HALL OF FAME 2020 COULD BE A ONE-MAN SHOW

I don't understand how some people can say baseball is boring. There's so much strategy and I love how things can change in a game faster than you can blink. All of the walk off home runs or the unbelievable plays and the pitchers duels keep me interested. Then there's also just the human interest side of it. We all have our favorite players, Mariano Rivera was mine. I loved watching him play and I loved watching him get inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame this weekend. But have we just seen the most interesting Hall of Fame class for years to come?

It's been fun to watch all of these new names be added to Cooperstown recently. In the last 6 years, the Hall has been working overtime making new bronze plaques for their 29 new additions. That's more guys added to the Hall in the last decade without including the 17 Negro Leaguers that were inducted back in 2006. So, can the trend continue?

It doesn't look likely. According to baseball reference HERE the 2020 potential Hall of Fame Ballots there could be fewer bronze plaques being made not only for next season, but for a few years to come. Looking ahead to next year's first year eligible players include: Bobby Abreu, Jason Giambi, Cliff Lee, Josh Beckett, Eric Chavez, Alfonso Soriano, Adam Dunn, Paul Konerko and Derek Jeter.

The biggest name on the list goes without saying, and that's Derek Jeter. The rest of the guys on the list for the first time were all good players, but even media outlets like Newsday are wondering.....could Derek Jeter be the only one inducted into Cooperstown next year? Could it be unanimous? Rivera was the first to get a unanimous vote, could Jeter be the second?

The first year ballots are not as exciting as recent years so that theoretically opens the door for players returning to the ballot to possibly earn extra votes. But would they get enough votes? The player with the highest votes from last year is Mr. Controversial Curt Schilling with 64.7% of the votes. After some stupid and racist comments back in 2015 and 2016 that hurt his votes he has won back a surprising number of votes the last couple of years which has inched him closer to the needed 75% to be voted in.

So whether you like Schilling or not, the smaller pool of eligible players may help him get voted into Cooperstown. His eventual election into Hall of Fame looks like it is getting more likely. He may not get in next year, but he may get in by 2021 which is his ninth year on the ballot.

The upcoming first year players through 2023 look pretty uninteresting compared to recent years. We could see very small classes for the foreseeable future. Is Jeter the only inductee next season? It will be interesting to see how many votes Jeter does get, and if anyone else shares the stage with him.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa
BYB Managing Editor
Twitter: @nyprincessj

HOW CAN YOU NOT BE ROMANTIC ABOUT BASEBALL?

When you think about heroes in sports. Derek Jeter comes to mind.  Sure... let the hater's hate. After all, the funniest and most tremendous part of Derek Jeter walking off in his last game ever in the Bronx is that he did his job and didn't respond to the haters. Keith Olbermann looks more like a fool today than he did yesterday and trust me, that's hard to do. The guy's a doofus... anyway.

The point is it's moments like last night that the haters will never understand. It's not the stats, it's the class... it's that role model stature and it's Derek's character and perfect timing that we all fell in love with.  Haters will never get that... and I feel bad for them.

Forget the haters who want to rain on the parades and celebrations and farewell tours of Derek Jeter or even a Paul Konerko.  Fans celebrate players, that's it! Reporters or commentators rarely do without being provocative.  Don't listen to the media who tell you it's "over the top."  We love our players.

Now, we all know the Jordan and Gatorade videos when it comes to Derek Jeter. Here they are again:




Now Paul Konerko of the Chicago White Sox released his Thank you to the Chicago fans too and some highlights are sprinkled in there.  If you've never watched Konerko play... watch this. He always had a flair for the dramatic too. It's a must see, if you're a baseball fan:






I have always had tremendous respect for Paul, and while if you're on the East Coast like me, and only truly hear about Derek Jeter, Chicago is having their own farewell tour for Konerko.

According to my Chicago radio friends Fahey & Chivari, who I spoke to yesterday, Listen HERE, Konerko had been great for the White Sox fans, and while he hasn't played alot this season... he's loved by the fans... and he should be. It's fun to celebrate these baseball heroes.

I leave you with this;  If you're a fan and you love a guy for clutch hits, or big moments.... or even the fact that he's just a nice guy or good role model... Celebrate them. Celebrate them loud!  That's what fans do.  Don't listen to the haters. Don't listen to the media who claim it's all "over hyped."  They are not the authority when it comes to the honoring players... THE FANS ARE.

Carry on...


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WE CAN'T IGNORE THAT OTHER CAPTAIN RETIRING...

While most attention this week has been focused on the Derek Jeter farewell tour, another class act is saying goodbye to baseball and deserves recognition. After 17 years in the Bigs, White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko is retiring.

Konerko was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1994 and made his Major League debut in 1997. But as the Dodgers tend to do with young and promising talent, they traded the slugger away to the Cincinnati Reds for closer Jeff Shaw. Konerko only played 26 games with the Reds before he found a home on the roster of the Chicago White Sox in 1999.
 

The 6’2” right-hander quickly became a fixture in Chicago’s South Side and racked up team highs for total bases and his 432 home runs as a Sox player puts him second only to Hall of Famer Frank Thomas (448) for the team record.

Konerko also made an impressive six All-Star appearances in the span of his career and was named MVP of the American League Championship series in 2005—the same year he belted a grand slam in Game 2 of the World Series against the Houston Astros. The ChiSox went on to sweep the ‘Stros to end an 88-year championship drought.



Aside from being one of the top first baseman in the league, Konerko—called “Pau-lie” by fans—is beloved by Chicago natives for his humility and loyalty to the community. He took a reported $11 million pay cut to come back and play for the White Sox in his final year.

On Saturday, the White Sox will hold Paul Konerko Day in honor of their first baseman. It’s a fitting tribute to a solid and humble ball player who dedicated his time and resources to the community he loved.  

I just wish he would have been a Dodger.

--Alexis Garcia, BYB's "Eye on MLB" Columnist
Twitter:  @heylexyg



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40 YEARS AGO TODAY, SOMETHING DIFFERENT HAPPENED...

"On April 6, 1973, Ron Blomberg of the New York Yankees became the first designated hitter in Major League Baseball history, facing Boston Red Sox right-handed pitcher Luis Tiant in his first plate appearance. Blomberg walked."

That quote is from the Tennessean, read HERE. I wanted to post a piece that was not from New York, because the Designated Hitter is a big part of the game of baseball these days! Plus, Frank Daniels III sets the stage pretty great in his piece.

We interviewed Ron Blomberg here at Bleeding Yankee Blue.  In that interview, Steve Skinner asked him about it. Here's that exchange:

BYB:  Ron, everyone knows you as the first designated hitter in MLB history.  How did that come about, and did you enjoy it?

Ron Blomberg: Well, you know I screwed up the game in 1973 being the first DH.  To be honest, I thought I was a glorified pinch-hitter.  When I played DH, it was just a pinch-hitter.  No one knew what it would eventually be.  How I became it – I had a pulled hamstring down in spring training.  I came off a good year in 1972 and was having a good spring in ‘73.  They didn’t want to put me on the DL because we were supposed to break camp five days later .  They asked me if I would be the DH against Luis Tiant up in Boston.  I said “of course” because I didn’t want to go on the DL.  I thought it was going to die just like the designated runner did.  I never thought it was going to be this big.

Recently, I had Paul Konerko come up to me and thank me for extending his career five more years. 

Yes, I changed history in ’73 and 50% of the people liked it and 50% of the people hated it.  I don’t think the National League will ever adopt it.  It’s great to be part of baseball history and be noticed because of it.  People recognize me when I make airplane reservations or hotel reservations.  It’s really been fun for me. 

The full interview is here at EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: RON BLOMBERG.

So Happy Birthday DH and great work Ron Blomberg!  It's been an amazing journey and I'm happy to have Ron Blomberg as part of the BYB family.  Thanks again to Steve Skinner for nailing down that interview.

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IT'S ALL WHITE SOX IS CHI-TOWN. YANKEES LOOK FLAT

The New York Yankees entered the Tuesday night match-up against the Chicago White Sox with a multitude of concerns.  The Yankees' division lead, that was once 10 games, had shrunk to 4 games as the Tampa Bay Rays surged into contention.  Furthermore the Yankee bullpen entered Tuesday's game with an 0-2 record and an 8.03 ERA over the last five games.  If that was not enough, Yankee starter Ivan Nova had pitched poorly of late, and he entered the game leading the league in extra-base hits allowed.

Yankee fans were momentarily comforted by a Derek Jeter HR to lead off the game.  Nick Swisher followed with a single to center and later scored courtesy of a Curtis Granderson RBI fielder's choice.  The Yankees led 2-0 after a half inning.  Nova yielded a hit and a walk in the bottom of the first, but escaped otherwise unscathed to preserve the 2-0 lead.

 

After the first two Yankee batters scored, the New York offense disappeared.  Over the next five innings, the Yankees managed four singles, a walk, and zero runs.  Meanwhile, one of the Yankees' worst fears materialized.  Starting pitcher Ivan Nova was putrid.  The first four White Sox hits that he allowed completed the cycle.  Dewayne Wise singled in the first, Alex Rios tripled in the second, Paul Konerko hit a HR in the fourth, and Alexi Ramirez doubled in the fifth.  In that fifth inning Nova got even worse.  He allowed four runs on the Ramirez double, a walk, another Wise single, and a Kevin Youkilis grand slam HR!  The White Sox led 6-2.

The game was effectively over at that point.  Russell Martin did manage to hit his 14th HR in the seventh to cut the Chicago lead to 6-3.  Derek Lowe relieved Nova in the bottom of the seventh inning, but he immediately allowed two hits, including the third DeWayne Wise hit of the game.  Following a walk to Adam Dunn, the bases were full of Sox.  Lowe managed to retire Konerko via strike-out and Alex Rios via ground ball to Cano, and the Yankees "escaped" with the Chicago lead holding at 6-3 through seven.

 

The Yankees did nothing in the eighth inning.  Chicago managed to score a run in their half of the eighth on an AJ Pierzynski triple and a Gordon Beckham RBI single to right that gave the Sox a 7-3 lead.  Facing a four run deficit in the ninth, Yankee prospects were bleak at best.  New York had not won a game all year when trailing after eight innings.  The Yanks were true to form.  The game that Jeter began with a bang, ended on a whimper, a weak fly out by Jeter to right field.   

 

In 1921, a former major league player characterized the New York Yankees of that season as the "best worst team in either league."  With a minor modification and a literary license, that phrase could be adjusted slightly to describe the 2012 Yankees.  I would say the current squad is the "worst of the best teams in either league."  The 1921 Yankees did not win the World Championship.

The 2012 verdict remains in doubt, but the unhappy final tonight was Chicago 7 - New York 3, as the Yankees continued in the wrong direction.

--Frank Gentry, BYB Writer

Twitter: @yankeefrank23



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WISE BITES YANKS BACK. YANKEES LOSE 9-6

It was an emotional roller coaster of a game, with the lead going back and forth between the Yankees and the White Sox in the middle innings. However, the Yankee bullpen just could not keep the White Sox from scoring.

(In Photo: Dewayne Wise, right)
The game started out promising. Gavin Floyd had a rough outing, as the Yankee hitters got to him early. He allowed three runs in the first two innings as the Yankees were patient at the plate and played small ball. In the first, Derek Jeter singled, Nick Swisher singled, and Mark Teixeira singled in Jeter for the first run. After a Curtis Granderson walk, Eric Chavez hit into a fielder's choice to score the second run. They picked it up again in the second, with a Swisher single, a Robinson Cano single, a Teixeira walk, and a Granderson single brought Swisher. By the time he got pulled in the third, the Yankees had a 3-0 lead and Floyd faced 16 batters, retiring only six of them. Of the other 10 hitters, five got a single, 4 walked, and one was hit by a pitch.

The White Sox were not to be outdone, however. Starter Freddy Garcia looked brilliant for the first four innings. He struck out seven by that point, giving up only two hits and two walks while holding the Sox scoreless. But the wheels came off in the fifth, as Garcia just lost it.  He struck out Alexei Ramirez to lead off the inning, but that was the last batter he would retire.

After giving up a 2-run home run to former Yankee Dewayne Wise, Garcia gave up a single to Kevin Youkilis and walks to Adam Dunn and  Paul Konerko before finally being pulled for Cody Eppley. Eppley retired the only batter he faced - Alex Rios - but Youkilis scored on the play. Clay Rapada came in for one batter - A.J. Pierzynski - who singled in Dunn. Joba Chamberlain came in and gave up a single to Dayan Viciedo that scored Rios, and finally retired Alexei Ramirez to end the inning. The White Sox took a 5-3 lead, with all five runs charged to Garcia.

The Yankees came right back in the 6th, as Derek Jeter hit his 11th home run of the season over the left field wall, and the Yankees were within one. After a Nick Swisher walk and a pair of wild pitches from pitcher Hector Santiago, Mark Teixeira hit a bloop single to tie the game at 5. Then, with two outs and men on first and second, Casey McGehee put them ahead 6-5 with an RBI single that scored Robinson Cano.

Joba Chamberlain's struggles continued in the bottom of the sixth, as Gordon Beckham led off with a game-tying home run to make it 6-6. After striking out Dewayne Wise, he hit Youkilis in the back. I will let you decide if that was a good thing or not. Nevertheless, he was promptly pulled for Boone Logan, who struck out Adam Dunn and got Paul Konerko to ground out to end a potential rally.

Logan stuck around for the 7th inning, and gave up a go-ahead 2-run home run to Alexei Ramirez. The White Sox kept pouring it on, as Adam Dunn extended the lead to 9-6 with a homer in the eighth.

 Honorable mentions:

• The Captain, Derek Jeter, had a 4-hit night. This takes his season total to 167, which leads the majors. He also tied Eddie Murray on the all-time hit list with 3255. Wasn't his career in decline??? Ha!!
• Nick Swisher reached base four times, scoring twice.

• Mark Teixeira also had two hits and a walk, driving in 2 runs.
• Ichiro Suzuki got a base hit for the 22nd time in his 24 starts since joining the Yankees. Clearly, this trade is paying dividends.

Playing another division leader is always a good test to see how we might fare in October. This game was no exception. Where we gave up runs we also scored right back, showing that fighting spirit. However, the pitching really failed us tonight. Starters will occasionally have a bad night, and Freddy certainly had one, but more troubling is that every single pitcher out of the bullpen surrendered runs tonight. If I were tuning up for the playoffs, this would be my biggest area of concern. Nevertheless, tomorrow is another day and another game.

Final Score: White Sox 9, Yankees 6

--Ike Dimitriadis, BYB Writer
Twitter: @KingAgamemnon



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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: RON BLOMBERG

Family.  Beyond the obvious, it’s a term generally used to describe a special bond between two or more people.  The word represents images of caring, unity, and kinship.

(In Photo: Ron Blomberg)
I had the privilege to speak with Ron Blomberg – the former Yankee first baseman/outfielder, and Major League Baseball’s first ever designated hitter.  He, along with Mickey Rivers, is an honorary starter for the Damon Runyon 5K run/walk for CancerResearch at Yankee Stadium on August 12th.

Through our entire discussion, the theme of “family” repeatedly came up – and rightly so.  How can it not when discussing the courageous fight of those affected by cancer?  They form a very large, close-knit community of victims and supporters, and in the end...they are family.

Our talk transitioned from one “family” to the next – the Yankee family.  With both, I could sense a deep passion from Mr. Blomberg.  He genuinely cares about those he directs his generosity to, as well as those he shared dugout steps with in the early 70’s. 

As a kid in upstate New York, I remember plopping down in front of the TV to watch my beloved Yankees during those years.  They didn’t win championships, and often they struggled.  It was a frustrating era for fans of the Bombers.  One of the team’s real offensive threats was Ron Blomberg, and I can recall thinking each time he stepped to the plate that number twelve was our best chance at either getting back into a game, or taking a lead.  He really was, for me, one of the good memories of those barren seasons.

Without further ado, and with a very special “thank you” to a true-blue Yankee, here is our interview with Ron Blomberg.

BYB:  Mr. Blomberg, how special is it to be an honorary starter with Mickey Rivers for the Damon Runyon 5k run/walk at Yankee Stadium for you?

Ron Blomberg:  It is a big honor for myself and for Mickey. Anytime you’ve been out of baseball for many years and they ask you to do something like this, it makes you feel very wanted.  I’ve been very lucky in my life that I have two doctors as kids that I understand what cancer is all about.  I travel all around doing charity events like this across the country.  Just to be part of this at Yankee stadium and to do something with the ribbon (ceremony) it means an awful lot to me.

BYB: I know you’ve been Honorary Chairman of the Israel Cancer Research Fund.  Is that how you came to be so involved with cancer research?

Ron Blomberg:  No, not really.  I was however very involved when Catfish Hunter passed away with ALS.  I do so many events in Atlanta, New York and all across the country.  To be affiliated with something that you really truly believe in makes you feel good.  As an athlete I was very lucky in my life and I look at fans as the heroes, not me as the hero.  So, if I can help somebody in different situations, it’s great.

BYB: You played nearly all of your career with the Yankees.  Describe the Yankee clubhouse from 1971 to 1975 – how was that? 

Ron Blomberg: When I first signed with the Yankees it was not with the Steinbrenners and it was not a good team.  When George first took over it was probably a middle-of-the-road team.  The clubhouse was unbelievable.  We still had players like Thurman Munson, Roy White, Bobby Murcer, Fritz Peterson, Mike Kekich, Gene Michael.  I’m very close with the Steinbrenners – Hal, Hank and Jennifer.  They are like second parents to me and they take very good care of me.  I do many things at the stadium and am so much involved.   I bleed Yankee blue and I’m very, very proud of it. When George came along, you could tell we had a great team.  

(In Photo: Oscar Gamble)

We had Mickey Rivers, Oscar Gamble, Catfish Hunter, Chris Chambliss, Spark Lyle and Reggie of course.   George Steinbrenner was like a second father to me and he was a wonderful human being.  To this day I think that he is by far the greatest boss I’ve ever had, and they are by far – outside of my own family – the best family I’ve ever met throughout my lifetime.

BYB:  From those teams you played for, who were the guys you hung around with?

Ron Blomberg: Well I was very, very close with Thurman.  He was my roommate for four years.  My friends on the team included:  Chris Chambliss, Mel Stottlemyre, Oscar Gamble, Mickey Rivers and Elston Howard - who was a coach.  I also hung around all season with Phil Rizzuto, Frank Messer and Bill White.  Back then, it’s not like it is today.  We became very close because number one- we did not make any money.  We had to do things together.  We had to go to the ballpark together, and we went out together in the evenings to eat on road trips.  We couldn’t go out and spend $50 - $60 back then for a steak because we made like $8 or $9 a day for meal money.   The financial situation is much easier now, but I would not trade my time that I played with the Yankee organization with the time now because we were so close knit.  You know, we go to Old Timers’ Day and see Derek, Mo, Tino, Posada, and all those guys and they are like brothers to us.   It was big for us (when we were players) when we’d go and see Mickey Mantle and Yogi Berra.  We go into the clubhouse these days and the guys open their arms to us because they know that one day they’ll be in the same situation.

BYB:  Ron, everyone knows you as the first designated hitter in MLB history.  How did that come about, and did you enjoy it?

Ron Blomberg: Well, you know I screwed up the game in 1973 being the first DH.  To be honest, I thought I was a glorified pinch-hitter.  When I played DH, it was just a pinch-hitter.  No one knew what it would eventually be.  How I became it – I had a pulled hamstring down in spring training.  I came off a good year in 1972 and was having a good spring in ‘73.  They didn’t want to put me on the DL because we were supposed to break camp five days later .  They asked me if I would be the DH against Luis Tiant up in Boston.  I said “of course” because I didn’t want to go on the DL.  I thought it was going to die just like the designated runner did.  I never thought it was going to be this big.

Recently, I had Paul Konerko come up to me and thank me for extending his career five more years. 

Yes, I changed history in ’73 and 50% of the people liked it and 50% of the people hated it.  I don’t think the National League will ever adopt it.  It’s great to be part of baseball history and be noticed because of it.  People recognize me when I make airplane reservations or hotel reservations.  It’s really been fun for me.

BYB:   How do you think Derek Jeter would have handled the clubhouse of the ‘70s – back when you played?

Ron Blomberg:  Derek is a unique player.  He is a wonderful human being.  He never gets into trouble and he is great with the people and great with charity.  He is great for baseball.  He would have conformed to our clubhouse.  I think the guy that would really relate to our clubhouse would be Nick Swisher.  Swish is great for the game of baseball.  He puts a smile on people’s faces.  People love him because he’s fun.

The Yankees as a whole are a different breed.  George Steinbrenner has conformed, but didn’t force,  these guys into a family and that’s why Old Timer’s Day is so gratifying. 

Here’s a prime example: Cecil Fielder spent most of his career in Detroit, and he comes back (to Old Timer’s Day) because he spent a couple of years with the Yankees.  He told me there’s no way that the Tigers would do this.  The Yankees are the only team that would.  It’s a family.  It’s a very simple thing.  If you feel you are a part of a family you react to it and you do things for others in the family.

(In Photo: Mickey Mantle)

BYB:  Growing up, who did you admire the most in baseball?

Ron Blomberg:  Mickey Mantle.  Mickey Mantle was my idol and I met him when I was 17 and signed with the Yankees.  He was always very nice to me.  He was part of the “family” and was great to me and my family.

BYB:  What player or players from your day do you still stay in touch with?

Ron Blomberg:  Mickey Rivers, Oscar Gamble, Ron Guidry, Goose Gossage, Roy White and lots of guys. I talk to them in the off-season and see them at golf tournaments.  We are all part of a “family”.  It’s like anyone’s family.  You don’t call them up every week , but we contact one another if say, unfortunately someone is ill.  We stay in tune with each other.

BYB:  People don’t realize that your nickname was “Boomer” long before David Wells had that nickname.  Who gave you that name?

Ron Blomberg:  Phil Rizzuto. I used to hit my home runs way up into the upper deck.  To this day so many people recognize that. 

BYB:  One final question.  Do you have anything (website, autograph session, etc) that you’d like to plug to our readers?

Ron Blomberg:  I do have a website.  It’s ronblombergyankees.com.   If people want to email me, they can at ronblomberg12@gmail.com.

A special thanks to Steve Skinner for conducting this interview with Ron Blomberg.  And again, be sure to check out the information involving the Runyon 5K Run at Yankee Stadium on August 12th.  Go to www.damonrunyon.org/yankeestadium and sign up today, you won't be sorry. Trust me. --Casey
 


--Steve Skinner, BYB Guest Writer

 

WHO WILL CANO CHOOSE FOR HIS HOME RUN TEAM?

 Captains for the home run derby have been named. On the AL side, last years champion, Robinson Cano is at the helm. Cano, who won the derby last season with his father pitching to him gets to decide who else he will have on his team. And now we get to speculate. This, of course, is one of my favorite parts of the derby. Making a list of guys who I think Cano should reach out to and get on the team to make sure the AL wins the derby once again. So, who would I want on my team?

Josh Hamilton: Predictable? Absolutely! But could you really blame me? With a .338 batting average and 22 homers so far this season, Hamilton leads the AL in homers. Hell, he leads the MLB in homers. The big question is, would Hamilton do it? He's already stated he didn't want to be in the Home run Derby this year (Read HERE)...but people can change their minds.

Paul Konerko: Okay, he isn’t top ten in homers. Actually, he is number eleven on that list with 12 homers. But, with a .365 batting average, leading in the AL, having him on the team would be interesting for sure.

Jose Bautista: Bautista is struggling a little with a .230 batting average. In two hundred plus at bats, he only has fifty hits. It’s very un-Bautista like. However, he finds himself fourth on the home run leaders board. Bautista led the AL in homers in 2010 and 2011. Bautista is a power hitter and would give anyone a run for their money.

Bonus Pick- Curtis Granderson: Okay, I will admit this one is part Yankee Fan bias and part disappointment in not seeing him participate last year. Seriously, having Cano play and win last year was great, but Granderson definitely deserved a chance to play in it as well. Although, I have to admit that his sideline commentary on the whole thing was pretty comical. Granderson has 18 homers this season and I’m curious to see if the Grandy-man really can in a home run derby.

--Erica Morales, BYB Writer




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