Hershiser Off Hall of Fame Ballot; SoSG Orel Disconsolate

From "No good reason for voters' capriciousness" by Jayson Stark at ESPN.com:

It's time for my annual rant on how illogical it is for players to zig-zag up and down in the voting every year. I always thought it was our job, as voters, just to ask ourselves, "Was this player a Hall of Famer, or not?" And if we decide he is, shouldn't we vote for him every year, unless something happens to change our perspective?

That sounds logical to me, but apparently, I'll never understand how this voting works. So here are the five players who lost the most votes since last year -- without playing a single game: Orel Hershiser minus-32 (and off the ballot after receiving less than five percent of the vote), Tommy John minus-29, Belle minus-21 (and off the ballot after receiving less than five percent of the vote), Steve Garvey (in his final year under the writers' vote) minus-20, and Trammell minus-19.

First the Garv, now Bulldog. Not a good year for 70's- and 80's-era Dodger heroes.

Dear Mssrs. Garvey and Hershiser: Although the BBWAA has spurned you, please know you will always be first-ballot electees—in the hall of fame of our hearts.