This 12 months I had the honour of filling out a Corridor of Fame poll for the fifth time, and as was the case with the earlier 4, I‘m endeavoring to clarify my reasoning. That is one thing I really feel each voter ought to do. Casting a poll is a privilege that ought to demand not solely due diligence, but additionally transparency.
Let’s lower to the chase.
Noteworthy amongst my 2025 choices is that the holdovers differ considerably from earlier ballots. My most up-to-date Sunday Notes column — I missed final week’s attributable to a well being difficulty — prompt a number of of these adjustments. As I defined on December 22, my earlier ballots all included Manny Ramirez and Alex Rodriguez, however I used to be significantly contemplating dropping them and as a substitute voting for 2 of Félix Hernández, Dustin Pedroia, and David Wright. I did simply that. Following no small quantity of deliberation, I adopted my colleague Jay Jaffe’s stance that Manny’s and A-Rod’s being suspended after PED guidelines have been put into place is a significant distinction. With neither erstwhile slugger having a sensible probability of ever being elected by the BBWAA — one other think about my determination — a strategic change appeared so as.
Extra on that in a second.
I’d really made a strategic change in my voting on final 12 months’s poll, which from a big-Corridor perspective — and I’m an avowed big-Corridor voter — was stacked with worthy candidates (the 10-player restrict stays an impediment). Understanding that he would safely stay on the poll, I quickly dropped Andruw Jones with plans to renew voting for him this 12 months.
The gamers who received checkmarks on my 2024 poll, and did so once more, are Bobby Abreu, Carlos Beltrán, Chase Utley, and Billy Wagner (I’ve shared my reasoning for every in earlier explanatory columns). Having re-added Jones, and with two first-year-eligibles being comparatively straightforward decisions — CC Sabathia and Ichiro Suzuki — I used to be thus left with three obtainable slots. Certainly one of them went to a pitcher I hadn’t discovered room for beforehand.
My colleague Jay voted for Andy Pettitte final 12 months, solely to drop him on this 12 months’s poll with the caveat that he’ll proceed to contemplate him sooner or later. I made a decision that he merited my current-ballot vote. Statistically much like Sabathia in a number of classes (WAR, wins, and ERA+ amongst them), Pettitte, as Jay has defined, additionally possesses a formidable post-season résumé. Included inside it are Pettitte’s having began three World Sequence-clinching video games by which he allowed simply three earned runs over 20 innings. Whereas extra a workmanlike performer than a bona fide star all through his profession, the southpaw’s numbers — meaningfully augmented by the Octobers — make him worthy.
Which brings us to the three gamers I most strongly thought-about for my two remaining votes (in contrast to Jay, I solely briefly thought-about Russell Martin and James McCann). With all due respect to Wright, I opted to go together with Hernández and Pedroia.
Hernández was the clearer of these decisions. From 2009-2015, King Félix led American League starters in WAR, ERA, and innings pitched, whereas he was second in wins, and third in xFIP. Furthermore, he made 5 All-Star groups, received a Cy Younger Award, twice completed second for that honor, and threw an ideal sport. Whereas he falls quick in counting stats — in some ways his résumé is the polar reverse of Pettitte’s — he was really elite in his peak. Addie Joss isn’t a completely unreasonable comp.
As for Pedroia, I’ll circle again to what I wrote within the aforementioned December column. Previous to struggling his career-altering damage, the Purple Sox mighty-mite had a nine-year stretch the place he was price 45 WAR, made 4 All-Star groups, received 4 Gold Gloves, earned each Rookie of the Yr and MVP honors, and was an integral a part of two World Sequence-winning groups. With the doable of exception of Bobby Doerr, he’s the perfect second baseman in franchise historical past. Was Pedroia’s profession extra Cooperstown-worthy than Wright’s, and even Hernández’s or Pettitte’s? That’s strictly a matter of opinion. What constitutes a Corridor of Famer is, and all the time can be, subjective.
To recap, listed below are my 10 choices:
Bobby Abreu, Carlos Beltrán, Felix Hernandez, Andruw Jones, Dustin Pedroia, Andy Pettitte, CC Sabathia, Ichiro Suzuki, Chase Utley, Billy Wagner.
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RANDOM HITTER-PITCHER MATCHUPS
Joe Carter went 19 for 74 in opposition to Jimmy Key.
Gary Carter went 2 for 28 in opposition to Dennis Martinez.
Ty Cobb went 3 for five in opposition to Paul Carter.
Peanuts Lowrey went 13 for 26 in opposition to Schoolboy Rowe.
Kyle Farmer is 8 for 15 in opposition to Mitch Keller.
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The Boston Purple Sox will head into the 2025 season with a deep beginning rotation. Garrett Crochet and Walker Buehler be a part of holdovers Tanner Houck, Brayan Bello, and Kutter Crawford, whereas Lucas Giolito is about to return from Tommy John surgical procedure. Richard Fitts and Quinn Priester present additional depth, as do swingmen Cooper Criswell and Josh Winckowski. Furthermore, Patrick Sandoval is predicted to enter the combo as soon as he returns from TJ of his personal within the latter half of the marketing campaign.
Requested not too long ago if the membership is contemplating a six-man rotation, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow informed reporters that he has “batted round“ the thought with supervisor Alex Cora and pitching coach Andrew Bailey, including that they should see how issues unfold in spring coaching and decide from there.
I requested the pitcher-turned-executive the place he stands philosophically, on condition that arm well being is a major consideration when choosing a six-man rotation.
“Philosophically, I’m supportive of something we will do to maintain our greatest gamers on the sector, acting at a extremely excessive stage,” Breslow responded. “This might doubtlessly be one in every of them. It necessitates specific building of the bullpen, as nicely. We have to have relievers who’re able to throwing a number of innings. I feel we now have that when you consider guys like Winchowski, guys like (Garrett) Whitlock, who has finished this previously. Criswell can bounce forwards and backwards between the rotation and the bullpen. I feel we’re well-positioned to implement a six-man rotation if that’s the best way we need to go.”
In different phrases, keep tuned.
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Once I put collectively a bit titled Tigers and Twins Winter Conferences Notes a number of weeks in the past, one of many topics lined was platooning. Sharing their ideas have been the groups’ respective presidents of baseball operations, Detroit’s Scott Harris and Minnesota Derek Falvey.
Mariners supervisor Dan Wilson had an attention-grabbing take of his personal throughout the Dallas get-together.
“The extra you are able to do to stabilize a lineup, the higher,” mentioned Wilson, who took over the helm in Seattle after Scott Servais was given his strolling papers in late August. “However I feel there are alternatives when platoons could be type of a secure factor, and it form of labored that means for us in direction of the top of the 12 months. If there are platoons once more as we go ahead, I hope to make them as secure as doable.”
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A quiz:
Who has probably the most hits in Philadelphia Phillies franchise historical past?
The reply could be discovered under.
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NEWS NOTES
The Colorado Rockies are hiring Scott Oberg as a minor league pitching coordinator (per The Denver Put up). The 34-year-old College of Connecticut product pitched for the Rockies from 2015-2019 and has spent the previous two seasons as a part-time pitching advisor with the membership.
Gary Sutherland, an infielder for seven groups throughout a big-league profession that spanned the 1966-1978 seasons, died on December 16 at age 80 (per Baseball Participant Passings). Primarily a second baseman, “Sudsy” stroked a personal-best 157 hits with the Detroit Tigers in 1974. He was recognized extra for his glove than his bat.
Charlie Maxwell, an outfielder whose profession spanned the 1950-1964 seasons, died on December 27 at age 97. A left-handed hitter who grew up in Paw Paw, Michigan, Maxwell was at his finest from 1956-1960 when he mashed 120 residence runs whereas enjoying for the Detroit Tigers. He had 5 extra-inning homers in 1960.
Lenny Randle, an infielder/outfielder who logged 1.016 hits whereas enjoying for 5 groups from 1971-1982, died on December 29 at age 75. The Arizona State College product is probably finest recognized for punching supervisor Frank Lucchesi whereas with the Texas Rangers, and for making an attempt to blow a slow-rolling floor ball foul whereas with the Seattle Mariners. In 1983, Randle later grew to become the primary MLB participant to play professionally in Italy,
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The reply to the quiz is Jimmy Rollins, with 2,306. Mike Schmidt and Richie Ashburn rank second and third, with 2,217 and a couple of,214 hits respectively.
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Which of Albert Pujols and Frank Thomas was the higher hitter? I requested that query in a Twitter ballot a number of days in the past, and the outcomes strongly favored the previous. Pujols, who will turn out to be Corridor-eligible in 2028, garnered 66.7% of the votes forged. Thomas, who in 2014 was elected in his first 12 months on the poll, acquired simply 33.3%.
Pujols logged 13,041 plate appearances, whereas Thomas had simply 10,075, so the erstwhile St. Louis Cardinal and Los Angeles Angel predictably has the sting in counting stats. Most notable are his benefit in hits (3,384 to 2,468), residence runs (703 to 521), and RBIs (2,218 to 1,704). However was he really the higher hitter?
Over their careers, Pujols slashed .296/.374/.544 with a 141 wRC+ and a .385 wOBA. Thomas slashed .301/.419/.555 with a 154 wRC+ and a .416 wOBA.
Over their finest 10-year stretches, Pujols slashed .331/.426/.624 with a 169 wRC+ and a .435 wOBA. Thomas slashed .320/.439/.581 with a 165 wRC+ and a .434 wOBA.
Pjujols was clearly an awesome hitter. That mentioned, the Large Damage was objectively higher.
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FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Nick Nelson has signed with NPB’s Hanshin Tigers. The 29-year-old right-hander has appeared in 74 MLB video games over the previous 5 seasons, 47 of them with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2022.
The Nippon-Ham Fighters have re-signed Drew VerHagen to a one 12 months contract. The 34-year-old former Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals right-hander pitched for the NPB membership in 2020-2021, and once more this previous season.
Makoto Kyomoto has a 2.06 ERA to go together with 43 strikeouts and simply 4 walks allowed over 35 innings with the Australian Baseball League’s Adelaide Giants. The 20-year-old right-hander pitched in 4 video games for NPB’s Yomiuri Giants this 12 months, and in 30 extra for his or her high farm membership.
Robbie Perkins is slashing .347/.430/.571 with six residence runs in 114 plate appearances for the ABL’s Canberra Cavalry. The 30-year-old, Canberra-born catcher was within the Colorado Rockies system from 2013-2018.
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A random obscure former participant snapshot:
MLB historical past contains 30 gamers born in England, 13 of whom performed completely previous to 1900. Of the seventeen to carry out within the trendy period, Dave Mind had one of many more-curious careers. A local of Hereford who noticed motion for six groups over a seven-year span, he had his finest season in 1907, bashing a Nationwide League-leading 10 residence runs whereas logging a 127 wRC+ with the Boston Doves. Simply 28 years outdated on the time, he would by no means once more go deep in a big-league uniform. Furthermore, he would file simply 9 extra hits. Mind reportedly requested an $800 increase in wage after his stellar marketing campaign, however was as a substitute despatched a contract at a diminished wage. He held out, then was offered by the Doves to the Cincinnati Reds the next spring. Twenty-seven video games and a .125 batting common later, Mind’s profession was over.
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When Nick Yorke was featured right here at FanGraphs again in November, the 22-year-old Pirates infielder defined how going again to his outdated strategy helped propel him to Pittsburgh. Left on the chopping room flooring from my end-of-the-season dialog with him was Yorke’s telling of the 412-foot blast he hit off of Cincinnati’s Fernando Cruz on September 22 for his first big-league residence run.
“It was the primary pitch of the [fifth] inning,” recalled Yorke, who’d made his MLB debut six days earlier. “He has a extremely good secondary — his splitter is likely one of the finest within the league — so my plan going into the at-bat was to attempt to hit a heater early, after which if I miss it, simply battle. He gave me a heater, I received a barrel to it, and it went. I knew that it was gone straight away.”
His expertise circling the bases was memorable.
“I had somewhat hesitation,” mentioned Yorke. “We have been [in Cincinnati] and our bullpen there was down the fitting discipline line. I regarded towards the left discipline line to level at our guys within the bullpen, so I form of had somewhat hiccup. However yeah, it was a brilliant cool second. There was [third base coach Mike] Rabelo’s large outdated smile after I’m coming towards third, after which there was everybody within the dugout. They have been all fairly completely satisfied for me. The entire thing was a cool expertise.”
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LINKS YOU’LL LIKE
Mark Simon introduced us with seven Sports activities Information Options 2024 year-end awards, together with Contact Minimizer and Corridor of Framer.
Baseball historian Adam Darowski wrote about how the Corridor of Fame continues to be failing with Negro Leagues inductees.
The Athletic’s Eno Sarris wrote about how a wholesome and expert Corbin Burnes is a serious coup for the Arizona Diamondbacks (subscription required).
The place did the bullpen cellphone come from? Michael Clair delved into that query at MLB.com.
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RANDOM FACTS AND STATS
José Ramírez recorded 180 complete bases with two strikes this previous season, probably the most by any participant over the previous twenty seasons (per MLBNetwork).
Over the previous 5 seasons, Cody Bellinger has performed in 555 video games, logged 499 hits, scored 309 runs, pushed in 309 runs, and logged a 100 wRC+.
Brian McCann performed in 1,755 video games, had 1,590 hits, a .262 BA, and a 110 wRC+. Invoice Freehan performed in 1,774 video games, had 1,591 hits, a .262 BA, and a 113 wRC+.
Chase Utley had 1,885 hits, 411 doubles, 58 triples, and 259 residence runs.
Brian Giles had 1,897 hits, 411 doubles, 55 triples, and 287 residence runs.
Dustin Pedroia had a .363/.411/.536 slash line in 325 profession plate appearances versus the Minnesota Twins. He had a .243/.325/.345 slash line in 321 profession plate appearances versus the Seattle Mariners.
On right this moment’s date in 1999, the BBWAA elected George Brett, Nolan Ryan, and Robin Yount, all of whom have been on the poll for the primary time, to the Corridor of Fame. Carlton Fisk, who was additionally first-time eligible, fell quick however was elected the next 12 months.
Gamers born on right this moment’s date embody Ted Petoskey, an outfielder whose big-league profession comprised 10 video games — he went 2-for-12 on the plate — for the Cincinnati Reds between the 1934-1935 campaigns. A 3-sport star on the College of Michigan, Petoskey would later coach baseball and basketball on the College of South Carolina, and scout for the New York Yankees.
Additionally born on right this moment’s date was Zaza Harvey, a pitcher/outfielder who performed for the Chicago Orphans, Chicago White Sox, and Cleveland Blues throughout the 1900-1902 seasons. Harvey batted .332 over 283 plate appearances, logged a 3.47 ERA over 96 innings, then noticed his profession come to an finish at age 23 attributable to abdomen points.
The Solely Nolan (his given identify was Edward Sylvester) was a two-way participant in 5 Main League seasons between 1878-1885. A local of Trenton, Ontario, Nolan additionally performed within the Japanese League, going 19-5 with a 1.42 ERA for the Wilmington Quicksteps in 1884.
