The Baseball Thread!

[Dark Qiviut]

(Image credit.)

It's no secret here how much I love baseball! It's easily my most favorite sport. A beautiful, intricate game with a storied history, both good and bad. A game you're guaranteed to never see the same twice.

Talk of all baseball welcome. It can be talking about past and present moments, great players, prospects, international baseball and not simply MLB, updates on trades/free-agent signings, your experience in baseball or experience as a fan, etc.

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I've been a fan of baseball for almost twenty years now. The first time I became a devoted fan was during the 1998 playoffs. A few years later, being an underdog fan, I became a Red Sox fan, which I still am today. (Yes, a New Yorker, but devoted Boston fan ). I don't miss the playoffs and watch it fervently.

Out of every game I watched, none made me the most nervous than last year's Game 7 of the World Series. The teams with the two longest droughts — the Cubs and Indians; 1908 vs. 1948 — fought to win it for the first time in at least 68 years. Despite a 5-1, CHC lead, it felt close. Rajai Davis's homer turned Game 7 into an instant classic. But nine innings wasn't enough.

It took a 17-minute rain delay, a speech from Jason Heyward, a Cub rally, and a save from Mike Montgomery to end the longest drought in North American sports:

 

[Badnik Mechanic]

Nats at Marlins today, any predictions?

[Dark Qiviut]

On 6/19/2017 at 3:01 PM, Mayor D said:

Nats at Marlins today, any predictions?

Fish won yesterday, Nats today. So, series split at 1 apiece.

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Right now, the most anticipated series is confined to the Mountain Time Zone: D'backs/Rockies. In a really fun game tonight, Colorado came back to win, 4-3, against ace Zack Greinke. Nolan Arenado's 2-run triple sealed it.

I don't know who'll win the division, but it'll be fun to watch.

[Mick]

I'm a New York Yankees fan.  It was cool to see them the number one team in the American League.  Now I see Boston is number in the AL.  I really like Aaron Judge.  He is being called the next Derek Jeter.  I hope the Yankees will make it to the playoffs this year and go all the way.  It has been 8 years since they won a World Series.  It seems like the Yankees will go through the same slump they had since the 1980's.  I hope not!  I am optimistic about in the late portion of this decade.

[Dark Qiviut]

This thread needs it.

The season is over, and the Astros won their first title in franchise history! Congrats to them for giving the city something it really needed.

Now we're in the middle of the Winter Meetings, and during these meetings, we get two things:

1. Trade rumors and signings.
2. The Hall of Fame, which I'll be talking about.

Starting last year, the Veterans Committee was revamped and split into four eras, which you can read about here. For how it's structured, here's how it's done (C&P'd, reformatted by me):

Quote

NEW FORMAT:

Electorates: 16 member committees

Election Eras: Golden Days (1950-1969), Modern Baseball (1970-1987), Today’s Game (1988-2016), Early Baseball (1871-1949)

Ballot Size: Golden Days (10/players, managers, umps, execs), Modern Baseball (10/players, managers, umps, execs), Today’s Game (10/players, managers, umps, execs), Early Baseball (10/players, managers, umps, execs) pancakes Leagues (players, managers, umps, execs)

Waiting Period after Falling off BBWAA ballot: No wait

Frequency: Today’s Game (twice every 5 years), Modern Baseball (twice every 5 years), Golden Days (once every 5 years), Early Baseball (once every 10 years)

Eras considered for yearly election are as follows:

• 2016 – Today’s Game;
• 2017 – Modern Baseball;
• 2018 – Today’s Game;
• 2019 – Modern Baseball;
• 2020 – Both Golden Days and Early Baseball;
• 2021 – Today’s Game;
• 2022 – Modern Baseball;
• 2023 – Today’s Game;
• 2024 – Modern Baseball;
• 2025 – Golden Days.
• The Early Baseball era returns to the ballot in 2030.

“Notably, there are twice as many players in the Hall of Fame who debuted before 1950 as compared to afterward, and yet there are nearly double the eligible candidates after 1950 than prior,” said Clark. “Those who served the game long ago and have been evaluated many times on past ballots will now be reviewed less frequently.”

Additionally, the Board has modified the criteria for which active executives can be considered for enshrinement. All active executives age 70 or older may now have their careers reviewed as part of the Era Committee balloting process, regardless of the position they hold in an organization, and regardless of whether their body of work has been completed.

Previously, active executives 65 years or older were eligible for consideration.

The Veterans Committee barely elected anyone in after 2001 (Bill Mazeroski, the last living ex-player to be enshrined at the time). That changed this year, with Jack Morris and Alan Trammell being voted by the Modern Era Committee. Ted Simmons (a switch-hitting catcher for over 20 years) missed by one vote.

Today, Bob Costas was named the winner of the Ford C. Frick Award, electing him to the Hall. Congrats to one of the best broadcasters of all-time!

Meanwhile, Ryan Thibodeaux and three others are collecting BBWAA ballots into this nifty online tracker to update the percentages of players who could make the Hall (or barely remain on the ballot). That election will be announced by Jeff Idelson on January 24.