They aren’t a factor. Until later …