EVIL~! alkeiper

As long as you get on base, I don't care how you hit the ball really. And stealing is ok as long as you don't get caught. Actually I'd steal more often in little league due to the suspect nature of the opposing defense.

The funny thing is, I am really one of the calmest people you'll ever meet.

Through games of August 1. This is a strictly statistical evaluation, with no subjective analysis whatsoever. AL MVP 1. Gary Sheffield, NYY 2. Carlos Guillen, Det 3. Alex Rodriguez, NYY 4. Michael Young, Tex 5. Miguel Tejada, Balt 6. Hideki Matsui, NYY 7. Manny Ramirez, Bos 8. Vladimir Guerrero, Ana 9. Hank Blalock, Tex 10. Jose Guillen, Ana NL MVP 1. Barry Bonds, SF 2. Scott Rolen, StL 3. Bobby Abreu, Phi 4. Albert Pujols, StL 5. Mark Loretta, SD 6. Jim Edmonds, StL 7. Sean Casey, Cin 8. Adam Dunn, Cin 9. Adrian Beltre, LA 10. J.D. Drew, StL AL Cy Young 1. Mark Mulder, Oak 2. Johan Santana, Min 3. Curt Schilling, Bos NL Cy Young 1. Jason Schmidt, SF 2. Randy Johnson, Ari 3. Ben Sheets, Mil AL Rookie of the Year 1. Bobby Crosby, Oak 2. Daniel Cabrera, Balt 3. Shingo Takatsu, CWS NL Rookie of the Year 1. Khalil Greene, SD 2. Kazuo Matsui, NYM 3. Aaron Miles, Col AL Gold Glovers C- Damian Miller, Oak 1B- Mark Teixeira, Tex 2B- Luis Rivas, Min SS- Julio Lugo, TB 3B- Alex Rodriguez, NYY OF- Johnny Damon, Bos OF- Rocco Baldelli, TB OF- Vernon Wells, Tor NL Gold Glovers C- Brian Schneider, Mon 1B- Todd Helton, Col 2B- Mark Loretta, SD SS- Alex Gonzalez, Fla 3B- Scott Rolen, StL OF- Jim Edmonds, StL OF- Mike Cameron, NYM OF- Andruw Jones, Atl Win Shares doesn't believe the defensive contributions of pitchers are measureable, so no gold gloves for pitchers. If you insist on Gold Gloves for pitchers, give them to Mike Hampton and Kenny Rogers.

I actually have asperations of coaching Little League and introducing advanced statistics and Moneyball strategies. Twelve year olds working the count, eschewing the bunt, and throwing the knuckleball. Its a beautiful thought.

Well, they weren't technically my kids, so technically I haven't.

The thing that strikes me so far about Upton is that he doesn't look like he's busting ass running, but he is FAST.

I wasn't referring to your offer. It was Raz's. Ah ok. I misunderstood.

We measure him as a third baseman through 1994, and a Designated Hitter thereafter. He isn't necessarily a slam dunk at DH, as he has Frank Thomas as competition.

They count 69 and 79? Yes. The precident was set in 1972, when Frankie Frisch desired to place Ross Youngs in the Hall. Youngs only played seven games in 1917, but they counted that. With that precident set, Addie Joss managed to make the Hall without playing any part of ten seasons. But essentially, simply playing in any part of ten seasons gets you HOF qualification.

Yes, Munson played 11 seasons. He garned 62 out of 301 votes his first year of eligibility, in 1981. Afterwards, he tailed off and received 30-40 votes a year until dropping off the ballot after 15 years.

I'll add him to the hat. Eventually, I'll cover everyone's suggestions. However, I'll make one exception. Its the 25th anniversery of the plane crash. Does anyone want to see an evaluation of Thurman Munson?

This is the first Keltner List that allows me to utilize my brand new reference book, Total Baseball. 1. Was he ever regarded as the best player in baseball? Did anybody, while he was active, ever suggest that he was the best player in baseball? No. 2. Was he the best player on his team? Concepcion was the best player on the Cincinnati Reds in 1979. Otherwise, he was never the best player on his team. Granted, his teams contained several future Hall of Famers. 3. Was he the best player in baseball at his position? Was he the best player in the league at his position? Not in the league. Toby Harrah was a better shortstop through the 70s, and Robin Yount was the best shortstop after that. The only years Concepcion had the best season of any shortstop were 1974 and '78. As for the National League, there was no dominant shortstop in the National League in Concepcion's time. Bill Russell had the best seasons in 72-73. Concepcion was best in 74, 76, 78, and 81. Chris Speier was best in 1975. Garry Templeton was best in 1977 and '79. Templeton, Concepcion, and Ozzie Smith were deadlocked in 1980. Ivan DeJesus was the best SS in 1982. 4. Did he have an impact on a number of pennant races? Concepcion was a member of the 1975-76 Reds, who ran away with the NL West both years. In 1979, Concepcion hit .220 and .232 in August and September, respectively. 5. Was he good enough that he could play regularly after passing his prime? Yes, Concepcion played until he was 40. 6. Is he the very best baseball player in history who is not in the Hall of Fame? No. 7. Are most players who have comparable statistics in the Hall of Fame? Three of Concepcion's most similar players (Bobby Wallace, Pee Wee Reese, Luis Aparicio) are in the Hall. 8. Do the player's numbers meet Hall of Fame standards? No. Concepcion scores zero on the Black Ink test, 25 on the gray ink test (the average HOFer scores 144), and Concepcion meets 29.1% of HOF standards. 9. Is there any evidence to suggest that the player was significantly better or worse than is suggested by his statistics? Concepcion won five Gold Gloves at shortstop, and is commonly referred to as a positive clubhouse influence. 10. Is he the best player at his position who is eligible for the Hall of Fame? No. Alan Trammell is more deserving. 11. How many MVP-type seasons did he have? Did he ever win an MVP award? If not, how many times was he close? Concepcion finished in the Top 10 of MVP voting twice, finishing ninth in 1979 and fourth in 1981. 12. How many All-Star-type seasons did he have? How many All-Star games did he play in? Did most of the players who played in this many All-Star games go into the Hall of Fame? Concepcion made nine All-Star squads. This is his strongest attribute as a HOF candidate. 13. If this man were the best player on his team, would it be likely that the team could win the pennant? I doubt it. Concepcion earned over twenty Win Shares just four times, and never more than twenty-five. 14. What impact did the player have on baseball history? Was he responsible for any rule changes? Did he introduce any new equipment? Did he change the game in any way? Concepcion invented the method of bouncing the ball on artificial turf to speed up his throw to first base. 15. Did the player uphold the standards of sportsmanship and character that the Hall of Fame, in its written guidelines, instructs us to consider? Yes. Conclusion: Concepcion's case as a Hall of Famer rests on the fact that he made nine All-Star squads, a high total. However, this was due more than anything to the malaise of shortstops in the National League. This conclusion is supported by the fact that Concepcion was never a viable MVP candidate. Concepcion was not a great offensive player, and his defense, while great, does not quite elevate Concepcion to Hall of Fame status. Thumbs down.

Boston/Tampa Bay currently on ESPN. Of interest: hot prospect B.J. Upton makes his MLB debut.

Good common sense move from the NBA.

How can you say they should have beaten the Braves? The Braves were five wins better and had two or perhaps even three HOF starters. The postseason is not a good measure of success. Look at the teams Johnson had..... Davey Johnson inherited a team that finished 68-94 in 1983. Johnson took over, and the Mets AVERAGED 96 wins over the next six seasons. Johnson left, and the next year the Mets fell to 77-84, and quickly became the joke of baseball. Johnson took over the Reds, who finished 73-89 in 1993. Johnson led them to consecutive division titles. He left, and the Reds fell to third place. Johnson moved on to the Orioles, who finished 71-73 in 1995. The made the playoffs the two seasons Johnson managed. Since he left, the team has yet to finish higher than fourth. Three teams, all of which were worse before and after Johnson managed. If he wasn't great, but his teams were good, what the heck happened?

1. Was he ever regarded as the best player in baseball? Did anybody, while he was active, ever suggest that he was the best player in baseball? Ryne Sandberg was never THE best player in baseball for an extended period, but he was the best player in baseball in 1984. 2. Was he the best player on his team? Are you kidding me? Sandberg was the best player on the Cubs every year from 1984 to 1992. 3. Was he the best player in baseball at his position? Was he the best player in the league at his position? Yes. Sandberg was the best second baseman in baseball from 1984-1992, excepting a handful of seasons in the late 80s. 4. Did he have an impact on a number of pennant races? Sandberg hit .333 in August and .327 in September to drive the '89 Cubs to the NL East pennant. He was also MVP on the NL East champion '84 squad. 5. Was he good enough that he could play regularly after passing his prime? Yes, he hung on until he was 37. 6. Is he the very best baseball player in history who is not in the Hall of Fame? Quite possibly. He could give Ron Santo a run for his money. 7. Are most players who have comparable statistics in the Hall of Fame? No. Of his top 10, five are ineligible, and one (Bobby Doerr) is in the Hall. However, three of the other four (Joe Torre, Alan Trammell, Ken Boyer) are strong candidates, and Lou Whitaker got hosed as well. 8. Do the player's numbers meet Hall of Fame standards? Yes, Sandberg scores 14 on the Black Ink test, 134 on the Gray Ink test, and 42.7% on the HOF Standards scale. And this is as a second baseman. 9. Is there any evidence to suggest that the player was significantly better or worse than is suggested by his statistics? Yes. Sandberg was a great defensive player who won nine Gold Gloves. 10. Is he the best player at his position who is eligible for the Hall of Fame? Yes. 11. How many MVP-type seasons did he have? Did he ever win an MVP award? If not, how many times was he close? He won the award in 1985, and finished fourth in 1990 and '91. 12. How many All-Star-type seasons did he have? How many All-Star games did he play in? Did most of the players who played in this many All-Star games go into the Hall of Fame? Sandberg played in ten consecutive All-Star games from 1984-93. Of all HOF second basemen, only Nellie Fox had more than ten appearances. 13. If this man were the best player on his team, would it be likely that the team could win the pennant? Yes, the Cubs won twice with Sandberg as their best player. 14. What impact did the player have on baseball history? Was he responsible for any rule changes? Did he introduce any new equipment? Did he change the game in any way? None apparent. 15. Did the player uphold the standards of sportsmanship and character that the Hall of Fame, in its written guidelines, instructs us to consider? Yes. Conclusion: It is absolutely inexcusable for Sandberg not to reach the Hall. He was the best second baseman of his decade and he made ten all star teams. His credentials are obvious.

If only we had a good pitcher in the bullpen that we could slide in the rotation, we'd be set.

As always, Don Mossi is the All-Time Champion.

According to the 2004 edition of Baseball Prospectus, the Oakland Athletics had the HIGHEST payroll in baseball in 1991. That was under old ownership, who didn't mind losing money. Any salary plan such as performanced based salary or a salary cap has to be collectively bargained with the Union, and there is no chance they are going for that. Nor should they. In baseball, there's two mechanisms which encourage competitive balance. The amateur draft, and the six year wait for free agency. The amateur draft was the true end of the Yankee dynasty in the 1960s. Until then, the Yankees and other large market teams simply bought the best amateur players in the country. After the amateur draft, all teams had a fair shot at incoming players. The six year regulations keep them with their teams for the first 6-7 years of their contract, when their value is at their highest. As long as those mechanisms are in place, baseball will have competitive balance, regardless of any financial disparities. Competitive balance on the whole has INCREASED dramamically since the 1950s, when New York ruled the sports world, and baseball had the benefit of the reserve clause and thus artifical salary restrictions. Salary caps do not encourage competitive balance.

In a way, but he was by no means the first. That honor belongs to Earl Weaver. The thing about Davey Johnson that I like is that his teams almost always became winners, and he was extremely creative with his roster. One game he was forced to put a pitcher on the field, and he platooned Roger McDowell and Jesse Orosco, bringing one to the mound and the other to left/right field depending on whether a lefty or righty was at bat.

Alderson wouldn't have threatened LaRussa's job, but he certainly did have his own ideas about running a ballclub, and specifically, an organizational philosophy. Moreover, I think the book extended a feeling that went beyond LaRussa, that managers in general were more responsible for a player's approach than the organization as a whole.

1. Was he ever regarded as the best player in baseball? Did anybody, while he was active, ever suggest that he was the best player in baseball? No. He played during the '50s and early '60s, when Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays dominated the game. 2. Was he the best player on his team? Yes. Minoso was the best player on the Chicago White Sox from 1951-56. 3. Was he the best player in baseball at his position? Was he the best player in the league at his position? No, because he shared an era with Ted Williams. Outside of Williams, he was the best LF in the American League. Keep in mind Stan Musial played 1B for much of the 1950s. 4. Did he have an impact on a number of pennant races? None apparent. Not many teams made the World Series unless they came from New York. 5. Was he good enough that he could play regularly after passing his prime? Yes. He starter for the Washington Senators at the age of 40. He actually played games at 53 and 57 as part of Bill Veeck's promotional stunts. 6. Is he the very best baseball player in history who is not in the Hall of Fame? I've advocated for Ron Santo, so not really. 7. Are most players who have comparable statistics in the Hall of Fame? None of Minoso's ten most similar players are in the Hall. 8. Do the player's numbers meet Hall of Fame standards? They are very close. Minoso scores 15 on the Black Ink test, and 189 on the Gray Ink test. Minos actually ranks within the top 50 on the Gray Ink test. He meets 35% of HOF Standards. 9. Is there any evidence to suggest that the player was significantly better or worse than is suggested by his statistics? Yes. Minoso did not play regularly in the Majors until he was 28, due to the last remains of the color line. Minoso played well for the NY Cubans of the negro leagues by the age of 23. Had Minoso played in the majors for six more seasons, he would have undoubtably reached several career milestones. To give you an idea of Minoso's potential value, Bill James in his Historical Abstract lists the top 20 players based on Win Shares earned between the ages of 30 and 39. Minoso is the only player of the top 20 not currently enshrined in the Hall. 10. Is he the best player at his position who is eligible for the Hall of Fame? Yes. The next best candidate is Charlie Keller. 11. How many MVP-type seasons did he have? Did he ever win an MVP award? If not, how many times was he close? Minoso finished in the top 10 of MVP voting five times, including four fourth place finishes. 12. How many All-Star-type seasons did he have? How many All-Star games did he play in? Did most of the players who played in this many All-Star games go into the Hall of Fame? Minoso played in seven All-Star games. 13. If this man were the best player on his team, would it be likely that the team could win the pennant? Yes, assuming Minoso had a career year. 14. What impact did the player have on baseball history? Was he responsible for any rule changes? Did he introduce any new equipment? Did he change the game in any way? The ancient comebacks were referenced above. 15. Did the player uphold the standards of sportsmanship and character that the Hall of Fame, in its written guidelines, instructs us to consider? Yes. Conclusion: Minoso is an intruiging candidate. He led the league in steals frequently in an era where players rarely stole bases. It all boils down to what you think of his late start. Since he WAS a great player who was excluded beyond his control, I think he deserves enshrinement.

The book never says Tony LaRussa is a bad manager. It just says that Sandy Alderson didn't implement his organizational strategy because Tony had his own ideas, and they worked.

The Braves having a .558 winning percentage doesn't surprise me one bit. That the Phillies are barely above .500 is the problem. The Braves are on the verge of running away with this division.