Cowtipper

More notable 2025 deaths. Jumbo Ozaki died. https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/47403888/golf-hall-famer-jumbo-ozaki-japan-dies-78 Who was Jumbo Ozaki? Masashi Ozaki (1947–2025), widely known as Jumbo Ozaki, was one of the most influential and successful athletes in Japanese sports history, best remembered as the dominant figure of the Japan Golf Tour. Before golf, Ozaki was a professional baseball player with the Nishitetsu Lions from 1965 to 1967, pitching and later converting to the outfield, though with limited success. Turning to golf at age 23, Ozaki rapidly rose to prominence. He became the most accomplished golfer in Japan Golf Tour history, winning a record 94 tour events and leading the tour’s money list 12 times between 1973 and 1998. Known for his power off the tee and imposing physical presence, he earned the nickname “Jumbo.” Internationally, he competed in major championships and PGA Tour events, highlighted by a T8 finish at the 1973 Masters and 6th place at the 1989 U.S. Open, and spent nearly 200 weeks inside the world’s top ten rankings. Ozaki was a central figure in Japanese golf’s golden era, alongside rivals Isao Aoki and Tsuneyuki Nakajima, and represented Japan in global team competitions including the Presidents Cup. Inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2011, his legacy extends beyond titles to shaping modern professional golf in Japan. Ozaki died of colorectal cancer in December 2025 at age 78, leaving behind a record-setting career and an enduring impact on Japanese sport. Nobuhiro Takashiro died. https://www.jiji.com/jc/article?k=2025121000999&g=spo Who was Nobuhiro Takashiro? Nobuhiro Takashiro (1954–2025) was a respected Japanese professional baseball infielder and longtime coach in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Born in Nara Prefecture, he starred at Hosei University, winning a Tokyo Big Six University League batting title in 1975, and was selected first overall by the Nippon-Ham Fighters in the 1978 NPB Draft. Takashiro played eleven NPB seasons from 1979 to 1989, primarily with Nippon-Ham before finishing his playing career with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. A versatile infielder, he earned three All-Star selections (1979, 1980, 1983), the Diamond Glove Award at shortstop in 1979, and the Best Nine Award in 1980. He was known more for steady defense and contact hitting than power, finishing his career with a .256 batting average, 57 home runs, and 772 hits across 917 games. After retiring as a player, Takashiro built an extensive coaching career, serving with multiple NPB clubs including the Carp, Chunichi Dragons, Nippon-Ham Fighters, Chiba Lotte Marines, Orix Buffaloes, and Hanshin Tigers, as well as Korea’s Hanwha Eagles. He also coached Japan’s national team and was part of the 2009 World Baseball Classic championship staff. Takashiro died of esophageal cancer in Osaka on December 9, 2025, at age 71, remembered as a dependable infielder and influential coach who contributed to Japanese baseball for more than four decades.

The following players have officially retired in calendar year 2026. To start us off, we have 2023 Mets minor leaguer Jaylin Davis: Jordyn Adams - 2023-2025 Hanser Alberto - 2015-2016, 2018-2023 Nick Anderson - 2019-2021, 2023-2025 Tim Anderson - 2016-2025; 2x AS, 1x SS Matt Barnes - 2014-2024; 1x AS Tres Barrera - 2019, 2021-2023 Jon Berti - 2018-2025 Nick Burdi - 2018-2020, 2023-2025 Jaylin Davis - 2019-2022 Paolo Espino - 2017, 2020-2024 Avisail Garcia - 2012-2024; 1x AS Dilson Herrera - 2014-2015, 2018, 2020 Jason Heyward - 2010-2025; 1x ASG, 5 GG, 186 HR Juan Lagares - 2013-2022 Dixon Machado - 2015-2018 & 2022 Trey Mancini - 2016-2019, 2021-2023, 2026; 129 HR J.D. Martinez - 2011-2024; 6x ASG, 3x SS, 331 HR T.J. McFarland - 2013-2025 Guillermo Moscoso - 2009-2013 Jacob Nottingham - 2018-2021 David Peralta - 2014-2024; 1x SS, 1x GG, 125 HR Roberto Perez - 2014-2023; 2x GG Riley Pint - 2023-2024 Ryan Pressly - 2013-2025; 2x AS, 667 G David Robertson - 2008-2025; 1x AS, 881 G, 179 SV, 2.93 ERA, 11.8 K/9 Jacob Stallings - 2016-2025; 1x GG Chris Taylor - 2014-2025; 1x AS, 1x NLCS MVP, 110 HR Julio Teheran - 2011-2021, 2023-24; 2x AS Gio Urshela - 2015, 2017-2025 Dayan Viciedo - 2010-2014

Those are projections for where they'll end up, not where they are now. I should have specified. It's my own method and I usually end up within a few points of being right when all is said and done.

35% in now. New projections: Carlos Beltran: 75-76% Andruw Jones: 73-74% Chase Utley: 48-49% Alex Rodriguez: 42-43% Andy Pettitte: 41-42% Felix Hernandez: 39-40% Manny Ramirez: 38-49% Cole Hamels: 28-29% Bobby Abreu: 26-27% Jimmy Rollins: 23-24% Dustin Pedroia: 20-21% Omar Vizquel: 18-19% Mark Buehrle: 15-16% Francisco Rodriguez: 13-14% David Wright: 13-14% Torii Hunter: 5-6% Ryan Braun: 2-3% Edwin Encarnacion: 1-2% Hunter Pence: 1-2% Shin-Soo Choo: 0-1% Gio Gonzalez: 0-1% Alex Gordon: 0-1% Matt Kemp: 0-1% Howie Kendrick: 0-1% Nick Markakis: 0-1% Daniel Murphy: 0-1% Rick Porcello: 0-1%

One of the bigger underutilization travesties of 2025, because he was actually a veteran with a solid background, yet they still almost never used him, despite him posting a 2.16 mark in 13 games. He wasn't a star, but he was better than a 13 appearance season. Reminds me of Hunter Strickland, insofar as he was a solid reliever who the Mets barely used in the one year they had him.

I remember how bad he was, how he looked like he listened to Slipknot, how annoyed I was they kept him over Phil Maton and how each of his appearances almost uniformly resembled a large pile of steaming poop. Finished his Mets career with a 5.47 ERA, but hey at least he threw really really fast.

Mets signed South Korean wunderkind Jun-Seok Shim to a minor league deal.

I hit 100 at 16, too. Well, .100 more specifically.

Like a lot of those 2023 relievers, he started off really well (1.69 ERA through 7 games), then tanked.

Jim Willis died. https://www.kramerfunerals.com/obituaries/obituary-listings?obId=46849117 Who was Jim Willis? James Gladden Willis (1927–2026) was a right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher who appeared briefly with the Chicago Cubs during the 1953 and 1954 seasons. A Louisiana native born in Doyline, Willis enjoyed his greatest success in the minor leagues, particularly with Shreveport, where his strong performances in the early 1950s helped elevate the club from last place to a playoff championship and earned him selection in the 1952 Rule V Draft. In two MLB seasons, he compiled a 2–2 record with a 3.39 ERA across 27 appearances. After returning to the minors and completing an eight-year professional career with 75 wins, Willis transitioned to education, serving as an elementary school teacher and later a principal in Boyce, Louisiana, until his retirement.

Other notable 2025 deaths: Bernardo Calvo died. https://www.milb.com/news/lmb-en-memoria-de-bernardo-calvo Who was Bernardo Calvo? Bernardo Calvo (1945–2025) was a Mexican professional baseball player and manager. Born in Tlacotalpan, Veracruz, he played as an infielder and outfielder, batting and throwing right-handed. Calvo began his career in the Houston Astros minor league system (1965–1967) before spending the remainder of his playing career (1968–1979) in the Mexican League, where he compiled a career batting average of .288 with 1,306 hits and 23 home runs. He was known as a reliable contact hitter with solid defensive skills and minimal speed. Calvo represented Mexico internationally, earning a silver medal at the 1965 Amateur World Series. After retiring as a player, he managed several Mexican League teams between 1991 and 2005, including Cafeteros de Córdoba, Pericos de Puebla, and Piratas de Campeche. He passed away on January 2, 2025, in his hometown. Bob Hannah died. https://bluehens.com/news/2025/12/15/university-of-delaware-mourns-the-passing-of-baseball-coaching-icon-bob-hannah Who was Bob Hannah? Bob Hannah (c. 1931 – 2025) was an American college baseball coach best known for leading the University of Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hens from 1965 to 2000. A former multi-sport athlete at Wesley College, Hannah became one of the most successful intercollegiate baseball coaches in the U.S., amassing over 1,000 wins and securing 22 conference titles. His teams included multiple College World Series appearances, and he coached future Major League players such as Steve Taylor, Kevin Mench, and Tommy Herr. Hannah earned five America East Coach of the Year honors, was inducted into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame in 1998, and had the Delaware Baseball Stadium renamed Bob Hannah Stadium in his honor. He passed away on December 14, 2025, in Newark, Delaware, at the age of 93. Tom Hicks died. https://apnews.com/article/tom-hicks-17b3260087ced4c710e11697b865544b Who was Tom Hicks? Tom Hicks (1946–2025) was an American businessman, private equity investor, and sports team owner from Dallas, Texas. He co-founded the investment firm Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst, which became one of the largest private equity firms in the U.S., overseeing over $50 billion in acquisitions. Hicks made much of his fortune in media, leveraged buyouts, and later through sports and real estate ventures. Hicks owned the Texas Rangers (1998–2010), signing baseball’s then-largest contract to Alex Rodriguez, though his teams struggled to achieve consistent success. Financial pressures from the 2008 economic crisis led him to sell the Rangers after a complex bankruptcy and auction process. He also owned the Dallas Stars (NHL), who won the 1999 Stanley Cup under his ownership, but the franchise later filed for bankruptcy. In 2007, Hicks entered English soccer, acquiring Liverpool F.C. with George Gillett. His tenure was marked by controversy, fan protests, and heavy debt, and he eventually lost the club in 2010 to New England Sports Ventures, after legal disputes and criticism for failing to deliver promised stadiums and investments. Hicks was involved in politics, philanthropy, and education, donating land for a school in Frisco, Texas, and supporting humanitarian projects in Dallas. He was married to Cinda Cree Hicks and had six children. Hicks passed away in Dallas on December 6, 2025, at age 79. Bob Hiegert died. https://gomatadors.com/news/2025/6/27/baseball-csun-athletics-announces-the-passing-of-bob-hiegert Who was Bob Hiegert? Robert J. Hiegert (1942–2025) was a prominent American college baseball coach and athletics administrator, best known for his long tenure at California State University, Northridge (CSUN). A standout shortstop at San Fernando Valley State College (now CSUN) from 1960–1963, he briefly played professionally in the Los Angeles Angels organization before returning to CSUN as head baseball coach in 1967. Over 18 seasons, Hiegert became CSUN’s winningest coach, leading the Matadors to two NCAA Division II national championships (1970, 1984), 11 NCAA tournament berths, six conference titles, and producing numerous All-Americans and professional players. In 1984, he was named National Coach of the Year. Following his coaching career, Hiegert served as CSUN’s athletic director and later as commissioner of the California Collegiate Athletic Association (1997–2013). In 1992, he faced allegations of racial insensitivity in the athletics department, which were ultimately unsubstantiated by an independent report. Hiegert received numerous honors, including induction into the CSUN Athletics Hall of Fame, the CCAA Hall of Fame, and the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. In January 2025, CSUN renamed its home baseball facility Robert J. Hiegert Field in his honor. He passed away on June 19, 2025, at age 83. Yoshinori Hirose died. https://www.chugoku-np.co.jp/articles/-/739126 Who was Yoshinori Hirose? Yoshinori Hirose (1936–2025) was a legendary Japanese professional baseball outfielder who spent his entire 22-year playing career with the Nankai Hawks in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Known for his exceptional speed, he ranks second all-time in NPB stolen bases with 596 and was a nine-time All-Star. Hirose won the 1964 NPB batting title, led the league in multiple offensive categories during his prime, and helped the Hawks secure two Japan Series titles. After retiring as a player, Hirose managed the Nankai Hawks (1978–1980), worked as a broadcaster for NHK, and coached the Fukuoka Daiei Hawks (1991–1992). He was elected to the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999 and was a member of the Meikyukai. Over his career, he amassed 2,157 hits, 131 home runs, 705 RBIs, and maintained an impressive 82.9% stolen base success rate. Hirose passed away on November 2, 2025, at the age of 89. Hiroaki Inoue died. https://www.chunichi.co.jp/article/1176427 Who was Hiroaki Inoue? Hiroaki Inoue (1944–2025) was a Japanese professional baseball outfielder who played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) over three decades. Originally a first-round pick of the Hiroshima Carp in 1967, Inoue struggled early in his career but revived his performance after being traded to the Chunichi Dragons in 1973 under manager Wally Yonamine. He became a Central League All-Star twice and made the Best Nine in 1975 after batting .318 with 18 home runs and leading the league with 149 hits. Inoue later played for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters (1981–1984), earning the Fighting Spirit Award in the 1981 Japan Series. Over his 1,531-game career, he batted .259/.343/.414 with 155 home runs, 517 RBIs, 522 runs, 74 stolen bases, and was hit by pitches 137 times—ranking fourth all-time in NPB history. After retiring, he served as a coach for the Seibu Lions and became a baseball commentator on TV Aichi. Inoue passed away on December 8, 2025, at the age of 81. Yoshihiro Ito died. https://news.ntv.co.jp/n/fbs/category/society/fsab6801e5d04e47bcbbe5211a07dac20a Who was Yoshihiro Ito? Yoshihiro Ito (1982–2025) was a Japanese professional baseball pitcher who played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Chiba Lotte Marines from 2008 to 2015. A right-handed pitcher, Ito debuted in 2008 after being drafted in the fourth round from Japan Rail Tokai and posted a 3.05 ERA in 51 games as a rookie. Over his career, he recorded a 6–13 win–loss record, a 3.83 ERA, and 249 strikeouts, contributing to the Marines’ 2010 Japan Series championship. Known for a fastball reaching 95 mph, Ito primarily worked out of the bullpen. Ito tragically died on October 6, 2025, at age 43, after a motorcycle accident in Fukuoka, Japan.

He was a big prospect back in the day. Every time I hear his name I'm surprised he's still around. He's the consummate Quadruple-A player now.

30% in now. Carlos Beltran: 75-76% Andruw Jones: 73-74% Chase Utley: 49-50% Alex Rodriguez: 43-44% Felix Hernandez: 42-43% Andy Pettitte: 41-42% Manny Ramirez: 38-39% Cole Hamels: 28-29% Bobby Abreu: 27-28% Jimmy Rollins: 24-25% Dustin Pedroia: 21-22% Omar Vizquel: 18-19% Mark Buehrle: 16-17% Francisco Rodriguez: 14-15% David Wright: 14-15% Torii Hunter: 5-6% Ryan Braun: 3-4% Edwin Encarnacion: 1-2% Hunter Pence: 1-2% Shin-Soo Choo: 0-1% Gio Gonzalez: 0-1% Alex Gordon: 0-1% Matt Kemp: 0-1% Howie Kendrick: 0-1% Nick Markakis: 0-1% Daniel Murphy: 0-1% Rick Porcello: 0-1% I no longer think Carlos Beltran is a lock. I'd say he's 80/20 now. I'm bumping Andruw Jones to 48/52. I don't think Braun will get to 5%.

Bob Heffner died. https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/wfmz/name/robert-heffner-obituary?id=58730144 Who was Bob Heffner? Robert Frederic “Butch” Heffner (1938–2025) was an American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who played in the American League during the 1960s. Born and raised in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Heffner signed with the Boston Red Sox out of high school in 1957 and made his MLB debut in 1963. Over a five-season major league career, he pitched for the Boston Red Sox, Cleveland Indians, and California Angels, serving as both a starter and reliever. His most productive season came in 1964 with Boston, when he set career highs in wins, strikeouts, innings pitched, and saves. Heffner finished his MLB career with an 11–21 record, a 4.51 ERA, and 241 strikeouts across 114 appearances. After retiring from baseball, he returned to Allentown, where he worked for a beverage distributor for more than three decades. Heffner died in his hometown on June 25, 2025, at the age of 86. Andy Kosco died. https://www.foxfuneralhome.org/obituary/Andy-Kosco Who was Andy Kosco? Andy Kosco (1941–2025) was an American professional baseball outfielder who played ten Major League Baseball seasons between 1965 and 1974, appearing with seven teams including the Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Cincinnati Reds. Born in Youngstown, Ohio, and a standout multi-sport athlete at Struthers High School, Kosco was signed by the Detroit Tigers before reaching the majors with the Twins during their 1965 pennant-winning season. Though left off the World Series roster, he went on to become a regular player, most notably with the Yankees in 1968 and the Dodgers in 1969, where he led the team in home runs and RBIs. Over his career, Kosco was known as a solid power hitter during the pitching-dominated “second dead-ball era,” compiling 73 home runs and 267 RBIs. He later played for the Brewers, Angels, Red Sox, and Reds, contributing to Cincinnati’s 1973 division title and recording key hits in the National League Championship Series. After retiring, Kosco worked in insurance and remained connected to baseball through his sons, Bryn and Dru, both professional players. He died in December 2025 at age 84.

Right before the year ended, reliever Joe Kelly retired.

At 25% now, so here's another update. Carlos Beltran: 76-77% Andruw Jones: 72-73% Chase Utley: 49-50% Felix Hernandez: 41-42% Alex Rodriguez: 41-42% Andy Pettitte: 40-41% Manny Ramirez: 37-38% Bobby Abreu: 28-29% Cole Hamels: 26-27% Jimmy Rollins: 24-25% Dustin Pedroia: 21-22% Omar Vizquel: 18-19% Mark Buehrle: 16-17% David Wright: 15-16% Francisco Rodriguez: 14-15% Torii Hunter: 6-7% Ryan Braun: 4-5% Edwin Encarnacion: 1-2% Hunter Pence: 1-2% Shin-Soo Choo: 0-1% Gio Gonzalez: 0-1% Alex Gordon: 0-1% Matt Kemp: 0-1% Howie Kendrick: 0-1% Nick Markakis: 0-1% Daniel Murphy: 0-1% Rick Porcello: 0-1% Pettitte has solid momentum and might actually crack 60% by his final year.

Well, we're up to 20% in now, so we can do another update. Carlos Beltran: 77-78% Andruw Jones: 71-72% Chase Utley: 51-52% Felix Hernandez: 43-44% Alex Rodriguez: 42-43% Andy Pettitte: 39-40% Manny Ramirez: 37-38% Bobby Abreu: 28-29% Cole Hamels: 26-27% Jimmy Rollins: 22-23% Dustin Pedroia: 21-22% Omar Vizquel: 18-19% Mark Buehrle: 17-18% Francisco Rodriguez: 14-15% David Wright: 12-13% Torii Hunter: 5-6% Ryan Braun: 4-5% Edwin Encarnacion: 1-2% Hunter Pence: 1-2% Shin-Soo Choo: 0-1% Gio Gonzalez: 0-1% Alex Gordon: 0-1% Matt Kemp: 0-1% Howie Kendrick: 0-1% Nick Markakis: 0-1% Daniel Murphy: 0-1% Rick Porcello: 0-1% My optimism is slipping for Jones. I'm now 47/53 yes/no for him now. Everything else holds.

The rough estimate that guys finish ~5% less than the 'reported' totals is a little off. It is really, really player dependent. My proprietary and one-of-a-kind projection method is usually pretty close, usually falling within a couple/a handful of percentage points of the real number. It seems the old-timey traditional guys publicly report theirs less, so guys like Vizquel, Torii Hunter and Francisco Rodriguez (aka those whose cases rely on more than WAR and sabermetrics) usually do better than reported totals, while guys who are allegedly tainted in some way (Beltran) and those whose cases are largely sabermetric dependent (Utley) do much worse than reported totals. There is also a great financial incentive for the Hall to 'encourage' bigger ballots and getting people in, because if no one is voted in, the big money summer festivities won't get as many visitors and dollars. Which is why, for example, I think the VC has been more liberal in electing folks in recent years. The success of Hamels and Hernandez should really benefit Jon Lester next year, who I actually DO think should be in the Hall, in large part due to his postseason success. It's still a weak ballot next year, as Buster Posey is the only really convincing name, and I don't think it's a guarantee he'll get in first ballot, though with Mauer getting in first ballot, the precedent has been set for Posey.

Jae-gyun Hwang has retired. Andrew Heaney has retired.

Carlos Beltran: 75-76% Andruw Jones: 73-74% Chase Utley: 51-52% Alex Rodriguez: 42-43% Felix Hernandez: 41-42% Andy Pettitte: 39-40% Manny Ramirez: 37-38% Bobby Abreu: 29-30% Cole Hamels: 25-26% Dustin Pedroia: 21-22% Jimmy Rollins: 20-21% Omar Vizquel: 19-20% Mark Buehrle: 15-16% Francisco Rodriguez: 14-15% David Wright: 13-14% Ryan Braun: 4-5% Torii Hunter: 3-4% Edwin Encarnacion: 1-2% Hunter Pence: 1-2% Shin-Soo Choo: 0-1% Gio Gonzalez: 0-1% Alex Gordon: 0-1% Matt Kemp: 0-1% Howie Kendrick: 0-1% Nick Markakis: 0-1% Daniel Murphy: 0-1% Rick Porcello: 0-1% Same thing as before, I still think Beltran is a lock and Jones is 50/50. It's becoming more and more plausible that this is the end of the line for Torii Hunter, who barely held on with 5.1% of the vote last time and peaked at 9.5%. My initial prediction for Braun seems to be falling into place; I don't think he'll get 5% of the vote. I've been ticking up the total for Hamels throughout this and he might actually stay at ~30%; I'd like to think the HOF/writers aren't THAT desperate to get pitchers from this era in, yet. Ramirez looks like he'll gain a little, but I don't see him getting to 40%.

He'd be a good signing. Not a superstar, but a solid piece. Valdez-Peterson-Holmes kind of gives me a 2024 feel...three good-very good pitchers anchoring the rotation a la Manaea, Severino and Quintana. Valdez, however, is a bit better than those three.

Seems like a very typical slow news day offseason nothingburger to gripe about.

It's funny, we thought 2025 was going to be the year the Mets were going to put it together and finally be a dominant team, and 2024 was going to be a rebuilding year. But 2024 was the year that we went to the NLCS and 2025 was the year they let us all down. So when it comes to the Mets, you just never know.

I think the performative misery exists because these are supposed to be fringe players, but for some reason the Mets love to plug them into major roles and we all suffer as a result. Remember when it was something like Scott Rice, Carlos Torres and Greg Burke taking up a lot of bullpen space? These guys should be 1-2 game fill-ins, not cogs. But they always become cogs.

The Mets signed 28-year-old minor league pitcher who has never played above Double-A Tyler Burch for some reason.