It's my understanding some writers will try to extend the window on certain players by flipping them what are essentially sympathy votes. Based of course on the logic that a Griffey or a Rivera will be a first ballot anyway, so "they don't need my vote?" Do I have that right?
I don't know whether Mussina "deserves" to go in based on his numbers, but I have no problems with it if he does. He was not only an outstanding pitcher, but a tough competitor and as classy as any player ever was. My favorite memory of Mussina (IIRC) is a game played in Boston when Pedro (the FAH) Martinez successively plunked Soriano and Jeter, the first two Yankee batters, putting Jeter out for several weeks with a broken wrist, and Martinez stood on the mound and grinned. Mussina declined to retaliate, knowing he'd most likely get tossed (if not start a war in which several players would have likely gotten injured) and the Yankees needed the win. I also seem to recall something like that he threw a one hitter for 8 innings, and despite that the Yanks lost the game at the end, he kept them in it by pitching the way he knew.
