Category: Hall of Fame

2009 Hall of Fame ballot announced

I was in Cooperstown the last time a left fielder was inducted to the Hall of Fame.  The fact that I was there on my honeymoon shows how often that happens since that was 20 years ago. 

Next year may another chance to welcome a left fielder to the hallowed halls.  Four #7s have their opportunity and two (and some may say three) have a good shot.  The four left fielders are Rickey Henderson, Jim Rice, Tim Raines and Ron Gant. 

It’s Rickey Henderson’s first shot on the ballot and alternatively it will be Jim Rice’s last. 

The full 2009 ballot:
• Harold Baines
• Jay Bell
• Bert Blyleven
• David Cone
• Andre Dawson
• Ron Gant
• Mark Grace
• Rickey Henderson
• Tommy John
• Don Mattingly
• Mark McGwire
• Jack Morris
• Dale Murphy
• Jesse Orosco
• Dave Parker
• Dan Plesac
• Tim Raines
• Jim Rice
• Lee Smith
• Alan Trammell
• Greg Vaughn
• Mo Vaughn
• Matt Williams

All things considered, it’s a strong, especially deep, class. 

Oh, the last left fielder inducted twenty years ago?  Carl Yastrzemski in the summer of 1989.  He was inducted along with Johnny Bench and Red Schoendienst.  I remember distinctly how red the crowd was.  I also remember the Cincinnati Reds booing A. Bart Giamatti and yelling “Free Pete Rose”. 

Mussina: Will he get the call in 5 years?

Since Mike Mussina retired, many pundits have asked the requisite question:  is the Moose Hall of Fame-worthy?

A valid question, to be sure.  We’ve had a few retirees in the last decade who were no-brainers (i.e Ripken, Gwynn etc).  But Mussina doesn’t necessarily fall in the “sure thing” category.  That he isn’t a household name doesn’t mean he shouldn’t warrant consideration though.  Let’s take a look. 

The Over-under on his Overall

His career stats are certainly formidable and fall within the parameters of Hall of Fame caliber pitchers.  

W   L   G   GS  CG SHO  IP     ER   HR  BB   SO    ERA 
----------+---+---+---+---+---+------+----+----+----+-
270 153 537 536  57  23 3562.7 1458 376  785 2813 3.68

A durable pitcher, Moose has pitched the qualifying amount since his second year in the league in 1992.  His 270 wins is tied for 33rd all time.  Winning percentage?  He’s 38th.  In strikeouts, he’s up to 19th. 

While Mussina’s actual ERA of 3.68 puts him  at 549th all-time (tied), his adjusted ERA+ (which is adjusted for the league and ballpark) of 123 moves him up to 78 (tied with Hall of Famer Juan Marichal). 

All of that plus Mussina’s longevity, gives him a decent shot at the Hall. 

The Down Side

But there are the detractors.  There are those who say he never won a Cy Young (he came in 2nd in the voting in 1999).  They say he never won 20 games… well, they USED to say that.  They also point to his 7-9 postseason record. 

These such detractors have dubbed Mussina with the nickname “Mr. Almost” with references to singer Kenny Loggins (due to his song, “I’m Alright”).  Plus the worst insult of all… saying he should be be inducted to the Hall of Very Good. 

Ouch.

Ok, maybe they’re not being fair.  Many defend the Moose, in particular saying that his stats were across the board better (BB/9, WHIP, ERA, even strikeouts) in 2001 than Roger Clemens when Clemens won the Cy Young.  The one thing that Clemens had going for him was his gaudy 20-3 record compared to Mussina’s 17-11. 

That is just one example but it almost typifies Mussina’s career.  Getting the dirty work done, doing it well, and not getting much of the credit.  We’ll see what happens in five years.  Most certainly he will be on the ballot and the same discussion will be had again. 

I would vote yes but ask me again in 2013.

Buck O’Neil & Black Baseball in Chicago

Last night while watching the Blackhawks win big over Calgary, I was flipping the channel to my TV, and what should I see, but baseball! Needless to say, I stopped flipping, and my eyes became transfixed on the images on the screen. Channel 20 in Chicago was airing the premiere of Buck O’Neil & Black Baseball in Chicago, an encore showing will air November 13th at 7:30 PM, again on channel 20.

The late, great, Buck O’Neil talked about his days in the Negro Leagues and becoming the first African American baseball coach in the major leagues with the Chicago Cubs. O’Neil said, he never really resented not being allowed to play in the big leagues, because the best ballplayers of the day were in the Negro Leagues. Bob Kendrick, the Director of the Negro Leagues Museum in Kansas City, stated how upset he was when Buck didn’t make it into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown before his death. Seventeen former Negro Leaguers were inducted in the last induction before O’Neil’s death. Buck didn’t feel sorry for himself at not getting in, but rather was thrilled 17 others had made it, according to Kendrick.

The documentary brings the past to life. It talked about the Double Duty Classic, which features the best young high school African American ballplayers competing in this East/West Classic, named after Ted “Double Duty” Radcliffe. It also shows the statue of Buck O’Neil that resides in the HOF, and there’s a lifetime achievement award named after O’Neil. Buck was the first winner of this award. Back in the day, the East/West Classic was the Negro Leagues All Star Game, was played at Comiskey Park in Chicago, would draw 50,000 fans, and featured the best African American ballplayers playing all out.

The show talks about how O’Neil managed Ernie Banks for the Kansas City Monarchs and then coached Banks with the Cubs. Buck also talked Billy Williams out of quitting after experiencing racism in Texas before coming up to the Cubs. Jermaine Dye, of the Chicago White Sox, came up with the Kansas City Royals, commented how fortunate he was to have met Buck O’Neil, while coming up to the big leagues.

There is also mention of the Chicago Baseball Museum, a work in progress, that can be checked out at www.chicagobaseballmuseum.org Also, if you can, checkout Buck O’Neil & Black Baseball in Chicago when its encore performance airs on Thursday the 13th on channel 20.

Ron Santo: The last chance for the Vet Committee to get it right

Santo at the 2008 Cubs Convention

 

Stop me if you heard this one.  Ron Santo was one of ten players selected to this year’s Veteran’s Committee Ballot.  And once again, he will need a 75 percent to make it to the Hall of Fame.  Results will be announced on December 8th.

The kicker is that this is Santo’s last chance.  If he doesn’t get in this year, he will have no chance to be selected to next year’s ballot. 

I won’t bother reciting Santo’s stats.  Anyone who’s followed the issue, is familiar with them.  Or belabor the point that he was playing in a pitcher’s era.  Or go on and on about his defensive prowess.  You all know about that. 

All that doesn’t even take in consideration his work with the Cubs as a broadcaster and all-around ambassador for the game. 

If you’re looking for a good bio, please read Al Yellon’s piece on Bleed Cubbie Blue when he chose Santo as the #7 Cub of all time.  It’s one of most detailed articles you’ll find on him. 

The esteemed Joe Sheehan says that the "omission of Ron Santo is the most egregious mistake ever made by the Baseball Writers Association of America" and calls for the Veterans Committee to rectify that mistake.  On a personal level,  I know a lot of baseball people and almost every I know support Ron Santo for the Hall.  Yes, that includes White Sox fans. 

So Veterans Committee, get it right and get it done.  Vote for Ron Santo. 

RIP Dottie Collins, 84 member of the AAGPBL

17collins.190

National Baseball Hall of Fame Library

 

Dottie Collins, star pitcher in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, passed away from a stroke Tuesday in Fort Wayne Ind.

Not only was she one of the biggest names in the women’s baseball league and one of the best players, she did a lot to keep the memory of the league alive. 

According to Richard Goldstein in the NYT, she was quite a hurler:

She pitched underhand, sidearm and overhand; she threw curveballs, fastballs and changeups; and in the summer of 1948, she pitched until she was four months pregnant. She won more than 20 games in each of her first four seasons. She threw 17 shutouts and had a league-leading 293 strikeouts in 1945 for the Fort Wayne Daisies, when the women’s game resembled fast-pitch softball.

She also had a lot to do with the Women in Baseball exhibit at the Baseball Hall of Fame.  Without her, it wouldn’t have happened. 

RYNO GIVEN THE HEAVE-HO

Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg is serving the third day of his three-day suspension today. It seems Sandberg, manager of the Peoria Chiefs, took exception with an opposing player bunting for a basehit, while his team was leading 6-0. The feisty manager engaged the other manager in a discussion, which led to a bench-clearing brawl.

Some might say, it’s the minor leagues and this player was just brushing up on his bunting skills, a learning process. To which I’d say, you don’t bunt for a basehit when leading 6-0, a learning process. From a Hall of Famer, way to go Ryno!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KID

John Danks Today, April 15th, was John Danks’ 23rd birthday, even with my birthday transposed, I’m older than he is. Danks was starting for the White Sox today versus the A’s.

But that wasn’t what I was thinking about as I got dressed for a big day of baseball. It was Jackie Robinson Day at all MLB Ballparks across America. Minnie Minoso was receiving a lifetime achievement award from the Negro League Hall of Fame. The Negro League Hall of Fame was Buck O’Neil’s place in KC. It’s a travesty and a shame that Buck passed without getting into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. Maybe his stats weren’t the greatest, but Buck was! O’Neil built the Negro League Hall of Fame and kept the Negro Leagues’ memory alive. He was also the first black coach in the majors, with the Cubs. Minnie Minoso also needs to get into the Hall before he passes, he looks great, but he’s not getting any younger, none of us are.

Joining me behind home plate today was Tade (Buehrle’s game the day before was the first game he missed all year) & Steve (another huge Sox fan, who comes as often as he can). Dick & Bea were also there, Dick told a Bubba story that had Tade & I laughing so hard, we were crying. Visited with Mike & his brother over at the caramel corn stand. Seeing it was a day game I stopped in to see Nancy Faust. Nancy looks as good as ever, a blonde, as cute as could be, and friendly! I sympathized with Nancy at the passing of her mother, who would have been 94 this year, she had cancer, and died shortly after her son-in-law, Nancy’s brother-in-law, died of pancreatic cancer. Why do bad things happen to good people?

Well John Danks celebrated his birthday by firing goose eggs at the A’s. The White Sox really flashed the leather behind JD Jr. Alexi Ramirez cutoff a sure double into right center, whirled, and fired to second to easily gun down a shocked Emil Brown. Brown saluted Ramirez as he headed back to the dugout. Joe Crede made a diving stop toward the line, got to his feet, and threw one into the dirt, that was scooped by Nick Swisher. Then there were a couple of dandies turned in by Orlando Cabrera, our new SS, I think I’m gonna like this guy. Carlos Quentin launched a three run bomb into the leftfield stands. The score was 4-0 when Ozzie Guillen lifted Danks in favor of Scott Linebrink with two out, a runner on 1st, and John at 95 pitches thrown. Linebrink allowed the first two runners to reach in the 9th, was replaced by Bobby Jenks, who allowed a sac fly, and a doubleplay closed it out.

I was off to the Red Line to catch the 2nd game of my doubleheader at Wrigley. Judy had a bleacher ticket waiting for me at the courtesy dropoff window.

HOF Game: Good News, Bad News

This summer, the Cubs will be playing in the annual Hall of Fame Game against the San Diego Padres.  They will be playing at, of course, Doubleday Field in Cooperstown, New York on June 16, 2008. 

The bad news… it will be the last time the Hall of Fame Game will be played.  The tradition that has been going on since 1940 will be discontinued after this year. 

HOF prez Dan Petroskey claims that the game has befallen because of “scheduling” issues.

“We’re grateful to Major League Baseball for making an annual Hall of Fame Game possible for so many years, but we also understand their enormous scheduling challenge today, which makes continuing this exhibition game impossible.”

Scheduling seems like a small price to pay, in my opinion.

If you are interested in attending, tickets will be sold over the phone or in person on March 8.  Tickets will NOT be sold online.

Looking past the easy stats

As much as I like Harold Baines, I rather enjoyed Ken Tremendous’ posting on Fire Joe Morgan.  Bit by bit, he dissects a Mike Downey article from the Chicago Tribune. 

A snip:

(quoting from Downey) Harold Baines has more hits than Brooks Robinson, Charlie Gehringer, George Sisler, Luke Appling, Lou Gehrig … (keep going) … Billy Williams, Luis Aparicio, Nellie Fox, Jimmie Foxx, Ted Williams, Reggie Jackson, Ernie Banks … (don’t stop now) … 


Who on blog’s green earth would evaluate HOF inductees solely by hits? What kind of insane cherry pick is that? Not any other stat. Not longevity or era…not even taking position into account. Just: hits. Hits! That’s like evaluating pitchers based on saves and deciding Pedro Martinez doesn’t get in because he only has three.

KT’s posting is lengthy, opinionated but actually on the mark.