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Ken Griffey JR. + Mike Piazza Named To The Hall: Our Final Poll Vote Had Bagwell Joining Those Two

 

Ken Griffey was well on his way to the all-time career HR record before injuries slowed him down after the age of 30. He is also the last player in the MLB to have a HR in 8 straight contests, dating in 1993.

Ken Griffey was well on his way to the all-time career HR record before injuries slowed him down after the age of 30. He is also the last player in the MLB to have a HR in 8 straight contests, dating in 1993.  Griffey received a record 99% of the ballots vote from the BBWAA, eclipsing Tom Seaver’s old record for highest percentage of votes in his selection today.

There were the 32 names on the list for consideration for the Baseball Hall Of Fame, only 2 made were selected to Cooperstown with Griffey JR. and Piazza. Our poll also had Jeff Bagwell make it.

Mike Piazza, Jeff Bagwell, Ken Griffey Jr., Tim RainesCurt SchillingRoger ClemensBarry BondsLee SmithEdgar MartinezAlan TrammellJeff KentFred McGriffLarry WalkerSammy SosaGary SheffieldNomar GarciaparraMark McGwireJim EdmondsJason KendallTroy GlausMike HamptonLuis CastilloRandy Winn, Garret AndersonMike LowellBilly WagnerTrevor HoffmanMark GrudzielanekMike SweeneyDavid Eckstein are all on the ballot.

.Mike Piazza almost made it into the Baseball Hall Of Fame in voting for last year with a clip of 69.9% of the votes. He made it into the BBHOF this year.

.Mike Piazza almost made it into the Baseball Hall Of Fame in voting for last year with a clip of 69.9% of the votes. He made it into the BBHOF this year.

Out of 524 People Voting, Final  Results (75% would get a Hall Of Fame Induction)

Ken Griffey Jr. 519 99.04%  
Jeff Bagwell 416 79.38%  
Mike Piazza 397 75.77%  
Tim Raines 380 72.52%  
Roger Clemens 331 63.17%  
Barry Bonds 285 54.39%  
Curt Schilling 222 42.37%  
Trevor Hoffman 218 41.60%  
Edgar Martinez 203 38.74%  
Alan Trammell 190 36.26%  
Mike Mussina 188 35.88%  
Mark McGwire 169 32.25%  
Fred McGriff 130 24.81%  
Sammy Sosa 130 24.81%  
Larry Walker 120 22.90%  
Lee Smith 107 20.42%  
Jeff Kent 101 19.27%  
Billy Wagner 95 18.13%  
Gary Sheffield 81 15.46%  
Jim Edmonds 52 9.93%  
Nomar Garciaparra 35 6.68%  
Brad Ausmus 10 1.9%  
Jason Kendall 9 1.72%  
Mark Grudzielanek 9 1.72%  
Mike Hampton 7 1.34%  
Garrett Anderson 7 1.34%  
Troy Glaus 4 0.7%  
Randy Winn 4 0.7%  
MIke Lowell 4 0.7%  
Mike Sweeney 4 0.7%  
David Eckstein 4 0.7%  
Luis Castillo 2 0.35%
Despite coming 15 votes shy with the BBWAA vote, Bagwell made it to the Hall in our poll - registering almost 80% of the ballots.

Despite coming 15 votes shy with the BBWAA vote, Bagwell made it to the Hall in our poll – registering almost 80% of the ballots.

 

MLB Baseball Hall Of Fame (Class Of 2016) Voting Poll Results So Far (Last Chance To Vote)

ken griffey jr

Below the results listed so far, Pick 10 players who you believe should be in the Baseball Hall Of Fame this year.  We will post the results after the class of this year is posted.  We can see the amount of people who voted. 

So we will accurately adjust this mark once the poll ends.  A basic reference to see if a player is being voted for is to take their votes (times by 10) and then divide by the total amount of votes.

Here are the 32 names on the list for consideration. 

Mike Piazza, Jeff Bagwell, Ken Griffey Jr., Tim RainesCurt SchillingRoger ClemensBarry BondsLee SmithEdgar MartinezAlan TrammellJeff KentFred McGriffLarry WalkerSammy SosaGary SheffieldNomar GarciaparraMark McGwireJim EdmondsJason KendallTroy GlausMike HamptonLuis CastilloRandy Winn, Garret AndersonMike LowellBilly WagnerTrevor HoffmanMark GrudzielanekMike SweeneyDavid Eckstein are all on the ballot.

So Far (at 9:45 AM EST, Tuesday Jan.6, 2015) there have been 386 People who have voted, and only 6 people have left Ken Griffey JR. off of their list.  Piazza and Raines (just barely) would both join Junior on the Baseball Hall Of Fame Induction list should this come to fruition.

I think the BBWAA should really take stock on the Clemens and Bonds numbers as they are far superior to what they voted for last year.  Both of them are about 25% higher and on the fringe of making the Hall.. 

I also think that Hoffman is hurt by his 1st year on the ballot.  A lot of people may have factored this in. 

I really think Raines is going to see a big boost to his bid for the Baseball Hall Of Fame with it being his 9th year on the ballot.  Under the new rules, that means that 2017’s Baseball Hall Of Fame Class would be his last chance to be elected to Cooperstown.

Out of 386 People Voting, The Results Thus Far (75% would get a Hall Of Fame Induction)

Ken Griffey Jr. 380 98.45%  
Mike Piazza 312 80.82%  
Tim Raines 290 75.12%  
Jeff Bagwell 241 62.43%  
Roger Clemens 237 61.40%  
Barry Bonds 236 61.14%  
Trevor Hoffman 186 48.19%  
Edgar Martinez 162 41.96%  
Curt Schilling 161 41.71%  
Mike Mussina 148 38.34%  
Mark McGwire 147 38.08%  
Sammy Sosa 117 30.31%  
Alan Trammell 116 30.06%  
Lee Smith 98 25.39%  
Fred McGriff 98 25.39%  
Larry Walker 86 22.28%  
Jeff Kent 79 20.47%  
Gary Sheffield 69 17.88%  
Billy Wagner 49 12.69%  
Jim Edmonds 37 9.6%  
Nomar Garciaparra 25 6.48%  
Jason Kendall 6 1.56%  
Garrett Anderson 3 0.78%  
MIke Lowell 3 0.78%  
Troy Glaus 2 0.54%  
Mike Sweeney 2 0.54%  
David Eckstein 2 0.54%  
Brad Ausmus 2 0.54%  
Mike Hampton 1 0.27%  
Luis Castillo 1 0.27%  
Randy Winn 1 0.27%  
Mark Grudzielanek 1 0.27%

Vote up until 558 PM EST  today.

MLB Baseball Hall Of Fame (Class Of 2016) Voting Poll Results So Far (Last Chance To Vote)

Below the results listed so far, Pick 10 players who you believe should be in the Baseball Hall Of Fame this year.  We will post the results after the class of this year is posted.  We can see the amount of people who voted. 

So we will accurately adjust this mark once the poll ends.  A basic reference to see if a player is being voted for is to take their votes (times by 10) and then divide by the total amount of votes.

Here are the 32 names on the list for consideration. 

Mike Piazza, Jeff Bagwell, Ken Griffey Jr., Tim RainesCurt SchillingRoger ClemensBarry BondsLee SmithEdgar MartinezAlan TrammellJeff KentFred McGriffLarry WalkerSammy SosaGary SheffieldNomar GarciaparraMark McGwireJim EdmondsJason KendallTroy GlausMike HamptonLuis CastilloRandy Winn, Garret AndersonMike LowellBilly WagnerTrevor HoffmanMark GrudzielanekMike SweeneyDavid Eckstein are all on the ballot.

So Far (at 8:30 AM EST, Tuesday Jan.5, 2015) there have been 260 People who have voted, and only 2 people have left Ken Griffey JR. off of their list.  Piazza and Raines would both join Junior on the Baseball Hall Of Fame Induction list should this come to fruition.

I think the BBWAA should really take stock on the Clemens and Bonds numbers as they are far superior to what they voted for last year.  Both of them are about 25% higher and on the fringe of making the Hall.. 

I also think that Hoffman is hurt by his 1st year on the ballot.  A lot of people may have factored this in. 

I really think Raines is going to see a big boost to his bid for the Baseball Hall Of Fame with it being his 9th year on the ballot.  Under the new rules, that means that 2017’s Baseball Hall Of Fame Class would be his last chance to be elected to Cooperstown.

Out of 260 People Voting, The Results Thus Far (75% would get a Hall Of Fame Induction)

Ken Griffey Jr. 257 98.84%  
Mike Piazza 207 79.62%  
Tim Raines 206 79.23%  
Roger Clemens 166 63.84%  
Barry Bonds 166 63.84%  
Jeff Bagwell 166 63.84%  
Trevor Hoffman 133 51.15%  
Edgar Martinez 119 45.77%  
Curt Schilling 115 44.23%  
Mark McGwire 114 43.84%  
Mike Mussina 109 41.92%  
Sammy Sosa 89 34.23%  
Alan Trammell 84 32.31%  
Lee Smith 74 28.46%  
Fred McGriff 69 26.54%  
Jeff Kent 65 25.00%  
Larry Walker 62 23.85%  
Gary Sheffield 42 16.15%  
Billy Wagner 39 15%  
Jim Edmonds 29 11.15%  
Nomar Garciaparra 20 7.7%  
Jason Kendall 4 1.5%  
Garret Anderson 2 0.8%  
MIke Lowell 2 0.8%  
Troy Glaus 1 0.4%  
Mike Hampton 1 0.4%  
Luis Castillo 1 0.4%  
Randy Winn 1 0.4%  
Mark Grudzielanek 1 0.4%  
Mike Sweeney 1 0.4%  
David Eckstein 1 0.4%  
Brad Ausmus 1 0.4%

Vote today.

MLB Baseball Hall Of Fame (Class Of 2016) Voting Poll Results So Far

Below the results listed so far, Pick 10 players who you believe should be in the Baseball Hall Of Fame this year.  We will post the results after the class of this year is posted.  We can see the amount of people who voted. 

So we will accurately adjust this mark once the poll ends.  A basic reference to see if a player is being voted for is to take their votes (times by 10) and then divide by the total amount of votes.

Here are the 32 names on the list for consideration. 

Mike Piazza, Jeff Bagwell, Ken Griffey Jr., Tim RainesCurt SchillingRoger ClemensBarry BondsLee SmithEdgar MartinezAlan TrammellJeff KentFred McGriffLarry WalkerSammy SosaGary SheffieldNomar GarciaparraMark McGwireJim EdmondsJason KendallTroy GlausMike HamptonLuis CastilloRandy Winn, Garret AndersonMike LowellBilly WagnerTrevor HoffmanMark GrudzielanekMike SweeneyDavid Eckstein are all on the ballot.

So Far (at 7:30 AM EST) there have been 157 People who have voted, and only 2 people have left Ken Griffey JR. off of their list.  Piazza and Raines would both join Junior on the Baseball Hall Of Fame Induction list should this come to fruition.

I think the BBWAA should really take stock on the Clemens and Bonds numbers as they are far superior to what they voted for. 

I also think that Hoffman is hurt by his 1st year on the ballot.  A lot of people may have factored this in. 

I really think Raines is going to see a big boost to his bid for the Baseball Hall Of Fame with it being his 9th year on the ballot.  Under the new rules, that means that 2017’s Baseball Hall Of Fame Class would be his last chance to be elected to Cooperstown.

Out of 157 People Voting, The Results Thus Far (75% would get a Hall Of Fame Induction)

Ken Griffey Jr. 155 98.72%  
Mike Piazza 129 76.43%  
Tim Raines 129 76.43%  
Jeff Bagwell 110 70.06%  
Barry Bonds 106 67.52%  
Roger Clemens 105 66.88%  
Trevor Hoffman 84 53.51%  
Edgar Martinez 77 49.04%  
Mark McGwire 77 49.04%  
Mike Mussina 75 47.78%  
Curt Schilling 71 45.22%  
Sammy Sosa 61 38.86%  
Lee Smith 52 33.12%  
Alan Trammell 52 33.12%  
Fred McGriff 47 29.34%  
Larry Walker 46 29.29%  
Jeff Kent 41 26.11%  
Gary Sheffield 32 20.38%  
Billy Wagner 31 19.75%  
Jim Edmonds 24 15.29%  
Nomar Garciaparra 19 12.11%  
MIke Lowell 2 0.12%  
Luis Castillo 1 0.06%  
Randy Winn 1 0.06%  
Jason Kendall 1 0.06%  
Garret Anderson 1 0.06%  
Mark Grudzielanek 1 0.06%  
Mike Sweeney 1 0.06%  
David Eckstein 1 0.06%  
Brad Ausmus 1 0.06%  
Troy Glaus 0 0%  
Mike Hampton 0 0%

Vote today.  The Hall Of Fame Class of 2016 will be announced tomorrow.

Doc Adams (Hall Of Fame Candidate) On Pre-Integration Era Hall Of Fame Ballot

doc adams

Cathy Ratzenberger (Guest Writer)

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Doc Adams on Pre-Integration Era Hall of Fame Ballot

One of the early pioneers of the game of baseball is one step closer to enshrinement at the Baseball Hall of Fame as the Pre-Integration Era Committee has selected Daniel Lucius “Doc”Adams as one of its 10 finalists.

This important step in the process has been championed by Adams’ great-granddaughters Marjorie Adams of Connecticut and Nancy Adams Downey of New York City.  For the past several years they have embarked on a passionate journey to have Doc Adams recognized for his contributions to and achievements in the game of baseball.

It is easy to see why an unassuming doctor who referred to his marriage as his “crowning achievement” may have been overlooked for so long as a founding father of baseball.

Yet on October 5th, the Hall of Fame recognized the numerous contributions made by Adams both on and off the field. Read the rest of this entry

A Early Look at Future Hall of Fame Candidates

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Craig Biggio finally got his “call to the hall” and should set an example for players who didn’t get that call on their first try. Other notable players are still on the ballot, and should receive legitimate consideration for induction in the future.

 

By Nicholas Delahanty (MLB Reports Writer)  

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The BBWAA elected four players into the Baseball Hall of Fame for the class of 2015: Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz and Craig Biggio. This is the first time that the BBWAA has elected four players in 60 years, as these four players truly exemplify what the MLB Hall of Fame is all about.

Now that the official results have been released, we can now take a look at not only some of the guys who will return on the ballot in the upcoming years, but also some future eligible players who present a very interesting case for their enshrinement into the Hall of Fame. 

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Daniel Lucius “Doc” Adams Selected As SABR’s 19th Century Overlooked Baseball Legend

adams

Daniel Lucius “Doc” Adams Selected as SABR’s 2014

19th Century Overlooked Baseball Legend

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By Roger & Cathy Ratzenberger (Special Guest Writers): (Visit  Roger’s website here)

Daniel Lucius “Doc” Adams (1814 – 1899) has been selected as the 19th Century Overlooked Baseball Legend by the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR). This recognition comes in the bicentennial of his birth.

Each year SABR honors a 19th century player, manager, executive or other baseball personality not yet inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

Adams’ contributions to the game include the creation of the shortstop position and heading the baseball governing body that established key aspects of today’s baseball game including nine players per team, the nine-inning game, ninety feet between bases and catching the ball on the fly.

Adams was born in Mont Vernon, New Hampshire on November 1, 1814. He graduated from Yale in 1835 and Harvard Medical School in 1838. In 1839, he moved to New York where he established his own medical practice. Read the rest of this entry

Ice Bucket Challenge For ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), No, But A Donation Challenge To All Websites!

Historic Films Stock Footage Archive

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner):

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Lou Gehrig is still making an imprint on today’s society.  75 years after the “Ironman” made his famous farewell speech at Yankee Stadium in 1939, the disease so ‘aptly’ known more as “Lou Gehrig’s disease – more so than ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis).

After all of the money raised in the three-quarters of a century since #4 stopped playing, there is still no cure for the disease.

ALS is a neurodegenerative ailment that is as debilitating as they come to the human body.

Before he was known for that, Henry Louis Gehrig, born June.19, 1903 was one of the best baseball players of ALL – Time.

To state how awesome he was would take forever.  But he was known best for his durability (setting the consecutive games mark for MLB’ers at 2131 games.  A mark that was stopped by ALS.

It took over 56 years for the record to be broken by Cal Ripken.

The Bronx Bombers 1st Baseman clubbed over 100+ RBI in 14 straight seasons from 1925 – 1938,  His 184 RBI in 1931 is still the ALL – Time Single year record in the American League.

Gehrig held an OPS over 1.000 for every season between 1927 – 1937

His 3 slash for his career is .340/.447/.632.  Only Babe Ruth and Ted Williams had higher marks.

Gehrig cranked out 1995 RBI in just 2164 Games Played, in what amounts to be an average season of 149 RBI.  The ‘Iron Horse’ actually topped the 150+ RBI clip 7 different times, His RBI/Game is the highest clip for a career.

There is no doubt in my mind, if he wasn’t cut short of playing, he would be the RBI king,

The man was part of 6 World Series Titles in 7 Appearances,  accounting for a 3 Slash of .361/.477/.731 – with 10 HRs and 35 RBI during his 34 lifetime games.  Incredibly in those 34 contests, Gehrig reached base 75 times.

During his illness days, baseball made a special exception to induct him directly into the Baseball Hall Of Fame in 1939. 

Showing that his appreciation by the MLB has only grown with time, he received the most votes for the 1999 ALL – Century Team – that listed all the best players from the 20th century.

A man who was such a legend will grow as the years continue on.  Read the rest of this entry

My ALS Challenge To All Baseball Related Websites!

 

Historic Films Stock Footage Archive

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner):

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My ALS Challenge To All Baseball Related Websites!

I was challenged to participate in the “ALS – Ice Bucket Challenge”  that has been making the rounds in social media networks for some time.

MLB has come up huge in the efforts to keep the ball rolling.

Derek Jeter, Yasiel Puig, White Sox announcer Hawk Harrelson – and even the Twins owner Jim Pohlad took up the quest in the owners box the other night.

I would totally love to be drenched by a bucket of ice, however I have come up with a separate challenge for this movement.

I hereby throw out the idea to all of my fellow baseball bloggers to write a blog about Lou Gehrig, of course mentioning the ALS disease that took down this Yankee legend at such a young age.

I want these websites to talk of the heroic inspiration that the “Ironman” displayed in giving his farewell speech.

Lastly, to include a link to for their readers to make a donation to http://www.alsa.org/ at the very minimum.

I will donate a cent per 4 views of my Lou Gehrig blog posted later today/coupled with this short mentioned post. (capped to a maximum of 2131 cents as – which is the same as #4’s ironman streak which came to an end when he ALS was discovered in his body, equivalent of $213.10 to the foundation – if the max is hit).

I urge any of the sites/bloggers to come up with some sort of donation platform such as this.

It is my hope – that this will create another round of awareness for the disease.  and of course… one of the greatest players of ALL-Time in Gehrig.

So Share this on your social media outlet, ramp up the views – and earn some money for a great foundation..  Don’t forget to make a donation yourself. 

Lou Gehrig was only 35 when he was diagnosed with ALS.  He had to retire right away and came back for what some would consider 'the greatest speech of all-time' on July.4, 1939.  It was the "I am the Luckiest Man on the face of the Earth" speech.  Gehrig died June.2, 1941 at the age of 37. --Photo courtesy of ultimateyankees.com

Lou Gehrig was only 35 when he was diagnosed with ALS. He had to retire right away and came back for what some would consider ‘the greatest speech of all-time’ on July.4, 1939. It was the “I am the Luckiest Man on the face of the Earth” speech. Gehrig died June.2, 1941 at the age of 37. –Photo courtesy of ultimateyankees.com

 

Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – January 24, 2014

John Iacono/SI

John Iacono/SI

Greg Maddux… people will remember you as a Brave… not a Cub.

Maybe that’s why I picked a picture of you pitching as a Dodger for the website.

Writers… a unanimous Hall of Fame vote is NOT a vote for best player of all time.

That and a few other things have my goat on today’s episode of The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast.

To subscribe to The Sully Baseball Daily Podcast on iTunes, click HERE.

To subscribe on SoundCloud, click HERE.

Sully Baseball Daily Podcast – January 24, 2014

MLB Reports Hall Of Fame Predictions: Class Of 2014 Players

The deadline of December 31st has come and gone for The Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA). Members were asked to submit no more than 10 names of players they "deem" worthy of induction towards this year's National Baseball Hall of Fame ceremony set for July.

The deadline of December 31st has come and gone for The Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA). Members were asked to submit no more than 10 names of players they “deem” worthy of induction towards this year’s National Baseball Hall of Fame ceremony set for July.

By Patrick Languzzi (Cooperstown Correspondent)

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Results are scheduled to be announced on January 8th.

Players must receive at least 75 percent of the votes in order to be inducted by a voting body of roughly over 500 eligible writers.

There are many player names worthy of discussion, however, few will see enshrinement, now or ever.

Greg Maddux Tribute:

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Time To Elect Don Mattingly Into Cooperstown

Don Mattingly won 3 straight AL Sporting News Player of The Years - and was the best ALL-Around player in the game from 1984-1986 leading 13 Offensive Categories for the 3 years.  His 145 RBI in 1985 was the most for a LHB since Stan Musial in 1949.  He hit .340 with 656 Hits, 145 2B, 88 HRs, 368 RBI and only SO 112 times in 2131 PA's.  He also led the league in Doubles from 1984-1986.  Mattingly’s 388 Total bases in 1986 had been the most in the Majors since Willie Mays back in the 1962 season.  Mattingly won the first of 9 gold gloves in 1985.  Donnie Baseball also won the AL MVP in 1985 and was boldly robbed in 1986 by the writers voting for Roger Clemens. In 1987, Mattingly hit 6 grand slams and also homered in 8 straight games(including 10 total which was higher than Dale Long and Ken Griffey‘s 8 during their consecutive streaks.)  His average year for the 4 year stretch was .337, with 30 HRs, 45 2B and 120 RBI.  He also averaged 110 runs and 210 hits.  Mattingly only struck out 37 times a year for this span.  He was clearly the best ball player in this era.

Don Mattingly won 3 straight AL Sporting News Player of The Years – and was the best ALL-Around player in the game from 1984-1986 leading 13 Offensive Categories for the 3 years. His 145 RBI in 1985 was the most for a LHB since Stan Musial in 1949. He hit .340 with 656 Hits, 145 2B, 88 HRs, 368 RBI and only SO 112 times in 2131 PA’s. He also led the league in Doubles from 1984-1986. Mattingly’s 388 Total bases in 1986 had been the most in the Majors since Willie Mays back in the 1962 season. Mattingly won the first of 9 gold gloves in 1985.

By Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner):

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Okay, it is time for me to make my argument for my favorite player of all time to be inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame. 

There will be several people that will say that Don Mattingly’s career stats of: H-2154, HR-222, RBI-1099, AVG-.307 and 9 Gold Gloves are not enough in just 14 seasons. 

I am not counting his 7 game-stint in 1982 with this.  As a rookie in 1983, Don only .hit .283 with 4 HRs and 32 RBIs.

Read the rest of this entry

Jack Morris: It Is Time To Elect This Winner Into The Baseball Hall Of Fame!

Jack Morris was a winner, a true throwback pitcher who came after hitters with reckless abandon. He pitched based on what the score was - and had no personal regard for his own personal statistics. It is this very reason why the debate has hit epic proportions on social media hubs, amongst bloggers, former players, analysts, broadcaster and statisticians.   I intend to prove the case for the guy in a manner that will have some similarities to other pieces you may have read, yet promote a big look into the numbers that I have been bouncing around in my head for months.

Jack Morris was a winner, a true throwback pitcher who came after hitters with reckless abandon. He pitched based on what the score was – and had no personal regard for his own personal statistics. It is this very reason why the debate has hit epic proportions on social media hubs, amongst bloggers, former players, analysts, broadcaster and statisticians. I intend to prove the case for the guy in a manner that will have some similarities to other pieces you may have read, yet promote a big look into the numbers that I have been bouncing around in my head for months.

BY Chuck Booth (Lead Baseball Analyst/Website Owner):

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The debate for whether or not Jack Morris belongs in the Baseball Hall Of Fame has heated up to an ALL-Time high with the big vote going down in Jan of 2014 for the final time.

575 members of  BBWAA fraternity will decide whether or not the big man from Minnesota will enter one of the hardest Hall Of Fame’s to enter in pro sports (if not the hardest). 

Morris will need a 75% (432 Minimum Votes) of them to write down his name on their ballot for enshrinement into Cooperstown.

Last year, Morris received 67.7 % of the writers votes in his 14th year of eligibility.  He will have his name on a 14th ballot this year. 

He has been trending up in recent years, so if he can improve in 2014, with the same amount of 2011-2012 jump of (+13.2%), then he will make it in.

If he fails to reach the Hall this year, it would be his last year of eligibility for the BBWAA Vote. 

He could still make it via the Veterans Committee after that.  But that could take some significant time.

Read the rest of this entry

Remembering Baseball’s African – American Pioneers

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Thursday Feb.28th, 2013

 Address: 1616 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108, United StatesPhone:+1 816-221-1920 Hours: Thursday hours 9:00 am–6:00 pm

Address: 1616 E 18th St, Kansas City, MO 64108, United States
Phone:+1 816-221-1920
Hours: Thursday hours 9:00 am–6:00 pm

By Haley Smilow (MLB Reports Junior Reporter and Writer): 

February is black history month. This made me think about the impact that African-Americans have had on the sports world. One of the biggest impacts, in my opinion, was the Negro Leagues. In August 2011, I was lucky enough to go to Kansas City to see a Royals vs. Yankees game. What I did not know was the history of baseball in K.C. is more then just the Royals.

I learned about many great players and the history of a great league on my visit to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. I never imaged that baseball was once divided based on the color of your skin. The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is dedicated to preserving the history of great black players. In the 1920’s, a structured league of black players began under the guidance of Rube Foster, and The Negro Leagues were born.

The Negro Leagues had many great players and stories of men like Satchel Paige, James “Cool Papa” Bell, Josh Gibson, Buck O’Neil, Jackie Robinson and many others, including one amazing women named Effa Manley. What made these people great were their astonishing abilities.

Jackie Robinson Steals Home Plate!

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BBWAA Historical Overview Committee To Devise 2014 Expansion Era Ballot

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Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Photo by rsnalberta.blogspot.com

By Patrick Languzzi (Cooperstown Correspondent):  

From January 29th – 31st, the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) Historical Overview Committee met in Cooperstown to screen potential candidates for the 2014 Expansion Era ballot (Veterans Committee). The 12-member ballot will be released in the fall and is scheduled to be voted on at the baseball winter meetings in December by a 16-member electorate.

The Expansion Era is comprised of players, executives and managers who made their greatest career contributions between 1973 – present. Eligible players must be retired for at least 21 years and have played at least 10 major league seasons. Managers and Umpires are eligible five years after retirement, with 10 years of service, or six months from the date of election after retirement, if they are 65 years or older.

All candidates receiving at least 12 of 16 votes (75 percent of the 16 ballots) will gain election into the National Baseball Hall of Fame for a July 2014 ceremonial induction.

Under the new rules, the Veterans Committee ballots run on a three-year rotation beginning in 2010 with the Expansion Era (1973 – present), Golden Era (1947 – 1972) and Pre-Integration Era (1871 – 1946).

Here’s a look at the selected nominees from 2010. Long retired players; Dave Concepcion, Steve Garvey, Vida Blue, Ron Guidry, Tommy John, Al Oliver, Rusty Staub and Ted Simmons. Manager Billy Martin and executives George Steinbrenner, Pat Gillick and Marvin Miller.

Pat Gillick HOF Induction Speech:

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A Tribute To Rusty Greer

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Saturday, February.9/2013

Rusty Greer hit over .300+ for a Batting Average in 5 of his 1st 6 years.  The Left Handed Batter also collected 3 100-RBI seasons and 3 100 Run Seasons.  He has a Career 3 Slash Line of .305/.387.865 and finished in 3rd for Rookie Of The Year Voting in the 1994 Strike shortened year.

Rusty Greer hit over .300+ for a Batting Average in 5 of his 1st 6 years. The Left Handed Batter also collected 3 100-RBI seasons and 3 100 Run Seasons. He had a Career 3 Slash Line of .305/.387.865 – and finished  3rd for Rookie Of The Year Voting in the 1994 Strike shortened year.

By Brooke Robinson (Rangers Correspondent): 

The name Rusty Greer means more than just a jersey with number 29 on it in Texas. In the short-lived history of the Rangers, Greer is one of the players who has impacted it most. Not just for his bat and his glove, but for his attitude and his interaction with fans. Greer was the player you needed in the bottom of the 9th, and the one you wanted in the heat of August when you needed hope.

Thurman Clyde “Rusty” Greer (born January 21, 1969 in Fort Rucker, Alabama) was chosen in the 10th Round of the 1990 Amateur Draft by the Texas Rangers. Greer spent four seasons in the Texas minor league system, until he was called up in May of 1994. He had a solid year in Arlington, hitting .314 and even finishing 3rd in the AL Rookie of the Year race.

The Rusty Greer Swing Tutorial:

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Sabathia Looks For More AL Supremacy + Eventual Election Into The BBHOF!

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Tuesday, January.15/2013

Sabathia is 85-31 (.762) since a 2008 mid season trade from the Indians to the Brewers.  The Yankees current ace has won 74 games in his 1st 4 years with the Bronx Bombers

Sabathia is 85-31 (.762) since a 2008 mid-season trade from the Indians to the Brewers. The Yankees current ace has won 74 games in his 1st 4 years with the Bronx Bombers.  He has made the playoffs in the last 6 years with CLE/MIL and NYY – with 4 ALCS trips and a World Series win in 2009.  He is 7-3 with a 3.50 ERA in the Post Season for the Yankees.

By Chuck Booth (Yankees Correspondent/Website Owner):

CC Sabathia is a BEAST.  You just have to look at the 6 FT 7 – 300 LBS+ man to see that.  If it is possible by playing in New York City – and under the brightest lights, that this man is underrated, despite being a Bronx Bomber.  Heading into 2013, ‘Carsten Charles’ (not Captain Crunch as some opposing fans have called him for his love of the Cereal) is 191-102 in his astute Pitching Career, with an ERA of 3.50.  What is more impressive than this are his numbers as a member of the New York Yankees – and playing in both Yankee Stadium and the vaunted AL East and amongst many of the top offensive clubs in the Major Leagues.  #52 is 74-29 (.718) for the Yankees with a 3.22 ERA.  He has made 3 ALL-Star Appearances and has had 3 top 4 AL CY Young Award finishes in the last 4 campaigns.  The verdict: the man has been truly dominant in Pinstripes!

In the 1st year of his big contract in 2009, Sabathia led the AL in wins with 19 – en route to a World Series Championship effort.  Sabathia had a brilliant Post Season, going 4-1 with a 1.98 ERA in 36.1 IP.  The big man also Struckout 32 Batters and only yielded 9 Walks.  His only loss came in Game #1 of the World Series, when Chase Utley had a career game.  Sabathia bounced back in Game #4 of the Fall Classic (with a QS – ND) and the Yankees ended up winning the contest to take a commanding 3 games to 1 ead, instead of having the Phillies tie the Series at 2 should he of had a bad start.

Sabathia is a winner and maybe the last guy to win 300 Games in the Majors.  At Age 32, the guy has a contract to pitch for the Yankees until 2018.  In his first 4 seasons he has averaged 18.5 Wins per year.  Even if the man only averages 15 wins a year for that time frame, he would be at around 265 wins at Age 37.  He could possibly end his career with New York – who would bet against him pitching until he is 40 to chalk up another 35 wins between 38 and that age?

CC Sabathia 2011 Highlights – Mature Lyrics so Parental Guidance is advised.

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The Patrick Languzzi Interview: The Man Behind The Petition About The Dwight Evans For The ‘BBHOF’ Candicacy Campaign

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Sunday, January.13/2013

Dwight Evans falls into that category with Don Mattingly, Mark Grace, Jim Rice and Keith Hernandez. Guys that were the best players amongst their piers and BBHOF Worthy (In some cases) but are trounced on by the ballooned 'Steroid era" numbers.Dwight Evans falls into that category with Don Mattingly, Mark Grace, Jim Rice and Keith Hernandez. Guys that were the best players amongst their piers, (offensively and defensively) plus BBHOF Worthy (In some cases) - but are trounced on by the ballooned 'Steroid era" numbers.

Dwight Evans falls into that category with Don Mattingly, Mark Grace, Will Clark and Keith Hernandez. Guys that were the best players amongst their peers, (offensively and defensively) plus BBHOF Worthy (In some cases) – but are trounced on by the ballooned ‘Steroid era” numbers.

By John Tuberty – Special Guest Writer and Cooperstown Correspondent (Owner of The Wesbite Tubbs Baseball Blog, please view here . )

Under current Hall of Fame voting rules, the Expansion Era Committee meets once every three years to vote on retired players who are no longer eligible for election by the BBWAA, have been retired 21 or more seasons, and made their biggest contributions to the sport after 1972.  In addition to the retired players, the Expansion Era ballot also includes retired managers, umpires, and executives from the post-1972 era.  One player who is eligible to be included on December’s Expansion Era ballot is former Red Sox Right Fielder, Dwight Evans.

Despite owning impressive career totals such as 385 Home Runs, 2,446 Hits, and 8 Gold Glove Awards, Evans struggled to draw support in BBWAA Hall of Fame voting and fell off the ballot after failing to draw the necessary five percent needed to stay on the ballot on a very crowded 1999 election.  However in recent years, Evans has become a popular Hall of Fame debate in the sabermetric community and several articles have been written in support of his overlooked Hall of Fame candidacy.  One particular writer, Patrick Languzzi is spearheading a campaign to put Dwight Evans on December’s Expansion Era ballot.  Languzzi, who writes for MLB Reports as the Hall of Fame Correspondent, created his own website, Call to the Hall, which is devoted to bringing awareness to Dwight Evans’ overlooked Hall of Fame candidacy.  Languzzi even started a petition which calls for Evans to be selected as one of the twelve finalists on December’s Expansion Era ballot.  Languzzi was nice enough to take the time for me to interview him about his Call to the Hall website and petition.

JT: Patrick, you, along with Nick Carfardo of the Boston Globe were recently interviewed by Tom Caron on the New England Sports Network (NESN) to discuss Evans’ overlooked Hall of Fame candidacy (see link below).  What was that experience like?

http://nesn.com/2012/12/dwight-evans-hall-of-fame-candidacy-languishes-with-veterans-committee-video/

PL: The experience was validating for me, meaning, when I started this project, I never imagined it would have gone as far as it has, and gotten the attention it’s drawn.  It’s great to see that I’m not the only one that feels that Evans’ case deserves to be revisited.

JT: You mention in the NESN clip that you got a chance to meet Dwight, what can you tell us about meeting him?

PL: Through all of my research, I’ve gotten to know Evans, and what I’ve found is that he is extremely humble and unwilling to discuss himself as a possible Hall of Fame candidate.  He was humble as a player too.  A good example of this is the clip from the 1987 All-Star game (see link to clip below) when Dwight fields a fly ball and fires a strike to home plate, Tim Raines the player at third holds from tagging up.

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Roger Clemens: A Cardboard God Comes Into Focus

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Saturday, January.12, 2013

The picture stands today as the symbol of an era -- and innocence -- lost.

The Topps 1987 Card.

By Saul Wisnia,  Red Sox Correspondent (Read his blog ‘Fenway Reflections’ here):

I took the photo in Cooperstown, after driving from Boston to baseball’s Mayberry with three buddies for my first look at the game’s red-bricked shrine. When we entered the Hall of Fame Plaque Gallery, just off the museum’s lobby, I instinctively knew which of the immortals I wanted to visit first. Walking through the years to the 1966 induction class, I found him on the wall right alongside Casey Stengel:

The picture stands today as the symbol of an era — and innocence — lost. In it, Roger Clemens and Ted Williams share confident, youthful smiles. Williams is, quite literally, a bronzed God, staring out at the photographer in his tanned, All-American glory. Clemens, wearing a fresh, clean Red Sox uniform, also has the look of a man who knows exactly what he wants out of life.

Williams yearned to be the world’s greatest hitter; Clemens the top pitcher. At the time of the picture, in 1988, both had reached their goal.

Ted Williams Tribute Piece from 2002:

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John Schuerholz Should Be in the Hall of Fame

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Wednesday, December 19th, 2012

John Schuerholz

Sam Evans (Baseball Writer): 

It’s amazing that both Deion Sanders and Bo Jackson, two of the greatest two-sport athletes of all-time, were both drafted by the same MLB General Manager. John Schuerholz, now the Team President of the Atlanta Braves, drafted Jackson, Sanders, Adam Wainwright, Jason Heyward, Jermaine Dye, and numerous other superstars during his time as General Manager of the Royals and the Braves. Schuerholz is a legend around baseball front offices. Teams he has controlled as General Manager have won their division fifteen times. John Schuerholz has left his legacy in the game of baseball. Schuerholz deserves to be recognized for his career by an induction to the Hall of Fame.

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Is Roger Clemens a Hall of Famer? Try the Tom Seaver Test

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Friday, December.07, 2012

Clemens in his earl Boston Red Sox Days Clemens in his early Boston Red Sox Days.

By Saul Wisnia,  Red Sox Correspondent (Read his blog ‘Fenway Reflections’ here):

Since the list of Hall of Fame nominees was announced in the last month, I’ve been pondering whether first-time candidate Roger Clemens would be earn my vote if I had one to give.

The Rocket has undeniable Cooperstown credentials, topped by a record seven Cy Young Awards, the 1986 AL MVP, and 354 victories. He struck out 4,672 batters during his long career, a total topped only by Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson, and twice had 20-K games in which he didn’t walk a single batter. That combination of power and control also helped Roger Clemens lead his league in ERA seven times.

In my memory bank of Red Sox pitchers, which dates to the mid-’70s, only Pedro Martinez resonates as more dominant over a sustained period of time. But while Pedro was a delicate thoroughbred rarely allowed to reach past the seventh inning, Clemens was a good-old-fashioned workhorse who regularly finished what he started. Read the rest of this entry

Matt Williams: The Next Great MLB Manager

Sunday October 28th, 2012

Jonathan Hacohen: This past spring, I had the chance to converse on the telephone with one of the greatest players of my generation. Middle-of-the-order power bat, combined with gold glove defense. Matt Williams is everything a manager could want in a baseball player. He showed up every day and played the game hard. Ran out every ground ball. Dove for every ball at third base. Consistently got his jersey dirty. Never complained to the media or spoke poorly about management or a teammate. Matt Williams was the ultimate professional, on and off the field. And now here he was, on the other end of the line conversing with me. It will be a baseball talk that I will never forget. Matt Williams has that strong of a presence. 

I actually grew up a Giants fan, with the highlight of my baseball life being the 1989 Giants playoff run. But once Matt Williams and Will Clark left the Bay area, I was so devastated that I decided to never forgive the Giants. But I continued to follow the players that I idolized, through the rest of their playing days and into the next phases of their respective careers. Once Comerica Park opened, I grew to adopt the Tigers as my main team. The proximity to Detroit  from my hometown made the Tigers a natural fit for me. But I was always a baseball fan first and foremost. If I respected a player, I followed them regardless of the team(s) they played for. Studying the history of the Tigers, I started to think about some of their former players. Kirk Gibson and Alan Trammell came to mind. Both were hard-nosed players who went on to manage in the big leagues. Gibson was a coach under Trammell in Detroit. Now Trammell is the bench coach in Arizona under Kirk Gibson. The team enjoyed an incredible run in 2011 and are still seen as a team on the rise. Ironically enough, Gibson’s third base coach? Matt Williams, of course. Read the rest of this entry

There Will Never Be Another 300 Game Winner

Saturday October 27th, 2012

Luke Whitecotton (Guest Writer):  

Let me thrown four names out there: Cy Young, Nolan Ryan, Greg Maddux, and Tom Glavine. What do these guys have in common? Two are Hall of Famers and two more are on their way. All were big game money pitchers. And most importantly, they are all 300 game winners.

Will we ever see another 300 game winner in baseball? Quite frankly, I don’t think we will.

Now don’t get me wrong, as a fan I would love to see it happen again in my lifetime. It would bring me almost as much pure joy as watching Greg Maddux pitch in his prime. As part of my analysis, I looked squarely at the odds and stats to determine the difficulty level of reaching that plateau in this day and age in baseball. Jamie Moyer, who will turn 50 in November, has 269 wins. Roy Halladay, who is 35 years old, has 199 wins. Andy Pettitte, who is 40 years old, has 245 wins in his career. You can see where I am going with this, as for some of these guys to keep pitching at the required level to reach the golden 300 mark is just too big of an obstacle to overcome. Just a little note by the way, Nolan Ryan was 43 years old and was considered one of the most durable pitchers ever. When you consider what Ryan had to do to win 300, you really start to feel the force that these star pitchers are up against. Read the rest of this entry

Keith Hernandez: Is He Hall of Fame Good?

Monday October 8th, 2012


Patrick Languzzi (Cooperstown Correspondent, Twitter @PatrickLanguzzi):

I’ll be honest, when my editor handed me the assignment of posting my thoughts on Keith Hernandez and the Hall of Fame, I initially thought: Was Hernandez ever really a “superstar”?  Aren’t those the kind of players that generally get elected to the Hall of Fame?

Not always…

Hernandez lasted nine years on the Hall of Fame ballot, peaking in 1998 at 10.8 percent of the votes. He was the 1979 National League Most Valuable Player. Hernandez finished his career with a .296 batting average, was selected to five All-Star games, received two-Silver Slugger Awards, won a record setting 11 Gold Gloves, and is arguably considered the greatest fielding first baseman of all-time.

So why isn’t he in the Hall of Fame? Read the rest of this entry

2012 MLB Postseason Preview: Every Pitch Counts

Thursday, October 4th, 2012

October is the time when there is a quiet current of electricity surrounding baseball. There is an intensity in every second between pitches, and the players really zone in. This is the reason they played 162 games through the regular season. They are all after one thing: A World Championship.

Alex Mednick (Baseball Analyst and Writer):

With the last games of the 2012 regular season being officially completed yesterday I get the same feeling I do every season…it’s a sickening pain in my stomach, that makes me want to hibernate and not wake up until April comes around.  For baseball lovers, we are all very familiar with this feeling.  We find solace in the fact that with the exception of the month of November, we can still follow  baseball transactions all year-long.  Furthermore, we cannot get too upset; baseball isn’t really over.  In fact, some might argue that it is just beginning!

The boys of summer play all those games in the summer heat for one reason.  The grueling 162 game schedule sees many ups and many downs, and all of these challenges are met with a firm resolve:  to do whatever it takes to get to the postseason.  October is the time when the weather turns cold, and ball players become unshaven warriors duking it out to be the victorious few who have the honor to take a championship ring home this offseason. Read the rest of this entry

Mike Piazza: Still a Hall of Famer Given the Era He Once Played In?

Monday September 17th, 2012

Patrick Languzzi (Cooperstown Correspondent, Twitter @PatrickLanguzzi): 

Mike Piazza made his last major league appearance on September 30, 2007, which means Piazza will be eligible for his first National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot this December (the required five years before a player is deemed eligible).

Nicknamed the “Pizza Man” because he always delivered, Piazza’s record is as impressive as the rumors are pervasive.

Piazza was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers as a favor to his father by Hall of Famer Tommy Lasorda. He was drafted as the 1,390th pick in the 62nd round of the 1988 Major League Baseball (MLB) Amateur Draft. He made his major league debut on September 1, 1992.

In 1993, his first full year in the majors, Piazza won the National League Rookie of the Year Award, hitting an impressive .318 with 35 home runs and 112 RBIs, as well as being selected to MLB’s All-Star game. Read the rest of this entry

ATR: Ask the Reports Answers Your Baseball Questions: Strasburg, Valentine, Rolen to Cooperstown, Josh Hamilton to the Red Sox and More

Sunday September 9th, 2012



Jonathan Hacohen:  Posted every Weekend: Your top baseball questions from the past week are answered. E-mail all questions to mlbreports@me.com, message us on Twitter, post on our Facebook Wall and leave comments on our website! There are many ways to reach us and we will get to your questions from all social media outlets!

Jonathan Hacohen: Many great questions this week people, as always. With the playoffs and WBC qualifiers around the corner, people are baseball crazy! Every week it is getting harder and harder to select the questions for ATR. People are feeling baseball fever and I see it in every corner. From the comments on our site, your e-mails, tweets and posts on Facebook, we hear from each of you in so many ways. Ah….gotta love the age of social media! Make sure to keep the questions and comments coming every week. You never know when your baseball insight will appear on MLB reports!

Before I get into this week’s questions, a quick comment. Saturday become lockdown day for Stephen Strasburg. From the second I jumped into my car yesterday and turned on MLB Network Radio, all I heard was Davey Johnson shutting down Stras for the year. I like Davey, but I have to say that blaming the media pressure is weak. In case you weren’t aware, Strasburg was supposed to have one more start next week before officially being shutdown for the season. Now, he is done for the year.  Just like that.

People ask me all the time if I think the Nationals are doing the right thing. My response is a clear: NO! I cannot ascertain for the life of me what the Nats are thinking. They are committing the equivalent of baseball suicide in my book. When you have the chance to go far in the playoffs, you go for it. Period. There is no medical evidence of any clear cutoff point for Strasburg’s season. The reality is that any innings limit is a guess by the team. There is no true merit for shutting him down. Even Dr. Lewis Yocum has indicated that there is no clear sign of whether Strasburg should not pitch further. But let’s say we are even going to say that 160 innings was Strasburg’s limit. The Nationals knew this for some time and could have arranged their rotation to fit the limit. Skipping starts earlier in the season and limiting innings per start would have allow Strasburg to pitch further into the year, including the postseason. What was the use of having him pitch into games when the Nats had a commanding lead in the NL East? 

The Nats have a 5.5 game lead as of today. If the lead gets cut any further, wouldn’t it have been nice to have your team pitching for you at the end of the year? What about a Wild Card one-game sudden death playoff? NLDS? NLCS? World Series? The bottom line is this: if the Nationals do not win the world series, Johnson and GM Mike Rizzo will have Strasburg-Gate hanging over them for the rest of their lives. Never mind the fact that the kid is upset and may never forgive the team for not letting him compete. There is a roster full of guys busting their behinds for a championship. Removing one of their top weapons for the playoffs hurts team morale, confidence and the ability to compete. We never know what next year or future years will bring. 2012 is a special year for Washington. You always go for it when you can.

Now let’s get to your top questions of the week: Read the rest of this entry

Roger Clemens and the Sugar Land Skeeters

Wednesday August 29th, 2012

Sam Evans: Roger Clemens deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. If Cooperstown picked candidates with regard to their off-field activities, players like Dick Williams and Mickey Mantle might have never been chosen to the elite class that is the Hall of Fame. If Hall of Fame voters look at Clemens’ career numbers, they’ll find it hard to not see him as having one of the best starting pitching careers we’ve ever seen. Clemens is currently pitching with the independent league Sugar Land Skeeters after five years away from the game. It’s been only one game so far, with more possibly to come. Let’s look at Clemens, his first start, and how he stacks up against some of his teammates.

Roger Clemens ranks eighth all-time among major leaguers in WAR, and second among starting pitchers (145.5). His upper 90’s fastball, nasty splitter, and above-average changeup led him to over 300 wins and a twenty-four year career in the majors. His last season, in 2007 with the New York Yankees, Clemens still managed to pitch at a fairly high level, posting a 4.14 FIP in seventeen starts. His average fastball velocity was just over 90 MPH for the 2007 season.

After Clemens figured out a bunch of legal things, he “tried out” for the Sugar Land Skeeters, who play in the independent Atlantic League, and made the team. In his first start on Saturday, August 25th, Clemens lasted 3 1/3 innings, allowing only one hit, not walking a batter, and striking out two. Facing a Bridgeport team that features former major leaguers Joey Gathright and Shea Hillebrand, Clemens topped out at 88 MPH and got a few outs via his splitter. Read the rest of this entry

The Lack of Criteria to get into Cooperstown: The Election Results can be Puzzling

Friday August 24th, 2012

MLB Commissioner Bud Selig

Patrick Languzzi (Cooperstown Correspondent, Twitter @PatrickLanguzzi): On August 14th, MLB Reports honored Ron Santo for his recent induction into The National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Did you know Santo was elected on his 20th attempt via the Golden Era committee (Veterans) some 31 years after he first became eligible for the Hall of Fame?

Since 1936, only 207 former major league players have ever been elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame. That’s about 1.17 percent of more than 17,000 players who have worn a major league uniform.

Of the 207 players elected to date, the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) has elected 112 candidates, or 54 percent. Conversely, 95 major leaguers, or 46 percent, have been elected through other means (in all of its forms) such as the Veterans Committee, Old-Timers Committee, Centennial Commission and other special election of committees, to name a few.

For those not familiar, qualified members of the BBWAA vote annually by submitting a maximum of 10 eligible pre-screened players whom they would consider worthy of induction. In order to be elected, a player must be named on 75 percent of the voters’ ballots. Read the rest of this entry

A Tribute to Ron Santo: Cubs’ Third Baseman Finally Enters Cooperstown

Tuesday August 14th, 2012

Patrick Languzzi (Cooperstown Correspondent, Twitter @PatrickLanguzzi): On July 22nd, 2012, Ron Santo was inducted into The National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Santo, a long time radio broadcaster for the Chicago Cubs, had no reservations about sharing his passion for baseball, his beloved Cubs and the Hall of Fame, where he felt he had always belonged.

And, according to Joe Lemire of SI.com’s inside baseball, Santo once told Chicago Magazine, “The last thing I want is to die and then be put into the Hall of Fame. It’s not because I won’t be there to enjoy it, exactly. It’s because I want to enjoy it with family and friends and fans. I want to see them enjoy it.”

Sadly, we lost Ron Santo before he ever got a chance to receive the phone call he longed to yearn for. Santo passed away slightly more than a year (and two days) to the day he was to finally be elected into baseballs highest pantheon.

“This is not a sad day, not at all. This is a very happy day… I am certain that Ronnie is celebrating with us right now.”   -Vicki Santo

On December 5, 2011, Ron Santo was voted into the Hall of Fame 15-1 by the Golden Era committee (Veterans) some 31 years after he first became eligible. At the end of the day, few will remember how a player got into Cooperstown, or how long it took. Once the plaques are on the famed wall, all hall of famers are treated the same. It took too long, but Ron Santo’s plaque is finally where it belongs. Read the rest of this entry

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