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A fist bump from a major leaguer.  What could be better than that for a Little Leaguer?  Oh, I don’t know.  How about playing video games, ping pong or just a game of catch with a big-league ball player?  Or maybe sliding down a hill on a cardboard box with a Chicago Cub or being interviewed by a Pirate’s pitcher?  Or handshakes, autographs and selfies with your favorite MLB player?  Or maybe it’s taking in a major league game in the “good seats?”  Or, perhaps, just actually playing in the Little League World Series?

It was all part of the Little League Classic – established two year ago, bringing major leaguers to Williamsport, PA, during the Little League World Series, for an official MLB game at Historic Bowman Field.  It’s one of Baseball Roundtable’s favorite new MLB promotional events.  (I’m not really fond of the “overseas” games, character races and between-innings quizzes.)  Bringing young players (and, as we saw, their equally eager parents) together with big leaguers (who also seem ever younger to me) is great for the game.

The fun begins when the big leaguers (in team jerseys) arrive at Williamsport Regional Airport and are greeted by a high-fiving, fist-bumping, selfie-taking line of Little League players (in full uniforms). As I watched the arrival on television, I was struck by the truly wide-eyed awe on those  Little League faces and the equally wide smiles worn by the big leaguers.  On the bus ride(s) to the Little League’s Volunteer and Lamade Stadiums, the youngsters got up close to their heroes. There were plenty of selfies and autograph signings and conversations that ranged from favorite music to favorite players to how to throw the two-seamer.

MLB players took time to visit “The Grove,” the living complex for the Little Leaguers during the Series.  There, MLBers matched up against their Little League counterparts in video games, ping pong and other competitive pursuits – even including “dance offs.” Later,you could also find the major leaguers joining youngsters in sliding down behind Lamade Stadium’s center field hill – on cardboard boxes. I’m sure the Cubs and Pirates trainers loved that action.

The players also made time to join fans in the stands to watch the Little League nines play the game.  (Now, there’s pressure for you.)  The media cooperated fully, turning over their cameras and microphones to allow major leaguers to interview Little Leaguers and vice versa.

A MINNESOTA HIGHLIGHT

Twelve-year-old Maddy Freking, who plays for the Midwest Team (Coon Rapids, MN), became just the 19^th girl to play in the Little League World Series – and she did Minnesota proud on and off the field.  Baseball Roundtable was impressed with her poise, determination and skill set.  Freking is the Midwest’s starting second baseman and also does some pitching. (She did both yesterday, also becoming just the sixth girl to take the mound in the LLWS.)

Freking’s performance thus far in the LLWS has included some spectacular fielding plays at both second base and on the mound, a display of pitching skills and an awareness of game situations. To see Freking play, click here for Good Morning America’s coverage (and Freking’s appearance on the show). 

She has also shown a down-to-earth personality.  During an interview before her game, when asked about being the only girl in this year’s LLWS, she replied “I’m getting a lot of it (attention), but I just want to play some baseball.”  (She did just that, I might add.)  Asked what advice she might give to other girls wanting to play baseball, Freking said “Girls can do what boys can do … and just keep playing.”

She also showed an appreciation for the history of the nation pastime.  All the Little Leaguers were asked who their favorite player was (Javier Baez got the most mentions, followed by Mike Trout and Mookie Betts). Freking named her favorite as Jackie Robinson.

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“Skills. And with no disrespect, the last time I saw that much blonde hair throwing that hard, it was (Mets’ pitcher Noah) Syndergaard. That was bringing the heat. ” Pittsburgh Pirate Manager Clint Hurdle, commenting on Maddy Freking’s performance. 

_______________________________

 

Later the Cubs and Pirates – wearing colorful “Cubbies” and “The Burgh” uniforms for the occasion (far better than the black and white uniforms for the upcoming Players’ Weekend) – played a game at BB&T Ballpark at Historic Bowman field.

The ceremonial first pitch for that game was itself a highlight, as players from all of the teams (one from each squad) lined up from center field to the mound, relaying the ball to Pirates’ reliever Kyle Crick at the plate.

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Oh by the way, there was a ball game, played in front of a capacity crowd of 2,503 fans (all the seats are good seats), won by the Cubbies 7-1 and featuring home runs (of course) by the Cubbies’ Nick Castellanos and Anthony Rizzo and The Burgh’s Starling Marte. And, a good time was had by all.

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August 23-25 will mark the 2019 MLB season Players’ Weekend – and there is a new twist. This year, the uniforms will be black and white (not a choice I would have made). The players will be providing all the color. Players will be able to bring their personalities to the field in their equipment (bats, batting gloves, wristbands and more) and will also be able to wear “tribute” patches and self-selected “nicknames” on their uniforms. The nicknames will once again be the highlight of the weekend and, in this post, Baseball Roundtable will take a look at BBRT’s three favorite nicknames from each team. I’ll follow that up with a look at back at what BBRT earlier reported as the best and worst baseball nicknames of all time.  Here’s a spoiler alert, Lou Gehrig makes both the best and worst lists, having worn the monikers “Biscuit Pants” and “Iron Man.”

Side Note:  BBRT apologizes for the time between posts.  Just got a new computer and file and program transfers are taking longer than a “computer minute.”

First, my favorite nickname for this season?  That would be “WHO” – to be worn by Reds’ first baseman Joey Votto. (We now know the answer to “Who’s on first?”)

There are plenty of other good nicknames out there. Like the Indians’ Shane Bieber’s “NOT JUSTIN” (see his 2019 Topps’ card), Mike Leake’s “DRIP” and Melky Cabrera’s “MELK MAN.” There are also some that relate directly to on-the-field achievements, like Aroldis Chapman’s “THE MISSILE,” Nelson Cruz’ “BOOMSTICK”  and hit-stealing Kevin Kiermaier’s “OUTLAW.”

There are a few that tie to physical characteristics, like Tyler Glasgow’s “BABY GIRAFFE,” Jared Hughes’ “OSTRICH” and Pablo Sandoval’s “PANDA.”  There are even a couple that tie to past or part-time occupations – Michael Fulmer’s “THE PLUMBER” and Steve Cishek’s “SPEEDPASS.”  And, let’s not forget the nicknames that just make you smile, like  Zach Davies’ “BAT BOY,” Scott Barlow’s “SCOOTS McGOOTS,” and Jeff McNeil’s “FLYING SQUIRREL.”  We should also give a nod to Luke Jackson’s “SKYWALKER,” because Star Wars never gets old.

So let’s get to it.  Here are BBRT’s three favorite nicknames from each team.

—-Arizona Diamondbacks—-

Mike Leake – DRIP.

Jarrod Dyson – ZOOMBIYA.  The kind of pitch you are looking for – one that zooms by ya. Plus, it takes me back to the ’60s.

David Peralta – FREIGHT TRAIN. He runs the bases with abandon.

—–Atlanta Braves—–

Josh Donaldson – BRINGER OF RAIN.  This one’s been around awhile – as have his high-flying, rain-bringing dingers.

Mike Foltynewicz – HIGH FOLTAGE.

Julio Teheran – EL CABALLO DE OLAYA.  The Horse of Olaya – and of the Braves.

—-Baltimore Orioles—–

Chance Sisco – SISCO KID.  I loved the “Cisco” Kid, when I was a “kid.” No “Poncho” on the team though.

Trey Mancini – BOOMER.

Richie Martin – RICH BOY.  Hmm? Possible backlash?

—-Boston Red Sox—-

Nathan Eovaldi – NITRO.

Chris Sale – THE CONDUCTOR.  He does punch a lot of tickets.

Mookie Betts – MOOKIE.  Can’t improve on that.

—–Chicago Cubs—–

Javier Baez – EL MAGO.  The Magician.  Have you seen his glove work?

Steve Cishek – SPEEDPASS.  Not a pitching term, but Cishek once worked at a gas stations that used the Speedpass.

Brandon Kintzler – SALT.  Kintzler is said to have a “salty” personality.

—–Chicago White Sox—–

Ivan Nova – SUPER NOVA.

James McCann – McCANNON.

Yoan Moncada – YOYO.

—–Cincinnati Reds—–

Joey Votto – WHO.  … is on first?

Michael Lorenzen – ZEN.  Gives me a sense of peace on the diamond.

Jared Hughes – OSTRICH. Watch him run in from the bullpen.

—–Cleveland Indians—–

Shane Bieber – NOT JUSTIN.  Topps, pay attention.

Jason Kipnis – DIRTBAG.  He’s a scrapper, not afraid to get his uniform dirty.

Yasiel Puig – WILD HORSE.  This one’s often attributed to a Vin Scully description of a Puig triple, “The Wild Horse is loose.”

—–Colorado Rockies—–

David Dahl – BABY DAHL.  Might be a little soft.

German Marquez – MARQUEE.

Bryan Shaw – GEEK.  Loves video games.

—–Detroit Tigers—–

Michael Fulmer – PLUMBER.  Fulmer has worked as a plumber in the off-season.

Brandon Dixon – BANDIT.  Great nickname, not so great story.  Apparently, someone misheard him being called “Brandon;” thought he heard “Bandit.”

Niko Goodrum – STINCHCOMB.  Wha-a-at?

—–Houston Astros—–

Jake Marisnick – BIG FUDGE.  A reference to his eating habits while on the DL.

Josh Reddick – MR. IRRELEVANT.  Hard to standout on the star-studded Astros’ squad.

George Springer – HORHAY.  A nod to his Puerto Rican and Panamanian roots.

—–Kansas City Royals—–

Scott Barlow – SCOOTS McGOOTS.  Makes me smile.

Jacob Junis – JUNE BUG.  See above.

Richard Lovelady – LOVE.  Oh, more back-to-the-’60s vibe. The Summer of Love.

—–Los Angeles Angels—–

Albert Pujols – LA MÁQUINA.  He has been a long-time hitting machine.

Dillon Peters – DILLYPICKLEZ.

Shohei Ohtani – SHOWTIME.

—–Los Angeles Dodgers—–

Kenley Jansen – KENLEYFORNIA.

Walker Buehler – BUETANE.

Pedro Baez – LA MULA.  The Mule.  Quite the work ethic.

—–Miami Marlins—–

Curtis Granderson – GRANDYMAN.

Garret Cooper – COOPALOOP.

Jose Urena – EL NUEVE.  The nine.  I thought it might be the inning Urena prefers to pitch.  But I saw a story that says, in the Dominican Republic, youngsters would often greet each other with “El Nueve” — considered an friendly acknolwegement.

—-Milwaukee Brewers—-

Zach Davies – BAT BOY. Davies is also wearing “BB” in place of his uniform number.

Josh Hader – HADARADE.

Yasmani Grandal – YAZMANIAN DEVIL.

 

—–Minnesota Twins—–

Nelson Cruz – BOOMSTICK.

Jose Berrios – LA MAKINA.  A pitching machine.

Max Kepler – RὉŻYCKI. Maximilian Kepler-RὉŻYCKI.

—–New York Mets—–

Jeff McNeil – FLYING SQUIRREL. Plays with a lot of energy.

Seth Lugo – QUARTERRICAN.  A nod to his grandfather.

Todd Frazier – TODDFATHER

—–New York Yankees—–

Aroldis Chapman – THE MISSILE.

James Paxton – BIG MAPLE.  Canadian roots.

Giancarlo Stanton – PARMIGIANCARLO.

—–Oakland A’s—–

Liam Hendriks – SLYDAH. Gotta love the breaking ball. (Or is it White Castle?)

Mike Fiers – SMOKEY.

Chris Herrmann – WORM.

—–Philadelphia Phillies—–

Scott Kingery – JETPAX. Kingery runs the bases with abandon.

Jake Arrieta – SNAKE.  Just a classic.

Mike Morin – MOOSH.  I like the sound and the alliteration.

—–Pittsburgh Pirates—–

Felipe Vazquez – NIGHTMARE.  Vazquez wants to give bad dreams to batters, I assume.

Chris Archer – FLACO FUERTE.  Skinny Strong.  Assigned by a teammate who grabbed Archer’s arm and was apparently underwhelmed.

Melky Cabrera – MELK MAN.

—–Saint Louis Cardinals—–

Adam Wainwright – UNCLE CHARLIE.  More love for the breaking ball.

Michael Wacha – WACHAMOLE.  Is it a dip or a carnival game?

Ryan Helsley – HELLZ BELLZ.

—–San Diego Padres—–

Joey Lucchesi – JOEY FUEGO.  He’s been on fire since he got this nickname at Southwest Missouri State.

Chris Paddock – SHERIFF.  A Texan through and through; known for his game-day cowboy hat.

Fernando Tatis, Jr.  – EL NIÑO. A tribute to his big-league dad.

—-San Francisco Giants—–

Madison Bumgarner – MAD BUM.  All three of BBRT’s Giants’ favorites are MLB long-standing classics.

Pablo Sandoval – PANDA.

Jeff Samardzija – SHARK.

—–Seattle Mariners—–

Dee Gordon – A lightning bolt emoji. The man can run – enough said.

Dan Vogelbach – THE BABE.  Does he really look like George Herman Ruth?

Felix Hernandez – KING FELIX.  Another well-established moniker.

—–Tampa Rays—–

Kevin Kiermaier – OUTLAW.  How many hits has he stolen with his glove?

Tyler Glasnow – BABY GIRAFFE.   6’ 6”, ‘nuff said.

Tommy Pham –  PHAMTASTIC.

—–Texas Rangers—–

Elvis Andrus – EL COMANDO.  Commander. Given to him by his brother, guess we know who was in charge.

Delino DeShields – LIL BOP.  His MLB dad was known as BOP.

Nomar Mazara – BIG CHILL.

—–Toronto Blue Jays—–

Ken Giles – 100 MILES GILES.  A nickname based on Radar-gun readings.

Teoscar Hernandez – MR. SEEDS. Sunflower seeds, that is.

Vlad Guerrero, Jr. – THE KID.  The kid of a Hall of Famer, of course.

—–Washington Nationals—–

Hunter Strickland – SOUTHERN THUNDER.

Max Scherzer – BROWN EYE.  Scherzer has honored his blue eye in the past (he has heterochromia of the eyes); the brown eye gets the honor this year.

Erik Fedde – FEDDECCINI. Didn’t get this word play pasta me.

——-BASEBALL ROUNDTABLE’S BEST AND WORST ALL-TIME NICKNAMES——-

Nicknames have always been a part of our national pastime – some complimentary (Joe “The Yankee Clipper” DiMaggio); some less so (Fred “Bootnose” Hoffman). Here is a look two purely subjective nickname-based lineups – one focused on baseball’s best nicknames, the other on some of the national pastime’s worst. (Keep in mind, these are not nicknames chosen for the weekend.  They are earned monitors that “stuck.”)

But, I’m getting ahead of myself.  Let’s get to the lists, leading off with some of MLB’s worst nicknames – often cruel, but always descriptive and almost always interesting.

—-BASEBALL’S WORST NICKNAMES—-

P – Hugh “Losing Pitcher” Mulcahy … Ouch! Mulcahy “enjoyed” a nine-season major league career (1935-47, minus five WWII years), during which he earned his nickname. He ran up a career record of 45-89, with a 4.49 ERA (all with the Phillies), leading the NL in losses twice, hits allowed once, earned runs allowed twice, walks allowed once, hit batsmen twice and wild pitches once. Notably, he made one MLB All Star squad; in 1944, when he led the NL with 22 losses (versus 13 wins), despite a respectable 3.60 ERA.

C – Gabby “Old Tomato Face” Hartnett … The Hall of Fame catcher reportedly picked up his nickname as he gained weight and developed a ruddy complexion. Notably, even “Gabby” was a nickname (real name Charles Leo Hartnett) – reflecting Hartnett’s career-long shyness and reluctance to speak to anyone, particularly reporters. Harnett played 20 MLB seasons (1922-41, all but the last season with the Cubs), hitting .297, with 236 home runs and 1,179 RBI. He was a six-time All Star and the 1935 NL MVP.

1B – Lou “Biscuit Pants” Gehrig …  Great player with multiple nicknames –ranging from Biscuit Pants on the low end to Buster in the middle to Iron Man on the high side.  The Biscuit Pants monitor acknowledged Gehrig’s baggy uniform pants, thick legs and sturdy derriere. A Hall of Famer, Gehrig played 17 seasons with the Yankees (1923-39), producing a .340 career average, with 493 home runs, 1,995 RBI and 1,888 runs scored. He was a seven-time All Star, two-time AL MVP, won one batting, title, led the AL in home runs three times, RBI five times, runs scored four times, doubles three times and triples once.

2B – Charlie “Piano Legs” Hickman …  At 5’9” and 215-pounds, it’s easy to imagine the source of Hickman’s nickname. Hickman played 1B, 2B and OF during his 12-year MLB career (1897-1908), delivering a .295 career average, with 50 home runs and 614 RBI. Hickman led the AL in hits and total bases in 1902, when he split time between Boston and Cleveland.

3B – Gary “The Rat” Gaetti … Despite the uncomplimentary nickname, Gary Gaetti was anything but a rat on the field. Also known as G-Man, Gaetti had a 20-season MLB career (1981-2000 with the Twins, Angels, Royals, Cardinals, Cubs and Red Sox). He was a career .255 hitter, with 360 home runs and 1,341 RBI.  Gaetti was a two-time All Star, four-time Gold Glover at third base and the 1987 American League Championship Series MVP.

SS – Bill “Wagon Tongue” Keister … Unlike Gabby Hartnett (see the catcher on this list), Bill Keister just wouldn’t shut up.  In a seven-season MLB career (1896-1903), Keister played for Brooklyn, Boston, Saint Louis and Philadelphia in the NL and Baltimore and Washington in the AL.  He hit .312, with 18 home runs, 400 RBI and 131 stolen bases – spending time at shortstop, third base and second base.   In the field, Wagon Tongue did not put his money where his mouth was.  In 1901, he set the all-time MLB low for fielding average by a shortstop (.851) – making 97 errors in 112 games (650 total chances).

LF – Johnny “Ugly” Dickshot … Not the best looking of men, it’s reported that Dickshot granted himself the title of the ugliest man in baseball.  Clearly, the combination of his nickname and actual name earns Dickshot a spot on this list of worst baseball nicknames.  In six major league seasons (spread over 1936-45), he played in 322 games (Pirates, Giants, White Sox), hitting .276, with seven home runs and 116 RBI. More than half his career offensive production came in his final season (1945, White Sox), when he hit .302, with seven home runs and 58 RBI.

CF – Hunter “Captain Underpants” Pence … The story has it that, during a minor league game, an aggressive heckler thought that (on the minor league PA system) “Hunter Pence” sounded a lot like “Underpants” and proceeded to taunt him with the Underpants chant, which  apparently had more staying power when teammates promoted Mr. Underpants to “Captain.”  As of this writing, Pence is in his 13th MLB campaign, with a .280 career average, 241 home runs and 931 RBI.  He is a three-time all star.

RF – “Bucketfoot” Al Simmons … Another Hall of Famer on this list, Simmons’ nickname (which he disliked) was drawn from his batting stance.  The bucketfoot stance seemed to work for him. In 20 MLB seasons (1924-1944; Athletics, White Sox, Tigers, Senators, Braves, Reds, Red Sox), Simmons hit .334, with 307 home runs and 1,828 RBI. He led his league in batting average, hits and total bases twice each and RBI once.

So, there is BBRT’s worst nickname lineup. If I had a bench, it would be manned by such notables as: Fred “Bootnose” Hoffman; Walt “No Neck” Williams; Jeff “Penitentiary Face” Leonard; Ernie “Schnozz” Lombardi; Harry “Stinky”Davis;  Dick “Dr. Strangeglove” Stuart; and Bris “The Human Eyeball” Lord.

—–BEST BASEBALL NICKNAMES—-

Now, here’s the BBRT lineup based on a very subjective judgment of the  best baseball nicknames.  As you will note, solid performance often results in a solid (and memorable) nickname.

P – “Sudden” Same McDowell … Yes, there are some Hall of Fame Pitchers with great nicknames. Walter “Big Train” Johnson, “Rapid Robert” Feller are  just two. However, that  “Sudden” nickname is my favorite.  McDowell – whose blazing heater could be past you with amazing suddenness – was a six-time All Star and five-time league strikeout leader. In a 15-year MLB career (1961-75, with the Indians, Giants, Yankees and Pirates), McDowell went 141-134, 3.17 and fanned 2,453 hitters in 2,492 1/3 innings.

C – Johnny “Little General” Bench … Catchers are supposed to take charge on the field and this nickname fits Hall of Famer Johnny Bench both behind and at the plate. Bench was a leader for the Reds for 17 seasons (1967-83). He was a 14-time All Star, ten-time Gold Glover, two-time league HR leader, two-time league MVP, 1968 Rookie of the Year and 1976 World Series MVP

1B – Lou “Iron Man” Gehrig … Hall of Fame slugger Lou Gehrig (see his career achievements in the worst nickname lineup under Biscuit Pants) earned this nickname for his combination of power and durability (until it was broken by Cal Ripken, Jr. in 1995, Gehrig held the record for consecutive games played at 2,130).

2B – Felix “The Cat” Millan … The Cat earned his nickname for his slick fielding around the keystone sack.  In 12 MLB seasons (1966-77, with the Brave s and Mets), Millan was a three-time All Star and two-time Gold Glover. He put up respectable offensive numbers with a career line of .279-22-403, with 699 runs scored.

3B – Pete “Charlie Hustle” Rose … BBRT could have put the ultimate hustler in at nearly any place on the diamond, but I like his aggressive play at the hot corner – where Rose started 627 games in his career. MLB’s all-time hits leader (4,256), Rose played 24 seasons in the majors (1963-86) – with the Reds (19), Phillies and Expos. Known for his hustle and aggressive play, Rose was a 17-time All Star, three-time batting champion and two-time Gold Glover, as well as the 1963 NL Rookie of the Year and 1973 NL MVP. He led the NL in games played five times, hits seven times, double five times and runs scored four times.

SS – Ozzie “The Wizard of Oz” Smith … In his 19 MLB seasons (1978-96, with the Padres and Cardinals), Hall of Famer Smith’s defensive wizardry earned him 13 Gold Gloves. The 15-time All Star had a career average of .262, with 28 home runs, 793 RBI, and 1,257 runs scored.

LF – Ted “The Splendid Splinter” Williams … Williams’ nickname – the Splendid Splinter – reflects his lanky, splinter-like build and his splendid skills.  Notably, Williams’ play earned him a team’s worth of nicknames – The Kid, Teddy Ballgame and The Thumper also among them.  Williams’ career on-base percentage of .482 is the best in baseball history.  Think about it – reaching base, basically, one of every two trips to the plate. Williams was a 19-time All Star, two-time MVP and two-time Triple Crown winner.  In 19 seasons with the Red Sox (1939-60, time lost for service in WWII and the Korean Conflict), Williams won six batting titles, and lead the AL in runs six times, RBI four times, home runs four times, doubles twice, walks eight times and total bases six times. He retired with a .344-521-1,839 stat line – and is the last MLBer to hit .400 for a season (.406 in 1941).

CF – Franklin “Death to Flying Things” Gutierrez … A lot of people probably expected to see Joe “The Yankee Clipper” DiMaggio or Ty “The Georgia Peach” Cobb in this spot.  However, based on the quality of the nickname, far-ranging outfielder Frank “Death to Flying Things” Gutierrez belongs here. In ten big league seasons (2005-13 & 2015-17, with the Indians, Mariners and Dodgers), Gutierrez earned one Gold Glove, a .257-97-361 stat line and one awesome nickname.  Note: two players from the 1800s – Jack Chapman and Bob Ferguson also  were honored with this nickname.

RF – Stan “The Man” Musial … Hall of Famer Musial (who started more than 1,800 of his 3,026 game played in the outfield) was indeed “The Man” – and not just in Saint Louis (where he played from 1941-63).  He was respected for his bat and his attitude around baseball.  Musial was a seven-time batting champ and three-time MVP, who also led the NL in hits six times, runs scored five-times, doubles eight times, triples five times and RBI twice. He retired with a .331 average, 3,630 hits 1,946 runs scored and 1,951 RBI.

If I had a bench for this squad, you might find such players as: Joe “The Yankee Clipper” DiMaggio;  “Rapid Robert” Feller; Babe “The Sultan of Swat” Ruth; Jimmy “The Beast” Foxx;  Don “Donnie Baseball” Mattingly; Roger “The Rocket” Clemens, Reggie “Mr. October” Jackson; Al “The Mad Hungarian” Hrabosky; Frank “The Big Hurt” Thomas; and Dwight “Dr. K” Gooden.

Again, all these choices are subjective.  BBRT would love to hear from readers on some of your favorite MLB nicknames.

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This Monday, July 22, the Minnesota Twins banged out five home runs … while topping the Yankees 8-6 at Target Field.  In the process, they tied the 1977 Boston Red Sox for the most games with five or more home runs in a season – and there is still a lot of season to go. Before looking at each of the Twins’ five-dinger games, here are a few tidbits. (Note:  Later in the post, we’ll also take a look at the 1977 Red Sox’ 5+ homer outings.)

• The Twins won all eight contests, and outscored their opponents 89-45.
• The Twins racked up their five-home run games on the road five times and at home three. (The Red Sox accomplished the feat six times at home and twice on the road.)
• Eleven different players homered for the Twins in those eight contests.

• Six different Twins delivered a combined 14 two-homer games in the eight contests: Jonathan Schoop (four times); Mitch Garver (three); Nelson Cruz (three); Max Kepler (two); C.J. Cron; and Miguel Sano.
• The Twins’ home runs total in the eight games: 48 total home runs – four games with five HRs, two games with six, two with eight.
• At the end of play July 22, the Twins led all of MLB with 187 home runs; without a single player in the MLB top ten. Max Kepler with 25 home runs was tied for 14^th in MLB and stood fifth in the American League.
• At the close of play on July 22, the Twins were on a pace to hit 306 home runs – well above the MLB record 267 hit by the Yankees last seasons.

Now, here’s a look at those 5+ home run games.

April 9

Twins HRs: Mitch Garver (2); Jonathan Schoop (2); Eddie Rosario; Jorge Polanco.

April 20

Twins HRs: Nelson Cruz (2); Mitch Garver (2); Jonathan Schoop (2); C.J. Cron; Eddie Rosario.

April 26

Twins HRs: Nelson Cruz (2); C.J. Cron; Eddie Rosario; Max Kepler.

All but one of the Twins’ five home runs were solo shots and four of the five came with two outs. 

April 27

Twins HRs: Max Kepler (2); C.J. Cron; Marwin Gonzalez; Jason Castro.

The Twins went deep against Orioles’ pitching ten times in two games.  As of July 22, the Twins had hit 23 home runs against the Baltimore staff, the most HRs Minnesota had against any team.

May 18

Twins HRs: C.J. Cron (2); Jonathan Schoop (2); Byron Buxton; Miguel Sano.

In this contest, the Twins reached five-home run mark by the third inning.

May 23

Twins HRs: Jonathan Schoop (2); Miguel Sano (2); Jorge Polanco; C.J. Cron; Max Kepler; Eddie Rosario.

June 29

Twins HRs: Nelson Cruz (2); Max Kepler (2); Miguel Sano.

The Twins homered in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings to reach the five-dinger mark.

July 22

Twins HRs: Mitch Garver (2); Nelson Cruz; Max Kepler; Jorge Polanco.

—–1977 BOSTON RED SOX – EIGHT 5+ HOMER GAMES—–

Now, let’s look at the 1977 Red Sox and their eight games with five or more home runs.

Before looking at each game, here are a few tidbits.

• The Red Sox won all eight contests (six at home), and outscored their opponents 89-45.
• Ten different players homered for the Red Sox in those eight contests.
• George Scott was the only player to homer in every one of the eight games – a total of nine long balls.

• The Red Sox home run total in the eight games: 46 total home runs – four games with five HRs, three games with six, one with eight.

In the July 4, 1977 game in which the Red Sox popped eight home runs while topping the Blue Jays 9-6 in Boston, Boston did not have a base runner until the fifth inning, and actually trailed 6-5 going into the bottom of the eighth (when they hit four solo home runs). They scored all nine runs on home runs.

• The 1977 Red Sox finished second in the AL East to the Yankees at 97-64.
• The Red Sox led MLB with 213 home runs that season and were second to the Minnesota Twins in runs scored (859 to the Twins 867 – Minnesota, by the way hit 90 fewer homers that season than the Red Sox).
• The 1977 Red Sox leading home runs hitters were: Jim Rice (39); George Scott (33); Butch Hobson (30); Carl Yastrzemski (28); Carlton Fisk (26). Rice finished third in MLB in HRs, Scott finished eighth.

Here are the game totals.

May 22

Red Sox HRs: Fred Lynn (2); Butch Hobson; Carl Yastrzemski; Dwight Evans; George Scott.

May 28

Red Sox HRs: Jim Rice (2); Carl Yastrzemski; Carlton Fisk; George Scott; Dwight Evans.

HEATING UP THE OLD RIVALRY

The rival New York Yankees visited Fenway for a three-game series July 17-19.  The Red Sox swept the series and hit at least five long balls in each game; while outscoring New York 30-9.  Coming against the Bronx Bombers had to make those long balls all the sweeter.

June 17

Red Sox HRs: Carlton Fisk (2); Rick Burleson; Fred Lynn; George Scott; Carl Yastrzemski.

June 18

Red Sox HRs: Carl Yastrzemski (2); Bernie Carbo (2); George Scott.

June 19

Red Sox HRs: Denny Doyle; Bernie Carbo; Jim Rice; Carl Yastrzemski. George Scott.

June 22

Red Sox HRs: Carlton Fisk (2); George Scott; Jim Rice; Butch Hobson.

All seven Red Sox’ runs scored via the long ball.

July 4

Red Sox HRs: George Scott (2); Fred Lynn(2); Butch Hobson; Bernie Carbo; Jim Rice; Carl Yastrzemski.

August 3

Red Sox HRs: Jim Rice (2); Butch Hobson; George Scott; Bernie Carbo.

11 of Boston’s 12 runs scored on home runs, the other on a bases-loaded walk.

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Today’s Baseball Hall of Fame inductees are now officially “in the books and in the Hall.” Baseball Roundtable send out congratulations, in particular, to Mariano Rivera, the first-ever unanimous selection. Well-deserved congratulations also go to 2019 inductees Edgar Martinez, Roy Halladay and Mike Mussina.  All four were voted into the Hall in the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) balloting.

In addition, BBRT would like to congratulate Today’s Game Era Committee electees Lee Smith and Harold Baines. In this post, we’ll look at the inductees, as well as the additional players who would have gotten BBRT’s vote (if I had one) and the results (reportedly earlier) of Baseball Roundtable’s annual (unofficial) fan vote (192 ballots). Those who follow BBRT will already know that the fans were a bit stingier with their support than the BBWAA “official” voters.

Bernie Tugs at Baseball’s Heart Strings.

There were lots of highlights  at this year’s Hall of Fame celebration.  How about the National Anthem being performed by noted jazz guitarist, 2009 Latin Grammy Award nominee and (oh, yeah) four-time World Series Champion Bernie Williams?  Williams also provided a guitar salute to former teammate (and 2019 HOF inductee) Mariano Rivera – a unique version of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” which included Rivera’s walk-in “Enter Sandman” riff. 

Lets’ start with the 2019 inductees voted in by the writers – Rivera, Martinez, Halladay and Mussina – all of whom would have also gotten BBRT’s vote. (Side note: Back in November, BBRT predicted Rivera and Martinez would get in and identified Halladay and Mussina as BBRT’s two dark-horse candidates with a good chance at election.)

—–A LOOK AT 2019 Baseball Hall of Fame Inductees Elected by the BBWAA.—–

Mariano Rivera – 100 Percent … (RHP/Closer, 1995-2013) … First year on the ballot.

Rivera is at the top of the 2019 HOF class, no matter how you look at it – and we finally have our first unanimous selection.

Rivera spent nineteen years with the Yankees and racked up an MLB-best 652 career saves.  He was an All-star in 13 seasons, led the AL in games saved three times and finished in the top three in Cy Young  voting four times. He saved 30 or more games in a season 15 times (including nine seasons of 40 or more saves, two of fifty or more) and put up an overall won-lost record of 80-52, with a 2.21 earned run average in 1,114 games. In 11 of his 19 seasons, Rivera’s earned run average was under 2.00 – which included a four-season span (2003-06), in which he saved 170 games, won 21 (13 losses) and put up a 1.69 ERA in 302 2/3 innings pitched. In his final season – at age 43 – Rivera went 6-2, with a 2.11 ERA and 44 saves.  Rivera was the American League Rolaids Relief Man of the Year in five seasons and the MLB Delivery Man of the Year in three campaigns.

All those New York fans.  When I was at Yankee Stadium pitching, it felt like I was pitching with 55,000 people next to me – throwing one pitch after another.

                 Mariano Rivera – from his Hall of Fame Induction Speech

The “Sandman” was even better In his 96 post-season appearances.  In those big games, Rivera went 8-1, with 42 saves and a minuscule 0.70 ERA. He was named the World Series MVP in 1999 and the ALCS MVP in 2003.  In 58 of his 96 post-season appearances, Rivera pitched more than one inning.  In the 2003 post-season, he appeared in eight games, pitching 16 innings (more than one frame in seven of the eight appearances), earning a win and five saves, giving up just one earned run (0.56 ERA).

Mariano Rivera’s Best Season: Lots to choose from here – like 43 saves and a 1.38 ERA in 2005; or 44 saves and a 1.91 ERA in 2011 (at age 41). BBRT will go with 2004, when Rivera saved a career-high 53 games, won four (lost two) and posted a 1.94 ERA.

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Edgar Martinez – 85.4 Percent … (Designated Hitter/Third Base, 1987-2004) … Tenth/Final year on the ballot.

We’ve seen some bias against designated hitters in past voting, but Edgar Martinez’ election indicates this may be subsiding. Martinez clearly defined the DH role. In an 18-season MLB career (all with the Mariners), Martinez was named to seven All Star teams; won a pair of batting titles (hitting a high of .356 in 1995); earned five Silver Slugger Awards; topped 100 RBI in six seasons (leading the league with 145 in 2000); and scored 100 or more runs five times (leading the league with 121 in 1995). He finished his career with a .312 average; 2,247 hits; 1,219 runs; 1,261 RBI; 309 home runs; and 514 doubles.

Like most kids in Puerto Rico, I wanted to be like Roberto Clemente … and what an honor to have my plaque in the Hall alongside his.

                            Edgar Martinez – from his Hall of Fame Induction Speech

Martinez hit .571 in the 1995 AL Championship Series (12-for-21), with two home runs, six walks and 10 RBI in five games.  In 34 post-season games, he hit .266, with eight home runs and 24 RBI.

Edgar Martinez’ Best Season: One of two … In 1995, Martinez led the league in batting average (.356), runs scored (121) and doubles (52), adding  29 home runs and 113 RBI.  In 2005, Martinez put up a .324 average, 37 home runs, a league-leading 145 RBI and 100 runs scored.

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Roy Halladay – 85.4 percent …. (RHP/Starter, 1998-2013) … First year on the ballot.

Roy Halladay had one of the best-ever ten-year runs on the mound (2002-2011).  In those ten seasons, he went 170-75, with a 2.97 earned run average and 1,699 strikeouts in 2,194 2/3 innings. He was an All Star eight times during that span and won a pair of Cy Young Awards (2003 and 2010). Halladay also recorded three seasons of 20 or more wins during those ten seasons, leading his league twice. Between 2002 and 2011, he also led his league in complete games seven times, shutouts four times and innings pitched four times.

To both of the teams we were blessed to be part of  – the Blue Jays and the Phillies – thank you for allowing us to grow up, to fail over and over and, finally, learn how to succeed within your organizations.

                Brandy Halladay – at Roy Halladay’s Hall of Fame Induction 

And, there is more to support Halladay’s spot in the Baseball Hall of Fame.  On May 10, 2010, he pitched a perfect game – striking out 11 – as his Phillies topped the Marlins 1-0 in Miami. Then, on October 6, 2010, Halladay tossed a no-hitter against the Reds in Game One of the National League Division Series – walking one and fanning eight as the Phillies won 4-0. It was just the second no-hitter in post-season history.  Halladay was also one of just six pitchers to win the Cy Young Award in both the American and National Leagues.

Halladay finished his career at 203-105, 3.38 with 2,117 strikeouts in 2,749 1/3 innings pitched.  He pitched for the Blue Jays (1998-2009) and Phillies (2010-13).

Roy Halladay’s Best Season: In his 2010 Cy Young Award season – after being traded from the Blue Jays to the Phillies in December of 2009 – Halladay led the NL in wins (21-10); complete games (nine), shutouts (four), and innings pitched (250 2/3), while putting up a 2.35 ERA (third in the league), fanning 219 batters (second in the NL) and walking just 30.    His 7.3 strikeouts to walks ratio was the NL’s best.

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Mike Mussina – 76.7 Percent …  (RHP/Starter, 1991-2008) – Sixth year on the ballot.

Mussina built a 270-153 record, with a career 3.68 ERA and 2,813 strikeouts over 18 seasons. While only once a 20-game winner (in his final season, at age 39), Mussina won 18 or 19 games five times, leading the AL with 19 wins in 1995. In his first three full seasons in the major leagues (1992-94), Mussina put up a .700 or better winning percentage each year (.783, .700, .762). His record over that span – for the Orioles – was 48-16.

I was never fortunate enough to win a Cy Young Award or be a World Series Champion. I didn’t win 300 games or strikeout 3,000 batters. And while my opportunities for those achievements are in the past, today I get to become a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame.  Maybe I was saving up – from all of those” almost” achievements – for one last push. And, this time, I made it.

                                   Mike Mussina – from his Hall of Fame Induction speech

Mussina was a five-time All Star and a seven-time Gold Glove winner. He recorded a .650 or better winning percentage in nine seasons, with a career (and league-leading) high of .783 in 1992.  Mussina ranks 21st all-time in strikeouts and 26th in strikeouts-to-walks ratio (1,000 or more innings). He’s also in the top fifty all-time in games started, wins and winning percentage.  Mussina pitched for the Orioles (1991-2000) and Yankees (2000-2008).  Mussina appeared in 23 post-season games, with a 7-8 record and a 3.42 ERA.

Mike Mussina’s Best Season:  Mussina may have saved his best for last.  In his final season (as a Yankee), at age 39, he recorded his first twenty-win campaign.  That year, Mussina went 20-9, 3.37 – and proved his durability by leading the AL in starts with 34, logging his 11th season of 200 or  more innings pitched and earning his seventh Gold Glove.

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Lee Smith (RHP) … 1980-97 … Today’s Game Era Committee Selection

From Baseball Roundtable’s perspective, Lee Smith should have been in the Hall of Fame long ago.  However, in his 15 years on the traditional ballot, he never garnered more than 50.6 percent support – and never less than 29.9 percent.

Why does BBRT feel strongly about Lee Smith’s spot in the Hall? Smith’s 478 career saves put him third on the all-time list (he was number-one when he retired after the 1997 season).  He recorded 13 consecutive seasons (in an 18-year career) of 25 or more saves, a 3.03 lifetime ERA and 1,251 strikeouts in 1,289 innings pitched; led his league in saves four times; made seven All Star teams; and was the Rolaids Relief Man of the Year in three seasons.

No matter where I pitched, I always wanted to embody two traits – loyalty to the team and my teammates and dependability as a teammate and a pitcher.

                                 Lee Smith – from his Hall of Fame Induction speech

Smith pitched for the Chicago Cubs (1980-87); Boston Red Sox (1988-90); St. Louis Cardinals (1990-93); New York Yankees (1993); Baltimore Orioles (1994); California Angels (1995-96); Cincinnati Reds (1996); Montreal Expos (1997).

Lee Smith’s Best Season:  1991, Cardinals … 6-3, 2.34 ERA, 47 saves, 73 innings pitched, 67 strikeouts.

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Harold Baines (OF/DH) … 1980-2001 … Today’s Game Era Committee Selection

Harold Baines had a 22-season MLB career. He was a six-time All Star and two-time winner of the Designated Hitter of the Year Award. He is in the top 50 players all-time in hits with 2,866 (46th) and RBI with 1,628 (34th). Baines, with a .289 career average, hit .300 or better in nine seasons. He was a steady source of power with 384 home runs, never reaching 30 in a season, but hitting 20 or more home runs in ten campaigns.  He drove in 100+ runs in three seasons and scored 1,299 runs in his career.

Baines hit .324, with five home runs, 16 RBI and 14 runs scored in 31 post-season contests.

Harold Baines played for the White Sox (1980-1989, 1996-1997, 2000-2001); Rangers (1989-1990); A’s (1990-1992); Orioles (1993-1995, 1997-2000); and Indians (1999).

Many of my former teammates and quite a few of my former opponents are sitting behind me today.  Thank you for making baseball the greatest game of all – and for pushing so many of us to accomplishments beyond our dreams.

                       Harold Baines – from his Hall of Fame Induction  speech

Harold Baines’ Best Season:  Baines’ best MLB campaign may have been 1999, when – at age 40 – he made his final All Star team and hit .312, with 25 home runs and 103 RBI, playing for the Orioles and Indians. That season, Baines also hit .357 (5-for-16), with one home run and four RBI in four post-season (ALDS) games.

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A FEW WHO DIDN’T MAKE IT THIS YEAR, BUT SHOULD HAVE

As I noted earlier, BBRT would have cast its votes for all four of the deserving BBWAA electees.  In addition, my ten-vote ballot would have included Jeff Kent, Todd Helton, Larry Walker, Fred McGriff, Omar Vizquel and Andy Pettitte.  Here’s a look at the reasons behind that support.

Larry Walker – (Outfield, 1989-2005)

Larry Walker played for the Expos (1989-1994), Rockies (1995-2004) and Cardinals (2004-2005).  Given BBRT’s admiration for “lumber AND leather,” Walker’s combination of three batting titles, three Silver Slugger Awards and seven Gold Gloves would earn him my vote.

Walker played 17 MLB seasons and retired with 2,160 hits, a .313 average and three batting titles.  Between 1997 and 2001, he hit .350 or better in four of five seasons. The five-time All Star (and 1997 NL MVP) hit 383 home runs (a high of 49 in 1997) and stole 230 bases (a high of 33 in 1997).  Walker hit just .230 in 28 post-season games, but did rack up seven home runs, 15 RBI and sixteen walks in those contests. Walker’s ten seasons in hitter-friendly Colorado may be hurting his vote totals – he hit .383 for his career in Coors, .271 elsewhere.  Still, BBRT believes if you add his Gold Glove defense to his productive bat, you have a Hall of Famer.  I’m also not much for punishing a player for taking full advantage of his home-field conditions.

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Todd Helton – (First Base, 1997-2013)

Todd Helton spent his entire 17-year career with the Rockies (playing half his games in hitter-friendly Coors field), putting up a .316 career average (.345 at home and .287 on the road). Despite that home/road split, Helton’s body of work deserves HOF consideration. He was a five-time All Star, three-time Gold Glover and four-time Silver Slugger. He hit over .300 in 12 seasons – and won the NL batting crown in 2000 with a .372 average. His 59 doubles that season are the seventh-most all-time. Helton drove in 100 or more runs in five seasons and scored in triple figures six times. His 1,335 walks indicate the respect he earned at the plate.

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Jeff Kent – (Second Base/Third Base/First Base, 1992-2008)

BBRT believes Jeff Kent is a deserving candidate, but he has not gotten much support from the writers. Kent holds the all-time MLB record for home runs by a second baseman (351 of his 377 career round trippers were hit while in the lineup at second base). He has a healthy .290 career batting average; 1,518 RBI (54th all time); and 560 doubles (29th all time).

Jeff Kent has more career runs batted in than such noted Hall of Famers as Mickey Mantle, Billy Williams, Eddie Mathews, Duke Snider and Orlando Cepeda.

Kent was a five-time All Star and the 2000 NL MVP.  As primarily a middle infielder, he hit 20 or more home runs in 12 seasons (a high of 37 in 2007) and topped 100 RBI eight times. He hit .276, with nine home runs and 23 RBI in 49 post-season games. A couple of Gold Gloves, at this traditionally defense-oriented position, would have really helped his case.

Kent played for the Blue Jays (1992); Mets (1992-1996); Indians (1996); Giants (1997-2002); Astros (2003-2004); and Dodgers (2005-2008).

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Omar Vizquel – (Shortstop/Third Base, 1989-2012)

If Vizquel does make it to the HOF, it will be more with his glove (eleven Gold Gloves) than his bat.  However, voters should be mindful of the fact that he finished his 24-season MLB career just 123 hits short of that milestone 3,000 safeties. Vizquel delivered premier defense to the Mariners (1989-1993); Indians (1994-2004); Giants (2005-2008); Rangers (2009); White Sox (2010-2011); and Blue Jays (2012). He was a three-time All Star – and put together a string of nine straight Gold Gloves at shortstop (1993-2001).

Omar Vizquel led his league in sacrifice bunts four times.

In the field, Vizquel has the highest career fielding percentage (.9847) among shortstops with at least 500 games at the position (tied with the still-active Freddy Galvis). Vizquel  is also the all-time leader among shortstops in double plays, ranks third at the position for career assists and 11th in putouts. He shares the record (with Cal Ripken, Jr.) for the fewest errors by a shortstop in a season of at least 150 games played (three).

On offense, Vizquel put up a serviceable .272 career average, with 80 home runs, 951 RBI and 1,445 runs scored. The 1,445 runs put him in the top 100 players all-time (82nd); while his 2,877 hits puts him in the top 50 (43rd). He also swiped 404 bases – topping twenty steals eight times (a high of 42 in 1999) – putting him at number 72 on the all-time list. Vizquel played in 57 post-season games, hitting .250-0-20.

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Fred McGriff – (First Base, 1986-2004)

Fred McGriff played for the Blue Jays (1986-1990), Padres (1991-1993), Braves (1993-1997), Devil Rays (1998-2001, 2004), Cubs (2001-2002) and Dodgers (2003).  McGriff  was five-time All Star, who bashed 493 career home runs (led his league twice, hit 30 or more home runs in a season ten times); topped 100 RBI eight times (career total 1,550); and put up a  .284 career average over 19 seasons.  He ranks among MLB top 50 all-time in home runs, RBI, extra base hits and walks. McGriff was the 1994 All Star Game MVP. McGriff was also a solid post-season performer, going .303-10-37 in 50 post-season games.

Fred McGriff retired with 493 home runs, exactly matching the total of another well-respected first sacker – Lou Gehrig.

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Andy Pettitte – (LHP/Starter, 1995-2010, 2012-13) 

Andy Pettitte’s HOF resume was achieved in the post-season. Pettitte holds the MLB post-season marks for most wins (19 … versus 11 losses), innings pitched (276 2/3), games started (44), and is second in strikeouts (183). His post-season accomplishments include a 3.81 career ERA and the 2001 American League Championship Series MVP Award.

Andy Pettitte started 30 or more games in a season 12 times, leading his league three times (1997, 2006, 2007.)

Pettitte was no slouch in the regular season (Yankees – 1995-2003, 2007-2010, 2012-13) and Astros (2004-06).  He finished with 256 wins (153 losses) and a 3.85 ERA. Pettitte won 20 games in two seasons and 14 or more games 12 times – leading the AL with 21 wins in 1996. The three-time All Star struck out 2,448 batters in 2,316 innings.

So, there are the players I would have voted for in 2019 who did not get in (just a little lobbying advance of next years balloting.

—-THE BBWAA OFFICIAL BALLOT VERSUS BBRT’S UNOFFICIAL FAN BALLOT—-

Each year, BBRT conducts an unofficial fan HOF ballot.  I’ve already reported on this, but here, again, are a few comparisons between the BBWAA Balloting and BBRT’s fan voting.

• While the top four players were the same on both sets of ballots, the fan balloting seemed more demanding.  In the fan ballot only Mariano Rivera and Edgar Martinez got the necessary 75 percent. Halladay and Mussina were in the 55-60 percent range.
• Fans voting in the BBRT ballot were also a tougher sell on Rivera, who got 86.5 percent of the fan vote.
• Players selected per ballot were fairly even, with fans casting votes for 7.7 players per ballot and the writers voting for 8.0 per ballot.
• Fans seemed less forgiving than the writers when it came to PED suspicions.  For example, in the BBWAA balloting, Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds  got 59.5 and 59.1 percent of the vote,  respectively.  In the BBRT fan balloting, Clemens got 44.9 percent and Bonds 43.2.
• Fans spread their votes around a bit more.  In BBRT’s fan balloting only three players received zero votes, while in the BBWAA official ballot eleven players were shutout.
• Sixteen players were “one and done” on the BBWAA ballot (less than five percent support), while fifteen received less than five percent on the BBRT fan ballot.  The names on the “one and done” lists were identical except that Miguel Tejada received 7.3  on BBRT’s unofficial fan ballot, but only 1.2 percent on the BBWAA ballot.

If you want to dig deeper, here are the totals:

 

Primary Resources:  Baseball-Reference.com; MLB.com; Baseball-Almanac.com

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