As I initially suspected he might, 70-year-old Hall of Fame vote holder Corky Simpson has publicly chalked up not voting for Rickey Henderson to a few convenient — if not understandable — excuses. 

To wit, the former Tucscon Citizen writer is old, he didn't give due diligence and he's also just a bit batty.

Let's go to his MLB-a-Culpa, shall we?

From the Oakland Tribune:

"If I had properly researched the situation, I would have voted for Rickey Henderson if for no other reason than he played for nine ball teams," he said. "Imagine that. He'll be the first Hall of Famer to have a bronze bust with nine caps stacked on his head.

"He was a wonderful player and I simply goofed. I voted for eight deserving men. I could have picked two more — and I wish to heck I had."

The best part, of course, is the "if for no other reason than he played for nine ball teams," a line that should have Mike Morgan dusting off his resume since he played for 12 different teams. Also, it should be noted that when a co-worker pointed out that he had left Rickey off the ballot, Simpson said he "wasn't a Rickey guy and that he would vote for him next time." 

To paraphrase a line from my boss this morning: "Save us, FJM. You're our only hope."

UPDATE 1/12: Rickey's induction is now official and it turns out that Simpson wasn't the only writer to leave Rickey off his ballot. Henderson received 94.8 percent of the vote, meaning that 27 others didn't think the all-time runs and steals leader should get into the Hall of Fame on his first try. 

UPDATE 1/12:  Mr. Simpson did an interview with the Columbia Journalism Review and here's what he had to say over the Internet outrage that resulted over his vote: "I think of the literature on the Internet in the same way that I think of the literature on the walls of public bathrooms ... With the exception that the literature on the walls of public bathrooms is a little higher class."

Related: BallMedia