Forgotten Twins? Fred Manrique

Hey all, time for another installment of Forgotten Twins?  If you don't remember, I scour the most important websites in the universe to determine if a particular Twins player is forgotten by society.  I decided to sub out Bing for Fangraphs going forward.  I thought it would be funny to use multiple search engines, but they're all the same, so the joke is on me.  ENOUGH EXPLAINING!

My memories of Fred Manrique

This is going to sound awful, but I remember his dork glasses.  I can picture him now...

See?  He could.  Because of the glasses.  Now, making fun of someone who wears glasses is really uncool.  I know this now.  I was only aware of Fred Manrique as a seven-year-old with perfect vision.  It was hard to keep my anti-glasses feelings to myself.  Well, this joke is also on me, as this is what I look like today:

Fate is weird.  Let's move on.

Baseball Reference

Manrique played just one season with the Twins.  He hit .237/.254/.346, or as I like to call it "Rivas Style!"  Manrique accumulated 1459 plate appearances over his nine-year career.  He racked up 340 hits and 65 walks.  He barely played three years' worth of games in those nine seasons.  He played 376 of his games at second base, including all but one of his games with the Twins.  Manrique very nearly went 20-20...in his career, ending with 20 bombs and 18 base bombs (a term I am trying to coin for stolen bases).   

Oh, and he was traded for Sammy Sosa.  Don't look at the rest of the trade, just leave it alone.

Fangraphs

I'm adding Fangraphs to appeal to the saber crowd.  From what I can ascertain on Fangraphs, Manrique was gritty.  Wait.  He had a .105 isolated power, which is poor.  He had a 4.5% walk rate, which is poor.  He had a .294 BABIP, which is about average.  Manrique accumulated 2.0 fWAR in his career, almost entirely from some solid defense he played in the 1987 season with the White Sox.  It's cold, but you could probably call him Fred Man-reeky.

Wikipedia

Wikipedia tells me that Manrique is a fifty-year-old former second baseman.  That's a solid lead.  He was born three weeks before my Dad, which is conveniently left out of his entry.  He is from Bolivar State, Venezuela.  Another former, forgotten (?) Twins player is from Ciudad Bolivar and you'll never guess who.  Les Straker.  It's Les Straker.  According to his entry, he was a solid second baseman and an above-average shortstop.  Whoever wrote this entry must have known something that his managers didn't know.  In 1981, he was the youngest player in the Majors.  Trivia!

Google

A cursory Google search brings back many glasses images of Manrique.  I did find this card and he isn't wearing glasses:

I gotta say, he's pretty handsome.  He looks good in his glasses too.  A few pages into the search, I found this article about Manrique's ejection from a random June game in 1990.  Apparently, he didn't like Jim Joyce's strike zone.  Or, he knew that Joyce would one day rob us (and Armando Galarraga to a lesser extent) of a perfect game and staged a protest 20 years in advance.  All I'm saying is that Manrique might be a Timecop. 

Oh, and apparently Manrique is a member of Twins Daily.  See.  Now, he hasn't blogged or posted, so I'm guessing he's feeling self-conscious.  Please Mr. Manrique, share your wisdom.  Don't be afraid. 

eBay

Most Manrique-related items on eBay are baseball cards.  However, I did find this curious 8 x 10 autographed photo.  It appears that Manrique wanted people think that he peed his own autograph.  Don't believe me, check it out.  I'm not sure what that accomplishes, but I imagine it makes for a good urban legend. 

If you don't like peeing autographs, here's a 50 baseball card lot of all Manrique!  There are only 21 different cards for some reason.  One of the cards appears to be a math cheat sheet or something and another has the word "glossy" on top.  You can check the lot out for yourself.  Was Manrique a Timecop nicknamed "Glossy?"

Facebook

Manrique does have a Facebook fan page, but it's just his Wikipedia entry.  He doesn't even get a picture.  Perhaps we could use this image:

See, he's a Timecop!  18 people like Manrique.  I'd "like" him too, but I wouldn't be able to deal with his constant updates.  I'd probably block him like I block all my friends and co-workers.  Just for the record, Manrique has three more likes than this blog.  You can fix that...by liking Manrique's page and righting the ratio. 

Twitter

I found a few cool Manrique-related tweets:

Happy Birthday Fred Manrique! Former Minnesota Twins legend. pic.twitter.com/ACv5e1K9QD
— H.M.S. Pinniped (@hmspinniped) November 5, 2013

This one makes me laugh because it would be so easy to find a card with Manrique actually in a Twins uniform. 

Celebrity Sausage 4/2~ The Fred Manrique~ Portuguese Linguica with Saffron Rouille and Casa de Mendevil Velho Cheese
— Hot Doug's (@hotdougs) April 2, 2013

I'm not sure what to say...

@EdRad Fred Manrique! I love it! I have his autograph... he was the happiest person ever to give me one. That's awesome.
— Brian (@Go_GoSox) August 13, 2011

I really like that one.  It humanizes him.  Even if he does like to make signature urine.

Youtube

Sadly, our beloved Fred Manrique is not represented on Youtube.  You can blame MLB and their totalitarian video policy for that.  Instead, here are a couple of youngsters also named Fred Manrique, each showcasing their skills.  First, a catcher:

Then, a pitcher:

Looks good to me.

Random Person

I stopped someone in the hallway at work today and asked if they remembered Fred Manrique.  He said, "Was he a math teacher?"  Interesting that he would ask that without even knowing that Manrique wore glasses.  I told him no, Manrique was on the Twins for a season in 1988.  He replied, "Oh, I was two, so no, I don't remember that."  I set him on fire.

Verdict:  Not sufficiently remembered!

Manrique is remembered solely for his glasses and that is a shame.  He was a useful back-up infielder who liked to suggestively autograph photos and very likely is a Timecop.  He probably saved Ferris Bueller's girlfriend from some past future murder and then went on with his mall shopping.  If nothing else, Manrique was a short-time Twins player with a big-time heart.  I made that last part up, but doesn't it make you feel better about him?

If you enjoyed this trip down Twins memory lane, why not check out the archives for more Forgotten Twins?  You can just click here, you don't have to move or anything.  If you'd like, make a request and I'll run him through my database. 

Brad Swanson is the inventor of Tae Bo.  He forgot how much he enjoyed writing by-lines.  He is a frequent contributor to that group of people who are in your way at the grocery store.

14 Minnesota Twins to Watch in '14: Peduardo Florscobar

The 2014 season is just 12 short weeks away.  I decided it might be fun to count down the 14 most important players for the 2014 season.  14 for 14, right!  If I had thought of this two weeks ago, I could have written one per week and the world of symmetry would be in order.  Instead, I'll have to overcome the discomfort this causes and figure out a way to get all 14 in during the next 12 weeks.  To help me out, I have enlisted assistance from my two talking puma friends, Paul and Peter. 

If you don't remember those fine felines, here are their pictures once more:

Now that we're all on the same page, let's discuss the 14th most important player in the organization for 2014:  Peduardo Florscobar

Yikes, I promise to never do that again.

Who is he? 

I promise that this will be the only amalgamation on the list.  Pedro Florimon and Eduardo Escobar are very similar players.  These two are going to be the Twins shortstop in some form or another.  Jason Bartlett may find his way into the mix, but I think the odds of that happening are pretty low.  Florimon is the incumbent and he provided great, but sometimes inconsistent defense and consistently poor offense.  Escobar is a similar player, but two years younger and a bit more exciting. 

Why is he important?

Shortstop is a cornerstone defensive position.  The best teams have a shortstop capable of producing on at least one side of the ball.  Last year, the Twins received good defense and almost no offense from Florimon.  Because of his offensive shortcomings, some "prominent" bloggers are hoping to see more of Escobar in 2014.  Regardless of who plays short for the Twins in 2014, the team will need that player to take care of the balls that are hit his way.  No one expects even average offensive production from Florimon or Escobar, so their defense has to be good enough to provide value. 

Florimon was on pace for a 3.0 WAR season about halfway through 2013.  Then, his defense dipped a bit as he had lapses.  In addition, his offense went from "passable" to "putrid."  Florimon was basically a AAA player in the second half, which is exactly why the door may be open for Escobar.  Escobar is two years younger, has better Minor League stats and might actually be a better defender.  He'll have to impress in March to earn the job as the Twins seem to like Florimon. 

With little available on the free agent market and in the organization, one of these two guys needs to seize their starting opportunity and prove that balls hit toward short will be fielded successfully.  Any offense will be a nice bonus. 

Paul's Take:

I think that the Twins will receive better production at short than we are expecting.  I like watching Florimon.  He makes flashy plays.  He has good range and a good arm.  He might not be the best hitter, but he improved in 2013.  I think he can continue to improve as he learns how to handle MLB pitching.  Florimon was basically a rookie last year, so growing pains are to be expected.  He got better in 2013, so why can't he get even better in 2014? 

If I'm wrong about Florimon, I have faith in Escobar.  The little bits I've seen have impressed me.  He looks flashy in the field; reminds me a bit of Alexi Casilla.  He hit really well at AAA last year too.  He's still super young also.  I also like Escobar because he can play other infield positions.  Just think of how great the left side of the infield would look defensively with Escobar and Florimon.  I've very optimistic about this tandem in 2014. 

Peter's Take:

Ugh.  Seriously, we have to sit through another year of this?  Florimon was awful last year.  He had a 70 OPS+ and that's only because he had a really lucky first half.  He only had one good offensive month and that was May.  He had a .351 BABIP in May.  Good luck doing that consistently!  He hit .201 in the second half!  .201!  If he's such a good fielder, why did he make 18 errors?  I saw him make some pretty boneheaded plays last year.  He's nothing special.

Escobar isn't any better.  He's Florimon but shorter and younger.  Big deal.  His Minor League stats are unimpressive.  His Minor League OPS is under .700.  That's terrible.  Sure, he can play a few positions, but does he play any of them well?  I didn't think he looked great last year.  He's been in the Majors for three years and hasn't earned consistent playing time.  Why would the Twins give him a job now?  The Twins need to upgrade this position fast.  I have no confidence in the Twins' shortstop next year, regardless of who wins this job.

What to look for in '14:

One of these men will win the job.  If that player doesn't produce early, will the team try the other guy?  Florimon has proved that he can be a passable MLB shortstop, at least defensively.  Escobar is an interesting player, but might have a utility ceiling.  Regardless, if one of these two can produce a 2.0 WAR season in 2014, the Twins can be reasonably pleased with their production at short.  If both guys flounder, the Twins may need to take a long look at the free agent options next off-season. 

The Twins do not have a bona fide shortstop prospect on the doorstep.  They have some interesting guys though.  Danny Santana might be in the same mold as Escobar and Florimon and he could be ready in 2015.  Jorge Polanco is a better prospect, but he might be two or even three years away.  Niko Goodrum has great tools and has produced pretty well, but he's an even more long-term project than Polanco.  Looking at the roster right now, the Twins need Peduardo Florscobar to produce for at least one season, if not more.  

Minnesota Twins POWER RANKINGS: January 13, 2014

Another week, another week of POWER RANKINGS.  POWER RANKINGS have a mind of their own.  In a lot of ways, they choose themselves.  I just comb the headlines and put everything in the proper order.  This week, we have some really fun stuff and some pretty weird stuff too.  Instead of more introduction, let's just get this ball rollin'.

10.  Chris Colabello

No one has tried to sell Colabello to Korea in weeks!  That's a major win for him.  That story confused me so much when it broke.  I understand why the Twins tried it.  They needed a 40-man spot, they don't need a first baseman anymore and Colabello is a nice story, but not a great player.  That said, I love that Colabello rejected it.  What does he have to lose?  Worst case for him, the Twins have to cut him after Spring Training and some team who needs a powerful bench bat picks him up.  I think that uncertainly is likely uncomfortable, but better than getting sold to a team halfway around the World.

9.  Kevin Slowey and Alexi Casilla

These are two of my all-time favorite Twins.  Seriously.  Casilla was fun and flashy.  Slowey was an intellectual in the clubhouse, which I love.  Slowey signed a Minor League deal with the Marlins and Casilla signed a Minor League deal with the Orioles.  Casilla is a useful utility player and Slowey is a decent pitcher when healthy.  I hope both make the Majors in 2014.   

8.  Jacque Jones

Jacque Jones appeared on the MLB Hall of Fame ballot for the first and only time this past Winter.  He received one vote and fell off the ballot.  Obviously, Jones is not a Hall of Fame player.  He might have a shot at the Twins' Hall of Fame down the line, as we tend to be very sentimental and Jones was pretty good for seven Twins seasons.  Jones didn't really deserve even one Hall of Fame vote, but it does mean that he received more support that each of these players:  Todd Walker, Rondell White, Phil Nevin, Terry Mullholland, Ruben Sierra and Michael Jackson, among other former Twins.  So, suck it, those guys. 

7.  Shane Mack, Brian Dozier and Joe Mauer

I really don't know why this happened, but I woke up in the middle of the night wondering what Brian Dozier would look like with Shane Mack's mustache.  And:

He looks great.  Also, Dozier's hair is just outstanding, it almost overshadows the mustache.  What would happen if you put that luscious mop on Oswaldo Arcia's head:

Nice.  He looks great too.   Joe Mauer needs some grit, let's put Jack Morris' mustache on him:

I think we're done here. 

6.  Frank Viola

Viola was named as the Mets' AAA pitching coach this week.  Viola gets to mentor some dudes on the cusp of the Majors and spend a bunch of time in Vegas.  He also gets to coach under the tutelage of former Twins second baseman Wally Backman.  Viola will likely learn a lot about swearing and clipping his nails from Backman, if this video is any indication (NSFW, tons of cursing). 

Frank Viola is my second favorite Twins player of all-time, which I can prove if you click here.  Any success that Frank Viola has is a-ok with me.  I think he is wonderful and I hope he ends up back in the Twins organization in the future.  I'd make him Twins Czar or whatever. 

5.  Spring Training Invitations

Thrylos at The Tenth Inning Stretch has a full list of the players the Twins have invited to Spring Training for the upcoming season.  You can find it here to see all the cool jersey numbers in the 70s and 80s for the guys who have no chance of making the team.  I was actually able to get my hands on Miguel Sano's invitation and I have to say, it is not what I was expecting:

I mean, I like the colors and all...  

4.  Oswaldo Arcia's Aggression

Parker Hageman at Twins Daily did an excellent breakdown of Oswaldo Arcia's rookie season.  Hageman used some great visuals to explain Arcia's swing and approach.  You should just read it.  Hageman's analysis is excellent as usual, but I love the subject matter even more because I am a huge Arcia fan.  I think he is going to be a cornerstone player with the Twins for the next 5-6 years.  I love his aggressive approach and I think that he will learn to use that aggression to his advantage as he gains experience.  He may never put up giant counting stats, but I could see him turning into a consistent 120 OPS+ hitter who racks up 60-70 extra-base hits.  I'll bet my hat that he has a 45 double/25 home run season this decade.  Plus, he looks great with Brian Dozier's hair.

3.  Making GIFs

Guess who taught himself how to make animated GIFs last week?  This puts me exactly three years behind the rest of the internet, but you can guarantee that I make countless stupid animations over the next few years.  In fact, I'd put the odds at even that I bury specific animations into the ground in record time.  In that vein, here are Jack Morris' hips:

2.  Greg Maddux, Frank Thomas and Tom Glavine

Congratulations to these three fine baseball players for their induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame.  I am sure they are all reading and I am sure they are nodding quietly as they read these words.  Maddux and Thomas are two of my favorite non-Twins players.  I loved both because they were so good.  When you're young, that's all it takes.  I analyzed the results of the most recent Hall of Fame vote last week.  If you missed it, please click here.  I went into quite a bit of detail, but if you just set aside an hour or so, you should be fine.

1.  Masahiro Tanaka

In case you aren't already aware, I have granted Tanaka the top spot in the POWER RANKINGS as a gift so that he signs a contract with the Twins when his posting courtship ends.  I will then retire the number 1 spot in his honor. 

Mr. Tanaka, you are going to love Minnesota.  It never gets super cold, no matter what you may have read in the news.  In fact, it's like 40 degrees right now as I write this.  40 in January?  That's downright pleasant.  Plus, we have beautiful trees.  Seriously, trees everywhere.  We have a lot of dog parks too.  That's nice.  Um, Target Field is pretty.  We used to have trees there, but don't anymore.  We could put them back for you.  You know, I don't even really know how you feel about trees and dogs and weather.  Minnesota is amazing and you are amazing.  It's a great fit. 

The POWER RANKINGS will return next Monday.  Until then, please enjoy your week!

2014 Hall of Fame Results Analysis

Today is the day.  It has to be.  Today is the day that I analyze the 2014 Hall of Fame voting results.  I did this last year to much acclaim (from myself).  If you missed it, it's a year old and right here.  I also filled out a ballot that I never mailed in or was asked to mail in.  It's moot now and you can read it right here.  Enough shameless self-promotion, let's dance.

Let's get the riff-raff out of the way first.

Riff-Raff

No Votes - Sean Casey, Ray Durham, Todd Jones, Paul Lo Duca, Richie Sexson, Mike Timlin.

Casey is loud on MLB Network, but mostly enjoyable.  Durham was good.  Todd Jones hated Minnesota.  LoDuca and Timlin don't evoke any memories for me.  Sexson was called "Big Sexy."

1 vote each - Armando Benitez, Jacque Jones, Kenny Rogers

Two former Twins and one guy I completely forgot about.  I knew a guy who would chant "Jacque Jones is soooooooooooo good" while at Twins games.  He was kind of wrong.  Kenny Rogers once nearly punched a cameraman and shoved him down to the ground like a bully.  I hope the guy who voted for him didn't vote for Bonds and Clemens.

2 votes each - Eric Gagne and J.T. Snow

Gagne holds the most consecutive saves record and Snow once saved a toddler's life while scoring a run.  Each is worth about two votes, so we're cool here.

5 votes - Luis Gonzalez

I thought there was an outside chance that Gonzalez would stay on the ballot with 5%.  He got 5 votes.  Career fWAR for Gonzalez:  55.3.  Fred McGriff:  57.2.  Seems like a smaller than 62 vote difference here, but what do I know. 

6 votes each - Hideo Nomo and Moises Alou

If this were the Hall of Famous or the Hall of Impact, I think Nomo would be deserving.  Nomo basically had four above-average seasons, it just happened that two of those seasons were his first two seasons.  Alou peed on his hands.  His own hands, not Nomo's.

25 votes - Rafael Palmeiro

Palmeiro is the only member of the 500 home run and 3000 hit club to fall of the ballot in just four tries.  His exaggerated finger-wag may be too strongly entrenched in our brains.

Still on the ballot

Sammy Sosa

Percentage of votes in 2013 - 12.5%

Percentage of votes in 2014  - 7.2%

# of Years on Ballot - 2

Would I vote for him? - Yes

Will he get in? - Nope

Sosa was weird.  He had massive power, but didn't get on base very well.  He had some speed early in his career and played the outfield pretty well too.  All I really remember of Sosa is home runs.  He hit a lot of home runs.  Ten years ago, his 609 home runs might have gotten him elected on the first ballot.  Now, they won't be enough.  The steroid cloud is an ominous one. 

Don Mattingly

Percentage of votes in 2013 - 13.2%

Percentage of votes in 2014  - 8.2%

# of Years on Ballot - 14

Would I vote for him? - No

Will he get in? - No

I'm actually surprised he's hung on this long.  I love Don Mattingly.  I love his nickname (The Hit Man) and I loved his mustache.  He was a dominant player at his peak.  Truly destructive.  He really needed a backiotomy though.  Perhaps he will have an illustrious managerial career and enter in that manner.  I'd be cool with that.  Again, I love him.

Larry Walker

Percentage of votes in 2013 - 21.6%

Percentage of votes in 2014  - 10.2%

# of Years on Ballot - 5

Would I vote for him? - Yes

Will he get in? - Doubt it

This is ludicrous.  Walker is probably getting double penalized for the "steriod era" and the "Coors Field Effect."  Walker hit .322/.394/.587 in his last season with Montreal.  I'm sure Coors Field helped him a bit, but that 151 OPS+ in 1994 proves that he was a dynamic hitter, regardless of the park.  He posted that line while hitting just 19 home runs.  No player since Walker's retirement has posted an OPS+ that high with fewer than 20 home runs.

Walker wasn't just an over-the-fence player.  He was a serviceable outfielder with a killer arm who could hit, get on base and mash ding-dongs (homers, not the food).  He finished his career with 69.0 fWAR, more than Willie McCovey, Robin Yount, and Harmon Killebrew, just to name a few.  Plus, he accumulated more WAR than a bunch of guys who will appear later in this post.  He might fall off the ballot completely next year.  It's a shame that two factors he had no control over (era and ballpark) are clearly being used against him. 

Mark McGwire

Percentage of votes in 2013 - 16.9%

Percentage of votes in 2014  - 11.0%

# of Years on Ballot - 8

Would I vote for him? - Yes

Will he get in? - No

Remember when he hit his 62nd home run and celebrated with Sosa and they each did their little celebration gesture?  They did that fist-punch then stomach-punch combo and then they both did the double-time peace sign-kiss deal.  Yeah, I remember thinking that was lame when I was 16.  Everything was lame then.  Those were the days.  McGwire was an excellent power hitter and I would vote for him if given the chance.  I think Walker was a better player, so at least the voters are being somewhat consistent. 

Fred McGriff

Percentage of votes in 2013 - 20.7%

Percentage of votes in 2014  - 11.7%

# of Years on Ballot - 5

Would I vote for him? - No

Will he get in? - No

I like McGriff.  I like the Crime Dog.  I like his plain, light blue t-shirt in the fielding video promos.  I like his tall hat.  I like him; I don't love him.  I honestly wonder if he would have received more votes if he had stuck around and hit seven more home runs.  The 500 club isn't working for McGwire or Sosa, but it might have moved the needle for McGriff, who seems to be above steroid suspicion.  It's an interesting thought.  If we ever learn how to change history, this should be the first thing we do. 

Jeff Kent

Percentage of votes in 2013 - N/A

Percentage of votes in 2014  - 15.2%

# of Years on Ballot - 1

Would I vote for him? - No

Will he get in? - Hard to Say

Not a bad debut for Kent, actually.  I thought he might fall off the ballot completely.  Kent was petulant and he has the steroid cloud around him.  He's been doing the side part thing with his hair for a decade or so now, so that's something.  As a baseball player, Kent was an excellent offensive player, especially as a second baseman.  His defensive numbers are schizophrenic, but he was good enough to stay the position for many years.  He has an MVP.  By WAR, he doesn't quite match up to guys around him in this post.  He fits more with McGriff and Gonzalez, rather than McGwire and Sosa.  I'd say that Kent isn't as good as Bobby Grich or Lou Whitaker.  He's not as good as Chase Utley.   He was always good and occasionally great.  I'm not sure that's a Hall of Famer. 

Mike Mussina

Percentage of votes in 2013 - N/A

Percentage of votes in 2014  - 20.3%

# of Years on Ballot - 1

Would I vote for him? - Yes

Will he get in? - Yes, but it might take some time.

Wait, what?  20.3%?  That seems very low.  I'll assume that the crowded ballot was his undoing because I can't see any reason why someone would vote for Jack Morris and not Mussina.  Mussina was better than Jack Morris in just about every way possible.  In fact, here's a chart:

Stat	Mussina	Morris	Advantage
Wins	270	254	Moose
Losses	153	186	Moose
ERA	3.68	3.9	Moose
ERA+	123	105	Moose
K%	19.3	15.4	Moose
BB%	5.4	8.6	Moose
GS	536	527	Moose
IP	3562.2	3824	Morris
CG	57	175	Morris
Mustaches	0	1	Morris
Game 7 10 IP W	0	1	Morris

So Morris gets Mussina on two categories that are basically irrelevant, but one that is cited frequently.  Morris was also a consistent Opening Day starter, whatever that means.  Mussina wins all the measures that show true pitcher talent.  Morris pitched longer and finished more games.  He also played in a different era so I'm not sure comparing complete games is apt.  It's not as though Morris has thousands of innings more than Mussina either.  Mussina actually started more games.  Morris got 235 more votes.

This is not intended to be an indictment of Morris.  But, since Morris is now off the ballot (more on that later), all the Morris voters have a spot open.  If you LOOOOOOOVE Morris so much, why not fill the void with some Mussina?

Alan Trammell

Percentage of votes in 2013 - 33.6%

Percentage of votes in 2014  - 20.8%

# of Years on Ballot - 13

Would I vote for him? - Yes

Will he get in? - Doesn't look promising

Come on.  Here's a hidden player trick:

Player A - .285/.342/.430, OPS+ - 115, 1 Gold Glove, 77.1 rWAR in 20 seasons

Player B - .285/.352/.415, OPS+ - 110, 4 Gold Gloves, 70.3 rWAR in 20 seasons

Pretty similar, right?  Player A is first-ballot Hall of Famer Robin Yount.  Player B is Mr. Trammell, struggling to get 20% on his 13th ballot.  What am I missing here?  Is 15 points of slugging creating this dramatic difference?  Trammell won a World Series.  That's important, right?  Maybe voters are suppressing him on purpose so he and double play partner Lou Whitaker can be elected together by the Veterans' Committee.  Other than that, I have no idea why Trammell gets basically no love.

Edgar Martinez

Percentage of votes in 2013 - 35.9%

Percentage of votes in 2014  - 25.2%

# of Years on Ballot - 5

Would I vote for him? - Yes

Will he get in? - Yes, because we live in a just World

Before I start, let me just say that I think Frank Thomas is a monster.  Not like Frankenstein, like a baseball monster sent to destroy baseballs.  This is why I am using Thomas as a comparison here. 

Thomas - .301/.419/.555 - 156 OPS+, 73.6 rWAR, 59.2% of his games played at DH

Martinez - .312/.418/.515 - 147 OPS+, 68.3 rWAR, 71.2% of his games played at DH

Not as far apart as you probably thought.  Thomas had more power and faked his defense a little longer, but otherwise, not very different.    

"Yeah, but Martinez wasn't even the best player on his own team.  Ken Griffey Jr. was."

Fine, but imagine a World where Frank Thomas is drafted by the Mariners.  He'd be in Griffey's shadow too.  Would that have made him a less dangerous player?  Does that make him an inferior hitter?  Why does his team matter at all?  This is an individual honor. 

"Yeah, but Thomas won two MVPs and Edgar won zero."

Ok, but you can make a pretty compelling case for Martinez in 1995.  He led the league with a 185 OPS+ but Mo Vaughn won the award because he hit more home runs and the Red Sox won the AL East.  Basically, the writers screwed up.  It's not their fault.  However, voting for Martinez for the HOF can help rectify that mistake.  Don't double punish him for your inability to recognize his value now and then.

Even though Thomas is better than Martinez, there's enough Hall to go around.  There's simply no reason why more than 300 voters thought Thomas was deserving but Edgar was not.   

Curt Schilling

Percentage of votes in 2013 - 38.8%

Percentage of votes in 2014  - 29.2%

# of Years on Ballot - 2

Would I vote for him? - Yes

Will he get in? - Yes, but not until the 2020s.

I can at least understand why he doesn't get more votes.  Mussina has the counting stats, so his lack of votes is confusing.  You have to look harder to see Schilling's case, but once you do, I think you'll appreciate the greatness.  127 ERA+, 216 wins, tons of strikeouts and a lot of postseason success.  He was an integral part of 3 championship teams.  That kind of stuff is usually enticing to the writers, but not with Schilling.  At least not yet.  Schilling was brash and outspoken, so maybe that rubbed people the wrong way.  His percentage didn't drop as much as other players, so maybe he's picking up relative support and will get in when the ballot is a bit clearer.

If the 216 wins aren't enough for you, just add his 11 postseason wins and call it 227.  There, now he has 3 more than Hall of Famer Catfish Hunter.  We can call him Catfish Schilling, if that works for you.  Just appreciate Schilling's greatness.  

Lee Smith

Percentage of votes in 2013 - 47.8%

Percentage of votes in 2014  - 29.9%

# of Years on Ballot - 12

Would I vote for him? - Only if paid; I can be bought

Will he get in? - No, because we live in a just World

I can't believe he persisted on the ballot for this long.  Close your eyes and picture Joe Nathan.  Joe Nathan is excellent.  He's much better than Lee Smith.  Joe Nathan will probably get fewer than 5% of the vote on his first try.  Lee Smith was fine, he's nowhere near the Hall of Fame.  He's officially been on the ballot 12 times longer than Kenny Lofton. 

Barry Bonds

Percentage of votes in 2013 - 36.2%

Percentage of votes in 2014  - 34.7%

# of Years on Ballot - 2

Would I vote for him? - Yes

Will he get in? - Yeah, I think he might.

Roger Clemens

Percentage of votes in 2013 - 37.6%

Percentage of votes in 2014  - 35.4%

# of Years on Ballot - 2

Would I vote for him? - Yes

Will he get in? - Yeah, I think he might.

I'll just go ahead and put these two together as they will basically be forever linked.  Clemens received 4 extra votes and I'll go ahead and assume those votes are based on the thought that pitching was less affected by PEDs.  I'd hate to think it was a public image thing or a race thing. 

Interestingly, both of these two actually gained support this year, something that only Mike Piazza and Craig Biggio can also boast.  It's odd, but maybe the steroid issue is going to clear up a bit.  If most guys are losing 5-15% of their votes, then staying flat might actually be a good thing.  The fact that they didn't go backward is encouraging for their cases.  Time heals all wounds, as is said.

Tim Raines

Percentage of votes in 2013 - 52.2%

Percentage of votes in 2014  - 46.1%

# of Years on Ballot - 7

Would I vote for him? - Yes

Will he get in? - Yes, by a whisker

Raines slipped under 50%, which is brutal, but not surprising.  With all the shiny new candidates, he was bound to lose some votes.  He's a fringe candidate in some eyes, so it makes sense that he would be left off some new ballots.  In fact, I wouldn't include him in my ten this year either.  However, I do think he is a Hall of Fame player and I do think he gets in one day.  He was a dynamic and destructive player, especially at his peak.  He'll probably hover around 50% for a few more years, but the sure-fire HOF players won't come in droves forever and Raines will be around long enough to get his day.

Jeff Bagwell

Percentage of votes in 2013 - 59.6%

Percentage of votes in 2014  - 54.3%

# of Years on Ballot - 4

Would I vote for him? - Yes

Will he get in? - Yes

Bagpipes!  I always called him Bagpipes.  I actually thought Bagwell might get in this year, but instead he appears to have fell victim to the CROWDED BALLOTOCOLYPSE!  Bagwell is a no-brainer and if he wasn't all biceps, he'd probably be in already.  That said, there is research that shows that once a candidate gets to 50%, they pretty much get in.  Therefore, Bagwell will wait a bit longer, but ultimately get in down the road.  Just don't talk about the 50% thing with this next guy...

Jack Morris

Percentage of votes in 2013 - 67.7%

Percentage of votes in 2014  - 61.5%

# of Years on Ballot - 15

Would I vote for him? - No

Will he get in? - Yes, via the Veterans' Committee

Morris was well over 50% and he didn't get in.  That said, he's a near lock to be elected by a group of his peers who will no doubt appreciate his toughness, grit, tenacity, strength and resilience, even though those are all basically the same thing.  I would not vote for Morris, but if he had gotten in, I would have been happy.  I like him.  He pitched Game 7 of the '91 World Series!  That is one of my most treasured memories as a Twins fan.  So, the system works in this case, but Morris will get his day.  Until then, let's all just try to remember him as he would want us to remember him:

The Twins need to do the right thing and retire that dance.  It's only right.

Mike Piazza

Percentage of votes in 2013 - 57.8%

Percentage of votes in 2014  - 62.2%

# of Years on Ballot - 2

Would I vote for him? - Yes

Will he get in? - Yes, so long as he doesn't talk about backne anymore.

Piazza gained support this year, which pretty much ensures that he'll make a very charismatic speech in front of a giant rock-Piazza head in the near future.  For my money ($18), Piazza is the best offensive catcher of all-time.  He hit for power, average, took a walk and did so with swagger, or swag, if you will.  I would like to remake Wag the Dog with Piazza playing both the Robert De Niro and Dustin Hoffman parts.  I'd call it Swag the Dog, but then, you already knew that. 

Craig Biggio

Percentage of votes in 2013 - 68.2%

Percentage of votes in 2014  - 74.8%

# of Years on Ballot - 2

Would I vote for him? - Yes

Will he get in? - Yeah, next year.

Wow, two votes; tough luck.  What if something crazy happens over the next few years and Biggio never gets elected?  Would that make the gimmick ballot voters happy?  If that were to happen, I'd expect public apologies to Biggio from each of those dastardly individuals.  I don't see it happening.  That's a silly scenario.  Biggio should get in next year and then I can start harping on the fact that Biggio is in and Larry Walker isn't.  DEBATE!

The Winners! - Frank Thomas, Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux

YAY!  I would have voted for each of these bodacious dudes.  Maddux is probably my favorite non-Twins pitcher of all time.  I love a guy in glasses.  Glavine pretty much had to be inducted with Maddux, simply because instead of each giving a speech, they can just re-enact their "chicks dig the long ball" commercial from the 90s.  I am terrified of Frank Thomas to this day.  If he came up to the plate against the Twins in 2014, he'd probably hit a 450-foot home run. 

These are all deserving candidates.  Nothing to quibble with here. 

.
..that said, can all the Glavine supporters please support Mussina and/or Schilling in the future?  These three were extremely similar, as pointed out by Baseball Prospectus' Russell A. Carleton here.  Now that Glavine is inducted, let's try to induct one of these two each year for the next two years.  TCB, takin' care of business. 

The future - Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez and John Smoltz, among others

Next year, the ballot remains #CROWDED.  You add Johnson and Martinez, two absolute slam dunk, empty net, (insert curling term from Wikipedia) candidates.  Smoltz is in the Mussina/Schilling/Glavine camp, so maybe we have to add him to my previous proposal and make it an every year for the next year years kind of deal.  Gary Sheffield is there too and he had Hall of Fame bat speed and bat wag. 

The ballot UNCROWDS a bit after that, with Ken Griffey Jr joining the party in 2016 and Ivan Rodriguez in 2017.  I'd guess that there are a lot of guys elected in the next few years.  This is almost entirely because there are a lot of guys who are deserving.  It's weird like that. 

There we have it.  As the first person to analyze the Hall of Fame results, I feel intense pride and accomplishment.  I hope that other writers follow suit in the future.  For the record, I do fully intend to sell my fake vote to Deadspin next year.

The Eddie 400

If you've been reading this blog for the past few weeks, you are well aware that I have recently become obsessed with Eduardo Escobar.  Not in a weird way.  I just want to see more of him.  Not in a weird way.  I think he deserves more playing time.  Last year, Escobar received just 179 plate appearances, but also had one of the most memorable plate appearances of the season, when he laced a walk-off double to give the Twins their first win of the 2013 season.  That 1/179 exciting moments ratio led the team, I'm quite certain. 

Anyway, I think Escobar has something.  I see it when I watch him.  He just has an "it" factor that makes me want to look even closer.  Not in a weird way.  I think it's worth finding out if I am correct also.  Therefore, I am starting a campaign called "The Eddie 400," at least until someone finds evidence that he hates being called "Eddie."  I made a logo and at the end, I'll explain how you can also support this important promotion.

Before that, I want to make sure this is truly something that we all believe in.  Therefore, I have come up with a handful of valid reasons to give Eduardo Escobar 400 plate appearances in 2014.  Read on!

He's a switch hitter

This guy can bat right-handed and left-handed!  How impressive is that!  Some guys on this team can barely bat with their dominant hand, much less both.  In fact, last year he barely had a platoon split.  He hit roughly .270/.333/.430 from both sides of the plate.  Most of his damage was done at AAA, but he didn't get regular playing time in the Majors, which is totally not his fault.  DON'T LOOK AT HIS MLB SPLITS. 

He's always smiling

See, look at that winning smile!  He has an infectious personality, that is apparent.  Oh, you're not convinced with one picture.  Well, here's a photo collage I made:

See, winning smile.  It's prevalent.  This guy will make the clubhouse happier.  A happy clubhouse is a healthy clubhouse.  He won't be that happy playing once a week.  No one would be.  He certainly can't infuse the clubhouse with smiles from Rochester.

He has defensive versatility

It's not just that Escobar is good at defense, he also plays a lot of positions.  He's primarily a shortstop, but he can handle second and third too.  He can even serve as an emergency catcher!  I'm pretty sure he could play in the outfield too.  What versatility! 

Brian Dozier is the second baseman, but even he needs a day off here and there.  When he does, BAM, enter Escobar.  Say 10 games.  That's 40ish PAs; we're 10% to 400.  Trevor Plouffe needs days off too and he might need some DH time to boot.  BAM, more Escobar.  Say 25-30 games, 100 PA, and we're nearly halfway there. 

Hello Pedro Florimon.  I like you.  I even wrote about why I like you before last season.  Read it!  That said, hitting is not your strength and your fielding can be inconsistent.  BAM MORE ESCOBAR!!  If they simply split roughly 125 games, Escobar would get 60ish, with 200 or so PA and we'd be on the verge of 400 plate appearances.  See, Escobar's defensive versatility practically screams for more PT. 

He's vibrant

I can feel his charisma from my couch.  When he's on the field, he's vibrant.  When he's in the dugout, he shines.  When he's in the clubhouse, he...well I don't know because I'm not allowed.  When he's in Rochester, he's sad.  Just look at his face, even after being named player of the week:

Scroll up and look at the collage again.  LOOK AT IT!  Which Escobar do you want?

He's young

Escobar will be 25 next season.  He's two full years younger than Pedro Florimon.  I don't want this to become an indictment of Florimon, but we all know his shortcomings.  It's possible that Escobar has similar shortcomings, but he's two years younger so it's at least a bit more likely that he can develop and overcome those shortcomings.  You are what you are at 27; the World is your oyster at 25.  Think about it.

He's arbitration eligible in 2015

Tick Tock.  That's Escobar's free agency clock and it is ticking away dangerously.  Escobar has now been on an MLB roster in 3 different years.  He has played 125 games.  He's out of options and approaching arbitration.  If the Twins don't figure out what they have in Escobar this season, they'll never know.  I'm not sure they can deal with that kind of regret.  Regret is a powerful emotion. 

He's popular and beloved

I found an article from Mike Berardino last March that has some really great Escobar-related quotes.  I'll just share them without comment. 

Twins General Manager Terry Ryan:  "He's a pretty good baseball player, it looks like to me," Ryan said. "He's got some energy. He can steal a base. He's all right."

Former Twins reliever Luis Perdomo:  "I don't like snakes, but I like Escobar," Perdomo says. "He's a pretty good guy, a funny guy. He's happy all the time, never angry."

Also, we find out in that article that Escobar is close friends with the Guillen family.  BONUS POINTS!

Here are some quotes from another article, this one from ESPN, after Escobar was traded to the Twins:

White Sox DH Adam Dunn:  “He’s such a good kid,” Adam Dunn said. “He’s such a good part of this team. He keeps everybody loose and we really enjoyed having him. He’s a lot of fun. They’re going to really enjoy him over there.”

White Sox OF Jordan Danks:  “He’s definitely going to be missed,” Jordan Danks said. “When I first signed in ’08, he and I came up together so I’ve played with him pretty much at every level. He’s the same guy that I met whenever I first signed. He’ll be sorely missed.”

White Sox Manager Robin Ventura:  “I think it’s a little tough in here after a good win like this because Escobar’s a big part of what we’ve been doing,” Robin Ventura said. “It’s more than just numbers and how you play, it’s the attitude he brings. It’s a tough one team-wise. He’s kind of like a little brother or a son to most guys.

The Twins love him too, remember the "C'mon" story?  Here's the Berardino article and I'll just give you one Gardenhire quote for free:  "I don't know what he says half the time, but I love him," Gardenhire said Sunday. "He just entertains me. He's one of the happiest guys I've ever seen at the ballpark. Always smiling, always laughing."

Everyone loves this guy, now let's let him play some baseball!

Final quote, from the first article and from Escobar himself:  "When you're happy, be happy. You get a base hit in the game, be happy. I'm always happy playing."

I love him.

Finally, why not?

Really, what do the Twins have to lose?  Games?  They've done that already.  Plenty.  Why not see what they have in the guy they traded Francisco Liriano for?  Escobar is billed as a solid, if not better defender.  Florimon is a great defender, but could Escobar be better?  One thing I know for certain, Escobar is just as likely to post a 68 wRC+ as Florimon did last year.  Plus, he's two years younger, has a winning smile, is loved by his teammates and manager, and I already made the logo. 

There's simply no downside here.  The 2014 Twins aren't making the playoffs, so why not see what they have in Escobar?  It's a shark move.  The New Terry Ryan that wears a leather jacket makes shark moves.  It just makes sense. 

Now that you are 100% convinced, you can show your support for "The Eddie 400" in a number of ways. 

• Get the logo tattooed on your forehead.  If not your forehead, your stomach, but then you have to keep your stomach exposed at all times.
• Create leaflets and hand them out to friends, co-workers, and anyone who looks angry on the streets.
• Fly to Venezuela and inform his hometown; gather their support.
• Change your name to "Eduardo Escobar."  Purchase business cards.

If those ideas don't suit you, perhaps you could just download the logo from above and make it your Twitter or Facebook or whatever avatar?  Tell your friends about Eddie.  Post on the Twins' Facebook wall.  Tweet at Dave St. Peter.  Do everything humanly possible to create awareness of this important campaign.

Together, we can ensure that Eduardo Escobar gets 400 plate appearances in 2014.  I can't do this alone.  I need you.  Not in a weird way.