Game 101. Alonso (2 HR) and Future HOF Verlander star as Mets beat Yanks, 9-3.

The Yankees (53-48) did not have their injured slugger, Aaron Judge, who has an outside chance of returning this weekend when the Yankees take on the Orioles.

The Mets, however, did have their slugger, Pete Alonso, who hit 2 HR and drove in 5 runs as the Mets beat the Yanks, 9-3, last night.

The Mets also had future HOF Justin Verlander, owner of 3 no-hitters, on the mound, and Verlander tossed six shutout innings in getting the victory.

The Yanks had Domingo German pitching, but outside of the perfect game German threw about a month ago, he has struggled. Last night he gave up 3 HR, including the two to Alonso. He also wasn’t helped by his defense.

The Mets got a leadoff double to start the game, and two outs later, a blooper fell in to give the Mets a 1-0 lead. The expected batting average on the blooper? .050. In other words, it should have been caught.

With two out in the top of the third, Francisco Lindor hit a double on another blooper. This one had an expected batting average of .030. Again, should have been caught. After a walk (and SB by Lindor), Alonso hit a 3-run HR to make it 4-0. With Verlander on the mound, that was fatal.

German gave up back-to-back HR to Alonso and Daniel Vogelbach in the top of the sixth and it was 6-0. German is like Jekyll and Hyde. Inconsistent, and he could lose his spot in the rotation when Nestor Cortes returns. With the trade deadline approaching, he also could be dealt.

The Mets made it 7-0 in the top of the seventh, with help from an error by Anthony Volpe.

The Yanks got two runs in the bottom of the seventh. Isiah Kiner-Falefa (IKF) PH and was HBP. Volpe doubled in IKF. Kyle Higashioka walked. After an out, another walk loaded the bases. Giancarlo Stanton hit a SF to make the score 7-2.

The Yanks got another run in the bottom of the eighth. With one out, Harrison Bader singled. IKF singled Bader to third. Volpe walked to load the bases. Ben Rortvedt PH and grounded out, driving in the run. 7-3.

The Mets got 2 runs off of struggling Ron Marinaccio in the ninth. Marinaccio wasn’t helped by an error by Harrison Bader. But Marinaccio’s bullpen spot could be in jeopardy. He has struggled big-time lately and Jonathan Loaisiga will be starting rehab soon. When Loaisiga comes back, Marinaccio could be sent down—or traded.

The Yanks only got five hits, and there were no offensive standouts.

German (L, 5-7) 6 IP, 6 R, 7 H, 1 W, 9 K. Gave up 3 HR. 4.77 rotation and even Yankees’ spot in jeopardy.
N. Ramirez 2 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 H, 0 W, 2 K. 3.08
Marinaccio 1/3 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 1 W, 1 K. 4.33 Could be sent down or dealt soon. July ERA over 8.00
Abreu 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K. 1 HBP. 4.07

With the Yanks 5th and last in the AL East, 9 GB and 2 1/2 out of a wild card spot, this week, the last week before the August 1 trade deadline, will be interesting. Who will the Yanks get? Who will they trade away?

The Yanks did bring Andy Pettitte back in an advisory role.

Game 100. Rizzo breaks out, leads Yanks to 8-5 win.

Anthony Rizzo went 4 for 4 and homered for the first time in over two months, to lead the Yankees to an 8 to 5 win Sunday over the Kansas City Royals. The Yankees (53-47) swept the Royals this weekend, and now have today off before playing the crosstown Mets at the Stadium Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Yanks wasted no time in getting on the board. Jake Bauers, just off the IL, singled to lead off the bottom of the first inning, and Gleyber Torres then hit his sixteenth HR of the season. Torres would later leave the game with a hip problem. Giancarlo Stanton singled and was doubled home by Rizzo to make it 3-0. After D.J. LeMahieu grounded out, moving Rizzo to third, Harrison Bader singled in Rizzo to put the Yanks up 4-0.

Yankees’ starter Luis Severino got out of a one-out, second and third situation in the top of the second by getting a pair of strikeouts.

Rizzo homered (12) in the bottom of the third to put the Yanks up 5-0. With the homer being Rizzo’s first in over two months, his teammates jokingly gave him the “silent treatment” when he got into the dugout. In those two months, Rizzo’s batting average had dropped about sixty points. He needed a game like this.

Severino gave up a solo HR to All-Star C Salvador Perez in the top of the fourth, and a two-run HR to Michael Massey in the top of the sixth. Massey hit three HR this weekend against the Yanks. With the score now 5-3, Severino was pulled after the Massey HR with two out in the sixth.

Harrison Bader made a great catch in the top of the seventh to take away a double. In the top of the eighth, with one out and runners on first and third, Michael King got a pair of strikeouts to escape a jam.

The Yanks got three runs in the bottom of the eighth, thanks to an error. Rizzo led off with a single, and LeMahieu walked. After a sacrifice bunt by Bader moved the runners up, Billy McKinney was intentionally walked to load the bases. Oswald Peraza hit a little nubber to first base that allowed a run to score, and a second run scored on a throwing error, moving McKinney to third and Peraza to second. A SF by Kyle Higashioka made the score 8-3.

The Yanks needed those runs, because Ron Marinaccio gave up two homers in the top of the ninth. Final score 8-5.

Yankees’ legend Andy Pettitte will be joining the Yankees as a pitching advisor.

Before the game, Jake Bauers and Greg Allen came off the IL and to make room for them, Oswaldo Cabrera and Franchy Cordero were sent down to SWB.

Torres 2-run HR (16).
Stanton 2 hits.
Rizzo 4 for 4, 2 RBI. Solo HR (12).

Severino (W, 2-4) 5 2/3 IP, 3 R, 8 H, 0 W, 5 K. gave up 2 HR. 6.46
Hamilton (H, 3) 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 1.71
King (H, 5) 1 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 W, 2 K. 3.23
Marinaccio 1 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 0 W, 2 K. gave up 2 HR. 3.95

Minors/Britton rehab/WBC

AAA: SWB (63-55) won 4-3.
3B Armando Alvarez 2 hits, RBI. Solo HR (13)
RF Ryan LaMarre 2 hits
LF Matt Pita 3 for 3, 3 RBI 3-run HR (5)

Boyle (W, 1-1) 7 IP, 3 R, 4 H, 3 W, 4 K. Gave up 3 HR. 5.87 (AAA stats only)
Mujica (S, 2) 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 3.63

AA: Somerset (71-44; 1st half division champs) won 3-2.
C Austin Wells 2 hits, 2 RBI; #4 prospect. 3 levels .280-15-44, 11 SB
3B Andres Chaparro 2 hits, RBI

Deivi Garcia (W, 2-1) 6 1/3 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 1 W, 10 K. 1 HBP. Gave up 2 HR. 5.40
Minnick (S, 3) 2 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 3 K. 2.03

Garcia #26 prospect. 2 levels: 2-4, 7.63

High A: Hudson Valley (62-53) won 4-2.
SS Trey Sweeney 2 hits. #6 prospect. .238-13-48, 26 SB
3B Tyler Hardman 2 hits, RBI
LF Grant Richardson 2 hits
RF Aaron Palensky 2 RBI

Juan Carela 5 2/3 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 2 W, 3 K. 2 WP. 1 HBP. 6.75 #30 prospect. 2 levels, 8-3. 3.56
J. Munoz (W, 5-1; BS, 2) 2 1/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 W, 0 K. 4.58
C. Gomez (S, 3) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K. 3.48

Low A: Tampa (55-59) won 3-0.
CF Spencer Jones 2 hits. #7 prospect, this year’s #1 draft pick. .383-2-6, 6 SB in 47 at bats.
3B Brett Barrera 3 hits, 2 RBI

Zack Britton 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. FIRST REHAB OUTING. See below. 0.00
Y. Calderon (W, 2-0) 3 1/3 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 4 W, 6 K. 0.00
Dees (H, 5) 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. 3.38
McNeely (H, 1) 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 W, 4 K. 0.00
Neely (S, 6) 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 2 K. 1 WP 4.12

Britton was limited to 15 pitches for his rehab. Faced two batters. Got a 1-3 groundout and a strikeout.

The 2023 World Baseball Classic has announced its coaching staff for Team USA. MLB Network’s Mark DeRosa will be the manager, and he will have Ken Griffey, Jr. as the hitting coach. Ex-Yankees Andy Pettitte (pitching coach) and Dave Righetti (bullpen coach) will also be on the staff.

Speaking of Pettitte, his son Jared this week was one of the pitchers in a combined no-hitter in the Florida Complex League (a league below Low A) for the Marlins’ affiliate.

Ortiz only player elected by writers into the HOF.

I had the feeling that the only person to be elected to the Hall of Fame by the writers would be David Ortiz, and I also had the feeling that if he made it on the first ballot, that it would not be by much.

Correct on both counts. The Red Sox legend got 307 votes where he needed 296 out of 394 to get in. Needing 75%, Ortiz got 77.9%.

Many notables dropped off the ballot, as Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa and Curt Schilling were in their last year of eligibility. They now go to the Veterans’ Committee. For Bonds, Clemens and Sosa, steroid allegations cost them the Hall. For Schilling, his political viewpoints and some controversial statements.

Others remaining on the ballot, but who have been associated with PEDs found themselves far from the 75% threshold. That included Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez.

Ortiz also has a questionable past with that. Supposedly his name came up on a list that came up positive in 2003, however he has denied it, and there have been false positives associated with the list. Also, there was no list of banned vs. ok substances. So something picked up legitimately at a GNC could cause a positive. To his credit, Ortiz never came up positive after rules were enforced later on.

Ortiz, mostly a DH, was a 10x All-star, 3x WS champ (get to that in a moment), 7x Silver Slugger, a WS MVP, and an ALCS MVP, who played for the Twins (1997-2002) and Red Sox (2003-2016). While ok with the Twins (OPS+ 108), he blossomed into a superstar with Boston (OPS+ 148). He was probably the most influential and most important player in helping the Red Sox end “the Curse of the Bambino” by helping Boston to its first WS title in 86 years in 2004, then he added two more titles onto that.

Ortiz wound up hitting 541 HR, and getting MVP consideration 8x. While never winning the MVP award, he finished in the top 10 7x, and finished 5-4-2-3-4 from 2003-2007. His final season was probably the greatest final season of any player in baseball history, and he finished 6th in MVP voting that year. In his last year, Ortiz, 40, hit .315-38-127, leading the AL in RBI, the majors in doubles (48), the majors in slugging and OPS, and the AL in intentional walks. He hit .286 for his career with an OPS+ of 141 (100 is average). His 162 game average was .286-36-119. He led the league in HR once (54 in 2006), RBI 3x, doubles once, walks 2x, OBP, slugging, total bases and OPS once each, and intentional walks 3x.

In 85 postseason games, he hit .289, with 17 HR and 61 RBI. He won both games 4 and 5 of the 2004 ALCS for Boston, leading them back from a 0-3 deficit to win the AL pennant and eventually the WS, breaking the 86 year old “Curse of the Bambino.” He was ALCS MVP in 2004 (12 for 31, 3 HR, 11 RBI) and WS MVP in 2013 (11 for 16, 2 HR, 6 RBI).

One thing I was and still am critical about is pitchers not coming inside to dust him off of the plate. Can you believe in his whole career, Ortiz was HBP only TWICE? (By comparison, Mantle 13x, Mays 45x, Aaron 32x, Ruth 43x). I’m not for headhunting, but back the guy off the plate?

Ortiz only played 278 games at 1B. 2028 were as a DH.

Here is the ballot, with some notes.

David Ortiz	307	77.9	1
Barry Bonds	260	66.0	10
Roger Clemens	257	65.2	10
Scott Rolen	249	63.2	5
Curt Schilling	231	58.6	10
Todd Helton	205	52.0	4
Billy Wagner	201	51.0	7
Andruw Jones	163	41.1	5
Gary Sheffield	160	40.6	8
Alex Rodriguez	135	34.3	1
Jeff Kent	129	32.7	9
Manny Ramirez	114	28.9	6
Omar Vizquel	94	23.9	5
Sammy Sosa	73	18.5	10
Andy Pettitte	42	10.7	4
Jimmy Rollins	37	9.4	1
Bobby Abreu	34	8.6	3
Mark Buehrle	23	5.8	2
Torii Hunter	21	5.3	2
Joe Nathan	17	4.3	1
Tim Hudson	12	3.0	2
Tim Lincecum	9	2.3	1
Ryan Howard	8	2.0	1
Mark Teixeira	6	1.5	1
Justin Morneau	5	1.3	1
Jonathan Papelbon	5	1.3	1
Prince Fielder	2	0.5	1
A.J. Pierzynski	2	0.5	1
Carl Crawford	0	0	1
Jake Peavy	0	0	1

Bonds, Clemens, Schilling, Sosa drop off. So does anyone not getting 5%, which includes Ryan Howard (MVP , 6 top-10 MVP finishes, and 382 HR), Tim Lincecum (Back-to-Back CYA), Justin Morneau (MVP), Joe Nathan (6x all-star) and Mark Teixeira (409 HR) to name a few.

It really looks good for Scott Rolen to maybe get in next year. A-Rod and Manny Ramirez stand no chance due to steroids and suspensions. Omar Vizquel dropped considerably because of domestic violence and sexual harassment allegations. Andy Pettitte stays on, but HGH admissions hurt him.

Next year will be Jeff Kent’s last year on the ballot. (377 HR, MVP).

The biggest name coming onto the ballot next year is Carlos Beltran (.279, 435 HR, 312 SB). While I think Beltran eventually makes the HOF, I don’t think it will be on the first ballot. The only other one that can get considerable consideration among next year’s newcomers is Francisco Rodriguez. K-Rod had 437 saves, 62 in 2008.

BBWAA elects no one to Hall.

The Baseball Writers elected no one to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2021.

There will still be a ceremony, because COVID cancelled out 2020’s ceremony, those elected in 2020 will be inducted in 2021.

75% of the vote is required for induction. The top 3 finishers are controversial, in various ways. They were Curt Schilling at 71.1%, Barry Bonds at 61.8% and Roger Clemens at 61.6%.

Next year will be the last year on the ballot for all three of them.

There were some, like Scott Rolen, who made big jumps but still fell fall short.

But for Schilling, Bonds and Clemens, the gains were miniscule.

Ex-Yankees Gary Sheffield (40.6%), Andruw Jones (33.9%), Andy Pettitte (13.7%) and Bobby Abreu (8.7%) remain on the ballot.

You need 5% or more to remain on the ballot.

Ex-Yankees Latroy Hawkins (2 votes, 0.5%), A.J. Burnett (no votes) and Nick Swisher (no votes) fall off of the ballot.

Cole’s first S.T. game to be Monday.

Gerrit Cole’s first spring training game is set to be Monday, as the Yanks’ line up their new ace to open the season in Baltimore on March 26.

The spring training game—-the second at home for the Yanks at their S.T. home in Tampa—will be against the team Cole broke into the majors with, the Pittsburgh Pirates.

As for Saturday and the Yanks’ S.T. opener at home vs. Toronto, the starter will be J.A. Happ.

As for Aaron Judge’s sore shoulder, if it were the regular season, he’d be playing, but there is no use in taking unnecessary risks in spring training.

With Andy Pettitte in camp as an adviser, and currently working with Masahiro Tanaka on a cutter, you have to wonder if pitching coach could be in Andy’s future?

HOF announcement tonight.

Baseball makes its HOF announcement tonight, as we see who the writers put in the Hall to join Ted Simmons and Marvin Miller, who both were selected by committee earlier.

You need 75% to get in.

As of this writing, 211 votes, 51.2%, are known.

Derek Jeter is still running unanimously at 100%, we will see tonight if that still holds up and if Jeter will join Mariano Rivera as the only unanimous selections.

Larry Walker, in his last year on the ballot, is at 83.7%. Curt Schilling is at 78.7%.

But only a little over half of the votes are known. Usually when the other, non-publicized part comes in, players drop, and someone like Schilling then is really on the bubble.

Barry Bonds and one-time Yankee Roger Clemens are at 71.6 and 70.6% respectively, thus a little short and expected to drop once more votes become known.

So it appears as if Jeter and Walker get in and the question is whether Jeter is unanimous and if Schilling joins them

Other notables: staying on the ballot would be Omar Vizquel, Gary Sheffield (the one -time Yankee at 36%), Scott Rolen, Billy Wagner, Jeff Kent, Todd Helton, Manny Ramirez, one-time Yankee Andruw Jones (23.7%), Sammy Sosa, Andy Pettitte (the Yankees’ great is at 10.4%) and another former Yankee, Bobby Abreu (6.2%).

You need 5% to stay on the ballot. Abreu is on the bubble. Pettitte stays on, but isn’t getting much support.

It appears like these notables will drop off the ballot, among others:

Ex-Yankees Jason Giambi (1 vote), Alfonso Soriano (0). Eric Chavez (one vote). Brian Roberts (0) and Raul Ibanez (0). 

Also dropping off would be Cliff Lee (1), Adam Dunn (0), and Paul Konerko (1).

The bold is players with Yankees’ connections, even if ever so briefly.

Pettitte instrumental in getting Cole to NY. Now for other moves.

Hal Steinbrenner called Gerrit Cole five times, but someone else apparently was also very instrumental in getting Cole to sign with the Yankees.

Andy Pettitte, who pitched mostly for the Yankees but who also spent a few years with the Astros, discussed the difference between the teams, how much NY meant to him and helped him, and what a postseason experience—as well as WS titles in NY—meant to him and his career. That supposedly helped tip Cole, who grew up a Yankees and Pettitte fan, to NY.

So Andy, a special consultant, really came up huge for the Yanks in these negotiations.

Now the Yanks turn to other needs. After losing Didi Gregorius to the Phillies, will they be able to keep Brett Gardner, Dellin Betances or Austin Romine?

It looks like a deal with Gardner could be hammered out soon. The concern is that Gardner will turn 37 next August. Gardner did hit career highs in HR and RBI this past season, and since Aaron Hicks will miss at least half of 2020, the Yanks do need a CF.

Betances, who pitched only 2/3 of an inning in 2019, is iffy. Would he re-sign for a year to re-establish value?

Romine is also iffy. Rumors are that the Yanks could be looking at Martin Maldonado, who caught Cole ten times in Houston last year to a 1.57 (!) ERA. Maldonado, 33 and a righty bat, isn’t much of a hitter (.219 career batting average, OPS+ 73) but did win a Gold Glove in 2017 for the Angels. He hit .213-12-27, OPS+ 75 for three teams in 2019. The question about Romine is would he come back to backup Gary Sanchez or does he want to start elsewhere.

Oh yeah, as mentioned in a NY Post article by George A. King III, the Yanks probably won’t be needing that “opener” in 2020 now.

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Ken Harrelson, known as the “Hawk”, was selected to the HOF in the broadcasting category—The Ford C. Frick Award. Many may also remember him as a flamboyant 1B/OF for the KC A’s and Boston Red Sox in the 1960s, and in 1968 he led the AL in RBI while finishing third in the MVP voting. He broadcast Chicago White Sox games for many years. He actually broadcast Yankees games in 1987 and 1988.

S.T. Game 3. Tulo homers, Yanks one-hit Jays 3-0 and Andy joins front office.

Troy Tulowitzki and Kyle Higashioka homered, and the Yankees one-hit Toronto 3-0 to go to 2-1 on the spring training schedule. Aaron Judge added a double.

Tulo, who was let go by Toronto and picked up for minimum wage by the Yankees, so far looks good after missing all of 2018 and after playing just 66 games in 2017. We’ll see if it continues. The Yanks are only picking up half a million of his $20MM contract, with the Blue Jays paying the rest.

If Tulo can get anywhere close to where he was before the injuries, the Yanks may have a steal to fill in at SS until Didi Gregorius returns from his injury. Tulo is a 5x All-Star, 2x Gold Glove winner and 2x Silver Slugger winner. He got MVP votes in six different seasons and finished in the top 10 3x (2009-2011).

He’s 34 and after having missed all of 2018 and most of 2017, will need to be monitored carefully. But people are being blown away by how good he looks. Hopefully it isn’t a mirage, and Tulo puts a good bid in for Comeback Player of the Year.

He is a .290 career hitter (granted, most in Colorado) but has hit 20 or more HR in seven different seasons, and has a career OPS+ of 118.

Like I said, if he can come somewhat close to what he used to be, the Yanks got a steal.

The Yanks’ pitching was great today.

Paxton 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 W, 2 K
German 2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 3 K.
Cessa 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K.
Chad Green 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.
Diehl 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K.
Holder 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K.

Combined one-hitter, 2 walks, 10 K.  Cessa and German are battling for one of the few bullpen spots available. Betances, Chapman, Britton, Ottavino and Holder more or less have spots sewn up. You also have Loaisiga (who I think will continue to start, but at AAA), Farquhar, Colombe, etc. battling for those few spots also.

Andy Pettitte has agreed to join the Yankees’ front office as a special advisor, and yes, the Yankees’ great was approached by Derek Jeter to do the same for Jeter with the Marlins. At least the Yanks kept Andy. Just recently, Jorge Posada agreed to help out his old buddy Derek.

 

 

CC Officially Announces 2019 is it.

CC Sabathia officially announced Saturday what was known for a while (since he signed his 2019 contract)—that 2019 will be his last season. CC turns 39 in July.

Here are the highlights of his career so far:

246 wins. Needs 4 for 250, 10 to tie Andy Pettitte on the all-time list.
2986 strikeouts. Needs 14 for 3000.

Cleveland 2001-2008, Milwaukee 2008, Yankees 2009-2019. If a Hall of Famer, it may be difficult to distinguish between Cleveland and the Yankees for the cap for the Hall of Fame Plaque (much like Mussina couldn’t decide between Baltimore and the Yankees).

6X All-Star. 2009 ALCS MVP. Won 1 WS (2009 Yankees). 2nd in ROY in 2001. Twice led the majors in wins (2009 and 2010). 21 game winner in 2010.

Led league in starts 2x, CG once, shutouts once. IP once. 2007 CYA winner.

Got MVP consideration 5x, finishing 6th in 2008. In 2008 he led the majors in GS, CG and IP (didn’t lead league because he split time between the AL and NL). CYA consideration 5X.

15 or more wins in a season 8X.

162 game average 16-10, 3.70, ERA+ 117.

10-7, 4.31 in the postseason.

.212-3-15 as a hitter.

With the Yankees, he’s had three careers.

The first of staff ace, 2009-2012, when he averaged 18-7, 3.22 in those four years.

The second of struggling, aging pitcher who appeared finished. From 2013-2015, he went 23-27, 4.81. An average of 8-9, 4.81 per season. He missed most of 2014.

He kicked alcohol addiction and reinvented himself from 2016-2018 to be a serviceable backend-of-the-rotation pitcher, going 32-24, 3.76 over the past three seasons. If he can maintain that average and go 11-8, 3.76 in 2019 as the #5 starter, I think we’ll take it.

Hall-of-Fame? We’ll see. Some votes have me confused.

For example

CC 16-10, 3.70 162 game average. ERA+ 117. 10-7, 4.31 postseason. 1 CYA, 5x MVP consideration.
Black ink 22/40 (2nd # average HOF); Gray ink 174/185; HOF standards 113/100, HOF monitor 46/50. He is ranked 71st in JAWS for Starting pitcher, and his WAR numbers are about 80% of the average Hall-of Famer. WAR numbers:  62.7/39.4/51 (HOF are 73.4/50/61.7 average). With 10 wins he matches Pettitte’s 256.

Andy Pettitte, meanwhile, averaged 17-10, 3.85, ERA+ 117. 19-11, 3.81 postseason. 5x WS Champ as opposed to CC’s once. Never won the CYA, finished 2nd once, considered for it 5x, same as CC. 3rd in ROY 1995. MVP consideration 2x (CC was 5). Pettitte won 20 games in a season twice (CC once). 8x 15 or more wins in a season (same as CC). But black ink 7/40; Gray ink 103/185 (both less than CC). HOF standards 128/100 (better); HOF monitor 44/50.   JAWS 90th. War numbers 60.2/34.1/47.2.

Andy is slightly below CC, but Andy only got 9.9% of the vote this year from the writers. The HGH usage hurt him. There is no HGH hints with CC, but if Andy got only 9.9% of the vote, how is CC THAT much better than Andy where CC gets the 75% or more to get in (he won’t be eligible until 2025).

This isn’t a knock on CC’s HOF credentials, but a puzzlement on Andy only getting 9.9%. Andy wasn’t a strikeout pitcher (didn’t get 2500 K, while CC is almost at 3000) but to me, there isn’t THAT much difference between the two ….

But then, you wonder …. CC at 246 wins … HOF or not? Andy 256 has a long way to go to get 75% of the writer’s vote. Mike Mussina with 270 wins finally got in on his sixth year on the ballot.

We’ll forget about Clemens and his 354 wins (Steroid allegations), but just note two others not in the Hall: Jim Kaat (283 wins) and Tommy John (288). In the cases of Kaat and John, maybe they hung on too long. Both pitched into their 40s and maybe that is what people remember the most—them hanging on possibly a bit too long. As for John, only two pitchers (Clemens with the steroid issue and Bobby Mathews, a pitcher from the 1870s and 1880s) have more wins but are not in the Hall. Only one more (Tony Mullane 1880s and 1890s) isn’t in the Hall before you get to Kaat.

Those pre-1900 pitchers are a far different breed and ballgame.

But still, I’m scratching my head over who is HOF material and who isn’t from those guys I listed.  It’s a fine line between them getting in or not.