I was thrilled to see Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn make it easily as first ballot Hall of Famers. Those guys were class personified on the diamond, guys who played their entire careers with one team, a rarity in this day and age with free agency and guys being dealt because of contract situations.

It is super to see those guys being enshrined in Cooperstown.

That said, I have a problem with the Hall of Fame voters. There are a number of outstanding candidates who fell just short of making it.

I find it hard to believe that Goose Gossage is not in the Hall. In his era, relief pitching and earning saves was so different. Now you have specialists coming in for the seventh and eighth inning as set-up men to get to the closer. Gossage often pitched two or three innings to earn his saves. He was a dominant pitcher and a winner. Hopefully he will get enshrined in Cooperstown next season.

Jim Rice was a dominant player as well. He also did a great job playing the ball off the Green Monster at Fenway. I guess some guys get caught up in stats and feel he doesn't belong because he didn't hit 400 home runs. Rice was a feared hitter ... just ask opposing pitchers. The bottom line is he posted 200 or more hits four times, pretty good for a slugger who also posted eight seasons with 100 or more RBI.

Bert Blyleven won 287 games and often was on sub-par teams. He struck out over 3700 batters. Blyleven won 15 or more games on 10 different occasions. I hope he makes it in the shrine one day.

Andre "The Hawk" Dawson also had an impact as a powerful hitter and a solid base stealer. He won the NL MVP in 1987 despite playing on a team that finished in the basement. Perhaps the class of 2008 will include Mr. Dawson.

I also feel strongly that the Veterans Committee should put Jim Kaat in the Hall. He had 283 wins, 16 gold gloves and always took the ball when called upon over a stellar 25-year career.

I am a die-hard baseball fan, a Tampa Bay Devil Rays season ticket holder, and I love the sport. Hey, writers who vote for the Hall, get these guys into Cooperstown in the future, baby! They have had a positive impact on the sport and earned their ticket.

Dick Vitale coached the Pistons and the University of Detroit before broadcasting ESPN's first college basketball game in December 1979. Send him a question for possible use on ESPNEWS.