Tag / HOF

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2015 Hall Of Fame Ballot – The Newcomers

mlb_hofThe BBWAA released their ballot for the Hall of Fame class of 2014 on Monday.  The results of the vote are due to be revealed on January 8th, with induction taking place next July.  After Frank Thomas, Greg Maddux, and Tom Glavine were elected in last year’s voting, the new ballot contains 17 holdovers along with 17 newcomers, which may start to cause a bit of a problem.  The current BBWAA rules limit the number of votes on one ballot to 10, and there may be more than 10 deserving candidates.  As they start to pile up, and even more deserving candidates become eligible, the BBWAA and the Hall may find themselves with a mess on their hands.

Tuesday, we looked at the returning candidates.  Now, on this day of giving thanks, it’s time to look at the newcomers and who will be thankful come January.

Rich Aurilia

He managed to put up a 15 year career, which got him on this list, but it will be a quick one and done for him.

Aaron Boone

While many Yankee fans would like to see him inducted for a certain post-season home run against the Red Sox in 2003, that won’t be enough to get him a second look.

Tony Clark

Again, a perfectly acceptable career, but will be lucky to get a sympathy vote from a hometown writer.

Carlos Delgado

Delgado finished his career a mere 27 home runs away from 500, which will likely get him some support, but, based on Fred McGriff’s experiences, not enough.

capt.hta15110270331.world_series__hta151Jermaine Dye

The MVP of the 2005 World Series is unlikely to get much in the way of support despite a solid career.

Darin Erstad

The longtime Angel is unlikely to get much support.

Cliff Floyd

Another player with a fine career, but no real question as to his worthiness for the hall.

Nomar Garciaparra

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by admin

2015 Hall Of Fame Ballot – The Holdovers

mlb_hofThe BBWAA released their ballot for the Hall of Fame class of 2015 yesterday.  The results of the vote are due to be revealed on January 7th, with induction taking place next July.  After Frank Thomas, Greg Maddux, and Tom Glavine were elected in last year’s voting, the new ballot contains 17 holdovers along with 17 newcomers, which may start to cause a bit of a problem.  The current BBWAA rules continue to limit the number of votes on one ballot to 10, and there may be more than 10 deserving candidates.  To complicate things, the number of years of eligibility has been dropped from 15 to 10, with those who were between 10 and 15 grandfathered in.  So, there will be too many qualified candidates fighting for limited spots in a shorter amount of time.  Once again, the BBWAA and the Hall may find themselves with a mess on their hands.

Let’s take a look at the returning candidates today before moving on to the newcomers.

Jeff Bagwell
Years on ballot: 4
2014 Percentage: 54.3

Things have started to trend in the wrong direction for Bagwell, which may be due to the 10 vote limit.  Given the qualified list of newcomers and the continued PED rumors, I expect he will continue to be waiting for that elusive call.

Craig Biggio
Years on ballot: 2
2014 Percentage: 74.8

Narrowly missing election in last year’s vote, Biggio seems destined to make it on his third try, giving Astros fans something to look forward to next summer.

Barry Bonds
Years on ballot: 2
2014 Percentage: 34.7

The all time home run champion saw his vote percentage drop in his second year on the ballot.  While the Giants may be softening on having Bonds involved with them, having him throw out a first pitch during this year’s NLCS, the writers voting for the Hall are unlikely to have done the same.

Roger Clemens
Years on ballot: 2
2014 Percentage: 35.4

Roger Clemens, he of the 354 career victories and 7 Cy Young awards, also found himself falling after his second run through the voting process.  For some odd reason, perhaps by having played for more teams, Clemens continues to get marginally more support than his fellow PED poster child Barry Bonds.

Jeff Kent
Years on ballot: 1
2014 Percentage: 15.2

The 2000 NL MVP did not find much support in his first year of eligibility.  With the number of candidates coming down the pike, the future does not look good for him.

Edgar Martinez
Years on ballot: 5
2014 Percentage: 25.2

The longtime DH for the Mariners has had plenty of support from the Internet but not as much from the BBWAA, as his percentage dropped by over 10 percentage points.  His long career as a DH in the Pacific Northwest may be holding him back.

Don Mattingly
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by admin

He Gone?

Ken-HarrelsonNews broke this morning that Ken “Hawk” Harrelson, the play by play man for White Sox television broadcasts since 1990, is considering cutting back next year, giving up road games to concentrate on the home schedule.  Harrelson, who turns 73 next week, has a 4 hour commute (one way!) and reportedly would like to spend more time with his grandchildren, who are 10 and 7.

Harrelson is certainly a polarizing figure amongst White Sox fans, where just as many fans love his homer philosophy and corny catchphrases as hate them.  As time has gone by, however, Harrelson’s routine has moved from being a broadcaster who used corny catchphrases to a spewer of corny catchphrases who occasionally broadcasts.  Thanks to the recent Hall of Fame induction of Frank Thomas, we’ve been able to see many clips of Harrelson from the early 90s though the mid 2000s, and the difference between that announcer and the Harrelson we get today is striking.

Sooner or later, the White Sox are going to need to address their broadcast teams.  Even if Harrelson decides to do a full slate next year, he will still turn 74 towards the end of the season.  His partner, Steve Stone, will be 68 by the end of 2015.  Radio play-by-play man Ed Farmer will be 65.  At some point, fresh blood will be needed.

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Hall Of Fame Pitching Leaders

greg-madduxSunday, former Cubs pitcher Greg Maddux took his place in Cooperstown alongside Braves teammate Tom Glavine, Frank Thomas, and former managers Joe Torre, Bobby Cox, and Tony LaRussa. I thought it would be interesting to look at the overall leaders amongst Hall of Famers on both sides of the ball from all of the games I’ve attended between 1984 and 2013, finishing up with the defense.  Which seemed like a much better idea before I saw there are only 4 Hall of Fame pitchers I’ve seen live.  Oh well.

Wins

Name Total
Greg Maddux 9
Tom Glavine 1
Rich Gossage 1

Losses

Name Total
Greg Maddux 12
Tom Glavine 2
Tom Seaver 2
Rich Gossage 1

ERA

Name Total
Rich Gossage 3.86
Greg Maddux 4.17
Tom Seaver 4.21
Tom Glavine 7.62

Strikeouts

Name Total
Greg Maddux 92
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Hall Of Fame Batting Leaders

52174766Today, former White Sox first baseman Frank Thomas takes his place in Cooperstown alongside pitchers Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine and former managers Joe Torre, Bobby Cox, and Tony LaRussa.  I thought it would be interesting to look at the overall leaders amongst Hall of Famers on both sides of the ball from all of the games I’ve attended between 1984 and 2013, starting with the offense.

Home Runs

Name Total
Frank Thomas 15
Carlton Fisk 2
Eddie Murray 2
Barry Larkin 1
Ryne Sandberg 1
Roberto Alomar 1

Hits

Name Total
Frank Thomas 54
Carlton Fisk 13
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by admin

RIP Tony Gwynn

tony-gwynn-padres-rf-1984Former San Diego Padre great Tony Gwynn passed away this morning at the age of 54.  Gwynn had been battling cancer of the salivary glands since 2011, which he ascribed to a lifetime use of chewing tobacco.  After a 20 year career, all with the Padres, that ended with 3141 hits and a lifetime batting average of .338 following the 2001 season, Gwynn was a first ballot Hall of Famer in 2007.

I only saw Gwynn play once in person, during a July 8, 1985 NLCS rematch between the Padres and the Cubs.  Gwynn went 2-5 on the day as the Padres once again bested the North Siders.

Over my nearly-40 years, many of the sporting heroes of my youth have passed away.  For some reason, this one has hit me particularly hard.  Cancer shows itself once again to be a heartless bitch that doesn’t care who you are or what you’ve accomplished.

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2014 Tickets – Southside Edition

Word came down yesterday afternoon that Cub season tickets had started to arrive, so imagine my surprise when I got home and found this sitting on my doorstep:

2014soxbox

Inside the box were the two ticket books, a collection of parking passes, and some miscellaneous paperwork.  The tickets themselves have returned to a portrait orientation, and feature photos of all-time White Sox greats.

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by jim

2014 Games Of Interest

BhVWyjyCEAAcgD8Fireworks Night

April 26 (Minnie Minoso Statue)
May 10 (Pink Scarf)
July 19
August 2 (Frank Thomas HOF Plaque)
August 16
August 30 (Tony LaRussa Bobblehead)
September 13
September 27

Family Day

April 13
April 27
May 11
May 25
June 1
June 15
July 6
July 20
August 3
August 17 (Spirit & Mascot Day)
August 31
September 14
September 28

Other Fun Stuff

March 31 – Opening Day
April 12 – 1983 Fleece Blanket
May 24 – Chris Sale Bobblehead
May 31 – Kids Baseball Glove
July 5 – Home Kids Jersey

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And The Enshrinees Are

greg-maddux 52174766

The BBWAA ballots have been counted and Greg Maddux, Frank Thomas, and Tom Glavine have been elected as to the Hall of Fame. Maddux lead the pack with 97.2% of the vote, followed by his former Braves teammate Glavine with 91.9%. Thomas finished third with 83.7% of the vote. Narrowly missing induction, with 74.8% of the vote (the Hall of Fame does not round up) was Craig Biggio.

Maddux, of course, got his start with the Cubs, whom he helped lead to the 1989 NL East title.  He won the first of his 4 consecutive NL Cy Young awards with the North Siders in 1992 before being allowed to leave as a free agent by GM Larry Himes.  Maddux signed with the Braves, where he continued to dominate and helped lead Atlanta to the 1995 World Series championship.  After 11 seasons, he returned to the Cubs in 2004.  He defeated the Giants in August of that year to win his 300th game and, in July of 2005, he struck out his 3000th batter.  In 2006, with the Cubs far out of contention, he was traded to the Dodgers for their stretch run.  For 2007, Maddux signed with the Padres, where he spent the next year and a half before being traded back to the Dodgers for another stretch run.  After the Dodgers were bounced from the playoffs, Maddux announced his retirement.

Frank Thomas was the first round draft pick of the White Sox in the 1989 draft, and made his debut for the White Sox the following year.  Thomas won the AL MVP award in 1993 while leading the White Sox to their final AL West title.  Thomas repeated as MVP in 1994, putting up a .353 average with 38 homers and 101 RBIs in the strike-shortened season.  In 1997, Thomas won the AL batting title and finished third in the MVP race.  After two substandard seasons, at least for him, Thomas rebounded in 2000, leading the White Sox to the AL Central title and narrowly losing the MVP award to a juiced-up Jason Giambi.  Thomas struggled with injuries after that, appearing in only 20 games in 2001, 74 games in 2004, and 34 games in 2005.  He spent the entire post-season on the disabled list as the White Sox won their first World Series in 88 years.  Following that year, the White Sox cut ties with Thomas and he headed out west to play for the A’s.  In his first game back in Chicago as a visiting player, Thomas homered twice.  Thomas spent 2007 and the start of 2008 with the Blue Jays, before finishing the season, and his career, back with the A’s.

I have been witness to milestones for all 3 enshrined players.  I was at Wrigley Field when Greg Maddux made his first attempt at winning his 300th game against the Phillies, the start before he won it on the road against the GIants.  I was there the next season for the rain delayed night game where he would strike out his 3000th batter, again against the Giants.  I was in Shea Stadium for Tom Glavine’s first appearance as a New York Met, which did not turn out well for him.  4 years later, I was at Wrigley Field for a Sunday night matchup where things worked out better for him as he defeated the Cubs for his 300th victory.

Thomas is now the Hall of Famer I have seen in action more than any other.  I was at his first return appearance as a member of the A’s, where, before the first of his 2 home runs, he was treated to a standing ovation.  An ovation which panned the crowd and found me amongst the masses, which I happened to notice that night on Baseball Tonight and now lives on as part of the White Sox Memories DVD.  I first saw Thomas play in his rookie year of 1990 and caught 66 of his games over the years.  I was there when he threw out the first pitch before the 2005 ALDS Game 1 against the Red Sox and in 2010 when his number 35 was retired.

Maddux, Thomas, and Glavine’s numbers in games I attended were:

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by admin

2014 Hall Of Fame Ballot – The Newcomers

mlb_hofThe BBWAA released their ballot for the Hall of Fame class of 2014.  The results of the vote are due to be revealed on January 8th, with induction taking place next July.  After nobody was elected in last year’s voting, the new ballot contains 17 holdovers along with 19 newcomers, which may start to cause a bit of a problem.  The current BBWAA rules limit the number of votes on one ballot to 10, and there may be more than 10 deserving candidates.  As they start to pile up, and even more deserving candidates become eligible, the BBWAA and the Hall may find themselves with a mess on their hands.

Yesterday, we looked at the returning candidates.  Now it’s time to move on to the newcomers.

Moises Alou

The 6-time All Star had a very good career, but not one worthy of the Hall of Fame.  He might get enough support to stick on the ballot for a few years, but not much beyond that.

Armando Benitez

I can’t imagine Benitez getting any votes, let alone enough to make a second go around on the ballot.

Sean Casey

The long-time Red had a fine career a will likely pick up one or two votes, but I expect this to be his only appearance on the ballot.

Ray Durham

Another one and done situation for the 2-time All Star.

Eric Gagne

Gagne seemed destined for the Hall after he won the 2003 Cy Young award in the midst of his record setting 84 consecutive saves.  Arm troubles and inclusion in the Mitchell Report derailed his career, and will likely doom any HOF chances he had.

Tom Glavine

There is no question that Glavine, on the strength of his 305 career wins, will make the Hall.  It is just a matter of when, as some voters may want for him to have to wait a year before gaining entry.  If he were to make it this year, it would likely be a pretty special summer for Braves fans.  On a personal level, Glavine is the only pitcher I’ve seen get his 300th win in person, after Roger Clemens and Greg Maddux faltered when I saw them at 299.

Luis Gonzalez

Over 2500 hits and 350 home runs would seem to make Gonzalez a pretty decent candidate for enshrinement.  The hint of PED use, though never proven, will likely hold him back.

Jacque Jones

No.

Todd Jones

NO.

Jeff Kent Continue reading →