The sixteen member Baseball Contemporary Era met and voted on 8 different players who were not voted on by the BBWAA, but have credentials to be elected. Many of the nominees have warts attached. Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, and Rafael Palmeiro have been accused of using PEDs. Curt Schilling can’t keep his mouth or social media accounts shut. The other four may not have controversy, but of Fred McGriff, Don Mattingly, Dale Murphy, and Albert Belle, IMO, only Fred McGriff have legit HOF credentials.
Deservingly, McGriff was elected with a unanimous vote. All 16 committee members named him on their ballot.
Fred McGriff’s career bating line is .284/.377/.509/.886. McGriff had an OPS+ of 140 or more 9 times in his career.
Yes, McGriff’s career bWAR is a tweener at 52.6. However, that does rank higher than Ted Simmons (50.3), Orlando Cepeda (50.1) and Jim Rice (47.7).
McGriff slugged 493 HRs in his 19 year career. In 10 seasons he hit at least 30 HRs. He hit 30 HRs in a year for 5 of the 6 teams he played for. The only team he did not achieve that mark was with the Dodgers in 2003.
It used to be that 500 career HRs was the standard for automatic inclusion. If it were not for the 1994 strike, and cancellation of games after August 11, there is little doubt that McGriff would have topped 500, and he would not have had to wait for the Baseball Contemporary Era Committee to be elected.
He is one of only four MLB players (along with Mark McGwire, Sam Crawford and Buck Freeman) to win the home run title in both leagues.
There are a couple of other comparisons to HOF inductees. His career OBP was .377 which is greater than Tony Perez (.341), Orlando Cepeda (.350), Eddie Murray (.359), and Harmon Killebrew (.376).
His career seasonal average HRs, RBIs, and SLG were also comparable to the same four.
- McGriff – 32 HR, 102 RBI, .509 SLG
- Perez – 22 HR, 96 RBI, .463 SLG
- Murray – 27 HR, 103 RBI, .476 SLG
- Killebrew – 38 HR, 105 RBI, .509 SLG.
He was not just a terrific regular season player. In 5 post seasons, McGriff played in 50 games, 218 PA, and hit .303/.385/.532/.917 with 10 home runs, 37 RBIs.
Nobody is questioning that Fred McGriff was not a 1st ballot HOF. But to garner a max 39% vote is incredulous.
Congratulations to the Crime Dog.
Following McGriff were:
- Don Mattingly – 8 votes
- Curt Schilling – 7 votes
- Dale Murphy – 6 votes
- All others < 4 votes
The committee will meet again in 3 years. How many of Mattingly, Schilling, Murphy, Bonds, Clemens, Palmeiro, and Belle will be nominated in 2025. At some point, the players will lose their eligibility for the Contemporary Era and that will leave the Classic Baseball ERA (1980 – Present) to elect them.
How do you feel about a MLB Hall Of Fame without:
- MLB Hits Leader – Pete Rose
- MLB HR Leader – Barry Bonds
- MLB Cy Young Winner Leader – Roger Clemens (7)
- Hitter with most 60+ HRs – Sammy Sosa (3)
- 1 of 16 Pitchers with 3,000 K and Top 7 career SO/W – Curt Schilling
Schilling is also arguably the best post season pitcher, ever. He pitched in 5 must win games and won all of them. His ERA in those games was sub 1.50. He has been on 3 World Series winners (2001, 2004, 2007).
Today during the Winter Meetings, we will learn the All MLB Team.
The Aaron Judge decision is supposedly coming soon. The current NYY offer is 8 years at around $300MM, but are expected to go 9 years in the $330MM range. Some are predicting the Giants will go 10 years. At some point, Judge and his agent will say enough and agree with one of the two teams. Yes, I have heard that there is a surprise team in the discussion. I just do not think they are serious. The Dodgers would never go 9 years for Judge.
The Dodgers are still “involved” in the Justin Verlander discussions. I just cannot see them going 3 years for Verlander.
Bob Nightengale who does not have a good track record in his predictions is “hearing” baseball execs expect Carlos Correa to sign with LAD. Not buying it for Correa or any of the 4. But I will accept being wrong on any of the SS.
Monday will be the first full day at the Meetings. Is Sean Murphy getting moved today?
Me and several others will update on the Meeting transactions and interesting rumors.
I saw this and thought it was clever.
“How do you feel about a MLB Hall Of Fame without:”
Personally I don’t feel anything.
I don’t see Correa as a villain. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, MLB should have held the Houston organization responsible for the cheating scandal. The right thing to do was strip the organization of it’s title. And of course, MLB didn’t do the right thing. At all cost, protect the brand. The cost here? Turns out it was absolutely nothing. Players get booed, but make millions. Organization hoists a title trophy. And our history books have a peculiar way of remembering things. As time goes on, all that will matter is who won.
My dominant memory of Fred McGriff is that he was passed by Carlos Delgado in the Toronto lineup.
Does not bother me at all that those guys are not in the hall. Good for the Crime Dog.
Justin Verlander to NYM 2 years $86MM.
Kershaw officially signs for 1 year $20MM.
Rodon and Senga are the next guys in line as far as upper end starters.
Rodon telling people he wants 6 years and I’m guessing he’ll get it. Probably not from Andrew Friedman.
I wouldn’t mind seeing Senga in Dodger blue and I’m also a fan of Bassitt’s but he wants 4 years and I doubt AF will do that for him.
Tyler Anderson is probably kicking himself right about now. Signing for 3/39 is going to cost him a lot of $. He could probably easily get 4/50ish today.
It is possible that Buehler will be available for the 2023 Post Season.
Now we learn Carlos Rodón is looking for a 6 year deal at $30MM per. With Scott Boras as his agent, he could be waiting a long time. Boras is not the kind of agent who backs off because teams are not eager to sign that level of a deal. He knows at some point, someone will. That strategy worked for Bryce Harper and Eric Hosmer. Not so much with Mike Moustakas. But Boras is not the best agent in MLB because he is afraid of a challenge.
Rodón has a clear runway now that deGrom and Verlander have signed. NYY seem to be the current frontrunner. But I would not be surprised to see San Diego sign him. SF also needs someone to partner up with Logan Webb, and they have $$$ to spend. The Giants could certainly afford both Correa and Rodón. Will they?
Texas is not afraid to go big twice with an off season signing. deGrom is great, but they also could use Rodón. That would slide Jon Gray to #3, and Martín Pérez to #4, and Jake Odorizzi as #5. They have multiple young arms that need more time to percolate, and there is no need to rush them. Texas has plenty of room under the CBT threshold to sign Rodón and still have some left. It makes sense for Texas because while they probably cannot catch Houston, they could challenge Seattle and Toronto and Tampa Bay as Wild Card contenders.
NYY, San Diego, SFG, and Texas are the logical landing spots for Carlos Rodón.
Another funny twitter comment, at least for me:
This could be the first of the SS dominos.
Jeff Passan and Jon Heyman are reporting that Trea Turner and Philadelphia have agreed to a new contract.
Gavin Lux is not moving off SS. 😁
Luis Arreaz could be on the trade market. He is a plus defender at 2B. The Twins need pitching. Arreaz is a batting champ with 3 years control. The trade simulator has Gavin Stone and Arreaz at equal values. But there is no way Minnesota goes one for one like that. Pepiot and ??? for Arreaz.
Best thing about signing guys as a free agents [Judge/Syndergaard] is it allows you to trade prospects at those positions [Pages/Pepiot] in exchange for a major league solution [?].
The Yankees have given Brian Cashman a 4-year extension. Aaron Judge is due to appear in San Diego on Tuesday. Is Judge in San Diego to announce who he is signing with? Does it make sense that Cashman would have been extended if he could not deliver Aaron Judge?
Looks like Angels got a good on Tyler Anderson. 3 years/$39M. He could have gotten more if he had waited a few weeks.