2021 Hall of Fame: Returning Players

 Each year members of the Base Ball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) are given a hall of fame ballot with the names of the players eligible for consideration of enshrinement in Cooperstown. They are instructed to vote for as many as 10 of the players on the ballot.  This years ballot contains 25 players so the writers can vote for up to 40 % of players on the ballot.  If a player receives 75% of the writers votes they are admitted into the Hall of Fame.  If they receive less than 75% but more than 5% they are retained on the ballot for the next year.  The players have up to 10 years on the ballot to earn the 75% needed for enshrinement.

There are 14 players returning to the ballot this year.

I have them listed in order of years on ballot from highest to lowest and in case of a tie they are also listed by % of votes received in 2020.

Player                    YOB     2020 % received

Curt Schilling         9              70%

Roger Clemens       9              61%

Barry Bonds           9              60.7%

Sammy Sosa           9              13.9%

Jeff Kent                 8              27.5%

Gary Sheffield        7               30.5%

Billy Wagner          6               31.7%

Manny Ramirez      5               28.2 %

Omar Vizquel         4                52.6%

Scott Rolen             4                35.3%

Andruw Jones         4                19.4%

Todd Helton             3               29.2%

Andy Pettitte             3               11.3%

Bobby Abreu            2                5.5%

                 

2021 Hall of Fame: 1st ( and 2nd) year on the ballot

 The Hall of fame announcement is coming on the 26th.  It's about time I start my annual preview and prognostication: There are 10 players new to this ballot and there is a possibility that all of them will be one and done. So as this may be my only time to mtimeention them by name I thought I would  do so now.  

Also last year I did not run these features although I did remedy that a little here.  Only 2 of the 18 people on the ballot for the first time last year received more than the 5% of the vote needed to remain on the ballot for the next year.  Derek Jeter received 99.7 % of the vote and earned induction to Cooperstown.  Bobby Abreu who received 5.5 % of the vote is the only 1st timer from 2020 on the 2021 ballot.  Paul Konerko, Jason Giambi, Alfonso Soriano, Eric Chavez, Cliff Lee, Raul Ibanez, JJ Putz, Brad Penny and Adam Dunn all received votes but none totaled more than 1/2 needed for inclusion on this years ballot.  Carlos Pena, Heath Bell, Rafael  Furcal, Brian Roberts, Jose Valverde, Chone Figgins, and Josh Beckett  all failed to receive any votes on their first and only ballot.

2nd year players 

Bobby Abreu RF played 9 seasons for the Philadelphia Phillies and also played for the Los Angeles Angels, New York Yankees, Houston Astros, New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers.

1st year players

Mark Buehrle P played 12 seasons with the Chicago White Sox. Also played 3 years for the Toronto Blue Jays at the end of his career.  In between he pitched 1 year for manager Ozzie Guillen and the Miami Marlins.

A.J. Burnett P Florida Marlins 7 seasons, Pittsburgh Pirates 3 seasons, New York Yankees 3 seasons, Toronto Blue Jays 3 seasons, Philadelphia Phillies 1 season

Michael Cuddyer OF IF Cuddyer played every position except shortstop even pitching an inning for the twins in 2011. He played 11  years for Minnesota, 3 for the Colorado Rockies and 1 season for the New York Mets.

Dan Haren P Haren pitched 3 seasons each for the Arizona Cardinals, Oakland A's and Los Angeles Angels as well as 2 years for the St. Louis Cardinals and 1 season apiece for the Los Angeles Angels, Washington Nationals, Chicago Cubs and Miami Dolphins.

LaTroy Hawkins P Minnesota Twins (9 seasons) Colorado Rockies (3 seasons) Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros, Milwaukee Brewers (2 seasons) New York Mets, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Angels  New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles , Toronto Blue Jays (1 season)

Tim Hudson P Hudson pitched 9 seasons for the Atlanta Braves , 6 for the Oakland  A's and 2 for the San Francisco Giants.

Torii Hunter OF Twins (9) and Angels (5) and Tigers (2) Oh My.

Aramis Ramirez 3B Ramirez played 7 season for the Pittsburgh Pirates before 9 years with the Chicago Cubs finally ending his career with 4 seasons in the Milwaukee Brewers.  This would certainly make him a NL Central hall of famer even if things don't go his way in his quest for Cooperstown.

Nick Swisher 1B OF DH Swisher had over 100 starts at 5 positions (each outfield, first base and as a designated hitter). He played for as many teams as positions. 4 seasons for the New York Yankees and Oakland Athletics; 3 for the team in Cleveland, 1 for the Atlanta team and 1 for the Chicago White Sox.

Shane Victorino OF Philadelphia Phillies (8) Boston Red Sox (3) Los Angeles (Dodgers & Angels) 1 season each and 1 season San Diego Padre.

Barry Zito P played his entire career in the bay area. 8 seasons with the Oakland A's and 7 seasons with the San Francisco Giants.

Vin Scully calls Hank Aaron's historic 715th home run

Henry Aaron passed away today at the age of 86. I am certain I will speak more of Aron's impact on my life in my blog Crazy Uncle Dave's Sports Blog.  At this moment I am transported to the evening of April 8, 1974 where I watched Aaron break Babe Ruth's home run record on televison.

 

 

Ski Lodge Lunch

 

Lunch was kind of a hodgepodge today.  We had some leftover chicken taco meat in the fridge and a can of cream corn and some beans.  So I whipped up something chili like and had it with apple cider. I felt like I was at a ski lodge! Yummmm!

How to get through 2021: Day by Day

I volunteer with our church youth group, It is for 6th graders through 12th graders.  Until recently it was two separate youth groups one for 6th 7th and 8th graders and one for 9th through 12th graders  meeting on separate nights of the week.  During the Summer we would allow the incoming 6th graders to join the middle school group and the outgoing 8th graders to attend both groups.  As the Summer would draw to an end I would give the outgoing 8th graders a short (2-3 minute) commencement  on their last night of the younger group.

In 2016 my son Charlie was one of the kids moving up to the high school group.  I challenged the students to have a "2020" vision of what they hoped to achieve in High School especially how they could be used by God in their new schools.  

Little did any of us know about what the year 2020 held for us. In fact my son's senior year was progressing quite normally until March 13th turned out to be his last day of high school that actually met at the high school.  Since that day, 2020 was a rather tumultuous year (Understatement Alert).  

The events of the past 2 weeks make 2021 look like it's going to be more of the same.  How do we get through another year like that?

The answer both figurarively, literally and musically is Day By Day

 

As this  great song suggests we can not only get through 2021 but thrive in the midst of it by doing these 3 things from Day by Day, day by day.

Seeing God more clearly

Loving God more dearly

Following God more nearly.

So like I told the YG in 2016 vision is important.  The vision that God is showing me for 2021 requires more time Seeing God through time spent in his word, Following God through obedience to his word  and Loving God by loving his creation.  I hope to expound on this more in further posts. Right now I'm just taking it day by day.