Gary Carter (1954-2012)

It's one of those stories you hate to read...but catching great Gary Carter has passed away following his public battle with brain cancer.

He was 57.

"I am deeply saddened to tell you all that my precious dad went to be with Jesus today at 4:10 p.m.," Carter's daughter Kimmy Bloemers wrote on the family website. "This is the most difficult thing I have ever had to write in my entire life but I wanted you all to know."

"The Kid" played 19 years in the Majors...primarily for the Montreal Expos and New York Mets. He finished his career with 2092 hits, 324 home runs and, of course, that 1986 World Series ring.

And when he retired in 1992...he had caught more games than any other National League player.

I had a chance to talk with Carter shortly after he finished up his first season as the head coach of the Palm Beach Atlantic University Men’s Baseball team and asked him what his most memorable travel experience was.

His answer?

"Probably (going) to the White House after we won the 1986 World Series or maybe my first All-Star game in Milwaukee," the 11-time All-Star said, "the excitement and anticipation was overwhelming."

Something tells me his trip to Cooperstown was memorable as well. 

In 2003, Carter became the first player to enter The Hall of Fame wearing an Expos cap on his plaque.

Happy (Ellis) Valentine's Day!

In a couple of months, we'll be celebrating the 35th anniversary of the Montreal Expos moving their home games to Olympic Stadium.  And did you know, on April 15, 1977, Expos outfielder Ellis Valentine hit the ballpark's first home run.

It's true...dude took the league's eventual Cy Young Award winner Steve Carlton deep in the third inning.

I had a chance to catch up with Valentine earlier today...fittingly, Valentine's Day.

HOVG: While you played, you were regarded as having one of the best outfield arms in Majors.   Matter of fact, just last week, Mike Francesa and Andre Dawson talked about your throwing prowess during Francesa's radio show on WFAN in New York.  Conversely, whose arm frightened you and why?

VALENTINE: None really. If you were a good base runner you had respect for those that could throw well.

HOVG: You played alongside and, in the case of Dick Williams, for a number of Hall of Famers and Hall of Fame-caliber players. What can you tell me about Andre Dawson?

VALENTINE: The Hawk was a good player, very committed th his talent.

HOVG: How about Tim Raines and his qualifications?

VALENTINE: There are too many to list!

Ellis Valentine played ten seasons in the Majors...seven of them with the Montreal Expos.  In the team's history, he ranks seventh in career batting average (.288) and slugging percentage (.476).  Currently, the 1977 All-Star lives and works in the Dallas ara.

An Update on "The Kid"

It seems like forever since we've heard anything about Gary Carter's condition doesn't it?

Well, according to ESPN New York...there is some fantastic news from the Carter camp:

I just got off the phone with my mom and I have WONDERFUL news!

Doctor V said specifically that dad's tumors are 80% better! He is very encouraged and very very pleased with these results (as we ALL are!!) There is much less swelling and the tumors are less dense and "less angry". The size is a little smaller but the most important fact is that these tumors are starting to GO AWAY! Praise the Lord - praise the Lord!!!

The plan is now for dad to start treatment that will require 5 days of chemo in a pill form and then he will do Avastin twice a month.

On a side note, Dr. V told my parents a shocking and unbelievable story that we hadn't known until today. When my dad got his very FIRST MRI in Palm Beach County, his tumors were bad; HOWEVER, we did not realize that when he got his next MRI (only 10 days later at DUKE), Dr. V said they had doubled in size. That is how aggressive they were and so this makes the results that much MORE amazing!

Mom and dad are heading home tonight and are so encouraged! We thank you all for praying for my dad and cheering for TEAM CARTER. We rejoice and praise our Heavenly Father for this news!

Back in May, the Hall of Fame catcher was diagnosed with four malignant tumors in his brain after complaining of headaches and forgetfulness.

Following tests, doctors confirmed that Carter's cancer is indeed inoperable, so the news from his daughter Kimmy Bloemers is amazing to say the least.

You can leave well wishes for "The Kid" over at the Well Wishes for Gary website.  Last year at this time, I had a chance to talk with the 2003 Hall of Fame inductee.   Feel free to read my interview with him.

"Le Capitaine Expo: The First Steve Rogers"

When I first saw the preview for the movie "Captain America: The First Avenger"...I knew I needed to see it and I had three reasons why.

One...the obvious. I dig the character and it looks fantastic.

Two..."The First Avenger" shares a name with one of my favorite mustachioed hurlers of the 80s.  And let's be honest, anytime you can reminisce about the Montreal Expos...you win.

And, lastly, a certain friend of mine (who shall remain nameless) used to use the name "Steve Rogers" when out at the strip club. And no, not because of the comic book hero...but, rather, as a shout out to the pitcher.

Confused yet?

Thankfully, Michael Clair from one of my favorite sites (Old Time Family Baseball) broke down the differences (and similarities) of the two men named Steve Rogers.

Steve Rogers was a 4-F civilian who hated the Nazis so much that he was willing to became a human subject for the Super Soldier Serum, eventually transforming into Captain America.

Steve Rogers is also a man from Jackson City, Missouri, who, ironically, played his entire career with the Montreal Expos of Not-America. He is also the only Steve Rogers to ever grace a Major League box score.

Despite twice leading the league in losses, 1974 and 1976, and upsetting his manager, Dick Williams, for not being a big game pitcher, Rogers actually had a pretty spectacular career. In 13 seasons, the longest tenure for any player who spent their entire career with "les Expos", Rogers won 158 games while posting a 3.17 ERA, good enough for a career ERA+ of 116.

Unfortunately, it’s his lone postseason relief appearance that is Rogers’ legacy. Just as Captain America must continuously relive Bucky’s fiery death atop a rocket, so too must the baseball playing version have his own rocket related memory.

With the score tied at one in the 1981 NLCS, Rogers was brought on to pitch the top of the ninth inning. With two outs, Rick Monday stepped to the plate. On a 3-1 pitch, Monday took Rogers’ offering and blasted the ball over the fence, ending the Expos season.

Is Rick Monday an anagram for Captain America’s arch nemesis, the Red Skull? No, it’s not.

But their first names both begin with R’s. Coincidence?

You decide.

Please, head over to Clair's site and read the entire piece...it's pretty special.


And in case you were wondering...I hit the midnight screening of "Captain America: The First Avenger" and I really, really dug it.  The only issue I had...not enough Warren Cromartie.

Sorry...confusing my Rogers again.

Friday 5: Andre Dawson

Regardless how you feel about Andre Dawson’s Hall of Fame credentials, I’m pretty sure no one was actually upset when the eight-time All-Star finally made his way through the doors of Cooperstown after nine tries.

The 1987 National League Most Valuable Player played 21 seasons with the Montreal Expos, Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox and, finally, his current employer, the Florida Marlins.

Thursday night, I was part of a media consortium that had a chance to catch up with the Hall of Famer…here’s the meatiest of what he told us.

MEDIA: Who do you consider baseball’s home run king?

DAWSON: Well, Barry (Bonds) did what he did (but) the record probably is tainted as a result of the steroid scandal. Hank Aaron was a guy that I idolized growing up because his journey to get to where he was and how he accomplished what he did. To me, he’ll always be the all-time home run king.

MEDIA: Should the steroid tainted players be allowed in the Hall?

DAWSON: I’m glad that the writers have really taken a stance on how they’re going to judge this. And from the look of things…it doesn’t look pretty. It’s hurt a lot of players who probably do a lot better throughout the voting process. They’ve been overlooked and pretty much cast aside and that was all a result of the era where the numbers really took off. Personally, I think that somewhere down the road they might be given better consideration, but they’re going to have to suffer the consequences and that’s probably going to be not being allowed in the Hall of Fame anytime soon.

MEDIA: What are your thoughts on wearing the Expos cap in the Hall of Fame versus a Cubs cap?

DAWSON: It wasn’t my choice or preference, but I respect the decision of the Hall and them being more concerned about the history of the game. I felt (playing in Chicago) is what put me in that particular status of being Hall-worthy and I respect their decision. But I will always, in my opinion, be looked at as a Cub.

MEDIA: Are there any plans that you know of to put Number 8 up on the foul poles at Wrigley Field?

DAWSON: You’d have to talk to the people in charge. (Laughs) I have no knowledge of that one.

MEDIA: If you had to pay to see a ballplayer…which one would you pay to see today?

DAWSON: I’ve always been a big fan of Albert Pujols for his character and the way he handles himself both on and off the field. There’s some talented players throughout baseball and some good young players in the game also. There’s a kid down in Florida who, barring injury, will do some phenomenal things named Mike Stanton. He can hit a baseball as far as anyone in the game and is only 21-years-old. I like him because of his make up…he’s young, has his head on the right place, is a student of the game and is what you’d want in a young ballplayer coming up.

Following the media “press conference”, Dawson and I talked more about the Hall of Fame, Ryne Sandberg’s public endorsement, and how he thinks he should’ve won two other MVP awards while playing in Montreal.

But, in all fairness to “The Hawk”, I didn’t really feel like I could just throw my recorder in his face and, while just shooting the bull, record him.

Lastly, a big thanks to Karen Tilly and her group over at Rockford MELD for making Thursday night’s event possible. Two years ago, I had the chance to talk with Hall of Famer Fergie Jenkins, so…here’s to another great guest in the future!

Talkin' Baseball with Jeff Juden

I’m pretty sure that Jeff Juden has been called plenty throughout his eight year Major League career.

But given his outward appearance (an imposing 6’8” and close to 270 pounds), I am sure one name was never thrown at the hard throwing righty…“Forrest Gump”.

Juden looks nothing like Tom Hanks’ titular character from the 1994 film, and while the only comparisons I could come up with was one being born during the Richard Nixon administration and other had a fictional meeting with the embattled president…it is still kinda easy to draw some similarities.

On the baseball field that is.

Juden played for eight teams in eight years and along the way, crossed paths with some of the game's best, most colorful and controversial players.

He appeared in a World Series Game Seven and is the only pitcher to share something in common with sluggers Sammy Sosa, Frank Thomas and Hall of Famer Eddie Murray.

Recently I had a chance to catch up with Juden to talk about his storybook past, present and future.

The Ten Best Moments from The Hawk’s Career

Well, today's the day, baseball fans...the Hall of Fame Induction!

After nine long years on the ballot, Andre Dawson finally got the call, and to celebrate his achievement, Charles Beatley (proprietor of Hawk for the Hall) put together a list of what he says are the best of The Hawk's storied career.

October 25, 2003
Wins first World Series championship. Yes, Dawson was retired, but he played an important part in the Florida Marlins second appearance in the fall classic. After his retirement from baseball, The Hawk joined the organization’s front office and instantly became a mentor to many of the team’s young and upcoming talent. While all Hawk fans, especially Cubs fans, would have loved his World Serioes ring to come as a player, I am happy that he got to experience that champion feel in some capacity.

July 13, 1987
In the midst of his MVP season, Dawson won the Home Run Derby at the Oakland Coliseum. Who did he beat? George Bell, Ozzie Virgil and Mark McGwire.

September 11 and 13, 1976
At the age of 21, The Hawk begins his career making his MLB debut. How did he do? 0-2, one strikeout. Fortunately that wasn’t a sign of things to come. Two days later he got his first hit, off of who else, Hall of Famer Steve Carlton...one of the pitchers who he would have great success against in the future.

April 29, 1987
The Hawk did one of the more difficult things to do in the big leagues and that is hit for the cycle. It came against the Giants at Wrigley Field with him going 5-5 in an 8-4 win for the Cubs. Dawson hit a home run in the first, double in the third, single in the fourth, triple in the sixth and topped it off with a second single in the 8th.

October 2, 1988
Dawson broke Bobby Bonds’ record of eleven consecutive seasons of at least ten home runs and ten stolen bases. Just a pre-cursor of what was to come for the future Hall of Famer in terms of rare combination of power and speed.

September 24th, 1985
Before he became a Cub, Dawson punished his future team having the best game of his career. In 6 at bats, he had 4 hits, 3 of which were home runs, with 8 RBIs and three runs scored. What can be better than that? How about becoming only the second player in Major League history to hit two home runs in the same inning, a pair of three-run shots in the fifth. Expos won by the way 17-15. (Read what longtime Cubs write George Castle told The Hall of Very Good about that day HERE)

July 9, 1991
The Hawk made his last All-Star appearance (he played in eight total) and went out with a bang. He hit a home run in a losing effort for the National League off of Roger Clemens in the Toronto Skydome.

April 15, 1993
Andre hit his 400th career home run with the Red Sox on April 15 at Fenway Park in the second inning. The Sox beat the Cleveland Indians 4-3 that day. Sadly, the steroid era has diminished how special it is to reach such a plateau now...but I remember when it happened for The Hawk and how amazed I was.

May 23, 1991
Dawson joined two exclusive clubs by stealing his 300th base...the 300 home runs/300 stolen bases club and the even more rare 300 home runs/300 stolen bases and 2,000 hits club. It happened at Shea Stadium in a 4-3 Cubs win over the Mets. Other 300/300 members...Barry Bonds, Bobby Bonds, Willie Mays, Steve Finley and Reggie Sanders. Other 300/300/2000 members...Barry Bonds, Mays and Finley.

July 25, 2010
I know its cliché, but I saved the best for last…the 2010 Baseball Hall of Fame Induction. Today is your day Mr. Dawson. Today is the day you don’t have to be the humble superstar athlete that we all came to love. Today you become one of baseball’s immortal and unforgettable heroes. Enjoy your day, you’ve waited a long time for this, you’ve reached the pinnacle of an athelete’s career, a career that will always be special to this Hawk fan!

Andre Dawson...the Last Expo Hall of Famer?

When Andre Dawson enters the Hall of Fame this weekend, he'll be entering as a Montreal Expo. The following take on Dawson the Expo comes from our friend Charley over at Hawk for the Hall.

It is quite possible that Andre could be the last Montreal Expo to be inducted and that in itself would be pretty cool.

The Expos always had the reputation of developing great, young talent only to trade it away or lose them to free agency. Here's a list of former Expos who has or had Hall potential.

Tim Raines. To me he is a Hall of Famer. However, several Hall voters and baseball writers don't see it that way. Raines has been on the ballot three times, netting 24% in votes in 2008, 22.6% in 2009 and 30.4% in 2010. Andre's voting percentage in his first three years is as follows...45.3% in 2002, 50% in 2003 and 2004. There is a fairly significant difference in their first three years.

Vladimir Guerrero. It looks as though Vlad has bounced back from injury and it he gets hot in the sweltering heat of Texas, he has a real shot of being a Hall of Famer. But will he go in as an Expo or an Angel? My guess would be an Angel. Eight years in Montreal, six as an Angel. His numbers are relatively close in those two spans...however he won the American League MVP award in 2004 with the Angels.

Larry Walker. Walker played his first six years as an Expo, but the move to Colorado did wonders for his career, not to mention winning National League MVP in 1997. Whether he accumulated high enough career numbers for voters is up for debate. We'll find out more in January.

Pedro Martinez. Pedro pitched four years in Montreal and won the National League Cy Young award in 1997. But, only 55 of his 219 career wins came north of the border, plus, he won two more Cy Young awards with the Red Sox (1999 and 2000). Is 219 where his win total stops, we'll have to wait and see. But one thing is for sure...he won't wear an Expo hat on his plaque.

Randy Johnson. Hall of Famer...yes. Being inducted as an Expo...no. "The Big Unit" had a very brief stint in Canada...11 games, to be exact, between 1988 and 1989.

Andres Galarraga: He spent eight years wearing an Expos cap, but failed to reach the necessary 5% in 2010 to stay on the ballot next year.

I'm guessing "The Hawk" will be remembered as the last Expo to be honored by the Hall of Fame. How do you see it?

On a similar note, famed Cubs author and "Diamond Gems" host George Castle shared some memories of "The Hawk". You can read them HERE.

Talkin' Baseball with Gary Carter

At 15-13 on May 7, this is the latest in a season that the Washington Nationals have been above .500 since their inaugural season in 2005 when they were 17-13 on the same date.

By comparison, the Nationals didn't win their 15th game last season until June 2...and by that point, they were already 15-36 and 15.5 games back.

And since I’m calling them the “Washington Nationals”, I’m also reminded of the bitter pill that is Montreal, Canada without baseball.

Throughout my youth and early adulthood, there were always two teams in Canada…the one with a goofy logo on their cap and the Blue Jays. Of the two, I rooted more for the team with the goofy logo on their cap than the one that called Toronto home.

The Montreal Expos had limited success in their 36 years, reaching the playoffs only once back in 1981. But it was that very team that brought us some of the National League’s finest players of the ‘80s…Gary Carter, Tim Raines, Andre Dawson and Jeff Reardon.

So, instead of the normal Friday feature (spoiler alert…you’ll get Carter’s “Friday 5” next week), here’s me and “The Kid” talkin’ some baseball.

HOVG: Certain events in our lives shape the way we go about our business every day. What effect did your Mom’s passing when you were eight years old have on your childhood, playing career…and life in general?

CARTER: The loss of my Mom was a huge impact on my life as we were a very loving family that went to church regularly. I didn’t understand why a loving God would take someone away as dear as her. It helped me to understand how fragile life is. I asked Christ into my life in 1973 at age 19.

HOVG: You spent 12 of your 19 seasons as an Expo…what would it have meant to the city of Montreal for you, Tim Raines and Andre Dawson to have brought a World Series championship to Canada?

CARTER: It would have meant the world, maybe to the extent the team may not have ever moved. They are the city of Champions.

HOVG: Personally, what did going back to Montreal in 1992 and retiring an Expo mean to you?

CARTER: It meant a lot because that is where it all started. And now that “The Hawk” (Andre Dawson) is in the Hall of Fame, it’s nice to share the honor with him.

HOVG: You made it into the Hall of Fame on your sixth try…did Dawson ever call you for advice on how to handle the pressures of “will I make it in” or “won’t I”?

CARTER: No. I just kept encouraging him.

HOVG: This July, you’ll be on that stage in Cooperstown when “The Hawk” finally makes his way to Cooperstown. How long until Raines gets his call?

CARTER: It may be a long time or maybe never. He has good numbers but that is a tough call.

HOVG: You’ve had the privilege of playing under some of the game’s great managers…Dick Williams during your first couple of years in Montreal, Tommy Lasorda with the Dodgers and, of course, Davey Johnson while with the Mets. What are your thoughts on each?

CARTER: I enjoyed playing for each manager but of those three. Davey Johnson was the most fun. Dick Williams gave me the opportunity to play regularly and I was an extra player when I played for Tommy Lasorda.

HOVG: Williams and Lasorda are, obviously, Hall of Famers. This past winter, Davey Johnson fell well short of Cooperstown in what was his second appearance on the Veterans Committee ballot…does he belong in the Hall of Fame?

CARTER: I believe he does as he was successful at every place he managed

HOVG: In recent years, we’ve seen you go from the diamond to the broadcast booth to, now, coaching. What influence did some of your previous managers have on you?

CARTER: I have taken a little something from each manager I played for and have tried to develop my own style.

HOVG: You’ve managed in the minors and now coached collegiately…is a job in the Majors in your future?

CARTER: Probably at this point, no, unless some great opportunity came along.


Gary Carter recently completed his first season as the head coach of the Palm Beach Atlantic University Men’s Baseball team. Under his leadership, the Sailfish finished the year 17-24…up from 10-36 in 2009.

Carter is regarded as one of the greatest catchers of his generation and has a laundry of awards to show for it. With eleven All-Star Game appearances (ten straight at one point), three Gold Gloves, a World Series ring and a plaque in Cooperstown…he’s accomplished about as much as anyone could ever want while in the Majors.

Carter’s charitable foundation is trying to do its part to get the tools for learning into the hands of disadvantaged youth so they, too, can accomplish everything they want. You can visit The Gary Carter Foundation online HERE.

10 units about Johnson's 300

That sound you heard Thursday was a gorilla of monster proportions finally getting removed from the back of Randy Johnson.

That’s right.

As it was first mentioned back in April here at The Hall, Johnson achieved the Grand Daddy of all pitching milestones…300 wins. With a 5-1 victory over the Washington Nationals, the five-time Cy Young award winner became the 24th player to notch 300 wins.

Here are ten things you might not have known about Johnson’s 300 victories.


7566
From his first victory (a 9-4 win on September 15, 1988 against Pittsburgh) to his latest…7566 days have passed. In that time, baseball went from having 26 teams to 30. The Angels went from California to Anaheim to Los Angeles (by way of Anaheim) and most notably…the Montreal Expos (Johnson’s first team) packed up and moved to Washington DC (Johnson’s latest victim). Incidentally, DC not only welcomed a baseball in that time, but they also welcomed four different presidents.

2709
Sure, we all know that with 4845 strikeouts, Johnson is second all-time. But did you know, that in his 300 victories, he struck out 2709 batters? All-time, that total alone would rank him 21st all-time…ahead of such notables as Tom Glavine (2607), Warren Spahn (2583), Bob Feller (2581) and Sandy Koufax (2396).

300
Sure…300 stands for the number of victories thrown by Johnson. 164 of them were home victories, while 136 were achieved on the road. Two victories came out of the bullpen. On July 20, 2001, Johnson stepped in and finished a game that had been postponed from the day before. He chalked up 16 strikeouts in 7 innings, technically setting the record for the most strikeouts in a relief stint. It should be pointed out that in those 300 victories…Johnson has startling 1.84 ERA. By comparison, Greg Maddux has a 1.82 ERA in his 355 wins.

102
In a July 9, 2004 game against his current team the Giants, Johnson hit 102 miles per hour on the radar gun. For the record…this is the fastest pitch recorded in a regular season baseball game. The fastest pitch recorded by a Major Leaguer (103 mph) was by Mark Wohlers in a 1995 Spring Training contest. Wohlers, coincidentally, is NOT one of 560 players that has shared a clubhouse with Johnson.

82
At 82 inches tall (or 6’10”), Johnson is the tallest 300 game winner in history. Before him, Steve Carlton, Roger Clemens and Gaylord Perry shared the distinction at 6’4”. During batting practice in 1988, Johnson, then with the Montreal Expos, collided head-first with outfielder Tim Raines. Because of his height, Raines exclaimed, "you're a big unit!" The nickname stuck.

41
With his first win at Nationals Park, Johnson now has victories in 41 different ballparks against all 30 MLB teams. The only parks he is winless in are Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium (0-1), Memorial Stadium (0-2), New Busch Stadium (0-1) and Citi Field (0-1). With some time, he should be able to knock two off that list. With a time machine…he might be able to get the others.

36
With the 36th pick overall in the 1985 draft, the Montreal Expos selected Johnson from the University of Southern California. Some notables that were drafted before him…Will Clark (2), Barry Larkin (4), Barry Bonds (6) and Rafael Palmeiro (22).

20
On May 8, 2001, Johnson became only the third pitcher to record 20 strikeouts in a game when he squared off against the Cincinnati Reds. But because the game went into extra innings, it was not categorized by MLB as an "official" 20-strikeout game.

2
“The Big Unit” holds the honor of being one of five pitchers (Cy Young, Jim Bunning, Nolan Ryan and Hideo Nomo are the others) to have thrown a no-hitter in both the American and National League. Of his two “no nos”, one is a perfect game…a feat only 16 other pitchers have accomplished. In case you were wondering…Young and Bunning each have a perfect game, whereas Ryan and Nomo do not.

1 (tie)
A career .128 hitter, the lanky “Unit” has hit only one home run. It happened September 19, 2003 against the Brewers and came off of future teammate Doug Davis.

1 (tie)
In what can only be termed “a freak accident”, Johnson struck and killed a dove in a Spring Training game on March 24, 2001. The unlucky bird swooped across the infield just as Johnson was releasing the ball and ended up dead amid a "sea of feathers". The official call was "no pitch”. Check out the video on YouTube HERE.

Canton vs. Cooperstown

Last weekend, during the NFC Championship game, the commentators were all talking about the matchup between Donovan McNabb and Kurt Warner.

At some point, it became less about who was going to the Super Bowl and more about the legacy of each quarterback. Every time I heard that this particular game would determine who would end up taking up residency in the Pro Football Hall of Fame…I threw up a little in my mouth.

Are the credentials for enshrinement in Canton THAT much different than unlocking the doors at Cooperstown?

Apparently so.

A fourth NFC Championship loss would spell doom for McNabb, while a third Super Bowl appearance would, apparently, make Warner a lock. If you listened to the announcers, each touchdown pass to Larry Fitzgerald was another step toward immortality for the former Hy-Vee bag boy. In the second half, all that was pushed aside thanks to McNabb’s comeback.

All of a sudden, he was likened to John Elway or Joe Montana.

Unless you were under a rock, you know that the game concluded with the Arizona Cardinals winning 32 to 25 and seemingly sent Warner to the tailor to get measured for his Hall of Fame jacket.

Can someone please tell me why?

Warner wasn’t even slated to start this season under center. For his career, he has played three…count ‘em THREE full seasons as a starting quarterback. Sure, he made the Super Bowl in each of those seasons and his career winning percentage hovers around 56%, but in baseball terms…the guy is more Jose Rijo (career winning percentage of 56% and a World Series MVP) than Curt Schilling (accolades too numerous to mention).

So what in the world does Kurt Warner have to do with baseball? There hasn’t been a “Warner” in baseball since 1966 and the closest any of them haven’t gotten to the Hall of Fame were the “Waner” brothers (Paul and Lloyd) of the 30s and 40s.

Consider this if you will.

Football is a game of “what have you done for me once” while baseball fans want to know exactly “what are you doing for me now”…just look at the history of the game. Joe Namath, with his one ring and .500 record, has earned him some sort of legend status. David Cone, with his FIVE rings, a perfect game and close to 200 Ws can’t get FOUR percent of the writers to vote for him.

And that’s why I am fearful of the news I heard coming out of Pittsburgh…the Pirates are interested in signing Pedro Martinez.

Why be afraid though? Pedro is a LOCK for Cooperstown…only an idiot would leave him off their ballot, right? Right?!? Well, I thought the same about Rickey Henderson, but apparently five percent of the voters out there proved me wrong.

Take this leap of faith with me.

Before Pedro bolted Beantown for the Big Apple…the curators at the Hall of Fame were already framing up his spot on the museum walls. Four years later…and it’s a different Pedro.

No, I don’t mean that the jheri curl disappeared or that his face got a little chubbier. This is a guy, who, seemingly forgot how to win. Basically, he forgot who he was.

In the eight year stretch (seven of which were in Boston) before he donned the Mets pinstripes, Pedro had SEVEN top four finishes in the Cy Young voting. Three times (1997, 1999 and 2000), he took home the award. In 1999, he won the pitching triple crown by leading the league in wins, Ks and ERA.

Martinez was 32 when he left Boston with his six All-Star games, 182 wins and 2653 Ks under his arm. He won 70 percent of his games and had a career strikeout to walk ratio of 4.31…both ranking him third best of all-time.

Amazingly, his 117-37 record with the Red Sox ranks as the highest winning percentage (76%) any pitcher has had with any team in baseball history.

With the Mets, Martinez was 32-23 with a 3.88 ERA…a far cry from his career ERA of 2.91 or PRE-New York ERA of 2.71. Somehow, he was selected to two All-Star games (2005 and 2006) and was injured for most of his stay.

So allow me to say it…Pedro, hang it up. Please.

You’re 37 and while some of your contemporaries (Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux and Schilling) seemed to have stepped up their game during their prime years…yours has declined. Should you play four more years like you did the last four, your ERA is likely going to jump over 3.10 and your winning percentage will drop to 65%.

Why do it to yourself and your legacy?

Your peak was legendary and was one that would make guys like Sandy Koufax, Juan Marichal or Jim Palmer slap you on the back. You took big game pitching to an entirely new level. Don’t ruin it all by suiting up with the Pirates.

I’m serious.

It was bad enough to see you trot to the mound at Shea, but after four years…we got used to it. Hang it up before you take the bump at PNC Park (or whatever they’ll call it next) because, and I’m going to attempt to bring this back to pro football, Johnny Unitas looked absolutely silly as a Charger.

Oh Canada...no, seriously!

***Ever wonder what happens when I am behind in giving my opinion on last week’s Hall of Fame announcement? In short…David Allan steps in.***

Well I guess I should start this off with congratulations to Rickey Henderson, a first ballot Hall of Famer to be sure. My first quick question is who are the 28 guys that honestly believed that Rickey wasn’t Hall worthy?

The conversations with colleagues, friends, family or anyone else interested for that matter had to go like this.

DA: So, who was on your ballot this year besides Henderson?
I mean, did you vote for Jim Rice, Andre Dawson, Bert Blyleven, Lee Smith and Jack Morris? How about it, were you one of the few that threw a vote to Dave Parker or David Cone, maybe Big Mac or Alan Trammell?

Bonehead Writer: Actually no, to be honest, I didn’t vote for Rickey.

DA: Oh really, you submitted a blank ballot? Figured none of these guys where Hall of Fame worthy then? It’s hard to believe, but I’d love to hear the argument.

Bonehead Writer: No, I wasn’t one of those two. I picked Rice, Dawson, Jay Bell, and Mo Vaughn.

DA: Jay Bell? Really?You voted for JAY BELL?!?

Bonehead Writer: Well, I feel that nobody should be a unanimous first ballot Hall of Famer.

DA: But somewhere out there guys like you support the notion that Jay Bell, Mo Vaughn and Jesse Orosco could be Hall of Famers. They got votes for crying out loud. Somebody must have checked their boxes? You guys must be half way to the moon if you think any of this makes a lick of sense! Those guys don’t even qualify for The Hall of Very Good!

Or at least that’s how I’d imagine the conversation to go in my head. Those 26 writers that voted should be ashamed of themselves for not choosing an obvious Hall of Fame choice in Rickey.

As for the two writers that submitted blank ballots, get over yourselves.

Honestly, you’ve been given the privilege of choosing who is inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and you waste it on some childish notion that there shouldn’t be a unanimous first ball Hall of Famer?

I would also like to say thank you to Jim Rice. Jim, Canada wants to buy you a drink.

Why Canada you ask?

No don’t go running for your atlas; Boston hasn’t somehow been magically transported to Manitoba. Although I am sure there are a few in New York that wish it had been.

I’d like to thank the Red Sox media machine for making Rice the darling pick over the last couple years, to the point where he edged his way over that 75% threshold.

Why you ask?

Great question, because I couldn’t understand how Rice got there. I mean it wasn’t like at some point in the last 15 years he collected a couple hundred more hits, or swatted another 120 home runs.

The argument I keep hearing is that his numbers have become more impressive because of the era he played in and the six or seven seasons of dominance that he had. His steep decline later in his career has some how become less of a problem with writers became over the past couple of rounds of voting.

So I submit to you Jim Ed Rice. A .298 batting average, 382 bombs, 2452 hits, 1451 RBI and 58 stolen bases. He was eight times an All-Star, once an MVP and one Hell of an American.

In his best major league season he batted .325 with 46 home runs and 139 RBI. He collected 213 hits, swiped 10 bases and was caught 5 times.

If all of that is Hall worthy, let’s talk about Larry Robert Kenneth Walker, born December 1, 1966 in Maple Ridge, British Columbia. That’s right, Larry Walker, or as I like to call him Canada’s next Hall of Fame inductee.

Nope, Canada isn’t struggling to add anyone else to the National Hockey League Hall of Fame, so let me focus my efforts on Cooperstown.

Okay, now that you have screamed out the word “WHAT?”, in utter disgust and then proceeded to slowly mouth the words “Larry Walker?” over and over again in an extremely slow and confused manner, let me get started.

First things first, Walker only averaged 125 games for his career, because of injuries, so we can conclude that although he did play 17 years in The Show for the Montreal Expos, Colorado Rockies and St. Louis Cardinals, some of his raw numbers are a little light.

That being said, let’s start with the two stats that Hall of Fame writers go straight to when measuring greatness, homeruns and hits.

Walker managed 383 home runs. One more than Rice’s all time total. Plus, he did it in 1300 less at bats. Larry managed to knock a big fly over the wall at a clip of 1 every 18.03 at bats. Rice on the other hand whacked long balls at a pace of 1 per every 21.53 trips to the dish.

Everyone, at this point, is going to point to the ballpark on this stat. But can we not agree that Fenway has inflated a few numbers in its day? For the record, Walker’s home vs. road splits for home runs during his entire career is 56/44 (home vs. away), while Rice is 54/46.

Now in the hits category Walker is 292 hits shy of Rice’s total at 2160, but taking into account the number of at bats missed over his career, especially those in his prime, we can safely say that Walker’s career .313 batting average would more than likely put his career total some where in the 2400-2500 hit range.

If you take his career average and multiply it by the number of additional at bats Rice had, we get an additional 412 career hits for Walker or 2572. Moreover, if you look at his 162 game avg, and multiply that by his 17 year career we are looking at 2992, or a mere eight hits shy of 3000, but I am sure he would’ve come back to get, and probably 100 or so more.

Walker does get hurt by the limited at bats in the RBI total as well, although he falls short of Rice, his 1311 has him in similar company to Paul Molitor, Roberto Clemente, Pete Rose, Mike Piazza and Duke Snider.

I would again go back to a yearly average of 107.

1700 runners driven in is exclusive company as it puts you in the top 25 for an all-time career. That’s ahead of Ernie Banks, Tony Perez, Cal Ripken Jr. It puts you in the club with Manny Ramirez, Frank Thomas, Reggie Jackson, Honus Wagner and Ken Griffey Junior.

Those names all sound like Hall of Famers to me.

His 471 career doubles outpace Rice by 98 for his career. We are talking about Jim Rice, a right-handed batter that played in a park that manufactures doubles out of long fly ball outs. So again I am not impressed by the home vs. road knock on Walker.

I know you’re thinking it.

We can talk offense all day, but it is apparent to people that watched that both were great, but that Walker was a more complete player. He stole 230 career bases, compared to Rice’s 58.

Walker took home, count them with me now 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 Gold Gloves over a ten year period. Rice managed NONE.

Rice was a two-time Silver Slugger winner, an award Walker took home three times. Walker’s resume also includes three league batting titles. He hit a whopping .379 in 1999! He finished in the top ten six times. Rice also had six top ten finishes, but was never higher than third.

There are 92 members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. For his career, Larry Walker ranks in the Top 100 all-time in batting average, home runs, doubles, at bat to RBI ratio, extra base hits and on base percentage. In 1997, he became a member of the 30/30 club.

I submit to you Larry Walker. One MVP, three batting titles, five All-Star games and seven Gold Gloves. His 162 games average is a batting average of .313, an on base percentage of .400, a slugging percentage of .565, 31 home runs, 107 RBI, 38 doubles, and 19 stolen bases.

I present to you Canada’s next Hall of Famer.

***Note: Based on the "Is Larry Walker a Hall of Famer" poll that was on the page...only 40% of you think he is.***