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BP Blogs
January 8, 2013 BP UnfilteredIs Jack Morris the Best Pitcher of an Era? You already know the answer to this.
It's Hall of Fame balloting time, and you know what that means: it's also time to bicker about Jack Morris. The setup: Danny Knobler's ballot justification, though I could pick plenty of others that say more or less the same thing. I've long been a supporter. I understand the arguments against. But he was the dominant starting pitcher of his era. We've never elected a pitcher who spent his entire career in the American League during the DH era. Morris deserves to be the first. Wezen-BallThrough the Years: Craig Biggio A look at contemporary accounts for a man Bill James called "the best player in major league baseball."
With the Hall of Fame announcement scheduled for this week, now is a good time to look back at the early careers of some of this year's most talked-about nominees. (And with the early exit polls looking as they do, it might be nice to remember just how great some of these players were.) This post was originally written (mostly) in 2009. Biggio's first appearance in any of the annual preview guides comes in the Minor Leagues section of the 1988 Street & Smith's. It is a rather underwhelming first mention and the (likely) typo in his first name is fitting for the most underrated star of his time: "Catcher Graig Biggio [sic], the Astros' No. 1 draft pick in '87, hit .375 with 49 RBIs and 31 SBs in 64 games at Asheville." BP UnfilteredDaily Draft Video: Joe Alexander Jiminez Daily exclusive video series designed to familiarize you with the names you need to know leading up to the 2013 amateur draft.
Joe Alexander Jiminez (RHP), out of the Puerto Rico Baseball Academy and High School (Gurabo, PR) is an intimidating presence on the mound, standing at a strong 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds. Jiminez features a heavy fastball with good downhill plane, sitting 89-92 mph and has hit 94 mph up in the zone. He also throws a slurvy breaker with 10-to-4 action, sitting 75-77 mph. Today’s video is from the 2013 Perfect Game World Showcase, held at Terry Park in Ft. Myers, Florida. Jiminez is committed to Florida International University. Wezen-BallThrough the Years: Jeff Bagwell Contemporary accounts of the Houston first baseman's early career.
With the Hall of Fame announcement scheduled for this week, now is a good time to look back at the early careers of some of this year's most talked-about nominees. (And with the early exit polls looking as they do, it might be nice to remember just how great some of these players were.) The way you hear people talk about it today, it'd seem as if Houston's superstar first baseman Jeff Bagwell came from as deep a pit of obscurity as Mike Piazza, the Los Angeles catcher drafted in a round so low that it doesn't even exist today. Bagwell, after all, came to the Astros in a trade for the less-than-thrilling Larry Andersen. But Bagwell was the Red Sox fourth-round draft pick in 1989 and the Boston Globe had this to say the day after the trade: Three weeks ago, the Houston Astros were evidently holding out for Babe Ruth for the 37-year-old reliever. So the Red Sox gave them Lou Gehrig. Well, not quite, but third baseman Jeff Bagwell, a University of Hartford product, was considered one of Boston's best prospects. Bagwell, who played all season in Double A New Britain, hit .333 with 4 home runs and 61 RBIs. BP Daily PodcastEffectively Wild Episode 114: The One Where We Talk About the Hall of Fame Ben and Sam discuss the Hall of Fame voting and what their own ballots would look like.
Ben and Sam discuss the Hall of Fame voting and what their own ballots would look like.
January 7, 2013 BP UnfilteredTime to Push the Reset Button AChange.org petition to ask the Hall of Fame Board of Directors to change their voting process
I know the results from the latest Hall of Fame voting aren’t in yet, but it’s already clear that the process is deeply flawed. It was always imperfect, but its flaws are now deep, possibly mortal. The voting process is not equipped to handle the messy challenges of our day, and the Hall of Fame is suffering as a result. Wezen-BallThrough the Years: Curt Schilling A peak back at contemporary accounts of Curt Schilling's rise to stardom.
With the Hall of Fame announcement scheduled for this week, now is a good time to look back at the early careers of some of this year's most talked-about nominees. (And with the early exit polls looking as they do, it might be nice to remember just how great some of these players were.) This post was originally written (mostly) in 2009. If this year's Hall of Fame ballot weren't explicitly designed by the baseball gods to ruffle a serious amount of feathers, one of the most intriguing new names would almost certainly be Curt Schilling. He's been in the news recently for many non-baseball reasons, but, as a player pitching for the World Champion Diamondbacks and Red Sox who struck out more than 300 batters three separate times, he was a great regular season pitcher whose postseason success may legitimately boost him into Cooperstown. With the hoopla at the top of the ballot, however, it might be a while before voters give him his fair due. Wezen-BallThrough the Years: Mike Piazza A look at contemporary accounts from Mike Piazza's early career.
With the Hall of Fame announcement scheduled for this week, now is a good time to look back at the early careers of some of this year's most talked-about nominees. (And with the early exit polls looking as they do, it might be nice to remember just how great some of these players were.) Let's take a look back at some contemporary accounts of Mike Piazza's at-one-time obvious Hall of Fame career. It's a famous story now that Piazza was drafted in the 62nd round and only as a favor to Los Angeles manager (and Piazza's godfather) Tommy Lasorda. It's a catchy story, after all. A man drafted that low isn't expected to amount to much of anything, let alone become a twelve-time All-Star or the career leader in home runs for a catcher. Today, for example, the draft doesn't even go to 62 rounds.
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