Cowtipper

That's right. I get it when a player doesn't get 100% of the vote because a voter isn't sure if that player is a HOFer. And some voters come around. They believe, initially, that the player isn't HOF worthy but are persuaded over time that he is. But what's the logic for not voting for Warren Spahn? Or Rickey Henderson? Or Hank Aaron? Or Ted Williams? In the entire history of baseball, Mariano Rivera was the only player who deserved to go in unanimously on his first ballot? No one is deserving of anything. If I had a hunch that someone might push 100%, I'd probably not vote for him, just to be the counterpoint. Groupthink and conformity are terribly dangerous.

That's right. I should've written "for the most part" instead of "that's right". On occasion, the HOF worthiness of a candidate is in reasonable doubt or question. So it's understandable when some players are inducted into the HOF with less than 100% of the vote. But there's no reasonable argument for withholding a vote from Seaver. Or Mays. Or Mantle. Or dozens and dozens of other players. Including Ichiro. You just fabricated some standards out of thin air to rationalize Ichiro's non-vote. On man's "fabrications" are another man's "hypotheticals."

Who is that handsome man behind the bald fella?

Looking for three teams to fill out this year's edition of the league! https://baseball.fantasysports.yahoo.com/b1/15342/invitation?key=3df57d971371427b&soc_trk=lnk&ikey=cc1e09dc1e4cd472

Well, by that logic, if every player is a Hall of Famer or he isn't, then every player that earns election should earn 100% support. Ichiro is a great, but not an all-time great. He spent nearly ten years of his career as a total dog. And before then, though he hit for sexy high averages, he was mostly just a singles hitter. If I were a voter, I could easily understand doing a little voting strategery to keep some less-discussed players on the ballot. In doing so, I could easily see myself dropping a Suzuki—a shoo-in—for someone who is just holding on. A lot of eventual Hall of Famers just hold on in the early going these days. Wagner earned 10% support his first two tries. Same with Scott Rolen. Todd Helton earned just 16%. Larry Walker's vote totals dropped to about 10% a few times. So I could see doing a little strategery.

Ichiro wasn't deserving of 100 percent. 100 percent implies perfection and that latter half of his career was anything but. A great class nevertheless. With the weak batch of first timers next go-around, Beltran and Andruw Jones are lined up very well for election. After that, it looks like there will be some sparse elections, as none of the other holdovers are particularly close. Sabathia probably didn't deserve the first ballot, but with Felix Hernandez getting 20 percent on his first try, you can tell the standard for starters has fallen precipitously. [YOUTUBE]j5KS0OoRJUo[/YOUTUBE]

I remember him from Major League: Baseball to the Minors.

Brent Billingsley, who pitched for the Marlins in 1999, died December 25. https://www.rosehills.com/obituaries/whittier-ca/brent-billingsley-12191883 Who was Brent Billingsley? Brent Aaron Billingsley was a left-handed relief pitcher who briefly played in Major League Baseball for the Florida Marlins during the 1999 season. Born on April 19, 1975, in Downey, California, he attended Chino High School and later played college baseball at California State University, Fullerton, after transferring from East Carolina University. Billingsley was drafted by the Marlins in the 5th round of the 1996 MLB Draft. In his short MLB career, he appeared in eight games, pitching a total of 7.2 innings. He was known for his left-handed bat and pitching. Billingsley's career in the majors was brief, with his final game taking place in October 1999. Billingsley passed away on December 25, 2024, at the age of 49.

Not quite as obnoxiously tubby as Vogelbach, but still hard to look at.

He was good while we had him. I kind of wish the Mets would've brought him back.

A one-year wonder who was a terrible disappoint in the whole decade leading up to that single year. A former #1 rated prospect who, by and large, has been a total dud relative to what was expected of him. Stay away.

I always thought "Jeff Torborg" sounded like the name of a guy who would've played in 1985, not 1965.

Pathetically underutilized by the Mets. Could have forged a solid big league career, but New York stymied that. He's now 31 years old with just 81 games under his belt, thanks to NY giving him just 22 appearances and 95 1/3 innings since 2021. Started out with promise with San Diego in 2018, but that promise was snuffed out because of New York's mismanagement of him. The Mets surrendered a Baseball America top-25 prospect (Endy Rodriguez) to get him, too, making it that much worse.

Wayne Simpson, a member of the Big Red Machine in the 1970s, died December 12. https://www.online-tribute.com/WayneKirbySimpson Who was Wayne Simpson? Wayne Simpson was a pitcher whose career began with great promise but was ultimately derailed by injuries. Drafted eighth overall by the Cincinnati Reds in 1967, Simpson overcame early struggles with control in the minors to make a sensational major league debut in 1970. The tall and athletic right-hander became a key part of a young Reds pitching staff that contributed to the team’s dominant 70-30 start and eventual pennant win. In his debut, he threw a two-hit shutout against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and his rookie season featured an impressive 14-3 record with a 3.02 ERA, earning him a spot on the National League All-Star team. However, Simpson’s heavy workload, combined with a torn rotator cuff sustained midseason, marked the beginning of a steep decline. Despite efforts to return, he was unable to pitch in the postseason and never fully regained his velocity or dominance in subsequent years. Following his trade to the Kansas City Royals in 1972, Simpson continued to pitch in the majors and later in Mexico but was plagued by injuries, including thoracic outlet syndrome, which threatened his health and career. By 1977, his major league career ended, and his story remains a cautionary tale of a young star whose potential was cut short by injuries and the lack of advanced medical treatments available at the time.

Tommy Brown, one of the few remaining players from the 1940s, the last guy to debut before 1945, and the last member of the pennant-winning 1947 and 1949 Dodgers, has passed away. https://www.truebluela.com/2025/1/17/24344995/tommy-brown-dodgers Who was Tommy Brown? Tommy Brown, nicknamed "Buckshot," was a remarkable baseball player who debuted in Major League Baseball (MLB) at just 16 years old during the World War II manpower shortage. Signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1944, Brown became the youngest non-pitcher to play in a major league game and quickly made an impression despite his youth. In 1945, he set a record as the youngest player to hit a home run, a feat he achieved at 17 years and 257 days, a record that still stands. Known for his strong but erratic arm, Brown transitioned through various positions during his career and played for the Dodgers, Phillies, and Cubs. He also had memorable moments in the Southern Association, including a record-breaking streak of reaching base 20 consecutive times. After retiring from major league baseball at 25, Brown worked at a Ford glass plant in Nashville for 35 years, reflecting on his unconventional childhood spent working on docks and playing street ball. Brown passed away in 2025 at the age of 97, leaving a legacy as a record-setting player and the last surviving major leaguer to debut before the end of World War II. Also, who was Brian Matusz? Brian Matusz, a standout left-handed pitcher, was the first pitcher selected in the 2008 MLB Draft, going fourth overall to the Baltimore Orioles. A Phoenix native, he excelled in high school and college, earning accolades for his dominant performances, including being named a second-team All-American and West Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year at the University of San Diego. Matusz made his MLB debut with the Orioles in 2009, quickly establishing himself as a promising talent with a strong rookie season in 2010, where he finished fifth in Rookie of the Year voting. Despite early success, injuries and inconsistent performances marred his career, including a record-setting losing streak in 2012. Transitioning to a bullpen role, he found renewed success as a reliever before being traded to the Braves in 2016 and later appearing briefly for the Cubs during their World Series-winning season. After his MLB career, Matusz played in the minors, independent leagues, and internationally before retiring. Tragically, he died in January 2025 at the age of 37 from an apparent drug overdose. Known for his talent and resilience, Matusz's career reflected both the high pressures and challenges of professional baseball.

Sounds poetic. And thus proclaimed the opening of the winter window A gust, a howl, where shall the winter wind blow? *Snap snap snap snap snap snap* Thank you, thank you. Also, the Mets cut ties with Edward Olivares so he can play in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Wow, they actually got a reliever who has been consistently good in recent years instead of someone who was good 'once.' It only took 20 years, but they're learning! Good signing. He does seem to be an every-other-year guy however. 2024 was his good year, so the pattern suggests 2025 might be a bit of a downer. But not like a 5.00 ERA downer, so there is hope.

Excellent. He was part of the spark that turned 2024 around. Great to have him back. Guys like Winker and Taylor are proof that statlines don't tell the whole story. He was worth a lot more than the .243/.318/.365 line he posted suggests.

Adam Warren was better, but this one might be a surprise in a Danny/Alex Young kinda way. They also signed a whole new batch of youngsters who'll play 6 games in the DSL and be released in two years: Agreed to terms on minor league contacts with INFs Elian Pena, Giomar Ubiera, Jose Padilla, Yorber Semprun and Roni Garcia, RHPs Yobanny Sanchez, Kleber Gamez, Jose Vielma, Darling Perez and Olmedo Barria, LHP Pablo Medina, Cs Adrian Silva and Jose Serracin and OFs Aiberson Blanco and Jhonael Cuello.

The Binghamton Rumble Ponies will be changing their name (for two games) to the Bathtub Donkeys in response to an obscure NYS law. https://www.si.com/mlb/mets-minor-league-team-adopting-new-team-name-obscure-donkey-lawhttps://www.si.com/mlb/mets-minor-league-team-adopting-new-team-name-obscure-donkey-law I preferred it when they were the Binghamton Mets. But that's because I'm not four years old. "Rumble Ponies" and such names are what happens when you let 23-year-old female recent college grads run the marketing department. "Oh it's so cute and quirky!"

Living original Mets: Craig Anderson Galen Cisco Cliff Cook John DeMerit Rick Herrscher Jay Hook Jim Marshall

Paul Blackburn, Tylor Megill, David Peterson, Jose Siri, Tyrone Taylor and Luis Torrens all agreed to one-year contracts, avoiding arbitration.

Harvey Branch, who played a single game for the Cardinals in 1962, died January 15, 2021, but his passing went unnoticed until just recently. Yours truly found this one and submitted it to SABR. https://sabr.box.com/shared/static/8tvkhajhb864n0qdc4ftyu8wzq9h3xxp.pd Who was Harvey Branch? "Harvey Alfred Branch, a left-handed pitcher, had a brief Major League Baseball career consisting of a single start for the St. Louis Cardinals on September 18, 1962. Acquired from the Chicago Cubs earlier that month in exchange for pitcher Paul Toth, Branch faced his former team, allowing three runs over five innings and taking the loss in a 4–3 defeat. This game marked his only MLB appearance, with career totals of five innings pitched, three earned runs, five walks, and two strikeouts. Branch's professional baseball career spanned seven seasons in the minor leagues, where he found notable success, including a standout year with the San Antonio Missions in 1962, posting 216 strikeouts in 237 innings. Earlier in his career, while with the Paris Lakers, Branch once struck out 21 batters in a single game. After leaving baseball in 1964, Branch pursued higher education, earning degrees from Alabama State University and Jacksonville Theological Seminary. He became a chaplain, pastor, and author, dedicating his post-baseball life to spiritual and community service. Branch passed away in 2021, though news of his death was not widely reported until 2024."

Original Met Felix Mantilla passes away. https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/01/felix-mantilla-passes-away.htmlhttps://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/01/felix-mantilla-passes-away.html

Good to see the Mets trawling indy leagues for talent. They do it quite a bit it seems. Seems like a good way to find a lot of diamonds in the rough.