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MLB 2014 Thread


The Buscher

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Yeah so it's too late in the offseason to bother making a formal offseason thread, but continuing discussions in the MLB 2013 season thread seems weird. Figured I'd just kick off a new thread for the year 2014 for all remaining offseason/spring training talk and then keep the season talk in here as well.

Anyway, the Hall of Fame Class of 2014 will be unveiled today (Wednesday). I'd say Biggio will be in this year after a bunch of writers basically submitted blank ballots last year. Maddux and Glavine appear to be the only surefire locks to go in of the first-timers. I think The Big Hurt will get in first ballot as well, but idiots who are unfairly anti-every-steroid-era-hitter will cost him some votes and make it a closer call than it should.

Meanwhile I think those same idiots will cause Piazza and Bagwell to miss out again. And I don't think Jack Morris makes it in either in his 15th and final year on the balloting.

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Let us all hope for another Cardinals World Series!

Only, yanno, a win this time.

You like the Packers and the Cards??? Truly the worst of all of us :(N):

I know, right? Besmirching the great St. Louis Cardinals organization by being a fan of the Packers? Gross. :puke:

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Looking forward to this class of hall of famers more than any I've personally seen in my whole life. Due to most of the ballot having enjoyed the peak of their awesome playing career during my childhood and teens. Especially Biggio as I was an Astros fan growing up, having had much family out that way.

Anyone else from this side of the border looking forward to the moves the Jays have in store for us this off-season? Not going to be as sexy by any means but hopefully we can field a realistic contender this year after the pressure and hype of last year did its thing, as well as injuries and depth. Now having had one chance and one learning experince, hopefully Anthopolous can fill the holes we have accordingly. I split a 15 game flex pack with a friend last year, doing the same again this year.

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Looks like Maddux, Glavine, Thomas and Biggio are going in the Hall of Fame.

http://deadspin.com/with-more-than-a-third-of-voters-ballots-having-been-pu-1497044293

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Let us all hope for another Cardinals World Series!

Only, yanno, a win this time.

You like the Packers and the Cards??? Truly the worst of all of us :(N):

I inherited my Cards love from my dad(who breaths Cardinals baseball) and because their AAA team is here. The Packers I picked up on my own when I was a wee lad. (No TN Titans at the time and Favre.was the man) I naturally hate all things Chicago.

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Chicago hates you too!

Anyway, it looks like Glavine, Maddux and Thomas all made it into the HOF. Had Craig Biggio gotten just two more votes, he would have made it in too.

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Deadspin bought a ballot off of one of the HoF voters, and they've done an article about it.

Dan Le Batard:

I feel like my vote has gotten pretty worthless in the avalanche of sanctimony that has swallowed it.

I have no earthly idea if Jeff Bagwell or Frank Thomas did or didn't use steroids.

I think I understand why the steroid guys were the steroid guys in this competition-aholic culture.

I hate all the moralizing we do in sports in general, but I especially hate the hypocrisy in this: Many of the gatekeeper voters denying Barry Bonds Hall Of Fame entry would have they themselves taken a magical, healing, not-tested-for-in-their-workplace elixir if it made them better at their jobs, especially if lesser talents were getting the glory and money. Lord knows I'd take the elixir for our ESPN2 TV show if I could.

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Deadspin (and I'm sure some others) have made a deal about Maddux not being a unanimous addition to the Hall.

Who cares? He's still a Hall of Famer and deservedly so. I get that the writers' job seem to be categorizing and min/maxing every little thing they can, but the Hall of Fame is the the highest pinnacle you can attain in Major League Baseball. Bigger than any MVP, Cy Young, etc. I'm sure Maddux is elated at being inducted (especially alongside Bobby Cox and Tom Glavine, among others), not sitting at home plotting revenge against the one guy who disagreed.

Edit: this made me think of Atlanta's current rotation. It has the potential to be great, but this will be a season of pins and needles every time the offense can't spot five runs.

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Deadspin (and I'm sure some others) have made a deal about Maddux not being a unanimous addition to the Hall.

Who cares? He's still a Hall of Famer and deservedly so. I get that the writers' job seem to be categorizing and min/maxing every little thing they can, but the Hall of Fame is the the highest pinnacle you can attain in Major League Baseball. Bigger than any MVP, Cy Young, etc. I'm sure Maddux is elated at being inducted (especially alongside Bobby Cox and Tom Glavine, among others), not sitting at home plotting revenge against the one guy who disagreed.

Sure being unanimous or not really isn't a big deal but the point is: what valid reason do they have not to vote for him? Because lumping him together with Bonds, et al because they played in the same era is ridiculous.
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Deadspin (and I'm sure some others) have made a deal about Maddux not being a unanimous addition to the Hall.

Who cares? He's still a Hall of Famer and deservedly so. I get that the writers' job seem to be categorizing and min/maxing every little thing they can, but the Hall of Fame is the the highest pinnacle you can attain in Major League Baseball. Bigger than any MVP, Cy Young, etc. I'm sure Maddux is elated at being inducted (especially alongside Bobby Cox and Tom Glavine, among others), not sitting at home plotting revenge against the one guy who disagreed.

Sure being unanimous or not really isn't a big deal but the point is: what valid reason do they have not to vote for him? Because lumping him together with Bonds, et al because they played in the same era is ridiculous.

Yeah, I think it's this. I don't really care if someone as great as he gets a unanimous vote. It's more of "What exactly are those writers seeing (or not seeing) that all these other people do/don't?"

I'd love to hear from someone that didn't vote him in as to why they feel he doesn't belong.

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I hate the idea that the Hall of Fame = Hall of Morals. It's to celebrate the history of the game and celebrate the best players in every era as well as the most important people from every era.

You don't go to a US history museum that brushes over things like child labor and slavery. Why should you go to a baseball museum that ignores steroids?

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Deadspin (and I'm sure some others) have made a deal about Maddux not being a unanimous addition to the Hall.

Who cares? He's still a Hall of Famer and deservedly so. I get that the writers' job seem to be categorizing and min/maxing every little thing they can, but the Hall of Fame is the the highest pinnacle you can attain in Major League Baseball. Bigger than any MVP, Cy Young, etc. I'm sure Maddux is elated at being inducted (especially alongside Bobby Cox and Tom Glavine, among others), not sitting at home plotting revenge against the one guy who disagreed.

Edit: this made me think of Atlanta's current rotation. It has the potential to be great, but this will be a season of pins and needles every time the offense can't spot five runs.

I don't think anyone will ever be unanimous. Mostly because writers have the whole "Well if Mantle or whoever wasn't unanimous then how can this guy be?" it's silly but it's the way it is.

Also Midget I get the Maddux pride! He was mine before he was yours! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! (H)

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