On a bright note, in spite of falling short of the 75 percent threshold for admission, Ryne Sandberg finished third in the voting and appears to be closing in on induction, as the Tribune’s Phil Rogers reports:

Sandberg, a nine-time Gold Glover who hit more home runs than any second baseman, received 309 of a possible 506 votes, 61.1 percent. He had failed to get even 50 percent in the last election (244 of 492).

Only four former players ever have had a bigger increase in votes from their first year on the ballot to the second — Yogi Berra, Minoso, Catfish Hunter and Carlton Fisk. The only one of those guys not enshrined in Cooperstown is Minoso, who had a 17-year gap between times on the ballot because of his frequent comebacks.

Sandberg becomes the 13th player to gain at least 50 votes between his first and second years on the ballot. Nine of his 12 predecessors have been elected, and Sandberg doesn’t appear destined to wind up assigned to the same rung of history as the three exceptions, Minoso, Gil Hodges and Maury Wills.

Consider that Sandberg also is the 15th player since 1980 to receive a jump of at least 50 votes in any year on the ballot. The 14 others are all in the Hall, with 11 elected by the writers and Nellie Fox, Jim Bunning and Orlando Cepeda earning approval of the Veterans Committee.

Rogers is less optimistic about Andre Dawson’s chances. And Bruce Sutter is still iffy. I’d love to see Ryno and Santo get inducted the same year. I do believe we’d be making a trip to Cooperstown then.