2019 MLB Hall of Fame and the 30 teams/30 players blog bat around

There's two great topics to cover today instead of posting cards I bought, so let's hit 'em both!

First, the 2019 Hall of Fame election announcement.  Huge congrats to:

Roy Halladay:  200 wins, 2 Cy Youngs, 8 All-Star nods, a perfect game plus a no-hitter (the latter during the playoffs!) and a career bWAR of 64.3 over 16 seasons.  It's a shame he won't be there to celebrate his induction.

Edgar Martinez:  2 batting titles, 7 All-Star appearances, and a 68.4 bWAR in 18 seasons (though he didn't play a "full" one until his fourth).  Edgar was the Platonic ideal of a DH and made people appreciate OBP.

Mike Mussina:  270 wins, 7 Gold Gloves, 5 All-Star selections, a crazy 83.0 bWAR in 18 seasons, and he saved his best for last, winning 20 games in 2008 before retiring.  His Yankees career was bookended by World Series titles he missed out on, plus it's not his fault that Baltimore's owner was a cheap asshole.

Mariano Rivera:  652 saves (a record), five World Series rings (he was the '99 MVP), 13 All-Star selections, and a 56.2 bWAR in 19 seasons.  He waited his turn for a couple years then rode into the record books as a Yankees legend.  More often than not if the Yankees got to the 8th or 9th with a lead, it was "Enter Sandman" and the game was over thanks to the greatest closer the game has seen.  Also the first unanimous selection!

All four of these guys are very deserving and I look forward to their ceremony in Cooperstown this summer.

Next, the 30 for 30 blog bat around:  the player I immediately think of when I hear the name of each modern team.  (All scans that aren't mine come from COMC.)

Arizona -- Luis Gonzalez.  Came up with one of the biggest hits in World Series history--against Mariano Rivera, no less--after the D-Backs almost let the Yanks claim a fourth straight title.

Atlanta -- Greg Maddux.  With apologies to the likes of Pedro Martinez and Randy Johnson, the best pitcher of his generation.

Baltimore -- Cal Ripken Jr.  Nothing against the Robinsons, but this one was easy.

Boston -- Ted Williams.  I've never been a fan of their recent teams so I went with an obvious classic choice here.

Chicago Cubs -- Ernie Banks.  C'mon, he's "Mr. Cub"!

Chicago White Sox -- Frank Thomas.  There was a period in the early 90s when I loved the White Sox, and that was mainly thanks to "the Big Hurt".

Cincinnati -- Barry Larkin.  The Big Red Machine was fantastic but give me Barry any day.

Cleveland -- Bob Feller.  An incredible pitcher who was fun to watch in old baseball videos and a pleasure to meet in person.

Colorado -- Larry Walker.  He had his best years with the Rockies and put up some crazy numbers in his time.

Detroit -- Lou Whitaker.  So many to choose from, especially Al Kaline, but I'll go with my favorite guy growing up, another legend (and deserving HOFer) who stuck with the team for his entire career.

Houston -- Jeff Bagwell.  Man was his crouched stance and wound-up swing fun to watch as he mashed homers.

Kansas City -- George Brett.  A great hitter and representative of his era.  Three words:  "pine tar incident".  Three more:  "straight fuckin' water".

Los Angeles Angels -- Jim Abbott.  You younger guys can have Trout, but I'll go with another Michigan favorite, the amazing pitcher who throw a no-hitter with one arm.

Los Angeles Dodgers -- Kirk Gibson.  Gibby would have been a good choice for the Tigers too, but I'm putting him here for his storybook moment in '88.  None of the recent guys really appeal to me, but those 80s teams sure were fun!

Miami/Florida -- Jeff Conine.  I'm not sure if I've seen him come up yet--Giancarlo Stanton is a popular choice--but he was an original Marlin that was among the team's leaders in games.

Milwaukee -- Robin Yount.  Another guy I got to appreciate a bit at the tail end of his career.

Minnesota -- Kirby Puckett.  Joe Mauer was my second choice (Killebrew was just too much before my time) but I had to go with the guy that brought energy to the '87 and '91 Twins.

New York Mets -- Gary Carter.  The Mets are one of the few teams here that I just never really cared for, but Carter's a HOFer that was a big piece of the '86 champs.

New York Yankees -- Derek Jeter.  I went with one of many obvious choices, just a more recent one.  Jeter was the face of the 90s/2000s Yankees dynasty, though I wish he would have made a pit stop in Ann Arbor on the way to Cooperstown!

Oakland -- Rickey Henderson.  The do-everything cog of the A's on four different occasions, he was the greatest base-stealer ever and put together the 19th best bWAR the game has seen.  And he was simply a blast to watch.

Philadelphia -- Mike Schmidt.  Nobody recent could topple the power-hitting 3B for the 1980 champs, though he retired when I was still quite young.

Pittsburgh -- Roberto Clemente.  I can't possibly add anything new in lauding a true legend and humanitarian.

St. Louis -- Stan Musial.  My modern choice would probably be Albert Pujols but Musial is such a beloved HOFer and career Cardinal that there was no question in my mind that he was "the Man" for the job here.

San Diego -- Tony Gwynn.  I opted against "Mr. Tiger" but went with "Mr. Cub" and now "Mr. Padre".  The greatest pure hitter of his generation lives on thanks to some very cool bloggers.

San Francisco -- Willie Mays.  This choice was far too easy, especially after I confirmed that most of his Giants career was spent in San Fran, not New York.  One of the greatest five-tool athletes ever.

Seattle -- Ken Griffey Jr.  The most fun player to watch in the 90s, health prevented him from being the true heir to Mays, but when he was playing, you stopped and watched.

Tampa Bay -- Rocco Baldelli.  First reaction:  "Eh, who cares?"  Second reaction:  "Jeez is Florida baseball garbage".  Third reaction:  "Ok, Baldelli was a good guy".

Texas -- Nolan Ryan.  He pitched for so long I got to see a lot of him in my formative baseball years, and the flamethrower was amazing to watch game after game.

Toronto -- Joe Carter.  That World Series homer, tho.  Other guys have come and gone but if that moment doesn't scream Blue Jays, I don't know what does.

Washington/Montreal -- Vladimir Guerrero.  The current version of Washington doesn't have enough history yet so I'm going back to the Expos days.  Again, Pedro Martinez was a good option, but Montreal is where Guerrero built his legend as his generation's answer to Clemente while toiling in relative obscurity.

I realize a number of my choices were obvious and/or unoriginal but I tried my best to adhere to the "first guy you come up with while not thinking about it" idea.  What do y'all think?

Blog Bat Around: My All Autograph Team

I had something else ready to go and then saw Zippy Zappy's very cool Blog Bat Around idea and decided to participate in that instead today.  It's a fun topic for a post, I haven't done one of these yet, and it's also a great way to show off some of my best cards!

I'm sticking with his format of all eight field positions, a DH/Utility guy, starter, two RPs, and a closer, while also adding in a manager because I can.  While his "rules" allow for non-card items, which would have given me a few other options, I was able to find enough cards to be satisfied with my group.  You'll see that I also mention other players I considered, plus to make things more interesting I'll try to remember how I acquired each item you see.

On to the cards!

Catcher:  Joe Mauer

Hall of Fame?:  Possibly!

Career bWAR (as of 4/21/18):  54.5

Card:  2002 Bowman's Best auto RC

Acquired:  Online forum trade

Also considered:  Bill Freehan

I only have a couple other autographs of catchers handy, with former Tiger Lance Parrish being a runner-up.  But Mauer's the easy choice, even if he's no longer behind the dish.  I do wonder if he'll be able to do enough in his last few years to make it to Cooperstown.

First base:  Stan Musial

Hall of Fame?:  1969

Career bWAR:  128.2

Card:  2004 Donruss Leather & Lumber Leathercuts auto (#84/96)

Acquired:  Blowout forums purchase

Also considered:  Miguel Cabrera

With apologies to Miggy, there's no better 1B (for about half of his career games anyway) in my PC than "The Man".  His career bWAR is good for for 11th all-time on the strength of three MVPs and World Series titles each, plus seven batting titles!

Second base:  Charlie Gehringer

Hall of Fame?:  1949

Career bWAR:  80.7

Card:  2005 SP Legendary Cuts Autograph Cuts auto (#76/97)

Acquired:  eBay

Also considered:  Lou Whitaker

You all know I love me some Whitaker but "The Mechanical Man" was an easy choice as the #5 overall 2B according to JAWS.  The 1937 AL MVP was a key player in Detroit's 1935 World Series victory over the Cubs, and hopefully he'll be joined in Cooperstown by "Sweet" Lou someday!

Third base:  Brooks Robinson

Hall of Fame?:  1983

Career bWAR:  78.4

Card:  2002 Sweet Spot Classics Classic Signatures auto

Acquired:  At a show, maybe?

Also considered:  Nobody

I really have a dearth of good 3B autographs, but that's because it's feast or famine at the position.  Schmidt, Boggs, and Brett have never been guys I've chased plus their stuff is generally high-end.  Chipper Jones' stuff is similarly pricey, and Adrian Beltre's another guy whose signature isn't in any of my PCs.  That's ok, though, because the "Human Vacuum Cleaner" is more than worthy to represent the position here thanks to 18 All-Star games, 16 Gold Gloves, an MVP, and two rings, including a Series MVP nod.

Shortstop:  Cal Ripken Jr.

Hall of Fame?:  2007

Career bWAR:  95.9

Card:  2008 Sweet Spot Signatures Red Stitch Blue Ink auto (#062/275)

Acquired:  eBay

Also considered:  Alan Trammell, Barry Larkin

I mean, you all know all the stats and accolades.  The "Iron Man" was a revolutionary player at his position and is considered #3 overall there by JAWS.  Tram and Larkin are also HOFers with excellent resumes, but there's no topping one of the most important players of his generation in Ripken.

Outfield:  Willie Mays

Hall of Fame?:  1979

Career bWAR:  156.4

Card:  2001 Fleer Platinum Rack Pack Autographs auto (#13) (#068/115)

Acquired:  Pulled from a pack by me

Also considered:  Tony Gwynn

The "Say Hey Kid" was simply one of the greatest ever; his career bWAR is fifth in history, behind just Babe Ruth, Cy Young, Walter Johnson, and Barry Bonds.  And his CF-leading JAWS score trails only Ruth and Bonds.  One of the golden era's greatest players and a five-tool threat, he's perhaps the current greatest living player.  Gwynn and the two other OF that didn't make the cut are excellent, no doubt, but they pale in comparison to one of the best ever.

Outfield:  Frank Robinson

Hall of Fame?:  1982

Career bWAR:  107.3

Card:  1999 SP Signature Edition Autographs auto

Acquired:  I dunno, maybe a show?

Also considered:  Carlos Beltran

"The Judge" had a career that puts him 24th overall in bWAR and fifth among RF in JAWS (12th overall in the outfield).  He smacked 586 homers, fell just shy of 3000 hits, won two MVPs and a Triple Crown, and picked up two rings (one Series MVP) among numerous other accolades.  Oh yeah, he was also the game's first black manager.  So how's Milt Pappas working out for you, Reds fans?  Beltran is one of the game's better recent outfielders, but the third of four Orioles in this post easily earns this nod.

Outfield:  Ken Griffey Jr.

Hall of Fame?:  2016

Career bWAR:  83.8

Card:  1999 SP Signature Edition Autographs auto

Acquired:  Pulled from a pack by me

Also considered:  Lou Brock

I would have included Junior even if I had several better options just because he was one of the best, most exciting players of my lifetime.  Injuries and a lack of playoff success kept him from an even more impressive, Mays-like career, but what he did do was still astonishing.  A top-100 player by bWAR, his sweet swing and backwards hat will forever be remembered by anyone who watched the game in the 90s.  Brock, meanwhile, is another great backup thanks to his excellent speed over his HOF career.

DH/Utility:  Al Kaline

Hall of Fame?:  1980

Career bWAR:  92.8

Card:  2001 Donruss Classics Significant Signatures auto

Acquired:  Trade with Bob Walk the Plank

Also considered:  everyone else that didn't make the cut, plus Edgar Martinez

"Mr. Tiger" is another top-50 player in this group, and top-10 at his position as well.  The kid who would win a batting title at just 20 went on to 3000 hits, 399 HR, and a ring with the '68 Tigers, plus 18 All-Star games and 10 Gold Gloves.  His impact as the greatest living Tigers player is on display every year as he continues to advise the team and help the club's outfielders, as he did tutoring a young Kirk Gibson.  There was no way I was leaving him out of this group and I'm grateful for the utility spot as it allowed me to include him and Griffey too.

Starting pitcher:  Greg Maddux

Hall of Fame?:  2014

Career bWAR:  106.7

Card:  2014 Topps Strata Autograph Relics bat auto (#02/25)

Acquired:  eBay

Also considered:  Warren Spahn, Justin Verlander

I would have taken "Mad Dog" over Spahn due to recency bias anyway, but fortunately for me Maddux eclipses him in career bWAR (#26 out of pitchers and position players) and JAWS (#9 pitcher overall).  You'll never see anyone like him again, winner of four straight Cy Youngs, 18 Gold Gloves, and a World Series title, plus 355 victories.  As a reminder, he set a record with 17 straight seasons of 15+ wins.  One of the greatest of his generation, he's definitely my favorite pitcher at this point in my life (keep working at it, Verlander!).

Relief pitcher:  Kerry Wood

Hall of Fame?:  Nope

Career bWAR:  27.6

Card:  2001 Studio Private Signings auto

Acquired:  Card shop purchase

Also considered:  J.J. Putz

Another textbook Cubs pitching phenom that had arm trouble, Wood transitioned to a relief role later in his career, and while most of his value came as a starter, he had a couple good years closing for Chicago and Cleveland.  Honestly this position is another one that's weak in my collection since it's not terribly exciting to collect, but I'm following ZZ's lead and he obviously valued it more thanks to a couple players in his collection!  Putz is a personal favorite of mine as a Michigan guy and PC player, but Wood is the best fit here.

Relief pitcher:  Mike Henneman

Hall of Fame?:  Nope

Career bWAR:  12.9

Card:  1996 Leaf Signature Extended Autographs auto

Acquired:  COMC

Also considered:  Steve Howe

Like I said this position isn't deep at all when it comes to my collection, but this does give me another opportunity to plug Henneman, formerly the Tigers' career saves leader.  He was good to great as the ace of the 'pen for eight-plus seasons.  At this point I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel and literally just have Steve Howe left, a guy who could have been amazing if not for drug abuse.

Relief pitcher:  Mariano Rivera

Hall of Fame?:  Soon!

Career bWAR:  56.2

Card:  1998 Donruss Signature Autographs auto

Acquired:  A show, I think?

Also considered:  I suppose the two guys above?

Mo is simply one of the greatest closers in history, second only to Dennis Eckersley in career bWAR and JAWS.  Then again, some of Eck's value came as a starter whereas the "Sandman" plied his trade exclusively as the guy to shut the door.  Five rings (one MVP) and 652 saves (#1 all-time) later the imposing 'pen ace will surely be up on a stage speaking in Cooperstown next year.

Relief pitcher:  Earl Weaver

Hall of Fame?:  1996

Career record:  1480-1060, 4 pennants, 1 World Series

Card:  2004 Topps Retired Signature auto

Acquired:  Trade with Baseball Card Breakdown

Also considered:  I have a Sparky Anderson IP/TTM of unknown provenance, I guess?

The famously fiery if diminutive Weaver managed Baltimore for 17 seasons, reaching 100+ wins five times and the postseason six, with the 1970 champs a career highlight.

Players I could include if counting autographed memorabilia (all of which I obtained myself and is certified):

• OF:  Willie Stargell (ball, 8x10)
• P:  Sandy Koufax (ball), Bob Feller (ball, hat, 8x10, HOF program)
• Mgr:  Walt Alston (ball), Tommy Lasorda (ball)

Thanks again for the fun idea, Zippy Zappy, and I'm looking forward to seeing what other folks come up with!