While at the mall last weekend with my wife and kids, my wife gave me ‘The Nod’.  For those of you that are not familiar with ‘The Nod’, let me explain.  In my family, ‘The Nod’ means take off, get away, scram, etc…

We were in the Disney store and she spotted something she wanted to get for the boys.  My 3-year old is very intrigued when we’re out shopping, and has a knack for finding something he wants wherever we go.  This time, my wife gave me ‘The Nod’ so I hightailed it out of there before he could see what she found.

I made my way across the mall’s hallway to the Mounted Memories Factory Outlet.  It’s a great store with some great stuff.  Some of it is very affordable while some is outrageously high-priced.  While I have never made a purchase there, I do enjoy checking out what they have so it was a natural choice for us to burn a few minutes there.

While cruising around the store, I saw a stack of these flyers at the register:

Obviously the headline of the flyer did it’s job as I was instantly intrigued.  Bob Feller and Free Autographs sounds like a great time to me.  He’ll be at the store next week and I have every intention of being there as well.  If you purchase a ball or photo from the store you get a free autograph.  If you walk in with your own item to be signed, it’s $20.00.  

It sounds like I’ll be adding another signed baseball to my collection!!!  Plus, it’s from an in-person appearance!!!  And he’s a Hall of Famer!!!

Stay tuned next week as I bring you the results from the Bob Feller signing.

This is Black Friday, when millions of bargain-crazed Americans head to the malls to shop for deeply discounted merchandise. The only purchases I’ve made today have been on behalf of my son: at the doctor’s office, the pharmacy and – in a weak moment – an online gaming site.

If you’re a baseball fan and a fan of baseball caps, the Major League Baseball site is running a sale at the MLB.com Shop. I’m not buying anything there today, but this orange-billed San Francisco Giants cap did catch my eye.

I also stumbled onto a link to one of what the site describes as several recordings of classic baseball games on radio that you can buy. The one in the Giants’ area was of a game against the Astros at Enron Field. That park carried that name for so short a time that I’m amazed there was time to find a classic there. I’ll be poking around to find more classic broadcasts available on the site.

I’d love to dredge up some old Cleveland Indians’ broadcasts from the 1960s, when the team was usually terrible. Imagine reliving thrills from 1967 as the Tribe and Washington Senators battled for seventh place in the American League! Seriously, I’d love to hear random games from the past, if only to recall so many fine old players like Ken McMullen and Sonny Siebert or to hear announcers like Jimmy Dudley on WERE in Cleveland or Ray Lane and Ernie Harwell on WJR in Detroit.

For me, Thanksgiving is the best holiday of the year. It’s one of the few times of the year when all bets are off when it comes to food. Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie.

It doesn’t get any better than that.

Thanksgiving is also the time of year where we give thanks to what we have in life. It’s no different for all 30 teams of Major League Baseball. Each team has something they can be thankful for.

NL East

Philadelphia Phillies: The Phillies should be thankful that they have one of the best GM’s in the game in Ruben Amaro Jr. A GM who doesn’t get nearly the credit he deserves.

Atlanta Braves: The Braves should be thankful the Minor League Player of the Year, Jason Heyward is on his way. The kid looks like a star.

Florida Marlins: The Marlins should be thankful they are getting a new stadium in 2012. Maybe then they can keep their young stars like Josh Johnson

New York Mets: The Mets should be thankful that 2009 is finally coming to an end. 2010 can’t be much worse.

Washington Nationals: The Nationals should be thankful that new GM Mike Rizzo has more of a clue than former GM Jim Bowden

NL Central

St. Louis Cardinals: The Cardinals should be thankful for the fact that they get to watch the best player in the game on a day in and day out basis.

Chicago Cubs: The Cubs should be thankful that after so many years of being labeled “lovable losers,” they are finally dedicated to winning. Whether or not they are making the right moves to win is another story.

Milwaukee Brewers: The Brewers should be thankful that they have an owner in Mark Attanasio, who runs a small market team, but has a big market mentality.

Cincinnati Reds: The Reds should be thankful that Jay Bruce, Drew Stubbs, and Joey Votto are young stars, who should provide a solid foundation for the future.

Houston Astros: The Astros should be thankful that Wandy Rodriguez established himself as a solid No. 2 starter in 2009.

Pittsburgh Pirates: The Pirates should be thankful for the fact that GM Neal Huntington has the team moving in the right direction. The Pirates are making the right moves to compete in the future.

NL West

Los Angeles Dodgers: The Dodgers should be thankful for Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp, who appear to be the foundation of the Dodgers’ offense for years to come.

Colorado Rockies: The Rockies should be thankful that they have one of the best and exciting young teams in baseball. The Rockies have finally figured out how to win in Colorado.

The Giants should be thankful for Lincecum

San Francisco Giants: The Giants should be thankful for being able to watch Tim Lincecum every five days. His unique delivery continues to amaze fans and baffle hitters.

San Diego Padres: The Padres should be thankful that it appears that they will not be trading star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez.

Arizona Diamondbacks: The Diamondbacks should be thankful that Brandon Webb is making progress and looks to be healthy in 2010.

AL East

New York Yankees: The Yankees should be thankful that they are the Yankees. No other team in professional sports has the advantage they have.

Boston Red Sox: The Red Sox should be thankful for their minor-league system, which allows them to trade for players like Victor Martinez and potentially Roy Halladay or Miguel Cabrera.

Tampa Bay Rays: The Rays should be thankful that they have the most athletic team in baseball and after so many years of losing, they have a winner in Tampa.

Toronto Blue Jays: The Blue Jays should be thankful for the fact they got to watch Roy Halladay pitch in a Blue Jays’ uniform for the last 12 years. He will go down as the best player in franchise history.

Baltimore Orioles: The Orioles should be thankful for that after so many years of not having a clue, they are moving in the right direction. Matt Wieters, Adam Jones, Brian Matusz, and Nick Markakis provide a solid foundation for the future.

AL Central

Minnesota Twins: The Twins should be thankful for Joe Mauer. When it is all said and done, I believe he will go down as the greatest catcher of all time.

Detroit Tigers: The Tigers should be thankful for Mike Ilitch. Despite a ravaged economy in Detroit, Ilitch does his best to put a winner on the field in the Motor City.

Chicago White Sox: The White Sox should be thankful for employing Ozzie Guillen. His press conferences have provided baseball fans with hours of comedy. Oh yeah, the guy is a pretty good manager.

Kansas City Royals: The Royals should be thankful that there is only more year left in the Jose Guillen era in Kansas City.

Cleveland Indians: The Indians should be thankful that Grady Sizemore, Carlos Martinez, Azdrubal Cabrera, Matt LaPorta, and Shin-Soo Choo provide hope for the future.

AL West

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: The Angles should be thankful for that they have one of the best run organizations in baseball. The job Arte Moreno and Mike Scioscia have done in Anaheim has been impressive.

Seattle Mariners: The Mariners should be thankful for the fact that if they make a couple of solid moves this offseason, they could win the AL West in 2010.

Texas Rangers: The Rangers should be thankful for GM Jon Daniels. His trades and drafting over the last four years have the Rangers poised to make a run at the AL West crown in 2010.

Oakland A’s: The A’s should be thankful for Andrew Bailey. The 2009 AL Rookie of the Year and a great year and should anchor the backend of the A’s bullpen for years to come–or at least until Billy Beane trades him.

I would like to give thanks to all my readers for taking the time out of their days to read my blog. For that, I am truly grateful.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE AND THEIR FAMILIES!!!

Hey it’s those perpetual underachievers, the Indians. Things seemed so great in 2007. They had two aces (And were about to get another one the next year when Cliff Lee remembered he was good), they had a great center fielder (Sizemore), an up and coming second baseman (Cabrera), one of the best offensive catchers in baseball (Martinez, and Kelly Shoppach showed he was perhaps the best backup in baseball), the best defensive outfielder in the game (Guitierez), and a bunch of players that could decide to be phenomenal if circumstances allowed (Peralta, Hafner, Choo, Garko). They also had the makings of a solid bullpen with Betancourt and Perez having great seasons that year. And now, out of all of those players, they have only a few left. Hafner is ineffective and his contract appears to be weighing the whole team down. Peralta seems to be past his prime. Carmona can’t get it; he’s a head case. Perez lost it. Only Sizemore and Choo seem to have any value to them anymore, which is too bad, because if things had broken right for the Indians, they could have been a juggernaut for a few years in the Central; the Twins, White Sox and Tigers dodged a giant bullet. Is there any hope for the future in Cleveland? Kinda.

It feels like it’s been so much longer..

Catcher – I really have no idea what the plan is at catcher. They are rumors that Kelly Shoppach will be non tendered, which would seem to be a mistake, as he hit .261/.348/.517 in 2008. As a catcher. Additionally, he hit 21 home runs in only 403 PA’s. Obviously, this past year was a struggle. That can likely be explained by a 70 point drop in BABIP, since his line drive rate was the highest of his career in ‘09 (21.8%). He is almost sure to bounce back in 2010, and wouldn’t break the bank in arbitration in his second year of eligibility. The issue, of course, is Carlos Santana. Here’s a catching prospect who hit .290/.413/.530 in double A this past year. A year after OPS’ing over 1.000 in A+ in 2008. He has also shown the ability to walk more than he strikes out, a hallmark of superstars such as Pujols and Mauer. So… Santana looks to be a stud. But then there’s Lou Marson, who the Tribe received in the Cliff Lee trade. Marson has shown astounding walk rates in the minors, but not much else. Who among these three do you attempt to trade? Personally, I would try and shop Marson, banking on potential over prior results.

Give Carlos Santana a chance, won’t you?

1st Base – Wait.. do the Indians have a first baseman these days? Garko is gone. Hafner can’t do it. Is Matt LaPorta an option, because otherwise the top of the 1st base depth chart belongs to Andy Marte. The Andy Marte. I suggest an upgrade, perhaps even the return of Russel Branyan. Other possible options can be seen here.

2nd Base – They aren’t considering Luis Valbuena, are they? Valbuena showed solid walk rates in the minors, with a bit of pop. He then hit 10 home runs with the Indians in ‘09. His defense was fairly awful at shortstop, but a bit bit more tolerable at 2nd (-9.1 UZR/150), so perhaps with Cabrera at SS and Valbuena at second, middle infield defense will be at worst, acceptable for Cleveland. Cabrera has flashed quite a bit of prowess defensively (historically). Actually, given that it’s a time of rebuilding, I’d recommend the Indians go with Valbuena; he actually held his own overall offensively, stole some bases, and taking his minor league record into account, should be able to get on base more effectively in the future. Jason Donald figures to be a good alternative (.889 OPS at double A in ‘08), although he is coming back form a back injury.

Me? Second Baseman?

SS – The clumsily named Asdrubal Cabrera has developed into a decent middle infielder, although UZR shows he may be better suited as a second baseman (-.04 UZR/150 and -5.3 UZR/150 at second and short, respectively). He had a .799 OPS as a 23 year old in 2009, which is quite valuable. It looks like the Indians will be set at one of the middle infield positions for a while with Cabrera.

3rd Base – The even more clumsily named Jhonny Peralta is actually another decent piece for Cleveland. He’s still just 27, but he is a far cry from his first full season, in 2005, when he hit .292/.366/.520 with okay defense. This from a 23 year old shortsop. 2006 was a bad year, and then 2007-’08 were pretty good, with the OPS around .800 and 20+ homers. Last year was the worst year yet for Jhonny, as he hit just .254/.316/.375. His BABIP was basically the same as in prior years, as was his line drive %. Basically he just hit the bal on the ground constantly (50.2%, his highest by a good margin for his career) and naturally, his fly ball rate was at its lowest for Peralta’s career (30.6%). At 3rd base, that kind of production is going to get Jhonny traded (At best) or designated for assignment. There’s still time to rebound, and Peralta tends to rebound every other year or so.

Why you smiling? You’re chubby. Your name is mispelled. You couldn’t crack a .700 OPS last year. List goes on..

Outfield – Grady Sizemore probably doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone; he’s still an elite hitter, and his center field defense has historically been above average. Shin-Soo Choo finally got a full season under his belt, and excelled, hitting .300/.394/.489 with decent defense in right field. He even hit lefties pretty well (.823 OPS). The only potential problem is that he struck out 151 times, which likely won’t be a problem given Choo’s production. Then there’s young Matt LaPorta. He managed a .750 OPS, grounded mainly in decent power production (.442 SLG, .188 ISO). The issue, is that LaPorta’s plate discipline thus far hasn’t shown up in the majors (6.2% walk rate). But given that he still hasn’t had 200 PA’s in the big leagues, as well as his hitting pedigree, LaPorta stands a good chance to bust out in 2010 (Or 2011). His outfield defense was actually palatable (-.04 UZR/150), so overall I’d say the Indians have a decent outfield for 2010. But wait! They also have the impressive (OBP-wise), but powerless, Michael Brantley available. Give Brantley the left field job and put LaPorta at first (Unless they do acquire a first baseman). No upgrades needed.

DH – Travis Hafner, go away. Come again when.. well when it’s 2006 again. That’s the year when he probably should have won the MVP (1.097 OPS, 42 home runs). Lately, his old player skills have dissipated, likely due to a combination of age and his shoulder issues. He still managed a .823 OPS last year, but with only 16 home runs, and he was unable to stay healthy. Yet another Indian who has gone from a being a force to being well.. nothing useful.

Rotation:

ugggghhh

Jake Westbrook – A solid #3 starter when healthy. He missed all of ‘09 (And almost all of ‘08), however, with Tommy John surgery, and the rehab has not gone well. The Indians hope he’ll be okay to pitch on opening day, but that’s kind of up in the air at this point. Can he resume his ‘04-’07 4.00 FIP days? Maybe, but he’ll be 32 and anything but a sure thing next year. And he’s the ace.

David Huff – Decent walk rate, but hittable and doesn’t seem to have the ability to strike guys out (4.56 K/9). Fine as a #5.

Anthony Reyes – Has shown flashes of being a decent pitcher (2006 WS, 4.15 FIP in 2008) but has mostly sucked everywhere he’s been. He’s now 28, and has had only one season (Besides his cup of coffee in 2005) with a FIP below 5.25. He’s just not good. Fine for triple A.

Maybe drinking more would help you not be quite such an awful pitcher. Worked for David Wells.

Fausto Carmona – He had a great year in 2007. He had almost as much of a case for the Cy as C.C, but he hasn’t been the same pitcher since. He still gets ground balls (55.2% GB rate, although that is down nearly 10% from ‘07), but it’s the walks that have killed him. In 2007 he walked 2.55 per 9. That number has risen to 5.03 in 2009. You can’t succeed with that unless you are an extreme strikeout pitcher, and Carmona has never been that (5.58 K/9 for his career). Carmona either needs to give the bullpen another try, or else try the NL.. or perhaps a different line of employment.

Aaron Laffey – 1.04 K/BB ratio. That’s awful. So was the 1.62 WHIP from ‘09. He’ll be 25 next year. Maybe he’ll surprise me. I wouldn’t bet on it. He’s a #5/#6 at best.

Carlos Carrasco – The prize of the Cliff Lee deal, Carrasco sucked for the Indians as soon as he gave the big leagues a try. Given, he’s been rather overrated as a prospect for some time now, as he has tended to fluctuate between being borderline okay and good in the minors. In A+ ball in 2007 he had a 2.84 ERA (Albeit a 4.38 FIP to go with it). In 2008, he made 6 starts at AAA and had a 2.19 FIP with 46 K’s in 36.2 innings. He also gave up 8 unearned runs in that stint, while giving up more than a hit per inning. In 2009, he was solid at triple A, recording a 4.01 FIP with the Phillies’ triple A club, and a 2.92 with the Indians’. Will he finally have a good all around season next year? Probably not, but maybe in 2011.

Justin Masterson – The prize of the Victor Martinez deal, he had a 4.04 FIP between the Red Sox and Indians last year, with solid K numbers and bit too many walks. He has shown the ability to limit hits while posting good K/BB numbers throughout his minor league career. Bill James seems to think Masterson is legit, projecting him for 30 starts, a 4.00 ERA, and a K/BB of 2.04. He may very well be the #2 starter for the Tribe next year, so hopefully those projections come true, or are surpassed.

Jeremy Sowers – …had a .98 K/BB ratio in 123.1 innings. NON TENDER.

Cleveland needs to upgrade the rotation, badly. The minors don’t offer a lot of help, with Hector Rondon showing decent K/BB ratios in triple A, but appearing a tad hittable and (Apparently) requiring more seasoning before he’s ready. Adam Miller hasn’t had a full season since 2006. He’s good, or at least he was, so I suppose he could be a dark horse for the Indians in 2010, but it’s more likely he burns his throwing hand grilling hamburgers. Cleveland needs help outside the organization, but I don’t think they have the payroll room to add an impact starter from the free agent market. I say they trade one of their catchers (Not Santana) and one of their young question mark starters (I’d try Carmona) to the NL for some established pitching. Maybe a Joe Blanton or an Aaron Harang type.

Bullpen:

Jess Todd – A throw in to the Mark DeRosa deal, he had a 2.38 FIP for the Cardinals’ triple A affiliate. He struggled against major league hitters, allowing a .351 opponents average, but still managed a good strikeout rate (8.06). He’ll be 24 next year and looks like he’s developing into a solid middle reliever.

Jess Todd learns from the best (I actually have no idea who that is with him).

Tony Sipp – Sipp appeared to be a major success this past season, with a 2.90 ERA and 48 K’s in 40 innings. He posted great K/BB numbers in the minors, but gave up 25 walks in his 40 major league innings. That’s 5.63/9. That’s awful. His opponents BABIP was also just .253, bringing his FIP to a far less impressive 4.20. Expect some regression next year for the 26 year old.

Chris Perez – The centerpiece of the DeRosa deal (They did manage some good value for ol’ Mark), Perez was seen as the future closer for the Cardinals. Perhaps he can fulfill that role with the Indians. He gave up a rather obnoxious 8 home runs in his 57 innings in ‘09, but otherwise showed a lot of potential. After putting up ridiculous K numbers in the minors, Perez has now struck out 110 batters in 98.2 major league innings. He also allowed only 75 hits in that time. His walk rates have been a bit on the high side for both his minor league and major league career. What does this equate to? A solid middle reliever who hasn’t quite put it together yet. I look for a decent amount of improvement in 2010.

See, I can get stalked by old men, too, Jess Todd.

Jensen Lewis – Another Indians reliever with a great minor league career in terms of K rate, Lewis regressed this past year. But then most players on this team did. Lewis did survive as the team’s closer in 2008, and has put up decent K numbers in the majors (8.24). Last year, however, Lewis posted the highest walk rate of his career at 3.93. He’s still young, and still managed to limit hits, so I expect him to bounce back next year.

Kerry Wood – I don’t know. I really don’t. How can you really predict a Kerry Wood season? Honestly, he’s due for an injury at this point. If he stays healthy, expect better numbers than last year, when he at least continued to strike guys out and limit hits. But he’s always allowed a ton of walks and last year gave up 7 home runs, not great for a closer.

The bullpen is in okay shape. I would try Adam Miller there to see if he can catch lightning in a bottle and maybe close games at some point. If that works, and who knows, maybe it will, the Indians could have a dominant bullpen in ‘09.

Overall, this team strikes me as one of the most unlucky teams I’ve ever witnessed. They’ve had countless players fall off the face of the earth when they should have been in their primes (Hafner, Peralta, Rafael Perez, Carmona, Garko, Barfield) and have had a decent amount of players not develop like they should have (Marte, Jeremy Sowers, Miller, Beau Mills, among others). C.C. Sabathia, Cliff Lee, Victor Martinez, Franklin Guitierez and Casey Blake are all producing for new teams. I feel like GM Mark Shapiro has made all the right decisions, but this might be a case of awful managing. It’s quite possible that Eric Wedge absolutely sucked at motivating his players. Only when they had so much talent it was impossible to lose, were they able to contend. ‘04 ‘06, ‘08 were completely lost seasons where the Indians should have contended with the talent they had. Year to year, they had hardly any consistency from even their star players (Martinez was pretty damn bad in ‘08, Lee was terrible in ‘07, for example). I feel like Manny Acta might not be the right manager; he certainly sucked at motivating the Nationals this past year (After he departed, his successor, Jim Riggleman, proved that motivation was possible on that team). Acta should manage a team like the Mariners, or Royals, who are so stone age in their statistical analysis that a pro SABR manager would benefit them far more. The Indians make the right decisions on paper, generally, but something wasn’t right in the way they were managed, and I don’t envision much success for them next year, despite a decent offense and a young, flamethrowing bullpen. I don’t think Acta will motivate this team, and their rotation is pretty awful.

And he’s sad, sad Jordan Brown,

He’s the saddest slugger in the whole damn town.

He’s better than a minor league star,

But with the Indians he won’t go far.

-From Jim Croce’s unreleased Sad, Sad Jordan Brown

The Cleveland Indian’s hard-hitting, lefthanded first baseman/outfielder Jordan Brown is major league ready.

But from the Cleveland Indian’s treatment of him, one would think otherwise.

Through four full professional seasons, Brown has excelled at every level: in 2006 he captured the high Class A Carolina League’s Most Valuable Player award; in 2007, the Double A Eastern League’s Most Valuable Player award; and in 2009, the Triple A International League’s batting championship.

Still, Brown has yet to receive even a September call up to the big league club.

Yesterday, Brown’s contract was purchased by the Indians, effectively protecting him from the Rule 5 draft and thus ensuring he will be in the Cleveland system in 2010. And since Brown is blocked at all of his natural positions by prospects and established stars higher in Cleveland’s depth chart, it would appear that he’s destined for another year of toiling in Triple A.

While it’s always nice to have a job, the cliched “change of scenery” was Brown’s best chance at cracking a major league roster.

A University of Arizona product, Brown was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the fourth round of the 2005 amateur draft. Scouts liked his aggressive approach at the plate and fluid, compact swing from the lefthand side. He wore out the gaps, possessed good pop, and showed average speed on the basepaths. His defense was suspect, so the Indians drafted him at first base instead of his natural position in left field.

After a run in the New York-Penn League, the Indians sent the 22-year-old Brown to the Carolina League’s Kinston Indians in 2006.

Brown’s first professional campaign was a tremendous success. He led the Carolina League with 87 RBI and notched 15 homeruns and 71 runs in 125 games. His .290 average wasn’t eye-opening, but Brown showed patience and a natural ability to work the strikezone, earning 51 base-on-balls in 473 official at-bats, enough for a .362 on-base percentage.

He earned the league’s Most Valuable Player award and was promoted to Double A Akron to start 2007.

Brown’s statistics improved across the board at Akron. His average jumped 43 points to .333, a mark that secured the league’s batting title. His on-base percentage went from .362 to .421. His walks went up, his strikeouts down. His slugging percentage boosted nearly 20 ticks.

Once again, Brown earned the league’s Most Valuable Player award. The consecutive MVP seasons put him in the elite company of just one other player: the Indian’s 3-time All Star catcher Victor Martinez accomplished the feat in 2001-02.

Brown’s stock took a major hit in 2008. Making the jump to Triple A with the International League’s Buffalo Bisons, Brown saw his production drop significantly against tougher competition. For the fist time in his professional career, Brown didn’t reach double digits in homeruns, didn’t knock in more than 75 RBI or score more than 70 runs. The great patience he showed at the plate disappeared and scouts openly wondered if he was pressing to hit homeruns to impress the front office.

Around this time, Brown’s defense also became a major cause of contention. One half of those following Brown’s career saw him as a sluggish first baseman/left fielder with a poor arm and bad instincts; the other saw a hard-worker that had become a good first baseman, able to move deftly around the bag and make adjustments.

As a result of his 2008 stumble, Brown returned to Triple A in 2009 with the newly affiliated Columbus Clippers. He stopped pressing and compiled his most impressive campaign to date, finishing atop the league in batting average with a .336 clip. His natural power returned and he hit 15 homeruns to go along with 35 doubles.

A September call up seemed imminent on a floundering Cleveland team. It seemed a given.

On September 8, 2009, the Cleveland Indians made their last call up of the season. It wasn’t International League batting champion Jordan Brown though, but utility infielder Niuman Romero.

To many, the snub signified the end of Brown’s tenure in Cleveland.

Brown is blocked for the foreseeable future by an abundance of prospects higher in Cleveland’s depth chart. Top 10 prospects Matt LaPorta, Michael Brantley, and the promising Nick Weglarz almost guarantee that Brown does not have a future at his natural positions of first base or the corner outfield spots. Designated hitter Travis Hafner has the role locked up until 2011 after signing a four-year contract extension in 2007.

With the front office wary of Brown’s defense, he figures to be the odd man out in a deep Cleveland system, an assumption clarified by former-manager Eric Wedge:

[Brown] had a great year this year. It’s tough to find a position for him right now defensively. With Hafner being our DH this year and moving forward, that’s where the pick gets tough for us.

Brown has not posted a fielding percentage below .989 at any position he has played at significantly (more than 40 games), meaning that some of the speculation regarding his defense could be based on his horrendous play during a short stint in rightfield during 2009 and an error-laden campaign at first base in 2008. If Ultimate Zone Ratings were available for Brown, they would almost certainly reveal an average to below-average fielder with little range, justifying the criticism. Still, Matt LaPorta is far from a Gold Glove caliber first baseman, making Brown’s future with the team even more murky and curious.

It’s entirely fair to say that the Indians may not know what their plans are with Brown. They could be holding onto him simply because he’s too good to give away without a return or to lose in the Rule 5 draft.

Brown has voiced his disappointed about not being called up in 2009, stating he didn’t expect for the Indians to purchase his contract in 2009.

But that’s exactly what happened.

Sad, sad, Jordan Brown.

‘Same Card, Different Paths’ – Card #17

1986 Fleer - Card #653 – AKA – ‘The Cecil Fielder Rookie Card’

Cecil Fielder - ‘Big Daddy’ was one of the premier home run hitters during the 1980’s.  When most of the league’s top sluggers were struggling to crush 30 bombs a year, Cecil Fielder was routinely out-slugging them in record fashion.  After a 4-year stint with Toronto that resulted in very little playing time, Fielder played in Japan for a year before returning to the big leagues and joining the Detroit Tigers.  The next 8 years resulted in 284 home runs, 3 All-star selections, and 2 Silver Slugger awards.  Fielder went on to win 1 World Series in 1996 as a member of the New York Yankees.

Cory Snyder – Snyder had and still has a cult-like following.  A member of the 1984 Olympic team that represented the United States, Snyder’s professional career looked like it would be a mighty one.  Unfortunately sub-par season after sub-par season led to just a 9-year career in the majors.  Snyder left the game with 902 career hits, 149 home runs, 488 RBI, and no post season memories.

UK Athletics Wallpaper

Major league hot stove, minor league prospects, college signees and high school commitments all in some Thursday links for your pleasure:

• UK Athletics provides an update on the progress of filling contracts to upgrade its facilities including a new baseball stadium.
• J. J. Cooper at Baseball America answers a number of Louisville Bats questions during the Reds top prospects chat. (Subscription required)
• EKU Sports reports the baseball Colonels have signed Fairfield, Ohio, corner infielder Mitchell Durbin as part of the 2011 freshman class.
• Chad Bishop of the Bowling Green Daily News reports Greenwood outfielder Hunter Thompson has signed his LOI to play college baseball at Western Kentucky.
• Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com includes Louisville-natives Paul Byrd and Todd Wellemeyer on the list of free agent veteran pitchers the Indians might look at this offseason.

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher, Zack Greinke, won the 2009 American League Cy Young for his 16-8 record, 2.16 ERA and 242 strikeouts .  The Royals luckily signed Greinke to a long-term deal before the 2009 season at 4 years, $38 million through 2012.  He’ll make a $100,000 bonus for winning the Cy Young.  Let’s take a look at the past few winners of the American League Cy Young and see how their salaries compare.

Santana and Sabathia each signed a new contract 1-2 seasons after winning their Cy Young.  They earned an approximate 150% salary increase for the first year of their new contract.  Lee’s was already in a 4 year, $15 million deal with an $8 million team option for 2010.  His salary increase was already negotiated beforehand.  You can expect Lee’s agent to ask at least $14 million for the first year in his next long-term contract to be comparable with Sabathia’s deal.  Greinke’s contract was already in place and based on these numbers he’s earning what a top MLB pitcher should be making.

Yesterday, I talked about one of the Cincinnati Reds trade candidates, Bronson Arroyo. Well today, I’ll talk about another Reds trade candidate, second baseman Brandon Phillips.

Phillips has had a pretty interesting career so far. He has been involved in two extremely lopsided trades.

Phillips could be traded this offseason

In 2002, Phillips was traded from the Montreal Expos to the Cleveland Indians along with Cliff Lee, Lee Stevens, and Grady Sizemore for Bartolo Colon and Tim Drew.

And in 2006, Phillips was traded from the Indians to the Reds for the ever so popular player to be named later. Or PTBNL as all the cool kids say. That player turned out to be Jeff Stevens.

So Phillips has already been involved in two lopsided trades–will he be involved in a third? Let’s take a look at the pros and the cons of Phillips and what teams would be possible suitors for the man who went to high school in Stone Mountain, GA.

I wonder if he knows Jake “The Snake” Roberts, who also hails from Stone Mountain, GA?

Pros

Because Phillips hasn’t played on a national stage since joining the Reds, people don’t realize how good Phillips actually is.

Over the last three years, Phillips ranks third amongst all major league second baseman in home runs with 71, sixth in hits with 494, third in triples with 19, and second in stolen bases with 80.

Not only can Phillips do it with the bat, but he can do it with the glove. Phillips is one of best defensive second baseman in baseball.

Phillips won a Gold Glove in 2008 (not that it means much), but more importantly, Phillips has ranked at the top in second baseman UZR over the last three years.

As a matter of fact, only Chase Utley has a higher UZR over the last three years than Phillips.

Perhaps the most appealing aspect of Phillips is his contract. Phillips has two years remaining on his contract with a club option for 2012.

Phillips is set to make $6.75 million in 2010 and $11 million in 2011. That is very reasonable for a man who is only 28-years-old and has been worth $28 million over the last two years according to Fangraphs.

Cons

In a game where OBP is highly valued, Phillips hasn’t seen a pitch he hasn’t liked. Phillips did set a career high in walks in 2009 with 44, but that is nothing to get excited about.

Phillips ranked 12th in OPS amongst second baseman in 2009 behind guys like Alberto Callaspo and Martin Prado.

Perhaps the only other question a GM could have with Phillips is can he produce on a big stage? It’s one thing to put up big numbers when your team is 20 games out of first in August, but can you do it when your team is battling for a playoff spot?

There is only one way to figure out the answer to that question.

Now that we have looked at the pros and cons of acquiring Phillips, let’s take a look at what teams would be interested in the Reds’ second baseman.

New York Mets: Obviously the Mets would have to find a taker for their current second baseman, Luis Castillo. That is a task all by itself.

However, if they can get rid of Castillo, I think Phillips would be perfect with the Mets, who should be building their team around pitching, defense, and speed.

Los Angeles Dodgers: As I mentioned yesterday with Dan Uggla, the Dodgers need a second baseman. Phillips and Rafael Furcal would be a lethal double play combination in L.A.

Unfortunately, because the McCourts are making a made for TV movie, I am not sure how much salary the Dodgers are willing to take on.

San Diego Padres: The Padres are a lot closer to competing than people think. They have talked about adding payroll in 2010 and if they feel Matt Antonelli isn’t quite ready yet to be their second baseman, Phillips could be a nice player for them.

Minnesota Twins: Nick Punto is a nice little player, but should be a utility on a good team. The Twins are moving into a new stadium, which means new revenues.

They have already added payroll in the form of JJ Hardy and Phillips fits the Twins style of play to a tee.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: Are the Angels ready to give up on Howie Kendrick? Every year is supposed to be “Kendrick’s breakout year” and it hasn’t happened yet.

Phillips seems like a perfect fit in Anaheim. He is a great defensive player and can’t you see him being Bobby Abreu’s latest patient pet project?

Believe it or not, the market for second baseman these days isn’t as good as one would think. There are a lot of teams in baseball, who already have quality players at that position.

I am going to say that Phillips does get traded this offseason, with the Twins and Angels being the most likely suitors

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg

Right hander Ted Wilks broke into baseball with the 1938 Houston Buffs. His 3-5 record with an ERA of  2.74. He pitched well enough that rookie season to earn a promotion that same year to Rochester, where he posted a 4-2 mark with an ERA of 3.94. A subtle difference in how he was used at Houston and Rochester was nothing less than a career harbinger on things to come. Here in Houston, Ted was primarily a starting pitcher; at Rochester, Wilks saw most of his mound action in relief.

The following three seasons saw Ted Wilks back in Houston for more seasoning. He went 14-15 with a 2.60 ERA in 1939; 13-10 with a 2.51 ERA in 1940; and 20-10 with a 2.50 ERA for the 1941 Buffs. All three Buff clubs (1939-41) finished in first place; the ‘40 club also won the league pennant playoffs; and Ted Wilks was a big part of that Buff era of success.

After going 12-9, 2.41, for the ‘42 Columbus Redbirds and 16-8, 2.66, for the same club in ‘43, Ted Wilks finally joined the big club in St. Louis in time to help the 1944 Cardinals take another world Series crown with the streetcar series win over the same hometown Brown of the American League. Wilks was used pretty evenly in 1944 as a starter and reliever (21/15), going 17-4 with another sub-three ERA of 2.64 on the season.

In his eight seasons as a Cardinal (1944-51), Ted Wilks won 54 games against only 20 losses, posting a sub-three ERA on three separate occasions. It was early during this period that he moved from split duty as a starter-reliever to recognition and exclusive use as one of the top relief pitchers in the game.

On June 15, 1951, the Cardinals traded Ted Wilks, Bill Howerton, Howie Pollet, Joe Garagiola, and Dick Cole to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for pitcher Cliff Chambers and outfielder Wally Westlake.

Wilks went 8-10 in two seasons with the Pirates (1951-52) before he was again dealt away, this time  to the Cleveland Indians on August 18, 1952, along with shortstop George Strickland for infielder Johnny (General Hospital) Berardino, minor league pitcher Charlie Sipple, and $50,000 cash. By this time, Wilks was was pretty much out of gas for major league ball. He posted no decisions in his two partial seasons with Cleveland (1952-53) and he finished his major league career working only 15 1/3 innings in the American League city.

Ted Wilks finished his total career working four poor seasons of minor league ball (1953-55: Indianapolis; 1956: Austin) before retiring for good. He finished up with a career minor league record of 91-65, 2.70 for 10 seasons – and a career major league record of 59-30, 3.26. Ted wilks posted 46 saves as a major leaguer. The “save” stat for his minor league work is not readily available.

Like a number of ballplayers whose careers passed through Houston, upstate New Yorker Ted Wilks adopted Houston as his post-career home town. He died here in Houston in 1989 at the age of 73 and he is buried in the East End at Forest Park Cemetery on Lawndale. His final resting place is only two miles from where he first took the mound as a Houston Buff in 1938.

Rest in Peace, Prince Ted, but stay ready to come into the game whenever old St. Peter dials your number.

According to the media, the most coveted free agents of 2009’s relatively thin market are outfielders Matt Holliday and Jason Bay and pitcher John Lackey. But versatile infielder/outfielder Mark DeRosa might very well be sought by more teams, many of which could contend in 2010.

This past season was a bit of a let down for DeRosa. A Cub’s fan-favorite, DeRosa was surprisingly traded from Chicago to the Cleveland Indians last winter for three minor league pitchers. When Cleveland finally called it a season, he was then sent to St. Louis for future closer Chris Perez. Shortly after coming to the Cardinals, DeRosa partially tore a tendon in his wrist. He spent a stint on the disabled list but fought the injury throughout the remainder of the season.

The surgery to repair DeRosa’s wrist was done shortly after the Cardinal’s quick exit from the post season. While his limited time in St. Louis was mostly uneventful, DeRosa was a valuable asset to a team during its hunt for the National League Central Division championship. He shored up a troubled position and brought leadership to a clubhouse that relied solely on Albert Pujols and Chris Carpenter.

DeRosa’s flexibility and versatility made him a perfect match for Tony LaRussa. And LaRussa and the Cardinals paid dearly to get him. Even as the veteran manager handed the ball to flame-throwing Jason Motte on Opening Day, many fans speculated that the impressive Perez would be the team’s closer before the season ended.

But that was well before Ryan Franklin dominated the job during his All-Star season.

The trade was welcome in St. Louis. The fans knew that third base was a huge issue for the club with Troy Glaus’ return undeterminable. The rumors and call for action began early. DeRosa was wanted by the fans. The front office, knowing that their fans are among the most knowledgeable in baseball, listened.

DeRosa ended his season with a .250 average and 23 homeruns. For the Indians, he hit .270. With the Cardinals that production dropped to .228. While the tendon injury hampered DeRosa’s bat, it didn’t prevent him from playing the field like the veteran he is. His attitude about the situation, upbeat and even apologetic, showed the team and the fans that there was more to the Cardinals than just one or two players.

Any team that lands DeRosa gets a better than average ball player. He’s incredibly versatile, a natural second baseman that can also start at third and play the outfield. He can hit anywhere in the line-up. He will give his manager 100%, no matter what. He’s also a leader.

DeRosa will join any team with the intention of making the best of the situation. He will greet his teammates. He will talk and chat. Then he will lead them onto the field and in the clubhouse. That makes him more valuable than Holliday’s bat or Lackey’s arm.

Written by LS Murphy. Mrs. Murphy is an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan and is a consistent contributor to Cardinal’s Mix. She can also be followed on Twitter.

As I surfed through a few 3200 count boxes labeled $0.25 on the outside, I became a little nostalgic.

While not letting my emotions take control of my wallet, I did manage to pull these three rookie cards from the 1980’s of guys that left a lasting impression on me during my youth.

Dave Stewart – One of the most intimidating guys I have ever seen on the mound.  His look of concentration, mixed with intimidation, left me shaking in my Nikes when I was watching him pitch for the A’s.

Bret Saberhagen – Saberhagen won the Cy Young award in both 1985 and 1989.  I distinctly remember him winning the award in 1985 and when he did it again in ‘89, I was surprised and a little shocked that he was that good.  This of course was before Maddux, Clemens, and Randy Johnson became elite pitchers and set a new standard…

Julio Franco – That batting stance stood out like a sore thumb in the mid-80’s and I can still picture it vividly today.  Before Jerome Walton and Junior Felix and Chris Sabo, it was Julio Franco that I was impersonating in the street when the neighborhood kids got together to play ball.

Yesterday, the MLB Network replayed Kerry Wood’s 20-strike out game against the Houston Astros in 1998. I have been watching baseball for almost 25 years and in my opinion, that was most dominating regular season performance I have ever seen.

The Astros didn’t have a chance that day.

Flash forward 11 years later and Wood is still throwing 97 mph in the major leagues. Did he become the pitcher everyone thought he would be after watching him pitch in 1998? No he didn’t.

Wood is a trade candidate this winter

But Wood has made a very nice career for himself. Because of injuries, Wood moved into a relief role in 2007 with the Chicago Cubs and became their closer in 2008.

Wood excelled as the closer in Chicago and in the winter of 2008, he signed a two-year, $20.5 million deal with the Cleveland Indians to be their closer.

The Indians signed Wood expecting to compete in 2009. Things really didn’t work out that way and now the Indians are in rebuilding mode yet again.

When a team is rebuilding, they really don’t have any use for a 32-year-old closer who will be making $10.5 million in 2010. We should be hearing Wood’s name in trade rumors this winter.

Let’s look at what a team would be getting with Wood. Here are the pros and cons of trading for Wood and the teams who might be interested in trading for the former Grand Prairie High School star.

Pros

Can you believe Wood is only 32-years-old? It seems like he has been around for 20 years. Even at 32 (not that old mom!!!), Wood can still throw 97 mph.

He can still blow the fastball by hitters when he needs to. Wood still struck out 10.3 hitters per nine innings last year.

Despite getting off to a rough start in April and May (6.08 ERA), Wood had a stellar second half of the year. In the second half, Wood was eight for 10 in save opportunities and had a 2.86 ERA.

And Wood is still better than half the closers in baseball. I would take Wood over a lot of the pitchers who are closing games for contending teams.

Cons

In the last 11 years, Wood’s arm has been through hell and back. He has had Tommy John surgery, a partially torn rotator cuff, a sore elbow, a strained triceps, and blisters on his fingers.

You name the arm injury, Wood has probably had it.

Health is the number one concern for any GM who is willing to trade for Wood. The other concern with Wood, would be his relatively down year in 2010.

His WHIP of 1.382 was his highest since 2000 (1.453), his strike out rate went from 11.4/9 to 10.3/9 in 2009, his walk rate almost doubled from 2.4 in 2008 to 4.6 in 2009 and threw more pitches per inning (17.6) than at any point of his career.

Has age and injuries finally caught up to Wood?

Now that we have looked at the pros and cons of acquiring Wood, let’s look at the teams that might be interested in Wood.

Atlanta Braves: Mike Gonzalez and Rafael Soriano are both free agents and if they leave, the Braves have no internal option to replace them. Wood would be a nice replacement for the Braves.

Chicago Cubs: Could the Cubs possibly bring Wood back? It’s not out of the realm of possibility.

Wood and the Cubs had a pretty clean break and the Cubs don’t have a closer going into 2010. Carlos Marmol is much better suited to be a set-up guy than a closer on a team trying to compete for a pennant.

Houston Astros: Wood would love to follow in his idol’s (Roger Clemens and Nolan Ryan) footsteps by pitching for the Astros. Jose Valverde and Latroy Hawkins are both free agents and Wood would make sense.

With Wood making $10.5 million in 2010, I am not sure the Astros have the ability to take on the salary or the prospects to acquire Wood.

I would never count out Drayton McLane though.

Tampa Bay Rays: For me, the Rays are a match made in heaven for Wood. They have the surplus of mid-level prospects and they have the need to get a deal done.

The Rays can’t go into 2010 with JP Howell and Dan Wheeler as the closers. They caught lightning in a bottle in 2008 and it’s not going to happen again.

This team needs a closer and Wood would be a great fit.

Detroit Tigers: Trading Wood within the division isn’t as crazy as it sounds for the Indians. The Indians aren’t expected to compete this year and by the time the Indians are ready to compete, Wood will be long gone from the Tigers.

I know the Tigers have said they are in cost cutting mode right now, but saying it and doing it are completely two different things. Fernando Rodney and Brandon Lyon are free agents and I don’t think the Tigers feel Ryan Perry is ready to close.

On the surface, Wood makes sense for the Tigers.

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim: The Angels are known to fix their mistakes rather quickly. Signing Torii Hunter to replace Gary Matthews Jr. is a perfect example of that.

The Angels found out first hand in the postseason Brian Fuentes might be a nice regular season closer, but he is not big time. Acquiring Wood would give Mike Scioscia options at the end of a game.

When acquiring Wood, a GM has to ask himself the tough question of which Wood am I getting? Am I getting the Wood who was rock solid in the second half of 2009 or am I getting the injury-prone closer who struggled for the first half of 2009.

My prediction is that Wood stays with the Indians through the winter and they trade him close to the July 31st trading deadline when teams are making one last playoff push.

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg

American League Central

The AL Central has provided some of the most exciting regular season baseball over the past few years and this year was no different.  There always seems to be an exciting pennant race in the Central, but does team success mean lots of potential Hall of Famers?  Not necessarily.  The Twins and White Sox have been the strongest teams in the division over the past few years, but the Tigers seems to have the most star power.  And, of course, there are the Indians, who tend to produce players worthy of consideration…and then trade them.  Finally there’s the lowly Royals, and their unstoppable Ace, Zack Grienke.  But let’s start our discussion with the reigning champs.

Minnesota Twins

Joe Nathan

Joe Nathan has played ten seasons in the Big Leagues, and has been a four time all-star, with a lifetime ERA of 2.85.  He’s definitely been one of the steadiest closers in baseball, being eighth on the active saves list.  He’ll be 35 next season, and shows little signs of decline, although his ERA was higher this year (although how do you improve on 1.33 last year?).  There are two problems with Nathan’s candidacy.  First of all, he’s only significantly registered in Cy Young voting two times, which indicates that he’s never really been thought of as the best pitcher in baseball any year.  Secondly, his postseason stats are dreadful.  He has a lifetime postseason ERA of 7.88 in eight postseason appearances, with only one save.  An elite closer should dominate when it really counts, and Nathan hasn’t so far.  He’s close, but those postseason struggles will scare voters away.

Verdict: Out

Joe Mauer

I’ve said previously that Joe Mauer could be regarded as the greatest catcher in Baseball history if he continues to play this way.  He’s just finished his sixth season, and he’s already led the league in batting three times.  That means that he’s been the batting champion 50% of his career.  In fact, his lifetime average is .327, which is absolutely absurd for a catcher.  This year he not only led the league in AVG, but he also finished first in OBP, OPS, and Slugging.  He’s also a three-time All-Star and will probably win this year’s MVP award, in addition to finishing in the top 6 in voting two more times.  On top of that, he’s even won two Gold Gloves.  One or two more years like this, and Albert Pujols will have some competition when it comes to baseball’s best player.

Verdict: In

Justin Morneau

A former MVP and three-time All-Star, Morneau has been among the best first basemen in the AL for the past five years.  He also came in second in MVP voting last year, although that was a relatively weak year for MVP candidates.  He’s been a good RBI man and a solid hitter for the past few years.  However, he’s rarely been among the league leaders in anything and has had some health issues.  He’s really, really good when he’s healthy, but he has a tendency to miss games, and I have a feeling that he may be the Don Mattingly of his generation: an excellent first baseman who can’t find his way into the Hall.

Verdict: Out

Others With a Shot:

Denard Span: A very underrated player who’s really coming into his own.

Delmon Young: A hot young prospect, who had a rough beginning to the year.

Brian Duensing:  He’s looked good in his young career.

Detroit Tigers

Justin Verlander

In only four full major league seasons, Verlander has appeared in two All-Star games, won the ROY award, and finished in the top ten of Cy Young balloting two times.  He figures to show up on the balloting again this year after another fine season, in which he led the league in both wins and strikeouts.  This is a complete reversal from last year, in which he led the American League in losses with 17.  Even with last year’s horrendous season, Verlander has posted a lifetime ERA of under 4.00, and has proven to be a durable pitcher, often being among the league leaders in complete games and batters faced.  His tough 2008 has me concerned, but he has the stuff that should scare any hitter, and was as impressive this year as any pitcher in the AL.  This is mainly conjecture, as he’s still pretty young, but I foresee a long, productive career for the hurler.

Verdict: In

Miguel Cabrera

When asked to name the best hitters of the decade, it’s unlikely that Cabrera will head anyone’s list.  He should.  Cabrera, in his seventh season, is a four time All-Star, and really should have been voted in this year, when teammate Brandon Inge stole his spot.  He’s placed in MVP voting every year in his career, including two top five finishes (with another likely this year).  He’s currently tenth among active hitters in AVG (.311), finished in the top ten in OPS five times, homers four times, and RBI six times.  On top of that, he’s a versatile fielder, who has played four different defensive positions, and has been an All-Star at all of them.  It’s difficult to consider a four-time All-Star and perennial MVP candidate underrated, but he has been overshadowed, in terms of media coverage, throughout his career.  Nevertheless, I say he’s in.

Verdict: In

Magglio Ordonez

The other big Tigers’ slugger, Ordonez has played in 13 MLB seasons, and has been named to six All-Star teams.  He’s finished in the top-ten of MVP voting twice, and led the league in batting in 2007 (he’s finished in the top ten five times).  Aside from two tough years, he’s been able to stay healthy and be consistent for the majority of his career.  In fact, in his 13 seasons, he has batted over .300 in all but three of them.  Statistically, it’s hard to make an argument against Ordonez, but it’s also relatively hard to make an argument for him, as well.  Given all the big swinging outfielders the AL has seen over the past ten years, is Ordonez really among that elite class of player?  To me, he seems to fall into the Dave Parker/Fred Lynn/Dante Bichette class of players: really, really good hitters, but not quite elite and, therefore, not worthy of the Hall.

Verdict: Out

Others With a Shot:

Rick Porcello: Made a strong case for Rookie of the Year.

Edwin Jackson: Seems to have finally turned great stuff into great pitching

Curtis Granderson: Way overrated in my book, but still young and respected among baseball circles.

Carlos Guillen: I don’t really think he has any shot at all, as moving him from infield to outfield made him less unique.

Chicago White Sox

Mark Buehrle

The 30-year-old Buehrle has been pitching in the majors since 2000.  He’s been an All-Star four times and even won a Gold Glove this year.  He has thrown both a no-hitter and a perfect game, and has a respectable lifetime ERA of 3.80.  Also, he’s amazingly durable as a starter, having consistently ranked among league leaders in complete games, and innings pitched.  He’s won a World Series (although he didn’t pitch particularly well that postseason), and has undoubtedly had a fine career.  However, he’s only appeared in Cy Young voting one time (finishing fifth) and is only 20^th among active pitchers in wins.  He’s also struggled with consistency, having a few years with an ERA over 4.00, including his dreadful 2006 season.  If Andy Pettitte isn’t getting in (as I’ve said earlier) then there’s no way Buehrle gets in.

Verdict: Out

Jake Peavy

When healthy, Jake Peavy is typically one of the top five or ten pitchers in baseball.  He’s been to two All-Star games, and started in one.  He won the Cy Young in 2007, and even finished seventh in MVP voting that year.  His career ERA is a measly 3.26, which is impressive, even for a pitcher who has played primarily in the NL.  He also rarely walks anyone, as he is usually among the league leaders in strikeouts per walk.  Also, he’s only 28, so he has plenty of time to add to his career.  Peavy looked great in his return to action with the Sox this year, and he will have plenty of chances to win games, as he is playing for a much better team.  His problem is his lack of consideration for Cy Youngs, with the exception of 2007.  Playing with the Padres, he received some of the worst run support in baseball, which probably hurt his candidacy (In 2008, he posted a 2.85 ERA, but went only 10-11 on the year).  He’s right on the border for me, but if he plays with better run support, he could be dominant.  I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.

Verdict: In

Others With a Shot:

Jermaine Dye: Two All-Star games in 14 years. I don’t think so.

Gordon Beckham: A really good rookie year for the youngster.

John Danks: Pretty good so far, but needs to keep the ERA down.

Bobby Jenks: Not great this year, but has had some strong seasons earlier.

Cleveland Indians

Grady Sizemore

Sizemore looked to be on the fast track to Cooperstown until his career hit a speed bump this year.  He was working on three consecutive All-Star appearances, and four consecutive showings on the MVP ballot, when he batted .248, with only 18 homers, and an OBP .343 (over thirty points lower that last year’s).  Needless to say, 2009 was a dismal, injury plagued season for both Sizemore, and the Indians in general.  If Sizemore can regain his health and All-Star form he has a shot.  However, to have a real chance he has to either leave the Indians, or pray his team improves vastly.  As Don Mattingly and Andre Dawson can tell you, playing on crumby teams don’t help your Hall of Fame chances at all.  I really like Sizemore, and wish him all the best, but I’m not sold on him just yet.

Verdict: Out

Others With a Shot:

Asdrubal Cabrera: Young SS could be a potential star.

Kansas City Royals

Zack Greinke

Greinke was always a player with tons of potential, who finally realized that promise this season.  His first few years were an absolute nightmare, as he posted ERAs of 5.80, and 4.26, after posting a respectable 3.97 his first year.  He clearly struggled with a premature call-up, and was probably not MLB ready in those years.  In 2008, he showed more promise, and handed in a potentially Cy Young worthy year in 2009.  Really, there’s not a whole lot to go on, given his inconsistency, but he’s just 25 and won sixteen games for the Royals, which is an accomplishment any way you put it.  This one is a gut feeling, but I’m saying he pulls it out.

Verdict: In

Others With a Shot:

Billy Butler: Has been impressive over his young career.

Alex Gordon: Once considered a top prospect, he hasn’t shown much in the majors thus far.

That’s right I said it: Someone playing on the Royals will make the Hall of Fame.  I’d say Greinke and Peavy were my iffiest choices, but how many pitchers have been consistent on a Maddux/Clemens/Johnson level over the past 10 years?  As I’ve said before, voters will have to reassess their standards for pitchers in the next few years.  Up next: The NL Central.  Will Albert Pujols make it?  SPOILER ALERT: Yes.  See you next time.