Opinions on Recent Hall of Fame Exclusion

I been trying type this out but it kept turning into bunch of non-sense rambles and having to delete. My opinions on recent baseball Hall of Fame exclusions.....

- Barry Bonds SHOULD BE in the Hall of Fame
- Roger Clemens SHOULD BE in the Hall of Fame
- Curt Schilling SHOULD BE in the Hall of Fame
- Mark McGwire SHOULD BE in the Hall of Fame
- Pete Rose SHOULD BE in the Hall of Fame

You got the best homerun hitter, one of best pitchers, and the best hitter all of baseball and all of them are not in the baseball hall of fame is a travesty. If the athletes don't kiss enough ass or suck enough sport writers dick they hold it against them. Lose sport writers as Hall of Fame voters. I hope all five of them get in the Hall by committee soon. I hope Alex Rodriguez gets in the hall of fame soon in the upcoming years.

Those Prospects from 2001

It's fun going through past programs from minor league teams and listing the top prospects. This one from 2001 Midland Rockhounds program as they preview Texas League teams along top 30 prospects from the affiliate system. It's interesting look at hits, misses, mind baffling list rankings, and what happen to the team afterwards. Let's start out with El Paso Diablos who was Diamondbacks double-A affiliate at the time. Their no. 1 prospect of the year is......

Alex Cintron. He played four seasons before getting flipped to Chicago White Sox playing for two seasons and follow it up with stints as member of Orioles and Nationals. He would take up coaching after his playing career and is currently Astros hitting coach. No. 2 Jack Cust would bounce around the league before finding a home as member of Oakland A's in DH role hitting homeruns. The best two players on the list is Jose Valverde (no. 10) and Brandon Webb (no. 27). Valverde became 3-time All-Star and lead the league in saves three times, all playing with different teams (Diamondbacks, Astros, Tigers). Webb became a Cy Young winner (2006) and 3-time All-Star in his six seasons with the team before injuries ended his career. He attempted a comeback in 2011 playing 4 games with Rangers affiliate Frisco Roughriders. Lyle Overbay (no. 11) finished the season as Diamondbacks minor league player of the year. As for the original El Paso Diablos they moved to Springfield, MO becoming the Cardinals after 2004 season. The new Diablos team played independent ball til they got a new team (El Paso Chihuahuas) as well new stadium becoming Triple-A affiliate of San Diego Padres.

When Round Rock Express was Double-A team and affiliated with Astros. They got it right with Roy Oswalt at no. 1  as he became the ace of the Astros pitching staff most of 2000s. I still wonder to this day how Brad Lidge was perfect all regular season and the playoffs (All-Star game don't count) in his first season with Philadelphia Phillies helping them to World Series championship. Adam Everett (no. 6), Morgan Ensberg (no. 15), and Jason Lane (no. 22) become regular starters on the field for the Astros. J-Lane would take up pitching and return to the league as one. Chad Qualls (no. 19) had long journeyman career playing in the majors from 2004-2017. Round Rock moved up to Triple-A and end up being Texas Rangers affiliate.

San Antonio Missions is still around which included a single season stint as Triple-A team. This is first year they became Mariners affiliate. In a strange twist how the hell did they rank Ryan Anderson no. 1 over ICHIRO, who went on to be one of greatest hitters ever? Anderson never made it to the majors as he battled injuries. Ichiro accomplishment would take forever so let's say automatic Hall of Fame selection. Outside of him Joel Pineiro (no. 4), Willie Bloomquist (no. 7), and Shin-Soo Choo (no. 14) went on to have long careers. Pineiro spent 13 years in the majors which include brief stop with Red Sox, three years with Cardinals, and two with Angels. Bloomquist played 15 years as utility player most of them with Mariners. Choo would get shipped to Indians playing 6 1/2 with them then spent a season with Reds via trade. He signed with Rangers where he shone. For Missions they are currently Padres AA-affiliate. I seen the talent Padres crank out throughout the years. They should have kept some instead going for broke and blowing it up in their face like this year.

Arkansas Travelers is another team that is still around to the day. 2001 is the first season as Angels affiliate. Another baffling no. 1 with Joe Torres on top over K-Rod. Torres played 13 seasons AND never made it. I even got his autograph at a game back in 2011 as a member of Rangers affiliate Frisco Roughriders. K-Rod and John Lackey would become big part of 2002 Angels World Series championship. K-Rod became a 6-time All-Star and holds the record with most saves in a season at 62. Lackey became very reliable starter led the AL in ERA in 2007. Fireballer Bobby Jenks (no. 25) signed with White Sox after Angels released him where he became their closer and as well being part of 2005 World Series Championship team. There was another Johan Santana except he played three seasons making it high at A-ball. Travelers is currently Mariners AA-affiliate.

Shreveport baseball sure changed. Originally called Captains they changed their name to Swamp Dragons in 2001. I still remember their hideous looking green jerseys. They were Giants affiliate at the time and talk about weak system. Jerome Williams took the no. 1 spot and would have journeyman career. Kurt Ainsworth didn't fare much better and neither than Tony Torcato and Lance Niekro. Ryan Vogelsong (no. 5) and Pedro Feliz (no. 8) are the two from the top 10 that have decent career. Vogelsong struggled in his first part of his career he plied his trade in Japan for few years before returning to play. He would become a reliable pitcher and contributor of Giants 2012 and 2014 World Series championship. For Shreveport team it was sad saga. With very small attendance (on one box score clipping they reported 400 in the crowd) their team would be sold and moved to Frisco becoming Roughriders after 2002 season. Shreveport got another baseball team playing in the independent American Association league, first as Sports then changed to Captains, from 2003-2011. Like previous team the team got sold and moved.

Rangers had a long affiliation with Tulsa Drillers. Carlos Pena was no. 1 on that year list getting time in majors later that season with future All-Star flashed all over him. His career path took a strange twist as he got traded to Oakland A's (A's would part with few prospects that will be mention later on) months before 2002 season where it took 40 games for them to unload him to Detroit Tigers where he played for 3 1/2 seasons. After a trying 2006 season playing in Yankees AAA club and 18 game stint with Red Sox he signed with Tampa Bay Rays in 2007. It was there he unleashed all of his All-Star potential with comeback player of the year (2007) and All-Star nod in 2009 when he should have made in 2007 and 2008. His career lasted to 2014 as he played his final season with Rangers coming full circle. Few of the pitchers went on to journeyman career such as Joaquin Benoit (no. 5) , Colby Lewis (no. 6), and Danny Kolb (no. 24). After struggling early in his career and cast aside Lewis spent two seasons in Japan before returning and going full circle playing with Rangers as he became a reliable starter. Kolb got All-Star nod in 2005 as member of Brewers. Kevin Mench (no. 4) and Hank Blalock (no. 10) became regular starters for Rangers as they provided the offense. Travis Hafner (no. 12) gets shipped to Indians (along with Aaron Myette) where he had four straight seasons with 100 RBIs as well hitting homeruns. This is kinda of same thing with Rangers minor league system through the decades: Produce hitters, not pitchers. If they do the pitchers are long journeyman playing multiple teams. Rangers drop Tulsa as their double-A affiliate after 2002 season and signed on with newly rechristen Frisco Roughriders (formerly Shreveport Captains/Swamp Dragons). Don't blame them since its a 45 minute to hour drive from Arlington to Frisco. Tulsa would become Rockies double-A affiliate til 2014 when Dodgers bought part of the Drillers and became their double-A club in 2015.

Wichita Wranglers was Kansas City Royals double-A affiliate. Talk about yikes when I look at the list. Royals minor league system was rough during this time. No. 1 Chris George had very bad four seasons with Royals. Dee Brown (no. 2) only had one season (out of 8 in the majors) where he played over 100 games. Mike MacDougal (no.3) had a journeyman career as did Jeremy Affeldt (no. 16). Jimmy Gobble (no. 4) switched to relief to where he one good season then back to ERA over four. Alexis Gomez (no. 9) spent his career bouncing between majors and minors, mostly in the minors. Mike Tonis (no. 14) and Byron Gettis (no. 29) had cup of coffee in the majors. Two top players on the list had very short careers. Angel Berroa won rookie of the year in 2003 and that was his peak. He forgot how to hit the next following years and was out of the league after 2009 season along multiple stints in the minors. Ken Harvey had a good first half in 2004 being Royals lone All-Star representative. Then he collided with teammate Jason Grimsley on a play. He wasn't the same afterwards and was out of the league after 2005 season. While still as Royals double-A club Wichita Wranglers relocated to Springdale, AK becoming Northwest Arkansas Naturals after 2007 season. Independent team Wingnuts replaced them playing til Wichita got a new minor league team (also double-A) known as Wind Surge.

Off to Oakland A's as their no. 1 prospect of 2001 is........

Jose Ortiz who I never heard of. After researching he was one of three players (one of them also a prospect) traded to Rockies for Jermaine Dye later that season. 2002 was his final season in the majors as he spent most of his career in Japan. Interesting look at potential 2004 A's lineup where seven of players listed no longer on the time when it came time three years later. The remaining nine prospects....

... and yeah. Call it all-trade prospect team. Only two remain in the A's system when 2005 season started and one remained after the season ended. Jason Hart, Ryan Ludwick, and Mario Ramos (along with Gerald Laird) got sent to the Rangers in the Carlos Pena (and Mike Venafro) trade. All three made it with the Rangers. Only one had a longer career. Hart career got cut short for cancer. Ramos spent two weeks with Rangers til he DFA and A's picked him up where he spent remainder of his career in the minors. Ludwick played for six teams in 14 years. His best years with Cardinals which included a 2008 All-Star selection. Mario Encarncion was part of the Jermaine Dye. Like Ortiz he was out of the league after 2002 season. Justin Miller got sent to Blue Jays in Billy Koch trade after 2001 season. He played for 4 teams in 7 years also yoyo-ing between the majors and minors. Berroa was no longer on the team and already ranked no. 6 in Royals prospect list. Fast Freddie Bynum got September call up in 2005 and got sent to Cubs in a three-way trade after the season 2005. Chad Harville get shipped to Astros early of 2004 season. Eric Byrnes got a call up for 14 game stint between May through July then return in the September call up in 2001. He spent first month of 2002 in the minors but getting called up in May where he remained as every day starter til he got traded middle of 2005 season to the Rockies only to gets shipped to Orioles two weeks later. For Midland Rockhounds they still remain as A's double-A affiliate over 22 years and going.

A good look at teams top prospects from a good two decades. I'm still baffled Ichiro wasn't no. 1 on Mariners top prospects list of 2001.

Good-bye Qualcom/Jack Murphy Stadium

Former home of San Diego Padres and Chargers is being demolished as the new San Diego State Stadium and facilities being built around it. The stadium have seen two World Series appearances (both on losing side), three Super Bowls, two MLB All-Star games, and college football bowl games. I went to a Padres game there in 2002 before a relative's wedding the next day. It was decent stadium at the time as they were building Petco Park in downtown. I remember the game for few things. One is was hat night. Second it was Tony Gwynn night as well. There was pre-game celebration of Tony Gwynn being inducted in Padres Hall of Fame with an appearance of him. Third was Padres starting pitcher Clay Condrey threw 7 innings of shutout ball. Fourth was watching Hall of Fame pitcher Trevor Hoffman close it out.

Padres moved into Petco leaving Chargers as lone major sport tenant til they ruin their fanbase going to Los Angeles. San Diego State, who been using the stadium from its opening, bought it and re-develop the area with a new stadium as well facilities and housing sealed the 53-year old stadium's fate.

It's a good 53 year run with hundreds of highlights from Tony Gwynn, Dan Fouts, Stan Humphries, Marshall Faulk before getting drafted, Phillip Rivers, John Elway finally winning it, the tolls of the bell when Hoffman closes it out to the lowlights of Padres and Chargers down years and Ryan Leaf.

Minor League Baseball Reorganization Big Losers (as of this moment)

It's been a month and the long rumor minor league baseball reorganization have gone underway. Ever since MLB/MiLB agreement ended all current affiliations were voided. Most of MLB teams looking ways to cut costs decided to have their minor league affiliate clubs close to their stadium especially Triple-A level. During that time some teams have upgraded their status, changed affiliation, realigned, or "re-purposed" into current or new leagues. There were few teams that have hit the lottery like St. Paul Saints and Sugar Land Skeeters. Then there were few teams having deal with bad set circumstances involving affiliation loses and demotions. Here are four teams that have took the reorganization hard.

Trenton Thunder - they were first two minor league teams taking a huge hit in the reorganization. Originally they were Yankees Double-A affiliate since 2002. After the season ended Yankees cut their affiliation ties with the team and chose Somerset Patriots, formerly of Atlantic League, as their Double-A affiliate. The move left Thunder ownership steaming. Some consolation for Thunder as they recently became part of MLB draft league. A downgrade for them. Another team not so lucky.

Staten Island Yankees - another team left out in the cold by Yankees, but it was a year in the making. This team were doomed once contraction news first hit and most of New York-Penn League was on the list. MLB wanted NYPL to become summer-collegiate league that have met with resistance from team owners within the league. Yankees, like they did with Trenton Thunder, cut affiliation ties with the team leaving them shocked. This one didn't have happy ending. Staten Island team decide to close up shop AND sue the Yankees and MLB. Sad way to end.

Wichita Wind Surge - one of the teams hit big in reorganization based on unfortunate circumstances. Wichita had finish building a new stadium for Triple-A baseball and lured former New Orleans Baby Cakes (Marlins affiliate) to relocate. Then pandemic hits and end up cancelling the season before a single Triple-A game played at the new stadium. In the reorganization Minnesota Twins scooped them up as their farm team along the now former American Association team St. Paul Saints. Saints end up being big winners in this going from independent to Triple-A baseball. Meanwhile, Wind Surge demoted down to Double-A, most likely, playing in the league they familiar with the Texas League. (Note: Wichita Wranglers played in TL from 1987-2007 before relocating and becoming Northwest Arkansas Naturals). In summary, city of Wichita hiked taxes to get a new stadium to be built for Triple A team, got a club to relocated, but covid cancelled the season as well MLB/MiLB agreement ending voiding all affiliations. They got a new affiliate club, but end up being demoted a level down away from the original plan. It was horrible whirlwind of circumstances that turn a field of dreams into a nightmare.

Fresno Grizzlies - how bad the reorganization hurts this team? Fresno wanted to remain in Triple-A, but they became a team no MLB teams want Triple-A affiliate with. It goes back when Giants ditched them for Sacramento after 2014 season. They ended up being Astros affiliate from 2014-2018 mainly it was the only Triple-A team available after the rest been scooped up. Their final affiliate? Washington Nationals. Yikes! Imagine being a player having fly through 3 time zones when getting called up or sent down. With no MLB team showing any interest as Triple-A affilaite what does MLB want to do with them? Demote them to Low-A ball and being affiliated with Colorado Rockies. A big time demotion that city of Fresno is fighting against, but time is running out as MLB awaits their decision. It's a no-win situation for them.

Random Autograph Card: Carlos Corporan

My featured autograph card is Astros catcher Carlos Corporan. He had career game against hated New York Yankees going 4-5 with a homerun, 4 RBIs, and double just a triple shy of a cycle. A good defensive player while low on batting side he will surprise you, at times, with impressive game using his bat. You just don't know til it happens. One of Astros games I attended he went 2-3 with a RBI against San Francisco Giants. Astros shut out then-champions Giants 6-0 thanks part of his contribution along being behind the plate catching strikes from Wandy Rodriguez. This is second straight game he caught for starter Lucas Harrell and both games were quality starts. The guy has been down the road of majors and AAA ball and sitting on the bench being the no. 2 catcher. When given opportunity to start on the lineup he will scrap his way to produce a spark for the team. That's why he's one of my favorites in the game. Forget stats as long a player performs their hardest in the game in offense, defense, or both. The card got signed last year when he was at AAA club Oklahoma City.

Also obtain is his game-used jersey I picked up Astros game last year. Glad to find one. Go Astros!

Random Autograph Card: Rick Ankiel

First regular MLB game of 2013 season in the record books. Rick Ankiel, now playing for Houston Astros, made a good impression. In pinch-hit performance he hits first homerun of 2013 MLB season with a 3-run shot off Derek Lowe putting the game out of reach for Texas Rangers as Astros went up 7-2. Astros went on to win 8-2.
 
I got this card signed in 2005 when he was playing for St. Louis Cardinals Double-A affiliate. At the time he was making transition from pitcher to batter. Ten years in the league and still going.

Random autograph card: Cesar Carrillo

While digging through a pile of autograph cards I obtained in person I ran into this one.

Cesar Carrillo been in the news last week as the league suspended him 100 games for violating minor league drug and prevention program. He's the first player from Biogenesis documents to be suspended which includes the names of Ryan Braun and Nelson Cruz.

I obtained this few years ago when he was playing for Padres Double-A affiliate San Antonio Missions.