2017 Hall of Fame 1st Ballot Players

There are 19 players on the hall of fame ballot for the first time this year and for many it may be the last.  Here is a quick review of the players in alphabetical order .  All the teams they played for are listed in descending order according to games played for everyday players and innings pitched for pitchers.

Casey Blake - Third Baseman, Rightfielder and First Baseman
Teams: Indians, Dodgers, Twins, Blue Jays, Orioles

Pat Burrell - Leftfielder and First baseman
Nickname: Pat the Bat
Teams: Phillies, Giants, and Rays

Orlando Cabrera - Shortstop and Second Baseman
Nicknames: O.C. and O-Dog
Teams: Expos, Angels, White Sox, Reds, A's Indians, Twins, Red Sox, Giants

Mike Cameron -Centerfielder
Nickname: Cammy
Teams: Mariners, White Sox, Padres,Brewers, Mets, Reds, Red Sox, and Marlins

J.D. Drew - Rightfielder
Teams: Red Sox, Cardinals, Dodgers, and Braves

Carlos Guillen - Shortstop, Third Baseman and Second Baseman
Teams: Tigers and Mariners


Vladimir Guerrero - Rightfielder 
Nicknames: Vladdy and Vlad the Impaler
Teams: Expos, Angels, Rangers, and Orioles

Derrek Lee - First Baseman
Nickname: D-Lee
Teams: Cubs, Marlins, Orioles, Braves, Pirates and Padres

Melvin Mora - Third Baseman, Outfielder, and Shortstop
Teams: Orioles, Mets , Rockies and Diamonbacks

Magglio Ordonez - Rightfielder
Nickname: Mags
Teams: White Sox , Tigers

Jorge Posada - Catcher
Team: Yankees

Manny Ramirez - Outfielder. 
Nicknames Man-ram Manny being Manny & Mannywood.
Teams: Red Sox, Indians, Dodgers, White Sox and Rays.

Edgar Renteria - Shortstop
Teams: Cardinals, Marlins, Braves Giants, White Sox, Tigers, and Reds

Arthur Rhodes - Pitcher
Orioles, Mariners, Reds, Phillies, Indians, A's, Rangers, Marlins and Cardinals

Ivan Rodriguez - Catcher,
 Nicknames: Pudge and I-Rod.
 Teams: Rangers, Tigers, Nationals, Marlins, Astors and Yankees.

Freddy Sanchez - Second Baseman, Third Baseman and Shortstop
Teams: Pirates, Giants, and Red Sox

Matt Stairs: Outfielder, Pinch Hitter and First Baseman
Nickname: Wonder Hamster
Teams: A's, Royals, Blue Jays, Cubs, Pirates, Phillies, Brewers, Padres, Expos/Nationals, Red Sox, Rangers and Tigers

Jason Varitek - Catcher
Nickname: Tek
Team: Red Sox

Tim Wakefield: Pitcher
Nickname: Wake
Teams: Red Sox and Pirates

The new players average being on 5 teams in theri career,  With a range of 2 players, Varitek and Posada playing on one team and Matt Stairs playing on 12 (13 if you count the Expos and Nationals seperately)

Next Time:  I will tell you who I would vote for If I could.

2017 Hall of Fame Preview Returning Players

The 2017 Baseball Hall of Fame election results will be revealed on  January 6th.  I will be reviewing everyone on the ballot and submitting who I would vote for   over the next few days as I have over the past # of years.  Today I look at the 15 players retaining to the ballot at least 2 for the final time.

Note:  In 2014 the years a returning player could be on the ballot was reduced from 15 to 10 with those who had more than 10 years on the ballot grandfathered in to the full 15.  This is why Lee Smith appears for the last time in his 15th year on the ballot and Tim Raines appears for the last time in his 10th year on the ballot.

The players returning from last years ballot listed from highest percentage of votes received to lowest are ...

Jeff Bagwell 71.6%% of vote in 2016. 7th year on ballot .  Bagwell's  71.6% last year was his highest vote total to date.

Tim Raines 69.8%  of vote in 2016. 10th and final  year on ballot  . Tim;s highest vote total  was 2016.

Trevor Hoffman 67.3% of vote in 2016, his first year on the ballot. 

Curt Schilling 52.3%% of vote in 2016. 5th year on ballot,    Schillings highest % was in 2016

Roger Clemens   45.2 % of vote in 2016. 5th year on ballot,   The Rocket  received his highest %   in 2016,

Barry Bonds  44.3% of vote in 2016. 5th  year on ballot,  Bonds received his highest %  in 2016

Edgar Martinez 43.4% of vote in 2016. 8th year on ballot   Edgar's  highest %  came  in 2016.

Mike Mussina 43.0 %  of vote in 2016.  4th year on ballot  Mussina's highest % came in 2016.

Lee Smith 34.1%  of vote in 2016. 15th and final year on ballot.   Lee's highest % 50.6  was in 2012, his 10th year on ballot.

Fred McGriff  20.9 % of vote in 2016.  8th year on ballot. The Crimedog's  Highest %  was 23.9 in 2012, his 3rd year on the ballot.

Jeff  Kent 16.6%  of vote in 2016. 4th year on ballot  . Kent's highest % was in 2016.

Larry Walker 15.5% of vote in 2016. 7th year on ballot . Larry's highest  % 22.9  came in 2012, his 2nd year on the ballot

Gary Sheffield 11.6 % of vote in 2016. 3rd year on ballot Sheffields highest % of vote  was 11.7 in 2015

Billy Wagner 10.5 % of vote in 2016, his first year on the ballot

Sammy Sosa received 7% of the vote in 2016.  This is his 5th year on the ballot.   In 2012 Sosa received 12.5%, his highest percentage in his first year of consideration.


That's it for remaining players.  I will preview first year players in my next post.

Z is for Zoos

V is for Viral

U is for United Breaks Guitars

T is for This Year

You Tube A TO Z

T is for This Year

One of the things I like best  about You Tube are some of the cover  contests that are conducted using it.  For example, at the beginning of 2015 One of my favorite artists released this song on video.

She also announced a contest asking for people sending their covers of her song in.  I watched a couple dozen of these and this one was my favorite.








For more blogging A to Z click here.