Tagged: Yankees
Rickey: The Life and Legend of an American Original
In the argument for who the greatest baseball player of all time is, there always seems to be one name missing. Rickey Henderson. The all-time leader in Stolen Bases and Runs scored, over 3,000 Hits, and the single season Stolen Base record is somehow excluded from the discussion. The difference between Henderson’s 1,406 Stolen Bases and second place, Lou Brock’s 938, would rank as the 47th most career Stolen Bases. His complete domination on the bases is unlike anything ever seen in baseball. Howard Bryant explores the Man of Steal on and off the diamond in Rickey: The Life and Legend of an American Original.
There will never be another Rickey Henderson. His abilities on the diamond are unlike anyone before him, and almost certainly anyone after him. After getting on base, often thanks to his expert eye on the strike zone, everyone knew he was going to steal. Literally everyone from the parking attendant, hot dog vendor, scoreboard operator, pitcher, and catcher. It was a matter of time before Henderson took off. When he was in flight it was a thing of beauty. A walk would quickly turn into a Double or Triple. He disrupted the game and forced the defense to focus on him and not the batter.
Henderson’s career coincided with the flourishing of free agency. He always focused on receiving the salary he was worth. This rubbed many people the wrong way, but Rickey did not care. He knew his worth and wanted the dollars to prove it. His lengthy career saw Henderson go from Rookie phenom to a perceived arrogant super star to the wise veteran. He was all of these things and more. His singular focus on assaulting the record books took him to Cooperstown. Along the way, Rickey never forgot his Oakland roots. Despite playing away from Oakland for more than a decade, Henderson always returned home. A proud product of Oakland to a star in the Bronx under immense pressure of the media and George Steinbrenner then returning home and becoming a journeyman willing to help any team make a deep run in the Postseason. Rickey Henderson’s baseball life had more lives than a cat.
Longevity is a sign that a player is healthy, has a dominant skill, or is able to reinvent themselves. Rickey Henderson did all three. He was hounded by accusations that he only played when he wanted, but Henderson knew when his body needed rest. Henderson’s dominant skills were his speed on the bases, his eagle eye for the strike zone, and later the power in his bat. Pitchers had to throw him a strike or he would not swing. If they threw him a strike he had the power to send the baseball into the seats. Rickey Henderson was a problem. He was a combination of speed and power that only exists in video games. He always found a way to impact the game and remain in the game after his contemporaries retired. Henderson’s talents on the diamond were as undeniable as his motivation and persistence. Time is undefeated, but its fight against Rickey was one of its toughest battles.
Howard Bryant tells a more complete story of Rickey Henderson in Rickey: The Life and Legend of an American Original. Separating the man from the myth and legend is no easy task. Few athletes have been as puzzling and electrifying as Rickey Henderson. Accepting that there can be truth in every story and then figuring out what is and is not the truth takes time and patience. Bryant’s writing takes readers on a journey through Henderson’s quarter century racing around a diamond. He examines Henderson’s legacy, and the ugliness that race has played in the creation and continuation of the myths about Rickey. He is a one of a kind athlete. Howard Bryant’s skillful writing captures Rickey Henderson perfectly. Rickey: The Life and Legend of an American Original is a beautifully written book. It receives an 8, a Home Run.
DJ
Predictions Sure To Go Wrong 10.0
The 2024 MLB season has begun. Little is certain in baseball, even a few weeks into the season. While we are super late getting our predictions posted this year, we nevertheless feel strongly that even with a small sample size we will continue our tradition of being terrible at predicting the future. Despite a decade of failure we continue on. Here are our predictions for the 2024 MLB season.
American League East
| Derek | Jesse | John | Bernie | Kevin | The Winning Run |
| Orioles | Camden Crushers | Yankees | Orioles | Bmore | Orioles |
| Blue Jays (5) | God’s Waiting Room (5) | Orioles (5) | Blue Jays (5) | Yankees (4) | Yankees (5) |
| Rays | Free Healthcare | Jays | Yankees (6) | Tampa Bay (5) | Blue Jays (6) |
| Yankees | Aaron’s Boondoggle | Rays | Rays | Toronto | Rays |
| Red Sox | We all went Red Sox | RedSux | Red Sox | Red Sux | Red Sox |
It will be a dreadful season at Fenway. Meanwhile in Baltimore, the future is arriving. The young, and hyped, Orioles could make a deep run if their young stars live up to expectations. The Yankees, Blue Jays, and Rays could have terrific or horrific seasons. Both are possible. The American League East is not the juggernaut it once was.
American League Central
| Derek | Jesse | John | Bernie | Kevin | The Winning Run |
| Twins | Southside | Twins | Twins | Cleveland | Twins |
| Tigers | Twinkies (6) | ChiSox (6) | Guardians | Twinkies | Guardians |
| Guardians | Bridge Statues | Tigers | Tigers | Royals | White Sox |
| White Sox | Kate’s Replacements | Guardians | Royals | Tigers | Tigers |
| Royals | Tony the Tigers | Royals | White Sox | White Sux | Royals |
The American League Central remains the weakest division in baseball. Top to bottom there is not a single team capable of making a deep run in October. Minnesota should walk away with the division, but are they really a good team? The only surprise could be Detroit, where the improving Tigers could make a run at relevancy…maybe.
American League West
| Derek | Jesse | John | Bernie | Kevin | The Winning Run |
| Rangers | Walker: Texas | Rangers | Astros | Rangers | Rangers |
| Astros (4) | Trashtros (4) | Astros (4) | Rangers (4) | Astros (6) | Astros (4) |
| Mariners (6) | Seamen of the Poopdeck | Mariners | Mariners | Mariners | Mariners |
| Angels | Rendon’s Rascals | Angels | Athletics | Angels | Angels |
| Elephants | Vegas | Pathetics | Angels | Athletics | Athletics |
The Rangers and Astros will fight it out for the division and Wild Card. The Mariners need everything to go right to play meaningful baseball in September. The Angels should be thankful for the Athletics, otherwise they would finish last. The Oakland/Sacramento/Vegas A’s are a mess.
National League East
| Derek | Jesse | John | Bernie | Kevin | The Winning Run |
| Braves | Bravos | Braves | Braves | Braves | Braves |
| Phillies (5) | Phollies (4) | Phillies (5) | Phillies (5) | Philly (5) | Phillies (5) |
| Marlins | Fish (6) | Marlins | Mets | Fish | Marlins |
| Mets | Amazins | Mets | Marlins | Mets | Mets |
| Nationals | Gnats (will face relegation) | Nationals | Nationals | Nats | Nationals |
The Phillies are a very good team, but the Braves are a great team. The division once again runs through Atlanta. Philadelphia will position itself for the Wild Card. The Marlins and Mets need to have a special season if they want their fans to watch beyond the All Star Break. This is the last year of the Nationals’ Cherry Blossom jerseys.
National League Central
| Derek | Jesse | John | Bernie | Kevin | The Winning Run |
| Reds | Skyline | Pirates | Brewers | Cubs | Reds |
| Cardinals (6) | Red Birds | Reds (6) | Cubs | Reds (6) | Cardinals (6) |
| Cubs | Hot Dog Race | Cardinals | Reds | Brewers | Cubs |
| Brewers | Buccos | Cubs | Cardinals | Cardinals | Brewers |
| Pirates | Wrigleyville | Brewers | Pirates | Pirates | Pirates |
The Cardinals look to bounce back from one of the worst, and surprising, seasons in franchise history. The Reds have a great young line up, but do they have the pitching? We picked the Cubs to finish literally everywhere, so your guess is as good as ours. The Brewers are on the way down. Are the Pirates finally on the way up?
National League West
| Derek | Jesse | John | Bernie | Kevin | The Winning Run |
| Dodgers | Vince Gullys | Diamondbacks | Dodgers | Dodgers | Dodgers |
| Diamondbacks (4) | Nope Ropes (5) | Dodgers (4) | Diamondbacks (4) | Giants (4) | Diamondbacks (4) |
| Giants | Big macs | Giants | Padres (6) | DBacks | Giants |
| Padres | Angre the | Padres | Giants | Padres | Padres |
| Rockies | Coors | Rockies | Rockies | Rockies | Rockies |
The Dodgers should roll through the division, again. Arizona is hoping last season was not a fluke, but the start of sustained success. The Giants might hang around for a while before fading, but the real story is further south. Is this the year that San Diego finally plays up to their contracts or will this era of Padres baseball be loathed for their inability to compete? Just a friendly reminder, the Rockies are a Major League Baseball team.
Postseason
The Regular Season is chaotic, but the Postseason is unpredictable. The best team does not always win the World Series. Instead, teams look to get hot at the right moment. October is treacherous. The secret is simply, finding a way to win. The best players and teams do not always win, but will they in 2024?
American League Wild Card
| Derek | Jesse | John | Bernie | Kevin | The Winning Run |
| Twins | Southside | Twins | Yankees | Cleveland | Twins |
| Mariners | Twinkies | ChiSox | Twins | Astros | Yankees |
| Blue Jays | Trashtros | Astros | Blue Jays | Yankees | Astros |
| Astros | God’s Walking Room | Orioles | Rangers | Tampa Bay | White Sox |
National League Wild Card
| Derek | Jesse | John | Bernie | Kevin | The Winning Run |
| Reds | Skyline | Pirates | Padres | Cubs | Reds |
| Cardinals | Fish | Reds | Brewers | Reds | Cubs |
| Diamondbacks | Phollies | Phillies | Phillies | Giants | Phillies |
| Phillies | Nope Ropes | Dodgers | Diamondbacks | Phillies | Diamondbacks |
The Wild Card is a guessing game. The Astros could dominate the season and still be in the Wild Card. The Yankees, Phillies, and Diamondbacks might be a touch below the great teams, but that separation could force them to fight through the Wild Card. Unexpected teams can find themselves looking to continue their run through the Wild Card. This is what makes the Wild Card round the most chaotic and entertaining of the Postseason.
American League Divisional Series
| Derek | Jesse | John | Bernie | Kevin | The Winning Run |
| Astros | Southside | Rangers | Rangers | Bmore | Astros |
| Orioles | Camden Crushers | Astros | Orioles | Astros | Orioles |
| Rangers | Trashtros | Yankees | Yankees | Rangers | Yankees |
| Mariners | Walker: Texas | Twins | Astros | Yankees | Rangers |
National League Divisional Series
| Derek | Jesse | John | Bernie | Kevin | The Winning Run |
| Dodgers | Vince Gulleys | Braves | Phillies | Dodgers | Dodgers |
| Phillies | Nope Ropes | Phillies | Dodgers | Giants | Phillies |
| Braves | Bravos | Diamondbacks | Padres | Braves | Braves |
| Reds | Fish | Pirates | Braves | Reds | Diamondbacks |
Is this the year the Astros begin to fade away or will their run of success continue? Texas attempts to win back to back World Series titles, but it is no easy task. The Orioles are on the rise, but can they play deep into October or will they have to wait until next year? The Dodgers and Braves are on a collision course yet again.
American League Championship Series
| Derek | Jesse | John | Bernie | Kevin | The Winning Run |
| Orioles | Southside | Yankees | Yankees | Bmore | Orioles |
| Rangers | Trashtros | Rangers | Orioles | Yankees | Rangers |
Experience matters in big games. Keeping calm allows teams to play their best in high stress situations. The Rangers have been through the fight before. Veteran leadership and poise keeps the noise down. Baltimore is coming. The Orioles have a bright future ahead, but their youth can only take them so far this season.
National League Championship Series
| Derek | Jesse | John | Bernie | Kevin | The Winning Run |
| Braves | Bravos | Braves | Braves | Braves | Braves |
| Dodgers | Nope Ropes | Diamondbacks | Dodgers | Dodgers | Dodgers |
If ever there was a guarantee in baseball it is that the National League runs through the Braves and Dodgers. The other 13 teams must beat one or both of these talented and dominant teams if they want to win the National League pennant. The Diamondbacks played spoiler last season, can they do it again or will a new spoiler arise?
World Series
| Derek | Jesse | John | Bernie | Kevin | The Winning Run |
| Rangers | Southside | Yankees | Orioles | Braves | Braves |
| Braves | Bravos | Braves | Dodgers | Yankees | Rangers |
The Braves and Rangers have the talent and experience to make it through the chaos of the Postseason. Both teams are filled with stars and role players that contribute to their team’s success. However, there can only be one World Series champion.
Congratulations to the Atlanta Braves for winning their fifth World Series Championship. History says the Fall Classic will not follow our predictions, but time will tell.
Happy Baseball.
DJ, JJ, JB, BL, and KB
United States of Baseball- Utah
Utah is pushing to someday have a Major League team. While they wait, the Beehive State continues to grow its baseball tradition. The United States of Baseball is important for baseball powerhouses like California and Florida, and for less prodigious baseball states like Utah and its 43 Major League players. The greatest pitcher born in Utah is Bruce Hurst. His 34.52 career WAR is the 42nd highest among state and territory pitching leaders. The greatest position player born in the Beehive State is Duke Sims. His 12.78 career WAR is the 51st highest among state and territory position player leaders. Utah has a combined 47.30 WAR, ranking the Beehive State 50th among all states and territories.
There is always a first. The first player ever drafted from Utah was Bruce Hurst. The St. George native was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the 1st Round, 22nd overall, of the 1976 MLB Draft. The crafty Lefty pitched 15 seasons with 4 teams: Boston Red Sox (1980-1988), San Diego Padres (1989-1993), Colorado Rockies (1993), and Texas Rangers (1994). Hurst pitched in 379 career Games, made 359 Starts, 5 Games Finished, with 83 Complete Games, 23 Shutouts, 2,417.1 Innings Pitched, allowed 2,463 Hits, 1,143 Runs, 1,052 Earned Runs, 740 Walks, 1,689 Strikeouts, posted a 145-113 record, with a 3.92 ERA, 1.325 WHIP, and 104 ERA+. He has the second most Wins at Fenway Park with 57, behind only Mel Parnell’s 71. Hurst was the third pitcher to record 1,000 career Strikeouts with the Red Sox. He was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2004. He left Boston in Free Agency after the 1988 season after the Front Office played hardball and told him to test the open market. This was during the Owner’s Collusion to stamp out free agency. Ultimately Hurst signed with the Padres. His 1987 All Star selection remains Utah’s only trip to the Mid-Summer Classic. He is also the Beehive State leader in Wins, Losses, Games Started, Complete Games, Shutouts, Innings Pitched, Hits, Runs, Earned Runs, Home Runs, Walks, and Strikeouts. After retiring he served as a coach and scout internationally for Major League Baseball in Italy and Latin America, and as the Pitching Coach for the Chinese National Baseball team in 2005-2006 and 2012-2013.
The best season of Hurst’s career came with the 1989 Padres. He pitched in 33 Games, made 33 Starts, threw 10 Complete Games, including 2 Shutouts, in 244.2 Innings Pitched, allowed 214 Hits, 84 Runs, 73 Earned Runs, 66 Walks, 179 Strikeouts, posted a 15-11 record, with a 2.69 ERA, 1.144 WHIP, and 131 ERA+. Hurst led the National League in Complete Games. He also set career bests in Games Started, Innings Pitched, and ERA. The Padres finished just 3 Games Behind the San Francisco Giants for the National League West Division title.
Hurst pitched in three Postseason series: 1986 and 1988 American League Championship Series and 1986 World Series. He pitched in 7 Postseason Games, made 7 Starts, threw 3 Complete Games, in 51 Innings Pitched, allowed 46 Hits, 14 Runs, 13 Earned Runs, 12 Walks, 37 Strikeouts, posted a 3-2 record, with a 2.29 ERA, and 1.137 WHIP. Hurst nearly pitched the Red Sox to a World Series title against the Mets. He Started Games 1, 5, and 7. He threw 8 Shutout Innings in the Red Sox Game 1 victory. He pitched a Complete Game victory in Game 5. In Game 7, Hurst pitched 6 Innings and allowed 3 Earned Runs. When he left the game the score was tied 3-3, before the Mets pulled away for an 8-5 victory. Boston needed to win one of the final two games, but The Curse of the Bambino was stronger than Hurst’s Left Arm.
Duane “Duke” Sims made a career as a solid backstop. The Salt Lake City native played 11 seasons with 5 teams: Cleveland Indians (1964-1970), Los Angeles Dodgers (1971-1972), Detroit Tigers (1972-1973), New York Yankees (1973-1974), and Texas Rangers (1974). Sims played in 843 career Games, scored 263 Runs, collected 580 Hits, 80 Doubles, 6 Triples, 100 Home Runs, 310 RBI, 6 Stolen Bases, drawing 338 Walks, 483 Strikeouts, posting a .239 BA, .340 OBP, .401 SLG, .741 OPS, 112 OPS+, and 972 Total Bases. His most famous Home Run came on September 30, 1973 off of Fred Holdsworth. Sims hit the final Home Run at Yankee Stadium before the House That Ruth Built closed for two seasons for extensive renovations. Sims is Utah’s all-time leader in career Games Played, Plate Appearances, At Bats, Runs scored, Hits, Double, Home Runs, RBI, Walks, and Strikeouts. Career success is measured in many ways.
The best season of Sims’ career came with the 1970 Cleveland Indians. He played in 110 Games, scored 46 Runs, collected 91 Hits, including 12 Doubles, 23 Home Runs, 56 RBI, drew 46 Walks, 59 Strikeouts, .264 BA, .360 OBP, .499 SLG, .859 OPS, 131 OPS+, and 172 Total Bases. Sims set career best in Hits, Home Runs, RBI, SLG, OPS, and Total Bases. That Winter, Cleveland traded him to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Alan Foster and Ray Lamb.
Sims played in one Postseason series, the 1972 American League Championship Series with the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers lost in five games. Sims played in 4 Games, collected 3 Hits, 2 Doubles, 1 Triple, drew 1 Walk, 2 Strikeouts, with a .214 BA, .267 OBP, .500 SLG, .767 OPS, and 7 Total Bases. October can be a mystery for some teams.
No Utah native has been elected to the Hall of Fame. Bruce Hurst appeared on the 2000 Hall of Fame ballot and received one vote (0.2%). Duke Sims appeared on the Hall of Fame ballot in 1980, but received no votes. As the state produces more Major League quality players, Cooperstown should eventually get its first member from the Beehive State. Next the United States of Baseball returns to New England and The Green Mountain State. Vermont is next.
DJ
Predictions That Did Go Wrong 9.0
What a shock! Few foresaw the Rangers defeating the Diamondbacks in the 2023 World Series. We certainly did not. Despite trying to predict the outcome of the last nine MLB seasons, we continue to know nothing. We were incredibly bad in 2023. The season was filled with great stories and terrible collapses. The Mets were the Mets and baseball was its usual unpredictable self. We may have been terrible at predicting the season, but how bad was it?
Really bad. Our scoring system is designed to clearly show who is the best at predicting the baseball season before the first pitch is thrown. Points are scored in the following ways: a correct prediction of a team’s final divisional standings in the Regular Season is one point, two points for predicting the Wild Card, four for the Divisional Series, eight for the Championship Series, and 16 for the World Series and the Champion. A perfect score is 158 points. We were far from perfect.
American League East
| Derek | Jesse | John | Bernie | Kevin | Jason | The Winning Run | Reality |
| Blue Jays (1) | Steinbrenners (2) | Yankees(2) | Yankees (2) | Maple leafs (2) | Yankees (2) | Yankees (2) | Orioles |
| Yankees (5) | Devil Rays (5) | Blue Jays | Blue Jays (4) | Yankees (4) | Blue Jays (4) | Blue Jays (4) | Rays |
| Rays | Canadians | Montreal Rays | Orioles | Devil rays (6) | Orioles | Rays | Blue Jays |
| Orioles | Bean Eaters | Red Sux | Rays | Bmore | Rays | Orioles | Yankees |
| Red Sox | Camden | Orioles | Red Sox | Red Sux | Red Sox | Red Sox | Red Sox |
Our predictions got off to a rough start. Jesse was the only one to have multiple correct predictions with the Rays in second and Blue Jays in third. Derek, Bernie, Kevin, Jason, and The Winning Run all knew it would be a bad season in Boston. John missed completely. Not a great start, but hope springs eternal.
American League Central
| Derek | Jesse | John | Bernie | Kevin | Jason | The Winning Run | Reality |
| Guardians (3) | (Jeff) Bridges (3) | Guards | White Sox (3) | ChiSox (3) | Cleveland (3) | Guardians (3) | Twins |
| White Sox | Twinkies (4) | Twinks | Twins | Flaming Rivers | Twins (5) | White Sox (5) | Tigers |
| Twins | Southside | Chisox | Guardians | Twins | Royals | Twins (6) | Guardians |
| Tigers | Kittehs | Royals | Tigers | Rawr | White Sox | Tigers | White Sox |
| Royals | Monarchs | Tigres | Royals | KC | Tigers | Royals | Royals |
Again we knew who would be bad. The Royals never inspired us. Jason knew the White Sox would be only slightly better than last place. Bernie found the Guardians finishing third. He was the only one to have more than a single correct pick. John was now 0 for 2 divisions. A second straight division of bad predictions did not inspire confidence in the rest of our picks.
American League West
| Derek | Jesse | John | Bernie | Kevin | Jason | The Winning Run | Reality |
| Mariners (2) | Trashtros (1) | Cheaters (1) | Astros (1) | Trashtros (1) | Astros (1) | Astros (1) | Astros |
| Astros(4) | Halos (6) | Rangers | Angels (5) | Kraken (5) | Mariners (6) | Mariners | Rangers |
| Angels (6) | Submariners | Ohtanis | Rangers (6) | Rangers | Rangers | Angels | Mariners |
| Rangers | Brett Marteeen | Mariners | Mariners | Halos | Angels | Rangers | Angels |
| Athletics | White Elephants | Las Vegas | Athletics | Las Vegas | Oakland | Athletics | Athletics |
Finally we got on track. Derek for some reason decided the Astros were not going to win the division again. He was the only one. Everyone knew the poor A’s would be eliminated on Opening Day. Kevin and Jason had the end of the Ohtani era with the Angels again finishing fourth and out of October. Jesse had the Mariners falling back after a great 2022 season to third place. John had the Rangers finishing just behind the Astros. Everyone except Derek got back on track. How would we do in the National League?
National League East
| Derek | Jesse | John | Bernie | Kevin | Jason | The Winning Run | Reality |
| Braves (1) | Braves (2) | Braves | Phillies (3) | Braves (1) | Braves (1) | Braves (2) | Braves |
| Mets (4) | Amazins (4) | Mets | Braves (5) | Phillies (5) | Mets (5) | Mets (6) | Phillies |
| Phillies | Follies (6) | Phils | Mets | Fish | Phillies | Phillies | Marlins |
| Marlins | Fish | Marlins | Nationals | Amazings | Marlins | Marlins | Mets |
| Nationals | Gnats | Nats | Marlins | Nats | Nationals | Nationals | Nationals |
Maybe it was our fandom, or just logic, but the Braves were the easy choice in the National League East. The Nationals were equally easy to finish in the basement. In between was more challenging. The Mets out Mets themselves to finish fourth. Kevin got the first perfect divisional prediction. Bernie whiffed because he had too much confidence in the Nationals.
National League Central
| Derek | Jesse | John | Bernie | Kevin | Jason | The Winning Run | Reality |
| Cardinals (3) | Redbirds (3) | Cardinals | Cardinals (2) | Uncle Tickles (3) | Cardinals (4) | Cardinals (1) | Brewers |
| Brewers (6) | Brewcrew | Cubbies | Brewers | Cubbies | Brewers (6) | Brewers (5) | Cubs |
| Cubs | Harray Carrays | Beers | Cubs | Drunks | Cubs WIN | Cubs | Reds |
| Pirates | Cin City | Dreds | Reds | Team of catchers | Reds | Reds | Pirates |
| Reds | Buccos | Pirates | Pirates | Pirates | Pirates | Pirates | Cardinals |
The National League Central was a mystery. Jesse, Bernie, Jason, and The Winning Run all whiffed. Derek had the Pirates in fourth, while John and Kevin had the Cubs in second. We did not predict the disaster that was the Cardinals, as everyone had them winning the division. The Reds also surprised us with their third place finish. Brutal.
National League West
| Derek | Jesse | John | Bernie | Kevin | Jason | The Winning Run | Reality |
| Dodgers (2) | Dodger Dogs (1) | Padres | Padres (1) | Dodgers (2) | Padres (2) | Dodgers (3) | Dodgers |
| Padres (5) | McD’s (5) | Dodgers | Dodgers (4) | Friars (4) | Dodgers (3) | Padres (4) | Diamondbacks |
| Giants | McCovey’s Cove | Dbacks | Giants (6) | Dbacks (6) | Diamondbacks | Giants | Padres |
| Diamondbacks | Snecks | Giants | Rockies | Giants | Giants | Diamondbacks | Giants |
| Rockies | Coors | Rockies | Diamondbacks | Decisional Front Office | Colorado | Rockies | Rockies |
The Dodgers in first and Rockies last were easy. The Diamondbacks surprised everyone with their surge to the National League Pennant. The slide that cost Gabe Kapler his job was easy to see coming. The Padres tried and failed to contend. Kevin only mixed up the Padres and Diamondbacks. Bernie whiffed again, striking out on the entire National League. Making predictions is hard, as we proved yet again.
Standings after the Regular Season
- Kevin- 13
- Jesse- 10
- Jason- 9
- Derek- 8
- John- 8
- The Winning Run- 8
- Bernie- 5
At the end of the Regular Season only Kevin was halfway decent. It had been a long miserable Summer for everyone else. Bernie missed the Senior Circuit, but he was only three points behind Derek, John, and The Winning Run. Could things turn around for the better in October or were we doomed by our bad predictions?
Postseason
American League Wild Card
| Derek | Jesse | John | Bernie | Kevin | Jason | The Winning Run | Reality |
| Guardians | (Jeff) Bridges | Guards | White Sox | ChiSox | Cleveland | Guardians | Twins |
| Angels | Halos | Twinks | Rangers | Devil Rays | Mariners | Twins | Blue Jays |
| Astros | Twinkies | Jays | Blue Jays | Yankees | Blue Jays | Blue Jays | Rangers |
| Yankees | Devil Rays | Rangers | Angels | Kraken | Twins | White Sox | Rays |
John found his groove in the Wild Card. He had the Twins, Blue Jays, and Rangers. Jesse, Bernie, Jason, and The Winning Run had two correct picks each in the Wild Card. Kevin’s good luck hit hard times, while Derek continued to show how little he knows about the future of baseball. This was a bad time to make bad predictions.
National League Wild Card
| Derek | Jesse | John | Bernie | Kevin | Jason | The Winning Run | Reality |
| Cardinals | Redbirds | Cards | Phillies | Uncle Tickles | Cardinals | Dodgers | Diamondbacks |
| Brewers | Follies | Phils | Giants | Dbacks | Mets | Mets | Brewers |
| Mets | Amazins | Dodgers | Dodgers | Friars | Dodgers | Padres | Phillies |
| Padres | McD’s | Mets | Braves | Phillies | Brewers | Brewers | Marlins |
Kevin reversed his fortunes with two correct picks. Everyone else had either the Phillies or Brewers. Bernie finally had a correct National League prediction. While it was good to have at least one correct prediction, it was not great that the majority of our picks were terrible.
Standings after the Wild Card
- Kevin- 17
- Jesse- 16
- John- 16
- Jason- 15
- The Winning Run- 14
- Bernie- 11
- Derek- 10
The Wild Card round helped John and Bernie rebound from the Regular Season. Bernie was out of the basement. Derek was terrible as he took Bernie’s place. Kevin saw his lead shrink. The Wild Card created chaos, as predicted.
American League Divisional Series
| Derek | Jesse | John | Bernie | Kevin | Jason | The Winning Run | Reality |
| Blue Jays | Trashtros | Cheaters | Astros | Trashtros | Astros | Astros | Astros |
| Astros | Twinkies | Guards | Angels | Kraken | Blue Jays | Blue Jays | Twins |
| Mariners | Steinbrenners | Yankees | Yankees | Maple leafs | Yankees | Yankees | Rangers |
| Angels | (Jeff) Bridges | Jays | White Sox | Devil Rays | Cleveland | Guardians | Orioles |
The Astros were the easy pick, even Derek had Houston playing in the Divisional Series. Jesse also had the Twins, giving him points over everyone else. Otherwise our predictions were living in a fantasy land.
National League Divisional Series
| Derek | Jesse | John | Bernie | Kevin | Jason | The Winning Run | Reality |
| Braves | Dodger Dogs | Padres | Padres | Braves | Braves | Cardinals | Diamondbacks |
| Padres | Amazins | Cards | Giants | Friars | Mets | Padres | Dodgers |
| Dodgers | Braves | Braves | Cardinals | Dodgers | Padres | Braves | Phillies |
| Cardinals | Follies | Dodgers | Braves | Dbacks | Dodgers | Dodgers | Braves |
The Braves and Dodgers were easy picks. The National League ran through them. Only Bernie missed Los Angeles. Jesse with the Phillies and Kevin with the Diamondbacks had a third team in the Divisional Series. Jesse was making moves while the rest of us languished.
Standings after the Divisional Series
- Jesse- 36
- Kevin- 33
- John- 28
- Jason- 27
- The Winning Run- 26
- Derek- 22
- Bernie- 19
Jesse launched past Kevin. Derek and Bernie were duking it out for last place. None of us were doing well. Our predictions were trash.
American League Championship Series
| Derek | Jesse | John | Bernie | Kevin | Jason | The Winning Run | Reality |
| Blue Jays | Trashtors | Cheaters | Angels | Maple Leafs | Astros | Yankees | Rangers |
| Mariners | (Jeff) Bridges | Yankees | Yankees | Kraken | Yankees | Astros | Astros |
The Astros kept marching towards the World Series. Jesse, John, Jason, and The Winning Run knew this. Derek, Bernie, and Kevin did not get the memo. Derek and Bernie continued fighting in the cellar. Kevin’s whiff hurt his title chances. Besides Houston, we had no clue on the American League.
National League Championship Series
| Derek | Jesse | John | Bernie | Kevin | Jason | The Winning Run | Reality |
| Braves | Amazins | Padres | Padres | Braves | Braves | Braves | Diamondbacks |
| Dodgers | Braves | Braves | Braves | Dodgers | Dodgers | Padres | Phillies |
We were terrible at the American League. We were clueless about the Senior Circuit. The Mets and Padres Regular Season failures haunted us. Both the Braves and Dodgers failed to live up to October expectations. What were we thinking?
Standings after the Championship Series
- Jesse- 44
- John- 36
- Jason- 35
- Kevin- 33
- The Winning Run- 26
- Derek- 22
- Bernie- 19
Kevin plummeted down the rankings. Derek and Bernie readied for a futility throw down. Jesse’s lead looked hard to beat, but the Fall Classic awaited us. Kevin, Jason, and John were within striking distance if Jesse faltered.
World Series
| Derek | Jesse | John | Bernie | Kevin | Jason | The Winning Run | Reality |
| Braves | (Jeff) Bridges | Padres | Yankees | Kraken | Astros | Braves | Rangers |
| Blue Jays | Braves | Cheaters | Padres | Braves | Braves | Astros | Diamondbacks |
We suck. None of us predicted either World Series team. A big swing and miss. There would be no last second change in the standings. Try as we might, we know nothing about the future of baseball.
Final Standings
- Jesse- 44
- John- 36
- Jason- 35
- Kevin- 33
- The Winning Run- 26
- Derek- 22
- Bernie- 19
Congratulations Jesse, you are the best among us at predicting the 2023 MLB season. We were all terrible, but you were slightly less terrible. Maybe in 2024 we will be better…doubtful.
DJ
Rookie of the Year
Teams are successful when they develop talent, not simply purchase free agents. The George Steinbrenner Yankees were often accused of buying championships, but they did develop talent. Success is turning draft picks and international signings into Major League players. The Rookie of the Year Award recognizes the best first year player in each league. Created in 1947, there was a single Award for the first two seasons, but since 1949 each league has a winner. While it is an individual award, the Rookie of the Year Award should also be viewed as an organizational award. If a franchise is consistently producing quality Major League caliber players they will eventually have one worthy of the award. The Diamondbacks are the last of the 30 Major League teams to have a Rookie of the Year. It took 25 years for Arizona to achieve. While it may have taken longer than expected for a player like Corbin Carroll to arrive, Arizona has finally completed the task.
The inaugural Rookie of the Year Award was presented to Jackie Robinson after the most difficult rookie season in Major League history. Al Dark of the Boston Braves won in 1948. In 1949, Roy Sievers of the St. Louis Browns won the first American League Rookie of the Year Award. In more than 75 years since its creation, the Dodgers reigned supreme at producing elite rookies. The Dodgers have won a record 18 times, four in Brooklyn and 14 in Los Angeles. The Yankees are second with nine.
The expectation was the Expansion teams would be among the last to have a Rookie of the Year. When expansion’s first wave came in 1961, only the Cubs and Pirates had yet to win the Rookie of the Year. However, the Cubs won their first Rookie of the Year in 1961 with the future Hall of Famer Billy Williams. This left Pittsburgh as the last non-expansion team without the award. Surely the Pirates could produce an elite rookie at some point. Instead, 12 of the 14 Expansion teams developed a Rookie of the Year before Pittsburgh. Finally, in 2004 Jason Bay put together a rookie campaign deemed worthy, giving the Pirates their first Rookie of the Year. Only the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Arizona Diamondbacks had yet to win the award in 2004. Both franchises began play in 1998. The Pirates lack of success is just another disappointment in an ever growing list.
Simply winning the Rookie of the Year Award does not guarantee success beyond that first season in the Majors. Every player has the best season of their career, and for some it is that first season. There are others, who build upon their initial success. They finish their careers among the greatest ever. There are 19 players who won the Rookie of the Year Award and then had a Hall of Fame career:
- Jackie Robinson- Brooklyn Dodgers, 1947
- Willie Mays- New York Giants, 1951
- Frank Robinson- Cincinnati Reds, 1956
- Luis Aparicio- Chicago White Sox, 1956
- Orlando Cepeda- San Francisco Giants, 1958
- Willie McCovey- San Francisco Giants, 1959
- Billy Williams- Chicago Cubs, 1961
- Tony Oliva- Minnesota Twins, 1964
- Tom Seaver- New York Mets, 1967
- Rod Carew- Minnesota Twins, 1967
- Johnny Bench- Cincinnati Reds, 1968
- Carlton Fisk- Boston Red Sox, 1972
- Andre Dawson- Montreal Expos, 1977
- Eddie Murray- Baltimore Orioles, 1977
- Cal Ripken Jr.- Baltimore Orioles, 1982
- Jeff Bagwell- Houston Astros, 1991
- Mike Piazza- Los Angeles Dodgers, 1993
- Derek Jeter- New York Yankees, 1996
- Scott Rolen- Philadelphia Phillies, 1997
In addition to these 19 Hall of Famers, there are five more players who will join them in Cooperstown when they are eligible. There will certainly be more, but these five are all but guaranteed to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame.
- Albert Pujols- St. Louis Cardinals, 2001
- Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners, 2001
- Justin Verlander- Detroit Tigers, 2006
- Bryce Harper- Washington Nationals, 2012
- Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels, 2012
The Rookie of the Year Award celebrates the best new talent in the Majors each season. The players selected each season are not guaranteed a long and successful career, nor are they doomed to mediocrity. One great season does not define a player, but it can gain them recognition. Teams are tasked with developing the players and their success is reflected in winning the Rookie of the Year Award. It is nearly impossible to win multiple seasons in a row, but a team should consistently produce good, young players. Occasionally one should win the award. The Dodgers have figured out how to do just that, and the Pirates have not. All 30 MLB teams have now had a Rookie of the Year winner. Who adds to their list next season?
DJ
Managerial Merry Go Round
Every offseason is filled with the managerial merry go round. Teams look for new leadership in the dugout for one reason or another. This offseason is especially busy as eight teams will have someone new filling out the lineup card on Opening Day in 2024. Over a quarter of teams in MLB changed leadership is obviously a lot.
In the past, managers have been given more time to show what they can do. When they were not successful, they were relieved of their duties after proving they were not right for the job. Ownership is no longer willing to wait, baseball is transitioning to a what have you done for me lately philosophy. Teams who want to win are not content with long rebuilds. The time to win is now. It is not better or worse to have a short leash with managers, it is just different. It is better to move on quickly when it becomes clear the wrong person was hired, but it also does not allow managers to reap the benefits of a rebuild. It is a mixed bag, but steady leadership is never a bad thing.
Two of the managerial openings were not shocking. The retirements of Dusty Baker and Terry Francona. Baker has dedicated his life to baseball. The grind takes a toll on people and he felt it was time to step off the diamond. Francona has had health issues the last few years. If you do not have your health, nothing else matters. The Astros search took them to their Bench Coach Joe Espada. The Guardians hired Stephen Vogt, who retired from playing in 2022 and spent last season as the Mariners Bullpen Coach. Houston and Cleveland look to continue their success moving forward, and their need for new managers was due to life happening, not the scoreboard.
The Mets looked unstoppable on paper in Spring Training. Then the season started and it all went wrong. The Mets finished in fourth place, six games under .500, and 29 Games Behind the Braves. Buck Showalter was fired and replaced by Yankees Bench Coach Carlos Mendoza. Can he bring winning back to Queens? Another marque team looking to return to their winning ways got their new manager in a surprising twist. Long time Brewers Manager Craig Counsell was suddenly hired by the division rival Cubs. The move came with the largest annual salary for a manager, $8 million per season. The move meant David Ross was suddenly unemployed and Milwaukee was scrambling to replace Counsell. The Brewers named their Bench Coach Pat Murphy, who coached Counsell in college, as their new manager.
In a similar move, Padres Manager Bob Melvin left San Diego for the division rival Giants. The relationship between Melvin and Padres General Manager A.J. Preller was bad. After a disappointing season for the Padres, with high payroll and even higher expectations, like the Mets, Melvin knew it was time for a change. The escape up the coast to the Bay Area was made possible by the firing of Gabe Kapler after only one trip to the Postseason in his four seasons managing in San Francisco. The Padres turned to Mike Schildt to guide San Diego to October. The managerial opening for the Angels is the most critical for baseball. This is not a dig at Phil Nevin, for whom the Angels declined their 2024 option, but the organization as a whole has failed. Los Angeles continues to waste prime seasons for Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, if he returns. The best players in baseball should be showcased in October, instead Trout is in Philadelphia watching the Eagles and Ohtani is doing commercials for one of his endorsements. Hopefully the hiring of Ron Washington rights the Angels ship. Washington was terrific in Texas, guiding the team to two American League pennants. He is beloved in Atlanta. A baseball man through and through, Washington’s success in Los Angeles can only mean good things for baseball.
Teams want to win and win now. Call it dysfunction, bad hiring, or an unwillingness to be patient, but teams are not wasting seasons wondering if they hired the right manager. Baseball is a business and part of that business is putting a winning team on the field. This high turnover is a sign teams are trying to win, even if the turmoil extends into the front office. Looking at you White Sox and Marlins. Sustained dysfunction is a killer for any franchise. Even when everything and everyone works together, creating a winning baseball team is extremely difficult.
The 2023 season had some spectacularly disappointing teams. Perhaps some of the most disappointing of all time. Many of those teams are making changes this Winter. Time will tell if these changes create winners, or if the manager is the first of many changes. Around and around we go.
DJ
United States of Baseball- United States Virgin Islands
Everyone wants their own slice of paradise and the United States Virgin Islands is paradise. The U.S. Virgin Islands are only 133 square miles, roughly the size of Manhattan and Queens. While New York City is packed with people, the U.S. Virgin Islands has a population of 87,000 or roughly 1% of the Big Apple. The U.S. Virgin Islands has sent 15 players to the Major Leagues. The greatest pitcher from the U.S. Virgin Islands is Al McBean. His 15.00 career WAR is the 51st highest among state and territory leaders. The greatest position player from the U.S. Virgin Islands is Horace Clarke. His 15.70 career WAR is the 49th highest among state and territory leaders. The U.S. Virgin Islands has a combined 30.70 WAR, which ranks it 53rd in the United States of Baseball.
There is always a first and for the U.S. Virgin Islands Al McBean was the first to pitch off a Major League mound. The Right Hander signed as an amateur free agent by the Pirates before the 1958 season. The Charlotte Amalie native pitched for 10 seasons with three teams: Pittsburgh Pirates (1961-1968, 1970), San Diego Padres (1969), and Los Angeles Dodgers (1969-1970). McBean pitched in 409 career Games, made 76 Starts, with 187 Games Finished, including 22 Complete Games, with 5 Shutouts, in 1,072.1 Innings Pitched, allowed 1,058 Hits, 430 Runs, 373 Earned Runs, 63 Home Runs, 365 Walks, 575 Strikeouts, posted a 67-50 record, 3.13 ERA, 1.327 WHIP, and 111 ERA+. He is the U.S. Virgin Island all time leader in Wins, Losses, Games, Games Started, Complete Games, Shutouts, Innings Pitched, Hits allowed, Runs, Earned Runs, Home Runs, Walks, and Strikeouts. McBean is the only U.S. Virgin Island pitcher to throw a Complete Game and Shutout. While his career did not lead to Cooperstown, it did gain the attention of the expansion San Diego Padres, who selected McBean with the 50th pick in the 1968 Expansion Draft. His career with the Padres was brief, a single Start, before a trade up the California coast to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The best season of McBean’s career came with the 1963 Pirates. Pittsburgh was on the way down just three seasons removed from a World Series championship, but McBean made his name in the Steel City. He appeared in 55 Games, made 7 Starts, with 30 Games Finished, including 2 Complete Games, with 1 Shutout, in 122.1 Innings Pitched, allowed 100 Hits, 42 Runs, 35 Earned Runs, 5 Home Runs, 39 Walks, 74 Strikeouts, posted a 13-3 record, 2.57 ERA, 1.136 WHIP, and 128 ERA+. McBean posted a career best Win% with a 74 win Pirates team. Throughout his career, McBean was either too early or a little too late for team success, and never played in the Postseason.
The Yankees have a long and storied history. Unfortunately for Horace Clarke, his time in the Bronx came when the Pinstripes were mocked, not feared. On average, the Yankees finished 20 games out, and finished higher than fourth once during his tenure. The Second Baseman played 10 seasons with two teams: New York Yankees (1965-1974) and San Diego Padres (1974). The Frederiksted native played in 1,272 career Games, scored 548 Runs, collected 1,230 Hits, including 150 Doubles, 23 Triples, 27 Home Runs, 304 RBI, 151 Stolen Bases, drew 365 Walks, 362 Strikeouts, with a .256 BA, .308 OBP, .313 SLG, .621 OPS, and 83 OPS+. He is the U.S. Virgin Island all time leader in Games played, Runs scored, Hits, Doubles, RBI, Stolen Bases, and Strikeouts.
The best season of Clarke’s career came with the 1969 Yankees. He played in 156 Games, scored 82 Runs, collected 183 Hits, including 26 Doubles, 7 Triples, 4 Home Runs, 48 RBI, 33 Stolen Bases, drew 53 Walks, 41 Strikeouts, with a .285 BA, .339 OBP, .367 SLG, .706 OPS, and 101 OPS+. He led the American League in At Bats. Clarke’s magical 1969 campaign set career bests in Runs scored, Hits, Doubles, RBI, Stolen Bases, BA, OBP, and OPS, while tying his career best in Triples.
The lack of success for the Yankees during Clarke’s career prevented him from playing in the Postseason. Individual success can only carry a team so far. In 1980, Clarke appeared on the Hall of Fame ballot, but failed to receive any votes.
There are no Hall of Famers from the U.S. Virgin Islands. Baseball in this paradise is growing, but it has yet to produce a Hall of Fame caliber player. Next the United States of Baseball heads west to the Beehive State. Utah is next.
DJ
World Series of Chaos
We have our World Series matchup, Texas Rangers against Arizona Diamondbacks.
This is the first Fall Classic matchup between these two franchises. The Rangers are making their third trip to the World Series. They lost back to back World Series in 2010 and 2011. Texas has yet to reach the mountain top. The Diamondbacks are making their second appearance. They won a thriller in Game 7 against the Yankees in 2001. Will north Texas finally win it all or will the desert take home a second Commissioner’s Trophy?
Bruce Bochy has spent 26 seasons as a Major League manager. He has a 2,093-2,101 record, a .499 Win%. Bochy passed Walter Alston earlier this season to move into tenth place all-time in wins. Bochy, Bucky Harris, and Connie Mack are the only three managers with a losing record in the top ten. Four victories in the World Series would tie Bochy with Dusty Baker with 57 Postseason wins, the fourth most ever. He has done well as the winningest, and only, French born manager ever. This is the third team Bochy has led to the World Series. He won the National League Pennant with the Padres in 1998 and led the Giants to three World Series titles in five years between 2010 and 2014. Can he win his fourth title in his first season with the Rangers?
Torey Lovullo is in his seventh season as a Major League manager. He has a 495-537 record, a .480 Win%. Lovullo has the 142nd most career victories as a Major League Manager. He took over the Diamondbacks in 2017 after they finished with just 69 wins in 2016. Arizona immediately responded with a 93 win season and a trip to the Division Series, where they were swept by the Dodgers. The front office has stayed the course with Lovullo, as the Diamondbacks have finished an average of 26 behind the National League West division winner in the last six seasons. The only thing that matters now is the Diamondbacks are hot at the right time.
Tommy Lasorda. He is the difference between Bruce Bochy and Torey Lovullo. Bochy has 1,598 more victories than Lovullo. Lasorda posted 1,599 wins in his Hall of Fame managerial career. This difference typifies how crazy baseball can be. Bochy is on his way to Cooperstown. Lovullo is already the winningest manager in Arizona history and could be on his way to the Diamondbacks Hall of Fame with four more victories. Baseball does not care about your history, only what you can do today.
How will this World Series unfold? History says it will be chaos. The last three Fall Classics have gone six games. The last World Series Game 7 was 2019 when the Nationals triumphed over the Astros. The last World Series sweep was 2012 as the Giants swept the Tigers. Who has the advantage this October? Honestly no one knows, because the last ten World Series are an even split with the American and National League each winning five times.
Enjoy the end of the baseball season. The cold of Winter is coming. Another baseball season is drawing to a close. The unpredictability of the game has led us to this World Series, Rangers vs Diamondbacks. Every season is a free for all. This year is no different. The Mets and Padres are proof you cannot buy your way into the Postseason. The League Championship Series were some of the best baseball has to offer. Hopefully it continues into November.
DJ
Missing #2- Johnny Kling
These are the saddest of possible words:
“Tinker to Evers to Chance.”
Trio of bear cubs, and fleeter than birds,
Tinker and Evers and Chance.
Ruthlessly pricking our gonfalon bubble,
Making a Giant hit into a double—
Words that are heavy with nothing but trouble:
“Tinker to Evers to Chance.”
The dynasty on the Northside of Chicago in the early 1900’s is recounted in Franklin Pierce Adams’ poem immortalizing Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers, and Frank Chance. Defense was king during the Dead Ball Era. Turning a Double Play and having a solid defensive catcher were critical to a team’s success. The Cubs had both and played in four World Series between 1906 and 1910, winning twice in 1907 and 1908. So why has one of the main cogs in the Cubs dynasty never reached Cooperstown?
Johnny Kling was different. He was a clean living man, who viewed baseball as his job, not his entire life. He won the 1907 World Pocket Billiards Championship. Kling also built a successful real estate business away from the diamond and owned the Kansas City Blues of the American Association from 1933-1937. He focused on the financial side of baseball, concerned only with the color green. He desegregated the ballpark, which was also home to the Kansas City Monarchs, to increase ticket sales for both teams. Kling eventually sold the Blues to Yankees owner, Colonel Jacob Ruppert.
On the diamond, Kling excelled despite his small size. He played 13 seasons with three teams: Chicago Orphans/ Cubs (1900-1908, 1910-1911), Boston Rustlers/ Braves (1911-1912), and Cincinnati Reds (1913). Kling played in 1,261 career Games, scored 475 Runs, collected 1,154 Hits, including 181 Doubles, 61 Triples, 20 Home Runs, 514 RBI, with 124 Stolen Bases, 281 Walks, 327 Strikeouts, posting a .272 BA, .319 OBP, .357 SLG, .676 OPS, 100 OPS+, and 29.1 WAR. In August 1902 Kling set the MLB record for consecutive Hits with 12, a record tied a half a century later by Walt Dropo. He did the impossible in the 1907 World Series when he held Ty Cobb without a Stolen Base.
Defensively, Kling played in 1,169 career Games, made 1,124 Starts, played 1,063 Complete Games, caught 10,096 Innings, had 7,238 Chances, made 5,474 Putouts, with 1,554 Assists, 210 Errors, turned 127 Double Plays, posted a .971 FLD%, 6.27 RF/9, 6.01 RF/G, 48% Caught Stealing %, and 13.7 dWAR. Between 1902 and 1908, he led the National League in Putouts six times, Fielding Percentage twice, and Assists and Double Plays once. Kling produced a solid Major League career with his bat and glove, but was it worthy of Cooperstown?
When determining if a player is worthy of the Hall of Fame, it is best to compare them against those who played their position that are already inducted into Cooperstown. Kling’s comparison is against his fellow catchers, specifically those who played in his era. The modern game has changed dramatically. The offensive explosion since the end of the Dead Ball Era makes comparing numbers across eras unfair. The three Dead Ball Era catchers in the Hall of Fame are Buck Ewing, Roger Bresnahan, and Ray Schalk. They averaged 18 seasons, 1,508 Games played, 797 Runs scored, 1,407 Hits, 222 Doubles, 99 Triples, 36 Home Runs, 669 RBI, 248 Stolen Bases, 581 Walks, 352 Strikeouts, .278 BA, .359 OBP, .383 SLG, .742 OPS, and 113 OPS+. The two categories Kling fared better in than these Hall of Famers are Strikeouts, 25 fewer, and dWAR, 2.2 more. Every other category he was noticeably behind Ewing, Bresnahan, and Schalk. He played 5 fewer seasons, 247 fewer Games, 322 fewer Runs scored, 253 fewer Hits, 41 fewer Doubles, 38 fewer Triples, 16 fewer Home Runs, 155 fewer RBI, 124 fewer Stolen Bases, 300 fewer Walks, .006 lower BA, .040 lower OBP, .026 lower SLG, .066 lower OPS, 13 less OPS+, and 12.0 less WAR. Kling’s statistics are those of the Hall of Good, not the Hall of Fame.
Kling received 8 votes on the 1936 Hall of Fame ballot, 3.5%. He had the 28th highest vote total on the inaugural ballot and the second highest to never be enshrined. He spent 8 years on the Hall of Fame ballot, peaking with 10% in 1937.
Johnny Kling built a solid career, but was it Hall of Fame worthy? No. He was a key contributor to a Cubs dynasty, but dynasties are not solely built on Hall of Famers. The Hall of Fame voters were right to exclude Kling from Cooperstown, but his contributions to the game should never be forgotten.
DJ
The Final Chapter
October baseball gets all of the attention, but September is just as exciting. Teams are playing for their chance in October. Some fan bases have waited a decade to root for their team in the Fall. Others expect to play as the weather turns chilly every season. The Reds could shock their own fan base and make it back to the Postseason. The Mariners too have caught fire and appear heading for October. The Braves and Dodgers are running away with their divisions and appear on a collision course in the NLCS. The Brewers and Cubs are doing their best to claim their National League Central crown. The Orioles and Rays are fighting it out in the American League East while the Yankees sink further into the depths. The American League East and West are fighting among themselves to determine which division will have three teams reach the Postseason. The Blue Jays and Red Sox are not going away, neither are the Rangers and Astros.
The races for the divisions and the Wild Card are far from over. Even teams who are out of it can play spoiler. Could the last place Yankees sink the Postseason hopes of the hated Red Sox? Could the Athletics prevent the Astros from returning to October? Anything is possible. Even the best teams in baseball lose 40 games every season. There is still another month of baseball and the craziness of this season is not over yet. Some teams took a gamble at the trade deadline and it is time to see if it will pay off. The more teams fighting for October the better. More fans stay engaged with the game as the Regular Season winds down.
October baseball is great, but September baseball is just as exciting. The Postseason begins a month early for several teams. The pressure will continually grow as the days get shorter and the scorching heat finally breaks. The best is yet to come.
DJ
The Winning Run 