Roberto Alomar Loves the Number 12

It happens all the time. 

The calendar hits a certain date and people go out of their way to attach some sort of meaning to it.  October 10, 2010 (10-10-10) was "Binary Day", July 7, 2007 (7-7-07) was a day for luck and, of course, May Fourth is "Star Wars Day" (think about it).

So, what do you do if December 12, 2012 is around the corner and 12 is your "special number"?

Well, if you're Hall of Fame second baseman Roberto Alomar (and you spent your big league career wearing the number 12), you get married...no matter how cliche it sounds.

"Kim and I couldn't be happier that we are wedding on the date 12-12-12...my special number," the former Major Leaguer told the website Terez Owens.  "Kim is my love and my life."

¡Arriba!

It's Official! Alomar, Blyleven and Gillick Get Inducted

"Only the top one percent makes the Hall of Fame."

National Basball Hall of Fame Chairman Jane Forbes Clark

From Yogi Berra to Rickey Henderson, Sandy Koufax to Tony Gwynn…all the game’s greats were there.

In fact, 47 of the 65 living Hall of Famers were in attendance Sunday to watch Cooperstown’s Class of 2011 get inducted and true to form, the ceremony did not disappoint.

"My time in Toronto was the best of my career," baseball’s newest Hall of Famer, second baseman Roberto Alomar told the Blue Jays fans in the crowd.  "You embraced me from day one, you worked with me throughout my ups and downs, and I am so proud to represent you as the first Toronto Blue Jay inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame."

In 2010, Alomar missed induction by just eight votes. His 73.7% of the vote was the highest percentage of votes in any player's first year on the ballot without being elected.

A year later, he would receive 90% of the vote.

Alomar finished his big league career with more Gold Gloves (ten) than any other second baseman out there, a .300 batting average, 2724 hits and two World Series rings.

He is the third Puerto Rican in the Hall of Fame, after Roberto Clemente and Orlando Cepeda.

Fellow inductee Bert Blyleven’s road to the Hall of Fame was a little bumpier than Alomar’s. It took the former pitcher 14 tries to get in.

In 1999, the hurler’s second year on the ballot, he mustered only 14.1% of the vote…a far cry from the 79.7% he received this past January.

It’s been a great couple of weeks for the former pitcher. During a recent game, the Minnesota Twins retired Blyleven’s number.

For his career, he amassed 287 wins, 3701 strikeouts (good for fifth all-time), an equally impressive 60 shutouts and a 3.31 ERA. Not too shabby for 22 big league seasons.

And while much of the day’s attention was focused on Alomar, Blyleven and one of the game’s finest general managers, Pat Gillick, there was a tribute to those Hall of Famers who have passed since last year’s induction…Bob Feller, Sparky Anderson, Duke Snider, Harmon Killebrew and Dick Williams.

"I don't even feel like being here," Hall of Famer Johnny Bench said of his missing colleagues. "I'm doing it for Bert and Roberto. It's just the worst year ever.”

Also noticeably absent was 2003 inductee Gary Carter who could not make it to Cooperstown because he is in Florida battling glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer.

But that didn’t stop him from reaching out to Blyleven on the eve of the pitcher’s big day.

"He apologized because he couldn't be here," Blyleven told The New York Post. "It was pretty touching."

So, with the 2011 induction now in the books…is it time to start looking ahead to next year’s induction ceremony?

With no shoe-ins among the first ballot guys, will 12-time All-Star Barry Larkin make his way in? Will we see anyone at the podium?

Only time will tell.

But until then, let’s not be so quick to push Roberto Alomar, Bert Blyleven and Pat Gillick off the Clark Sports Center stage. It’s still 2011. It’s still their year to shine.

The Obligatory 2011 Hall of Fame Re-cap

Alright, I'll ask the question...now that Bert Blyleven has had his ticket punched, whose cause is the internet going to champion?  Seriously, I'm going to miss the non-stop Blyleven tweets and blog posts eleven months from now.

As it is...by now, you know that the Dutchman, with 79.7% of the vote, will be enshrined in Cooperstown alongside Roberto Alomar this July.

Alomar, who fell eight votes shy last year, tallied, perhaps, the quiestest 90% of the vote ever. I mean, of the 13 guys who have gotten 90% of the vote or more in the last 20 years...can you think of someone who did it with less fanfare?

The guy ended up with the third most votes (behind only Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn) in history!

But I digress.

More interesting than the two who did make it...might be the 31 who didn't.

Barry Larkin (62.1% this year, 51.6%)
Sure, Alomar had the biggest jump (16.3%) of anyone on the ballot...let's not discredit the 10.5% increase in Larkin's totals. With a paper thin crop of potential first ballot nominees next year...all the 1995 National League MVP needs to do is add another 13% to his total from this year, and he's in.

Jack Morris (53.5%, 52.3%)
I'm thinking that Morris fans were hoping for more of an increase in this, the righty's 12th year on the ballot.  Turth be know...it's going to be tough for Morris to make the Hall at this rate.  While no one of note is on the 2012 ballot, a 22% jump is not going to happen.  That said, the 2013 (with Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling) and 2014 ballots (with Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine) aren't going to do Morris any favors.  I know it is premature, but see you on the Veterans Committee ballot, Jack...it was a good run!

Jeff Bagwell (41.7%, first year on the ballot)
Bagwell did surprisingly well this year considering the late push by some to try and link him to the steroid era.  A look ahead could see "Bags" in Cooperstown alongside Randy Johnson 2015 or Ken Griffey Jr. in 2016.  Pretty good company considering the Boston Red Sox once traded him for Larry Andersen.
Larry Walker (20.3%, first year)
Another first ballot guy, Walker actually fared worse than I expected.  I kinda thought the former National League MVP would have finished at about 35-40%...but, then again, I've been pimping the cause of Harold Baines for the last five years as well.  But don't fret Walker fans...Joe DiMaggio went in on his fourth try.

Tim Raines (37.5%, 30.4%)
Alright, "Rock" is going to get his due...mark my words.  In 2010,  dude went from 22.6% to 30.4% and this year...added another 7%.  Raines is my prediction to be the darling of the "internet zealots" in the upcoming years.

Alan Trammell (24.3%, 22.4%) and Dale Murphy (12.6%, 11.7%)

Cases can be, and have been made for both of these guys. At times, each represented the best of the best at their respective positions. I'm guessing both will stay around for the duration of their maximum 15 years on the ballot.

Which leads me to...

Dave Parker (15.3%, 15.2%)
"The Cobra" is now, officially, off the Hall of Fame ballot.  After a 15 year stint on the ballot, the iconic Pirate was never really able to catch the voter's eye.  The best he ever fared...24.5% in 1998.  The best case for Parker now is The Badass Hall of Fame...won't you help me in getting this done?

Lee Smith (45.3%, 47.3%), Edgar Martinez (32.9%, 36.2%), Fred McGriff (17.9%, 21.5%) and Don Mattingly (13.6%, 16.1%)
The fact that all four of these guys lost percentage points is a little bit of a shock.  I honestly thought both Smith and Martinez would increase (with Lee Arthu getting over the 50% hump) their totals.  That said, all four are poised for a collective 60 years on the ballot...with Martinez having the best chance to get in.  Alongside former teammate Ken Griffey Jr. in 2016 perhaps?  We'll have to wait and see.

Aaaaaah, steroids.

Mark McGwire (19.8%, 23.7%) and Rafael Palmeiro (11.0%, first year)
One admitted to using and lost votes...the other was found guilty of using and could only find 64.  Both players are among the all-time leaders in multiple categories, but both will certainly be continually punished for the era they played.  I've heard, read and made the "level playing field" argument...but, it appears, if you've actually used PEDs (and not just taken the field alongside those who did) you're not going to get the vote of the writers who turned a blind eye to your usage.  Oh well.

Juan Gonzalez (5.2%, first year)
The candidacy for Gonzalez keeps me up at night.  His numbers are incredible and, potentially, Hall-worthy.  The cloud of suspicion that hangs over his head, however, is going to, more than likely, push "Gonzo" off the ballot in a year or two.  It's a shame really...because dude was incredible to watch.

Fifteen guys (John Franco, Kevin Brown, Tino Martinez, Marquis Grissom, Al Leiter, John Olerud, B.J. Surhoff, Bret Boone, Benito Santiago, Carlos Baerga, Charles Johnson, Bobby Higginson, Raul Mondesi, Kirk Rueter and Lenny Harris) got less than the five percent necessary to stick around next year. Suffice it to say, these guys won’t be missed come 2012...but I did think both Franco and Brown would've gotten enough to be there a year from now.

In this, his fifth year of candidacy, legendary DH Harold Baines (4.8%, 6.1%) is now, officially, off the Hall of Fame ballot.  I've been championing the cause for Baines' candidacy for a while now and I can honestly say I'm disappointed.  The idea of the Hall of Fame is to celebrate those that were the best at their position while they played, right?  Well, throughout the late 80s and 90s...Baines was the game's designated hitter of record.  Sure, sure, the named the annual designated hitter award after the afore mentioned Martinez...but it was Baines and his 2866 hits that I'll most remember.

Rant over.

And Your Cooperstown Class of 2011 is...

After breaking down each player on the ballot for the past five weeks...it's finally official.

With an amazing curveball, 287 wins, 3701 strikeouts and the groundswell of internet support...Bert Blyleven was the odd's on favorite to make it into the Hall of Fame is year. 

Well, "zealots"...he pulled it off by garnering 79.7% of the vote after falling five short last year.

Joining Blyleven in Cooperstown will be Roberto Alomar.  The second baseman missed induction a year ago by eight votes, but cleared the hurdle easily today by garnering 90% of the vote.

Blyleven and Alomar will join Veterans Committe selection Pat Gillick, Ford C. Frick Award winner Dave Van Horne and J.G. Taylor Spink Award winner Bill Conlin in Cooperstown July 24.

Here's the break down among the top vote getters.

Roberto Alomar (90%, 73.7%)
Bert Blyleven (79.7% this year, 74.2% in 2010)
Barry Larkin (62.1%, 51.6%)
Jack Morris (53.5%, 52.3%)
Lee Smith (45.3%, 47.3%)
Jeff Bagwell (41.7%, first year)
Tim Raines (37.5%, 47.3%)
Edgar Martinez (32.9%, 36.2%)

A complete breakdown of the 2011 Hall of Fame selection is on the way...believe it!

Your 2011 Hall of Fame Class:

ROBERTO ALOMAR
Second Year on Ballot

PLAYING CAREER: San Diego Padres (1988–1990), Toronto Blue Jays (1991–1995), Baltimore Orioles (1996–1998), Cleveland Indians (1999–2001), New York Mets (2002–2003), Chicago White Sox (2003), Arizona Diamondbacks (2004) and Chicago White Sox (2004)

ACHIEVEMENTS: Career batting average of .300, with 2,724 hits, 1508 runs, 210 home runs and 474 stolen bases. 12 straight All-Star Games (1990-2001), 10 Gold Gloves in an 11 year stretch (1991-2001) and back-to-back World Series rings in 1992 and 1993.



BERT BLYLEVEN
14th Year on Ballot

PLAYING CAREER: Minnesota Twins (1970–1976), Texas Rangers (1976–1977), Pittsburgh Pirates (1978–1980), Cleveland Indians (1981–1985), Minnesota Twins (1985–1988) and California Angels (1989–1992)

ACHIEVEMENTS: Career 287–250 record with a 3.31 ERA in 22 seasons. Ranks fifth all-time in strikeouts (3701), eleventh in starts (685), ninth in shutouts (60) and 14th in innings pitched (4970). Threw no-hitter September 22, 1977. Twice an All-Star (1973 and 1985).

The Hall of Fame Class of 2011...by the Numbers

After a marathon Hall of Fame Eve live chat last night…I think one thing everybody can agree on is that baseball really is a game about numbers.

Whether you’re a metrics guy, a black/gray ink guy or something else…it’s the numbers that make you a fan.

56 games, 61* home runs (or 70 for that matter) and 4192 hits all mean something to someone.  And while we wait to see who going to get enshrined in Cooperstown next…here are some more numbers to play with.

3701
Much is made of Bert Blyleven’s other stats (and the “zealots” out there know what I am talking about), but to me…his 3701 strikeouts is the most impressive. How impressive? Only two players (Nolan Ryan and Steve Carlton) had more when Blyleven retired…and I think they’re both household names.

2866
With 2866 career hits, Harold Baines has the most of any Hall-eligible player (not named Rafael Palmeiro…more on him later) not in the Hall of Fame. In his fifth year on the ballot, Baines is looking to improve upon the 6.1% of the vote he got last year.

405
All that was needed to get past the doors of the Hall of Fame last year was 405 votes. Andre Dawson made it in with 420. Bert Blyleven (400 votes) and Roberto Alomar (397) fell a combined 13 votes short…the closest any two players have gotten to getting in in the same year and didn’t.

70
Last year, Bert Blyleven (74.21%) and Roberto Alomar (73.65%) became the 22nd and 23rd players to receive more than 70% of the vote and not gotten into the Hall of Fame. That said, all 21 previous cats that cleared the barrier ended up making it in.

47
Of all the Hall of Famers enshrined…only 47 of them spent their entire big league careers playing for just one team. This year, Barry Larkin, Jeff Bagwell and Edgar Martinez look to add to that total. Larkin spent his career at shortstop for the Cincinnati Reds, Bagwell (after being traded by the Boston Red Sox while in the minors) suited up in the Majors only for the Houston Astros and Martinez made a name for himself with the Seattle Mariners.

14
Much has been made about this being Bert Blyleven’s 14th time on the Hall of Fame ballot. Should he make it in this year, he’ll be only the third player (Rabbit Maranville and Bill Terry are the other two) that made it in on lucky number 14.

10
The slick fielding Roberto Alomar brought home ten Gold Gloves in an eleven year span (1991-2001)…the most of any second baseman in history. Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg is next on the all-time list with eight.

10
After emphatically shaking his finger at Congress in March 2005, Rafael Palmeiro tested positive for using anabolic steroids in August of the same year. What resulted was a ten day suspension and, more than likely, a one way ticket out of the Hall of Fame.

6
Only six BBWAA Hall of Fame electees have been born outside of the United States...two others got in courtesy of the Veterans Committee. This year, the ballot of 33 consists of eight foreign born players including Hall of Fame frontrunners Bert Blyleven (Netherlands) and Roberto Alomar (Puerto Rico).

-0.9
And lastly, I couldn’t leave without feeding my SABRmetric friends (do I have any?) at least one stat. Lenny Harris’ WAR of -0.9 is the worst by anyone on the Hall of Fame ballot since 1985 when Jesus Alou bested (worsted?) everyone with a ballot low -2.3.

So there you have it, gang…your Hall of Fame election by the numbers. Now sit back, relax and wait for the Class of 2011 to become official!

Breaking Down the 2011 Hall of Fame Ballot

On Monday, the Baseball Writers Association of America announced the 2011 Hall of Fame ballot.

All in all, there are 33 candidates (up from 26 last year)...19 newcomers and 14 holdovers. And while there are no shoe-ins...there are definitely some great storylines.

Last year, pitcher Bert Blyleven came five votes shy of induction. In this, his second-to-last time on the ballot, the Dutchman is looking to grow his 74.2% to the 75% necessary.

Also coming just short last year was Roberto Alomar. Along with Blyleven, he was one of two candidates that came within ten votes shy. With 397 votes (405 were needed), the second baseman received the most votes of any first-year candidate without being elected.

Two other players were named on more than half the ballots...pitcher Jack Morris (52.3%) and shortstop Barry Larkin (51.6%)

Other notable holdovers...Lee Smith (47.3%), Edgar Martinez (36.2%), Tim Raines (30.4%), Mark McGwire (23.7%), Alan Trammell (22.4%), Fred McGriff (21.5%), Don Mattingly (16.1%), Dale Murphy (11.7%) and Harold Baines (6.1%).

Dave Parker, who received 15.2% a year ago, will be appearing on his 15th and final ballot.

The most notable newcomer to this year's ballot is also, arguably, the most accomplished...Rafael Palmeiro.

Of course, the fact that Palmeiro is only one of four players with more than 3000 hits and 500 home runs (Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Eddie Murray are the others) is overshadowed by that pesky steroid suspension that was handed down in August 2005.

While his 1835 RBI is spectacular and his 5,388 total bases rank him tenth all-time, there isn’t a snowball’s chance that a guy who pointed his finger to Congress and proclaimed “I have never used steroids, period” gets in a mere six years after being found guilty of doing the opposite.

Another player under the "did he" or "didn't he" cloud of suspicion is two-time American League MVP Juan Gonzalez. With a lifetime .295 batting average, 434 home runs and 1404 RBI...he would fit in well in Cooperstown. The fact that it is unknown if he was clean or not will make him lucky to see his name pop up on a quarter of the ballots.

A guy that stands to get a bunch of love is Astros legend Jeff Bagwell. "Bagpipes" played the game right compiling 449 home runs, 1517 runs scored, 1529 RBI and a .297 batting average before calling it quits in 2005.

Seven-time Gold Glove winner Larry Walker is also on the ballot for the first time. With a career .313 batting average, 383 home runs and 1311 RBI, the 1997 National League MVP is looking to become only the second Canadian-born player in the Hall of Fame.

Reliever John Franco compiled a huge number of saves over his 21 year career. His 424 saves rank him fourth all-time behind Trevor Hoffman, Mariano Rivera and Lee Smith. But until Smith gets the call...Franco won't get anywhere near Cooperstown.

Also on the ballot for the first time...Carlos Baerga, Bret Boone, Kevin Brown, Marquis Grissom, Lenny Harris, Bobby Higginson, Charles Johnson, Al Leiter, Tino Martinez, 1994 National League Rookie of the Year Raul Mondesi, John Olerud, Kirk Reuter, 1987 National League Rookie of the Year Benito Santiago, and B.J. Surhoff.

Players receiving votes on 75 percent of the ballots will garner an invite to the enshrinement ceremony July 24th in Cooperstown. Results of the vote will be announced January 5th and each day until then, The Hall of Very Good will be breaking now one of the 33 candidates.

Alright, so let's jump back to the beginning...there are no shoe-ins this year, but Bert Blyleven and Roberto Alomar look to be the two guys with the best chance of enshrinement. Rafael Palmeiro would have been looking at being named on nine out of ten ballots if not for the failed steroid test. But unfortuantely, he won't be seeing the inside walls of the Hall of Fame without first buying a ticket.

So who do you think will make it this year? Let your voice be heard in the comments section!

The obligatory Hall of Fame re-cap

So here’s the deal…you’re a voting member of the BBWAA and instead of checking off one name on your ballot (you can do up to ten), you choose to do none.

None.

Never before has the baseball world been more upset in the five writers not completing their ballot than with this year’s Hall of Fame ballot. I know, I know, by NOT voting for anyone…they voted.

Whatever.

Let’s jump into the re-cap of who got in (Andre Dawson) and who didn’t (25 other dudes).

Andre Dawson (77.9% this year, 67.0% in 2009)
“The Hawk” was destined to make it in given he was the closest last year and at 67% in 2009, his 10% jump was no real surprise. I have no issues with Dawson making it in given Cooperstown opened its doors to Jim Rice last season. For what its worth (and I know the Dan Shaughnessy haters will blast me on this one)…he always struck me as a Hall of Famer.

Which brings me to…

Bert Blyleven (74.2%, 62.7%)
I’ve called Blyleven plenty in the last couple of months. A “compiler”, “not worthy”…the list goes on and on. Battles have been waged, but my opinion never wavered. That being said, the dude got screwed. But why? Did he fall five votes short of 75% because of the cowards who sent in blank ballots? Not sure. Did he fall short because of his own endless campaigning? Who knows. I know this...Bert will be back on the ballot next year and his supporters will be all the more vocal.

Roberto Alomar (73.7%, first year on ballot)
I’ve been huge on Alomar for a while now. Still am. How a player of his stature can be left out in the cold is beyond me. Are there that many Mariottis out there that feel as though they are better than the game by not purposely NOT putting someone in on their first ballot? I know the argument about “a Hall of Famer is a Hall of Famer…doesn’t matter when he gets in”, but Alomar was the most deserving cat on the ballot.

Jack Morris (52.3%, 44.0%) and Lee Smith (47.3%, 44.5%)
Like Dawson and Blyleven, both Morris and Smith saw increases in their totals. While I am a fan and supporter of both…I do see the arguments against. That being said, it appears as though the Hall is starting to open its doors for some of my heroes growing up. As a child of the 80s…I ate, drank, breathed 80s baseball and Morris and Smith were a big part of it.

Tim Raines (30.4%, 22.6%)
I’m going to be honest…it sure would’ve been nice for Raines and Dawson to have gone in together. After the time they spent tolling in Montreal, the pair would have been quite a site together on that stage in front of the baseball world. As it is, “Rock” is now three years in to what will surely be a long stay on the ballot.

Alan Trammell (22.4%, 17.4%), Don Mattingly (16.1%, 11.9%), Dave Parker (15.2%, 15.0%) and Dale Murphy (11.7%, 11.5%)
Cases can be, and have been made for these four guys. At times, each one represented the best of the best at the respective positions. All four will stay around for the duration of their maximum 15 years on the ballot, but as I’ve said numerous times in the past…I think only the iconic Yankee Mattingly will sniff Cooperstown. At only 16% now, his vote totals haven’t gotten near the 75% needed, but I am predicting that when it is all said and done, the Veterans Committee will recognize his achievements in New York pinstripes.

Harold Baines (6.1%, 5.9%)
I love the fact that Baines can’t do better than six percent, yet won’t dip below five. I’ve always been a fan of the guy and as long as he is continuing to linger on the ballot…I will continue to pimp his cause. My hope is that the BBWAA won’t disappoint (as they proved they can this year), and keep throwing votes Baines’ way. 30-40 votes a year…that’s all I’m asking for. Less than that means he’s likely off the ballot.

Barry Larkin (51.6%, first year), Edgar Martinez (36.2%, first year) and Fred McGriff (21.5%, first year)
While Alomar surprised me…the totals for these three first timers did not. With more than half of the votes, Larkin is positioned to eventually get in (I’m looking your way, Class of 2015) and when he does…I’ll lead the slow clap. Regarding Martinez and McGriff, honestly, I could go either way. Put them in or don’t…I really have no issues either way.

Eleven guys (Andres Galarraga, Robin Ventura, Ellis Burks, Eric Karros, Kevin Appier, Pat Hentgen, David Segui, Mike Jackson, Ray Lankford, Shane Reynolds and Todd Zeile) got less than the five percent necessary to stick around next year. Suffice it to say…these guys won’t be missed come 2011.

In a year where it appears as though almost everyone increased their vote totals, I am beside myself that Mark McGwire (23.7%, 21.9%) still can’t get a third of the votes necessary to become a Hall of Famer. While I would never put him in the Hall…a lot of mainstream writers appeared to be changing their tune on the big redhead. With the latest revelations regarding performance enhancing drugs that have been unearthed in the last couple of years…“Big Mac” still doesn’t have any tangible evidence being pointed in his direction. My guess is that the writers are waiting to see if or when McGwire gets cleared of using PEDs before they make a realistic push to getting him enshrined…or, they’re hoping his time on the ballot ends quickly so they don’t have to make the decision to tick his box.

***Following the BBWAA's omission of everyone BUT Dawson, I posed the question, "Who else should have gotten the Cooperstown call?" This is how you answered: Alomar (71%), Blyleven (62%), Larkin (38%), Raines (26%), McGwire (25%), Morris (24%), Smith (21%), Martinez (14%) and Other (3%).***

Hawk is it!

I'm kinda shocked.

No...seriously.

Last night, I was predicting that it would be Andre Dawson and Roberto Alomar. I mean, you can sift through the number of posts that have been posted here and see how committed I was to Alomar's cause.

When I broke down the first timers on the 2010 ballot, I figured it would be Alomar and Dawson or Bert Blyleven. There was no way I could have predicted Dawson at 77% and with five blank (yes, BLANK) ballots being sent in Blyleven (74.2%) and Alomar (73.7%) each coming a handful of votes short.

For some glowing praise on the latest member of the Hall of Fame, head on over to Hawk4theHall. But basically, you have a guy, much like Jim Rice last year, where I think the writers shrugged their shoulders and said “why not?”

Dawson was an eight time All-Star, eight Gold Glove recipient, and took home an MVP Award and Rookie of the Year honors. Add to that close to 2800 hits and those pesky 438 home runs and you’ve gotta admit…”The Hawk” was a special, special player.

More on this later.

Hall of Fame 2010: Roberto Alomar

From now until the Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2010 is announced, The Hall is going to be breaking down each candidate. Some write ups will be lengthy...some will be the opposite. Some will be brand new pieces...some will be re-hashes of previous pieces.

For the most part...this is the latter.

Dear Readers…truth or dare?

Dare you say?

Fair enough. I want you to go outside RIGHT NOW and ask the first person you see who the best second baseman was over the last quarter century. And when they answer “Ryne Sandberg”…punch them in the face.

Why? They’re lying to you.

Unquestionably, Ryno was good. But he isn’t the BEST to play the position this side of 1980.

I know, I know…Sandberg was the MVP in 1984. At one time, he had the most home runs by a second baseman and in the field, he nabbed nine straight Gold Gloves.

He was pretty good.

But Roberto Alomar was better. Hands down.

Matter of fact, he might be the best modern day second baseman...even though Joe Morgan would tell you otherwise.

Some people might even go on to tell you that Alomar wasn’t ever the best player on the field for any of the seven teams he played for. Much like Morgan, I’d tell you that neither were Craig Biggio and Jeff Kent and they’re both Hall of Fame caliber middle infielders.

And yes...I mean THAT Jeff Kent.

Let’s break this down…plain and simple.

The case for Alomar is an easy one…even easier when compared to the most recent Hall inductee at second base, Ryne Sandberg.

Here ya go:

Alomar went to twelve straight All-Star games (nine as a starter), compared to Ryno’s ten. Incidentally, his ten Gold Gloves over a span of eleven years is the most ever by a second baseman.

His .984 fielding percentage is a hair behind Sandberg’s .989.

His 2724 hits (and career .300 batting average) is the most by any every day second baseman since Charlie Gehringer’s 2839. Gehringer was inducted in 1949. FYI…Sandberg finished with 2386 and a .285 batting average.

Even, Alomar’s OPS+ (a stat that I am not that high on, but some people are) of 116 is smack dab in the middle of the pack when you look at those already enshrined. For the record, Sandberg’s was 114. Joe Morgan...a surprising 132.

Alomar even slugged .347 in back to back World Series victories for the Blue Jays
And yes, for every “case for”…there is a case against:

Alomar lacks an identity. His longest stint with any team was five years with the Blue Jays.

As mentioned, Alomar was overshadowed on nearly every team he played for (Tony Gwynn in San Diego, Joe Carter in Toronto, Cal Ripken in Baltimore, Albert Belle and Manny Ramirez in Cleveland).

In this, his first year on the ballot, he's up against Bert Blyleven, Tim Raines, Barry Larkin, Fred McGriff and Edgar Martinez. Granted, they’re not all Hall of Famers…but they’ll garner some attention and steal (pun intended in Raines' case) some votes.

And, unfortunately, the spitting incident with umpire John Hirshbeck.

Alomar was the type of player that, because he was so damn solid for nearly 17 seasons…people forget that he was a hitting machine. From his second year in the majors (1989) until 2001, Alomar hit under .295 only twice. He even had an impressive run of nine out of ten years where he hit .300 or better.

Open your doors for Robbie, Cooperstown, I’ll be watching...all the while knowing that the best second baseman I ever saw play is getting his just desserts.

Hall of Fame ballot...2010 style!

Last Friday, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America released the names of the 26 players that make up the 2010 Hall of Fame ballot.

Between now and when the results of the balloting are announced January 6, you’ll likely be subjected to dozens of writers who think they have an opinion as to who belongs and who doesn’t.

Unfortunately, I’m no different…so here we go!

Roberto Alomar. I’m huge on Alomar…can’t help it. The guy retired at 36 and still managed career numbers of 2724 hits and 1508 runs. Add to that his .300 career batting average and you’ve got one of the best second basemen ever to lace up the spikes. 12 straight All-Star Games, 10 Gold Gloves in an 11 year stretch and back-to-back World Series rings. Yeah…put him up the wall now and spare the writers this vote.

Kevin Appier. If I told you that Appier had a career ERA of 3.74 and ten years with ten or more wins would you care? No?!? Thought so.

Harold Baines. Alright, as huge as I am on Alomar…I’m just as huge on Baines. And yes, I know the “he was JUST a DH” speech so spare me the lecture. That being said, it needs to be pointed out that Baines holds the record for most games played at DH. His 2866 career base hits (40th all-time) means that he has the most hits of any player that is Hall eligible. Only Pete Rose, Craig Biggio, Rickey Henderson, Rafael Palmeiro and Barry Bonds are ahead of him. Odds are that had Baines not had two work stoppages during his career, he would have eclipsed 3000 hits. Futhermore, he also has the most RBI of all Hall eligible players and ranks 29th all-time. So riddle me this…how does a guy like Baines barely get enough votes to stay Hall-eligible year after year? His lack of support is a joke.

Bert Blyleven. For some reason, Blyleven has become the sexy pick of everyone who has an opinion on who does and who doesn’t belong. That being said…I don’t know that he should be up there on the Cooperstown stage come July. Yes, I know, I know, I just went on and on about Harold Baines and now…I’m slamming Blyleven. The guy was a compiler. A damn good compiler…but a compiler nonetheless. Of his 287 victories, only once did he top 20 victories…and that was in a season where he went 20-17. And while he has more strikeouts than all but four pitchers, let’s look at the bigger picture…how many times did Bert lead the league in ERA? Wins? What about winning percentage? How many Cy Young Awards did this cat bring home? Zero. He was an All-Star twice, but c’mon…so was Esteban Loaiza. And frankly, when do you suppose the last (or first) time someone not named “Blyleven” uttered the words…”I sure do hope Bert’s on the hill today” on their way to the ballpark?

Ellis Burks. While I would never, ever, use the words “Ellis Burks” and “future Hall of Famer” in the same sentence, I was surprised to see that he had a career batting average of .291, belted 352 home runs and was robbed in 1996 of the National League MVP Award.

Andre Dawson. Like Jim Rice, I think Dawson will eventually get in. After a while, the writers will shrug their shoulders and say “why not?” An eight time All-Star, eight Gold Glove recipient, an MVP Award and Rookie of the Year honors…he was every bit as feared as people say Rice was. Add to that close to 2800 hits and those pesky 438 home runs and you’ve gotta admit…”The Hawk” was a special, special player.

Andres Galarraga. You can go both ways with the “Big Cat”. Take away the “Coors Factor” and Galarraga is the poor man’s Will Clark. Take into account that he did play in Colorado during the prime of his career and he’s borderline Willie Stargell-like. But let’s face it…you can’t ignore 399 home runs, 1425 RBI and a career .288 batting average. Wait, the writers do routinely…and, again, they call him “Harold Baines”.

Pat Hentgen. In 1996, Hentgen took home the American League Cy Young Award. This January, he’ll have celebrated his lone year on the Hall of Fame ballot.

Mike Jackson. Jackson is 12th all-time (among pitchers) in games played with 1005…three more than Goose Gossage. Pretty impressive until you realize that numbers 1 through 11 consist of such notables as Dan Plesac and two other “Mikes”…Mike Stanton and Mike Timlin. Something tells me that Cooperstown isn’t ready for the journeyman closer/set up man yet.

Eric Karros. See “Pat Hentgen”, but swap out “1996 American League Cy Young Award” with “1992 National League Rookie of the Year”. In short…same result.

Ray Lankford. You know, there used to be a time when I routinely confused Lankford with Brian Jordan and Bernard Gilkey. Next!

Barry Larkin. With all the hubbub that surrounded Cal Ripken and how he re-defined the position of shortstop over in the American League…Larkin was his equivalent in the National League. To an extent. With a career .295 batting average, 2340 hits and nine Silver Slugger Awards, the 1995 NL MVP brought some swagger back to what was a dead Big Red Machine…if only for a few years. I put him in.

Edgar Martinez. The argument FOR Martinez is that he is the “best DH ever”. The argument AGAINST Martinez is that he is the “best DH ever”. I’m not sure which side of the fence I fall on, but as long as Harold Baines is paying for his ticket…Martinez can stand in line behind him. Sure, Martinez has a .312 career batting average and ranks 22nd all-time in on base percentage (at .418)…but the guy only has 2247 hits and has a pretty empty trophy case to show for his 18 year career. And yes, even though the annual DH award is named after him…that isn’t good enough to garner a plaque on the wall.

Don Mattingly. Like most of the world, I was enamored with Mattingly when he hit the scene. I had his 1984 Donruss rookie card encased in Lucite and thought I was witnessing the second coming. During a six-year run beginning in 1984, Mattingly averaged 26 home runs, 114 RBIs and a .327 batting average. No player during that stretch had more RBI than Mattingly's 684 amd only Hall of Famer Wade Boggs (1,269) had more hits than Mattingly's 1,219. That six-year peak (from 1984 to 1989) is clearly one of the best of his generation and overall, his brief career stacks up with some others in the Hall. I’m not saying he goes in now, but I do think “Donnie Baseball” will hover on the ballot for a while longer and get his due from the Veterans Committee.

Fred McGriff. Now, this is where I might lose some of ya…I think the “Crime Dog” is a Hall of Famer. It’s true, he wasn’t a sexy player (no MVP Awards, only five All-Star Games), but his numbers stack up well with some of the other first basemen in the Hall. Of the 12 enshrined, only five of them drove in more runs (McGriff has 1550 RBI), only four hit more home runs (McGriff hit 493), and only three scored more runs (McGriff scored 1349 runs). McGriff needs to be enshrined soon, because (like Rice for 14 of the last 15 years), his numbers will pale in comparison to the contemporaries on the ballot.

Mark McGwire. Even without the steroids discussion, McGwire’s stats don’t warrant the lip service that everyone pays him. And while I’ve heard all the OPS arguments, you can take away his tremendous home run total and all you’ve got is a guy who played in a ton of All-Star games and had precious little to show for it. Sorry Mark…and it has nothing to do with whether or not you were juiced.

Jack Morris. Consistency and durability, while not THE reason to induct someone…has to be taken into consideration when judging someone’s worth. Morris was the epitome of a pitching “Iron Horse”. Matter of fact, this innings hog (he had eleven seasons of more than 235 innings pitched) holds the record for most consecutive opening day starts…14. And if you thought Cal Ripken’s streak was impressive (it was), Morris went nearly 500 starts without missing his turn in the rotation. Again, not a reason to bronze his head…but not too shabby either. Morris notched a career 254-186 record…good for a .577 winning percentage. His win total is more than Hall of Famers Bob Gibson, Juan Marichal, Whitey Ford and plenty of others. Hell, in the 80s alone…Morris went 162-119 and led the decade in both wins and complete games. He was the ace of three World Series teams (he was injured and couldn’t play in 1993 or else there’d be a fourth) and he threw a no hitter. I think the main reason Jack gets overlooked is his career ERA of 3.90. He never led the league (much less came close to it) and made no bones about the fact that he gave up a ton of runs. Will he get into the Hall? Probably not. Does he deserve to? Absolutely. Thankfully for Morris, the Veterans Committee does like to look at players that got close (he appeared on a best 41.2% of the ballots in 2006) but not close enough. Let’s hope that someday soon, the 80s won’t be as overlooked as they have been in the past.

Dale Murphy. It’s hard to remember how dominant Murphy was when he hit his peak in the mid-80s. Consider this…when he retired, his 398 home runs ranked 19th all-time. Now…he sits at 48. After winning his back-to-back MVP awards in 1982 and 1983, Murphy appeared to be on his way to Cooperstown. Now…not so much.

Dave Parker. If there was a “Badass Hall of Fame”, I’d put “The Cobra” in hands down. Matter of fact, I think he and Jack Morris would be on hand to deliver two of the inaugural speeches. Unfortunately, the only Hall of Fame worth mentioning here is saved for baseball players and as much as I’d like to see Parker’s toothy grin on that stage praising Willie Stargell and condemning Marge Schott…I’m afraid we’ll never see it happen.

Tim Raines. I always kinda thought that Raines was one of the best out there. Along with Rickey Henderson, there were really only two guys you would want to lead off for you. With a nice peak throughout the 80s, 2605 career hits, a .294 batting average and 808 steals, Raines is the kind of guy that might get some votes.

Shane Reynolds. Ugh.

David Segui. Double ugh.

Lee Smith. I met the guy a while back and the man is intimidating. Smith seemed bigger than life standing next to me (I'm 6'4") and shaking his hand was like grabbing a tractor tire. I can only imagine what it was like having him throw something in your direction from sixty feet, six inches. Now, while that is not a reason to induct someone (if it was, Tim Stoddard would be enshrined), Smith’s 478 saves were pretty darn good. For 13 years, Smith was the all-time saves leader and up until recently, he held the record for most games finished. I mean, when a guy is getting his records broken by the likes or Trevor Hoffman and Mariano Rivera he had to have been decent, right? Right?!?

Alan Trammell. For some reason, Trammell has become the Bert Blyleven of some Hall of Fame discussions and I am not sure why. When he played, like Blyleven, he was so overshadowed by some of the other guys out there that no one would have considered him a lock for Cooperstown. Now, long after retiring and having spent a number of years on the ballot…people start banging his drum. Why? I liked Trammell, it’s true…but I don’t see it, gang.

Robin Ventura. Six times a Gold Glove recipient at third and a gang load of grand slams…but that’s about it.

Todd Zeile. See “Robin Ventura” but remove the flowery comments about Gold Gloves and grand slams.

So, I guess if you’re keeping track, my “YES” would go to Alomar, Baines, Dawson, Larkin, McGriff and Smith. I’m admittedly on the fence about Blyleven, Martinez and Raines and I think Mattingly and Morris will eventually get their due.

I guess we’ll see how it all unfolds in six weeks. Until then…keep reading and let me know what you think.

The Hall of Fame Class of 2010

This weekend, baseball’s Hall of Fame welcomes Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice.

Henderson was a shoe-in YEARS ago…whereas it took Rice every single one of the fifteen years he was allowed to be on the ballot.

So, with their inductions on the horizon, the discussion turns to who might join them NEXT year and the year after that, etc. And when I say “might join them” I’m NOT talking Bert Blyleven and Andre Dawson…I’m talking first ballot guys.

Let’s take a stab at 2010.

IN.

Roberto Alomar.
I’m huge on Alomar…can’t help it. The guy retired at 36 and still managed career numbers of 2724 hits and 1508 runs. Add to that his .300 career batting average and you’ve got one of the best second basemen ever to lace up the spikes. 12 straight All-Star Games, 10 Gold Gloves in an 11 years stretch and two World Series rings. Yeah…put him up the wall now and save the writers the vote.

Barry Larkin.
With all the hubbub that surrounded Cal Ripken and how he re-defined the position of shortstop over in the American League…Larkin was his equivalent in the National League. To an extent. With a career .295 batting average, 2340 hits and nine Silver Slugger Awards, the 1995 NL MVP brought some swagger back to what was a dead Big Red Machine…if only for a few years.

Fred McGriff.
Now, this is where I might lose some of ya…I think the “Crime Dog” is a Hall of Famer. It’s true, he wasn’t a sexy player (no MVP Awards, only five All-Star Games), but his numbers stack up well with some of the other first basemen in the Hall. Of the 12 enshrined, only five of them drove in more runs (McGriff has 1550 RBI), only four hit more home runs (McGriff hit 493), and only three scored more runs (McGriff scored 1349 runs). McGriff needs to be enshrined soon, because (like Rice for 14 of the last 15 years), his numbers will pale in comparison to the contemporaries on the ballot.

OUT (in random order).

Ellis Burks.
While I would never, EVER, use the words “Ellis Burks” and “future Hall of Famer” in the same sentence, I was surprised to see that he had a career batting average of .291, belted 352 home runs and was robbed in 1996 of the National League MVP Award.

Mike Jackson.
Jackson is 12th all-time (among pitchers) in games played with 1005…three more than Goose Gossage. Pretty impressive until you realize that numbers 1 through 11 consist of such notables as Dan Plesac and two other “Mikes”…Mike Stanton and Mike Timlin. Something tells me that Cooperstown isn’t ready for the journeyman closer/set up man yet.

Robin Ventura.
Six times a Gold Glove recipient at third and a gang load of grand slams…but that’s about it.

Kevin Appier.
If I told you that Appier had a career ERA of 3.74 and ten years with ten or more wins would you care? No?!? Thought so.

Ray Lankford, 1996 American League Cy Young Award Winner Pat Hentgen, Todd Zeile, 1992 National League Rookie of the Year Eric Karros, Mark McLemore, Fernando Vina, Shane Reynolds, Dave Burba, David Segui and Andy Ashby.

ON THE BUBBLE.

Edgar Martinez.
The argument FOR Martinez is that he is the “best DH ever”. The argument AGAINST Martinez is that he is the “best DH ever”. I’m not sure which side of the fence I fall on, but as long as Harold Baines is paying for his ticket…Martinez can stand in line behind him. Sure, Martinez has a .312 career batting average and ranks 22nd all-time in on base percentage (at .418)…but the guy only has 2247 hits and has a pretty empty trophy case to show for his 18 year career.

Andres Galarraga.
You can go both ways with the “Big Cat”. Take away the “Coors Factor” and Galarraga is the poor man’s Will Clark. Take into account that he DID play in Colorado during the prime of his career and he’s borderline Willie Stargell-like. But let’s face it…you can’t ignore 399 home runs, 1425 RBI and a career .288 batting average. Wait, the writers do routinely…and, again, his name is Harold Baines.

Alright…so those are the names on the ballot for the 2010 induction. Basically, I think Alomar is in and, perhaps, Dawson or Blyleven (or both) will join him.

Keep coming back the rest of the week for 2011, 2012, 2013 and, you guessed it…2014.

(Insert your own title here)

I'm going to avoid all jokes and what not and suggest you read this from the New York Daily News regarding Roberto Alomar.

In papers filed in state and federal court, (former girlfriend Ilya) Dall said Alomar finally got tested in January 2006 while suffering from a cough, fatigue and shingles. "The test results of him being HIV-positive was given to him and the plaintiff on or about Feb.6, 2006," the $15 million negligence suit says.

Nine days later, the couple went to see a disease specialist who discovered a mass in the retired second baseman's chest, the court papers say.Alomar's skin had turned purple, he was foaming at the mouth and a spinal tap "showed he had full-blown AIDS," the suit says.

Foaming at the mouth...yikes! Something tells me that if you turn purple and need a spinal tap to figure out why, things aren't going to end well. I will spare you some of the other details as you can look them up for yourself over at Google.

In the meantime…truth or dare?

Dare you say?

Fair enough. I want you to go outside RIGHT NOW and ask the first person you see who the BEST second baseman was over the last quarter century. And when they answer “Ryne Sandberg”…punch them in the face.

Why? They’re lying to you.

Unquestionably, Ryno was good. But he isn’t the BEST to play the position this side of 1980. I know, I know…Sandberg was the MVP in 1984. He once had the most home runs by a second baseman and nabbed nine straight Gold Gloves.

He was pretty good.

But Roberto Alomar was better. Hands down.

Matter of fact, he might be the best modern day second baseman...even though Joe Morgan would tell you otherwise.

Some people might even go on to tell you that Alomar wasn’t ever the best player on the field for any of the seven teams he played for. Much like Morgan, I’d tell you that neither were Craig Biggio and Jeff Kent and they’re both Hall of Fame caliber middle infielders.

Let’s break this down…plain and simple.

The case for Alomar is an easy one…even easier when compared to the most recent Hall inductee at second base, Ryne Sandberg.

Here ya go:

• Alomar went to twelve straight All-Star games (nine as a starter), compared to Ryno’s ten.
• His Ten Gold Gloves over a span of eleven years is the most ever by a second baseman and his .984 fielding percentage is a hair behind Sandberg’s .989.
• His 2724 hits (and career .300 batting average) is the most by any EVERY DAY second baseman since Charlie Gehringer’s 2839. Gehringer was inducted in 1949. FYI…Sandberg finished with 2386 and a .285 batting average.
• Even, Alomar’s OPS+ (a stat that I am not THAT high on, but some people are) of 116 is smack dab in the middle of the pack when you look at those already enshrined. For the record, Sandberg’s was 114. Joe Morgan...a surprising 132.
• Alomar even slugged .347 in back to back World Series victories for the Blue Jays.

And yes, for every “case for”…there is a case against:

• Alomar lacks an identity. His longest stint with any team was five years with the Blue Jays.
• As mentioned, Alomar was overshadowed on nearly every team he played for (Tony Gwynn in San Diego, Joe Carter in Toronto, Cal Ripken in Baltimore, Albert Belle and Manny Ramirez in Cleveland).
• When he is eligible in 2010, he’ll likely be up against Tim Raines, Barry Larkin, Fred McGriff and Edgar Martinez. Granted, they’re not ALL Hall of Famers…but they’ll garner some attention and steal (pun intended in Raines' case) some votes.
• And, unfortunately, the spitting incident with umpire John Hirshbeck.

Alomar was the type of player that, because he was so damn solid for nearly 17 seasons…people forget that he was a hitting machine.

From his second year in the majors (1989) until 2001, Alomar hit UNDER .295 only twice. He even had an impressive run of nine out of ten years where he hit .300 or better.

Open your doors for Robbie, Cooperstown, I’ll be watching...all the while knowing that the best second baseman I ever saw play is getting his just desserts. I just hope he'll be there to enjoy it.

Sure, he's in...but what cap would he wear?

Dear Readers…truth or dare?

Dare you say?

Fair enough. I want you to go outside RIGHT NOW and ask the first person you see who the BEST second baseman was over the last quarter century. And when they answer “Ryne Sandberg”…punch them in the face.

Why? They’re lying to you.

Unquestionably, Ryno was good. But he isn’t the BEST to play the position this side of 1980. I know, I know…Sandberg was the MVP in 1984. He once had the most home runs by a second baseman and nabbed nine straight Gold Gloves.

He was pretty good.

Roberto Alomar was better. Hands down.

Matter of fact, he might be the best modern day second baseman...even though Joe Morgan would tell you otherwise. Some people might even go on to tell you that Alomar wasn’t ever the best player on the field for any of the seven teams he played for. Much like Morgan, I’d tell you that neither were Craig Biggio and Jeff Kent and they’re both Hall of Fame caliber middle infielders. And yes...THAT Jeff Kent.

Let’s break this down…plain and simple.

The case for Alomar is an easy one…even easier when compared to the most recent Hall inductee at second base, Ryne Sandberg.

Here ya go:

• Alomar went to twelve straight All-Star games (nine as a starter), compared to Ryno’s ten.
  Ten Gold Gloves over a span of eleven years is the most ever by a second baseman.
  
• His .984 fielding percentage is a hair behind Sandberg’s .989.
  
• His 2724 hits (and career .300 batting average) is the most by any EVERY DAY second baseman since Charlie Gehringer’s 2839. Gehringer was inducted in 1949. FYI…Sandberg finished with 2386 and a .285 batting average.
  
• Even, Alomar’s OPS+ (a stat that I am not THAT high on, but some people are) of 116 is smack dab in the middle of the pack when you look at those already enshrined. For the record, Sandberg’s was 114. Joe Morgan...a surprising 132.
  
• Alomar even slugged .347 in back to back World Series victories for the Blue Jays

And yes, for every “case for”…there is a case against:

• Alomar lacks an identity. His longest stint with any team was five years with the Blue Jays.


• As mentioned, Alomar was overshadowed on nearly every team he played for (Tony Gwynn in San Diego, Joe Carter in Toronto, Cal Ripken in Baltimore, Albert Belle and Manny Ramirez in Cleveland).


• When he is eligible in 2010, he’ll likely be up against Tim Raines, Barry Larkin, Fred McGriff and Edgar Martinez. Granted, they’re not ALL Hall of Famers…but they’ll garner some attention and steal (pun intended in Raines' case) some votes.


• And, unfortunately, the spitting incident with umpire John Hirshbeck.

Alomar was the type of player that, because he was so damn solid for nearly 17 seasons…people FORGET that he was a hitting machine. From his second year in the majors (1989) until 2001, Alomar hit UNDER .295 only twice. He even had an impressive run of nine out of ten years where he hit .300 or better.

Open your doors for Robbie, Cooperstown, I’ll be watching...all the while knowing that the best second baseman I ever saw play is getting his just desserts.