IntroductionYesYes*Yes?No+NoMy BallotModern EraAfterword This was intended to be the final post in my 2020 Hall of Fame series, but when planning I forgot that the results of the Modern Era vote would be announced long before the BBWAA vote. As such, this post will be entirely about the Modern Era, and I will unpublish it …
Continue reading "2020 Hall of Fame Ballot: Afterword – Halfway There"
A dominant peak and huge postseason moments make Cliff Lee's brief career worthy of more consideration than it first seems. IntroductionYesYes*Yes?No+NoMy BallotModern EraAfterword I've mentioned in previous portions of this series that I would like voting for the Hall of Fame to be a simple yes/no decision for every player on the ballot. These two …
Continue reading "2020 BBWAA Hall of Fame Ballot: A Vote without Confidence"
A rash of injuries to Dustin Pedroia (left) and a down year from Robinson Canó (right) contributed to officially ending an era of great second basemen in 2019. Every offseason I spend several days' worth of hours creating spreadsheets so that I can compile a Top 10 list of players at each position for the …
Continue reading "2019 a Death Knell for a Metallic Era of Second Basemen"
Despite four superstar-level seasons, Alfonso Soriano headlines this ballot's list of players who should go one-and-done. IntroductionYesYes*Yes?No+NoMy BallotModern EraAfterword This year there are a total of 32 players of the ballot for Hall of Fame consideration by the BBWAA. A great many of them—15, in my opinion—are deserving of induction into the hallowed building in …
Continue reading "2020 BBWAA Hall of Fame Ballot: For One Year Only"
On his tenth and final year of eligibility, Larry Walker will need a push to earn his rightful place in Cooperstown. IntroductionYesYes*Yes?No+NoMy BallotModern EraAfterword Happy Hall of Fame season everyone! Just mere hours ago the BBWAA announced their 2020 ballot. It's a bit weaker than the ones we've seen the past few years, but still …
Continue reading "2020 BBWAA Hall of Fame Ballot: Introduction – Into the Matrix"
Somehow Marvin Miller, among the most influential figures in baseball history, remains out of the Hall of Fame. The Modern Era vote will hopefully remedy that. IntroductionYesYes*Yes?No+NoMy BallotModern EraAfterword The 2020 Modern Era candidates for the Hall of Fame were announced Monday, with the 10-person pool representing quite a mixed bag. Each of those 10 …
You all know who Clayton Kershaw is. The man has three Cy Young awards, an MVP, eight All-Star games, and even a Gold Glove. He will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, likely garnering more than 95% of the vote. His career earnings total right around $200 million, with more to come. I assume that …
Howie Kendrick has been an unlikely offensive juggernaut in 2019. After coming off an age 34 season in which he had played only 40 games for the Nationals, the 2019 outlook didn't look all too bright for Howie Kendrick. He had performed adequately in those games, posting a 112 wRC+ and 0.4 fWAR, but the …
Through August 11th of this season, Hyun-Jin Ryu had an ERA of 1.45, despite a 2.85 FIP and looked like the probable NL Cy Young. Since then, he has pitched 19 innings and posted an ugly 9.95 ERA. What exactly went wrong for the Dodgers left-hander? Another soft tossing NL starter may be able to …
Continue reading "What Kyle Hendricks can Teach Us about Hyun-Jin Ryu"
Several weeks ago, I was sitting on the couch at my girlfriend's house, trying to pay attention both to the conversation taking place around me and to the Phillies vs. Padres game on the TV in front of me. As nothing happening in the game was particularly captivating, I was mostly giving the screen only …
Writing Above Replacement 