Home Run Derby

Woo Hoo!!

Andre Dawson made the Baseball Hall of Fame!!  Awesome.  Too bad Bert Blyleven didn’t join him.

Instead of talking about someone who got the 75% of votes needed to make the Hall … let’s look at those who have been unanimously shut out of the Hall of Fame.   And I don’t mean players who went one-and done in their chance at the Hall.

I mean those players who couldn’t get a single vote during their chance on the ballot.  Zip.  Zilch.  Nada.  Donut.  Not a sausage.  Bugger all.

This year (2010), the no-vote dishonor fell on Mike Jackson, Ray Lankford, Shane Reynolds and Todd Zeile. Not a single writer bit on any of them.  Not even Corky Simpson.

The Baseball Hall of Fame has been tracking voters who didn’t receive a vote for the past 33 ballots.   During that time, there were 193 players who couldn’t gather up a single vote between them.  As you might imagine … there’s a few names that you’ve heard of among that group. 

Here’s some notable ones.

In 1991, Oscar Gamble couldn’t get a single voter to bet on him. 

You see … this is what’s wrong with the BBWAA. 

If that fabulous afro can’t get an obligatory vote from at least one BBWAA writer … it’s time for the entire institution to lose its voting rights.

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In 1978, Mudcat Grant and Pedro Ramos couldn’t get a single vote from the BBWAA. 

Which kinda surprised me … because someone with the nickname ”Mudcat” simply belongs in every Hall of Fame out there.  And those mutton chops robably deserved a vote of their own.

And who wouldn’t “Vote for Pedro”?

In 1980, Paul Casanova couldn’t get any love from the BBWAA. 

But Casanova shouldn’t feel too bad … because just shy of half the players on the 1980 ballot went voteless (29 of 61).  

And you probably never heard of any of them.  How the heck did they get on a HoF ballot?

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How quickly they forget … just because the BBWAA selected a player for one of its coveted postseason awards doesn’t mean they’ll remember their name when it shows up on a Hall of Fame ballot.  

Over the past 32 Ballots, ten former Rookies of the Year and five Cy Young Award winners couldn’t get a second vote from the BBWAA …

Rookies of the Year

• Al Bumbry (1973 AL ROY) shut out in 1991
• Bake McBride (1974 NL ROY) shut out in 1989
• Bob Horner (1978 NL ROY) shut out in 1994
• Chris Chambliss (1971 AL ROY) shut out in 1994
• Gary Matthews (1973 NL ROY) shut out in 1993
• Jon Matlack (1972 NL ROY) shut out in 1989
• Pat Zachry (1976 NL ROY) shut out in 1991
• Stan Bahnsen (1968 AL ROY) shut out in 1988
• Todd Worrell (1986 NL ROY) shut out in 2003
• Tommie Agee (1966 AL ROY) shut out in 1979

Cy Young Award Winners

• Steve Stone (1979 AL CY) shut out in 1987
• Pete Vuckovich (1982 AL CY) shut out in 1992
• Randy Jones (1976 NL CY) shut out in
• Mike Cuellar (1969 AL CY)  shut out in 1983
• John Denny (1983 NL CY)  shut out in 1992

In 1985 and 2001, Ed Kranepool and Andy van Slyke both got shut out of the Hall of Fame balloting. 

But they acheived an even better sort of immortality as the namesakes of two awesome baseball blogs … The Eddie Kranepool Society and Where Have You Gone Andy van Slyke? 

In 2000, Hubie Brooks was the loneliest man on the HoF ballot.  He was the only player (out of 30) who couldn’t get a vote that year. 

In 2003, the BBWAA didn’t go wild over Mitch Williams.  At least the Wild Thing can take solace in the fact that Joe Carter also only lasted one HoF vote – getting 19 votes in 2004.

Want to see the full list?  It’s right here.

Standings are updated.

I’m disappointed.  Even though we increased the Home Run Derby contest from 2008 … there’s only two teams in the running for the Top Prize for the 1st half of the season.

Mind you, it cold be wonderful fun this last week before the All-Star Break as Aural Sects and David Wright Can Bite Me are knotted atop the leaderboard with 248 Home Runs apiece.  DWCBM holds the AB/HR tiebreaker. 

I expect smack talk in the comments now that I have Aural Sects’ correct email address.  But my money’s on the David Wright hater to win the First Half … because he’s got Aramis Ramirez coming back this week.

I suppose that The Heavy Hitters (243HR) could make a crazy run past those two and steal the top prize … but I wouldn’t bet on it.  There’s just way too much similarity between HH and DWCBM, who share nine players. 

There’s a better chance at Second place - because Hitters have  eleven differnet players than Aural Sects.

It’s probably to early to name anyone the leader in the July Monthly Standings …

But as of right now,  Todd’s Shadow leads everyone with 16 HR through 5 days.

Standings have been updated … finally

With two days left in June, David Wright can Bite me has regained the First Half Lead with 236 Home Runs. 

Mind you, The Heavy Hitters (235 HR) and Aural Sects (233 HR) are right on his tail. 

The Komodos lead the June leaderboard with72 HR. 

Fletch and RDRR have a shot to take the June prize – they’re only back two Homers at 70.

Standings have been updated

And with one day to play in May … there’s a tie for the May prize between DAVID WRIGHT CAN BITE ME and AURAL SECTS.  Both have 97 HR for the month. 

DWCBM holds the AB/HR Tiebreaker.

Standings have been updated. 

I’m going to call it. 

With five days to go, Team Minivan will be your 2008 Home Run Derby contest champion.  In fact, I think the entire prize board is set. 

Minivan leads all comers with 474 Home Runs and an eleven HR lead over Belichoke (463 HR).  Belichoke seems to have cemented 2nd Place with a six-HR lead over Sultans of Swat (457 HR).  It looks like Poker Pals (450 HR) will finish out of the money.

And the Second Half is shaping up for Minivan as well.  With 193 2nd Half Home Runs, Team Minivan has a six-HR lead over his nearest competition.  But that competition is a name I simply can’t believe is on the leaderboard. 

The Komodos (187 HR) 

You remember The Komodos … they finished in last place last season and caught hell from Nick the Greek all season.   And now it’s almost assured that HRD’s webmaster and resident baseball novice is going to finish in the freakin money. 

There’s a full fledged race for Third Place – as Oaktags (183 HR), Croatian Sensation (182), JoBu (181), Sultans of Swat (180), Evil Toast (178) and Poker Pals (177) are all going to battle for the last spot on the dance card. 

Since we mentioned the turnaround of last year’s last place finisher … let’s bring up Go Yanks (263 HR).  

Go Yanks has trailed eveyone in the Derby since sometime in Week Five and will finish in last place for the season … and will likely be the first in the History of the Derby to accomplish an unenviable feat.   He’s going to complete the HRD Last Place Sweep – Last Place in the 1st Half, the 2nd Half, and thereby … overall.  Never been done before.

Better luck next year.

The Presidents bum rushed the Padre in the Mascot Battle between Church and State … so it’s time for another Mascot Bracket Showdown.

We’re headed back to the aviary (the Feather Division) for a second round showdown between two feathered NL Central mascots who like biting female fans (and who doesn’t?)

#1 – Pirate Parrot (Pittsburgh Pirates) vs #5 Fredbird (St. Louis Cardinals)

(more…)

Apparently, Boston ain’t big anough for two hot, blonde sideline reporters.
Specifically, ESPN’s Erin Andrews and NESN’s Heidi Watney.

Here’s a screenshot from a recent Red Sox game at Fenway with the two sideline temptresses du jour in the same picture.

Whoa. That sure looks like Erin Andrews is checking out NESN reporter Heidi Watney’s behind.
And Andrews doesn’t look happy about it. She’s got that same “pissed off look” she gave Joba Chamberlain a few months back.

Watney seems to know something is up, too. Probably because her ass is burning up from the eye-lasers Andrews is firing at it.

Does ESPN’s Alpha Hottie sense some competition? Could this turn ugly when both of them go to interview/grab the bicep of Jason Varitek at an upcoming Sawx game?

Who ya got?

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hat tip: Barstool Sports

So during the opening pomp and circumstance before last night’s All-Star Game, the Living Hall of Famers at each position were in Yankee Stadium to greet the starting 2008 All-Stars as they were introduced to the crowd.

It was a great moment to see living legends from the Hall of Fame out there on the same field with the 2008 All-Stars. 

But there was one glaring omission. 
And it was at second base. 

As Chase Utley and Dustin Pedroia came out during the introductions, they got to meet Hall of Fame Second Basemen Rod Carew, Bill Mazeroski, and Ryne Sandberg. 

But not Joe Morgan. 

Did Morgan develop another flareup of the dreaded disese Ryne-itis (also known as Sandberg Syndrome) wherein those afflicted can’t be anywhere near the man who broke Morgan’s HR record for Second Basemen?  As you’ll recall, Joe Morgan was conspiculously absent at Sandberg’s Hall of Fame induction in 2005. 

It’s not like Joe didn’t know how to get to Yankee Stadium … he was in the building the night before when he announced the 2008 Home Run Derby. 

No, I think this is just another case of Joe Morgan not wanting to share ANY stage with Ryne Sandberg. 

It’s a shame when the Vice-Chairman of the Baseball Hall of Fame doesn’t show up for events like this if Sandberg is there. 

It perpetuates the belief that Morgan’s putting himself before the game for personal reasons … even if that’s not the reason.

Update:  We have learned Joe Morgan was a participant in the All-Star Parade before the Game, so it’s not as if he left New York after the Home Run Derby. 

Parade Hat Tip – the not awful Awful Announcing, who agrees with HRD that Joe Morgan is ducking Sandberg.

Only one week left in the First Half of the 2008 Home Run Derby Contest.

And suddenly … the top of the standings are very interesting.  Last week, I said that the 1st Half crown was out of reach for anyone besides Belichoke.   Go figure that another one of my predictions falls flat.

Belichoke (268 HR) still leads all, but his lead (which was recently 11 Home Runs) is down to a deuce over The Joba Rules (266). 

Third Place changes just about every week, so it should be no surprise that a fresh face is there again.  Herby’s Heroes (258 HR) jumped up to grab a shot at glory …. but willl have to fight off three teams who have been near the leaderboard all season long - Suck It, Sultans of Swat, and Gluck Fu! as well as a surging Team MiniVan

Best week this week went to Team Minivan with 27 HR.  Minivan is hot and cold – they led the Derby three weeks ago with 26 HR and then barely scored 28 combined HR the follwing two weeks.