Examining the Credentials of the Current and Future Candidates for the Hall of Fame
Last Friday at Dodger Stadium, Freddie Freeman had his Hall of Fame moment. In the bottom of the 10th inning of Game 1 of the World Series, with two outs and the bases loaded, Freeman drilled the first pitch from the New York Yankees’ Nestor Cortes into the right field bleachers, turning a 3-2 deficit […]
Adrian Beltre is the headline act of baseball’s Hall of Fame Class of 2024, one of four men who will be inducted into the Hall this Sunday in Cooperstown, New York. Beltre, who was elected overwhelmingly by the BBWAA (Baseball Writers Association of America) in January, with 95.1% of the vote, will be joined on […]
Joe Mauer, the longtime catcher and first baseman for the Minnesota Twins, was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in January by the BBWAA (Baseball Writers Association of America). In his first year on the BBWAA ballot, Mauer earned 76.1% of the vote, putting him just above the 75% required to […]
Carlos Beltran‘s 20-year career in Major League Baseball started with a Rookie of the Year Award in 1999 with the Kansas City Royals. After laboring in small-market obscurity, he became a household name in 2004 with a fantastic postseason performance with the Houston Astros. He then spent all or part of 10 of his next […]
Chase Utley, who had a distinguished 16-year Major League Baseball career with the Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles, is currently on the Hall of Fame ballot for the BBWAA (Baseball Writers Association of America) for the first time. Utley made six All-Star teams during his years on the diamond and won a World Series ring […]
David Wright, one of the greatest players in the 62-year history of the New York Mets, turned 41 years old today. Wright, who retired after the 2017 season, is currently on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot for the BBWAA (Baseball Writers Association of America). Wright is one of several strong first-time candidates on the […]
A player or manager in Major League Baseball for 41 years, Lou Piniella owns one of the most ironic nicknames, Sweet Lou. In 18 years as an outfielder, he was famously hard-nosed, combative, and short-tempered. In 23 years as a manager, Piniella was known for his base-throwing, dirt-kicking, and nose-to-nose arguments with the men in […]
For the third time in four years, Davey Johnson is on a ballot for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York. The Contemporary Baseball Era Committee for Managers/Executives/Umpires, the modern version of the Veterans Committee, will vote on 8 candidates for the Hall of Fame in early December at the […]
Former New York Yankees pitcher Mel Stottlemyre made his Major League Baseball debut in August 1964. He helped the Yankees win a remarkable 15th pennant in the span of 18 seasons. His rookie season also represented the last of the Hall of Fame-caliber campaigns from Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford. Stottlemyre pitched from 1964-74, his […]
Albert Belle is eligible for the Hall of Fame next month, as one of eight candidates on the Contemporary Baseball Players Committee ballot. If the Hall of Fame were only about fame, there are few players from the 1990s who generated more headlines than the enigmatic Belle. During his brief career, which ended shortly after his […]
Last night in Philadelphia, Justin Verlander got a big proverbial monkey off his back when he finally was the winning pitcher in a World Series game. With five innings of one-run ball, Verlander earned the win when the Houston Astros completed a 3-2 victory over the Phillies to take a 3-to-2 series lead in the […]
Tonight, in the first World Series game to be played in Philadelphia since 2009, two-time Most Valuable Player Bryce Harper hit the first pitch he saw deep to right field for a two-run home run, one which propelled the Phillies to an easy win and 2-to-1 series lead over the favored Houston Astros. The 30-year-old […]
Yadier Molina, the long-time catcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, is now officially retired. Molina, who wore a Cardinals uniform since 2004, just completed the final year of his illustrious 19-year career, one that’s highlighted by two World Series championships (in 2006 and 2011). Molina and the Cardinals appeared in the postseason 13 times in […]
On Saturday night in St. Louis, Albert Pujols played in the final game of his 22-year career in Major League Baseball. In his final at bat for the St. Louis Cardinals, in the bottom of the 8th inning of Game 2 of the N.L. Wild Card series, Pujols singled sharply down the left field line. […]
Last night in Milwaukee, New York Mets starter Max Scherzer earned his 200th win in Major League Baseball. In typical Scherzer fashion, he was brilliant in this milestone game, the 428th regular season outing in his 15-year career. The 38-year-old right-hander tossed six perfect innings (with nine strikeouts) before getting pulled by manager Buck Showalter […]
Today, one of the game’s prominent future Hall of Famers, the Detroit Tigers’ Miguel Cabrera, achieved a second statistical benchmark that has traditionally ensured a plaque in Cooperstown. Cabrera, now a 20-year MLB veteran, has 502 Home Runs and 3,000 Hits, putting him into the ultra-exclusive club of players with 500 taters and 3,000 knocks. […]
Last Thursday, San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey announced that, at the age of 34, he was retiring from Major League Baseball. Posey just completed a nine-year, $169 million contract that he signed in March 2013, but there was a $22 million club option for 2022 that the Giants would almost certainly have exercised, given […]
Three years from now, in December 2024, Ichiro Suzuki will be on the Hall of Fame ballot for the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) for the first time. It is extremely likely that he will get over 75% of the vote and be inducted into Cooperstown in the summer of 2025. Suzuki’s long and […]
Today is the Hall of Fame induction day for Yankees great Derek Jeter. Sunday will be the 53rd birthday of New York Yankees’ great Bernie Williams. Williams was the center fielder during the height of the Yankees’ dynasty from 1996-2003; the Bronx Bombers won 4 World Championships and 6 pennants during those 8 seasons. Off […]
Jorge Posada was a member of what was known as the “Core Four,” the four longtime members of the New York Yankees whose careers began in the mid-1990s and were also with the team when they won the World Series in 2009. Two of the Core Four (closer Mariano Rivera and shortstop Derek Jeter) were […]
Mike Trout, the supremely talented center fielder for the Los Angeles Angels, turned 30 years old today. Trout, on the injured list since May 18th, has missed the last 70 team games due to a right calf injury. It’s only the 3rd time Trout has been on the injured list in his 11-year career in […]
For over 12 years, second baseman Dustin Pedroia was the heart and soul of the Boston Red Sox. In 2018, however, as the club won a team-record 108 games and ultimately the World Series, Pedroia was limited to playing the role of cheerleader and coach. Pedroia, who had surgery on his left knee after the […]
Last night in Arlington, Texas, about 20 miles from his hometown, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw finally won a World Series championship. Kershaw, now a 13-year Major League Baseball veteran, has been one of the best regular-season pitchers in the history of baseball but had always had the blemish of not being able to […]
Yesterday, the Houston Astros officially introduced longtime manager Dusty Baker as their new skipper. For Baker, who described his new gig as a “last hurrah,” this is 5th job as a Major League Baseball skipper and gives him a final chance to pursue a World Series title, which is possibly the missing link on what […]
On Friday, San Diego Padres second baseman Ian Kinsler announced that he was retiring after a 14-season Major League Baseball career. In 2019, a season in which he turned 37 years old, Kinsler was limited by injury and ineffectiveness to a career low 87 games played. The right-handed hitting second sacker finishes his career with […]
Houston Astros starting pitcher Zack Greinke has never been known for his loquaciousness. Mostly shy, Greinke prefers to fly under the radar. However, when you’re tabbed to start Game 7 of the World Series, it’s hard to blend into the background. Asked about the high profile start, Greinke was characteristically dry: “A little excited about it. […]
When he was 21 years old in June 2010, Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg was arguably the most ballyhooed rookie in baseball history. He was supposed to be a perennial All-Star and the headline act for the Nats for the next decade and more. He was viewed as a future Hall of Famer before throwing […]
The 2019 World Series, featuring the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros, is the culminating series in a postseason in which, so far, the role of the starting pitcher has clawed its way back to relevance. This Series in particular will feature some of the game’s best starters, with at least two, probably three and possibly […]
Last night in Houston, Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve continued to build on his over-sized legend by hitting a two-run, walk-off home run in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series, a blast which will send the Astros to the World Series for the second time in three years. Facing the New York […]
Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium, New York Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia made the final appearance of his 19-year Major League Baseball career. In a relief outing in Game 4 of the ALCS against the Houston Astros, after throwing 17 pitches, Sabathia’s left shoulder would not allow him to continue. His shoulder popped out of its […]
The Atlanta Braves’ season ended on Wednesday when the team was walloped by the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 5 of the National League Division Series. After the game, catcher Brian McCann announced that he was going to retire after 15 years in Major League Baseball. McCann, now 35 years old, leaves as a 7-time […]
The comparisons to Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax came early in Clayton Kershaw’s career. Like Koufax (6’2″), Kershaw is a tall (6’4″) left-handed starter. In his youth, he had a blazing fastball and a killer curve. He posted ERAs under 3.00 while piling up big strikeout totals. He called Dodger Stadium his home. And, like […]
Thursday night at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, long-time Mariners starting pitcher Félix Hernández made what was likely his final start in the only Major League Baseball uniform he has ever worn. Hernández, who is beloved by Mariners fans at a level only matched by the recently inducted Hall of Famer Edgar Martinez, has made 418 […]
Tonight in Arlington, Texas, the Rangers will retire the uniform #10, worn for 13 years with distinction by infielder Michael Young. The longtime Ranger, who moved from second base to shortstop to third base to designated hitter to accommodate other players, retired after the 2013 season. Young was on the BBWAA Hall of Fame ballot […]
Craig Kimbrel, in 2018, became the youngest pitcher ever to accumulate 300 career saves. He made his 7th All-Star team in his 8th full MLB season. Despite several shaky performances, he saved 6 games in the postseason, helping the Boston Red Sox to their 4th World Series title of the young century. And yet, despite […]
Have you heard the name Jim McCormick? If not, it’s understandable. He was a 19th century pitcher who is not in the Hall of Fame. McCormick, the son of Irish parents, was born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1856. His family settled in Paterson, New Jersey in 1865, coming to America after the Civil War. McCormick […]
This morning, free agent shortstop Manny Machado signed a 10-year contract with the San Diego Padres, reportedly for $300 million. It’s the biggest free agent contract in the history of sports. Although he may start the season at shortstop, it’s most likely that Machado will play third base for San Diego, with top prospect Fernando […]
Charlie Manuel, the manager who led the Philadelphia Phillies to five consecutive N.L. East titles from 2007-11, is on the Today’s Game Hall of Fame ballot. Manuel was a somewhat surprising candidate given that his 1,000 managerial wins are just the 64th most on the all-time list. However, even though his time as a MLB […]
Will Clark, first baseman for the Giants, Rangers, Orioles and Cardinals from 1986-2000, is eligible for a second chance at the Hall of Fame via the “Today’s Game” ballot. Will the Thrill, a sweet-swinging left-handed hitter, had the look of a future Hall of Famer from his college years to his early years in Major […]
In the game of baseball, there is nothing more exciting than a walk-off hit. At one moment, the outcome of the contest is in the balance. A moment later, it’s over. In baseball history, few players have participated in a walk-off home run more dramatic than Joe Carter. It was Game 6 of the 1993 […]
In a little over two weeks, there is a possibility that George Steinbrenner, the longtime owner of the New York Yankees, will be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. The late Steinbrenner is one of ten candidates on the “Today’s Game” committee, which is tasked with evaluating the Cooperstown credentials of […]
The Hall of Fame case for Orel Hershiser is all about his peak and, in particular, two magical months in 1988. Starting with the 6th inning of an August 30th start in Montreal, Hershiser finished the regular season by tossing 59 1/3 scoreless innings. The pitcher dubbed “Bulldog” by Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda then followed […]
Postseason baseball is made for heroes and it’s also made for goats. David Price burst onto the scene in 2008 as a 23-year old rookie with the Tampa Bay Rays and became a hero out of the bullpen, helping his team to the pennant. In the years since, Price has been one of baseball’s biggest […]
Yesterday, Atlanta Braves right fielder Nick Markakis was voted by the fans to be in the starting lineup for the National League All-Star team. It will be the first appearance in the Mid-Summer Classic for the 34-year-old right fielder. Markakis, the veteran leader of the young Braves squad, has been a significant contributor to the […]
This past Thursday, Texas Rangers pitcher Bartolo Colon turned 45 years of age. As I was sitting in front of my computer at home, one of my best friends, knowing that I am an expert on the baseball Hall of Fame, sent me a text asking if Bartolo was a Hall of Famer. The instant […]
Over the past few weeks, Cooperstown Cred has profiled dozens of players who are either sure bets or long shot candidates for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Today, we’ll take a look at the stars of the N.L. East. In a division with three teams rebuilding and another that features a couple of […]
In the A.L. East, a division that’s featured some of the most famous players in baseball’s last 25 years, it’s unusual that the rosters of the 2018 editions do not contain a single player that is a certainty for the Hall of Fame. The same was true in 2017. From 1995-2016, A.L. East rosters featured […]
Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto headlines the list of players in the National League West who are on track to have a chance to make it into baseball’s Hall of Fame. As it was with the A.L. Central, the presence of multiple teams in full rebuild limits the number of potential future Cooperstown inductees. […]
With three teams in a full rebuilding mode, the American League Central has the fewest easily discernible future Hall of Famers of any of baseball’s six divisions. Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers is the only player from the A.L. Central who is a virtual lock for a future plaque in Cooperstown. This is the […]
Clayton Kershaw headlines our list of active future Hall of Fame candidates who are plying their trades in the National League West. This is the second part of a six-part series highlighting the players who are on the way to Cooperstown as well as some who have a chance but have a lot of serious […]
In just a little over four weeks, the early-starting Major League Baseball season gets under way. All teams debut on Thursday, March 29th. In the next 32 days, we’ll take a look at the active future Hall of Fame candidates on each of the 30 MLB clubs. First, some ground rules. In order to be […]
On Wednesday, Washington Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer won his second consecutive Cy Young Award and his third overall. It put him into an exclusive club; he is one of only ten pitchers in baseball history to be named the Cy Young Award winner three different times. Of these ten illustrious hurlers, all are first-ballot Hall […]
(Photo: Detroit Free Press) Well, that was quite an amazing post-season. The Houston Astros won their first World Series title ever in a 7-game bout against the Los Angeles Dodgers. This October, things happened that we have never seen before. The two teams set an all time record for home runs. The classic Games 2 and […]
(photo: Baseball Essential) When it comes time to decide on any baseball player’s worthiness for the ultimate honor of a Hall of Fame plaque, post-season heroics (or lack thereof) can often be a tie-breaker when it comes to the “in” or “out” decision of a voter. When we think about Hall of Fame players, there […]