MLB: How will Hall of Fame Voters Treat the Class of 2013

Before former Cincinnati Reds shortstop Barry Larkin’s Hall of Fame plaque could be ordered on Monday talk had already turned to the 2013 class of eligible players but for all the wrong reasons.

Between 1984 and 2007 the names Biggio, Piazza, Bonds, Schilling, Sosa, and Clemens were synonymous with greatness. There was also a period of time when a few of these names were linked to performance enhancing drugs thus tarnishing America’s Past Time in the wake of their indelible mark on baseball.  

On statistics and accomplishments alone the first-time eligible players for the 2013 National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York could be considered the greatest class inducted since Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Christy Mathewson, Honus Wagner, and Walter Johnson entered in 1936. But because of the “Steroid Era” question marks hover over some of the games’ greatest players.

Barry Bonds

In 2003 Barry Bonds was caught in the BALCO scandal. For those that may have forgotten what the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative scandal was about, it was about Greg Anderson allegedly providing steroids or performance enhancing drugs to athletes and Major League Baseball players. One of his most successful clients was Bonds.

Stemming from Bonds’ now infamous testimony, he was charged with perjury and obstruction of justice in 2007 cutting a legendary 22 year career short; there was some gas left in Bonds’ tank.

There was also a desire by the Home Run King to keep playing but the controversy surrounding Bonds’ proved to be too much negative attention for any team to bear and understandably so.  

Bonds finished his career as the all-time home run leader with 762, the leader in walks with 2,558, and intentional walks recording 688. He has the single season home run record (73), most consecutive seasons with 30 or more home runs (13), on-base percentage in a single season (.609), and he is tied with his father for the most 30-30 seasons in a career (5).

If those accomplishments are not enough, he won seven National League MVP awards including four in a row (1990, 1992, 1993, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004).

If one is looking for holes to poke in Bonds career- good luck. He was 65 hits shy of 3,000 and a career .298 hitter. His career average is tied with Mickey Mantle and Jim Rice and places him ahead of newly elected Hall of Famer Barry Larkin (.2948) and soon to be first ballot Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. (.284).

He retired No. 4 on the all-time runs batted in list with 1,996.

Did he admit to using the “cream and the clear” ointment from Greg Anderson or did he not? Speculation still surrounds this possible forthcoming information from Bonds.

Will his conviction of obstruction of justice charge on April 13, 2011 be enough to keep voters away from one of the most feared hitters to ever play the game?

Sammy Sosa

Sammy Sosa is another player implicated during his playing career but never formally found guilty of failing a drug test. How will the election committee view his career?

At the time of his retirement Sosa was one of five players with 600 home runs; 500 home runs at one time were considered the magical benchmark needed to make into the Hall of Fame. He won the 1998 National League MVP and was a seven-time All-Star in his 18 year career.

Sosa twice led the league in home runs but oddly never during any of his 60 plus home run seasons- 1998, 1999, and 2001. He led the league in 2000 with 50 and in 2002 with 49.

His career batting average of .273 is average for power hitters and his 1,667 RBIs currently rank him No. 27 on the all-time list. When he retired he was in the Top 100 on the career hit list with 2,408 placing him ahead of Hall of Famers Ryne Sandberg, Larkin, Kirby Puckett, and Joe DiMaggio.

He led the NL in runs three times (1998, 2001, and 2002), home runs twice, RBIs twice (1998 and 2001), and total bases three times (1998, 1999, and 2001).

In 2009 the New York Times reported that Sosa failed a drug test in 2003. Also in 2003 Sosa was found corking his bat- an illegal action in MLB.

Slammin’ Sammy was also part of the Grand Jury that testified before Congress in 2005 regarding steroids in baseball. Sosa did not directly testify claiming he did not speak English well enough to do so.

Mike Piazza

Mike Piazza is typically regarded as one of the best hitting catchers of all-time. His 396 career home runs as a catcher is tops in MLB history. A .308 hitter during16 years in the majors ranks him No. 120 for career average.

Piazza was the 1993 NL Rookie of the Year as the Dodgers catcher. He was with the Dodgers until 1998 then traded to the Marlins before being traded again to the New York Mets. Piazza had better overall career numbers as a Met but earned his reputation as a hitter in Dodger Stadium, a pitcher’s park.

Post season numbers do not support his place among the best players ever. In eight series played over five seasons, a total of 32 games, he hit .242.

As a defensive catcher he allowed over 100 stolen bases eight times topping out with 155 in 1996. 23 percent of bases runners were caught stealing by the lumbering catcher and 10 times he allowed the most bases stolen in the NL.

In 1995 and 1996 he led the league in passed balls- 12 and 12. Four times he led all catchers in errors (1993, 1994, 1997, and 2002). Five other times he was in the top 2-4 in total errors for a season among catchers.

The most surprising statistics of Piazza’s may be that he had eight triples in his career and 17 stolen bases.

Whispers of PED surrounded Piazza but he was never openly found to violate the league’s substance abuse policy.

Chances are Piazza makes it into the Hall in one of his first two attempts unless documentation surfaces about him taking performance enhancing drugs before the election committee submits their votes.

A question begs to be asked, if Piazza was not a catcher would his career numbers be good enough for the Hall of Fame?

The follow up question to voters, because a guy is an above average hitter for his position but a below average player in the field, does that merit a Hall of Fame career?

Craig Biggio

Craig Biggio came up through the Houston Astros organization as a catcher but will be remembered by most as a second baseman. Biggio’s rare athletic ability allowed him to play parts of five seasons behind the plate, parts of five seasons in center field, six in left field, and 15 at second base.

In 20 total seasons he was named a NL All-Star seven times, once as a catcher, and a Gold Glove Award winner at second base five times (1994, 1995, 1996, and 1997). He was nine home runs shy of joining Willie Mays as the only other player with 3,000 hits, 300 stolen bases, and 300 home runs.

Biggio’s true power shows in his career doubles. He retired with 668 doubles, fifth all-time, and tops for a right handed batter. A testament to his speed on the base paths as well.

A dubious honor but one that counts towards his on base percentage is his hit by a pitch stat line. He was hit 285 times leaving him two short of Hughie Jennings (1891-1918). Five times he led the league in HBP being hit 34 times in 1997.

At second, Biggio had great range which contributed to his high error totals. Seven times he was among the top five in errors but never led the league. His effort in the field paid off as he was first in putouts five times and in the top five six other times.

He totaled 3,060 career hits (No. 21 on the career list) with 1,844 runs scored (No. 13 all-time).

Biggio was a gamer and deserves a spot among the best ever. Voters will overlook his career .281 batting average and his career post season average of .234.

Curt Schilling

If the election committee took into account a player’s birth place then Curt Schilling may get inducted as the best Major League pitcher ever born in the state of Alaska. As it is Schilling is on a dangerous Hall of Fame line after compiling 216 career wins, well short of the mythical 300 needed by most starting pitchers.

Schilling may fall into the Jack Morris area among voters. Morris was a three-time World Series winner and a World Series MVP like Schilling. However Morris won 38 more games over his 18 year big league career than the 20 years Schilling played.

Known as a strike out pitcher utilizing his four-seam fastball with a great changeup and a devastating split-finger fastball, Schilling was also a workhorse on the mound twice leading the NL in innings pitched- 1998 Phillies and 2001 Diamondbacks. Twice he led the NL in total strikeouts (1997 and 1998) placing him No. 15 on the career list.

The post season is where one wants to shine and that is exactly where Schilling shined. He and his bloody sock won 11 games while only losing two over 19 starts. He was not bailed out by his offense either. He posted a 2.23 ERA over 133.1 post season innings pitched.

Schilling may have to wait around a few years if he is ever inducted into the Hall.

He led the NL once in wins with 22 in 2001 with Diamondbacks and once in the AL with the Red Sox posting 21 wins. He went over 20 wins a total of three times in his career.

He was known as a good to great pitcher but never known as the most dominate of his era or even during any one season most notably because he never won a Cy Young Award.

Speculation with steroids was never a problem for Schilling, his conflicts with management, players, and the media made him a notorious player during his career.

Should a starting pitcher during the steroid era get extra consideration for the Hall of Fame because of the gaudy offensive numbers compiled during that time?

Roger Clemens

Love him or hate him Roger Clemens is among the best pitchers to ever play in Major League Baseball.

The Rocket spent 13 of his 24 years in a Red Sox uniform winning 192 games with a winning percentage of .634 over that time. After four subpar seasons in Boston which saw him accumulate a record of 40 wins and 39 losses including the only two losing seasons of his career, he reinvented himself in Toronto in 1997.

Over the following 11 years Clemens won 162 games losing 73 times for the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, and the Houston Astros. He added four more Cy Young Awards to his mantle during this time collecting a total of seven through his time in “the show”.

Here are a few of the Rocket’s career accomplishments: four times he led his league in wins, seven times led the league in ERA, 16 years of 30 or more starts, 6 times led the league in shutouts, five time leader in strikeouts, and twice led the league in innings pitched.

It’s hard enough to win seven Cy Young Awards (1986, 1987, 1991, 1997, 1998, 2001, and 2004) much less to be named the league MVP as a pitcher, something Clemens accomplished in 1986.

He was also an 11 time All-Star and won two World Series with the Yankees in 1999 and 2000.

He ranks No. 3 on the career strikeout list with 4,672, No. 9 with 354 total wins, No. 16 in career innings pitched (4,916.2), and No. 26 in career shutouts (46) with 118 complete games.

Clemens was named to the Mitchell Report citing that he had used steroids or was connected to performance enhancing drugs. The Rocket denied his use of steroids. He was later charged with six felony counts including perjury, false statements, and obstruction of Congress.

July 14, 2011, on the second day of testimony his trial was declared a mistrial because of prosecutorial misconduct. A retrial date has not been set.

The jury literally is still out on Clemens and his usage of PED. The most important question is how will the Hall of Fame voters treat one of the best pitchers to ever take the mound?

Is speculation of steroid use enough to keep Clemens from the Hall of Fame?

Are his accomplishments before the steroid era enough to vote him into the Hall?

The Outcome

Six players worthy of Hall of Fame consideration await their fate. Will they receive the ultimate honor bestowed to the greatest players of the game by being elected or will the steroid era taint the accomplishments of all six players that will be eligible for the first time in 2013?

If you had a vote, which players would you elect to the Hall of Fame in 2013?

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2011 Major League Baseball Hall of Fame Inductees

Bert Blyleven and Roberto Alomar will join the list of immortal baseball players on Sunday when they will be inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame.

Bert Blyleven -- "How many times can I throw my curveball tonight?"

Bert Blyleven was a third round pick of the Minnesota Twins in the 1969 draft. After a brief minor league career, the 19 year old curveball pitcher was called up to the Bigs in 1970. Blyleven’s career spanned 22 years, 5 different teams (twice playing for the Twins), and a loss record almost as great as his win total (287 wins – 250 losses). One of the most telling statistics of Bert’s career is his 242 complete games. He compiled a few more impressive stats: 60 shutouts, a 3.31 ERA, and 3,701 strikeouts that places him 5^th on the all-time list.

Blyleven never led the league in wins but he did lead the league in losses with 17 in 1988, and only won 20 games once (1973, 20-17). He was a 2-time All-Star selection (1973 and 1985). Being 13 games shy of the magical 300 plateau for pitchers and not be in the Hall of Fame would be a shame. But his induction, like many, is more of a longevity award than a “great player” award. He was as bad as he was good. He can boast two World Series Championships (1979 Pirates, 1987 Twins).

Roberto Alomar -- "I better win the ALCS MVP"!

One of the best second basemen ever? You bet. Many may remember “Robbie” for the bad, spitting on the face of home plate umpire John Hirschbeck at the end of the 1996 season, and the 2009 HIV/AIDS lawsuit against him by a former girlfriend (settled out of court), but not the great. Many may forget that this .300 career switch hitting second baseman was also a 10 time Gold Glove winner; the most for any second baseman in MLB history.

Roberto was asked to get on base, score runs, play great defense, and he did. He hit over .300 nine times in his career, scored over 100 runs six times, stole more than 20 bases 10 times (twice stealing more than 50 bases, 1991 - 53, 1993 - 55), and in two World Series appearances he hit .347 (.313 career post season batting average in 11 series).

On the field he formed two of the more interesting up the middle tandems. One with fellow Hall of Fame inductee, Cal Ripken Jr. (1996-1998) and Omar Vizquel (2000-2002). For three straight years Alomar and Vizquel both won Gold Gloves; only 1 of 8 duos to have done so in the same year. Alomar also won two World Series while playing with the Toronto Blue Jays (1992, 1993) and was a 12 time all-star.

For 12 of the 17 years Roberto was in Major League Baseball, he was the best player at his position. That’s something that very few Hall of Famers can say.

Just to Clarify

Shouldn’t MLB rename the Gold Glove to the Brooks Robinson Award? True he was a third baseman and the Gold Glove is awarded to the best individual fielder at each position regardless of league or division played. But Robinson was the man… he won the award 15 straight times. That’s a winning streak that is not likely to ever happen again. 

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Number 3,000!

Jeter Adds another One for the Storybook

Derek Jeter has done it again… and again, and again, and again throughout his career. Jeter made history again Saturday and he did it unlike any other Major League Baseball player has ever done. Entering Saturday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays just 2 hits shy of 3,000, in his second at bat Derek Jeter became just the 28^th player in MLB to collect 3,000 hits for his career, and he did it in style.

On a perfect day in New York and in front of a sell-out crowd, with over 48,000 in attendance, Derek Jeter hit a line-drive home run to left off Ray’s starting pitcher and MLB All-Star, David Price, to cement his place in Yankee and baseball history.

In Jeter’s first at bat he hit a single to left field to place him within one of 3,000. When Jeter came up to bat in the bottom of the third he hit a one-out solo home run off a 3-2 pitch for his 3,000 hit; his third home run of the season and 236 home run of his career. Jeter was greeted by his teammates and the Yankee faithful with cheers and a standing ovation. The bullpen pitchers opened up the gates and rushed out on the field to congratulate their Yankee captain and perhaps one of the greatest Yankee players to ever play the game.

Not that Jeter needs any help adding to his historic baseball legacy but his performance Saturday showed why he should be considered one of the all-time great MLB players. Jeter is just the second player to hit a home run for his 3,000^th career hit, the other being former teammate Wade Boggs (with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 1999). Jeter’s home run put the Yankees on top 1-0 in the third. In typical Jeter style and class, he lowered his head as he rounded the bases even though he had every right to show his excitement for his achievement, he didn’t want to show up David Price.

“Jeets” led off the 5^th with a double allowing Curtis Granderson to single him home to tie the score 3-3. Two batters later, Robinson Cano would hit a sacrifice fly to put the Yankees ahead 4-3. In the 6^th inning Jeter singled to right and then executed a double steal with Brett Gardner; Jeter’s 8^th on the year. With the score tied 4-4 in the 8^th inning, Jeter singled in Eduardo Nunez, playing third base for the injured Alex Rodriguez, for the winning run.

Possible note to history, Nunez appears to be the short stop of the future for the Yankees once Jeter retires or if Jeter is moved to another position.

Jeter’s stat line for the game was:

5 for 5, 2 Runs, 2 RBIs, and 1 stolen base

He knocked in the initial go ahead run; 1-0

He scored the tying run; 3-3

He collected his 5^th hit of the night by knocking in the winning run; 5-4

He finished a triple shy of the cycle; something Jeter has never done before

He tied a personal best for hits in a game going 5-5

He raised his season average to .270

0 Errors

Skip the Plaque, Start Building the Monument for Jeter

For those of you unfamiliar with Monument Park in Yankee Stadium, Monument Park is the highest honor given to a Yankee player. Only five such monuments have been awarded and all five have been awarded posthumously; Miller Huggins (Manager 1918-1929, 1932), Lou Gehrig (1941), Babe Ruth (1949), Mickey Mantle (1996), and Joe DiMaggio (1999).

Monument Park is a section of Yankee Stadium behind the centerfield wall that serves as a shrine to the franchises’ storied history. The five blue granite monuments stand surrounded by plaques of other Yankees’ greats.

Former Yankee Players with Plaques in Monument Park and the Year Awarded

Thurman Munson 1980

Roger Maris 1984

Elston Howard 1984

Phil Rizzuto 1985

Billy Martin 1986

Whitey Ford 1987

Yogi Berra 1988

Don Mattingly 1997

Reggie Jackson 2002

George Steinbrenner 2010

Just to Clarify

Remarkably Jeter is the only Yankee player to collect 3,000 career hits while playing for the Yankees; Paul Warner (3,152, 16^th on the career hits list), Dave Winfield (3,110, 19^th on the career hits list), Rickey Henderson (3,055, 21^st on the career hits list), and Wade Boggs (3,010, 25^th on career hits list) are the other one-time Yankee players with 3,000 plus career hits.

Jeter is a career .312 hitter with 1,159 RBIs, 1,725 runs, and 331 stolen bases.

Jeter is only the 11^th player to collect all 3,000 hits with one team.

Craig Biggio (3,060) was the last MLB player to collect his 3,000^th hit; 2007. Biggio also collected 5 hits in the same game he got his 3,000th, he went 5-6. 

Jeter has 3,003 hits. He only needs 5 hits to pass Al Kaline (3,007) to move to 26^th place on the all-time career hits list.

If Jeter can collect 54 more hits this season, he can finish 2011 20^th on the career hits list by passing Craig Biggio.

For Jeter to crack the top 10 hits list, he needs 313 more hits. He would then pass Eddie Collins (3,315).

New York Yankees Notes of Interest

Alex Rodriguez has 2,762 career hits and is 50^th on the career hits list.

Babe Ruth had 2,873 career hits and is 40^th on the career hits list.

Lou Gehrig had 2,721 hits in his career. Had he not fallen ill to the motor neuron disease, ALS, Gehrig would’ve been a 3,000 career hitter. He is 57^th on the career hits list.

Gary Sheffield had 2,689 career hits and is 63^rd on the career hits list.

Reggie Jackson had 2,584 career hits and is 81^st on the career hits list.

Mickey Mantle had 2,415 career hits and is 112^th on the career hits list.

Graig Nettles had 2,225 career hits and is 166^th on the career hits list.

Joe DiMaggio had 2,214 career hits and is 169^th on the career hits list.

Don Mattingly had 2,153 career hits and is 188^th on the career hits list.

Yogi Berra had 2,150 career hits and is 190^th on the career hits list.

Haven’t had enough of Jeter and Yankee mania? Try the retired numbers list!

Add #2 to the Retired Yankees Jersey List

Player/Retired Number

Billy Martin, 1 (player and manager)

Derek Jeter, 2*

Babe Ruth, 3

Lou Gehrig, 4

Joe DiMaggio, 5

Mickey Mantle, 7

Yogi Berra, 8

Bill Dickey, 8

Roger Maris, 9

Phil Rizutto, 10

Thurman Munson, 15

Whitey Ford, 16

Don Mattingly, 23

Elston Howard, 32

Jackie Robinso, 42 (All MLB teams have retired Jackie’s number)

Reggie Jackson, 44

Rod Guidry, 49

* Jeter’s number has not been retired to date. 

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He’s no Jordan, he’s no Kobe maybe he’s a Dominique Wilkins?

He’s no Jordan, he’s no Kobe maybe he’s a Dominique Wilkins?

Much will be said about the abilities or lack thereof concerning LeBron James after his disappearing act in the 2011 NBA Championship. LeBron James and his Miami Heat teammates lost the NBA Championship in 6 games to the Dallas Mavericks Sunday night. Before the NBA Finals began, Hall of Fame basketball player and former Chicago Bulls teammate of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen said in an interview on ESPN radio show Mike and Mike that LeBron James was better than Michael Jordan. This statement sent the sports world in a tiff and Pippen has since back tracked from his original statement. Pippen has to be more than embarrassed with his statement after LeBron’s performance against the Dallas Mavericks.

There’s no questioning the physical abilities that LeBron possesses. He is as gifted as any athlete on the planet. He’s fast and strong with great jumping ability. He has yet to hone his physical skills into basketball skills, a reoccurring theme in the NBA since the NBA began bypassing college talent for high school talent. Watching 26 year old LeBron James play is more reminiscent of Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins than the best of the best.

Comparing LeBron and Dominique

LeBron’s physical size is even on par with “The Human Highlight Film”. Wilkins was 6 foot 8 inches and played at 235 pounds. “King James” is listed at 6 foot 8 inches 250 pounds.

Dominique was the third pick of the 1982 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz out of the University of Georgia. LeBron was the first overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2003 NBA Draft out of St. Vincent High School in Akron, Ohio. Dominique was 23 years old when he entered the NBA, LeBron was 19 years old.

* Dominique was traded to the Atlanta Hawks before the beginning of the 1982-1983 NBA season.

Both men have won a NBA Scoring Title and are known more as scores and punishing dunkers than pure shooters. Wilkins averaged 30.3 points per game in 1985-1986 when he won his NBA Scoring Title, LeBron averaged 30.0 points per game in 2007-2008 to win his scoring title.

Wilkins is one of only six NBA players to average over 25 points per game in 10 consecutive years; Jerry West, Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, Shaquille O’Neal, Allen Iverson (Wilt Chamberlain went nine consecutive years). LeBron has averaged over 25 points per game in 7 consecutive years.

“Nique” was a nine time all-star.

LeBron is a seven time all-star.

Wilkins never developed a true consistent three-point shot; he wasn’t afraid to shoot a three but was never considered a good three point shooter. In Wilkins’ 10^th and 12^th seasons in the NBA he shot a higher 3 point percentage shooting .380 and .388. LeBron’s second season in the NBA, 2004-2005, he shot his highest percentage shooting .351. LeBron’s career average is .329. Kobe Bryant has four seasons shooting over .350 in his career.

Wilkins was a better free throw shooter than LeBron. Wilkins averaged .811 for his career. LeBron is averaging .759.

LeBron, to date, is a better rebounder than Wilkins. Analyzing the numbers both players averaged 7 rebounds per game. Wilkins rebounding numbers declined towards the end of his career. LeBron is averaging 7.1 rebounds per game to Wilkins career 6.7 rebounds per game.

LeBron is a better distributor of the ball. King James is averaging 7.0 assists per game through his career. Nique averaged 2.5.

Dominique averaged over 24 points per game in 11 NBA seasons. LeBron has averaged 24 or more points in 7 NBA seasons.

LeBron is a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player winner, 2008-2009 and 2009-2010. Nique never won a NBA MVP Award.

Perhaps the most important comparison between both players is neither player has won a NBA Championship.

Winning a NBA MVP does not guarantee a NBA Championship.

Recent NBA Most Valuable Players that have not won a NBA Championship

1997 and 1999 Karl Malone

2001 Allen Iverson

2005 and 2006 Steve Nash

2009 and 2010 LeBron James

2011 Derrick Rose

Just to Clarify, LeBron will be 27 years old when the 2011-2012 NBA season begins. He appears to have 10 good seasons left in his Hall of Fame career. Who knows how many titles he will win, if any? But his future is wide open and the possibilities are there for him.

Dominique played off and on in the NBA until he was 39 years old and never won a NBA Championship. Nique had the unfortunate timing of being in the NBA East when Larry Bird and Michael Jordan were dominating. Nique never had a complimentary player in his prime to help over come The Celtics, Pistons, or Bulls. LeBron hopes that the pairing of Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade will help him achieve his ultimate goal of winning a NBA Championship. Time will tell. Until then, “King James” seems more like “The Human Highlight Film” than Michael Jordan or even Kobe Bryant. 

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Sports Quick Hits

Malfunctioning popcorn machine or Frank McCourt getting revenge?

Does anyone know if Frank McCourt was in Milwaukee Friday night? In the sixth inning of the Milwaukee Brewers vs. St. Louis Cardinals game a fire broke out in one of the right field concession stands at Miller Park. The fire was “caused” by a malfunctioning popcorn machine, or so Frank McCourt would have you believe!

Seems to coincidental that the Brewers would have a fire in their right field area, just like the Dodgers had on May 27 and 29. The Brewers were once owned by Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig. Could this be retribution for the possible siege of the Dodgers Selig may have to do on McCourt’s Dodgers???

All kidding aside, no one was hurt in the fire and the fire was quickly put out.

History was made last night at Miller Park when Tony La Russa’s managed his 5,000 career game. His game was spoiled when the Brewers won 8-0. La Russa is second on the career games managed list. La Russa has won 2,676 games and lost 2,320. He is third on the career wins list behind Connie Mack (3,731) and John McGraw (2,763). Connie Mack is first on MLB’s list with 7,755 games managed, a managing career that extended for 53 years (1894-1950) compared to La Russa’s 33 year career.

Public Urination is fun… until caught.

“Tiny” Nate Robinson was caught urinating at 2:00 a.m. Friday morning outside a bookstore in White Plains, New York. He was issued a summons by New York police and released. Robinson would later apologize via Twitter when he posted that he had made a silly mistake and it will never happen again. Hmm, wonder if he was intoxicated?

The many incarnations of Mike Tyson

Mike Tyson will enter the Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York on Sunday. The once lineal heavy weight champion of the world held the WBA, WBC, and IBF belts from August of 1987 until his historic knockout loss to James “Buster” Douglas on February 11, 1990. “Iron” Mike’s record at the time of his first loss was 37-1. Much can be said about his boxing career and the unfortunate turns that he took. The once “Baddest Man On The Planet” seemed to lose his way in the boxing ring once his long time trainer Cus D’amato passed away November 4, 1985.

Tyson’s career record is 50-6 (44 knockouts) with 2 No Decisions and 1 Disqualification. Tyson career losses: twice to Evander Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, Danny Williams, and Kevin McBride. He lost three of his last four fights before being forced into retirement in 2005.

Funny bet that can go unclaimed

Former NBA great Charles Barkley and Dan Le Batard, journalist for the Miami Herald, sports radio host, and frequent guest hosting appearances on Pardon the Interruption, have made a NBA Finals bet. If the Miami Heat wins the NBA Championship Barkley has to don a Speedo and pose for pictures on South Beach while being interviewed. If the Dallas Mavericks win, Le Batard has to pose in a Speedo and pose for pictures while interviewing Barkley on South Beach. The bet was made on air during Dan’s drive-time radio show on 790 The Ticket before game 5 of the NBA Finals on Thursday.

Just to clarify, the thought has to be funnier than the pictures… right? 

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