Another Saturday night drinking with the scout at the Barleymoe

            Tonight Elijah Craig is joined by Hiram Walker, Captain Morgan, and Jack Daniels.

Elijah:  Captain were you surprised to get your invitation to join us tonight?

Captain: Yes, you have made horrible accusations about me, in the past, taking owners hostage and using them to extort ransom from Mr. Stickball that he never pays.

Elijah: Well Seventy_77 and billhowell75 have been returned to us, so you are once again welcome at the Barleymoe.

Captain: I want you to know that not a single dollar was exchanged between me and Mr. Stickball.

Jack: I can verify that Elijah. Feamster, of the Jersey League, paid Bill's ransom and bruinsfan911 , of the Plumpy Rules! league , paid the ransom on Seventy.

Captain: I thought bruinsfan911 was an emissary from Mr. Stickball. I thought I had finally got some of his money.

Hiram: After all this time you should know Mr. Stickball is too cheap to pay you ransom.

Elijah: Regardless of who paid what, we are delighted that Seventy_77 and billhowell75 are back in the league. Now let's get down to business fellas. I want to talk about the players who were drafted or signed as internationals last year.

Hiram: Well when I started looking at these youngsters, I was flabbergasted that pimpbotlove used Wilin Uribe in the majors last season.

Jack: Well he paid him a bonus in excess of 19 million dollars. You don't win 8 World Series in this league unless you're bold.

Captain : And bold he was. Uribe made 5 starts at Hi-A and then was promoted to the majors; starting 24 games for Vegas in the regular season.

Jack: I could be mistaken but I think Vegas had three starters on the sixty day disabled list last season. When you get that thin on the mound you got to go with what you have.

Elijah:  Are there any other of the newly signed players that you like?

Captain: Javier Seanez was the only international to get more than a 20 million dollar bonus last year.

Elijah: Only one? Are the owners suddenly getting frugal or was this a bad year for internationals?

Hiram :  Eleven guys got bonuses in excess of 5 million dollars; I wouldn't call that frugal.

Elijah: Of the eleven,  are there any  that you think are definite Hall-of-Famers?

Hiram: I wouldn't go that far this early in their careers but the guy I like most is Wichita's first baseman Cesar Ortiz. He had an OPS over 1.0 at Low-A last year. He kills right handed pitching and has power.

Elijah: Jack of the players drafted, do you see any Hall-of-Famers?

Jack: Yea, I like three of them a LOT. Eight of the first twelve picks were pitchers. The first pick Jerrod Diaz will be a starting pitcher that I think will make the Hall. The fourth pick Rip Nunnari, a right fielder will also make the Hall in my opinion. But the guy I like the best is guy dudemac took with the ninth pick. Norm King is going to save a lot of games in his career. He pitched at three levels last year, had a little trouble in Hi-A but I think he will break Geoff Reuschel's record for most career saves.

Captain: That's a little bold isn't Jack?

Jack: Well I don't think anyone is going to remember what I said fourteen seasons from now.

Elijah: Let's have one more round fellas. Hiram call the uber.

Another Saturday night drinking with the scouts at the Barleymoe

This Saturday Elijah Craig is joined by Johnny Walker,  Jim Beam, and George Dickell

   Editors note: I'm hesitant to resume to begin blogging again, since the leagues bloggers  are more serious and better writers. However this topic interest me. The Barleymoe is a typical Irish bar where important facts are mixed with both whiskey and humor.

Elijah: Fellas tonight I thought we would talk about how the players chosen in the rule 5 draft have faired this season.

Johnny: The thing that most strikes me about this draft is how aggressive Ottawa was to add important pieces to their system.

George : You don't see a lot of teams that go 102 and 60 allocate 4 or 5 spots for rule-5 players; the next season.

Jim: I think thuggis struck while the iron was hot. He hadn't used the rule 5 draft much in previous seasons.

George: Well he did really well getting 19 wins from pitchers in the rule 5 draft.

Johnny: The most amazing thing about his draft, the whiff he had on the first round with his pick of Terry Sheffield. After 16, forgettable games for Ottawa. Sheffield caught on with Montreal and was much better for the Magnifies.

Jim: Who the hell goes 19 and 5 with rule 5 pitchers?

Johnny and George in unisons: thuggis.

Elijah: Okay the guy is good but which player was the best pick in the rule 5 draft?

Johnny: Well I like Rigo Ordonez.  Taken in the second round,  by Wichita he hit .290 starting 92 games at first base.

George: Do you have a prejudice against batters in Colorado? Nathan Sanders slugged .477 for the Stickballers, his ops was .100 higher than Ordonez.

Johnny: Yes I do but I also grant that prejudice to pitchers that have to pitch in that ballpark.

Elijah: Jack what say do yee?

Jack: Well if you ask the question like a scotsman -yee- I'll go with Rigo Ordonez.

         But when it comes to the pitchers I want to point out Bruce Morgan dominated for Wichita with a 12-6 record and a 3.06 ERA.

George: Buster Lavarnway won 12 games for Harford. Ottawa won 11 more games than Hartford, so his contribution is greater thanMorgan's.

Jim: Elijah, am I supposed to render a decision about this two pitchers?

Elijah: No Jim I send out the invites so I get to make the final statement; have another drink it will make what I say easier for you to understand. The three of you come into this public house and believe you can pontificate what has happened and what will happen. The rule 5 draft is not about this year, it's about what these players do three season from now.

Johnny: So we wasted all this time on the draft with no results?

Elijah: No we had a very spirited discussion about the league while imbibing the only thing we love more than HBD.

Jim: Do you want me to call the uber?

Elijah: Please

My 2025 MLB Hall of Fame Ballot

 Since I have been using the "Importance Score" metric to evaluate the Stickball HOF for the past handful of seasons, I figured doing the same thing to the MLB HOF ballot would provide a good litmus test for how effective this made up metric actually is. As a reminder (or introduction) I calculate Importance Score using WAR/year and giving bonus points for MVP's, Cy Young Awards and World Series Rings. Generally speaking, any score in the double digits is something that I consider to be HOF worthy. Here's how this year's ballot looks:

Since MLB Hall voters are allowed 10 votes rather than just the five in HBD, my ballot for this year would be the following: 

1) Andy Pettitte

2) Dustin Pedroia

3) Ian Kinsler

4) Carlos Beltran

5) Mark Buehrle

6) CC Sabathia

7) Ben Zobrist

8) Jimmy Rollins

9) Felix Hernandez

10) Bobby Abreu

I have previously stated that I'd stay away from confirmed steriod users, so that along with the LONG list of worthy candidates on this year's ballot is why I started counting my votes at Pettitte rather than including A-Rod and Manny. That being said, if/when a Hardball player puts up those kinds of numbers I'd vote for them in a split second. It also tells me that the Importance Score (and the HOF cutoff being a double digit score) is just about right because the no-brainers end up clearly at the top and the guys that I often hear debates about (Tulo, Abreu, David Wright) are right in the middle with some just above and some just below the 10.0 cutoff. 

A Quicker MVP Voting Method: Seasons 65 + 66

 While I still believe that comparing Wins Above Replacement totals for the guys on the ballot is the most accurate and fair way to vote, doing that math can take a while. Therefore, I'd like to use something quicker (at least to start) when real life is busy, and I don't have time to do all that math. Enter the MVP Prediction System. It seems like it should be pretty reliable, and with the discussions around the real-life AL and NL MVP awards for this season heating up I want to take a few minutes to see who the Prediction System says should win this year. If I like the answer(s) it gives me, I may use it in Stickball (and my other HBD worlds) going forward. Let's get to it: 

2024 MLB AL MVP

• Leading the league in RBI = 1 pt : Aaron Judge 
• Leading the league in AVG = 1 pt : Bobby Witt
• Leading the league in HR = 1 pt : Aaron Judge
• 100+ RBI = 1 pt each: Aaron Judge, Jose Ramirez
• .300+ AVG = 1 pt each: Bobby Witt, Aaron Judge, Vlad Jr, Yordan Alvarez, Steven Kwan, Yanier Diaz

Based on those criteria, the standings are as follows:

1. Aaron Judge: 4 points
2. Bobby Witt: 2 points
3. Jose Ramirez, Vlad Jr, Yordan Alvarez, Steven Kwan, Yanier Diaz: 1 point

Points are also awarded for playing for a division winner (as of this writing that would be NYY, CLE, HOU.) Factoring in that bonus, the standings become:

1. Aaron Judge: 5 points
2. Bobby Witt, Jose Ramirez, Yordan Alvarez, Steven Kwan, Yanier Diaz: 2 points
3. Vlad Jr: 1 point

The final factor is if you play C, 2B, SS or CF on one of the division winners. Factoring in that bonus, we arrive at our final standings: 

1. Aaron Judge: 6 points 
2. Yanier Diaz: 3 points
3. Bobby Witt, Jose Ramirez, Yordan Alvarez, Steven Kwan: 2 points 
4. Vlad Jr: 1 point 

2024 MLB NL MVP

• Leading the league in RBI = 1 pt: Marcell Ozuna & Shohei Ohtani are tied
• Leading the league in AVG = 1 pt: Marcell Ozuna 
• Leading the league in HR = 1 pt: Shohei Ohtani 
• 100+ RBI = 1 pt each: none currently 
• .300+ AVG = 1 pt each: Marcell Ozuna, Luis Arraez

 That makes the initial standings: Marcell Ozuna 2.5 points, Shohei Ohtani 1.5 points, Luis Arraez 1 point. 

The current NL division leaders are PHI, MIL and LAD. That bumps Shohei up to 2.5 points to tie Ozuna for the lead. Since he's just DH'ing this year and not pitching, he doesn't get the positional bump either. That makes our final standings: 

1. Marcell Ozuna & Shohei Ohtani 2.5 points
2. Luis Arraez 1 point 

The linked BP article above says "if there's more than one candidate, sum their AVG, RBI's and HR and add a bonus (1 pt) for {C, 2B, SS, CF} and a bonus (1 pt) for playing for a divisions winner." 

• Ozuna: .307 AVG, 37 HR, 94 RBI at DH for ATL (no bonuses) = 131.307 points 
• Ohtani: .294 AVG, 41 HR, 94 RBI at DH for LAD (division bonus) = 136.294 points

Both of those predictions feel good, so now out of curiosity I'm going to compare this method to the WAR totals in Stickball to see if it makes a difference.

Stickball Season 65 AL MVP

• Leading the league in RBI = Dan Brown 
• Leading the league in AVG = Alex Calvo 
• Leading the league in HR = Vince Fonville 
• 100+ RBI = Dan Brown, Alex Calvo, Dennis Morgan, Vince Fonville, Eric Nola, Ted Touissaint, Wayne Teixeira, Gregorio Ontiveros, Harry Machi, Furio Betemit, Denny Kawasaki, Woody DeLuca, Parker Shelby, Damian Reed, John Rosenbaum, Danys Uribe, Darron Munson, Willie Espinosa, Daniel Wolcott
• .300+ AVG = Alex Calvo, Woody DeLuca, Koji Kim, Vince Lara, Emilio Jose, Gus Meng, David Beltre, Phil O'Shea, Rafael Jacquez, Vince Fonville

The AL Division winners this year were OTT, BUR, MTY and SF. After factoring in that and the positional bonuses associated with that, Here's the list of players who scored multiple points: 

1. Alex Calvo & Vince Fonville: 4 points
2. Dan Brown & David Beltre: 3 points
3. Emilio Jose, Woody DeLuca, Harry Machi, Damian Reed: 2 points

Calvo wins the tiebreaker over Fonville 187.342 to 179.301; Calvo also won the WAR total but by a much wider margin. Looking at the five guys on the ballot this season, let's see how the stack up using this scoring system: 

• Alex Calvo: 4 points
• Dan Brown: 3 points 
• Rafael Jacquez: 1 point 
• Brian Kojima: 0 points
• Vince Fonville: 4 points

The good news is that the WIS finalists are also the top two guys when you do it out the long way and, therefore, correctly identify the winner. The bad news is that guys like David Beltre get overlooked sometimes. 

Stickball Season 65 NL MVP

I follow the same process as with the AL MVP. The division winners were CLE, SJU, ELP and LV and I find the following players have multiple points by the end: 

1. Tim Martin, Niko Morton : 4 points
2. Hub Cooper, Del Lopez, Emil Vazquez, Joe Lange, Eugene Lee, Francisco Chavez, Guilder Gabriel, Isaac Holland : 3 points 
3. Cliff Leverton, D'Angelo Machado, Lorenzo Moreno, Oswaldo Cerveza, Claudio Jarvis, Ernest McPherson, Preston Cooney, Jorge Pena, Bob Haywood, Alex Manuel, Ivan Jacquez : 2 points 

Martin wins the tiebreaker over Morton 147.339 to 143.342 without even being nominated by WIS. Here's how the five guys who were nominated stack up: 

• Ivan Jacquez:  2 points 
• Cliff Leverton: 1 point (WAR winner...by quite a bit) 
• Bob Haywood: 2 points
• Claudio Jarvis: 2 points 
• Niko Morton: 4 points 

There'a fair bit of disagreement between WAR and this method for the NL MVP, and I like the WAR results better personally, but in a pinch this does seem like a good method to use. 

Stickball Season 66 AL MVP

It looks like I never hit "publish" on this post at the end of last season, so I'll just add another section to this already fairly lengthy post...and this time around it's Thanksgiving week so I don't have a ton of time and will use the method just for the five candidates. Here's how it shakes out: 

• Leading the league in RBI: Alex Calvo 
• Leading the league in AVG: Niko Morton (NL)
• Leading the league in HR: Alex Calvo
• 100+ RBI = Alex Calvo, Carlos Romero, Dan Brown, Ron Harris
• .300+ AVG = Alex Calvo, Carlos Romero, Dan Brown, Ron Harris
• Played for Div Winner: Carlos Romero, Ron Harris
• Playing C, 2B, CF or SS on Div. Winner: none

That gives us the final tally of:

• Alex Calvo = 4 points
• Carlos Romero & Ron Harris = 3 points
• Dan Brown = 2 points
• Rio Florimon = 0 points

Stickball Season 66 NL MVP

Repeating the same process as above provides the following results in the NL:

• Leading the league in RBI: Alex Calvo (AL)
• Leading the league in AVG: Niko Morton 
• Leading the league in HR: Alex Calvo (AL)
• 100+ RBI: Niko Morton, Pedro Trinidad, Henderson Moriarty, Ivan Jacquez, Jon Browne
• .300+ AVG: Niko Morton, Pedro Trinidad
• Played for Div. Winner: Pedro Trinidad, Ivan Jacquez, Jon Browne
• Played C,2B,CF or SS on Div Winner: none

That gives us a final tally of: 

• Niko Morton, Pedro Trinidad = 3 points
• Morton 161.362, Trinidad 132.323
• Ivan Jacquez, Jon Browne = 2 points
• Henderson Moriarty = 1 point

Meet Your Hall of Famers: Slim Stewart

Bio:   Slim Stewart was born in Mendenhall, MS (Pop. 2,504, 33 miles Southeast of Jackson).  He attended Lawrence County High School in Monticello, MS (Nickname: Cougars). 

Draft: Was the 3rd pick in Season 40 by Little Rock (tenaciousdx).   Signed for $3,8200,000 million.

Scout Pasqual Javier: “Slim Stewart is an exceptionally talented pitcher with a high ceiling. His combination of velocity, control, and competitive mindset makes him a standout prospect. While there is still development needed, particularly with his secondary pitches and consistency, his raw talent and work ethic suggest a bright future ahead. With the right development and support, he has the potential to become a top-of-the-rotation starter at the major league level.  Projection: Future All-Star caliber pitcher with potential to be a key contributor to a major league rotation. With continued growth and refinement, he could emerge as an ace for any team.”

Manager (trapapoodle): “He stayed slim by doing ballroom dancing in his spare time. He was also very superstitious. Other than that I just remember he was a great pitcher and an even better man.  He was just a consistently excellent pitcher for me and I'm still working on replacing him.”    

Career Earnings: $121,131,000

Career: Slim Stewart broke into the Majors in season 42 and had a 20-year career.  He spent his first 18 years in the Little Rock organization that drafted him (New Orleans, Wichita, Charleston).  He finished his MLB career with one-year stints in Boise and El Paso.  He was a 9-time All-Star and won one World Series Ring with Charleston in Season 54.  He also threw a no-hitter in Season 58. The Season of 54 was also his best year. In that year he had a 19-4 record while throwing 212 INN. He also posted a 2.04 ERA, .205 OAV, .93 WHIP, and 184 K’s.  He finished his career with 260 Wins, 3166 K’s, a .228 OAV, 1.10 WHIP, and 2.98 ERA.  He owns the single season record for WHIP of .90 for Charleston in Season 58. He also owns Career records in Charleston for Wins 258, WHIP 1.08, K’s 3,073, INN 3589, ERA 2.88, OAV .226.

Hall of Fame Speech: Ladies and gentlemen,

To be inducted into the Hall of Fame is a profound honor, one that reflects not just my journey but the countless people who have supported me along the way. As I look out at all of you, I am overwhelmed with gratitude and awe. This recognition is a testament to the incredible game of baseball and to the remarkable journey I’ve had, from a small-town kid with big dreams to a Hall of Famer.

As I look back on my career, I am reminded of the humble beginnings in Mendenhall, Mississippi. Growing up, I was just a kid with a dream and a fastball, playing on the backlot fields and dreaming of making it to the big leagues. To think that a small-town kid like me could come this far is nothing short of extraordinary.

Getting drafted straight out of high school by Little Rock was the start of an incredible adventure. I remember the excitement and nerves of stepping into professional baseball, not knowing where the road would lead but eager to give it everything I had. Little Rock gave me the chance to start my journey, and I am forever grateful for that opportunity.

Eighteen seasons with Charleston—the team that became my second family—were the highlight of my career. To win a World Series in Season 54 was a moment of sheer joy and validation. That championship was not just a testament to my hard work but to the collective effort of an amazing team. To my teammates and coaches, thank you for your unwavering support, guidance, and the countless memories we created together.

I’ll never forget the day I threw that no-hitter. It was one of those rare and magical moments where everything seemed to fall perfectly into place. But even more than that, it was a testament to the teamwork and preparation that went into every game.

To my family, thank you for your endless support and sacrifices. Your belief in me kept me grounded and motivated through the highs and lows of my career. Your love and encouragement made every victory sweeter and every challenge more manageable.

To the fans of Charleston and beyond, your enthusiasm and loyalty were a driving force for me. Your cheers and support turned every game into a celebration and gave me the energy to perform at my best. I am honored to have been part of this community and to have shared so many great moments with you all.

Baseball is a game of countless stories and countless dreams. I hope my story serves as a reminder of the power of perseverance, dedication, and passion. To be remembered in this way is both humbling and inspiring, and I am deeply grateful for this recognition.

Thank you for this incredible honor. It’s a privilege to stand here and celebrate the game that has given me so much. Here’s to the future, to the next generation of players who will carry on the legacy of this great sport.

Thank you all.

Season 65 Awards Voting

 Just as a reminder, the following are Wins Above Replacement totals that include batting, fielding and pitching data and have been adjusted for both home parks and primary defensive positions. Without further ado, let's get to the numbers and see if the #Cliff4MVP campaign is justified 😂🤔

AL MVP

• Alex Calvo (LF-Monterrey), 9.57 WAR
• Dan Brown (RF-Monterrey), 5.46 WAR
• Rafael Jacquez (2B-Fargo), 6.09 WAR
• Brian Kojima (1B-Santa Cruz), 3.89 WAR
• Vince Fonville (RF-Ottawa), 5.59 WAR

NL MVP 

• Ivan Jacquez (1B-St. Louis), 7.63 WAR
• Cliff Leverton (1B-Las Vegas), 9.87 WAR
• Claudio Jarvis (1B-Charleston), 7.10 WAR
• Niko Morton (1B-El Paso), 7.31 WAR
• Bob Haywood (1B-Santa Fe), 3.97 WAR

AL Cy Young

• AJ Moreno (SP-Fargo), 7.59 WAR
• Juan Romero (SP-Louisville), 3.59 WAR
• Brad Jensen (SP-Monterrey), 5.07 WAR
• Wladimir Campos (SP-Ottawa), 3.80 WAR
• Warren Buckel (SP-Kansas City), 4.78 WAR

NL Cy Young 

• Tom Scott (SP-Helena), 4.94 WAR
• Shaggy Conforto (SP-Cleveland), 4.85 WAR
• Felipe Lee (SP-San Juan), 5.72 WAR
• Mitchell Bergman (SP-San Juan), 3.19 WAR
• Germany Gilliam (SP-Las Vegas), 1.66 WAR

AL Rookie of the Year

• David Beltre (CF-San Francisco), 4.58 WAR
• Brian Kojima (1B-Santa Cruz), 3.89 WAR
• Koji Kim (CF-Kansas City), 4.31 WAR
• Dan Leach (RF-Santa Cruz), 1.60 WAR 
• Stretch Stockton (CF-Colorado), 1.61 WAR

NL Rookie of the Year

• Hong-Gu Martin (RF-Charleston), 3.77 WAR
• Germany Gilliam (SP-Las Vegas), 1.66 WAR
• Timothy Gray (RP-Seattle), 2.27 WAR
• John Browne (LF-Helena), 2.45 WAR
• Charles Siddall (SP-El Paso), 1.85 WAR

Meet Your Hall of Famers: Leonys Nieves

 

Bio:   Leonys was born in Satsuma, FL (unincoporated community in Putnam County, 55 miles East of Gainesville).  He attended Crescent City High School (Nickname: Raiders). He then played at Davidson Collage in Davidson, NC (nickname: Wildcats)

Draft: Was the 2nd pick in Season 43 by Richmond (vegascowboy).   Signed for $3,910,000 million.

Scout Pep Dickey- “Leonys Nieves is a highly promising prospect with great power. His potential impact at the major league level is significant, with the upside of becoming a key contributor offensively. With continued development and adjustment to higher competition, he has the potential to become a cornerstone player for any organization. Projection: Future All-Star and middle-of-the-order hitter.”

Career Earnings: $55,729,000

Career: Leonys Nieves broke into the Majors in season 46 and had a 14-year career.  He spent 10 of those 14 years in the Richmond organization that drafted him (Florida, Augusta, Dover, Cleveland, Jacksonville) before being traded to Santa Fe for 3 seasons. He finished his MLB career with one season in Louisville.  He was a 6-time All-Star and won 2 MVP awards (51, 53), and 7 Silver Slugger Awards (47, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 55).  His best year was his MVP Season of 53. In that year he hit .340 with 216 H, 33 2B, 2 3B, 52 HR, 128 RBI, and 5 SB.  Over his career he hit .308, 2209 H, 374 2B, 31 3B, 494 HR, 1401 RBI, 67 SB and an OPS of .966. 

He holds the Single Season record for Richmond at 57 Homeruns (Season 48).

Hall of Fame Speech:  Ladies and gentlemen, family, friends, and fellow baseball lovers,

Wow. Standing here tonight, I’m overwhelmed with gratitude and humility. It’s truly an honor to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, a place where the legends of our game are celebrated, and I’m deeply touched to be counted among them.

When I reflect on my career, I can’t help but think of where it all began. Getting drafted by Richmond was a dream come true. Those early years with the organization shaped me not just as a player, but as a person. Spending a decade with Richmond was like growing up in the game; it was a time of learning, of building my craft, and forging lifelong relationships. The support and belief the organization showed me during those formative years were invaluable. To the Richmond fans and everyone involved with the team, your faith and encouragement laid the foundation for everything that followed.

To my teammates, coaches, and mentors: your support, guidance, and belief in me made all the difference. I owe so much to those who stood by me, pushed me, and celebrated with me through every high and low. The memories we made together will forever be cherished.

To the fans who filled the stands, cheered us on, and shared in the excitement of the game: your passion and enthusiasm are what made every moment on the field special. You inspired me to give my best every time I put on that uniform. The energy you brought to the ballpark was a driving force that kept me going, and for that, I am deeply grateful.

And to my family—my rock and my foundation—thank you for your unwavering support and love. Your belief in me kept me grounded and motivated, and I’m so thankful for every sacrifice you made so I could pursue this dream.

Baseball is more than just a game. It’s a part of who we are, a reflection of our perseverance, and a celebration of our triumphs. To be remembered in this way is both humbling and inspiring. I hope that my journey, my dedication, and my love for the game serve as a reminder that with passion and hard work, we can achieve incredible things.

Thank you for this incredible honor. I’m deeply touched and will cherish this moment for the rest of my life. Here’s to the game that gave me everything, and to the future generations who will continue to make it great.

Thank you all.