Don’t count the Orioles out!
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OK, who am I kidding?
Yates is 34 and barely pitched last year, but they didn’t pay much for him and it’s just a one year deal so, hey, why not?
I’ll do you one better - I won’t even count them!
I’m excited about baseball (again) this year. Despite the powerhouse that the Dodgers have assembled, I think there’s so much parity around the league.
Hmmmm…maybe I’m thinking of someone else. 34?! Either way, I think they got a good deal. I’ll take back my “spend big money on him” suggestion though.
Funny to think that Spring Training (in some form or another) is just around the corner.
Hank Aaron has died, age 86. One of the absolute greats.
This might make a tricky trivia question one day: Who was the highest paid player in 2020? Prince Fielder. His guaranteed contract survived Covid and it’s final year paid out $24 million.
Speaking of bad contracts, this is final year of Albert Pujols giant contract ($30 million.) The Yankees can finally say adios to Jacoby Ellsbury with a $5 million dollar buyout. Unfortunately for the Tigers, Miguel Cabrera still has three years and $94 million on his deal. And, of course, the poor Orioles are saddled with two more years of Chris Davis at $46 mil.
In other news, the Yankees have acquired Jameson Taillon in exchange for four minor leagurs. Taillon joins newly signed Corey Kluber in a promising rotation that is practically guaranteed to be decimated via injuries by mid-season. A typical Cashman pitching staff, in other words.
I’d forgotten Cabrera was still in the major leagues.
If he stays healthy this year, even if he’s mediocre he can pass 500 homers (he needs 13) and 3000 hits (needs 134) in the same season. I am not sure that’s ever been done before.
Keke Hernandez signed with the Red Sox. I’m bummed the Dodgers didn’t resign him. In his 5 years with the Dodgers there he started at every position except pitcher and catcher and he pitched in two games if I remember correctly. He did that while hitting over 300 every season but two.
One of the great utility players.
The Baseball Writers’ Association of America released the results of the 2021 Hall of Fame ballot, and no one made the 75% threshhold for induction. As the Hall’s veterans committees didn’t meet this year (due to MLB’s winter meetings being held virtually), this’ll be the first time since 1960 that no one is being named to the Hall of Fame.
Pitcher Curt Schilling came closest (71.1%), in his ninth year on the ballot, but he’s asked to not be placed on the ballot next year. His history of inflammatory comments in the years since retiring have likely been a factor in his not receiving more votes. Both Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were also in their ninth year on the ballot, and both got around 61% of votes, apparently having plateaued in their support levels from last year.
If off the field behavior counts, and I think it should, Schilling doesn’t belong. I think the writers got it right in denying him plus the steroid users.
Shilling just said to take his name off next year’s ballot. I’m really surprised he said that given the kind of guy he is. Next year is his last and he’s so close to getting in. Maybe he’s trying to psych the voters.
One thing I heard said is that the reason voters did not vote any player in, especially the steroid users, is because they didn’t want them to share the stage with Jeter and Walker. The opinion was also that 2022 will see a rogue’s gallery of players getting in like Bonds, Clemens and Shilling.
He sees the writing on the wall. He got 72%, but he also had a lot of voters who asked to have their ballot returned after he expressed support for the insurrection. If he’s on the ballot again next year, he’ll get less votes. He doesn’t want the embarrassment, and knows that a veterans committee will likely put him in down the road.
Without being such an ass, Schilling is a borderline case. But he goes out of his way to be an ass for the sake of being an ass. Maybe some committee will let him in down the road. But, he enjoys his martyr role today too much
It will be interesting to see what happens next year, if anyone makes it. Schilling is sure to drop (I don’t think there’s any way the HOF removes him from the ballot); Bonds and Clemens seemed to have plateaued just over 60%. I believe it’s the last year on the ballot for all three.
Rolen will continue to rise, but probably less than the 17% jump he had this year because of the new people on the ballot. Even if he did rise 17%, he’ll still be short.
Vizquel’s not going to rise, will probably drop.
That leaves the new candidates - most notably Alex Rodriguez, David Ortiz, Joe Nathan and Jimmy Rollins. I can’t imagine A-Rod getting more support than Bonds or Clemens did - especially in his first year on the ballot. Rollins will get more support than I think he should, but he won’t be a first-timer. Nathan won’t get much support, but people forget how good he was - probably just short of Billy Wagner level.
That leaves Ortiz - can he really get 75% in his first year on the ballot? I’m going to guess no, but that he’ll get in in the next year when Schilling, Bonds and Clemens drop off.
Side note - I love looking at who got just a vote or two, and who didn’t. Barry Zito got one vote; LaTroy Hawkins got two. Really? LaTroy Hawkins?
Here’s one writer, Bob Nightengale, explaining why he voted for Hawkins. Quite an interesting read, whether or not you buy his rationale.
Schilling has supported the murder of journalists. I am rather unsurprised that an association of journalists might find that an objectionable position.
I don’t mind throwaway votes like this. Nightengale had room on his ballot, and he knows Hawkins wasn’t getting in anyway. Now LaTroy can say he got a vote. No harm no foul.
Hawkins wasn’t a Hall of Famer of course but he was an awfully good pitcher who helped many teams. He is one of sixteen pitchers in history to appear in over one thousand games.
Thanks for that link - it was a good read.
Schilling probably doesn’t want to give hostile writers the satisfaction of voting to keep him out of the HoF. The writers who are protesting to the Hall against Schilling getting his wish to be removed from the ballot probably want the satisfaction of voting to keep him out.
Schilling is a jerk who’s said jerkish things. His achievements in baseball make him deserving of being voted into the HoF in my opinion. As the following article notes, “character” as it relates to the game of baseball and what you did in your career is what should count.
https://www.si.com/mlb/2021/01/27/curt-schilling-hall-of-fame-debate