breaking news

Jon Heyman of SI.com reports that Matt Holliday’s new seven-year, $120 million contract with the Cardinals includes a vesting option for an eighth year.

According to Heyman, Holliday would receive an additional year at $17 million if he finishes in the Top-10 of the MVP voting in the seventh year. In other words, not so scary. If he’s still putting up that kind of production seven years from now, it will be the contract that keeps on giving.

for the most part , i’ve soured on the whole hof issue/topic .
there are many qualifications to be considered , for sure ,
but , the one question i keep asking myself is ==> if i wouldn’t drive to the ballpark to see these guys play , why would i drive to cooperstown to see them ??

@big o: Do they really give guys who’ve made $86 million (http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kentje01.shtml) a pension? If only I had Kent’s baseball and moustache-growing talent.

@mc serch: Thanks on that typo. Funny thing – my Mom’s from the Bronx, Dad from Brooklyn. They were that close to being part of an LL Cool J song.

I agree (and evidently so do the voters) that Trammell and Whitaker aren’t slam dunk HOFers. Traditional stats don’t help them out a lot. But if you take OPS+ into account, it changes things. Ripken was the best HR-hitting SS but his OPS+ is only at 112. Whitaker is at 116. Trammell at 110.

I think everything is relative when it comes to hitting and fielding position. The great power stats are going to come from 1B/OF/DH. Middle infielders have to be viewed differently.

Here’s an argument – MLB has been around about 100 years. Taking era into account (not fair to judge a 1920 player directly with a 2000 player), it seems reasonable that anyone who is in the top 20 at their position should be in the Hall of Fame. That’s only 2 per decade on average. I’d defy you to find 15 2B or SS that are better than Whitaker and Trammell. I think BaseballPage’s rankings of Whitaker and Trammell at #11 in their respective positions is about right give or take a couple slots:
http://www.thebaseballpage.com/positions/rankings/2B.php
http://www.thebaseballpage.com/positions/rankings/SS.php