Dick Allen Hall of Fame

Parade of Ridiculousness: The 'Best Interests of Baseball'

2012-02-02T17:50:00.000-06:00

Working on my recent Joe Rudi DAHOF Top 100 post reminded me about the June 1976 "deal" that Oakland owner Charlie Finley made with the Red Sox. If you don't know the story: Charlie O saw the new world of baseball free agency emerging... and didn’t like it. In a prehistoric version of the modern day "fire sale"* he sent two of his star players, Rollie Fingers and Joe Rudi to Boston for $1M each.

The deal was voided by Commissioner Bowie Kuhn, who invoked the “best interests of baseball” clause as justification. Finley was pissed and called Kuhn "the village idiot" and sued MLB, but lost the case when the court ruled that the commissioner had the authority to determine what is in the best interest of baseball.

Rudi and Fingers would leave Oakland and Charlie after the ’76 season, signing big free agent deals with California and San Diego respectively.

* Later that same night, Finley also "sold" Vida Blue to the Yankees for $1.5M. Stay tuned for a Vida/Yankees 1976 card.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #52 Keith Ginter

2012-02-02T14:30:00.000-06:00

Anyone that loves this game can point to very specific experiences and moments in time that have helped cement that affection. I am coming to realize, this list is essentially a collection of those moments. The summer of 2000 was one of those experiences and Keith Ginter played a huge role.

Sunday April 16th, 2000 was opening day form the inaugural season for the "AA" Round Rock Express. I had longed dreamed of living close enough to a professional baseball franchise to own season tickets and commit to a season long adventure of live baseball. The pregame ceremonies & the top of the first inning flew by in a blur. The bottom of the first saw Express second baseman Keith Ginter blast the first home run in Dell Diamond history. It was the first of many exhilarating moments that first season.

Ginter batted over .400 for 2 months of the season and led the first year franchise to the Texas League championship. He was named the league's MVP and immediately after the final game, in the middle of the championship celebration he received the news that he and teammate Morgan Ensberg had gotten a September call-up to the Houston Astros.

On September 30th Keith Ginter got his first start as a member of the Houston Astros. He had seen action in three other games in the 10 days he was on the Astros bench, including collecting his first major league RBI in his first major league at bat with a sacrifice fly to left off Cardinals pitcher Rick Ankiel.

With his team ahead 4-2 of the Brewers in the bottom of the sixth inning Keith Ginter took a Jimmy Haynes 3-2 fastball deep over the left center field wall at (called at the time) Enron Field for his first major league hit.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #53 Joe Rudi

2012-01-31T17:09:00.000-06:00

As a kid, growing up and learning baseball during the '70s -- there was no bigger star than Joe Rudi.

He played sixteen years in the major leagues and was a key part of the Oakland A's dynasty of the early 1970's. In addition to his three World Series rings (1972-73-74), Joe was a three-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner. Overshadowed by larger-than-life characters like Reggie Jackson and Catfish Hunter, his best season was probably 1972 when he hit .305 with 19 home runs (in a year when the American League as a whole hit only .239). He also led the league in hits and triples. In 1974, another good year for Rudi, he led the league in doubles, total bases, and extra base hits. He finished second in the AL MVP voting in 1972 and '74.

Almost everyone remembers him for his heroics in the 1972 World Series. In Game Two at Riverfront Stadium, his third-inning solo homer stood up as the margin of victory as Oakland won 2-1. He preserved that lead with one of the best catches in Series history. It was this leaping, ninth-inning catch of a Denis Menke drive against the wall that saved the game. The A's would win the series in seven games.

On June 15, 1975 Oakland, owner Charlie Finley decided to sell Rudi and Rollie Fingers for $1 million apiece to the Boston Red Sox, while peddling Vida Blue to the Yankees for a reported $1.5 million. He went to Boston and was issued a uniform, but never was permitted to play, as Commissioner Bowie Kuhn voided the transaction as not being in the best interests of baseball. (Rudi later played for Boston, in 1981.)

He became a free agent after the 1976 season and signed with the California Angels. He helped the Angels win the division in 1979, although his batting average went down each year from 1974 to 1981. He finished out his career playing for the 1981 Red Sox and returned to Oakland in 1982 for one last season.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #54 Cole Hamels

2012-01-30T15:26:00.000-06:00

In the summer of 2005, it looked like Cole Hamels was going to be yet another high school pitcher selected in the first round draft bust. After one season in the minors, he missed most of the 2004 season with an elbow problem and in 2005, he broke his pitching hand in a bar fight before the season began. Once his hand healed, he was shut down with a back injury.

Phillies fans (myself included) prepared ourselves for the worst. We had seen our share of mistakes in the first round including Tyler Green in 1991, Carlton Loewer in 1994, Dave Coggin in 1995, and most painfully JD Drew in 1997.

Fast forward to the 2008 post season. Cole Hamels has come back from those early career bumps and has established himself as a top flight pitcher in the National League.

NLDS Game 1: Brewers at Phillies - Cole Hamels pitched eight shutout innings of two-hit ball while striking out nine to give the Phillies their first playoff victory since Game 5 of the 1993 World Series. Phils go on to win the Series 3 games to 1.

NLCS Game 1: Dodgers at Phillies - Cole Hamels pitched seven innings, giving up single runs in the first and fourth innings, striking out 8 Dodgers. The Phils offense puts up three runs in the sixth inning for the 3-2 win.

NLCS Game 5: Phillies at Dodgers - Cole Hamels pitches seven innings of five hit, one run baseball leading his team to the NL pennant and the NLCS MVP trophy.

World Series Game 1: Phillies at Rays - Cole Halems once again delivers seven quality innings, giving up 5 hits and 2 runs. The Phillies score two in the first and the deciding run in the fourth inning to take the first game of the series.

World Series Game 5: Rays at Phillies - The game started on Monday night with Cole on the mound looking to become the first pitcher to gather 5 wins in a single post season. He pitched six innings before the terrible weather forced the game to be postponed in a 2-2 deadlock.

When Game 5 restarted two nights later, the Phillies scored immediately and closed out the series and their second world championship. Cole Hamels took home the World Series MVP.

Bobby Scales update

2012-01-30T10:05:00.001-06:00

Just in case you were looking for some reason to care about the roster moves coming out of Mesa Arizona during spring training...

The Cubs have re-signed Bobby Scales to a contract for 2012.

2003 Topps Dick Allen - White Sox

2012-01-29T15:11:00.000-06:00

DA Legacy Card using the 2003 Topps design

DAHOF Top 100 -- #55 Willie Stargell

2012-01-29T13:10:00.000-06:00

For me, Game 7 of the 1979 World Series was inconveniently played on a Wednesday night during the school year. The era of every World Series game played under the natural light of the sun had given way to the draw of prime-time. I got to watch a few innings on TV, but could not convince my parents that I should be allowed to break the routine of my sleep schedule. They didn't care it was the seventh game, I had to go to school in the morning. It really didn't matter, I had covertly been listening in the dark to ballgames on my transistor radio for years. Looking back, trading the ABC television crew of Keith Jackson, Howard Cosell, and Don Drysdale for the CBS radio voices of Vin Scully and Sparky Anderson was a pretty fair exchange.

I was pulling for the funky black and gold clad Pirates, temporarily forgiving them for rudely supplanting my Phils as NL East Champions. After falling behind the Orioles 3 games to 1, Pittsburgh righted their ship and came storming back to force the deciding game. Appropriately they were behind 1-0 in the fifth inning when I finally stomped up the stairs to my room. Baltimore's #8 hitter Rich Dauer had homered in the bottom of the third and it looked like the O's starter Scott McGregor was going to make it stick.

By the time I settled under the covers and set the radio volume to a safe enough level to prevent detection the game had moved to the sixth inning. Bill Robinson collected a bad hop single with one out, I had that giddy feeling of anticipation knowing that Willie Stargell was coming to the plate. Pops had basically carried the Pirates the entire season. He had already singled and doubled in the game and was experiencing one of those hot streaks you can only dream about. On McGregor's first pitch, a low fastball, Willie turned on it... blasting it high into the cold Baltimore night. It landed in the Pirates bullpen behind right center field fence. Pirates lead 2-1. I smiled and quietly clapped my hands.

Pirates Manager Chuck Tanner stayed with middle man Grant Jackson for the 6th, 7th, and into the 8th before Kent Teckulve came in to close the door and fulfill the 1979 "We Are Family" Pirates destiny as World Champs.

2004 Topps Dick Allen - White Sox

2012-01-28T17:55:00.000-06:00

DA Legacy Card using the 2004 Topps design

DAHOF Top 100 -- #56 Carl Yastrzemski

2012-01-28T17:32:00.001-06:00

From Yaz's Baseball Reference page:
Carl Yastrzemski was a Hall of Fame outfielder who played his entire career with the Boston Red Sox. An eighteen time All-Star, Yastrzemski is the last man to win a Triple Crown in Major League Baseball.

Yaz had one of the longest careers in major league history, appearing in 3308 games over twenty-three seasons. He shares the record for most years with the same team, tied with career Baltimore Oriole Brooks Robinson. He is second on the all-time list for games played, and third in at-bats. A top hitter who led the American League in numerous categories, including batting average three times and on-base percentage five times, he was also am excellent fielder, winning seven Gold Gloves. In two World Series appearances he hit a robust .352.

He won the 1967 American League Triple Crown; not only that, he was at his best down the stretch, when he carried the Red Sox to a miracle pennant in an epic four-team race that was not decided until the season's last day. He won the league's MVP Award that year. He is the last batter to win a Triple Crown, a feat that has since become much more difficult due to the greater number of regular players in each league as a result of expansion. However, many fans remember him just as much for leading the American League in 1968 with a .301 batting average. It was the bottom of the second dead-ball era, and he was the only player in the league who hit .300.

Originally a left-fielder - he replaced the great Ted Williams at the position when Williams retired after the 1960 season -, he was known for his ability to play Fenway Park's Green Monster and cut off opposite baserunners on the basepaths. He player more often at first base and DH in the latter part of his career. He had a highly distinctive batting stance that had him holding the bat vertically above shoulder height as the pitcher began his wind-up; it is jokingly said that he ruined thousands of New England boys' hitting prospects as they tried to imitate their hero's highly-unorthodox stance. It worked for him, though: he holds the record for most career hits without ever collecting 200 hits in a single season.

Thanks for the memories Brad

2012-01-27T15:25:00.000-06:00

Good luck in Washington!

DAHOF Top 100 -- #57 Brad Lidge

2012-01-27T15:03:00.003-06:00

I swear I did not save this post to coincide with the day that Brad Lidge signed a contract to play with the Washington Nationals. It just happened this way. When I started thinking about and created my "Top 100" list in October... Brad Lidge landed on this spot. I had no idea it would fall on the exact day he officially departs the Phils.

First of all, let me state: I love Brad Lidge. I love that nasty slider he threw. I love him for being a perfect 48 for 48 in 2008. I love him for striking our Eric Hinske and closing out the 2008 World Series, giving me a moment that will never fade. I love him for being everything that Brett Meyers, Tom Gordon, and Billy Wagner were not. I love the pride and resiliency he displayed after Albert Pujols shocked the Astros in Game 5 of 2005 NLCS. I love him because he pitched with my Round Rock Express in 2001. I love him because he played college baseball north of the Mason/Dixon line and was still drafted in the first round.

I generally don't subscribe to the standard "you need to have a back of the bullpen stopper" mentality dominating baseball for the last 3 decades. I recognize that recording out number 25, 26, and 27 are typically the hardest outs to get. But I believe that the end of each game should require the manager to assess his team, the pitcher currently in the game, and the opponent before blindly calling on the same man to ALWAYS record those last three outs.

Outside of a very select few pitchers (cough, Mariano Rivera, cough...) the current gospel of the "closer" is a flawed concept. It narrows the mindset and options available to a manager, costing many teams many games in the standings. For one entire season, Brad Lidge proved me wrong. And I love it when I am wrong like that

DAHOF Top 100 -- #58 John Buck

2012-01-26T16:43:00.006-06:00

Last year the Houston Astros lost 106 games, the largest number in the 50 year history of the franchise. Since 2006, the year after the Astros won their one and only National League pennant the club has a .460 winning percentage (447-524). It has been a truly awful period for Astros fans. In my opinion, the trigger signaling the rough tumble from the lofty heights of the 2005 World Series was actually squeezed a year earlier. June 24th, 2004 to be exact.

The Astros clubs of the mid-2000's were very competitive under the veteran leadership and production of Craig Biggio & Jeff Bagwell. By the middle of the 2004 season, boosted by the juiced pitching of Roger Clemens, the club thought it had a chance for a World Series and made a deadline deal bringing Royals outfielder Carlos Beltran to Houston for a catching prospect named John Buck. Beltran played well for the remaining 90 games, the Astros made the playoffs via the wild-card but lost to the Cardinals in the NLCS.

Beltran bolted when he signed a big free agent contract with Mets. John Buck, the club's top prospect, after seven seasons of Astros minor league development was gone in exchange for 90 games of Carlos Beltran. He went on to be a solid major league catcher for the Royals, Blue Jays (where he made the 2010 All Star team), and is currently with the Marlins.

The trading of John Buck set the tone for the final years of the Drayton McLean era. From that point until he sold the team, the Astros no longer cared about the long term development of the franchise. They went from having the strongest minor league system in baseball to the worst of the worst. They stopped signing draft picks and any sense of player development was basically lost. Instead the fans were treated to the likes of Jason Jennings, Miguel Tejada, Carlos Lee, Kaz Matsui, and Geoff Blum. While home-grown players like Brad Lidge, Willy Taveras, Morgan Ensberg, Chris Burke, Chad Qualls, Jason Lane, and Luke Scott were sent packing for short term or failed attempts to fill seats.

Quality minor league prospects like D.J. Houlton, Tim Redding, Ben Zobrist, Brooks Conrad, and Jason Hirsh were shed for basically nothing. Replaced in the system by roster filling vets like JR House, Joe McEwing, Cody Ransom, Matt Kata, Reggie Abercrombie, and Travis Driskill.

It all started with John Buck.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #59 Bobby Scales

2012-01-25T22:52:00.001-06:00

In the early summer of 1999 Bobby Scales must have thought he had it made. He was the co-captain of the Michigan baseball team. His Wolverines had won another conference championship, they made it into the coveted NCAA tournament and Bobby was the MVP of the Big Ten tournament. To top it all off, Scales was selected in 14th round of the MLB draft by the San Diego Padres. No one could argue, he was on his way.

When he reported to his first professional team in Idaho Falls, Bobby Scales must have thought the only thing he needed to do was what he had always done....to play hard, get hits, and he would be in the majors in a few years. Except it didn't happen that way...

At first he moved through the Padres minor league system rapidly. By 2002 he had already made it to AAA; then he stopped getting promoted. He left the Padres for a shot to make that final step with the Phillies and the next season with the Red Sox. Both years, he stayed in AAA. He signed with the Cubs thinking this HAD to be his shot... And still he stayed in AAA. In total Bobby Scales spent 11 years and 3,303 minor-league at-bats before getting that call.

On May 5th, 2009 at Chicago's famed Wrigley Field, a 31 year old rookie named Bobby Scales was the starting second baseman for the Cubs. In the fifth inning he stroked an opposite-field single off reigning CyYoung winner Tim Lincecum. After the game he said "It was worth the wait... No matter what happens the rest of the way, they can't take it from me. I got it. I earned it. And I'm just fortunate to have it."

For the rest of 2009 must have been a blur as went back & forth from Iowa to Chicago. He played in 51 major league games for the Cubs collecting 30 hits, including 3 home runs. He spent 2010 down in AAA Iowa before getting a September call, seeing another 10 big league games.

In the spring of 2011, he was back to Iowa after losing out to Darwin Barney in spring training. Still playing hard. Still collecting those hits. Still looking for a real chance. Still hoping the game will love him as much as he loved it.

Last summer I got a chance to meet and laugh with Bobby Scales. A week later he got a call from Japan's Nippon-Ham Fighters, and he was gone. You can't blame the guy, he had earned the right to cash bigger paychecks and a deserved a little love.

“I’ve been in this game for a minute or two... It’s a big-boy business. If you can’t handle it, go do something else. That’s just what it is. If people pass you up, clearly they were doing better than you, or it just wasn’t a good fit, or something. You’ve got two choices- either sit in Triple-A and sulk, or roll up your sleeves and work harder and play better. I chose the latter."

“At the end of the day, all I can control is how I play and how I go about my business every day, and hopefully it’s good enough for somebody. Fortunately for me, it was good enough for the folks in Japan, and I’m ready to go over there and play.”

DAHOF Top 100 -- #60 Dave Winfield

2012-01-24T17:53:00.001-06:00

From Baseballpedia.org

In his senior year in college, Dave Winfield was a wanted man.

In 1973, Winfield, a senior at the University of Minnesota, was selected in four drafts in three different professional sports. Just weeks after being selected as the fourth overall pick in the baseball draft by the San Diego Padres, Winfield was named Most Valuable Player of the College World Series...

...In contrast to today, when drafted players often hold out for astronomical guaranteed contacts or leverage their selection to end up with the team of their choice, Winfield was anxious to make his mark in the pro ranks. After little hassle, he inked a $15,000 deal with the Padres, and negotiated a $50,000 signing bonus, most of which he invested in the stock market. His contract called for him to go directly to the big league club in 1973.

Just weeks after ending his college career, Winfield was in uniform with the Padres, a team known more for their hamburger-chain owner Ray Kroc than for winning. That first season, manager Don Zimmer kept coaches away from Winfield’s swing (they wanted to alter his “hitch” that served as Winfield’s timing mechanism) and sheltered the rookie from tough pitchers.

“They were good at keeping me out against the Tom Seaver’s and Bob Gibson’s,” Winfield recalls. “I watched and listened, and tried to learn as much as I could.”

With competition for playing time fierce on the lowly Padres, and with teammates more concerned with their own jobs than helping along a rookie, Winfield often turned to opposing players for guidance, such as Billy Williams of the Cubs and Dick Allen of the Phillies.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #61 George Scott

2012-01-23T23:25:00.001-06:00

Like Dick Allen, George Scott wore a batting helmet when he took his defensive position. The only difference was "Boomer" wore his helmet to protect his noggin against opposing fans and Allen had to wear his to protect his head from "hometown" fans.

At 6'2" well over 200 pounds, George Scott was an intimidating sight, all the way down to the exotic tribal necklace he wore made of (as he described it) "the second baseman's teeth". If you don't believe me, ask Denny Martinez.

He hit over 20 home runs six times in his career and was a three-time AL All-Star, including getting the start at first during his rookie season (1966). In 1975 he had his best statistical season while playing alongside Hank Aaron, he tied Reggie Jackson for the American League HR crown with a career-high 36 while leading the league in RBIs with 109.

Atypical for someone with his size, George Scott was also first class defensive 1st baseman. Armed with his glove he named "black beauty" he won an amazing eight "Gold Glove" Awards during his 14 year career. In almost 2000 career American League games, only 40 times did he get penciled in as the Designated Hitter.

My most vivid memory of Scott comes from the 1977 All Star Game played at Yankee Stadium. Playing for the Red Sox, Boomer entered the game at 1B in the seventh inning, replacing starter Rod Carew. With the American League down 7-3 in the bottom of the ninth, he blasted a two run "tater" (as he used to call home runs) deep into left-center field off of Goose Gossage to pull the AL within striking distance.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #62 John Kruk

2012-01-23T22:21:00.000-06:00

I read someone recently attempt to describe John Kruk as "Kenny Powers before Kenny Powers was Kenny Powers". If you have never watched the HBO Series EASTBOUND AND DOWN – you have to admit there is some similarities.

Think of John Kruk as the ying & yang of baseball athleticism. On one hand, Kruk was an excellent hitter with extraordinary hand/eye coordination and on the other his oversized waist is destined to add to the pile of evidence used characterize baseball players as not elite physically fit athletes. One thing I am relatively sure of, John Kruk was not a PED juicer... unless that juice was beer. Six pack abs or not, I so badly wanted his Phillies to win the 1993 World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays. For me, he was the most loveable and most memorable characters on that forever famous team. The best way to sum up John Kruk is simply to use the quote most attributed to him “I’m not an athlete; I’m a baseball player.”

Short of winning the World Series, John Kruk actually got to live the baseball dream that most of us only get to fantasize about. Most importantly, he had fun and treated the game the way it should be treated, like a game. To most, he looked more like a fat beer league softball player than a major league all-star. True to his West Virginia roots, he proudly sported an eye-popping mullet and he may have only showered once a week. In 1991, he actually traded his uniform number (#28) to his new teammate (Mitch Williams) for $10 and two cases of beer. Williams later turned in #28 for the infamous #99. At the height of his fame, Kruk turned up as a guest on the David Letterman show and was more funny than any professional comedian.

The spring after that heart-breaking World Series loss, He referred to the goat of the series as “his hero” after Mitch Williams unleashed a wild pickoff throw that inadvertently broke Kruk’s protective cup, which necessitated a doctor’s exam, which led to an early diagnosis of testicular cancer. How many of you have ever been hit so hard in the crotch that it broke your cup – and called the guy that did it “a hero”?

DAHOF Top 100 -- #63 Roy Oswalt

2012-01-22T22:09:00.000-06:00

It is going to be hard to watch Roy Oswalt pitch for someone else other than the Phillies in 2012. He is a great competitor and would be the "ace" on most staffs in the majors. The baseball world first became aware of Roy Oswalt when he pitched for the Houston Astros. Like most of the Houston Astros prospects developed over the last decade, I had an early preview to him courtesy of my local minor eager team, the Round Rock Express.

Oswalt began 2000 with the Class A Kissimmee Cobras of the Florida State League, going 4–3 with a 2.98 ERA before a player injury in AA got him called up. Oswalt was only expected to pitch one game and had been issued a round-trip ticket. He was supposed to be back in Florida in a couple of days.

His "one game" in AA was May 25th, 2000 against the hated San Antonio Missions. Instead of being intimidated, he became the intimidator as he struck out 15 batters and tossed a 5 hit complete game shutout. Legend has it that Express manager Jackie Moore tore up his ticket back to Florida, but it is more likely Nolan Ryan, owner of the Express (and Oswalt's idol) successfully lobbied to keep Oswalt on the roster. He stayed.

He would finish that magical season with an 11–4 record and an astounding 1.94 ERA. He notched 141 strikeouts over 19 games (18 starts). As a result of his success at Round Rock, Oswalt was selected to play on the United States baseball team that won the gold medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics. He wasn't on the roster when the Express won the Texas League Championship, but he was a big part of that team.

2005 Topps Dick Allen - Phillies

2012-01-22T13:00:00.001-06:00

DA Legacy Card using the 2005 Topps design

DAHOF Top 100 -- #64 Cesar Cedeño

2012-01-20T14:22:00.002-06:00

When it really gets down to it... Cesar Cedeño is at least half reason for my unhealthy dedication for those delicious 1970's Houston Astros tequila sunrise uniforms. He was a great player when I first started following baseball and his appearance (along with several of his teammates) in the 2nd Bad News Bears movie secured his spot in my Top 100.

When Leo Durocher took over as manager for the last 31 games of the 1972 season - he dubbed his 22 year old center fielder, as "the next Willie Mays." This was high praise considering that Leo managed and served as a father-figure for the "real Willie Mays" for many years. The truth is Cedeño never came close to reaching Leo's expectations, but considering no one other major league player has ever been able to match the incomparable Willie Mays, he was pretty darn good ballplayer.

He came up to the majors at age 19 and established himself as a big star early in his career, hitting over .310 in three of his first four years for the Astros.

Possessing the magic combo of power, speed, and good defense, Cesar became the second man in Major League history (after Lou Brock in 1967) to hit 20 home runs and steal 50 bases in one season. Cedeño accomplished the feat three years in a row (1972-1974), while playing home games in the notoriously pitcher-friendly Astrodome. He also stole 50-plus bases the next three years (1975-1977), twice led the league in doubles (1971-1972) and collected 102 RBI in 1974. He also won five consecutive Gold Glove Awards (1972-1976), appeared in four All-Star Games (1972-1974, 1976).

2006 Topps Dick Allen - Phillies

2012-01-20T13:39:00.001-06:00

DA Legacy Card using the 2006 Topps design

DAHOF Top 100 -- #65 Rich Gossage

2012-01-19T14:34:00.001-06:00

In 2008 Rich Gossage was enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He earned his place in Cooperstown by pioneering the role and persona of the modern day closer.

During his 22-year baseball career he pitched for nine different teams, begining his career with the White Sox, establishing his star with the Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Yankees and San Diego Padres, and holding on with several other clubs including a season in Japan. When he retired he ranked third in major league history in career games pitched (1,002), third in wins in relief (115) and innings pitched in relief (1,556⅔); his 1,502 strikeouts place him second behind Hoyt Wilhelm among pitchers who primarily pitched in relief. Proving once again, baseball is a game of failure, Goose is also the career leader in blown saves (112).

During his Hall of Fame induction speech Goose Gossage said this:

In 1972, I had the privilege of playing with Dick Allen. I didn't know it at the time, but in retrospect, he was the greatest player I ever played with. That's quite a statement because I played with a lot of great ones. He taught me how to pitch from a hitter's perspective. He took me under his wing and we would talk for hours on end about pitching. It was amazing.

I will end my post about Goose Gossage right there.

2007 Topps Dick Allen - Athletics

2012-01-19T11:29:00.001-06:00

DA Legacy Card using the 2007 Topps design

1978 Phillies - The All-Hair Outfield

2012-01-18T17:40:00.001-06:00

Inspired by loyal reader Jim from Downingtown and in honor of the paperback availability date announcement from our friends at Big Hair and Plastic Grass, I decided to do some special "Big Hair" research and came up with what I consider to be the Biggest Hair'd Outfield to ever play on Plastic Grass.

This hairy dream team became possible following the 1977 season when the Phillies traded righthander Manny Seoane to the Cubs for Jose Cardenal. With Garry Maddox and Bake McBride already on the roster, this seemingly routine trade set the stage for the most funky outfield trio in baseball history.

Frankly, I was shocked when I discovered how long it took to happen. They were 155 games into the season before "The Three Afros" played in the same outfield at the same time.

On September 25th, 1978 the Phillies were in first place bearing down on their third straight NL East title. The Montreal Expos were in town. As typical, Garry Maddox started the game in center field and Jose Cardenal started for the 43rd time of the '78 season at first base. Buried the entire game by Expos started Dan Schatzeder, the Phillies scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth off Mike Garman to tie it up before Bake McBride got the call to pinch hit for pitcher Warren Brusstar. Unfortunately (or fortunately for this story) Bake got picked off of first and the home team did not score any more runs, sending the game into extra innings.

Bake McBride stayed in the game and went to right field in the 10th, but Jose Cardenal was still standing at first. In the bottom of the 11th innning, Phils Manager Danny Ozark sent Richie Hebner up to pinch hit for Lonnie Smith. Hebner fouled out to first and the Phils again failed to score, sending the game to the top of the 12th.

Faced with a defensive dilemma, Danny Ozark moved Cardenal from first to left field and inserted Hebner at first.

Pop the champagne! For the first time ever...three of the greatest afros in baseball history - Bake McBride (rf) and Garry Maddox (cf) and Jose Cardenal (lf) - were standing in the same outfield at the same time.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #66 Willy Taveras

2012-01-18T17:18:00.001-06:00

Selected in the minor league Rule 5 draft by the Astros from the Indians, I first met Willy Taveras in 2004 when he was a member of the AA Round Rock Express. Wearing braces and smiling, he was a wild eyed 22 year old minor leaguer trying to hustle his way to the majors. In an era of juiced up power hitters, Willy was one of those players that built his game entirely on speed. Once he got on base, everyone in the ballpark knew was going to steal second and third -- but very few pitchers/catchers could stop him. Willy tore up the Texas League in 2004, putting together a great season hitting .335 and stealing 55 bases in 105 games. This performance was good enough to earn him a coveted September major league call-up. While his teammates were trying in vain to win the Texas League Championship, he struck out swinging in his first big league at bat against Reds righthander John Riedling.

The next season (2005) Willy won the Astros starting centerfielder job and was selected to the Topps all-rookie team when he led the National League in singles. He had 31 bunt hits and incredible number of infield hits (71). He was a key contributor as the Astros captured their first National League Pennant and made their first World Series appearance in franchise history.

Surprisingly, he was traded to the Colorado Rockies after the 2006 season in the ill-conceived deal that brought Jason Jennings to Houston. Good luck seemed to follow him, because he was also part of the 2007 National League Champion Rockies. He led the National League in steals in 2008 when he swiped 68.

My most vivid memory of Willy is from the 2009 World Baseball Classic. Surprisingly, he was one of the best offensive players for the ultra-talented Dominican Republic squad. He went 2 for 7 with six walks, leading the team in OBP. Sadly, Willy is most remembered for getting thrown out trying to steal third base in the 9th inning of the opening game of pool play, a shocking 3-2 loss to the Dutch national team. Many consider it the biggest upset in World Baseball Classic history. That loss set the stage for their elimination after a second loss to the Dutch.

2008 Topps Dick Allen - Phillies

2012-01-17T16:26:00.001-06:00

DA Legacy Card using the 2008 Topps design

DAHOF Top 100 -- #67 Lance Berkman

2012-01-17T14:12:00.002-06:00

I first saw Lance Berkman play in 1998 as a member of the "AA" Jackson Generals. The ownership group headed by Nolan Ryan had recently purchase the Jackson, Mississippi minor league franchise with the announced intention of moving it to Central Texas.

I was part of a group of fans that signed up for a bus trip to San Antonio to watch the Generals play the Missions. It was my first Texas League game and about the only thing I remember was the deep left center field blast off the bat of the former Rice Owl.

The next decade was spent as a mainstay for the Houston Astros, initially as an outfielder and then he replaced Jeff Bagwell at first. During that time, Lance made six all star teams, he led the National League in RBIs (128) in 2002, set the all-time team record in RBIs (136) in 2006 and helped lead the club into three playoffs and the 2005 National League Pennant. During the 2010 season, Lance was dealt to the Yankees in a trade deadline salary dump by the Astros. He signed as a free-agent with the Cardinals and won his first World Series ring last fall.

Reading over Lance's stats while composing the post, it struck me that Berkman & Dick Allen are very close in Similarity Scores. If you are not familiar with this stat, Bill James introduced it in his book The Politics of Glory*. The concept is to create a method to compare one player to another, starting at 1000 points and subtracting points based on the statistical differences.

Lance Berkman & Dick Allen have a career similarity score of 919.

* Yes, this is the same book Bill James said Dick Allen "did more to keep his teams from winning than anyone else who ever played major league baseball". In my opinion, that statement was proven to be false here.

2009 Topps Dick Allen - Phillies

2012-01-15T21:35:00.000-06:00

DA Legacy Card using the 2009 Topps design

DAHOF Top 100 -- #68 Bake McBride

2012-01-15T16:15:00.001-06:00

On June 15th, 1977 the Phillies sent Tom Underwood, Dane Iorg, and Rick Bosetti to the St. Louis Cardinals for a minor leaguer named Steve Waterbury and Bake McBride. Waterbury never played a game for the Phillies, but Bake McBride immediately challenged Garry Maddox for the best afro on the club and became an solid player on a club already stacked with impact players.

With the Cardinals, he won the 1974 NL Rookie of the Year awa rdand made the 1976 All Star team. Following the 1976 he had knee surgery and was struggling in the first half of 1977. It couldn't have helped he played the majority of his games on the green concrete that called astroturf. Bake had never hit less than .300 in his first 5 major league seasons, at the time of the trade he was hitting a career low .262.

Even though the Phils also had some of the worst astroturf in history, the trade seemed to invigorate McBride. He hit .339 and stole 27 bases for the rest of the season while providing a significant contribution to the Phillies second straight NL East flag. McBride remained as the Phils regular right fielder for the next four seasons, helping the 1980 team deliver the franchise's first World Series championship.

My most vivid memory of Bake McBride comes from the Game 1 of the 1980 World Series. The Royals jumped to an early 4 run lead before the Phils came roaring back in the bottom of the third inning. In that inning, Bake McBride hit a 3 run homer to give the Phils a lead they never relinquished. It was the first World Series win since Game 1 of the 1915 Fall Classic.

2010 Topps Dick Allen - Cardinals

2012-01-13T15:58:00.002-06:00

DA Legacy Card using the 2010 Topps design

DAHOF Top 100 -- #69 Oscar Salazar

2012-01-13T14:32:00.001-06:00

One of the primary reasons I adore minor league baseball is the accessibility of the players. The "AA" Texas League is made up of 8 teams in 2 divisions playing 140 games each summer. The result of this configuration is each team plays a ton of games against their three divisional rivals each season.

In 2001 I was a Round Rock Express season ticket holder, attending an unnatural number of Texas League games. We watched many games pitting the Express against their rivals from Midland. Our seats were in the first row behind 1st base, right next to the visitors dugout. This allowed us to spend a lot time getting to know the players from the Rockhounds. Without question, one of the most friendly players I have ever met in minor league baseball was Oscar Salazar.

To anyone watching and paying attention, he was having a great time being a professional baseball player. Oscar always had a smile on his face. He was very happy to sign autographs for everyone that asked. He tossed every ball he could into the stands. To make it better, he had a great season in 2001, making both the Texas League and "AA" All Star teams.

My most vivid memory of Oscar happened that summer. It was a couple of seasons before the Dell Diamond expanded and the left field upper deck structure was added. At the time, the clubhouse was the only visible structure and was a frequent target of young AA home run hitters. Oscar Salazar was the first ballplayer I ever saw hit a home run OVER that club house. It was amazing. I can still see the ball disappearing into the dark Central Texas night.

Oscar has gone on to play in the majors for a couple of different teams, including most recently the Padres in 2010. I just checked the Venezuelan Winter League stats and was pleased to see he is still playing. He is currently leading the league in HRs and batting an impressive .359 for the Tiburones de La Guaira. He will always be one of my favorite players, not because of his talent, but because of his joyous attitude.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #70 Juan Samuel

2012-01-12T17:20:00.000-06:00

On July 31st, 1984 I went to Wrigley Field with 6 of my friends to catch the Phillies and the Cubs. It was a Tuesday. We had all graduated from high school a couple of weeks earlier and felt like we were "men of the world" going to a ballgame with no supervision.

It was one of those magical summer days in Chicago. Perfect weather. The reigning NL Cy Young award winner, John Denny was on the mound for the Phillies facing journeyman Rich Bordi. At the time, the Cubs were only a half game out of first in the NL East... on the way to their first playoff appearance in 39 seasons.

Cubs third-baseman Ron Cey smashed a home run in the bottom of the second inning to give the Cubs a 1-0 lead. Garry Maddox led off the top of the third with a single to left, but was gunned down by Gary Matthews trying to stretch it into a double.

That was basically it. The Phillies were retired inning after inning by Bordi. The only base runner the Phils could muster was an eighth inning walk to Mike Schmidt. Going into the top of the ninth, with a seemingly insurmountable 1-0 lead, Rich Bordi quickly retired Tim Corcoran and then Sixto Lezcano. He was one out away from a 1 hit shutout. Cubs fans rose to their feet to cheer the final out by.... Juan Samuel.

Samuel, in his second year in the big leagues, had other plans. On the second pitch he smashed a Bordi fastball onto the batters eye tarp in center. Shut out, gone. Complete game, gone. Wrigley Field went silent, except of course, for me. I yelled and hooted, celebrating the last gasp game tying home run as only an 18 year old could. Loudly.

The game went into extra innings and was decided in the 12th when Juan Samuel singled to lead off the inning, stole second, moved to third on a Tim Stoddard wild pitch, and scored on a Von Hayes fly ball.

2011 Topps Dick Allen - Dodgers

2012-01-12T08:08:00.004-06:00

DA Legacy Card using the 2011 Topps design

I've determined I am going to follow this pattern with this card design project:

Years that end in "0" will be Cardinals (DA played in St Louis in 1970)
Years that end in "1" will be Dodgers (DA played in Los Angeles in 1971)
Years ending in "2", "3", or "4" will be White Sox (DA played in Chicago from 1972-1974)
Years ending in "7" will be A's (DA spent 1977 in Oakland)
The remaining other years (5, 6, 8, & 9) will be Phillies.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #71 Jamie Moyer

2012-01-11T11:12:00.001-06:00

I am going to need to pick up the pace with my Top 100 favorite players to complete the project before the season starts.

On April 21st, 2007 I had the opportunity to shoot the Phillies and Nationals at old RFK Stadium in DC. Much to my chagrin, 44 year old Jamie Moyer was the Phillies starting pitcher. I had hoped for the the chance to see Cole Hamels, but the early season pitching rotation was unpredictable because of the rainy weather. Instead, the baseball gods decided to teach me a lesson about the immeasurable value of a crafty lefty.

For the entire afternoon Moyer baffled the young and overly aggressive Nationals. I don't think he threw a pitch over 84 MPH the entire game, but he was in complete control and seemed to get more confident as the game rolled on. The 6th, 7th, and 8th innings looked like this: Flyball, walk, double play / ground out, pop out, strike out looking / ground out, ground out, strike out swinging. Through eight innings Moyer had a 4-0 lead and had given up only two hits.

The best part of the day came as Moyer was preparing to take his turn at the plate in the 4th inning. I was in the photographers well directly behind the on-deck circle. Nationals fans aren't particularly rough or obnoxious, but one fan was loudly sharing the fact Jamie Moyer has never hit a home run in 20 years in the majors, over and over. Without showing any anger or emotion, Moyer turned around, looked the man directly in the eye, smiled, and asked "How many do you have?". And then there was silence.

Moyer walked to the plate and stroked a single to centerfield.

Heading into the ninth, I was looking forward to cherishing an amazing complete game shutout by a truly professional pitcher...when the baseball gods decided to teach me another lesson about this game. In the bottom of the ninth, the Nationals Ryan Zimmerman and Dmitri Young smashed back-to-back doubles to ruin the shutout and knock Moyer out of the game. I was shocked. Phils closer Tom Gordon came in and eventually stopped the rally preserving the victory.

2012 Topps Dick Allen - White Sox

2012-01-06T18:04:00.003-06:00

Inspired by the great work by Uncle John's Band on his Cards That Never Were blog showcasing his created Mickey Mantle card collection -- I am going to attempt a similar project with my guy.

The difficult part of this plan will be the process of creating a Topps baseball card template in photoshop for each year, starting with 2012 cards. The 2012 Topps Series 1 has not been released yet, but I designed this based on the image they have released of Ryan Braun. The upside to this daunting project is once the card templates are done, they can be shared and reused for multiple projects. Let me know if you want me to share a specific template.

DA Legacy Card using the 2012 Topps design

DAHOF Top 100 -- #72 Ken Griffey Junior

2012-01-06T12:35:00.001-06:00

The Kid. Number One overall pick in the draft. AL MVP. 13 time All Star. All Star Game MVP. 3 times the Home Run Derby winner. 10 Gold Gloves. 7 Silver Slugger awards. League Home Run champ. 2 50 Home run seasons. League RBI champ. League Runs champ. Comeback Player of the Year. All Century Team.

Ken Griffey Jr was born to play baseball. He grew up inside the famed Big Red Machine and obviously learned something. He arrived with incredible expectations, and delivered. He basically saved the Seattle Mariners franchise and developed into one of the Top 3 players of this generation. In an era best remembered for fairy-tale numbers fueled by performance enhancing drugs, KGJ delivered eye-popping numbers without a hint of PED aid, establishing himself as a first ballot hall of famer.

Plenty of memories, but nothing sticks out more than 51 game span in 1990 & 1991 that he got to live out just about every kid's wildest baseball fantasy.... playing on a major league team with your Dad.

On August 29th, 1990, five days after being released by the Reds, Ken Griffey Senior signed a contract to play with the Seattle Mariners. A couple of days later, they were in the starting lineup at the same time, playing next to each other Junior in center & Senior in left. It was the first time in ML history a father & son played on the same team... and they both collected hits. Tim Raines & Tim Raines Junior would play together on the 2001 Baltimore Orioles.

However, even a Hollywood script writer could not top what happened on September 14th. The Mariners were in Anaheim, playing out the season against in the Angels. After walking leadoff hitter Harold Reynolds to start the game, Angels starter Kirk McCaskill hung a curve ball to KG Senior who promptly blasted it to left-center field over the head of leaping Devon White. KG Junior was on deck and greeted his father at home following his 151st career HR. Four pitches later, Junior lofted a low outside pitch over the wall about 6 pad panels to the left of where his Dad's home run went out. Back-to-Back-Father-and-Son home runs. It was the 36th HR of his young career. I was stationed at Camp Pendleton at the time and watched it live on TV, immediately recognizing it was something I would likely never see again.

Ken Griffey Senior would hit one more home run before retiring in May of 1991. Ken Griffey Junior would hit 594 more home runs before retiring in June of 2010.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #73 Oscar Gamble

2012-01-05T02:05:00.000-06:00

Rest assured, Oscar would have likely secured a place in my Top 100 list for his legendary afro. But there is more to our relationship than just funky hair...

On September 17th, 1977 my Dad loaded me and my brothers into the car and drove the 90 minutes (or so) around Lake Michigan to Comiskey Park. Stuck in third place the magical "South Side Hitmen" I had followed on my transistor radio all summer had faded 11.5 games behind the Royals.

The cold harsh reality that the Sox were not going to the playoffs didn't enter mind mind as we scrambled through the damp Comiskey Park concourse to get a glimpse of the sun drenched field. I only got to go to one or two games a season and on this Saturday the California Angels were in town. As we settled into our seats in the right field upper deck, Sox starter Steve Renko gave up a run in the second inning when a strangely named rookie called Willie Mays Aikens shot a grounder to Jorge Orta on right side of the infield, scoring DH Don Baylor from third. Baylor led off the inning with a walk, stole second, and somehow failed to score on a Ken Landreaux double. The Angels extended their lead to 2-0 in the top of the 5th when Jerry Remy lofted a sacrifice fly to Chet Lemon in center field, scoring Thad Bosley. The next inning they put up a third run when Landreaux doubled in Baylor. 3-0 Angels. Sigh.

Things were not looking great for the Sox in the bottom of the 7th inning when Angels reliever Dyar Miller came in and coaxed Jim Essian and Ralph Garr into two quick outs. Then the righthanded Miller lost his control and walked both Chet Lemon and Jorge Orta. Things were getting interesting as Oscar Gamble strolled to the plate. Before you could blink, Oscar turned on one and blasted a game-knotting three run homer into Comiskey's famed upper deck. The ball landed a few rows in front and to the right of us. I had no chance at the ball, but it seemed that all hell broke loose anyway. As I gained my bearings, the scoreboard blasted it's legendary fireworks and Nancy Faust played "Hey Hey Goodbye" on the organ. I had goosebumps as I joined the rest of the Sox fans bellowing the now familiar lyrics. To the 11 year old version of me, it was like crack cocaine and I was hooked on my first inhale.

Preparing for this post, I didn't remember that Bobby Bonds had an RBI single in the top of the ninth (off Clay Carroll) to give the Angels the win. Nor did I recall Sox All Star Richie Zisk ended the game as a pinch hitter, popping out to second. The miracle of internet and baseball-reference gives my childhood baseball memories detail and context. Oscar's blast was his 30th home run, he would hit his career high 31st (and final 1977) HR the next day. In the end, the only thing I really remembered was the explosion of the crowd and fireworks and the singing. Magic.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #74 Garry Maddox

2012-01-01T16:47:00.002-06:00

I blogged about my deep affection for Garry Maddox on his birthday in September. Not much has changed for either of us since then, other than my sudden realization that his beard would make a superb HAIR-itage design.

From the great baseball blog HARDBALLTIMES:
After making his professional debut in the Giants farm system in 1968, Maddox spent the next two seasons in the Army. While stationed in Vietnam, Maddox was exposed to chemicals that damaged his skin, leaving it highly sensitive to the touch. It became so difficult for Maddox to shave that he grew and maintained a full beard, which became a trademark during his playing career.

The stint in Vietnam did little to affect Maddox’ baseball skills. He returned to the Giants system in 1971, putting up banner numbers for Class-A Fresno. He slugged .562, hit 30 home runs and stole 21 bases. That performance earned him a promotion to Triple-A Phoenix in 1972. By late April, Maddox graduated to San Francisco, where he became the starting center fielder.

Maddox remained a Candlestick Park fixture until 1975, when a glut of outfielders made him expendable. In a regrettable trade, the Giants dealt Maddox to the Phillies for first baseman Willie Montanez. Maddox blossomed in Philadelphia, where he established a reputation as an all-world defender for six postseason-qualifying teams. Winning Gold Gloves every season from 1975 to 1982, Maddox earned the deserving nickname, the “Secretary of Defense.” He became a vital contributor to the Phillies’ 1980 world championship team. Though he walked only 18 times, Maddox hit 11 home runs, stole 25 bases and turned in his usual high-grade performance in center field.

Maddox retired after a six-game stint in 1986; the following year, he moved up to the broadcast booth as a color man on Phillies telecasts. Highly successful in his post-playing days, Maddox has attended classes at Temple University, become a CEO at an office furniture company, served as a director of the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank, and earned a reputation as an acclaimed barbecue chef.

Forever 21

2011-12-31T21:49:00.011-06:00

''Any time you have an opportunity to make a difference in this world and you don't, then you are wasting your time on Earth.''

~ Roberto Clemente

DAHOF Top 100 - Pedro Martinez #75

2011-12-31T20:56:00.002-06:00

On July 1st, 2002 I took my son and nephew to Fenway Park to see a Red Sox / Blue Jays game. It was our good fortune that Pedro Martinez was pitching for the Sox that night. If you never got to see a game when Pedro was pitching in his prime, it was electric.

Pedro went 8 innings and struck out what would prove to be his season high of 14 batters in gathering his 10th win. He was in complete control and the Red Sox crowd erupted with each vanquished Blue Jay. When Sox manager Grady Little decided to bring in Alan Embree to start the top of the ninth, the party seemed to quietly end. I don't even remember hearing "dirty water" because we left. There was no point in staying after Pedro left.

Looking back, to have the opportunity to watch a future hall of fame pitcher dominate a major league game at the peak of his career is one of the best gifts this game has ever granted me.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #76 Carl Crawford

2011-12-29T21:14:00.001-06:00

I first noticed Carl Crawford at the 2001 AA All Star Game. He was playing for the Orlando Rays and looked like an overwhelmed 19 year old kid. Because that game was played in Texas, most of the locals focused on his exploits as a Houston area high school quarterback. More than one person couldn't believe he turned down a college football scholarship offer from Nebraska and a college basketball offer from UCLA.

Personally, I loved it. It is great to see such an athletic kid choose baseball over those "other" sports.

Since that time, I've enjoyed following his career as much as any non-phillie currently playing in the majors. He was the first Tampa Bay player to make the American League All Star team more than one time. Carl isn't your typical power-hitting superstar. He plays the game differently than most of his peers. Carl has already won the AL triples crown and the AL stolen base crown four times in his career. He and Ty Cobb are the only major league players to hit 100 triples and steal 400 bases before the age of 30.

Now he is wearing the uniform of the Boston Red Sox, it isn't as easy to cheer for him. But no matter what he is wearing, this kid is a special player.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #77 Thurman Muson

2011-12-28T19:31:00.000-06:00

On August 2nd, 1979 a Cessna Citation jet crashed while practicing 'touch & go' landings at Ohio's Akron-Canton Regional Airport. The two passengers of the plane survived the crash and escaped, while the pilot did not. That pilot was Yankee Captain Thurman Munson. He was 32.

Thurman Munson played for the New York Yankees for 11 years after being drafted in the 1st round (4th overall pick) out of Kent State. He made his big league debut in 1969, but did not gather up enough plate appearances to lose his rookie status. The next season (1970) he won the American League Rookie of the Year award when he batted a .302.

I am not a Yankee fan by any stretch of the imagination, but even as a child I recognized and respected Thurman Munson. His intense attitude and natural leadership skills earned him the position of team captain. This was a real honor because he was the first Yankee to be named captain since the great Lou Gehrig.

During his short career he earned three Gold Gloves, made seven All-Star teams, and was named the American League's most valuable player in 1976. In the three seasons prior to his death, he led the Yankees to three American League pennants and two World Championships. After Thurman died, it would be another 18 years before they would win another World Series title.

Yankee owner George Steinbrenner retired Munson's number 15 immediately upon his catcher's death. The entire Yankees team attended his funeral in Ohio before returning to Yankee Stadium to play the Orioles in a nationally televised game. One of Munson's best friends, Bobby Murcer drove in all 5 runs of the Yankees 5-4 win. His locker remained empty until Yankee Stadium was demolished following the 2008 season.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #78 Von Hayes

2011-12-27T14:19:00.001-06:00

On December 9th, 1982 the Philadelphia Phillies sent five players (Jay Baller, Julio Franco, Manny Trillo, George Vukovich and Jerry Willard) to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for Von Hayes. Hayes was a young left handed power hitter with enormous potential. He was projected to develop into the foundation of the franchise. He immediately brought youth to the aging Phillies of 1983, he was the only everyday position player under 30.

On the surface, it is easy to say the "5 for 1" Von Hayes deal was a bad one of the Phillies. The club gave up the slick and popular Manny Trillo, a solid bench player in Vuckovich, a future all-star in Julio Franco. Baller & Willard made no real impact in the majors. But if you really look at the deal, it wasn't a bad trade for the Phillies. The popular Phillies Nation blog did an analysis of the Von Hayes for 5 players trade last year and concluded the Phillies actually "took the Indians to the cleaners on that fateful day in December 1982".

Using catch all statistic WAR (wins above replacement):
Not only did Hayes generate more value for the Phillies than all of the players the Indians got put together, he did it from one roster spot.

In the end, Von Hayes spent 9 seasons in Philadelphia. While never living up to the MVP caliber projections, he produced some solid but not eye-popping numbers. He also played on some with some pretty dismal teams, never sniffing the playoffs after his first season. He was the Phillies only representative on the 1989 NL All Star team (Mike Schmidt retired in May, but was still elected as the starter at third base). He entered the game in the 8th inning, and had an RBI single.

My most vivid memory of Von Hayes came on June 11, 1985, when he became the first player in MLB history to hit two home runs in the first inning of a game. After leading off the game with a home run off Tom Gorman, Von Hayes hit a grand slam later that inning off Calvin Schiraldi. The Phillies won the game 26-7 over the Mets.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #79 Gary Matthews

2011-12-26T11:23:00.000-06:00

Not many people know this... it was Phils teammate Pete Rose that came up with the nickname "Sarge" for Gary Matthews. Pete told Gary "...You take command. You step up like a Sargent..." as a compliment to his natural leadership skills.

Drafted in the first round of the 1968 draft (17th overall pick) by the Giants, "Sarge" played 16 seasons in the majors, including three with the Phillies (1981-83). He was the Most Valuable Player of the 1983 National League Championship Series when the Phillies defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers to advance to the World Series. Sarge hit .429, jacked three home runs, and drove in 8 runs to end the Dodgers post-season dominance of the Phillies. The '83 playoff performance was even more surprising, because he had such poor regular season numbers (.258 with 10HRs).

In addition to his NLCS MVP trophy, Gary won the National League Rookie of the Year award in 1973 and was a member of the NL All-Star team in 1979. He appeared in the NL Division Series with the Phillies in 1981, the NLCS and World Series with the Phillies in 1983 and the NLCS with the Cubs in 1984.

Best remembered by Phillies & Cubs fans for saluting the fans in left field. It has been as a Phillies announcer he has made the biggest impression on me. He has one of those "local" announcers style and attitude that has really grown on me. His insights and quirky observations as a former player are great and his voice will always remind me of the current "golden age" of Phillies baseball.

Happy Carlton Fisk Day

2011-12-26T10:47:00.004-06:00

I knew it was gonna go out. It was just a question of it being fair or foul. The wind must have carried it 15 feet toward the foul pole. I just stood there and watched. I didn't want to miss seeing it go out.

~ Carlton Fisk

DAHOF Top 100 -- #80 Roberto Alomar

2011-12-24T11:40:00.000-06:00

Believe it or not, I was in Toronto and at Skydome (notice the lack of "the"... Eh?) on September 27th, 1996 when Roberto Alomar spit in umpire John Hirschbeck's face. It all happened so quickly, Alomar was the second batter of the game and got called out on strikes - from my seat at the Hard Rock Cafe it just looked like any other ball player ejected for arguing. It wasn't until later that I discovered what had actually happened. That was also the same game Brady Anderson hit the 49th of his magic bean induced 50 HRs that season.

There are only two people in the world that know the real truth of the spitting incident. After watching what happened on video, there was no doubt in my mind Hirschbeck said something derogatory to Alomar to evoke such a strong response. To me the most important thing to come from the incident was the public display of "peace" the two men displayed the next season.

I never thought about it before I started doing this Top 100 list, but I had the strange luck to have follow Roberto throughout most of his entire hall of fame career. I was a Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton when he played with the Padres. I was working in Buffalo when he won two World Series rings in Toronto. I was in Washington DC during his time with the Baltimore Orioles. It wasn't until he signed with the Cleveland Indians that our moving vans stopped heading the same direction.

My most vivid memory of Roberto Alomar is the clutch 2 run blast he delivered in Oakland off of Dennis Eckersley in the ninth inning of Game #4 the 1992 ALCS. The home run was the turning point of the series and sent the game into extra innings and enabled the Blue Jays to win it in the 11th inning. More than any one moment, it signaled the end of the Oakland A's Bash-Brothers Dynasty of the late '80s & early '90s.

Happy Steve Carlton Day

2011-12-22T21:18:00.000-06:00

Obviously, I'd like to extend my sincere best wishes to the Baseball Writers' of America for voting me into the Hall of Fame, my first year of eligibility especially. Actually being voted into the Hall of Fame of baseball by the writers is like Rush Limbaugh being voted in by the Clintons, so... I'll take it as a compliment.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #81 Kirby Puckett

2011-12-22T20:50:00.001-06:00

From Kirby Puckett's obituary in the Minneapolis StarTribune in March of 2006:

On the day Kirby Puckett retired from baseball, he tried reassuring everyone that the sadness of losing sight in his right eye wouldn't diminish the spirit fans had seen him show for 12 seasons in a Twins uniform.

"Kirby Puckett's going to be all right," he said in 1996. "Don't worry about me. I'll show up, and I'll have a smile on my face. The only thing I won't have is this uniform on. But you guys can have the memories of what I did when I did have it on."

For anyone that watched Kirby Puckett for more than a couple of seconds, it was clear that he absolutely loved to play baseball. He was the foundation of the Minnesota Twins and won two World Series rings in his 12 Hall of Fame seasons. Considered by many as the greatest player in franchise history, Puckett retired as the Twins' all-time leader in hits (2,304), doubles (414), total bases (3,453), at-bats (7,244) and runs (1,071).

Like most, my most vivid memory of Kirby came in the 1991 World Series. Facing elimination in Game 6 against the Braves, Puckett collected three hits, three RBIs and scored two runs and made a memorable leaping catch against the left center field wall. Then, in the 11th inning, Kirby became the ninth player in major league history to end a World Series game with a walk off home run, hitting a changeup from Charlie Leibrandt over the wall and pumping his arms in celebration as he rounded the bases.

He was a first ballot Hall of Famer in 2001.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #82 Jim "Catfish" Hunter

2011-12-21T09:41:00.001-06:00

Catfish Hunter was a great pitcher in his time. The bigger the game, the better he pitched. First with the Oakland Athletics and then with the New York Yankees, he won 224 games, produced five straight 20-victory seasons, a perfect game and a Cy Young Award. He also a winner, with five World Series rings, appearing in 6 out of the 7 World Series played from 1972-1978.

He was selected to the Hall of Fame in 1987. When asked to choose which team to go into the Hall of Fame as, Hunter notably refused to choose between the Athletics and Yankees, loving both franchises equally. His plaque is one of the few with no insignia on the cap. The Athletics retired his number 27 jersey.

You only need to read a small part of his Hall of Fame speech to get a good sense of the man:

Mr. Finley said, do you have a nickname? I said, no Sir. He said, well to play baseball you have to have one. He says, what do you like to do? I said. “hunt and fish,” He said, well when you were 6 years old, you ran away from home and went fishing. By four o'clock that afternoon your mom and dad had been looking for you all day, they found you. You'd caught two catfish and was bringing in your third one. He says, now repeat it to me. So I had to repeat it to me, so I had to repeat it to everyone I met that was a friend of Mr. Finley's. But you know when you say, Jim Hunter now, nobody really recognizes that name, but when you say 'Catfish' everybody remembers it. Thank you Mr. Finley for the nickname.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #83 Frank Robinson

2011-12-19T14:50:00.001-06:00

If I had enough money, and I was a major league team owner, Frank Robinson is one of the few men I would have happily built my franchise around as both a (in his prime) player and a manager.

As a player he was a beast. He won the Rookie of the Year, was the MVP in both leagues, and made 14 different All Star teams. He won two World Championships with the Orioles, and should have won two more if his team had played better in 1969 against the Mets & in 1971 against the Pirates. He was a powerful home run hitter (586 of them), an on-base machine (finished his 21 year career with a .389 OBP), and according to shortstops and second basemen... one of the most feared double-play busters of all time. He also holds the distinction of being able to wear two of the worst (or best, depending on your perspective) looking uniforms in MLB history. His #20 has been retired by both the Reds and the Orioles.

As a manager, he is an old school disciplinarian with an unmatched knowledge and unrelenting respect for the game. His first coaching job was as a player/manager, breaking the managerial color barrier with the 1975 Indians. He managed in Cleveland during the last two years of his playing career, compiling a 186–189 record. He also became the first African-American manager in the National League history when he took over the Giants in 1981. While his career managerial record stands at a pedestrian 1065–1176, he has managed some truly awful teams into respectability -- including the Baltimore Orioles of the late '80s, and the Expos/Nationals through the transition from Montreal to Washington DC.

It boils down to this for me... In the modern era, for everything that is wrong with major league baseball, there is the career and passion of Frank Robinson to serve as a counter balance.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #84 Jimmy Wynn

2011-12-19T00:12:00.000-06:00

I saw Jimmy Wynn last summer during a pregame event in Houston. It is sad to see the powerful "Toy Cannon" walking with canes, but he was a great ballplayer.

His 15 year major league career started in 1962 when the Cincinnati Reds signed him as an amateur free agent. Shortly thereafter, he was selected by the then Houston Colt .45s in the 1962 expansion draft. Originally an infielder and made his big league debut in 1963, starting 13 games at short. However, he struggled defensively in the infield and was moved to center field, where he played most of the rest of his career.

For eleven years, he was a fixture in the Astros' outfield. A power hitter, he certainly lost a substantial number of home runs to the unfriendly confines of the Astrodome. In 1967, his 37 home runs fell just short of leading the league and stood as the club record for 27 years. He was traded to the Dodgers for Claude Osteen before the 1974 season. In Los Angeles, Wynn became an instant hit. His season started under the bright lights of Hank Aaron's chase for home run #715, and Wynn was playing center field when that historic blast was launched off of Al Downing. After a hot start, Wynn was named to the All-Star team he helped lead the Dodgers win the pennant by batting .271 with 32 home runs and 108 RBI.

For his career, Wynn batted .250 with 291 homers and 225 steals - and is considered by some the best center-fielder not in the hall of fame.

In 2005, his number 24 was retired by the Astros. Outfielder Jason Lane, who wore Wynn's 24 before the ceremony, changed his number to 16 in honor of Wynn.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #85 Bob Feller

2011-12-14T09:25:00.001-06:00

From The Official Site of Bob Feller:
This farm boy from Van Meter, Iowa was only 17 when he struck out eight members of the St. Louis Cardinals in three innings of an exhibition game. After this awesome display of pitching, Feller was advised to seek voluntary retirement from high school in order to sign a professional baseball contract. For 20 years, the teenage phenomena was known as "Bullet Bob" and "Rapid Robert." As a rookie, he struckout 15 batters in a single game, which at that time was an American League record. In 1940, Bullet Bob became the first American League pitcher to throw a complete game no-hitter on opening day.

At age 23, his career was interrupted by his four-year enlistment in the Navy. Upon entering the Navy, Feller became an anti-aircraft gunner aboard the U.S.S. Alabama and came out a highly decorated war veteran. He then re-entered Major League Baseball to regain his dominance on the mound. Even though his military career consumed four prime baseball years, Feller ranks 28th in history with 266 wins. He remains the Indians all-time leader in shutouts (46), strikeouts (2,581), innings (3,828) and All-Star appearances (8).

I never saw Bob Feller play, but I have always appreciated his greatness and the sacrifice he and other major league players made during World War II. At the height of his career, he enlisted and actually fought in the war. Incredible.

I did get to meet the man once. It was at an Indians spring training game in Florida. I've read where Bob was the first ballplayer to realize the earnings potential of his autograph. In Winter Haven he used to set up shop down in the left-field concourse selling and signing pictures for anyone who wanted to pay. As you would expect for a hall-of-famer, the line was typically pretty long and moved achingly slow. Unlike most professional autographers -- Bob would actually stop, make eye contact, and talk to the people paying for his signature. When our time finally came... Bob looked up smiled, looked straight at my young nephew said "hey kid, can you throw this garbage away for me" pointing at a pile of finished lunch refuse. It was one of those classic old school moments we have told over and over... Bob Feller had my nephew throw away his garbage. Perfect.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #86 Rollie Fingers

2011-12-13T09:31:00.003-06:00

From RFingers34.com:
On the first day of spring training for the 1972 season, Reggie Jackson showed up with a beard. In protest, Fingers and a few other players started going without shaving to force Jackson to shave off his beard in the belief that management would also want Jackson to shave. Instead, Finley, ever the showman who would do anything to sell tickets, offered prize-money to the player who could best grow and maintain their facial hair until Opening Day on April 15 against Minnesota. Fingers went all-out for the monetary incentive offered by Finley and patterned his moustache after the images of the players of the late 19th century. Taking it even further, Finley came up with “Moustache Day” at the ballpark, where any fan with a moustache could get in free.

Catfish Hunter and Ken Holtzman also went for the bonus, but Rollie, with his Snidely Whiplash, took the prize. The players would become known as the “Moustache Gang”.

Although most former A’s players shaved their handlebar moustaches after the team traded most of their players in 1975–76, Rollie maintained his after signing with the San Diego Padres and still has the moustache today.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #87 Curt Flood

2011-12-12T09:51:00.006-06:00

There are going to be a couple of players included in my Top 100 that I never actually saw play. Instead, I include them because of their contributions and legacy left to the game. Curt Flood is the first of these.

Last week the Angels signed free agent Albert Pujols to a 10 year, $254M contract. Pujols, the best player in this generation, played out his contract with the Cardinals and was able to choose to sign with the team of his choice in an open market. To put it simply... he could not have done that without Curt Flood.

Curt Flood was a three-time All-Star and seven-time winner of the Gold Glove in center field. When you consider Flood played during the same era as Willie Mays, the gold gloves become even more impressive. He hit more than .300 six times and won two world series rings during his 15-year major league career that began in 1956.

After the 1969 season, the Cardinals attempted to trade Flood, then 31 years of age, to the Philadelphia Phillies in the deal that sent Dick Allen to St. Louis. Flood had no interest in moving to Philadelphia, a city he had always viewed as racist. More importantly, he objected to being treated as a piece of property and to the restriction of freedom embedded in baseball's reserve clause. The reserve clause was that part of the standard player’s contract which bound the player, one year at a time, in perpetuity to the club owning his contract. Rather than play in Philly, Curt Flood decided to challenge the "reserve clause."

With the backing of the Union, Flood pursued the case known as Flood v. Kuhn all the way to the United States Supreme Court. Although the Supreme Court ultimately ruled against Flood, upholding baseball’s exemption from antitrust statutes, the case rose awareness of the unfairness of the system and set the stage for the 1975 Messersmith-McNally rulings and the advent of baseball free agency.

The professional, financial and emotional costs to Flood as a result of his unprecedented challenge were enormous. Flood’s major league career (his 1970 salary would have been $100,000) effectively ended with his legal action. He was broke and bitter man. When he died in in 1997, his funeral was attended dozens of former ballplayers paying tribute to the man who martyred his career for the benefit of others.

Former player Tito Fuentes was quoted as he passed by Flood's casket... "He was a great man, I’m sorry that so many of the young players who made millions, who benefited from his fight, are not here. They should be here."

Albert Pujols should get on his knees every night and thank Curt Flood for what he did for him.

Want to learn more? Read the book A Well-Paid Slave

DAHOF Top 100 -- #88 Joe Morgan

2011-12-11T15:15:00.000-06:00

For someone that I have never actually met, my baseball relationship with Joe Morgan is very complicated. For almost 40 seasons it has morphed and developed, both good and bad for better and for worse.

It started in the early 1970s after I discovered this small, but dangerous second baseman in Cincinnati. Like anyone that saw him play, I respected his abilities as a ballplayer and feared what he could do to my team. There was no question about it: Joe Morgan made the Big Red Machine purr. He won the NL MVP in both 1975 & 1976 - the 1st time a second baseman had won back to back trophies. It seemed like overnight these clean shaven conservative Reds replaced the mustached green and gold drama in Oakland, delivering two straight world series wins and a dynasty of their own.

I think the first time I ever noticed Joe Morgan in the batters box "chicken" flapping his left elbow as he waited for a pitch was in the 1975 World Series. It looked to me like he was ratcheting his grip and increasing the tension for a more powerful swing. Of course, I tried to mimic it the next spring during little league practice before my coach convinced me it didn't help.

When the Reds dismantled the machine in after the 1979 season, little Joe reappeared as a free agent down in Houston wearing those ridiculous tequila rainbow stripes. He still scared me because despite the drastic change in his outfit, one thing looked the same, he kept winning. The 1980 NLCS between the Phillies and Astros remains the best playoff series I have ever watched.

In 1982, as a member of the San Francisco Giants he hit a home run in the last game of the season to eliminate the hated Dodgers from the playoffs.

My relationship with Joe moved from fearful respect to adoration when he joined his former mates Pete Rose and Tony Perez on my Phillies in 1983. I couldn't believe it... these three great former tormentors were now wearing the uniform of my team. It was surreal and Joe's late season heroics leading to the NL pennant cemented him as a baseball hero in my book. Sadly, he played only a single season in Philadelphia before the club decided to start a youth movement. It took a lot of restraint for me not to show him in a Phils uniform for this post.

His final season was as a member of the Oakland A's, where he became the only player to homer twice on his 40th birthday.

To me, his Hall of Fame numbers and position as one of the best second basemen in the history of the game is secondary the uncanny way he had of playing winning baseball. No matter where Joe Morgan went, his teams won. In 22 seasons in the big leagues, his teams made the post season 7 different times, with three different teams.

But that isn't the end of this story. Our relationship has now moved from fearful respect through joyful adoration and into contempt borne out of familiarity. After he retired, Joe followed the path of many former ballplayers into the broadcasting booth. He soon became a regular on national and post season broadcasts working for ABC, NBC, and finally ESPN. I am not a huge fan of national broadcast teams because they lack the intimacy of the local crew and many try to explain the game in a over-simplified manner. As it turned out, Joe Morgan went from the hall of fame directly into the realm of a kindergarten teacher. Much to my horror, behind the microphone Joe had the same effect as finger-nails on a chalk board.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #89 Ralph Garr

2011-12-10T14:37:00.000-06:00

Continuing the series of posts featuring my favorite top 100 ballplayers of all-time.

Ralph Garr was the speedy leadoff hitter for the 1977 Chicago White Sox, affectionately known as the "South Side Hitmen". He came to the Sox before the '76 season after spending his first eight years in the majors with the Braves. Garr was one of the many "cast-offs" that new owner Bill Veeck pieced together in an effort to revitalize the Sox franchise and keep them in Chicago.

A native of Louisiana, Garr played college football at Grambling for legendary coach Eddie Robinson. However, it was as a Grambling baseball player that he gained the attention of professional scouts when he hit an astounding .582 in 1967. He was drafted by the Braves in the 3rd round and by 1971 was the everyday leftfielder in Atlanta. He hit .343 and stole 30 bases as a rookie. He collected more than 800 hits in his first four full seasons in the major leagues.

Known as Gator by his friends, the Braves saw a marketing opportunity with Garr’s speed. The club signed an agreement with Warner Brothers for exclusive rights to nickname their new star Road Runner. It was the first licensed nickname for a major league ballplayer.

The 1974 season started off with a bang for Ralph Garr, he was on second base when Hank Aaron hit the record tying 714th HR of his career in Cincinnati. He continued to hit and had 149 of them heading into the All-Star game, a record that stands to this day. He earned a spot on that All-Star team and eventually won the National League batting title with a .353 average. After winning his salary arbitration case to become the highest paid Brave, his average dropped 70 points in 1975 he was unceremoniously shipped north to Chicago.

As a regular with the Sox Ralph Garr was a solid performer batting exactly .300 in both 1976 and 1977, but he never returned to his peak performance period in Atlanta. However, he was at the top of the order in that magical "Hit Man" summer of 1977... where he led Sox with 163 hits. On an interesting historical note: he was the first ever batter to face the new expansion Toronto Blue Jays on April 7th, 1977, he walked, stole second and went to third on the catchers throwing error and scored on Jorge Orta's sacrifice fly.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #90 Vida Blue

2011-12-09T15:44:00.000-06:00

Continuing the series of posts featuring my favorite top 100 ballplayers of all-time.

The Oakland Athletics dynasty of the early '70s was my first experience with baseball dominance. Those memorable funky green and gold teams were stacked with pitching, defense, speed, and power. The A's three straight World Series titles in 1972-73-74 have only been matched once since (1998-2000 Yankees). They must have made an impression on me, because as I worked my way through this Favorite 100 list, I was surprised by how many of this mustached crew show up.

When I think about those dynasty A's teams, it starts with great pitching -- and their great pitching started with Vida Blue. After spending most of the 1970 season in the minors, he got called up in September and promptly tossed a no-hitter in his second start. 1971 was his first full season in the majors, and he broke out with a 28-4 record with a 1.82 ERA winning both the Cy Young & MVP awards. Forty years later, he remains the answer to a great trivia question: Who was the last switch hitter to win the American League MVP award?

After dominating in 1971, Blue, who once turned down a bunch of cash to legally change his name to "True" became one of the many Oakland players to battle with owner Charles Finley over money. In protest to his low salary (me made less than $15K in 1971) Vida held out most of the 1972 season, when he returned he won only 6 games, but the A's won their first World Series. He returned to form with 20 wins in 1973, 17 wins in '74, and 22 in '75. But his problems with Finley never really ended. On two separate occasions he was traded (1976 to the Yankees and 1977 to the Reds) only to have the deals rejected by MLB Commissioner Bowie Kuhn as "not in the best interests of baseball".

In 1978, after all of his famous former teammates had left via free agency, he was finally able to be traded out of Oakland. In the only 7 players for 1 deal in MLB history Vida was send across the San Francisco Bay to the Giants. It was in Candlestick he did what I most vividly remember him for... he was the first player I ever saw to wear his first name on the back of his jersey. He spent the most of his remaining career with the Giants. He still lives in San Francisco. On a down note, he did pitch for the Royals in 1982 and part of the '83 season before getting caught up in a MLB cocaine sting, sending him to jail for 90 days and costing him the 1984 season to suspension.

In the end, Vida Blue pitched 17 years in the major leagues, winning 209 games. He was a six-time all-star, and was the first pitcher in major league history to start the all-star game for both the American League (1971) and the National League (1978).

DAHOF Top 100 -- #91 Davey Lopes

2011-12-08T18:23:00.000-06:00

Continuing the series of posts featuring my favorite top 100 ballplayers of all-time.

Under my highly complex personal grudge rules and in normal circumstances, I should loathe Davey Lopes. As a player he was critical part of the Los Angeles Dodgers teams that destroyed my childhood dreams of a Phillies world series celebration in consecutive seasons.

Phillies Phans over the age of 40 remember it as "Black Friday". It was the 1977 NLCS Game #3 at the Vet. The Phillies held a 5-3 lead with two outs in the ninth, ready to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series. But a single and a double and error made it 5-4, with the tying run on third and Lopes coming to the plate. He hit a grounder that took a bad hop off third baseman Mike Schmidt, but Larry Bowa alertly fielded the ball and threw to a strike to first. Replays indicated the throw beat the runner, but umpire Bruce Froemming called Lopes safe. He eventually came around to score the winning run, and the Dodgers wrapped up the series the next day.

The next season Lopes continued to torture me after he hit a back-breaking home run in the first game of the 1978 NLCS and then had the audacity to drive in 3 runs in the second game. Thanks to their pesky leadoff hitter, Dodgers took an insurmountable 2-0 lead in the series, closing it out in the fourth game on Garry Maddox's infamous walk off error.

He didn't make it to the majors until he was 27 years old. But once Davey Lopes arrived, he stayed. Teaming up with Steve Garvey, Bill Russell, and Ron Cey for over eight years, the longest running infield grouping in history.

As a base stealer Davey had few peers. In 1975, Lopes swiped 38 consecutive bases without being caught, setting a major league record. As a member of the 1982 A's, he stole 28 bases to go along with Ricky Henderson's record smashing 130 to set a new mark for teammates. For the 1985 Cubs, he stole 47... the age of 40. His 557 career stolen bases place him 25th all-time, but his success rate of 83.01% (557 steals in only 671 attempts) ranks 3rd-best all time among players with 400 or more career stolen bases (behind Tim Raines and Willie Wilson). The man was a master thief.

It would be a lie for me to not admit the real admiration I have for Davey Lopes stems from what he did as a Phillies coach from 2007 to 2010. Well known for his clinical study of opposing pitchers and his scientific use of a stop-watch, the current generation of Phillies players have benefitted greatly from his judgement and expertise. In each of his Lopes' three seasons with the club, the Phillies led the majors in stolen base percentage, including the best in MLB history in 2007 – 87.9% (138-for-157).

These days it is sad to see him in the first base coaches box back in a Dodgers uniform, but my appreciation for him as a player and coach won't ever go away.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #92 Bill Melton

2011-12-07T13:17:00.001-06:00

Continuing the series of posts featuring my favorite top 100 ballplayers of all-time.

In their first 70+ years in existence, the Chicago White Sox had produced exactly zero American League home run champions. For a team best known as the "Go Go Sox" -- I guess this lack of power shouldn't be a surprise. The fact is, Comiskey was a big ball park and the organization tended to focus on speed, defense, and pitching. I did a little research on Sox lack of power, and prior to Bill Melton, the franchise never really featured a premier power threat.

In 1970, a young power hitting third baseman came into his own and changed the power output equation of the franchise. That season he delivered the first 30+ home run season in club history. He was a distant 6th in the AL race behind the 44 blasts by HR champ Frank Howard. The next season (1971) "Beltin Bill" once again delivered 33 home runs, only this time he was on top of the American League leaders edging out out Norm Cash (32) and Reggie Jackson (32) on the last day of the season.

In 1971 Bill Melton also made his one and only All Star appearance. If you remember, that game ended up being one of the most famous All Star games in history. The game featured six home runs from six different future hall of famers, including the memorable blast into the light transformer by Reggie Jackson. Unfortunately for Melton, AL Manager Earl Weaver decided to play Brooks Robinson entire nine innings of the game and he got watch the game from the bench at Tiger Stadium.

A poorly timed back injury in 1972 limited his output during Dick Allen's MVP season and prevented the Sox from really challenging the Oakland Athletics. Who knows what a healthy Bill Melton could have done to shrink the 5.5 game difference in the final standings.

My most vivid memory of Bill Melton was his inclusion on the cover of Baseball Digest in August of 1973. Along with Carlos May and Dick Allen, the trio was dubbed "A New Murder's Row". I find this cover very ironic, because Dick Allen fractured his fibula in June of 1973. Although he tried to return 5 weeks later, he played in one "full" game after that. He had two pinch hitting chances on August 1st and 2nd. The first one Allen watched Pat Kelly get picked off and the second one he grounded out to end the game. That was the end of his season.

Melton stayed on with the Sox through the 1975 season, spending '76 in California as an Angel and '77 in Cleveland before calling it quits. When he retired, he did so as the White Sox franchise leader in home runs with 154. That record stood until Harold Baines passed him in 1987. Baines was past by Carlton Fisk in 1990, and Fisk was overtaken by Frank Thomas. Melton currently sits in 8th place in White Sox history.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #93 Jose Canseco

2011-12-06T16:22:00.003-06:00

Continuing the series of posts featuring my favorite top 100 ballplayers of all-time.

It all seems so logical now... Major League Baseball has a sudden muscle expansion and home-run explosion. The natural theories regarding the effect of age on prime performance no longer apply. Logic appears to be obliterated as it appears reaching and passing 35 isn't a burden to a ballplayer, and in some cases, it becomes a advantage. Time honored records start falling like raindrops in Seattle. And we all just stood and cheered because everything was perfect... except it was not.

It is hard to pin-point baseball's root juicer. I've seen an interesting theory pointing to Jeff Bagwell, although he was rumored, he never appeared in the Mitchell Report. Former Braves pitcher Tom House admits and describes he (and others) "used" as far back as the 1960s and 70s. Given the dramatic differences in body types from the typical ballplayer in the 60's and the newly engineered ballplayer of the 2000s, you can draw you own conclusions. I have found one of the best sources on this subject is the website BASEBALL'S STEROID ERA.

Looking at his career with the benefit of hindsight, there is no doubt Jose Canseco benefited greatly from his steroid use. I've heard him called a mediocre ballplayer transformed into an MVP by unregulated science and institutional ignorance. I can't argue against that. I know he juiced, along with a whole bunch of other players in his era. I also remember him creating the 40/40 club in 1988 and the laser shot home runs he delivered. Most vividly, I can still picture the towering fifth deck home run he hit off Mike Flanagan in the 1989 ALCS in Toronto. Real or fake... it was impressive.

In my eyes Jose Canseco has transformed his juicer legacy into something else, something positive. To me, he is the canary in coal mine for baseball's steroid era. Life for an actual canary in a coal mine can be described in three words "short but meaningful". Early coal mines did not have ventilation systems, so miners would routinely bring a caged canary down into new areas. Canaries are especially sensitive to methane and carbon monoxide, which made them ideal for detecting any dangerous gas build-ups. As long as the bird kept singing, the miners knew their air supply was safe. A dead canary signaled danger and the need for immediate evacuation.

When Jose Canseco wrote his 2005 book JUICED - the baseball world was appalled. The claims he made (example: 85% of ML players were users) and the names he named were considered preposterous. He was ridiculed, shunned, and cast out famously in front of a congressional hearing as a liar. The trouble was... Jose Canseco was right. He told the truth. He exposed the sham. One by one the players he identified were exposed: Rafael Palmiero, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire and on and on and on.

Jose Canseco is not on my list because I wish to celebrate or honor him as a steroid user in baseball. Jose is on this list because eventually he had the courage to face the facts, tell the truth, endure the scorn and come out on the other side. The game is better today because of him.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #94 Luis Tiant

2011-12-05T21:05:00.003-06:00

Continuing the series of posts featuring my favorite top 100 ballplayers of all-time.

I blogged about Luis Tiant just last week.

To me, the story of the Luis Tiant's great career is about perseverance and passion. Any number of times Tiant could have quit after suffering career threatening injuries - but he did not. He just kept working to reinvent himself as a pitcher. Very impressive and inspiring for anyone looking for motivation.

The 1975 World Series is the best and most celebrated in my lifetime. My most vivid memories of Luis Tiant all stem from that memorable fall classic. On the grandest stage baseball has ever produced, his star shined as bright as any of the five hall of famers that played (Seven if you want to count Sparky and the disabled Jim Rice... eight if you consider Pete Rose).

All seven games of the 1975 World Series are available on DVD. I added them to my netflix queue a couple of years ago, and other than listening to my wife ask me repeatedly why I was watching a bunch of baseball games that occurred 30+ years ago... it was quite a kick to watch it again. Carlton Fisk and the incredible drama of Game #6 deservedly get most of the attention when people talk about the series, but Tiant's performance in Game #1 is nothing short of magical. If you have never seen it, watch it.

On good days, I can still mimic his bizarre pitching motion that included, in the middle of his wind-up, him looking straight at second base. Truth be told, I actually have struck out thousands of pretend hitters over years with nothing more than that wonderful hocus-pocus motion. There really is nothing like El Tiante.

Ron Santo, Hall of Famer

2011-12-05T20:13:00.002-06:00

Congrats to the late Ron Santo on his election to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Regardless of my personal views or opinions about his worthiness compared to others on the outside looking in - tonight, I can honestly say I am glad to see the man finally made it into the exclusive and confusing club.

The Baseball Hall of Fame should be about your career accomplishments on the field -- Ron Santo has long been deserving of recognition for what he did as a ballplayer. I hope his entry opens to door for others that may have not been given full or fair consideration in the past. It is a shame the HoF committee did not see fit to recognize him while he was still alive.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #95 Brian Downing

2011-12-04T17:00:00.001-06:00

Continuing the series of posts featuring my favorite top 100 ballplayers of all-time.

As I work through this list, a couple of themes will develop. One of them will be my affinity for former White Sox players. Not many people remember Brian Downing as a member of the Sox, he put his best seasons together for the Angels and Rangers. But I do.

He had trouble making his high school and junior college teams, but Brian made the most of his major league opportunity after impressing the Sox scouts at an "all comers" tryout in 1969. In his first play of his major league debut in 1973 he injured himself diving for a foul ball and missed the next six weeks. When he returned, he got his first home run... an inside the parker.

After the 1977 season, Downing was traded to the California Angels in a ill-fated deal that brought Bobby Bonds to Comiskey for 26 games. It was in Anaheim, he transformed himself into a quality major league ballplayer. He made his only All Star game in 1979, and infamously found himself on the wrong side of Dave Parker's cannon arm in right field. When he departed from the Angels after the 1990 season he was their career leader in games, at bats, runs, hits, total bases, doubles, home runs, RBI, and bases on balls.

I most vividly remember Brian Downing for his strange, yet very productive open batting stance. He was also the first non-speedster lead-off hitter I can remember. Brian Downing's game was all about on-base-percentage and every time I saw him do something positive, it pained me when I considered he could be doing that for the White Sox. Check out this nice Prime 9 video from MLB network where they named him as one of the best designated hitters ever.

As I was researching for this post, I ran into a couple of unsubstantiated references to Downing and steroid use. Nothing of any substance comes up with any of those links. It is a shame, we live in a world any ballplayer who changes his body, gets stronger, and has some turnaround success is automatically branded as a suspected PED user.

I am not burying my head in the sand, but before throwing Brian Downing into the mob of juicers, keep in mind that nobody lifted weights in baseball back in the '70s. It is completely reasonable Downing just started lifting and it made a big difference in his body and his hitting.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #96 Al Oliver

2011-12-03T11:55:00.001-06:00

Continuing the series of posts featuring my favorite top 100 ballplayers of all-time.

OK, I'll admit it... I have a soft spot in my heart for nomadic first basemen with the ability punish the baseball. Throw in a little bit of funky style, the quirky uniform number "0", a short stint with the Phillies, and a compelling hall of fame argument - you don't need much more of an explanation why I have included Al Oliver on my 'favorites' list.

Al began his career in Pittsburgh, playing alongside the great Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell. He hit the last home run ever at Forbes Field AND had the first ever RBI at Three Rivers Stadium. He was part of the first "all black" starting lineup. He made seven all star games with three different teams, starting in the 1984 game as a member of the Montreal Expos. In Montreal he also won the 1982 NL batting crown. During his career, he won the Silver Slugger award at three different positions he left the game with a .303 career average.

My most vivid Al Oliver memories are from the four straight All Star Games (1980-84) he played in during his time with the Rangers and Expos. In each of these mid-summer classics he stylishly treated the national television audience, most of which had not seen him play all season, to a uncommon pair of new white cleats.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #97 Bill Madlock

2011-12-02T16:32:00.001-06:00

This is a series of posts featuring my favorite top 100 ballplayers of all-time. This is not my ranking of the best ever, it is my list of guys I've admired contributing to my love of the game.

I grew up across Lake Michigan from the city of Chicago. My summer days were filled voices of Jack Brickhouse and Lou Boudreau calling the Cubs and nights spent listening to Harry Caray and Jimmy Piersall cheer and complain about the White Sox. I don't remember the exact date, but cable television was not available in my hometown until around 1981. Before that date we listened to baseball on the radio or watched TV the old fashioned way, manipulating old rabbit ear antennas and praying for the best.

Most of the time, the Cubs were not a very good team. It was easy for me not turn into a fan. The old stars like Ernie Banks, Ron Santo, and Fergie Jenkins were gone poorly replaced by guys like Mick Kelleher, Jose Cardenal, and Rick Reuschel. One of the first bright spots I can remember about the mid-70s Cubs was the solid bat of Bill Madlock.

Madlock came to the Cubs from the Rangers in the Fergie Jenkins trade. He immediately replaced the departed Ron Santo at third base. While he wasn't a great fielder, he could certainly hit. He won the National League batting title playing day games at Wrigley Field in 1975 & 1976. Madlock is one of only three right-handed hitters to have won multiple National League batting titles since 1960 (Roberto Clemente won four and Tommy Davis has two).

On July 26, 1975 he went 6-for-6 during the Cubs’ 8-9 10 inning loss to the Mets. Earlier that month, he represented the Cubs in the first of three career All-Star games. He was named Co-MVP (with Jon Matlack) after he drove in 2 ninth inning runs off of his future teammate, Goose Gossage.

After the 1976 season, Madlock was sent packing to San Francisco in a deal that brought Bobby Murcer to the Cubs. He continued to hit. In June of 1979 the Pirates made a trade that brought him to Pittsburgh, were he helped "The Family" win the World Series. He continued to hit. He won another two batting titles in 1981 & 1983, having just missed out on the '82 crown.

Bill Madlock was the first player to win multiple batting titles with two different teams. He was was the last team captain the Pittsburgh Pirates have had, being named to the position after Willie Stargell retired in 1982.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #98 Bo Jackson

2011-12-01T11:09:00.001-06:00

Continuing the series of my top 100 favorite ballplayers of all-time. This is not a ranking of what I consider "the best" players in the history of baseball... this is simply my list of players I have admired at some point and contributed to my love of the game.

There is no doubt in my mind, Bo Jackson was absolutely the best athlete of my generation. No one else is even close.

Like most, my awareness of this guy started with his exploits as Auburn football star. He was a beast, every bit as dominate as Herschel Walker. I was crushed when my Michigan Wolverines held him to "only" 130 yards and the Auburn offense out of the end-zone during the 1984 Sugar Bowl, only to lose the game 9-7 in the final seconds with their third field goal.

In addition to being the best football player in the country, he was also one of the best baseball players around. He was drafted in the second round by the Yankees in 1981 out of high school, but didn't sign. After winning the Heisman Trophy in 1985 he hit .401 with 17 home runs and 43 RBI as a member of the Tiger baseball team. One game at Georgia, Bo went 4-for-5 with three home runs and a double.

He was the #1 overall draft pick in the 1986 NFL draft, but had no interest in playing for the Tampa Bay Bucs. Instead he chose the Kansas City Royals. I think he may be the only minor leaguer to make the cover of Sports Illustrated. After a September '86 call up, Bo started playing regularly in the Royals outfield in 1987.

My most vivid memory of Bo Jackson is from the 1989 All Star Game. For some reason, despite hitting 5th or 6th all season for the Royals, he was put in the lead off spot by American League Manager Tony LaRussa. After making a nice catch in the top of the first to save a couple of runs he led off the bottom of the inning (his first All-star AB) with a monstrous 448-foot home run off Rick Reuschel. At the time, I routinely recorded All Star games on VHS tape and I must have watched this blast 1000 times. Combined with the "Bo Knows" advertising campaign launched by Nike the same night, the legend was off and running.

After not signing with the Bucs, the LA Raiders selected Jackson in the 7th round of the 1987 NFL draft. Raiders owner Al Davis supported his baseball career and convinced him to sign a contract by offering him a salary of a full-time starting running back, only after the baseball season ended. Everyone remembers when Brian Bosworth discovered Bo was a pretty good NFL back.

It all came crashing down during the 1990 NFL playoffs. While he was running down the sidelines Bo was tackled by the Bengals Kevin Walker, causing a serious hip injury. His NFL career was over.

The Royals cut him assuming his baseball career was over too. Ultimately he needed to get his hip replaced, but he vowed to return to baseball, and did so with the Chicago White Sox in 1993. In his first at-bat he crushed a pinch hit homerun against the Yankees on his first swing.

Bo knew.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #99 Dave Hollins

2011-11-30T12:53:00.001-06:00

Things had started looking up for the 1990 Philadelphia Phillies. They were emerging from two truly awful last place finishes. The franchise, which had not had a winning season since 1986, was still recovering from the retirement of Mike Schmidt. The team started rebuilding by developing young arms and acquiring a couple of legitimate major league players. During the off-season Lenny Dykstra seemed to have magically transformed his body and turned into an all-star player.

One of the bright spots for the organization was a 24 year old rookie named Dave Hollins. It seemed like a natural fit for me... Phillies, third baseman, wearing #15. Add in the fact I was sitting in San Diego's Jack Murphy Stadium on July 19th, 1991 when he hit a grand slam to beat the Padres 4-1. I actually got to meet Hollins during the offseason at an event in his hometown in Buffalo... I was hooked.

By 1992, Hollins had developed into the Phils regular third baseman, hitting 27HRs and driving in 93 runs. The next season everything came together for the club as they won the NL pennant and went to the World Series. Hollins made the All-Star team and was in the middle of it all -- punctuated when he launched a Greg Maddux sixth inning pitch deep into the night during Game 6 of the NLCS. That home run put the Phils up 4-1 and proved to be the difference in the pennant clincher.

Unfortunately, 1993 proved to be the high water mark for Hollins and the memorable "macho row" generation of Phillies players. He never again came close to that production level and was traded in July of 1995 to the Red Sox for Mark Whiten.

Interesting side note: Towards the end of his career, Hollins was traded for "a player to be named later" by the Mariners to the Twins in a playoff run deadline deal. That player ended up being David Ortiz.

DAHOF Top 100 -- #100 Gaylord Perry

2011-11-29T17:02:00.006-06:00

You want to attempt a fun baseball related mental exercise ?

Sit down with a pen and blank piece of paper and without any aid, list your top 100 favorite baseball players of all time. I tried it recently and had a lot of entertainment thoughtfully shuffling through my memory bank looking for players I enjoyed. Of course, this exercise also germinated an idea for a new series of posts. There are roughly 95 days until the start of spring training, I hope to complete this undertaking before the start of the new season.

Lets get started...

On August 16th, 1920 Cleveland Indians shortstop Ray Chapman was struck in the temple by a ball thrown by the Yankees Carl Mays. He died on the spot. An investigation into his death showed contributing factors included the lack of protection for his head, a poorly illuminated ballpark, and a dirty and altered baseball.

A spitball moves atypically because of it has been altered by some foreign substance, typically saliva or petroleum jelly. After the 1920 season, partly in response to Chapman's death, the league owners voted to ban the "spitball" (although they did exempt and grandfather 16 pitchers).

Eighteen years later, the most famous spit-baller ever, a guy named Gaylord Perry was born. He claims he was taught the pitch in 1964, and he quickly developed a reputation for doctoring baseballs and throwing the illegal pitch. So paranoid were his baseball opponents, he was constantly monitored and inspected, often right on the pitching mound by umpires. The fact is - it wasn't until his 21st season in the majors (August 23, 1982) that he was actually ejected from a game for doctoring the ball.

As a kid, I used to love watching Perry pitch. He had a whole series of hat touches and gyrations designed to psyche out hitters. Apparently, it worked because he was a five time all star, won the Cy Young Award in both leagues, won 314 games and was inducted in the the Hall of Fame in 1991. My favorite memory of Perry is his 300th win in 1982 as a member of the Seattle Mariners.

Uniform Templates? Ready to download

2011-11-28T15:54:00.000-06:00

I've recently had a couple of requests to share the photoshop uniform templates I've created for this site. I've directly shared individual files with readers in the past, but I have decided to sign up for a file sharing service and organize things well enough to gather into one post. Each one of these templates heavily utilizes layers and color overlays. Your successful results will require a basic working knowledge of photoshop. Enjoy. I'd love to see any designs you come up with.

	DAHOF Hat template I created this template last year from a 1962 Chicago Cubs program. Very simple to use. When several of these are combined, the results are pretty cool. You can download it here.
	DAHOF running template This was the first "action" uniform template I have attempted. It is based on an actual picture I took of UCLA catcher Steve Rodriguez at the College World Series. The development and revision process for this template is documented here and continued here. You can download the template here.
	DAHOF defensive template I quietly started working on this one a couple of months ago after gaining some more confidence from the running player experience. This template is based on a picture I shot this summer of Royals prospect Mike Moustakas. You can download the template here.
	DAHOF batter template After completing the defensive template, I had visions of a three player concept design. I looked through hundreds of batter pictures before I selected an image of Josh Hamilton. I still have some work to do on this one, but it is usable in this current form. You can download this template here.
	DAHOF turn two I've showed off this template a couple of times here and here. It too is based on some art shown on a 1979 Chicago Cubs scorecard. The design style is much more simplistic than the action templates above. This template can be downloaded here.
	DAHOF standing template I banged this out last night after getting inspired by a non-action/more traditional model I found. Again, this one still has some work to be done like piping and pinstripe options. Download this template here.

Mailbag: 1977 Wampum Hair-itage

2011-11-27T17:43:00.004-06:00

A couple of weeks ago I got a nice email from a reader named Tom. I've said it before, but it is always nice to hear from people out there that enjoy this site and appreciate what I post here. I try to respond to each email within a reasonable period of time. Keep your ideas and suggestions coming.

For this post, here is the relevant portion of Tom's message:

... that "hair -tage" of Dick, I was wondering if you could do one of him like that with the A's hat and color. I would love to copy that onto a shirt and adorn it with #60 and "WAMPUM" on the back. I am currently trying to find an authentic or knock off of the green 1977 jersey and a white one too.

It took me a while to build up the confidence and concentration needed to take another stab at custom "hair-itage". Over the holiday weekend, I decided to take the plunge. My photoshop drawing skill have improved since my last attempts at this. I am not 100% satisfied yet, but this is a nice step forward.

Good luck with your t-shirt design and jersey hunt. I'd love to see pictures of either one if you get them in hand. In the meantime, let this be your inspiration.

Familiar Faces / Strange Places: Luis Tiant / Pirates

2011-11-24T19:41:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was Luis Tiant's birthday. If you have not seen the recent documentary called The Lost Son of Havana, I would strongly recommend you do it. It is a very compelling story about the man they call "El Tiante".

Luis Tiant is the only child of Luis Tiant, Sr. and Isabel Vega. From 1926 through 1948, the senior Tiant was a great left-handed pitcher for the Negro League's New York Cubans during the summer and the Cuban professional league's Cienfuegos in the winter.

He made his big league debut as a Cleveland Indian in July of 1964. He won 21 games for the Indians in 1968, leading the American League with in ERA. His 1.60 ERA was the lowest in the American League since Walter Johnson's 1.49 mark during the dead-ball era in 1919. The next season he lost 20 games while fighting through injuries and was traded to the Twins.

He won his first six games with the 1970 Twins, and then broke his scapula, ending his season and what many believed his career. The Twins cut him during spring training of 1971. The Braves signed him to a minor league contract to play with their Triple-A team in Richmond, where he pitched well enough to catch the eye of the Boston Red Sox, who grabbed him in May. Despite struggling through the rest of 1971 with a 1-7 record and 4.88 ERA things were looking up for Luis.

In 1972 Tiant regained his old form with a 15-6 record and led the league with a 1.91 ERA. He would win 20 games in 1973 and 22 in 1974. However it was in 1975 he became one of the greatest and most beloved pitchers in Red Sox history.

Though hampered by back problems in 1975, he won 18 games for the AL Champions. He excelled in the postseason, beating the three time defending World Champion Oakland A's in a three-hit complete game. He followed that up when he opened the World Series shutting out the Reds 6-0. It was a special night because his father and mother were in the stands time watching him pitch in the US for the first time -- having been allowed to visit from Cuba under a special visa.

Tiant also won Game 4 (throwing 163 pitches in his second complete game of the series) and had a no-decision in the memorable Game 6, which ended with Carlton Fisk’s dramatic game-winning walk-off home run in the 12th inning.

Tiant went 21-12 in 1976, 12-8 in 1977, and 13-8 in 1978. At the end of the 1978 season, Tiant signed as a free agent with the Yankees where he compiled a 21-17 record over two seasons (1979-80)

After the 1980 season, the Yankees released him. He signed with Pittsburgh in 1981, but spent most of the season in Portland where he excelled for the Beavers (13-7, 3.82) including a no-hitter. He got called up, but struggled with the Pirates and was released at the end of the season. He finished up his major league career with six games for the 1982 Angels, with his final win coming against the Red Sox on August 17.

In the end, Tiant won more games in the major leagues than any other Cuban-born pitcher in the 20th Century, having 35 more than Dolf Luque and 44 more than Mike Cuellar. He was third among all Latin American natives, trailing Dennis Martinez (245) and Juan Marichal (243).

Happy Birthday "Bull" Luzinski

2011-11-22T17:03:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday to Greg "Bull" Luzinski. He was a key member of the 1970's Phils championship teams and was one of the strongest players to ever put on a Phillies uniform.

In July of 1976, along with Mike Schmidt and Dick Allen, he formed one-third of the trio Baseball Digest called "Baseball's Most Potent Power Trio".

My cards: 2012 Gerrit Cole

2011-11-22T14:49:00.000-06:00

What a nice way to start a long holiday weekend! A baseball photography colleague alerted me to this Cardboard Connection post from yesterday. The Gerrit Cole autograph card they are previewing is one of my images.

The actual picture was taken during one of the early games at the 2010 College World Series in Omaha. UCLA went all the way to the finals, but lost to South Carolina. I am very impressed with the quality of the photoshop airbrushing by the artists at Topps. Quite an improvement over what we have grown up with.

1975 Topps Redux: Hank Aaron

2011-11-21T16:38:00.000-06:00

Recently, I've been working on some 1975 Topps Traded Project submissions. While doing the research, I was reminded of the strange manner in which Topps handled the newly crowned HR King, Hank Aaron with this set.

Early in the 1974 season, Hank Aaron hit his 715th HR and broke baseball's all-time home run record as a member of the Atlanta Braves. He was the toast of baseball and the rest of the '74 season was simply a victory lap for baseball's latest super-hero. Not surprisingly, he was elected as a NL starter in the 1974 All Star Game in Pittsburgh.

I'm not sure any noticed -- but once the record was broken, Hank's power production dropped off considerably. When the season was done, he had delivered "only" 20 HRs and 69 RBIs, a big drop from previous seasons. It was clear that time was catching up to the future hall of famer.

In November, after the conclusion of the 1974 season the Braves traded the now 40-year-old slugger to the Milwaukee Brewers. It was a nice fit because the still very popular Aaron was returning to the city where is his big league career had started and Milwaukee was (at the time) an American League town, where the newly adopted designated hitter rule was being used. In exchange Atlanta got outfielder Dave May and a minor league pitcher. Becoming a full-time DH enabled Aaron to extend his career long enough to break Babe Ruth's career RBI mark (2,217) and play two more seasons before retiring at the end of the 1976 campaign.

The 1975 Topps set actually has two Hank Aaron cards. One is an awful looking airbrushed Brewers card the other shows him in a Braves uniform. This "HR record highlight" card carries the NL all-star designation, which makes no sense to me at all. I decided to fix this error in judgement and give Hank Aaron a decent looking 1975 card with his correct team and a proper all star designation.

Uniform Redux: Birmingham Black Barons

2011-11-19T15:55:00.000-06:00

It has been some time since I have posted something connected to my Negro League Uniform Redux Project. Since July, I have been working on a couple of baseball uniform templates. Each of these player models was made from an image I made while shooting a college, minor league, or major league game.

I like this new template a lot better than the original one I started this project with. I think I may go back and revisit the previous teams using this home/away/alternate concept.

From the NEGRO LEAGUE PLAYERS ASSOCIATION web page:

The Black Barons formed the cornerstone of professional Negro baseball in the South for more than 30 years. Arising from Birmingham's active industrial leagues, in 1920 the club became a charter franchise in the Negro South League. Through its long history the club was at various times associated with the Negro Southern League, Negro National League and Negro American League.

The team's heyday came in the 1940s when, as members of the Negro American League, the Black Barons fielded exceptionally strong teams featuring such stars as Piper Davis, Lester Lockett, Artie Wilson and Ed Steele.

In 1943, 1944, and 1947 these strong squads captured the league title. However, none of these pennants led to a Negro World Championship crown as the club fell to the powerful Homestead Grays in each series.

It would be strange for me to talk about the Birmingham Black Barons without mentioning Willie Mays:

Born May 6, 1931, Westfield, Ala., both Mays' father and grandfather had been baseball players. Willie, who batted and fielded right-handed, played semiprofessional baseball when he was 16 years old and joined the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro National League in 1948, playing only on Sunday during the school year.

The National League New York Giants paid the Barons for his contract when he graduated from Fairfield Industrial High School in 1950. After two seasons in the minor leagues, Mays went to the Giants in 1951.

Familiar Faces / Strange Places: Bucky Dent / Royals

2011-11-18T04:29:00.008-06:00

Drafted twice (but never signed) by the St. Louis Cardinals, the White Sox drafted Bucky Dent in the first round (6th overall) out of Miami-Dade Junior College in the 1970 draft. After three years in the minors he was called up to Chicago midway through the 1973 season. His first career hit was an infield single off Fred Scherman at Tiger Stadium on June 13th, 1973 (his teammate Dick Allen went 3 for 3 that day).

In 1974 he replaced Eddie Leon as the starting shortstop for the White Sox and played well enough to finish second in AL Rookie of the Year voting behind Mike Hargrove. In 1975 his star continued to rise as he was selected for the All-Star Game. in 1976 his batting average had declined and pending free agency -- the Sox traded him to the New York Yankees for Oscar Gamble, LaMarr Hoyt, and Bob Polinsky prior to the start of the 1977 campaign.

He won World Series ring as the shortstop for the 1977 Bronx Zoo Yankees. The next season, on October 2, 1978 Bucky Dent entrenched himself into baseball history and earned the wrath of Red Sox fans forever. During the one-game AL East playoff in Boston, he hit a three-run home run in the seventh inning off Mike Torrez (his teammate from the '77 Yankees). The Yankees took the lead with his improbable HR (it was only his 5th of the season and 23rd of his career) and went on to win the game 5-4. He went on to win the 1978 World Series Most Valuable Player, hitting .417 with 7 RBI in a six-game win over Dodgers.

As a living Yankee legend, Dent was elected as the starting shortstop on the 1980 and 1981 All-Star teams. In 1982, in the midst of a hitting slump (he was batting .169) he was traded to the Rangers for Lee Mazzilli. He spent the remainder of 1982 and the 1983 season in Texas, where he led AL shortstops in fielding percentage.

The Rangers released him before the start of 1984 season. In June, he signed a minor league deal with the Yankees but he was released a month later. He signed with the Kansas City Royals in August and 11 games and 3 singles later, his big league career was over. His last hit (September 9th, 1984) was an RBI single off of the Mariners Mark Langston.

Updated uniform template - Oakland A's mono-gold

2011-11-17T10:27:00.000-06:00

I had a request from an Oakland A's fan to use the mono-gold look. Here is what the template looks like after I changed the length and angle of the throwing arm.

Familiar Faces / Strange Places: Boog Powell / Dodgers

2011-11-16T12:37:00.001-06:00

Continuing my Boog Powell theme... Following an unproductive 1976 season in Cleveland, it looked the end of the road for the 35 year old former Baltimore All-Star. He was released by the Indians near the end of spring training in 1977.

The Los Angeles Dodgers and new manager Tommy Lasorda were preparing to battle and finally take down the Bid Red Machine in the NL West. On April 5th, two days before opening day they signed Powell (Yes, Opening Day used to be in April). With Steve Garvey entrenched at first base, Lasorda was counting on some left handed power and veteran leadership off the bench.

The Dodgers cruised, but Boog's contribution wasn't pretty. He appeared in 50 games before being released on August 30th. Garvey basically never took a day off and all but one of Boog's appearances was as a pinch hitter. His final at bat, facing the Pirates and future Hall of Famer Rich Gossage, Boog grounded out to second base in the 10th inning of an eventual 2-1 Dodgers win. When it was all said and done, he collected 10 singles in 41 official at bats. He was credited with 5 RBIs. Not one extra base hit. He was not on the roster when the Dodgers clinched the NL West three weeks later (September 20th), when they beat the Phillies in the NLCS, nor when they finally lost to Reggie Jackson and the Yankees in the World Series.

1975 Topps Traded Project: Boog Powell

2011-11-13T20:12:00.001-06:00

Before he became a BBQ legend, Boog Powell was a mainstay of the great Baltimore Oriole teams of the 1960's and 1970's. Along with Hall of Famers Brooks and Frank Robinson, he was a significant and powerful part of 2 Orioles World Series winners. He was 4-time All-Star won the American League's Most Valuable Player award in 1970.

However, Oriole manager Earl Weaver's use of the platoon system started making his at-bats disappear. In 1973 Powell only got 103 starts at first and in 1974 it was down to 94. Prior to the start of the 1975 season, the aging slugger was traded to Cleveland with Don Hood for Dave Duncan and a minor leaguer. Reunited with former teammate turned player/manager Frank Robinson, Boog got the chance to play every day. He responded well, hitting .297 with 129 hits and 27 home runs (his highest marks since 1970), plus fielding his position at a .997 clip.

Topps only produced an Orioles version of his 1975 card.

Parade of Ridiculousness: Prince Albert in South Florida

2011-11-12T13:51:00.004-06:00

When I saw the Miami Marlins (how weird does that sound?) introduced their new uniform design and released this news on the same day.. I knew that I had my next Parade of Ridiculousness project.

MIAMI -- The Marlins spent the week entertaining high-profile free agents, showing them the sizzle of the club's new stadium while allowing them to soak in the South Florida sunshine.

Albert Pujols, the top free agent on the market, is the latest big name to see the new ballpark.

The slugger was in town on Friday, meeting with the Marlins while getting a tour of the 37,000-seat, retractable-roof ballpark.

I chose the 1980 Topps design because José Alberto Pujols Alcántara was born in January of 1980 -- however, as with all Dominican Republic birth certificates, this is subject to change.

At this point, my only hope is if Albert decides to play for the Marlins, he has the good sense to allow ESPN to produce an hour long television "DECISION" special which concludes with him announcing:

"This spring.... this is very tough... this spring, I'm going to take my talents to South Beach and join the Miami Marlins... "

Happy Veterans Day: Carlos May

2011-11-11T16:55:00.003-06:00

Today is Veterans Day.

There are many great examples of famous baseball players serving in the Unites States Armed Forces. More than 500 Major League players served during World War II including some Hall of Famers like Ted Williams and Bob Feller.

San Diego Padres announcer Jerry Coleman postponed his baseball career to serve as a Marine Corps aviator. He earned a Distinguished Flying Cross for his service in World War II. After the war he joined the Yankees and was voted Rookie of the Year. In May 1953 his baseball career was disrupted again. He was recalled to service in the Korean War, where he earned a second Distinguished Flying Cross.

However, the one major league military vet I most remember vividly as a kid was former While Sox slugger Carlos May.

He was Lee May's little brother and was selected in the first round of the 1966 amateur draft. He spent most of his career with the Sox, where he played with Dick Allen for three seasons. He was selected for two American League All Star games (in 1969 he made the AL team and his brother Lee made the NL team). Traded for Ken Brett, he played in the 1976 World Sereis as a member of the New York Yankees. He also had a brief stint as a California Angel before heading to Japan, where he played for 4 seasons.

In August 1969, while training with his Marine Reserve unit Carlos blew off part of his thumb in a mortar accident. You can see his hand with the missing thumb portion on this August 1973 cover of Baseball Digest. The web site White Sox Interactive* posted an interview with Carlos May:

“I was with a mortar detail. The company was all supposed to fire a one round volley, there were six of us (mortars). Sometimes it’s hard to tell when they all go off, who fired. The spotters didn’t say anything and I was told to clean the piece. That’s was my job as a gunner. I had an iron rod with a swab on the end and I pushed it down into the barrel. Our mortar didn’t go off and I pushed the shell that was still in there, down to the contact point and it fired. What took part of my thumb off was the iron rod being blown back up. I couldn’t get my hand out of the way.”

In a strange baseball connected twist, it was a fellow major league ballplayer Bob Watson (he served in the same unit) that found the part of his thumb on the range. But it was to late to try to reattach it.

Amazingly, Carlos May quickly rehabbed and was able to return to the White Sox the next season. With the help of a custom made batting glove, he played in 150 games and was named the AL Comeback Player of the Year. He has to be the first and only player to make the "all rookie" team one season and be awarded the "comeback player" the next.

Rusty Staub is credited as the first player to wear batting gloves regularly, but the Expos images I have seen of him in 1969, he is bear handed. I'm not sure how to research this, but I am going to credit Carlos as the first player to wear a batting glove full time when he hit.

A couple of fun facts about Carlos May. On opening day 1971 (in the first inning of the second game of a scheduled doubleheader) he was called out after failing to touch home following a home run. Later that same year, he hit an inside the park grand slam (to left field) at Comiskey Park. And finally, born on May 17th Carlos wore number #17 for most of his career. He is the only player in major league history to wear his birthday on his jersey -- "May 17".

* You should read the whole interview, it is quite fascinating. Some great observations about the time he spent playing with Dick Allen -- including a quote from Carlos calling DA "the best player that I ever saw."

The Matt Stairs Project

2011-11-10T14:25:00.268-06:00

When Matt Stairs retired from baseball in August, I posted this in recognition of his contribution to the 2008 Phillies World Series win. As I was looking up his career stats for the post, I realized that he might have the longest display of uniform numbers of any player on BaseballReference.com. All told Stairs played for 12 different teams -- 13 if want to separate the Expos franchise he debuted for from the Nationals that he finished with. According to the fine folks a BR.com, Stairs wore 19 different uniform/number combinations during his career.

Former players Mike Morgan, Ron Villone, Deacon McGuire each played for 12 different teams. Morgan's uni/number combo count finished at 17, Villone got 14, and McGuire retired in 1912, several years before a major league team even issued uniform numbers. The only active player that is even close to Stairs is Miguel Cairo, his 2011 season with the Reds put him up to 14.

I thought it might be fun to create a set of Matt Stairs cards - showing him with every major league team he played for. Rather than drive myself crazy attempting to create new templates for each year, I decided to simply go with a 1968 Topps design. Matt Stairs was born in 1968.

	1992 - 1993: Montreal Expos Stairs makes his big league debut on May 29th, 1992 with the Expos in Cincinnatti. Appropriately he enters his first game as a pinch hitter.
	1995: Boston Red Sox After spending some time in Japan, Stairs is purchased by the Red Sox. He spends all of 1994 in the minors and returns to the big leagues in June. Hits his first ML Home Run off of the Royals Tom 'Flash' Gordon on July 5th, 1995. He gets one AB in the Red Sox 1995 ALDS loss to the Indians.
	1996 - 2000: Oakland A's Signs as a Free Agent with the A's following the 1995 season. It is in Oakland that Stairs establishes himself as a real live professional hitter. It is also the first place he finds regular playing time and he produces 122 HRs & 385 RBIs over his 5 seasons wearing the green and gold.
	2001: Chicago Cubs Following the A's bitter 2001 ALDS loss to the Yankees, Stairs is traded to the Chicago Cubs for a minor league pitcher named Eric Ireland. He spends one season on Chicago's North Side, delivering 85 hits in 128 games.
	2002: Milwaukee Brewers Once again a Free Agent, Matt signs with the Brewers for the 2002 season. Nothing spectacular happened for him while suffering through 106 losses playing for a last place team.
	2003: Pittsburgh Pirates Another season, another team. Now 35 years old, Matt signs with the Pirates as a Free Agent in December 2002. He had the best batting average of his career, hitting .292 in 128 games playing as a first baseman and outfielder. He also tops the 20 HR mark for the 5th time in his career.
	2004 - 2006: Kansas City Royals Matt continues his tour of the Major Leagues when he signs as a free agent with the Royals. He practically puts down roots and stays in KC for two and a half seasons. On June 2nd, 2005 -- against the Yankees he leads off the bottom of the sixth inning and sends a Carl Pavano pitch deep into the night for his 200th career HR.
	2006: Texas Rangers In July of the 2006 season, for the first time in his career, Matt Stairs joins a new team in the middle of the season. The Royals made a deadline deal with Texas, who had hoped Stairs could provide some veteran leadership on their young club. He just played in 26 games and hit only .210 before getting waived in September.
	2006: Detroit Tigers Claimed off the waiver wire by Detroit, Stairs joins his 3rd team of the 2006 season. The Tigers grabbed him in hopes he could help them hold their division lead. He appears in 14 games and the Tigers lost their division lead on the final day of the season, but still clinched the Wild Card. Since he was acquired after August 31st deadline, he was unable to play for the Tigers during the playoffs or World Series.
	2007 - 2008: Toronto Blue Jays After the 2006 season, the 39 year old Stairs once again found himself on the market as a free agent. In December he signed with the Blue Jays, returning to his native Canada. During the season and a half he spent in Toronto he found regular playing time, delivering 21 HRs in 2007 with an impressive .921 OPS. Following his strong 2007 season the Jays gave him a 2 year deal, but it didn't work out as he was released in August.
	2008 - 2009: Philadelphia Phillies Looking to add depth to their bench, the Phillies picked up the suddenly available Stairs in late August of 2008. He appeared in 16 games as the Phils won the NL East. Playing in his first playoffs since 2001, Stairs created a lasting memory with his first career postseason home run in Game 4 of the NLCS. His monster blast allowed the Phillies to take the lead over the Dodgers and win the game. That season he won the only World Series ring of his 16-year career. He returned in 2009 as a hero. On April 12th he hit a game-winning home run against the Rockies. It was the last home run called by Harry Kalas.
	2010: San Diego Padres In January, Stairs agreed to a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres with an invite to spring training hoping to crack their 25-man roster. He made the club out of spring training as a left-handed bat off the bench. On August 21st, Stairs hit his 21st career home run as a pinch hitter, breaking a tie with Cliff Johnson and setting a new Major League record.
	2011: Washington Nationals In December, Stairs signed a non-guaranteed minor league contract with the Washington Nationals. He made the club in spring training and went north with the team. Mostly used as a pinch-hitter, with four appearances at first base, in 65 at-bats he had 10 hits and two RBIs. He was designated for assignment on July 27, 2011 and released on August 1st. Two days later he announced his retirement.

Familiar Faces / Strange Places: Willie Mays / Mets

2011-11-09T14:29:00.000-06:00

I just finished reading the James Hirsch book about Willie Mays. If you like baseball biographies, I would highly recommend it.

One of the more interesting chapters of the book was the circumstances around his late career trade to the Mets and his return to New York.

It is quite ironic how it all played out: Even though he was the highest paid player in the league, Mays was always in financial trouble. At the time, the Giants franchise was losing money and Giants owner Horace Stoneham could not guarantee the expensive and aging Mays any income after he retired. Mets Manager Yogi Berra's had no interest in having Willie on the team and it was the sentimental Mets owner that forced him onto Yogi's roster and offered Mays a position as a coach when he retired.

This story is even more ironic given the current financial struggles of the present day New York Mets franchise and the apparent stable financial foundation of the current San Francisco Giants organization.

On May 14, 1972, in his Mets debut, Mays put New York ahead to stay with a fifth-inning home run against the Giants. Mays played a season and a half in a Mets uniform as the oldest position player in the league before retiring following the 1973 World Series.

One of many great and random facts about Willie Mays: He is the only Major League player in history to have hit a home run in every inning from the 1st through the 16th.

1975 Topps Traded Project: The Gold Dust Twins

2011-11-08T11:52:00.003-06:00

In 1975 the Boston Red Sox were blessed to have two incredible rookie outfielders arrive to their ball club at the same time. Jim Rice and Fred Lynn (affectionately known as the Gold Dust Twins) deliver two of the most impressive rookie campaigns in baseball history. They appeared on two different "shared" rookie cards (Rice here and Lynn here) in the 1975 Topps set. For this submission to the project, I created two cards for each player, one using a posed image and the other with an in-action image.

Jim Rice grew up in Anderson, South Carolina. A decorated three-sport athlete, he was drafted directly out of high school in the first round (15th overall pick) in the 1971 draft. He played himself into a highly prized prospect during his four years in the Red Sox minor league system, making his big league debut late in the 1974 season.

In 1975 he was in the majors to stay. Tony Conigliaro was attempting his final comeback and was the opening day designated hitter. TonyC's season fizzled quickly, and Rice had the DH job to himself within a few weeks. By July, he took over left field and held it the rest of the season. Jim hit .309 with 22 home runs and 102 RBIs. The Red Sox won the East Division, but Rice did not play in either the League Championship Series or World Series because of a wrist injury sustained during the last week of the regular season when he was hit by a pitch.

Jim Rice spent his entire 16-year big league career in Boston, continuing the legacy of renowned Red Sox left fielders that included Ted Williams and Carl Yastrzemski. One of the most feared right-handed hitters of his era, Rice clubbed at least 20 homers in 11 of his first 12 full seasons and led the American League in total bases four times, homers three times and RBI and slugging percentage twice each. The powerfully built eight-time All-Star amassed 2,452 hits, a .298 batting average, 382 home runs and 1,451 RBIs. Rice was the AL Most Valuable Player in 1978, when he collected 406 total bases -- the most in the AL in more than 40 years. He was elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2009, his last year of eligibility.

Fred Lynn was born in Chicago, but his family moved to Southern California when he was an infant. A great natural athlete, he was drafted out of high school by the New York Yankees in the third round of the 1970 baseball draft. He decided not to sign, and entered the University of Southern California on a football scholarship. Playing with future NFL star Lynn Swann he left the football team after one season to focus on baseball. Lynn played for the USC baseball team enjoying three years of amazing success. His teams went 54-13 in 1971, 50-13 in 1972 and 51-13 in 1973. They won the College World Series each season. He was an All-American in 1972 and 1973 and elected into the College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007.

He grew up a Giants fan, but Lynn anticipated the hometown Dodgers would select him with their first pick in the 1973 amateur draft. Instead the Dodgers drafted a catcher named Ted Farr (he played 5 seasons in the minors, never making it the the majors). They were hoping Lynn would still be available in the second round. The Red Sox picked one slot ahead of the Dodgers that year and drafted him in the second round (28th pick overall).

By 1975 he had played his way into the majors as Boston's center fielder. As good as Rice was his rookie season -- Lynn was even better. He ended up hitting .331 with 47 doubles, 21 home runs, 103 runs, and 105 RBIs. He became the first player to win the American League MVP and Rookie of the Year. He also brought home a Gold Glove for fielding excellence. He led the league in runs, doubles, slugging average, OPS and runs created per 27 outs. He finished second in runs created and in batting average and fifth in on-base average.

In the 1975 World Series, Lynn played in all seven games, batting .280 with a double and home run, and five runs batted in, tying for most on the team. The most memorable moment for him came on defense in the magical sixth game. In the top of the fifth inning, Lynn crashed into Fenway Park's then-unpadded wall in left center chasing a triple hit by Ken Griffey. Fenway was silent, but Lynn remained in the game. After the season, the Red Sox padded their outfield walls.

Although he didn't maintain the same level of performance after his magical rookie season, Lynn was still an excellent major leaguer. He won three more Gold Gloves and finished 4th in the 1979 MVP voting. He was traded by the Red Sox after the 1980 season to the California Angels, where he continued to shine. He was named the MVP of the 1982 ALCS (despite being on the losing team) and continued to make All Star teams. The highlight of his post-Boston career happened during the 1983 All Star game when he hit the only grand slam in All-Star history in Chicago's Comiskey Park. He was named the game MVP, marking the ninth and final time he was elected to the team. His four home runs in All-Star games is second only to Stan Musial.

After forgettable stops in Baltimore, Detroit, and San Diego -- Lynn retired after the 1990 season. His 306 career home runs place him behind only Willie Mays, Ken Griffey, Jr., Mickey Mantle, Duke Snider, Dale Murphy, Joe DiMaggio, Jim Edmonds, and Andruw Jones among regular major league center fielders. In his two eligible season, he never received more than 6% of the votes needed to enter the Hall of Fame.

Snubbed once again

2011-11-07T20:20:00.003-06:00

Last week the National Baseball Hall of Fame released the latest "Golden Era Ballot" calling out eight former players and two former team execs from 1947-’72 era to be considered at winter meetings on December 5th.

Ken Boyer, Gil Hodges, Jim Kaat, Minnie Minoso, Tony Oliva, Allie Reynolds, Ron Santo and Luis Tiant were the former players named while Buzzie Bavasi and Charlie Finley were included for their contributions as executives. Each candidate is now has a "second chance" and is eligible for election into the Baseball Hall of Fame class of 2012. Kaat, Minoso, Oliva and Tiant are the only nominees still living.

From this point, any of these candidates that receives 12 votes (75%) from the 16 member Golden Era Committee (members include Hank Aaron, Juan Marichal, and DA's former White Sox GM Roland Hemond) will earn election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. I have no issues with any of the nominees listed above and under consideration. Each of them were wonderful players and strong executives. Reading through their very impressive resumes warms my heart and reminds me I fell in love with this game during a great era. My intent is not to argue against or prevent someone from appropriately getting recognized.

I only wish everyone involved in this "process" had the same intent.

My issue is there is one name conspicuously missing from this list. The name is Dick Allen. Despite being a seven time all star and one of the most dominant hitters in baseball during his 15-year career. Despite leading the league home runs twice, on-base percentage twice, slugging percentage three times, and OPS+ three times. Despite hitting 351 career home runs and driving in 1119 runs in an era notably dominated by pitching. Despite winning the 1964 National League Rookie of the Year Award and the American League Most Valuable Player Award in 1972. Despite the fact he a career 156 OPS+ ranking him 19th all-time, ahead of Hall of Famers Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Joe DiMaggio, and Mel Ott. The committee decided to leave him off the list of players that should be considered. Amazing.

If find it interesting, the nominating committee charge with determining the "golden ballot" choices is comprised of 11 veteran sportswriters. Sportswriters. This is the same pack of wolves that fanned the flames of racist hatred in Philly in the 1960s. This is the same group that ensnared Dick Allen in controversy after controversy during his playing years. This is the same group of folks that utterly failed to recognize him during his past Hall of Fame opportunities. During the 15 years on the "regular ballot" Dick Allen never received more than 18.9 percent in a given year. Shameful.

At this point, I think the only way that Dick Allen is ever going to get elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame is if the voting process (from start to finish) falls into the hands of living Hall of Famers. It is only going to happen if he can judged and elected by the players he played with and against. Only then will his accomplishments on the field be more important than any myth, any reputation or any of the things written about him outside the lines.

The Man Behind the Mask

2011-11-03T16:57:00.008-05:00

My first crack at a 1979 Topps card with an explanation from Paul Lukas on ESPN.com

The year was 1978 and the player was Dave Parker of the Pirates, who would be named the league's MVP at the season's conclusion. But there was a slight detour on the way to that award, and it came in the form of a home plate collision with Mets catcher John Stearns on June 30. The play knocked Parker out of the lineup with a fractured jaw and cheekbone.

"He wanted to play again right away, so I knew I had to come up with something fast," recalls Tony Bartirome, who was the Pirates' trainer at the time. "If he'd had his way, he would have missed only four games."

Parker ultimately sat out a little over two weeks. But when he returned to action on July 16, something was different -- like, very different. That photo is from Parker's first game back, when he pinch hit in the 11th inning while wearing a hockey goalie's mask. He was intentionally walked, leading to a macabre spectacle on the bases. The "Friday the 13th" movies didn't yet exist in 1978, but Parker was already perfecting the art of masked menace. It marked the beginning of a bizarre chapter in uniform history, a summerlong series of creative headgear experiments that had opposing teams asking, "Who was that masked man?"

New uniform template

2011-11-02T13:23:00.000-05:00

Things have been a little slow for me around here since the Phillies became the second victim (the Braves were the first) in the Cardinals improbable run to the World Series championship. I've never cared much for the Cardinals or their fans. When it became clear to me they were an unstoppable downhill run-away train, I stopped watching. Bitter? Sure, you can call it that.

Now we have entered the "off season" I hope to become a little more creative around here, launch and continue some of my fun projects.

Speaking of projects.... Last week I started working on several new uniform templates. I have found, the more time I spent working with photoshop, the better I become at creating quality templates. This one is a little different from my previous models. By design is a little more simple. Rather than struggle with creating a "life like" look - I took a more abstract approach. The design and concept was inspired and lifted directly from a 1979 Chicago Cubs scorecard cover. I am no creative artist, but I can copy with the best of them. You can see I modified the location or the throwing arm and glove to give better view of the front of the uniform.

I read this morning on The Fleer Sticker Project the news that the Baltimore Orioles have decided to bring back the Smiling Cartoon Bird on their hats next season. I think that is wonderful. In honor of this news, I decided to show off my new template featuring the all-orange uniforms the Orioles wore on occasion during the 1971 season.

Let me know if you want a copy of the template PSD file. I am more than happy to share.

On this day.... It get's by Buckner

2011-10-26T14:51:00.002-05:00

25 years later, even this version is painful to watch.

Parade of Ridiculousness: Clemente dressed as a bumble bee

2011-10-24T16:53:00.001-05:00

The tragic death of Roberto Clemente in December 1972 forever immortalized the original black and white version of this image. Here you see the great Clemente acknowledging the ovation of the Pirate fans following his 3000th hit.

It was September 30th, 1972, the Pirates had clinched the NL East title 9 days earlier -- but Clemente provided some more drama for the home fans after a long injury plagued season (he only played 102 games) when he laced a double to left center field to lead off the 4th inning for the milestone hit. At the time, no one knew it would be the last (regular season) at-bat and last (regular season) hit of his career. Because Pirate Manager Bill Virdon pinch hit for him (using soon to be retired and future Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski) before his next turn came up in the game. He did not play in the final three games of the season.

Even though he was still a very productive player when he was playing in 1972, there is no disputing the fact at age 38 -- Clemente was nearing the end of his career. If he had not died, I highly doubt he would have been an active player in 1977 when the Pirates entered their Bumble Bee fashion era. However, I always wondered what he would have looked like sporting these colorful fashion disasters.

Wonder no more Pirates fans.... Roberto Clemente even looked great even wearing those hideous late 1970's all yellow Pirates uniforms.

1975 Topps Traded Project: Tim McCarver

2011-10-23T10:24:00.001-05:00

I quickly made this 1975 Tim McCarver "traded" card after getting a request from a friend. He needed it as a gag before Game 3 of the World Series tonight. Appropriately he his talking.

I watch a lot of baseball. I'm not sure about the rest of you, but I just can't stand listening to the drone of national broadcasters during the post season. Joe Buck takes every opportunity to turn the games into a series of overly dramatic moments. Once the home team goes down a run or two, TBS and Fox spend as much time panning the crowd for sad faces as they do showing the players playing the actual game. Former big leaguers are brought in for their knowledge and experience to add color, but they just end up sounding like baboons.

I consider myself in the top half of the population regarding baseball knowledge and understanding of the game, and Tim McCarver's voice has turned into nails on a chalkboard for me. I swear McCarver thinks he is teaching a kindergarten class in baseball 101 to a new crowd each and every day. I'm not the only one that feels this way. He has developed quite a cult following of people that simply can't stand to listen to him anymore. If you don't believe me, type in SHUT UP TIM MCCARVER in your search engine.

1975 Topps Traded Project: Garry Maddox

2011-10-21T13:16:00.003-05:00

One of the reasons I added DAHoF to the ever expanding Facebook universe is my increased interactions with the growing number of fun baseball focused online communities.

I've posted about them before, but one of these groups I frequent is The Topps Traded 1975 Project. The idea behind this grass roots community is to demonstrate to Topps the unique baseball card concept of "throwback traded sets". Essentially a collection of cards "that never were" because of timing or just plain oversight. There are some really great looking concepts out here including gems such as Mets/Dave Kingman and Indians/Dennis Eckersley.

I have already produced and submitted a couple of these featuring possible Dick Allen (White Sox + Phillies, and Braves) & Reggie Jackson.

Yesterday, while I was sitting in the Houston Airport waiting on a connection, I decided it was time I took a shot at a Garry Maddox version.

May 4, 1975: Garry Maddox is traded by the San Francisco Giants to the Philadelphia Phillies for Willie Montanez. The Phils knew they had Dick Allen coming out of "retirement" making Montanez expendable so they pulled off one of the greatest trades in Phillies history. Maddox developed into the best defensive center-fielder in baseball, winning eight consecutive gold gloves and hitting a respectable .284 during his 12 years in Philadelphia.

On this day.... Red October

2011-10-20T11:55:00.000-05:00

October 20th, 1990. The Cincinnati Reds complete an improbable four-game World Series sweep over the heavily favored Oakland Athletics. The A's were the defending World Series Champions and had rolled to their third straight AL pennant. Tony LaRussa's Oakland lineup featured all-stars at almost every position and were led by superstars like Rickey Henderson, Jose Canseco & Mark McGwire. Lou Pinella's Reds were predicted to be easy prey for the seemingly invincible green and gold A's but Chris Sabo, Barry Larkin, Eric Davis, Jose Rijo and a bullpen anchored by three nasty flame throwers (Meyers, Charlton, and Dibble) had other ideas.

Familiar Faces / Strange Places: Frank Robinson / Indians

2011-10-15T06:25:00.011-05:00

On October 15, 1972, Jackie Robinson attended a World Series game that included a commemoration for the twenty-fifth anniversary of breaking the color line.

In his televised speech, Robinson again pushed baseball to employ blacks in more capacities: "I'd like to live to see a black manager, I'd like to live to see the day when there's a black man coaching at third base." When Robinson stepped onto the field, it was his second appearance at a Major League Baseball game since ending a self-imposed boycott of baseball which he had begun in protest of the sport's poor record in hiring minorities for managerial and front-office positions.

Nine days later, on October 24, 1972, Jackie Robinson died of a heart attack at his home in Stamford, Connecticut.

The first black baseball manager, Frank Robinson, was hired three years later by the Cleveland Indians.

1993 Topps Dick Allen White Sox card

2011-10-14T15:39:00.000-05:00

Parade of Ridiculousness: Mickey in Teal

2011-10-13T18:22:00.000-05:00

I'm back!

It has been an incredibly busy week for me. The real world of work, customers, and bosses caught up to me.

I made this Mickey Mantle as a Florida Marlin card last week. It makes me laugh every time I glance over at it. The lack of professional dignity just wearing the color teal brings to a professional baseball player is staggering.

This is the first card I've made using a 1993 Topps design. I wanted to use 1993 because that was the first season of the Marlins franchise. Not 100% pleased with the font match, but the rest of it was pretty simple to piece together.

On this day... Maz goes deep

2011-10-13T17:49:00.000-05:00

This ain't no bandwagon you are riding on...

2011-10-08T09:17:00.000-05:00

I wrote this last night on my facebook wall after the game ended. Rather than drinking or breaking something, I was searching for something to soothe my crushed soul.

I've been a Phillies Phan since I was 9 years old (1975). I picked them because my grandmother watched the games and the guy on my favorite baseball card played for them. The Phils were something only she and I shared. She comforted me when they lost in the playoffs in '76. And again in '77 and '78.

She died of breast cancer before they finally won the World Series in 1980, so she wasn't there to celebrate with me.. but I knew she was there when Pete Rose snagged that ball as it popped out of Bob Boone's glove.

I've cheered for Dick Allen, Dave Cash, Mike Schmidt, Tug McGraw, Gary Matthews, Von Hayes, Juan Samuel, Lance Parrish, Ricky Jordan, Curt Schilling, Dave Hollins, John Kruk, Doug Glanville, Jim Thome, Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, and yes... even Ryan Howard.

They were my team when they lost 96 games in 1988. They were my team when Joe Carter walked off the 1993 World Series in Toronto. They were my team when they lost 97 games in 1997. They are my team tonight after falling to the Cardinals.

It was a great summer. We came up a bit short. Spring Training starts in March.

There is still a lot of baseball to enjoy this fall and I've got a couple of fun ideas brewing for the off-season.

2011 NLDS - Game 5

2011-10-08T09:08:00.000-05:00

And so it ends. Game Story.

Parade of Ridiculousness: Lou Gehrig in Veeck's shorts

2011-10-06T16:02:00.002-05:00

I am posting this absolutely ridiculous card three reasons:

Reivax made this suggestion on the original Babe Ruth in Astros rainbow stripe post - and I want to keep encouraging ideas to come in.
Once you get past the desecrating a legend part, it does look pretty funny. For someone who spent his entire professional career wearing Yankee pinstripes, I think the Iron Horse looks like he loves the shorts.
I am hoping posting this somehow jinxes the Yankees tonight as they take on the Detroit Tigers in an elimination Game 5 of the ALDS.

Got another one you want to see? Put it in the comments section below, email me, tweet me, or post on my Facebook wall.

This should go up on every telephone pole in Philly tomorrow

2011-10-06T01:43:00.000-05:00

A quick recap on why I can't sleep tonight...

2011-10-06T01:01:00.000-05:00