The Bald Truth
By re-signing Matt Holliday, the Cardinals will go into the 2010 season with the two best hitters and two best pitchers in the NL Central. Not to mention the only Certified Genius Manager and a hitting coach who was voted Most Likely to Self-Inoculate.
Given Holliday's contract, it's hard to imagine the Cardinals finding a way to keep Albert Pujols down the road, but that's another story for another time.
For now, it's just nice to see some team other than the Yankees and Red Sox land the top free-agent hitter on the market.
The Balder Truth
The Cubs are interested in Ben Sheets, and it's easy to see why.
Central's no Holliday for Cubs but at least Dawson gets Hall call
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Someone has to take over the valuable role Chad Fox has played the last couple of years.
THE BALDEST TRUTH
Now that The Hawk finally is on his way to the Cooperstown - congratulations to classy, supertalented Andre Dawson - it's time to take an early look at what will be an extremely interesting Hall of Fame ballot next year.
Among the first-time eligibles: Rafael "I Have Never Used Steroids Period" Palmeiro, Larry Walker, Jeff Bagwell, John Franco, Juan Gonzalez, Kevin Brown.
With a list like that, next year figures to be a big one for holdovers Robbie Alomar and Bert Blyleven, each of whom came within a whisker this time.
Though I haven't started seriously analyzing the numbers, Palmeiro, at first glance, has the goods. Still, given the wonderful reception Mark McGwire has received from the BBWAA's Hall voters, it's impossible to imagine Palmeiro getting picked on even 30 percent of the ballots - let alone the 75 percent necessary for enshrinement.
At least McGwire was smart enough to resist pointing his finger at congressmen and fibbing.
Brown would be a borderline choice even if he hadn't been featured prominently in the Mitchell Report. Gonzalez hit lots of homers but benefited for years from Sluggers' Little Helpers. Neither will get much BBWAA love.
Franco pitched forever and pitched well but he wasn't as dominant as Lee Smith, who hasn't come close to getting in.
Bagwell was a productive leader and winner whose stats would seem to fall just short - especially to the many voters who believe the first ballot is only for special ballplayers. After all, Alomar couldn't get in this time and he is an obvious Hall of Famer.
Larry Walker? Hmmm. His statistics were similar to those of Duke Snider and Joe DiMaggio, he was a fine outfielder with a gun for an arm and he was considered a great teammate. But his numbers were so much better at Coors Field than in every other ballpark, how do I and my BBWAA colleagues justify including him with the all-time greats?
I mean, McGwire would have hit 800 homers at Coors with one syringe tied behind his back!
THE BALDEST TRUTH
Now that The Hawk finally is on his way to the Cooperstown - congratulations to classy, supertalented Andre Dawson - it's time to take an early look at what will be an extremely interesting Hall of Fame ballot next year.
Among the first-time eligibles: Rafael "I Have Never Used Steroids Period" Palmeiro, Larry Walker, Jeff Bagwell, John Franco, Juan Gonzalez, Kevin Brown.
With a list like that, next year figures to be a big one for holdovers Robbie Alomar and Bert Blyleven, each of whom came within a whisker this time.
Though I haven't started seriously analyzing the numbers, Palmeiro, at first glance, has the goods. Still, given the wonderful reception Mark McGwire has received from the BBWAA's Hall voters, it's impossible to imagine Palmeiro getting picked on even 30 percent of the ballots - let alone the 75 percent necessary for enshrinement.
At least McGwire was smart enough to resist pointing his finger at congressmen and fibbing.
Brown would be a borderline choice even if he hadn't been featured prominently in the Mitchell Report. Gonzalez hit lots of homers but benefited for years from Sluggers' Little Helpers. Neither will get much BBWAA love.
Franco pitched forever and pitched well but he wasn't as dominant as Lee Smith, who hasn't come close to getting in.
Bagwell was a productive leader and winner whose stats would seem to fall just short - especially to the many voters who believe the first ballot is only for special ballplayers. After all, Alomar couldn't get in this time and he is an obvious Hall of Famer.
Larry Walker? Hmmm. His statistics were similar to those of Duke Snider and Joe DiMaggio, he was a fine outfielder with a gun for an arm and he was considered a great teammate. But his numbers were so much better at Coors Field than in every other ballpark, how do I and my BBWAA colleagues justify including him with the all-time greats?
I mean, McGwire would have hit 800 homers at Coors with one syringe tied behind his back!
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