Who was more fun to watch than the Flyin’ Hawaiian? Shane Victorino remixed an old-school style of play with a flair and passion that baseball is just now beginning to embrace (sorry, Goose Gossage). The twitchy outfielder was a core part of the stacked Philadelphia squads that won back-to-back pennants in the late aughts. Victorino combined strong bat-to-ball skills with good speed, regularly posting above-average on-base percentages. He didn’t hit many home runs, but he made up for that by terrorizing opponents on the base paths; he twice led the NL in triples and swiped 231 bases in his career. Victorino provided additional defensive value. He won three straight Gold…

Nobody walked more batters (1100) or threw more wild pitches (161) between 1999 and 2015 than A.J. Burnett, but that’s less a reflection of his quality and more a testament to how long the Arkansan was a major league-caliber starting pitcher. Just look at his strikeout numbers: Burnett racked up 2513 by the time he retired, putting him at 38 on the all-time leaderboard.    Never a superstar, the righty was the platonic ideal of a good number 3 starter. At 6’4”, 225 lbs., Burnett had the frame and the four-pitch mix necessary to eat a ton of innings, especially after returning from Tommy John surgery in 2004. As good…

Nick Swisher was immortalized as Billy Beane’s coveted draft prize in Michael Lewis’ seminal “Moneyball.” Not bad considering that book’s influence on an entire generation of statheads. Beane was right about Swisher, who was a well-above hitter with Oakland, New York, and Cleveland for the better part of a decade. Yet the Ohio State product is a good example of just how difficult it is to get into the Hall of Fame. He put up a wRC+ of at least 120 in six of seven seasons in the prime of his career and hit at least 20 homers in 9 straight years. But despite this consistent production, Swisher managed to…

Michael Cuddyer Now let’s turn to another member of those cursed Twins teams. Michael Cuddyer was a solid all-around hitter who used his decent plate discipline, contact skills, and power to post a 112 career wRC+. He was something of a late bloomer, but managed to earn his way to two all-star games later in his career.   While Cuddyer mostly played in right field, he was kind of the prototype for the super-utility guys that emerged later in the aughts. He played games at all three outfield spots, first base, second base, and third base, though it’s worth noting that he wasn’t actually good at any of these positions.…

There aren’t many relievers in the Hall, and for good reason: even the best relievers simply can’t provide as much value as great starters. The guys who do make it in are closers, which makes sense; even though there’s a growing understanding around the game that elite bullpen arms shouldn’t necessarily be locked into 9th inning roles, the best relief pitchers have historically closed games. Hawkins, who pitched for 11 different clubs during his 21-year career, doesn’t fit the profile of a HOF reliever. He closed occasionally but mostly came out of the pen in the seventh or eighth innings. He also didn’t really strike guys out (career 6.03 K/9),…

As we wait for the hot stove to really get cooking, I thought it would be a good time to join the legion of baseball blogs in analyzing the 2021 Hall of Fame ballot. I know, I know – the world does not need another one of these articles. But I’m three days into my seven week winter break and the beige confines of my apartment are already driving me crazy, so I’m hoping that Shane Victorino stats will keep me anchored to reality for a bit longer. There aren’t any slam-dunk newcomers on the ballot this year, which means most people’s attention will be on the same controversial names…

The stove has been anything but hot lately (unless you’re really into the Rule 5 draft), but the Red Sox made their first significant signing of the offseason Monday when they inked Hunter Renfroe to a 1-year contract worth $3.1 million. Boston fans will hope that Renfroe can help turn around an outfield unit that has declined precipitously over the past two years. The Red Sox outfield corps was the backbone of their 2018 championship squad but ranked only 16th in the majors in 2020 despite an all-star caliber year from Alex Verdugo. Renfroe, who has split time between the outfield corners throughout his career, was once a highly regarded…

After losing nearly all of the past three seasons to injury, Dustin Pedroia is reportedly considering retirement. The star was the heart and soul of the Red Sox for a decade, leading the franchise to two World Series titles and taking home the 2008 American League MVP trophy. Yet though Pedroia once seemed destined for Cooperstown, injuries have weakened his statistical resume and likely robbed him of Hall of Fame honors. For most of his career Pedroia was among the league’s elite second basemen, challenged only by Robinson Cano and Chase Utley. Pedroia paired Gold Glove defense with elite bat-to-ball skills, and he took advantage of the Green Monster in…