With the Baseball Writers’ Association’s 2013 Hall of Fame ballot now officially in the hands of more than 600 voters (who can each vote for up to ten nominees), we can expect plenty of debate as we move toward the January 9^th announcement date.  Unfortunately, that debate will focus as much on chemicals (Performance-Enhancing-Drugs, PEDs) as on credentials (those all-important statistics) and character (contributions to the game).  How important can the PED spector be?  Consider that Mark McGwire, with 583 home runs, four HR titles and twelve All Star selections has never reached 25 percent of the vote and Rafael Palmeiro, with 3,020 hits, 569 home runs, 1,613 runs and 1,835 RBI has never reached 15 percent of votes cast.

If you just want the executive summary of BBRT’s opinions on the ballot, here’s what BBRT predicts from the BBWA – and how BBRT would fill out its ballot (if I had one).

Predictions for BBWA vote:  Going into the Hall of Fame in 2013 – Craig Biggio, Mike Piazza, Jack Morris.

If BBRT had a ballot:  Biggio, Piazza, Morris, Lee Smith and (for sentimental reasons) Julio Franco.

HOF BALLOT FIRST-TIMERS

This year’s ballot includes 24 first-timers, led by controversial (PED-suspect) candidates Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa.   All three have the credentials to be first-ballot inductees.  Bonds is the all-time single season and career home run king, with a record seven Most Valuable Player Awards, as well as 14 All Star selections and eight Gold Gloves. Clemens, an 11-time All Star, recorded 354 wins and 4,672 strikeouts in a 24-year career that saw him capture a record seven Cy Young Awards.  Sosa is a one-time MVP and seven-time All Star, who hit 609 career homers and is the only player to top 60 round trippers in a season three times.  Credentials aside, all three are tainted by the PED controversy and BBRT expects them all to fall short of 50 percent of the vote, as the baseball writers continue to make a statement on the validity of steroid-era accomplishments.  While BBRT (if I had a vote) would eventually support HOF consideration for this trio, I would not cast a first-time ballot vote for any of the three.

Also on the ballot for the first time are Sandy Alomar Jr., Craig Biggio, Jeff Cirillo, Royce Clayton, Jeff Conine, Steve Finley, Julio Franco, Shawn Green, Roberto Hernandez, Ryan Klesko, Kenny Lofton, Jose Mesa, Mike Piazza, Reggie Sanders, Curt Schilling, Aaron Sele, Mike Stanton, Todd Walker, David Wells, Rondell White and Woody Williams.  The top candidates among this group are Biggio, Franco, Piazza, and Schilling.

BBRT’s vote would go to Piazza and Biggio – and I’d also toss one in for Franco for sentimental reasons.

Mike Piazza

BBRT likes Mike Piazza as a first-ballot inductee, a catcher with a .308 career average, 427 home runs (a MLB record 396 as a catcher) and 12 All Star Selections. There are some PED rumblings surrounding Piazza’s candidacy that may cost him some votes, but BBRT believes he will earn election with about 80 percent of the vote, with the BBWA making its statement and stand by denying votes to the big three of Bonds, Clemens and Sosa.  If BBRT had a vote, Piazza would be named on my ballot.

Piazza’s best year: 1997, Dodgers – .362 avg., 201 hits, 104 runs, 40 HR, 124 RBI.

Craig Biggio

BBRT would also vote for Craig Biggio, who (in 20 seasons) collected 3,060 hits, scored 1,884 runs and hit 291 home runs, while also stealing 414 bases.  Biggio was a seven-time All Star and a four-time Gold Glove winner, who spent notable time at second base, catcher and in the outfield.  His 668 doubles are the most ever by a right-handed hitter (and fifth all time) and he is one of only two players to collect 50 doubles and 50 stolen bases in the same season.  His .281 career average may hurt his chances, but he gets BBRT’s vote not for being “great,” but for being “very, very good” for “very, very long” – not to mention a nod for Biggio’s NL record 285 times being hit by a pitch.    BBRT thinks the BBWA voters will go along, recognizing the significance of the 3,000-hit mark and also wanting to make a statement by electing the non-PED-tainted Biggio on his first ballot. BBRT looks for Biggio, like Piazza, to be named on 75-85 percent of the ballots.

Biggio’s best year:  1998, Astros – .325, 210 hits, 123 runs, 20 HRs, 88 RBI, 50 stolen bases.

BBRT would also cast a sentimental vote for Julio Franco, who gave hope to all of us oldsters when he was still in the Major Leagues at age 48 (becoming the oldest player ever to hit a home run).  Julio was good enough to last 23 years in the Majors, collecting 2,586 hits (a .298 average), 173 home runs and 281 stolen bases, three All Star Selections and one batting title. (He also hit .309 in 125 games for the Braves in 2004 – at age 45.) It’s also notable that Franco played in the DH-less NL from ages 42 to 48.     BBRT doesn’t expect Franco to top 15 percent in terms of vote totals, but my sentimental ballot would include a vote for the ageless wonder.

Franco’s top season: 1991, Rangers – .341 average (led AL), 201 hits, 108 runs, 15 home runs, 78 RBI, 36 stolen bases.

Curt Schilling’s 216 wins, 3,116 strikeouts and six All Star selections make him a legitimate candidate for consideration, but far from a first-ballot selection (look how long it took Bert Blyleven to get in with even stronger numbers).  Still, he will garner votes on the basis of 200+ wins and some anti-Clemens sentiment.

Schilling’s best season:  2001, Diamondbacks – 22-6 (led NL in wins), 2.93 ERA, 256 2/3 innings pitched and 293 strikeouts versus just 39 walks.

RETURNING CANDIDATES

(Note:  You become eligible after five years of retirement, must get at least 5 percent of the vote to remain on the ballot and can remain on the ballot for fifteen years.)

The 13 candidates returning from one year ago include:

Jack Morris (Fourteenth time on ballot, 66.7 percent last year)

Jeff Bagwell (Third ballot, 56.0 percent)

Lee Smith (Eleventh, 50.6 percent)

Tim Raines (Sixth, 48.7 percent)

Alan Trammell (Twelfth, 36.8 percent)

Edgar Martinez (Fourth, 36.5 percent)

Fred McGriff (Fourth, 23.9 percent)

Larry Walker (Third, 22.9 percent)

Mark McGwire (Seventh, 19.5 percent)

Don Mattingly (Thirteenth, 17.8 percent)

Dale Murphy (Fifteenth, 14.5 percent)

Rafael Palmeiro (Third, 12.6 percent)

Bernie Williams (Second, 9.6 percent)

Clearly, Rafael Palmeiro is at the top of this class, but the PED controversy is still following him.  Despite 3,000+ hits and 500+ home runs, his vote total seems unlikely to climb as high as 20 percent this year.  Mark McGwire has some impressive numbers as well, but again the perception of chemicals and character likely will outweigh credentials.

Then we get to the best of the rest – Jack Morris, Jeff Bagwell, Lee Smith.

BBRT anticipates that Jack Morris will get the nod.  In his 18-year career, he earned a reputation as a big-game pitcher (and the pitcher with the most victories in the 1980s), as well as a 254-186 record with a 3.90 ERA, 2,478 strikeouts and five All Star selections.  Working in Morris’ favor this year are Bert Blyleven’s selection last year (although BBRT sees Blyleven’s credentials as notably stronger than Morris’), the fact that Morris earned 2/3 of the vote last year, and the opportunity for voters to make a further “statement” about PEDs by putting Morris in over Clemens.  (This would seem to be an important ballot for Morris, with mound craftsmen Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Mike Mussina soon to join the pitching candidates.)  BBRT agrees that 250+ wins is enough, that Morris has waited long enough, that his big-game-grit is enough to put him over the top. Plus, I was at Game Seven in 1991 to witness his ten-inning shutout performance, so BBRT’s endorsement comes from the heart as well as the head.

Morris’ best season: 1986, Tigers – 21-8, 3.27 ERA, 15 complete games, six shutouts, 267 innings pitched, 223 strikeouts.

HOFers soon, but probably not this year.

Jeff Bagwell with a 15-year career that included 2,314 hits, 449 home runs, 202 stolen bases and a .297 average – along with a Rookie of the Year Award, a Most Valuable Player Award, one gold Glove and four All Star selections.  Bagwell continues to move up in the vote tally and BBRT thinks he will eventually earn entrance to the Hall, but not this year.

Bagwell’s best season:  2000, Astros – .310 average, 183 hits, 152 runs, 132 RBI, 47 home runs. 

Lee Smith’s 478 saves put him third on the all-time list (he was number one when he retired after the 1997 season).  He also 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 the league in saves four times; and made seven All Star teams.  He garnered 50.6 percent of the vote last year and BBRT sees him falling short of election again this year.  However, if BBRT had a vote Smith would get it.

Smith’s best season:  1991, Cardinals – 6-3, 2.34 ERA, 47 saves, 73 innings pitched, 67 strikeouts. 

Chicago Dogs are a Windy City tradition and favorite of sports fans – particularly baseball fans. With their sweet relish, pickle spears, peppers, tomato, onion, mustard and (the key ingredient) celery salt, they go great with a cold beer and home team rally.

Baseball, of course, is now a mainstay of Japanese life and culture and – in honor of Japan’s players, fans and teams – BBRT would like to share our recipe for “Tokyo Dawgs,” a unique spin-off of the Chicago favorite. Here’s what you’ll need for a respectable batch of these delightful game-time treats. (I’ll note where the Tokyo Dawg, departs from its Chicago cousin.)

Ingredients:

– 4 hot dog buns – Preferably, bakery poppy seed buns, but you can make it work with traditional hot dog buns

– 4 all-beef hot dogs – BBRT prefers quarter-pound, skin-on franks; they have that nice “pop” when you bite into them.

– 4 spicy dill pickles spears – A change from the Chicago Dog regular dill spears; BBRT leans toward Gedney® Zingers.

– 8 ripe tomato wedges

– 1 finely chopped small white onion

– 8 sport peppers

– Yellow mustard

– Wasabi sauce – This replaces the sweet green relish in the Chicago Dog, adding the green color and more “bite.” BBRT suggests Kikkoman® or Silver Spring®.

– Celery salt

– Shredded Cheddar Cheese – Optional add-on.

– Cracker Jack –  (A Tokyo Dawg add-on, not in the Chicago Dog recipe.

 So how to you prepare these puppies?

Directions

1.  Heat hot dogs in boiling water for 5 minutes; then transfer to the poppy seed buns. (Note:  If you can’t find poppy seed buns, you can make them.  See the end of the recipe.)
2.  Place a spicy dill pickle spear on one side of each hot dog, balanced by a pair of tomato wedges on the other side.
3. Sprinkle chopped onion (to your taste) over the hot dog – between the pickle and tomato wedges.
4. Squeeze/squirt/spread yellow mustard over each hot dog … then do the same with the Wasabi sauce.  (The amount and pattern should reflect your personal taste.)
5. Top each hot dog with a pair of sport peppers.
6. Sprinkle with celery salt.
7. I like to add a bit of shredded cheddar, but that’s just a cheese-lovers option.
8. Serve with Cracker Jack – The caramel corn sweetness is a nice compliment to the “heat” of the spicy pickles, peppers and Wasabi.

Note:  If you can’t find poppy seed buns, try this.

– Use good bakery hot dog buns.

– Brush the outsides of the buns with melted butter (1/2  teaspoon per bun) and sprinkle lightly (1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon per bun) with poppy seeds.

– Bake inside-down for 4-5 minutes at 350 degrees – be careful not to over bake.

The hot and spicy Tokyo Dawg – great with a cold beer and a ball game.

If you look in the dictionary under “Minnesota Nice,” you should see a picture of the Champions Club staff.   The staff is not only attentive, but makes you feel like they are happy not just to serve you, but to see you at the ball park.

If, as BBRT’s banner maintains, “Baseball is like life – only better,” then the Minnesota Twins Champions Club must be “like heaven – only better.”

On July 17, as the Twins faced off against the Baltimore Orioles, I was privileged (along with my daughter Élan, son-in-law Amir and good friend Jon) to be seated (and there is a lot more to this story than good seats) in the Twins much-praised (justifiably) Champions Club section.  The tickets were, on many levels, out of my league – they were a much appreciated retirement gift.

It all starts with your arrival at Target Field (I’d suggest 60-90 minutes before game time). You drive through the Champions Club lot, right up to the ball park, where a friendly valet takes your keys and parks your car.   You literally exit your vehicle about 20 steps from the entrance to Target Field and the valet parking comes with the ticket.  Our little group recognized immediately that we were marking new territory when it comes to baseball watching.  Amir could have spent considerable time ogling the cars (pretty much every car maker’s top of the line) as they pulled up.  Our Subaru Outback was a bit overmatched.

Once inside, we were greeted by a literal “host” of staff, given a Champions Club wristband and directed to the very comfortable entry room bar, where you could pick up a complimentary program and scorecard, check out significant Twins memorabilia (like the 1987 and 1991 World Series Champions trophies) and, if so inclined, order a beverage in a very relaxed atmosphere.

Our group headed through the entry bar into the spacious main dining room / bar.   The atmosphere was perfect – not too elegant (Victorian) and not too trendy (Mad Men).  Instead, it had a clean, classic feel – from the long bar, to the dining tables to the fireplace.  Even the strategically placed big screen TVs – carrying the pregame festivities and later the game – seemed to fit right in.

Once seated, a friendly waitperson brought us ice water and took our “adult beverage” orders.  The Champions Club offers a truly fully stocked bar.  We opted for the tap beers and house wines – which – like the valet parking – were complimentary.  Malbec for me, Pinot Grigio for Élan and Amir and Grain Belt for Jon.

Ball park fare? Artisan cheeses in the Champions Club.

Then, it was time to try the buffet – which also came with the price of the ticket (Are you seeing a trend here?).  We started at the Artisan Cheese and Meat table (with various crackers and flat breads), moved on to the salads (prepared or made to order on the spot) and then to the main course(s).

Jon Miller shared a photo of his pre-game dinner. Diverse and delicious.

There was, literally, an offering for every taste:  roast round of beef, walleye, Chicken Marsala, braised short ribs, sausages with grilled onions and peppers, as well as a host of sides from perfectly done vegetables to a multi-cheese pasta dish.  (I know I’m missing some items, but the point is that it was large, diverse and delicious.)  When we got back to the table, our waitperson quickly checked on our beverages – another round ensued and we added (among us) gourmet coffee and diet sodas.   As game time approached, our waitperson switched our beverages to plastic glasses, so that we would take them to our seats (also letting us know there would be in-seat service and complimentary beverages during the next phase of our Champions Club experience.)

One beautiful ball park.

That next phase began (after Amir polished off his chocolate ice cream sundae) as we headed to our seats, just 11 rows behind home plate.  Absolutely great seats in a great ball park. (I recently took in three Twins games in the often-praised PNC Park in Pittsburgh.  And, while PNC is a beautiful park with its view of the Allegheny River, the Roberto Clemente Bridge and downtown Pittsburgh, I give the edge to Target Field with its combination of textures – expanses of limestone, glass and “ball park green.”)

But I digress.  To get to our seats, we had to make our way past the complimentary (the trend continues) snack items:  peanuts, Cracker Jack, pop corn, assorted candies, nachos, hot dogs.  Our initial bounty?  Malted Milk Balls, Reese’s Pieces and pop corn.  Once in our seats, another attentive waitperson checked to see if we needed any additional beverages and reminded us that the dining room continued to serve until the eighth inning.  (Jon and I put down a couple of brats with onions and peppers in the seventh.)  Throughout the game, we saw fellow Champions Club-bers heading back into the dining / bar area to replenish.

In Champions Club Seats, you are on top of the action.

As I said, the seats were great. They were comfortable, wide and well-padded – a plus after the buffet and snack bar – and, just as important, close to the action.  You felt as if you could pick the umpire’s pocket.

To cap off a great evening the Twins won 6-4 in an exciting contest.  The Orioles took the lead 1-0 in the first; the Twins tied it 1-1 in the fourth; Baltimore scored three in the top of the fifth; the Twins came back with three in the bottom of the inning; and the Twins took the lead for good with two runs in the seventh.   A fun and exciting win.  Still, while the execution by the staff in the Champions Club was spot-on perfect, the game did have its flaws – as in two errors, one wild pitch and 15 walks.  When it was over, I had one ugly score card. I did notice that no one else in the Champions Club section was keeping score (and was a bit dismayed).  As a point of comparison, however, the very next afternoon I attended a Saint Paul Saints (independent minor league) game, sitting behind home plate and again saw no one dutifully scoring the game.  Has “keeping the book” become a lost, archaic art?  Has it gone the way of cursive?  If so, “Curses,” I say.

After 3:43 of big league bliss (lots of walks makes a long game), it was sadly time to leave the Champions Club.  Back to the valet parking area and, unfortunately, reality.  The rating?  Too bad we can only give it five stars – the Champions Club is a “Grand Slam.”  And, here’s the key – the people.  If you look in the dictionary under “Minnesota Nice,” you should see a picture of the Champions Club Staff.  In every interaction – from valet parking to entering the ball park to dinner (food service and wait-staff) to ushers and seat-side service – the staff was not only attentive, but made you feel like they were happy not just to serve you, but to see you at the ball park.  In the Champions Club, the fans are treated like champions.

My recommendation?  If you ever get the chance, take in a game in the Champions Club.  My commitment, if I ever get the chance to do it again – I’ll be there.  In the meantime, remember:  Baseball’s like life – only better – no matter what seats you have.  See you at the ball park.

It was a disheartening 4-3 loss for the Twins on Saturday (May 27^th), as Miguel Cabrera hit a two-run homer off Twins’ closer Matt Capps in the top of the ninth.  In the grander “scheme of things,” it was a heartening day for the sell-out crowd – thanks to the Twins, and Minnesota National Guard Master Sergeant Robert Buresh and his family.

The true ‘highlight” of the day began with the Twins’ pregame Kids Day race, in which two youngsters race from home plate to first base, where they don oversized (for them) Twins jerseys; then on to second base, where they struggle into adult-side baseball pants; then to third base for full-sized batting helmets and shoes; and. Finally, on to home plate for the “win.”  Always a fun- and smile-filled pre-game distraction, Saturdays spin around the bases turned to broad grins and even tears (in a good way).

The contestants were sisters Annie (11-years-old) and Alex (8-years-old) Buresh.  The crowd of 38,710 was treated to plenty of cute as the two girls ran, walked and stumbled their way around the bases in the way-too-big baseball apparel.  There was an audible “Aww!” as older sister Annie, rather than go for the win, stopped to help her younger sibling with the troublesome baseball pants at second base.

Surpurise Reunion. Photo: Sports@yahoo.com

Then came the best moment of the day.  As the two girls rounded the makeshift third base for the dash to home plate, their dad – Master Sergeant Robert Buresh, just back from a near five-month deployment to Afghanistan, stepped out (in his fatigue uniform) from behind Twins’ mascot T.C. the Bear (who was manning the finish line).  At the same time, the stadium announcer and scoreboard let us all in on what was taking place. More than a few of the crowd “misted up” during the touching on-field family reunion.  After the family shared grins, tears, hugs, kisses, teddy bears and flowers (for the two girls and Buresh’s wife Julie who kept the “secret” until Saturday), Twins players took time to greet the family with hugs and handshakes.

In interviews later, the still emotional Master Sergeant Buresh thanked the Twins and said of the moment, “As a dad, I can’t ask for anything more.  That’s just fantastic.  I can’t tell you how grateful I am.”

He added that once he found out he was going to be at the game (the Twins were supplying free tickets to members of his squadron and their families), he wanted his first meal back in the States to be a hot dog and a beer – with his family.  He, and his family, got much, much more.  And, so did the fans.  You know, every game has its highlights.  That’s what BBRT loves about baseball.  On May 27, 2012, at Target Field, that highlight came even before the first pitch.   Thank goodness I was lucky enough to be there.  Also, thank you Twins.  Thank you Master Sergeant Buresh.  And, on this Memorial Day, thank you to all veterans, active military personnel and reserves