Cowtipper

Wow, I'd rather not sleep on any man, for I like women. But he has a cool name and that's about the only think I like about this acquisition.

To expand on my previous post, Sproat is going on 26 years old and, though he'd only been in the minors two years, he'd yet to have a dominant season professionally. By comparison, Tong, who's been in the league three years, had an otherworldly 2025 and McLean, himself three years in, also had an excellent 2025. Though deGrom was also 26 when he got going, Sproat probably would've been not much better than a #3 starter. Williams had a higher draft pedigree, was rated a top prospect on the Baseball America list three times, and he's constantly been playing at levels way above his age, yet he's still doing pretty well. He had speed, power and can post a good OBP. His ceiling was much higher.

Career stat-wise, he gives slightly-worse-than-Jake Diekman vibes. He'll be very good at disappointing us when brought in to preserve close leads in 2026.

Williams probably had more upside long term.

He was very solid. I'd bring him back.

Insane. Every single player mentioned in the first post is good or has the potential to be in the role they're expected to play. Taylor is not a good starter, but he is a good backup. Torrens is a great backup. Mauricio, having once been a top prospect, has the potential to be good. The prospects are all very good prospects. And there's other prospects that weren't even mentioned that are still waiting their turns: Jett Williams, Kevin Parada (I hold out hope), A.J. Ewing. And pitching is loaded on paper. It just never clicks at the same time. Sproat, McLean, Tong, Peterson, Senga should be the envy of the league. They were all top prospects at one point. And the once highly touted Christian Scott is due back, too. This should easily be a 90-win team. But, it's also the Mets.

I was off on some. More than usual. I nailed a few, and was within 0.5%-2% on others, but was way off on others. I wonder if I did my formula different this time around -- like I said, I piece it back together each year and have never actually written it down -- though I don't think I did. It's pretty straight-forward. Perhaps it was because it was such a weak ballot and voters were more willing to act in unorthodox ways. Or perhaps it was because we are seeing a tectonic shift in how certain players are analyzed that had a big effect. In other words, a lot of the old guard who was resistant to voting for certain guys (aided by having a weak ballot to play with) were finally willing to vote for names they wouldn't have in the past. Note that the ones that I was off on the most all have something about them beyond their raw, traditional stats that would (or would have in the past) dissuaded people from voting. Beltran and the cheating scandal, Jones and his mystery 50+ HR season and steroid rumors, Andy Pettitte and HGH, Felix Hernandez and the shift in how pitchers are analyzed, Chase Utley and his case being so sabermetric-heavy and not traditional stat-heavy. In other words, their previous vote totals weren't 'natural,' they were suppressed in part by voters who refused to vote for them for things beyond their traditional 'performance.' But the weak ballot and the changing of the analytical tides allowed for that inorganic suppression to be lifted somewhat and the numbers shot up to where they would tracked all along if these players didn't all have some form of asterisk.

Mets have a glut of talented young guys so inevitably some will have to go. Robert is okay, but I'm not confident he'll particularly good.

It's Carlos Beltran and Andruw Jones.

Bellinger would be a good fit. If we can find some way to bump Tyrone Taylor off the projected Opening Day lineup -- and Bellinger would be a great way to do it -- then the Mets truly would have a stacked lineup. Everyone in it would be All-Stars or have All-Star potential.

55% in now. This might be the final update before the announcement, unless there's a surge in reported ballots between now and then. New projections: Carlos Beltran: 75-76% Andruw Jones: 73-74% Chase Utley: 49-50% Andy Pettitte: 42-43% Felix Hernandez: 41-42% Alex Rodriguez: 41-42% Manny Ramirez: 37-38% Cole Hamels: 28-29% Bobby Abreu: 27-28% Jimmy Rollins: 24-25% Dustin Pedroia: 21-22% Omar Vizquel: 19-20% ​Mark Buehrle: 16-17% David Wright: 14-15% Francisco Rodriguez: 13-14% Torii Hunter: 7-8% Ryan Braun: 2-3% Edwin Encarnacion: 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% Hunter Pence: 0-1% Rick Porcello: 0-1% Since we're at 55% and Beltran is still at 75%, I'll raise his yes/no chances to 57/43. Since Jones is pretty close to 75% this far into the game now, I'm raising his chances to 48/52. In political talk, Beltran is a "lean yes" while Jones is a "tossup." The reason why I don't see Beltran sticking close to the 89% he is currently at is because his gained votes over 2025 just aren't high enough. The voters who don't make their ballots public can be persnickety and I think a LOT of them refuse to give him the nod (so soon, at least), because of the cheating. Same thing with Hernandez; he's gained A LOT over 2025, but I don't see him sticking at the 56% he is currently at because his gains over 2025 just aren't high enough. Right now he's on pace to gain 36%...that just doesn't seem feasible. If I did my math correctly, his totals gained votes RIGHT NOW would have to be over 80 for him to stick at the 56% he's currently at, but his real gain over 2025 is just slightly more than half that.

Who was Wilbur Wood? Wilbur Forrester Wood Jr. (1941–2026) was a left-handed knuckleball pitcher best known for his durability with the Chicago White Sox in the 1970s. After a slow start with the Red Sox and Pirates, Wood perfected the knuckleball under Hall of Famer Hoyt Wilhelm’s guidance, transforming from a reliever into one of baseball’s most reliable starters. Before becoming a starter, he had already established himself as an elite reliever, leading the American League in appearances from 1968 to 1970, setting a single-season record with 88 games pitched in 1968, and earning the Sporting News AL Fireman of the Year Award. From 1971 to 1975, Wood won 20 or more games in four consecutive seasons, led the American League in wins twice, and routinely pitched over 300 innings, including a career-high 49 starts in 1972. A three-time All-Star, he was known for his remarkable stamina, often pitching on just two days’ rest and anchoring a three-man rotation built around his durability. After a severe knee injury in 1976, Wood struggled to regain his earlier form and retired following the 1978 season with a 164–156 record, a 3.24 ERA, and 1,411 strikeouts. He is remembered as one of baseball’s last true iron men and a master of the knuckleball, excelling both as a high-leverage reliever and a workhorse starter.

Part 2: Dick Jackson (1946–2025) was a minor-league baseball umpire who briefly served as a replacement umpire for seven National League games during the 1995 MLB umpires’ strike. Seong-ro Joo (1952–2025) was a South Korean baseball manager and coach who led and coached national teams to multiple international medals, including Olympic silver and Asian Games gold, and guided several prominent high school and university programs. Kwang-hwan Lee (1948–2025) was a South Korean baseball manager who won over 600 games in the Korea Baseball Organization while leading multiple teams, most notably the LG Twins, across two decades. Yukihiko Machida (1934–2025) was a Japanese professional baseball outfielder and later coach who starred in Nippon Pro Baseball during the 1950s as a home run champion and Best Nine selection before a long post-playing coaching career in Japan and Taiwan. Ángel Macías Barba (1944–2025) was a Mexican baseball player best known for pitching a perfect game at the 1957 Little League World Series, leading Monterrey to the first foreign championship and becoming a symbol of international youth baseball. Roberto Mansur Galán (1948–2025) was a Mexican baseball executive inducted into the Salón de la Fama in 2002, continuing a prominent baseball family legacy established by his father, executive Chara Mansur. Pedro Medina Ayón (1952–2025) was a standout Cuban catcher and later manager who starred for nearly a decade with the national team, excelled in international tournaments, and later won championships managing in Cuba and Italy. Jitsuo Mizutani (1947–2025) was a Japanese professional baseball slugger and later coach who starred for the Hiroshima Carp and Hankyu Braves, leading the Central League in batting average and RBI during a distinguished 19-year Nippon Pro Baseball career. Kazuomi Nakamura (1935–2025) was a Japanese right-handed pitcher who spent four seasons with the Hanshin Tigers in Nippon Pro Baseball, posting a strong 2.36 ERA before retiring in 1961.

Francisco Alvarez: The Mets and Alvarez (thumb) avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $2.4 million contract Thursday, Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com reports. Alvarez had been arbitration-eligible for the first time as a Super 2 qualifier following a season that saw him put up a .787 OPS with 11 home runs over 76 tilts. The 24-year-old was scheduled to have surgery to repair a torn UCL in his right thumb shortly after the season, but he's expected to be ready to go for spring training. Injury Thumb. Est. Return 2/1/2026. Adbert Alzolay. Injury Elbow. Est. Return 2/1/2026. Reed Garrett: Garrett (elbow) signed a one-year, $1.3 million contract with the Mets on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Ari Alexander of 7 News Boston reports. Garrett isn't expected to pitch at all in 2026 after undergoing UCL reconstruction surgery in October. However, he will still receive a $350,000 raise after posting a 3.90 ERA and 1.32 WHIP over 55.1 innings in 2025 and tallying a career-high 20 holds. Injury Elbow. Est. Return 2/1/2027. Francisco Lindor: Probable for start of season. Injury Elbow. Est. Return 2/1/2026. Tylor Megill: The Mets and Megill (elbow) avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $2.5 million contract Thursday, Ari Alexander of 7 News Boston reports. Megill pitched well when healthy in 2025, posting a 3.95 ERA and 89:33 K:BB over 68.1 innings, but he was limited to only 14 starts before undergoing Tommy John surgery. The righty will miss the entire 2026 season but is under team control for 2027. Injury Elbow. Est. Return 2/1/2027. A.J. Minter: Questionable for start of season. Injury Lat. Est. Return 4/1/2026. Dedniel Nunez: Out for the season. Injury Elbow. Est. Return 2/1/2027. Christian Scott: Probable for start of season. Injury Elbow. Est. Return 2/1/2026. Calvin Ziegler: Injury Elbow. Est. Return 2/1/2026.

The top five names in the projected lineup averaged 27 home runs, 85 RBI, 88 runs and 18 stolen bases in 2025. It's looking pretty stacked now. About that pitching...again...which is the common refrain, year after year. They have 15 All Star selections, 12 Silver Sluggers and four Gold Gloves between them.

Wilbur Wood as a reliever, 1967-1970: 2.49 ERA, 292 IP, 56 saves, 140 ERA+. As a starter from 1971-1974: average of 22 wins, 21 CG, 347 IP and 5 SHO per year. He was awesome as both a starter and reliever. Stayed on the Hall of Fame ballot for a few years and rightfully so.

And now we're over 50%, so another set of projections. No major changes this time. Carlos Beltran: 75-76% Andruw Jones: 72-73% Chase Utley: 49-50% Andy Pettitte: 41-42% Alex Rodriguez: 41-42% Felix Hernandez: 40-41% Manny Ramirez: 37-38% Cole Hamels: 28-29% Bobby Abreu: 26-27% Jimmy Rollins: 23-24% Dustin Pedroia: 20-21% Omar Vizquel: 19-20% Mark Buehrle: 16-17% David Wright: 14-15% Francisco Rodriguez: 13-14% Torii Hunter: 6-7% Ryan Braun: 2-3% Edwin Encarnacion: 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% Hunter Pence: 0-1% Rick Porcello: 0-1%

Please keep that archive. It is a gold mine. Especially the fan memories.

Steve Barr died way back in 2024, but news of his death didn't hit the mainstream until recently. https://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=barrst01 Who was Steve Barr? Steve Barr was a left-handed pitcher in MLB from 1974–1976 with the Boston Red Sox and Texas Rangers. Born in St. Louis and raised in California, he was drafted by Boston in 1969 and, in 1974, was named Eastern League Pitcher of the Year after leading the league in wins with the Bristol Red Sox, earning a call-up to the majors where he debuted with a complete-game victory. Barr spent most of 1975 in Triple-A, then pitched 20 games for the Rangers in 1976, recording three complete games but struggling with control. Selected by the Seattle Mariners in the expansion draft, he never made their MLB roster and retired after two more minor-league seasons. In 24 MLB games, Barr pitched 83⅔ innings with 32 strikeouts and four complete games. Uncle to pitcher Ryan Madson, he later ran an electrical business in Florida and remained active in amateur leagues. He died January 31, 2024. And here are some less notable baseball deaths from 2024, but they were good enough for a BR Bullpen page: Clemente Acosta (1967–2024) was a Dominican minor league pitcher who reached AA with the Pirates and Angels organizations, recording 22 wins, 16 saves, and a 4.46 ERA in 181 games. Joe Agee (1931–2024) was an American college coach at William & Mary who led teams in baseball, basketball, golf, football, and soccer over several decades. Jack Baswell (1944–2024) was an American baseball umpire who worked one Major League game during the 1979 National League umpire strike. Hank Bunnell (1949–2024) was an American pitcher for Team USA and in the minor leagues, setting multiple records at George Washington University and competing in the 1969 Amateur World Series. Pat Daugherty (1934–2024) was an American baseball coach, minor league manager, and scout who served as Colorado Rockies’ Scouting Director and was honored by Indian Hills Community College. Bob DeFelice (1942–2024) was an American minor league catcher and longtime college coach who led Bentley University’s baseball program for over 50 years and served as its athletic director. Mike Easom (1946–2024) was an American minor league infielder, manager, and longtime college coach who won over 1,000 games at Indian River State College and led Paintsville Yankees to consecutive Appalachian League titles. Kensaku Fujimoto (1940–2024) was a Japanese pitcher who briefly played for the Yomiuri Giants in Nippon Professional Baseball before retiring in 1963. Tetsuya Fujisawa (1953–2024) was a Japanese pitcher who played briefly for the Chunichi Dragons and Nankai Hawks in Nippon Professional Baseball before retiring in 1980. John Holway (1929–2024) was an American baseball writer and historian who compiled Negro League statistics, authored six books on the leagues, and won the 1988 Casey Award. Toshiji Kadono (1948–2024) was a Japanese pitcher who played seven games for the Kintetsu Buffaloes before retiring in 1969. Yasushi Kodama (1935–2024) was a Japanese pitcher who won the 1953 Koshien title, played eight years with the Chunichi Dragons, and captured a Nippon Series championship in 1954. Lai-Fa Lee (1956–2024) was a Taiwanese baseball player, coach, and manager who competed in Japan, led Taiwan’s national team to an Olympic silver medal in 1992, and managed in the CPBL. Ric Lessmann (1937–2024) was an American minor league pitcher and college coach who won a junior college national title and became one of the few coaches to surpass 1,000 career wins. Ed McCann (d. 2024) was an American college baseball coach who led Centenary College to conference honors, coached at multiple universities, and earned a 1992 Olympic silver medal with Taiwan. Douglas Mills (1940–2024) was an American multi-sport athlete at the University of Illinois who helped Team USA win silver at the 1963 Pan American Games and later became a successful businessman and golfer. Susumu Munesue (1932–2024) was a Japanese professional baseball player who appeared for the Yomiuri Giants and Hiroshima Carp before retiring after limited playing time. Stephen Mark Powers (c. 1953–2024) was a two-way baseball player who won the 1976 College World Series Most Outstanding Player award and played briefly in the minor leagues. Don Sneddon (1952–2024) was an American baseball coach who won three state championships at Santa Ana College, became the winningest coach in CCCAA history, and managed in professional and summer leagues. Takashi Suzuki (1933–2024) was a three-time Nippon Pro Baseball All-Star pitcher who won a Japan Series title with the Taiyo Whales and later coached, scouted, and broadcasted baseball. Motoji Takuwa (1935–2024) was a Pacific League pitching sensation who won the first NPB Triple Crown as a rookie and later became a baseball commentator. John Osborne (1950–2024) was a Canadian knuckleball pitcher and infielder who represented Team Canada internationally, coached in U.S. colleges, and taught for 28 years. Sadayuki Tokutake (1938–2024) was a Japanese third baseman who played 10 seasons in Nippon Pro Baseball, later coaching and managing for the Chunichi Dragons and Lotte Orions. Virgilio Veras (1950–2024) was a Dominican catcher who hit over .300 for 25 years in amateur leagues, played for the national team, and helped encourage Bartolo Colón’s signing. Aad Vuik (1933–2024) was a Dutch umpire in the Hoofdklasse from 1969–2000 and a world champion tropical bird breeder. Allan Yamamoto (1935–2024) was a Hawaiian baseball and basketball player who briefly played for the Daiei Unions before becoming a 35-time local golf champion and Hawaii State Golf Hall of Famer. Tsuneyoshi Yamamoto (1940–2024) was a Japanese baseball player and coach who played briefly for the Toei Flyers and later served as battery coach for the Taiyo Whales.

One last batch of baseball deaths in 2025; they were notable enough for the BR Bullpen, at least. Part 1. Mark Allen (1975–2025) was an American baseball coach and scout who worked at multiple colleges, the Cleveland Indians, and the San Francisco Giants before returning to college coaching. Nick Avants (1943–2025) was an American professional baseball umpire who worked in the minor leagues and briefly in the American League during the early 1970s. Tony Barbone (1953–2025) was an American baseball coach and administrator who led programs at Azusa Pacific University and Concordia University, and managed in the minor leagues. Jon Bible (1949–2025) was an American baseball and football official, NCAA umpire coordinator, and law professor, inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2019. Joe Brockhoff (1936–2025) was an American baseball player and highly successful coach, leading East Jefferson High School and Tulane University to multiple championships and mentoring future major leaguers. Ibrahim Brull (c.1929–2025) was a Cuban baseball player who helped the national team win multiple Amateur World Series medals in the early 1950s, including gold in 1952 and 1953. Armando Capiró (1948–2025) was a Cuban baseball player, considered one of the most colorful hitters of the 1960s–70s, who led the national team to multiple gold medals and set Cuban league records. Kuo-Liang Chen (1969–2025) was a Taiwanese baseball player who competed in the Taiwan Major League and represented his country internationally, earning an All-Star selection and a Best Ten award during his career. Yong-hoon Cho (1987–2025) was a South Korean pitcher in the Korea Baseball Organization, played internationally for his national team, and later became a YouTuber before his untimely death. John Edward Cunningham (1937–2025) was an American athlete and longtime University of San Diego baseball coach who led teams to multiple Division II College World Series and was hall-of-fame inducted. Bob Fisher (d. 2025) was an American college baseball coach at Baldwin-Wallace College for over 40 years, winning four Ohio Athletic Conference Coach of the Year awards. Tom Geestman (1955–2025) was a Dutch pitcher and coach in the Hoofdklasse who also led the Netherlands junior national team to a European Championship and coached in the Holland Series. Juan Germosén (1951–2025) was a Dominican baseball player who starred on the national team in multiple international tournaments, including the Amateur World Series and Pan American Games. Luis Guevara (2006–2025) was a Venezuelan minor league infielder in the Baltimore Orioles system who played multiple infield positions before dying in a tragic jetski accident at age 19. Hidetoshi Hakamada (1955–2025) was a Japanese catcher who played 13 seasons in Nippon Pro Baseball and later coached the Lotte Orions and Seibu Lions.

Ray Crone died. https://www.waynebozefuneralhome.com/obituaries/raymond-crone Who was Ray Crone? Ray Crone (1931–2026) was an American professional baseball pitcher and longtime scout. Born in Memphis, Tennessee, he signed with the Boston Braves in 1949 at age 17 and rose through the minor leagues, achieving notable success with the Jacksonville Braves in 1953. Crone made his Major League debut with the Milwaukee Braves in 1954 and played five seasons in the majors with the Braves and New York/San Francisco Giants, compiling a 30–30 record with a 3.87 ERA in 137 games. He continued playing in the minors until 1961. After retiring from pitching, Crone became a respected scout, working for the Montreal Expos, Baltimore Orioles, San Diego Padres, and Arizona Diamondbacks, helping to sign players such as Don Welchel and Paxton Crawford. His son, Ray Jr., also pursued a career in baseball scouting. Crone passed away on January 15, 2026, in Waxahachie, Texas, at the age of 94. Another notable baseball death: Kim Min-jae died. https://www.chosun.com/english/national-en/2026/01/14/BL66D2H6DBDETM77W3WD25GLZ4/ Who was Kim-Min-jae? Kim Min-jae (1973–2026) was a South Korean professional baseball shortstop and coach. Born in Busan, he debuted in the KBO with the Lotte Giants in 1991 and played for the Giants, SK Wyverns, and Hanwha Eagles until 2009, compiling a .247 career batting average with 1,503 hits, 71 home runs, and 607 RBIs. Known as one of the league’s top defensive infielders, Kim represented South Korea internationally, winning gold at the 2002 Asian Games and 2008 Beijing Olympics, and competing in the 2006 World Baseball Classic.

Two-time All-Star Ryan Pressly retired.

Other players signed: Yeremy Reyes Oscar Pena Emerson Estevez Michalle Mercedes Gensil Rosario Cristopher Jaquez Johnderis Sanchez Oscar Montero Sebastian Toro Frank Moreno Ryan Rudas They also signed 27-year-old minor leaguer Trey McGough, who has never reached the majors, but is 3-3 with a 3.33 ERA in 94 2/3 AAA innings.

Now past 45%, so here are some updated projections: Carlos Beltran: 75-76% Andruw Jones: 71-72% Chase Utley: 48-49% Andy Pettitte: 42-43% Alex Rodriguez: 41-42% Felix Hernandez: 40-41% Manny Ramirez: 37-38% Cole Hamels: 28-29% Bobby Abreu: 25-26% Jimmy Rollins: 23-24% Dustin Pedroia: 20-21% Omar Vizquel: 19-20% Mark Buehrle: 16-17% Francisco Rodriguez: 13-14% David Wright: 13-14% Torii Hunter: 6-7% Ryan Braun: 2-3% Edwin Encarnacion: 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% Hunter Pence: 0-1% Rick Porcello: 0-1% So, after thinking Beltran was a shoo-in based on how he had been trending and due to the weak ballot, I'd say he's hit a wall with the hold out voters who seem to really hold the cheating stuff against him. So I'm slashing his chances to 55% yes, 45% no. Andruw Jones is looking more and more like a no, too, so I'm putting him at 62% no, 38% yes. I think Torii Hunter will live to see another day, as he's seen a surge in new votes recently. I am really impressed by Andy Pettitte and previously said he might get to 60% by the time he was done on the ballot. In fact, he might even make a push to 65% if he's lucky. Ramirez's Final Year token boost in support is about as large as expected. I know he'd lost a lot of momentum, but I thought it was unusual that Vizquel was gaining absolutely NO new support this time around, especially considering he's on year 9. Well, he's gotten some new votes recently; it'll still be tough for him to make even 25% next year, his final year, based on how things are going. Voters REALLY don't like him now.

That's an old racist joke, "how does a Chinese person name their child?" and what you said is the punchline.