Tagged: Third Base

The Winning Run 2024 Hall of Fame Ballot

The beginning of the new year means it is time for the annual debate about who is and is not a Hall of Famer. Ultimately only the opinions of Hall of Fame voters matter. They decide who goes to Cooperstown. The BBWAA is the sole voting body for the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Voters must be a member of the BBWAA and meet the following eligibility requirements.

Hall of Fame Voter Eligibility 

  1. Any member of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) who has been an active member for ten years.
  2. The BBWAA is limited to writers for newspapers only, including some internet newspapers. 

The BBWAA sets the following rules for how eligible voters can vote. 

  1. Vote for no more than 10 players.
  2. A player is eligible for election to the Baseball Hall of Fame if they meet the following criteria:
    1. They competed in ten seasons. A single game counts as a season played.
    2. The player has been retired for at least five seasons. The clock restarts if the player returns and plays in the Major Leagues.
    3. The player is not on the ineligible list; banned from baseball. 
  3. The player must receive 5% of the vote to remain on the ballot.
  4. The player is elected if they receive at least 75% of all ballots cast. 

In addition to the official voting rules for the Baseball Hall of Fame set forth by the BBWAA, The Winning Run has an additional rule for its ballot. 

  1. Known PED users are ineligible.

Every player dreams of reaching the Major Leagues and playing their way to Cooperstown. However, this dream is a reality for only 1% of Major Leaguers. Thousands of players begin their professional careers dreaming of the Hall of Fame and never spend a single day in the Major Leagues. Reaching the Major Leagues is extremely difficult. Appearing on the Hall of Fame ballot, even for a single year, is reserved for baseball’s elites. Making the ballot is an honor, even if the candidate does not receive a single vote.

The 2024 Hall of Fame ballot has 26 candidates. There are 14 returning candidates and 12 new candidates. The 14 returning candidates are:

  1. Todd Helton- 6th year (72.2%)
  2. Billy Wagner- 9th year (68.1%)
  3. Andruw Jones- 7th year (58.1%)
  4. Gary Sheffield- 10th year (55.0%)
  5. Carlos Beltran- 2nd year (46.5%)
  6. Alex Rodriguez- 3rd year (35.7%)
  7. Manny Ramirez- 8th year (33.2%)
  8. Omar Vizquel- 7th year (19.5%)
  9. Andy Pettitte- 6th year (17.0%)
  10. Bobby Abreu- 5th year (15.4%)
  11. Jimmy Rollins- 3rd year (12.9%)
  12. Mark Buehrle- 4th year (10.8%)
  13. Francisco Rodriguez- 2nd year (10.8%)
  14. Torii Hunter- 4th year (6.9%)

The 12 first time candidates are:

  1. Adrian Beltre
  2. Joe Mauer
  3. Chase Utley
  4. David Wright
  5. Bartolo Colon
  6. Matt Holliday
  7. Adrian Gonzalez
  8. Jose Bautista
  9. Jose Reyes
  10. Victor Martinez
  11. James Shields
  12. Brandon Phillips
Who will go to Cooperstown in July? (National Baseball Hall of Fame)

Following our own rule, 5 of the 26 candidates were removed from consideration due to their connections with PEDs. 

  1. Gary Sheffield
  2. Alex Rodriguez
  3. Manny Ramirez
  4. Andy Pettitte
  5. Bartolo Colon

The sad part of our PED rule is every one of these players posted the necessary numbers to be seriously considered for the Hall of Fame. Their decision to use PEDs has hampered their own election to Cooperstown and left them on the ballot for additional years. These extra years have siphoned votes away from other worthy candidates, harming their Hall of Fame chances through no fault of their own. 

Two players we voted for in 2023 were removed from the ballot. Scott Rolen was elected to the Hall of Fame. Jeff Kent failed to be elected in his 10th and final year of eligibility. This means our 2024 ballot has two open spots. None of the candidates we voted for last year received less than 5%, so the other eight candidates have returned. After much research and debate we arrived at our 10 candidates. 

Adrian Beltre could do it all on a baseball field. The Third Baseman played 21 seasons with 4 teams: Los Angeles Dodgers (1998-2004), Seattle Mariners (2005-2009), Boston Red Sox (2010), and Texas Rangers (2011-2018). He played in 2,933 Games, scored 1,524 Runs, collected 3,166 Hits, including 636 Double, 38 Triples, 477 Home Runs, 1,707 RBI, 121 Stolen Bases, drawing 848 Walks, with 1,732 Strikeouts, posting a .286 BA, .339 OBP, .480 SLG, .819 OPS, 116 OPS+, and 5,309 Total Bases. Beltre won five Gold Gloves, four Silver Sluggers, and was a four time All Star. If elected, Beltre will rank first among Hall of Fame Third Basemen in RBI. He will be second in Hits, Doubles, and RBI. Beltre will have the third most Home Runs. He is a clear cut Hall of Famer. Just make sure you do not touch his head. 

Joe Mauer never left Minnesota. The hometown boy made good. Mauer Caught 15 seasons with the Minnesota Twins (2004-2018). He played in 1,858 Games, scored 1,018 Runs, collected 2,123 Hits, including 428 Doubles, 30 Triples, 143 Home Runs, 923 RBI, 52 Stolen Bases, drawing 939 Walks, with 1,034 Strikeouts, posting a .306 BA, .388 OBP, .439 SLG, .827 OPS, 124 OPS+, and 3,040 Total Bases. He was a six time All Star, won five Silver Sluggers, three Gold Gloves, and three Batting Titles. Mauer was named the 2009 American League MVP. If elected, Mauer will have the most Walks among Hall of Fame Catchers. He will be third in Doubles, fourth in OBP, sixth in Hits, and seventh in BA. Mauer should easily reach Cooperstown. 

Chase Utley put together an outstanding career. He was one of the leaders for the great Phillies teams, including their 2008 World Series championship. The Second Baseman played for two teams in 16 seasons: Philadelphia Phillies (2003-2015) and Los Angeles Dodgers (2015-2018). He played in 1,937 Games, scored 1,103 Runs, collected 1,885 Hits, including 411 Doubles, 58 Triples, 259 Home Runs, 1,025 RBI, 154 Stolen Bases, drawing 724 Walks, with 1,193 Strikeouts, posting a .275 BA, .358 OBP, .465 SLG, .823 OPS, 117 OPS+, and 3,189 Total Bases. Utley was a six time All Star and won four Silver Sluggers. If elected, Utley would rank fifth among Hall of Fame Second Basemen in Home Runs and seventh in SLG and OPS. 

Our ballot has three additions this year. We filled our two open slots with Adrian Beltre and Joe Mauer. We had one player, Jimmy Rollins, replaced by a former teammate, Chase Utley. The choice of Utley over Rollins is extremely close, but Utley is a more deserving candidate. The real issue is both Rollins and Utley are deserving candidates, but the idiotic Rule of 10 once again costs a deserving Hall of Fame candidate votes. If the Rule of 10 was not in place, we would also include Omar Vizquel, Jimmy Rollins, and Torii Hunter on our ballot. Now we wait for the official results for the Hall of Fame class of 2024. Who is heading to Cooperstown in July?

DJ

United States of Baseball- Indiana

Indiana is known more for basketball and auto racing than baseball. However, the Hoosier State has a strong baseball legacy. 377 Major League players were born in Indiana. Amos Rusie is the greatest Hoosier pitcher. His 65.20 career WAR ranks 23rd among state and territory pitching leaders. Scott Rolen is the greatest position player from Indiana. His 70.11 career WAR ranks 27th among position player leaders. Combined, Indiana boasts a 135.31 WAR, 23rd highest among all states and territories. 

The Hoosier Thunderbolt terrified batters. Many batters never saw Amos Rusie’s fastball, but it sounded fast. The Mooresville native so scared opposing teams the pitcher’s box was moved back from 55 feet to the familiar 60 feet 6 inches. Batters wanted extra time to avoid taking a fastball to the head. 

Rusie pitched for 10 seasons in the Majors with three teams: Indianapolis Hoosiers (1889), New York Giants (1890-1895, 1897-1898), and Cincinnati Reds (1901). The talents of some players are easily recognizable. Rusie pitched just four minor league games before reaching the Majors with the Hoosiers, who folded after the 1889. In 463 career Games, he made 427 Starts, threw 393 Complete Games, including 30 Shutouts, pitched 3,778.2 Innings, allowed 3,389 Hits, 2,068 Runs, 1,288 Earned Runs, 75 Home Runs, 1,707 Walks, 1,950 Strikeouts, posted a 246-174 record, 3.07 ERA, 1.349 WHIP, and 129 ERA+. Foul balls were not counted as strikes until 1901, making Rusie’s strikeout total even more impressive. 

Baseball is a business. In 1895, Rusie was twice fined $100 for breaking curfew and not trying hard enough. Angered by the large fines, his salary was $3,000, Rusie sat out the 1896 season and sued the Giants owner for $5,000 and his release. Ultimately the matter was settled for $5,000 as baseball owners did not want the Reserve Clause challenged in court. 

Rusie’s career was derailed after injuring his shoulder making a pickoff move in 1898. The injury prevented him from pitching in 1899 and 1900. The Giants traded Rusie to the Cincinnati Reds in 1901 for a young pitcher named Christy Mathewson. Rusie only lasted until June, Mathewson went to Cooperstown. 

Amos Rusie’s fastball terrified batter, so much that the baseball diamond was changed. (www.fromdeeprightfield.com)

Rusie set an unbreakable record, walking 289 batters in 1890. He pitched the Giants’ first No Hitter in 1891. Rusie won two ERA titles (1894 and 1897) and the Pitching Triple Crown in 1894. He led the National League in Strikeouts and Walks five times, and Shutouts four times. Rusie was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1977 by the Veterans Committee. 

Amos Rusie’s best season was 1894 with the Giants. He pitched in 54 Games, made 50 Starts, threw 45 Complete Games, including 3 Shutouts, pitched 444 Innings, allowed 426 Hits, 228 Runs, 137 Earned Runs, 10 Home Runs, 200 Walks, 195 Strikeouts, posted a 36-13 record, 2.78 ERA, 1.410 WHIP, and 188 ERA+. He led the National League in Starts, Wins, Shutouts, Walks, Strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and ERA+. At his peak, few pitchers baffled and intimidated hitters like Rusie.

Third Base is under-represented in Cooperstown. The hot corner does not receive the same respect as the rest of the infield. Evansville native Scott Rolen should be inducted into the Hall of Fame in the coming years. He played 17 seasons with four teams: Philadelphia Phillies (1996-2002), St. Louis Cardinals (2002-2007), Toronto Blue Jays (2008-2009), and Cincinnati Reds (2009-2012). Drafted by the Phillies in the 2nd Round, Rolen was one At Bat short of losing his rookie status in 1996 when he was injured by a Hit By Pitch. He returned from the injury to win the 1997 National League Rookie of the Year award and launch a Hall of Fame career. 

Rolen played 2,038 career Games, collected 2,077 Hits, 517 Doubles, 43 Triples, 316 Home Runs, 1,287 RBI, scored 1,211 Runs, 118 Stolen Bases, 899 Walks, 1,410 Strikeouts, .281 BA, .364 OBP, .490 SLG, .855 OPS, and 122 OPS+. He was elite with the glove. At Third, he played 17,479.1 Innings, had 5,745 Chances, made 1,478 Putouts, 4,081 Assists, committed 186 Errors, turned 355 Double Played, with a .968 FLD%, 2.86 RF9, 2.75 RFG, and 140 Rtot. Rolen was a seven time All Star, won eight Gold Gloves, a Silver Slugger, and the 2006 World Series with the Cardinals. Despite his great play, his departures from Philadelphia and St. Louis came after run-ins with managers Larry Bowa and Tony LaRussa. 

Scott Rolen is among the greatest defensive Third Basemen ever and he was solid at the plate. (Dubois County Herald)

The best season of Rolen’s career was 2004 with the Cardinals. He played 142 Games, collected 157 Hits, 32 Doubles, 4 Triples, 34 Home Runs, 124 RBI, scored 109 Runs, 4 Stolen Bases, 72 Walks, 92 Strikeouts, .314 BA, .409 OBP, .598 SLG, 1.007 OPS, and 158 OPS+. He was an All Star for the third time and won his sixth Gold Glove. Rolen finished fourth for the National League MVP. While he did not lead the league in any statistical category, it was another solid season in Rolen’s consistent career. 

Indiana continues to build a proud baseball history. The Hoosier State is well represented in Cooperstown with 10 Hall of Famers: Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown, Max Carey, Oscar Charleston, Ford Frick (Commissioner), Billy Herman, Chuck Klein, Sam Rice, Edd Roush, Amos Rusie, and Sam Thompson. Rolen should soon join this elite group. Next week the United States of Baseball moves to the final member of the former Three I League. The Hawkeye State, Iowa. 

DJ

It Is Designed To Break Your Heart

Some losses in life hurt deep within your soul. Emotional pain can create physical agony. The death of a loved one or the end of a relationship can cause such pain. Baseball too can hurt your soul. The retirement of your favorite player does not end the relationship as you still see them from time to time, but it is never the same. Retirement does give you time to prepare for the inevitable, but it is never enough. Perhaps the harshest pain is when your favorite player, the cornerstone of the franchise, is unceremoniously traded away. The dagger in your heart is twisted when there is no logic to the trade. 

Breaking bad news to someone you care about is never easy. Even if it is just a baseball trade. 

Baseball can be cruel. (TheWinning Run/DJ)

Your soul can hurt. My friend Josh took the news as well as could be expected. Nolan Arenado is his favorite player. The Rockies are his favorite team. The majority of our text conversations revolve around Arenado. The latest crazy play or highlight video. He loves Arenado and the Rockies loved him back by playing him at Third everyday.

Heartbreak is never easy. Those closest to us can do the most damage. The pain takes time to fade, if it ever does. In the days since the Arenado trade he has posted and shared several articles, each more critical than the last. We have tried to make sense of the trade, but sometimes there are bad trades and only so much sense to be made. 

The breakup of the Blake Street Bombers hurt. How could it not? It was the end of the first great era in Rockies history. However the Arenado trade cuts deeper. Gone is the illusion that Colorado is trying to win. The owner chose the GM over the superstar. Yes the Rockies got four players in return but they also sent $50 million to St. Louis to complete the trade.

Nolan Arenado wanted to win in Colorado, but the Rockies never built a contender around him. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Speaking of those Cardinals. It is one thing to suffer heartbreak. It is another for your pain to bring someone else joy. My friend’s wife is a die hard Cardinals fan. Any other team and he could have stomached the trade, but now he has to watch Arenado win with the Cardinals instead of the Rockies. Baseball can be brutal. The emotional attachment to players and teams can bring fans both elation and suffering. 

Fandom is rarely a conscious choice, as it is often determined by where we live. Watching a player like Nolan Arenado play for your favorite team is intoxicating. Watching him be traded away for peanuts to the worst possible team is gut wrenching. Time supposedly heals all wounds, but the damage is done. Some things in life cannot be undone. Even if Arenado returns to Colorado later in his career, the pain of losing him in his prime remains. The raw emotion of losing your favorite player because of the incompetence of your favorite team is something no fan should experience. Colorado fans are left to wonder why. There are no satisfying answers. 

DJ

United States of Baseball- Arkansas

Arkansas’ natural beauty is often overlooked. From the Ozarks to the banks of the Mississippi River the Natural State has plenty to offer. The state has also produced 159 Major League players. They have achieved varying degrees of success on the diamond, but two players reign supreme. Dizzy Dean is the greatest Arkansas born pitcher and Brooks Robinson is the greatest position player. Dean’s 43.90 career WAR is the 35th highest among pitching state leaders, while Robinson’s 78.38 WAR is the 20th highest among position players. Their combined 122.28 WAR gives Arkansas the 27th highest WAR. 

Born Jay Hanna Dean, Dizzy Dean and his younger brother Paul “Daffy” Dean are the only Major Leaguers from Lucas, Arkansas. Dizzy played 12 seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals (1930, 1932-1937), Chicago Cubs (1938-1941), and St. Louis Browns (1947). He twice led the National League in Wins, was a four time All Star, won the 1934 National League MVP award and World Series, and was inducted into Cooperstown in 1953. 

Dean’s best season was 1934. He pitched in 50 Games with 33 Starts, throwing 24 Complete Games, 8 Shutouts, in 311.2 Innings, allowed 14 Home Runs, 75 Walks, 195 Strikeouts, with a 30-7 record, 2.66 ERA, 1.165 WHIP, and 159 ERA+. He won the National League MVP award, plus led the league in Wins, Shutouts, and Strikeouts. In the World Series against the Detroit Tigers, he won the first and seventh game, a six Hit Shutout, for the Gashouse Gang. He went 2-1 in 3 Starts, pitching 26.0 Innings, including 2 Complete Games, 1.73 ERA, and 0.962 WHIP.  

Dizzy Dean was a great showman and pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. (AP Photo)

Dean’s career was derailed after a comebacker broke his toe during the 1937 All Star game. He returned too quickly, altering his pitching motion to compensate for the injury. Dean’s effectiveness began declining after he was traded to the Cubs in 1938. He pitched in 317 career Games, Starting 230, throwing 154 Complete Games, 26 Shutouts, in 1,967.1 Innings, with 453 Walks, 1,163 Strikeouts, a 150-83 record, 3.02 ERA, 1.206 WHIP, and 131 ERA+. His final appearance was on September 28, 1947 for the St. Louis Browns. Dean was an announcer for the Browns and complained he could pitch better than the team’s pitchers. On the last day of the season, he proved he was right, pitching 4 Shutout Innings before injuring himself running the bases. A fitting end to a Hall of Fame career. 

The Human Vacuum created a black hole in Baltimore. The Little Rock native Brooks Robinson played his entire 23 season career with the Orioles, 1955-1977. He was elected to 18 consecutive All Star Games, won 16 consecutive Gold Gloves (1960-1975), helped the Orioles win two World Series, won the 1964 American League MVP, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983.  

Robinson’s best season was 1964. In 163 Games, he collected 194 Hits, 35 Doubles, 3 Triples, 28 Home Runs, 118 RBI, scored 82 Runs, 51 Walks, 64 Strikeouts, .317 BA, .368 OBP, .521 SLG, .889 OPS, and 145 OPS+. Robinson won the American League MVP award and led the league in Games played and RBI. 

If Brooks Robinson could not make the play it was impossible. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

Baltimore played in four World Series during Robinson’s career, winning in 1966 and 1970. He played in 39 Postseason Games, collecting 44 Hits, 8 Doubles, 5 Home Runs, 22 RBI, scored 17 Runs, 6 Walks, 9 Strikeouts, .303 BA, .323 OBP, .462 SLG, and .785 OPS. His success in October was a continuation of his success in the Regular Season. 

In 2,896 career Games, Robinson collected 2,848 Hits, 482 Doubles, 68 Triples, 268 Home Runs, 1,357 RBI, scored 1,232 Runs, 860 Walks, 990 Strikeouts, .267 BA, .322 OBP, .401 SLG, .723 OPS, and 105 OPS+. His offensive numbers were good, but were overshadowed by his elite defense at Third Base. In 25,083 Innings, he had 9,196 career Chances, made 2,712 Putouts, 6,220 Assists, 264 Errors, and turned 621 Double Plays. Robinson was an elite fielder, .971 vs .953 lgFld%, with better Range, 3.20 RF9 vs 3.09 lgRF9. The Human Vacuum’s skill with the glove propelled Robinson to finish in the top four for MVP voting five times.

Arkansas has produced excellent baseball players. The Natural State has sent six players to the Hall of Fame. Dean and Robinson are joined in Cooperstown by Lou Brock, Travis Jackson, George Kell, and Arky Vaughan. Elite players come from everywhere, but the United States of Baseball’s next stop is a hot bed. We head west to California next.

DJ

2021 Baseball Hall of Fame Ballot

The National Baseball Hall of Fame will announce the Class of 2021 tomorrow. Those elected will hopefully join the Class of 2020 for their induction ceremony this summer. There are no clear cut inductees this year. Several players may come close, but we will see if any pass the 75% minimum for induction. 

Voting Rules

  1. Vote for no more than 10 players
  2. A player is eligible for election to the Baseball Hall of Fame if they meet the following criteria:
    1. They competed in ten seasons. A single game counts as a season played. 
    2. The player has been retired for at least five seasons. The clock restarts if the player returns and plays in the Major Leagues. 
    3. The player is not on the ineligible list; banned from baseball.
  3. The player must receive 5% of the vote to remain on the ballot. 
  4. The player is elected if they receive at least 75% of all ballots cast. 

Voter Eligibility

  1. Any member of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) who has been an active member for ten years.
  2. The BBWAA is limited to writers for newspapers only, including some internet newspapers.

The Winning Run Rules

  1. Known steroid users are ineligible.

There are 25 candidates on this year’s ballot. Many require serious consideration, while a few are honored simply to make the ballot. Below are the candidates, their year on the ballot, and 2020 vote percentage. 

  1. Bobby Abreu- 2nd (5.5%)
  2. Barry Bonds– 9th (60.7%)
  3. Mark Buehrle- 1st
  4. A. J. Burnett– 1st
  5. Roger Clemens– 9th (61.0%)
  6. Michael Cuddyer– 1st
  7. Dan Haren– 1st 
  8. LaTroy Hawkins– 1st
  9. Todd Helton- 3rd (29.2%)
  10. Tim Hudson- 1st
  11.  Torii Hunter- 1st
  12. Andruw Jones- 4th (19.4%)
  13. Jeff Kent- 8th (27.5%)
  14. Andy Pettitte– 3rd (11.3%)
  15. Aramis Ramirez– 1st
  16. Manny Ramirez– 5th (28.2%)
  17. Scott Rolen- 4th (35.3%)
  18. Curt Schilling- 9th (70.0%)
  19. Gary Sheffield– 7th (30.5%)
  20. Sammy Sosa– 9th (13.9%)
  21. Nick Swisher– 1st
  22. Shane Victorino– 1st
  23. Omar Vizquel- 4th (52.6%)
  24. Billy Wagner- 6th (31.7%)
  25. Barry Zito– 1st

Here is my official unofficial 2021 Hall of Fame ballot.

I believe there are more than 10 Hall of Fame worthy candidates this year. Excluding deserving players because of the maximum of 10 rule creates an unfair system. There are also legitimate concerns about the actions of some off the field, but my focus is on the field. It is not hypocritical to exclude Bonds and Clemens as their actions impacted games. The accusations against Omar Vizquel and the public declarations by Curt Schilling did not. Poor morals do not exclude a player from the Hall of Fame. Cooperstown is a museum that preserves the history of baseball. PED users are part of that history, but they can be remembered elsewhere in the museum.

Six candidates return to the ballot after receiving my vote in 2020. Todd Helton, Andruw Jones, Jeff Kent, Scott Rolen, Omar Vizquel, and Billy Wagner. They each retain my vote, leaving just four votes for the other candidates. 

Todd Helton had 10 consecutive seasons with at least 140 games played, 160 hits, 37 Doubles, while hitting over .300. Thin air does not help you make contact. He also slugged at least 25 Home Runs in seven straight seasons. Helton should not be penalized for playing in Colorado, the Hall of Fame does not exclude Rockies players. 

Andruw Jones is the greatest defensive Center Fielder ever. He won 10 consecutive Gold Gloves. Awards voting is subjective, but the numbers never lie. His .990 Fld% is .007 higher than league average during his 17 season career. His Range meant Jones reached 0.46 more balls per nine innings than league average, turning 74.52 additional hits into outs every season. Runners were scared to advance on Jones. 49.2% of them held on fly outs with the next base open. He killed, threw out, 2.6% of them. 51.8% of runners did not advance, more than 5% higher than league average. Jones’ reputation prevented 86 runners from advancing a season. He was not only better than an average Center Fielder, he was better than Willie Mays. Jones prevented 253 runs, 14.88 per season, from scoring to Mays’ 173, 7.86 per season, in five fewer seasons. At the plate, Jones hit at least 26 Home Runs in 10 straight seasons on his way to 434. Put Andruw Jones in Cooperstown already.

Jeff Kent is one of the greatest offensive Second Basemen ever. His 377 Home Runs are 33 more than second place, Robinson Cano. He is a career .290 hitter. Kent had nine consecutive seasons with at least 22 Home Runs and 30 Doubles. He hit at least 21 Doubles in all 17 seasons of his career. Kent won the 2000 National League MVP. While he was average defensively, this has not excluded other Hall of Famers.

Third Base is underrepresented in Cooperstown. Scott Rolen is the logical choice to help correct this error. He won the 1997 National League Rookie of the Year. He had eight consecutive seasons with at least 21 Home Runs and 28 Doubles. In addition to his bat, Rolen was an elite defender. Playing over 2,000 Games at Third Base, with 140 defensive Runs saved, with .968 Fld%, .014% higher than league average. His Range allowed him to reach 0.19 more balls per nine innings. The hot corner needs a new addition. 

Omar Vizuel was a magician with the glove. He won 11 Gold Gloves, including nine in a row. While no one compares to Ozzie Smith, Vizquel was close. Vizquel was better at the plate. A career .272 hitter. He stole at least 22 bases in six consecutive seasons and hit at least 23 Doubles in eight seasons. Vizquel never struck out more than 72 times in a season. If Ozzie Smith is a Hall of Famer, so is Omar Vizquel.

Billy Wagner posted 422 Saves during the Steroid Era. Simply, he got batters out. He posted a 2.31 ERA, 0.998 WHIP, 1,196 Strikeouts, and 300 Walks. Mariano Rivera opened the door for more Closers, Wagner should walk into Cooperstown. 

Who will be enshrined in Cooperstown from the Class of 2021. (The Winning Run/ DJ)

The four additions to my ballot in 2021 came down to five players. Deciding who to leave off was difficult, the rule of 10 is dumb.

Hall of Fame players either burn brightly for a short time, Sandy Koufax, or have a long consistent career, Craig Biggio. Bobby Abreu fits the Biggio mold. Abreu had 12 straight seasons with at least 155 Hits. He hit at least 29 Doubles in 14 straight seasons. Abreu slugged at least 15 Home Runs in 13 straight seasons. All while playing at least 150 games a season. Playing every day builds impressive career numbers and Bobby Abreu built such a career. 

Wins are an inefficient measure of a pitcher’s performance, as Felix Hernandez and Jacob deGrom can attest. The magical 300 win club may be a thing of the past. Hall of Fame voters need to adjust their expectations for pitchers. Mark Buehrle won 214 games in 16 seasons. His rookie season was the only time he did not start at least 30 games. He pitched at least 200 innings in 14 consecutive seasons. Buehrle was the workhorse for the 2005 World Series winning White Sox. He also pitched the 18th Perfect Game in Major League history on July 23, 2009. A single game does not make you a Hall of Famer, but a Perfect Game helps. 

Tim Hudson, like Buehrle, deserves recognition as pitching changes. He won 222 games in 17 seasons. Hudson won at least 11 Games in all but one season between 1999 and 2012, failing in 2009 due to Tommy John surgery. He pitched over 3,100 innings with more than 2,000 strikeouts. Hudson finished in the top six of Cy Young voting four times. Hudson gave his team a chance to win every time he took the mound.

Torii Hunter has never received the recognition he deserves. He made a career out of consistency. He hit at least 21 Home Runs in all but one season from 2001 to 2011. He collected 21 Doubles for 15 straight seasons. Hunter won nine consecutive Gold Gloves in Center. He was an above average fielder, but his Range was elite. His +0.24 Range Factor per nine innings helped turn 39 hits into outs every season. Hunter’s most memorable moment was robbing Barry Bonds of an All Star game Home Run in Milwaukee. It was not as monumental as Kirby Puckett’s World Series catch. However, these Minnesota outfielders had similar careers. If Puckett earned his place in Cooperstown, so has Hunter. 

There are more than 10 deserving players on the ballot this year. The final cut was difficult. Curt Schilling was 11th on my list. His stats are similar to Buehrle and Hudson, but his Postseason accolades are why many believe he belongs in Cooperstown. Schilling is outspoken. His anger towards journalists and those who do not support his political views are well documented. I did not vote for Schilling last year and he falls short again this year. I voted for Omar Vizquel. The accusations against him are horrific. Both men have made poor choices off the diamond, but the Hall of Fame ballot and voters are not their judge away from the diamond.

DJ

The Sixth Lousy Day of Baseball Christmas

On the Sixth Lousy Day of Baseball Christmas the baseball gods sent to me: the most times Caught Stealing without a Stolen Base, the most Hits without an RBI, the most Innings Pitched without a Win or Save, the most Games Managed without finishing first, the most Home Runs without a Triple, and the most Complete Games without a Shutout.

If at first you don’t succeed, try try try again. Failure is part of baseball. Successful batters fail seven out of ten times. Pitchers do not always throw strikes. Umpires miss calls. It is part of the game. When a runner fails on the bases, they can kill a rally. The undisputed Stolen Base king, Rickey Henderson, is also the Caught Stealing king. Success comes with risk. Unfortunately for Oscar Robles, he took the risk without any reward. He was Caught Stealing the most times without a successful Stolen Base, 0 for 8. 

Robles split his time between Shortstop and Third Base in three seasons for the Los Angeles Dodgers (2005-2006) and San Diego Padres (2007). 2005 was his best season, playing 110 Games, hitting .272, collecting 99 Hits, including his 5 career Home Runs, and 8 Stolen Base attempts. 

Oscar Robles tried to help the Dodgers by stealing a base, but was out every time. (Jae C. Hong/AP)

Success comes to those who try and Robles tried. On June 4th against the Milwaukee Brewers, Robles Singled off Victor Santos. The Dodgers tried to hit and run with Antonio Perez, but Perez struckout and Damian Miller threw Robles out at Second. Two weeks later in Chicago against the White Sox, Robles walked in the 2nd Inning. He then tried to steal Second against Freddy Garcia, but A.J. Pierzynski’s arm was faster than Robles’ legs. Out at Second. In the 9th Inning Cliff Politte walked Robles, who tried to steal again. Pierzynski’s throw beat Robles. Tadahito Iguchi caught the ball and ran Robles back to First, tossing the ball to Paul Konerko for the tag. 0 for 2 on the day. 

Robles was not deterred. On July 10th in Houston Brad Ausmus threw Robles out. In his final three Stolen Base attempts his teammates failed to protect him. Robles was part of a Strike Out Throw Out Double Play on July 15th against the Giants with Mike Matheny catching. On August 12th against the Mets, Jeff Kent struckout and Mike Piazza completed the Double Play. Danny Ardoin threw Robles out on August 23rd after Hee-Seop Choi whiffed against Colorado’s Jamey Wright. Oscar Robles’ final attempt was on September 5th against the Giants. Mike Edwards struckout and Yamid Haad threw Robles out. 

Half of Robles’ Caught Stealings were part of Strike Out Throw Out Double Plays. His teammates failed him. Unfortunately, Oscar Robles is saddled with the record for most Stolen Base attempts without success. His futility on the bases demonstrates how difficult baseball is to play. Some players are just dealt bad hands.

Happy Sixth Lousy Day of Baseball Christmas.

DJ

Unsteady Hands

2020 has been a long year for baseball. Covid nearly canceled the MLB season, as did the disagreement between MLB and the Players Association about player salary and the number of games. Minor League Baseball was canceled and now MLB has gutted the game from many cities. There have been plenty of issues surrounding the game, but once games began the attention was on the field. 

Bad years are made up of bad days. Rafael Devers has long been regarded as part of the Red Sox future core. His bat has delivered for Boston, posting a career .279 BA, with .332 OBP, .498 SLG, .830 OPS, and 115 OPS+. The damage done is 443 Hits, 108 Doubles, 5 Triples, 74 Home Runs, 254 RBI, 254 Runs scored, 16 Stolen Bases, 117 Walks, and 364 Strikeouts in just four seasons. In 2019, Devers led the American League with 54 Doubles, while slugging 32 Home Runs to finish 12th in MVP voting. 

There are bad days, and then there was Rafael Devers’ day in the field on August 13th at Fenway Park against the Tampa Bay Rays. He was productive at the plate, going 1 for 5, with an RBI Single and Run Scored in the 1st. Devers’ day went downhill from there. In the top of the 4th with no outs, Red Sox Pitcher Phillips Valdez induced a soft bouncing ball to Third from Hunter Renfroe. Devers easily gloved the ball and turned to start a 5-4-3 Double Play. Devers never had a solid grip on the ball after transferring the ball from his glove to his hand. His throw was wide of Second Baseman Jonathan Arauz and into Right Field. The errant throw allowed Yandy Diaz to go from First to Third. The next batter, Brandon Lowe, Singled up the middle scoring Diaz, unearned, and moved Renfroe to Second. Tampa led 8-4. 

Rafael Devers needs to improve his defense to help the Red Sox return to competitive baseball. (Jim Davis/Globe Staff)

Unearned runs are the price a team pays for committing Errors. The Rays’ next batter, Willy Adames, struckout. Boston could limit the damage with a Double Play. Valdez induced Manuel Margot to hit an even softer bouncer to Third, which Devers charged, bareheaded, and fired to First. Everyone knows the feeling when they release the ball and it does not go where they intended. The moment Devers released the ball, everyone knew it was a bad throw. Red Sox First Baseman Mitch Moreland unsuccessfully dove for the throw. The ball rattled around in foul territory allowing Renfroe to score, unearned, Lowe to go First to Third, and Margot to reach Second. Devers had two Errors on two Chances in the inning, both plays a Major League Third Basemen should make. His throwing Errors allowed three unearned runs to score; Diaz, Renfroe, and eventually Lowe. Boston trailed 10-4. 

Devers’ was not over. In the 7th, Tampa led 16-5. Renfroe led off against Josh Osich. He hit a hard ground ball a step towards the line. Devers fielded the ball cleanly with plenty of time to throw across the diamond. However, the throw sailed high and new Red Sox First Baseman Michael Chavis jumped to catch the throw and attempted a tag. The bad throw allowed Renfroe to reach. Luckily, Devers’ third Error did not hurt Boston further as Renfroe was stranded at Third.

Rafael Devers had a day every baseball player wants to forget. His 3 Errors helped him lead baseball with 14 in the shortened season. Devers struggled in 2020, posting the lowest Fld% of any player with at least 100 innings in the field. His defense is a liability and 2020 was a continuation of his career at the hot corner. In 1,034 career Chances, Devers has 232 Putouts, 728 Assists, and 74 Errors for a .891 FLD%. The average MLB Third Baseman had a .959 Fld% in 2020, a -.068 difference. The difference of 27 successful plays made in 400 Chances, literally an entire game worth of outs. Devers’ bat is his calling card, but it is not good to have as many career Errors as Home Runs.

The Errors are coming as quickly as the Home Runs for Rafael Devers. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

Errors and Fld% do not show the full picture of a player’s defense. Range and Runs Saved help show a player’s impact with their glove and arm. Devers is not the next Brooks Robinson. Both his RF/9 (Range Factor per 9 Innings) and RF/G (Range Factor per Game) are below league average. In 2020, Devers made 2.16 plays per 9 innings and 2.00 per game, while the league averaged 2.57 and 2.48. He made 0.41 and 0.48 fewer players, roughly 25 fewer plays made in his 57 games played. His lack of range hurts the Red Sox by being involved in and converts fewer plays at a critical position. 

It was not just a tough season for Devers. His defense has been below average since arriving in the Majors. His career RF/9 (2.58 vs 2.64), RF/G (2.52 vs 2.60), and Fld% (.928 vs .958) are all below average. His rTOT (the number of runs above or below average the player was worth based on the number of plays made) was -13 in 2020 and -44 in his career. There is no evidence suggesting Devers will ever become a league average Third Baseman. 

Devers’ bat got him to the Majors at 20, but his glove needs a new home where it is less damaging to Boston’s opportunity to win. He has a career 9.3 oWAR, but a -2.4 career dWAR. The simple solution is to DH him, but JD Martinez, and his own lack of defense, occupies that role. The Red Sox need to keep Devers in the lineup, but how long can his bat compensate for his glove. 

Watching a player struggle is never fun and without question Devers is trying to get better. He is still young, just 24 years old. He is still learning, after rocketing through the Minors. Devers has time to learn the hot corner as the Red Sox rebuild. However, when the Boston faithful return to Fenway they expect him to contribute with his bat AND glove.

DJ