How a Part-Time Blogger Changed the Face of Baseball's Hall of Fame - Hit & Run : Reason Magazine
Seven years ago, the president and chief investment officer of Lederer & Associates Investment Counsel in Long Beach, California, a guy by the name of Rich Lederer, began spending some of his off-hours writing analysis on the Interwebs about Blyleven's overlooked case.
Matt Welch writes about how Rich Lederer impacted the Hall of Fame voting. This was also touched on during yesterday's Lunch Time Halo Talk when Rev Halofan mentioned that one of the points to be taken from Blyleven's election is how the internet is now part of the Hall of Fame "lore".
UPDATE: Here is a link to a BERT BLYLEVEN interview, transcript with audio at the bottom with Bert's reaction to yesterday's news.
Arbitration will take toll on Angels' payroll - angels.com: Lyle Spencer
Eight players, including several of the Angels' premier performers, are eligible for salary arbitration on Wednesday. The financial hit will be significant, likely taking the team's payroll into the $130 million range -- about $10 million higher than last season.
Mathis, who basically has shared the catching job with Napoli for three seasons, was undone by a wrist fracture early in the season and never regained his stroke. Mathis made $1.3 million with an arbitration win last year and can't expect much of a raise, if any, with his .196 batting average and three homers in 205 at-bats. His main asset, defense, doesn't usually translate into profitable numbers at the arbitration table unless the player is a Gold Glove winner.
According to the collective bargaining agreement, players can not be offered more than a 20% pay cut through arbitration. This means Mathis, even if his pay is reduced by the maximum amount, will still be making over a million dollars in 2011. Or about half the difference in the Angels' and Rangers' offer to Beltre. Just thought I'd point that out.
The Angels did not tender a contract to Kevin Frandsen, who delivered handsomely early in the season (and then went on to hit .146 later in the season) after signing a Minor League contract .
By the way, Padres sign Kevin Frandsen to minor league contract - HardballTalk
From ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick comes word that the Padres have agreed to terms on a minor league contract with infielder Kevin Frandsen. Frandsen, 28, can make $575,000 if he lands on San Diego’s Opening Day roster and manages to hang around for the entire 2011 season.
Mike Scioscia not ruling out Vladimir Guerrero returning - MLB.com: News
"If it is the same situation right now," Scioscia said, referring to Guerrero's status. "Obviously, nothing much would change, but he's definitely a guy that's very interesting to look at. And he's got a number of teams I know that are going to look and are going to try to get Vlad." It seems likely that a two-year deal in the $18 million-$20 million range could get it done with Guerrero. "I just don't know if that extended deal is out there that he was looking for last year, a three- or four-year deal," Scioscia said.
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Nine to ten MILLION DOLLARS. A year. For two years. Please, someone check the level on Scioscia's meds because he's obviously delusional. The Angels wouldn't pay Beltre $16M a year, but might be willing to give Vlad $10M? How does that make ANY sense? Seriously, someone needs to inspect the ventilation system at the stadium, there seems to be some sort of wacky-gas leak.
Ex-A's infielder to hold workouts - San Francisco Chronicle
Eric Chavez will work out for the Dodgers on Jan. 20, the longtime A's third baseman told The Chronicle, and his agent said that Chavez will hold private workouts this month for two American League teams (not the A's) as well.
I could get behind a Eric Chavez signing by the Halos. One of those incentive-laden, league minimum salary contracts. Obviously, Chavez is no longer an everyday player (was he ever?), but he wouldn't be a bad guy to have man third base on a part-time basis.
Here's a couple Angel bashing articles...
Angels whiff again as Adrian Beltre heads to Rangers - FOX Sports on MSN
Beltre is going to help the Rangers. But he could have transformed the Angels. Moreno told the Times that he made "what we believe is a significant offer" to Beltre. That’s swell. To Beltre and agent Scott Boras, it wasn’t significant enough. The Angels can be excused for not lavishing $142 million on Crawford. This is different. The price for Beltre was nearly $50 million less. The fit was even better. I’m beginning to wonder if O.C. stands for Oddly Comatose.
{Insert maniacal laugh here} "Oddly Comatose! Oh my!" {wipes tear from eye}. Jon Paul Morosi, you funny like clown.
Angels, Yankees have shopping left to do before spring training - Jon Heyman - SI.com
They (the Angels) claim not to have made any offer at all to top target Carl Crawford, disputing reports they offered an absurdly low $108 million for six years and other reports they were prepared to go to $140 million or more, if only they'd gotten their act together in time. They did offer Adrian Beltre $70 million over five years, and apparently they set a short three-day deadline that wasn't taken very seriously. "I don't understand their ultimatum strategy,'' one competing executive said.
Yeah, we get it. The Angel front office blew it. Please, let's move on. Oh, and there's nothing left to pick over in any future Angels' shopping trip this off season so let's not even go there.
Selection affirms Blyleven's greatness, and Hall of Fame's, too - CBSSports.com Baseball
Bert Blyleven is what's great about the Hall of Fame. I say that even though he got in without ever getting my vote. In fact, I say that in part because he got in without my vote.
You know who did get Danny Knobler's vote this year? Jack Morris (and Roberto Alomar). Yeah, Blyleven is what's great about the Hall of Fame...and posts like this are what's not so great about, well, I guess Danny Knobler.
Baseball Video Highlights & Clips - Duquette breaks down the Angels - Video - MLB.com
1/4/11: MLB.com's Jim Duquette looks at the return of Kendry Morales, the back end of the Angels rotation and their young stars.
How about some moving pictures that aren't posted by DOV.
I received this email from one of the MLB Network guys:
Just wanted to pass along that today at 5:00 p.m. PT, the Angels’ Kendry Morales will be featured in the premiere episode of MLB Network’s newest series Top 10 Right Now First Basemen, which will look at the best first basemen playing today. Morales will be ranked alongside other first baseman basemen, including the Phillies’ Ryan Howard, the Reds’ Joey Votto, and the Tigers’ Miguel Cabrera. New and encore episodes of Top 10 Right Now will air every Thursday in January beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET.
January 6 - BR Bullpen
Events, births and deaths that occurred on January 6.
1967 - Former major league manager Johnny Keane dies in Chicago, IL from a heart attack at the age of 55. Keane guided the St. Louis Cardinals to the 1964 World Series, but left to become the manager of the New York Yankees, whom the Cardinals had beaten in the World Series. After an unsuccessful stint with the Yankees, Keane became a scout with the California Angels.
1977 - California Angels reserve shortstop Mike Miley is killed in an auto crash in Baton Rouge, LA, at age 23. Miley had been a star football player for the LSU Tigers and was chosen twice in the first round of the June free agent draft.
2009: The New York Yankees finalize their deal with Mark Teixeira for $180 million over 8 years
Three deaths on this date? Yikes.
Happy b-day:
1903 - Mul Holland, pitcher (d. 1969)Really? Mul Holland? As in Mulholland Drive? Cool.