IBWAA SELECTS ROY HALLADAY, MARIANO RIVERA IN 2019 HALL OF FAME VOTE

IBWAA SELECTS ROY HALLADAY, MARIANO RIVERA IN 2019 HALL OF FAME VOTE Los Angeles – In its tenth annual Hall of Fame election announced Tuesday, the IBWAA added two players to its digital Hall of Fame. Mariano Rivera was the top vote-getter, with 173 out of 174 ballots cast (99.43%). Roy Halladay received 161 votes (92.53%). A 75% threshold is required for election. Complete election results below.   Barry Bonds (2018), Rogers Clemens (2018), Edgar Martinez (2016) and Mike Mussina (2018) did not appear on the 2019 IBWAA Hall of Fame ballot because they have already been elected in previous years. With those exceptions, the IBWAA ballot was identical to the one used by the BBWAA. All voting is done electronically.   Per a group decision in January, 2014, the IBWAA allows members to vote for up to 15 players, instead of the previous 10, beginning with the 2015 election. In the 2019 election, 62 members voted for 10 or more candidates. Seven members voted for 15 candidates. The average vote per member was 8.25.   Complete voting results are as follows:

Ballot tabulations by Brian Wittig & Associates.   The IBWAA was established July 4, 2009 to organize and promote the growing online baseball media, and to serve as a digital alternative to the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA). Voting for full season awards takes place in September of each year, with selections being announced in November. The IBWAA also holds a Hall of Fame election in December of each year, with results being announced the following January.   In 2010, the IBWAA began voting in its own relief pitcher category, establishing the Rollie Fingers American League Relief Pitcher of the Year and the Hoyt Wilhelm National League Relief Pitcher of the Year Awards. Among others, IBWAA members include Jim Bowden, Pedro Moura, Ken Rosenthal and Eno Sarris, The Athletic; Tim Brown, Yahoo! Sports; Craig Calcaterra, NBC Sports Hardball Talk; Bill Chuck, Billy-Ball.com; Chris De Luca, Chicago Sun-Times; Jon Heyman, Fancred; Tyler Kepner, New York Times; Danny Knobler, Bleacher Report; Kevin Kennedy; Kostya Kennedy, Sports Illustrated; Brian Kenny, MLBN; Will Leitch, New York Magazine; Bruce Markusen, Hardball Times; Ross Newhan; Dayn Perry and Matt Snyder, CBSSports.com; Tom Hoffarth, Los Angeles Times; J.P. Hoornstra Los Angeles Daily News; Tracy Ringolsby, MLB.com; David Schoenfield, ESPN.com; and Bill Arnold.   Association membership is open to any and all Internet baseball writers, with a $75 lifetime fee. Discounts for groups and scholarships are available. Members must be 18 years of age to apply. For more information please visit www.ibwaa.com. Contact:   Howard Cole Founding Director, IBWAA baseballsavvy@aol.com

2019 MLB Hall of Fame Ballot

Mariano Rivera
Roy Halladay
Todd Helton
Andy Pettitte
Edgar Martinez (last chance on the ballot)
Fred McGriff (last chance on the ballot)
Barry Bonds
Roger Clemens
Mike Mussina
Curt Schilling
Manny Ramirez
Sammy Sosa
Larry Walker
Omar Vizquel
Andruw Jones
Scott Rolen
Jeff Kent
Gary Sheffield
Billy Wagner
Lance Berkman (first time ballot)
Roy Oswalt (first time ballot)
Rick Ankiel
Jason Bay
Freddy Garcia
Jon Garland
Travis Hafner
Ted Lilly
Derek Lowe
Darren Oliver
Juan Pierre
Placido Polanco
Miguel Tejada
Vernon Wells
Kevin Youkilis
Michael Young

Early November in the Yankees Universe...

Mr Cashman will see you now…

The Hot Stove League has been open for a few days but for the most part, it’s been all quiet on the Eastern Front (a/k/a The Bronx).  

The managerial interviews have begun with Yankees bench coach Rob Thomson taking the first at-bat. He must have fouled off a bunch of pitches because he apparently met with GM Brian Cashman for six hours this week. I should be fully supportive of Thomson for manager.  He’s a company man who has been with the Yankees organization for 28 years.  He brings promises of communication and trust in the players and has tried to give assurances that he would not be “more of the same”. Yet, for some reason, I cannot fully embrace his candidacy. I’d like to see him stay in the organization and I am certainly not opposed to his inclusion on the coaching staff for the eventual new manager. But he’s not really my ideal choice for manager.

Credit:  Associated Press

A new name surfaced yesterday in former Yankee Aaron Boone. It’s unknown when/if he will interview with Cashman. Given that I’ve been supportive of other broadcasters getting the job, like Jerry Hairston, Jr and Mark DeRosa, you’d think I would support the possibility of an ex-Yankee. Yet, I was ‘ho-hum’ when I saw his name. I am appreciative of his home run to win the 2003 American League Championship Series, but he’s not really someone that I can envision in the job. Perhaps he is someone I would grow with in time if he is the one.  We’ll see.

David Cone and John Flaherty are also names that received heavy ink in New York publications this week. Between the two, Coney would be the better option to me with no offense to Flaherty.

The Miami Marlins have confirmed that manager Don Mattingly will return for the 2018 season so that effectively removes his name from consideration. As a huge Mattingly fan, even today, I did not really want to see Mattingly back in the Yankees organization as its manager. Managers are so heavily second-guessed and I didn’t want to see Mattingly tarnish his great Yankees legacy in any way.  

I think the best tweet I saw about the managerial search yesterday came from MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand: “Something to keep in mind re: Yankees managerial search.  This is a chance for Cashman to interview several people to get a feel for them in a different role.  Many will interview, only one will get the job.  Don’t get caught up in any one name.” So, as the saying goes, trust the process. I have the trust in Brian Cashman that he’ll make the right decision. His legacy is heavily invested in the next hire with the Yankees on the cusp of something great. Gene Michael was widely recognized as the chief architect of the 90’s dynasty but this potential run belongs solely to Cashman and his chief lieutenants (backed by the Steinbrenner family, of course). All things considered, Cashman can’t afford to make the wrong choice.

It’s a bird, it’s a plane, no, it’s Ohtani!…

I have been trying to avoid getting excited about the possibility of adding Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani but the ‘Ohtani to America’ (or should we just call it the ‘Ohtani to Pinstripes’) movement took another step in the right direction. Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times reported that Japanese news reports are stating the Nippon-Ham Fighters have announced they will post Ohtani this off-season. All I want for Christmas is Ohtani in the Bronx! I am still trying to be cautiously optimistic but it would be very exciting to have him join the strong cast of Baby Bombers.  

The Yankees can offer Ohtani the second highest signing bonus at $3.25 million. They trail only the Texas Rangers who can offer $285,000 more than the Yankees. The Rangers can also offer no state income tax. But I am hopeful the promotional opportunities will be greater for Ohtani in New York. He stands to make a great deal of his income through endorsement deals. Also, when you look long-term, the Yankees can offer more lucrative dollars and stability for future contracts. Faced with the impending free agency of Japanese ace Yu Darvish last summer, the Rangers chose to deal Darvish to the Dodgers rather than make a strong effort to re-sign him. Granted, Darvish didn’t exactly have a stellar finish to his season but it reinforced to me that if you want long-term security, New York is a better place to be than Texas. Plus, the Yankees have the legacy of Japanese greats Hideki Matsui and Masahiro Tanaka. 

Shohei Ohtani (top right) / Credit:  Koji Watanbe, Getty Images

Farewell to a Pitcher and a Catcher…

It was tough to see the loss of former Blue Jays and Phillies great Roy Halladay this week to the tragic plane crash in the Gulf of Mexico near Tampa, FL. When he played, he was the definition of “the” true ace for me. I had always hoped the Yankees would find a way to acquire him when he played for the Blue Jays but recognized that intra-division trades of superstars rarely happen. Still, he was marvel to watch pitch despite his domination of the Yankees. His loss was felt and I am deeply saddened by his untimely departure.  

A lesser known baseball player also died this week but it was equally as sad. 17-year-old Daniel Flores, a catcher out of Venezuela the Boston Red Sox had signed in last year’s International Draft for $3.1 million signing bonus, succumbed to cancer in Boston. Flores was rated as the fifth best prospect in the Red Sox system according to MLB.com. Prior to the draft last year, Flores was ranked as the second best International prospect behind shortstop Wander Franco (who signed with the Tampa Bay Rays). By comparison, the Yankees top signing, outfielder Everson Pereira, was ranked fourth. According to scouting reports, Flores would have been a brilliant defensive whiz behind the plate. It’s unfortunate he is unable to reach his dream to play at Fenway Park but hopefully his signing bonus provides long-term security for his family and loved ones.   

May both men rest in peace.   

No Gold Glove Awards but a few Silver Sluggers…

Congratulations to Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez for winning their first Silver Slugger Awards. These were easy calls and it would have been a great travesty if either player had been omitted. Now, we await the results of AL Rookie of the Year and AL MVP which should bring more hardware in Judge’s direction. Individual awards are nice but we really need to get these guys a World Series championship!

Today is Veteran’s Day. For all veterans everywhere, thank you for your service. We remember you today and always...  

In closing, as always, Go Yankees!

Breaking News: Roy Halladay Dead

More as the story develops but it looks like Roy Halladay has passed after his plane was found crashed this afternoon. Rest in peace to Roy and our prayers and condolences go out to his friends, family, loved ones and the baseball community. So sad to lose one of our own.

Update:

The plane registered to Halladay crashed in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico and Halladay was found dead at the scene. Halladay was 40-years old.

No details about how many others, if any, were injured or killed were released after the crashed happened shortly after noon today.

David Ortiz & Perennial Yankees Killers During my Lifetime

As much as I hate to admit this you have to respect what David Ortiz has done in his major league career. Sure you have the controversy of the failed steroid test and the Mitchell Report inclusion that wasn’t an inclusion because a Boston-area Senator was in charge of the report but if you can presume that he has been clean since, and every drug test he’s taken has suggested that he is, then you still have to think he has Hall of Fame numbers. Numbers, I didn’t say credentials. While his Hall of Fame credentials may always be up for debate and the fact that he has as many failed tests as Alex Rodriguez has may be as well you cannot deny the fact that he’s been a perennial Yankee killer. In fact there have been quite a few during my lifetime and we will showcase them here this evening in honor, for lack of a better word, of Ortiz.

Ortiz once had a teammate, speaking of failed steroid tests, in Manny Ramirez that made up one of the toughest middle-of-the-lineups in my recent memory. Ramirez faced the Yankees in 203 games and hit a monster 55 home runs against them with 165 RBI and a .322 batting average. Ramirez killed just about every team though. 

Speaking of Ortiz, Ramirez and the Red Sox there was a trio of starting pitchers that the Yankees simply could not get to on most nights consistently. Josh Beckett, Jon Lester and John Lackey all shut down some of the greatest offenses of my lifetime starting with Beckett in the 2003 World Series and ending with Lester and Lackey most recently before being traded away by the Red Sox. 

Speaking of the pitching side of things I can remember Roy Halladay mowing down Yankees with tons of consistency. It didn’t matter who the mighty Yankees sent at Halladay in his years with the Toronto Blue Jays the man they called Doc set them down with ease. I halfway remember skipping games on purpose that he pitched to save myself the aggravation. 

The final pair of teammates to completely torment the Yankees date back to my early years as a fan. Ken Griffey Jr. and Edgar Martinez absolutely destroyed the New York Yankees. I can remember Tino Martinez and Ken Griffey Jr. trading home runs on a Saturday afternoon in the Bronx more than once and it always seemed like the Mariners got the better of the Yankees. It started in 1995 in the ALDS and it went on that way until the Yankees beat the 116-win Mariners in 2001. Edgar killed Yankees closer Mariano Rivera at the plate, one of the few that could say that, and Griffey killed anyone and everyone put in front of him during his prime. All because as a child he got kicked out of the Yankees clubhouse when his father, Ken Griffey Sr., was a member of the team. Way to hold a grudge kid!

I've Lost All Respect for Roy Halladay

I recorded my first strike out since retirement! Time for a comeback? She has a better swing then Arod! No steroids pic.twitter.com/98ytAyTUy0
— Roy Halladay (@RoyHalladay) March 23, 2015

Sounds like someone is bitter about Alex Rodriguez having a career .299 average with a .349 OBP, one home run and 14 RBI against him. More commonly known as owned.

ICYMI: Sandy Koufax, Roy Halladay and Nathan Eovaldi

There are probably more than just two reasons to be optimistic about a young 24 year old flame throwing starting pitcher but I had to very big reasons come to me and I felt compelled to share. I was watching an old "Prime 9" episode on MLB Network the other day at some insane hour in the middle of the night and it was showcasing something to do with starting pitching, I don't remember the list, and throughout the episode the crew mentioned Sandy Koufax and Roy Halladay. Okay before Dodgers, Phillies, Blue Jays and MLB fans in general begin to remove their bookmark for the site and unfollow us on Twitter hear me out. I'm not comparing the two I am merely showing you that it's not unheard of for a fire baller to find his control late and harness it en route to a great MLB career.

Eovaldi has a career 15-35 record with 4.07 ERA in 79 starts. While Eovaldi led the league in hits allowed in 2014 his stuff, the "stuff" you cannot teach, is there and undeniable and possibly just a Larry Rothschild tweak or two away from making him a legit #1 starting pitcher for years to come. Why am I so optimistic you ask and how does Koufax and Halladay fit in? Glad you asked, read on.

Look at Koufax's first six seasons in the majors on a pretty good Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers teams:

Year	Age	W	L	ERA	G	CG	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	ERA+	FIP	WHIP	HR9	BB9	SO9
1955	19	2	2	3.02	12	2	41.2	33	15	14	2	28	30	136	3.64	1.464	0.4	6.0	6.5
1956	20	2	4	4.91	16	0	58.2	66	37	32	10	29	30	82	5.05	1.619	1.5	4.4	4.6
1957	21	5	4	3.88	34	2	104.1	83	49	45	14	51	122	106	3.39	1.284	1.2	4.4	10.5
1958	22	11	11	4.48	40	5	158.2	132	89	79	19	105	131	93	4.38	1.494	1.1	6.0	7.4
1959	23	8	6	4.05	35	6	153.1	136	74	69	23	92	173	105	4.04	1.487	1.4	5.4	10.2
1960	24	8	13	3.91	37	7	175.0	133	83	76	20	100	197	101	3.49	1.331	1.0	5.1	10.1

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Now let's look at Halladay's first four seasons in his career:

Year	Age	W	L	ERA	G	CG	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	ERA+	FIP	WHIP	HR9	BB9	SO9
1998	21	1	0	1.93	2	1	14.0	9	4	3	2	2	245	3.57	0.786	1.3	1.3	8.4
1999	22	8	7	3.92	36	1	149.1	156	76	65	19	79	125	5.36	1.574	1.1	4.8	4.9
2000	23	4	7	10.64	19	0	67.2	107	87	80	14	42	48	6.47	2.202	1.9	5.6	5.9
2001	24	5	3	3.16	17	1	105.1	97	41	37	3	25	145	2.34	1.158	0.3	2.1	8.2

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Again I don't think Eovaldi is Halladay or Koufax and I don't think he will have the longevity and successful career that those two players had. I am saying that it has happened before and it can happen again. Hallday taught his teachings to AJ Burnett and saved and extended his career and if Burnett could be saved then why not Eovaldi?

Two Reasons to be Optimistic About Nathan Eovaldi

There are probably more than just two reasons to be optimistic about a young 24 year old flame throwing starting pitcher but I had to very big reasons come to me and I felt compelled to share. I was watching an old "Prime 9" episode on MLB Network the other day at some insane hour in the middle of the night and it was showcasing something to do with starting pitching, I don't remember the list, and throughout the episode the crew mentioned Sandy Koufax and Roy Halladay. Okay before Dodgers, Phillies, Blue Jays and MLB fans in general begin to remove their bookmark for the site and unfollow us on Twitter hear me out. I'm not comparing the two I am merely showing you that it's not unheard of for a fire baller to find his control late and harness it en route to a great MLB career.

Eovaldi has a career 15-35 record with 4.07 ERA in 79 starts. While Eovaldi led the league in hits allowed in 2014 his stuff, the "stuff" you cannot teach, is there and undeniable and possibly just a Larry Rothschild tweak or two away from making him a legit #1 starting pitcher for years to come. Why am I so optimistic you ask and how does Koufax and Halladay fit in? Glad you asked, read on.

Look at Koufax's first six seasons in the majors on a pretty good Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers teams:

Year	Age	W	L	ERA	G	CG	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO	ERA+	FIP	WHIP	HR9	BB9	SO9
1955	19	2	2	3.02	12	2	41.2	33	15	14	2	28	30	136	3.64	1.464	0.4	6.0	6.5
1956	20	2	4	4.91	16	0	58.2	66	37	32	10	29	30	82	5.05	1.619	1.5	4.4	4.6
1957	21	5	4	3.88	34	2	104.1	83	49	45	14	51	122	106	3.39	1.284	1.2	4.4	10.5
1958	22	11	11	4.48	40	5	158.2	132	89	79	19	105	131	93	4.38	1.494	1.1	6.0	7.4
1959	23	8	6	4.05	35	6	153.1	136	74	69	23	92	173	105	4.04	1.487	1.4	5.4	10.2
1960	24	8	13	3.91	37	7	175.0	133	83	76	20	100	197	101	3.49	1.331	1.0	5.1	10.1

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Now let's look at Halladay's first four seasons in his career:

Year	Age	W	L	ERA	G	CG	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	ERA+	FIP	WHIP	HR9	BB9	SO9
1998	21	1	0	1.93	2	1	14.0	9	4	3	2	2	245	3.57	0.786	1.3	1.3	8.4
1999	22	8	7	3.92	36	1	149.1	156	76	65	19	79	125	5.36	1.574	1.1	4.8	4.9
2000	23	4	7	10.64	19	0	67.2	107	87	80	14	42	48	6.47	2.202	1.9	5.6	5.9
2001	24	5	3	3.16	17	1	105.1	97	41	37	3	25	145	2.34	1.158	0.3	2.1	8.2

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

Again I don't think Eovaldi is Halladay or Koufax and I don't think he will have the longevity and successful career that those two players had. I am saying that it has happened before and it can happen again. Hallday taught his teachings to AJ Burnett and saved and extended his career and if Burnett could be saved then why not Eovaldi?