Tag / Bruce Levine

by admin

2019 Hall Of Fame Ballot – The Newcomers


baseballhof

The BBWAA released their ballot for the Hall of Fame class of 2019 on Monday.  The results of the vote are due to be revealed on January 22nd, with induction taking place next July.  After Chipper Jones, Jim Thome, Vladimir Guerrero, and Trevor Hoffman were elected in last year’s voting, the new ballot contains 15 holdovers along with 20 newcomers, which may continue the logjam caused by the current BBWAA rules which limit the number of votes on one ballot to 10 and the ongoing refusal by some writers to vote for players tainted by PEDs, leaving too many qualified candidates fighting for limited spots.  Once again, the BBWAA and the Hall may find themselves with a mess on their hands.

Yesterday, we looked at the returning candidates.  Today, it’s time to look at the newcomers and who may be thankful come January.

Rick Ankiel

Mad props to the man for putting together a viable major league career as an outfielder after imploding as a pitcher, but he has no shot here.

Jason Bay

I can’t imagine a world where Jason Bay earns a Hall of Fame vote.

Lance Berkman

I never really thought I was watching a Hall of Famer during the 31 games I saw Berkman perform in, but I have a feeling he will get some, but not enough, support.

Freddy Garcia
Jon Garland

These two members of the starting rotation for the 2005 World Series Champions will always hold a special place in my heart, but not in Cooperstown.

Travis Hafner

This has been a weak batch of newly eligible players so far, no?

Roy Halladay

I imagine Halladay would have garnered strong support anyway, but his untimely death last year will likely goose his numbers.

Todd Helton

Helton will get in, but he may need to wait a year or two.

Ted Lilly

I guess we’ll see if Bruce Levine gets to vote in these proceedings based on whether the former Cub gets a vote or not.

Derek Lowe

The former Red Sox hurler may get a little support, but not enough to keep him on the ballot for a second go-around.

Darren Oliver

Yeah, no.

Roy Oswalt
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by jim

Wilted Flowers

TFlowThe White Sox made another move behind the plate yesterday, declining to offer Tyler Flowers a contract for the 2016 season and making the veteran a free agent.  Flowers, acquired in the 2008 trade that sent Javier Vazquez to the Braves, became the starting catcher in 2013 after A.J. Pierzynski left as a free agent.  In his three seasons as the primary receiver, he failed to post an OPS over .700 while the White Sox averaged over 91 losses.

There is still a small possibility that Flowers could return, though it seems unlikely.  As a free agent, he can resign with the White Sox at a smaller salary than he would be entitled to through the arbitration process.  However, early reports from Bruce Levine claim that the White Sox will move quickly on shoring up the catching situation once Flowers is officially off the roster.  Combined with the signing of Alex Avila last week, the White Sox are starting to look like a much different team heading into 2016.

Flowers’ numbers in a White Sox uniform, both for games I attended and overall, were:

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