Ron Guidry is eligible for the Veterans Committee ballot for the first time, as are Graig Nettles and Tommy John. As I've said before, I believe the Quiet Cajun has been lost in the shuffle in recent years, with the Yankee organization and fans focusing intently on Donnie Baseball's candidacy. But with Guidry being newly eligible this year, I would hope the Yankees and their fans would start drumming up support for Gator. The process could start in the television and radio booths at Yankee Stadium this summer.

I have a suggestion for Michael Kay, Kenny Singleton, John Sterling and Suzyn Waldman: it's time to start reminding fans that Ron Guidry had as much to do with those three pennants and two world championships thirty years ago as Reggie Jackson, Thurman Munson, Graig Nettles and Goose Gossage - perhaps more. It's safe to say that without Guidry's epic performances down the stretch in '77 and '78 the Yankees wouldn't have made the post-season at all. No world championships. No three HR game from Reggie Jackson in '77. No spectacular display of leather legerdemain in '78 by Nettles. No one-game playoff at Fenway, no "sacrifice thigh" by Reggie, no Bucky Dent.

The Yankees should also get behind Allie Reynolds' bid for the Hall. Reynolds missed induction by one vote in last year's pre-1943 Veterans Committee balloting, and yet the Yankees haven't retired Allie's No. 22. A ceremony to retire Allie's number and remind Yankee fans of his huge contributions to six world series winners could help put him over the top. And Reynolds' induction would further Guidry's candidacy because of the striking similarity in their careers and accomplishments. The case for Reynolds' induction is virtually the same as Guidry's: each was an extraordinary performer in the post-season and down the stretch of multiple heated pennant races, and each must be considered among the top big-game pitchers of his generation.

Reynolds wasn't even among the finalists in the 2005 and 2007 Veterans Committee ballots, and finished tied for 10th in the 2003 balloting. He collected just three votes fewer than Joe Gordon, however, and Gordon's induction last year bodes well for Reynolds. Last year's pre-1943 Veterans Committee vote suggests that the players, writers and historians who comprise the committee have a distinctly different approach than the Hall of Famers who vote on the candidacies of post-1943 players. In elevating Gordon, and giving strong support to Reynolds and Wes Ferrell (Ferrell fell three shy of the nine votes required for induction), the pre-1943 committee revealed a perspective radically different than previous Veterans Committees, who gave Reynolds and Ferrell marginal support. The appearance of Bucky Walters and Carl Mays among the ten finalists in last year's pre-1943 balloting suggests that the writers and baseball historians may have more regard for pitchers with relatively short careers than the former players who voted in previous Veterans Committee elections.

It's not clear how much, if any, the decisions of the pre-1943 committee influence the voting of the post-1943 Veterans Committee; the pre-1943 committee was formed only in 2007 and held its first election last year. One would hope, however, that the induction or near-induction of players like Reynolds, Ferrell and Walters would prompt the post-1943 Veterans Committee to consider the candidacy of Ron Guidry in a new light.

Guidry should have some significant support among the Hall of Famers he played against if they have any recollection of their confrontations with Louisiana Lightning. Certainly Eddie Murray, Robin Young, Carlton Fisk, Paul Molitor, Carl Yastrzemski, Rickey Henderson, Rod Carew and Reggie Jackson should be willing to seriously consider Gator for the Hall - they batted a combined .237 against Guidry and slugged .410.

So here's a shout-out to the Yankees and their television and radio broadcasters: it's less than three months until the Hall of Fame will start considering the candidacies of Ron Guidry and Allie Reynolds for induction by the Veterans Committee. It's time to remind Yankee fans that these two pitchers were fierce competitors who rose to the occasion when October beckoned. It's time to remind them of Gator's and Superchief's contributions to bringing world championship banners to the Bronx. Retire Reynolds' number as soon as possible. And remind viewers and listeners of Yankee broadcasts that Ron Guidry made 40 starts in the post-season and in September pennant races and went 31-6.

P.S. Hey, Kenny Singleton, you hit .167 against Ron Guidry. Why don't you pick up the phone and remind your buddy Eddie Murray that he hit .237 against Gator? Maybe Eddie can help round up support for Gator on the Veterans Committee.