We’ve already covered who got into Cooperstown, so start there if you haven’t already.
- Mariano Rivera went into the Hall of Fame unanimously. Mark Feinsand looks back at Rivera’s career.
- Buster Olney writes about how Rivera was a gentleman with class and grace off the field and a ruthless competitor on the field.
- Throughout his career, Rivera entered the game to the tune of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman.” So Metallica congratulated Rivera as he entered the Hall of Fame.
- Tim Brown explains how important Rivera is to his native country of Panama and talks to Panamanian major leaguers about the role Rivera played in inspiring them to play baseball.
- Todd Zolecki has ten top moments from Roy Halladay’s career.
- Tim Brown has a terrific piece on Halladay’s family and how they are dealing with the bittersweet experience of their husband and father going into Cooperstown while he’s no longer around.
- Halladay’s family issued a statement about his induction into Cooperstown.
- The Blue Jays wore a lot of different caps during Halladay’s career and I’d assume one of them is going to end up on his plaque in Cooperstown. So Lauren Theisen ranked all the hats Halladay wore, including those with the Phillies.
- Greg Johns has the top moments of Edgar Martinez’s career.
- Larry Stone was with Martinez on the day he got the call and Martinez explained what all this means to him.
- Martinez absolutely raked against the three pitchers who are going into Cooperstown with him. Seriously. Edgar hit .579/.652/1.053 in his career against Mo.
- Mark Feinsand looks at the highlights of Mike Mussina’s career.
- Mark Townsend argues that you shouldn’t overlook Mussina in this loaded Hall-of-Fame class.
- Tom Scocca pens a wonderful tribute to Mussina and explains how Moose was a dominating pitcher who was sometimes overlooked because of bad luck.
- Ken Rosenthal has the story of how the Orioles had to overcome the objections of then-Orioles scout (and current White Sox broadcaster) Ed Farmer before drafting Mussina. (The Athletic sub. req.) Farmer gave Mussina a second chance and only then told the Orioles to draft him.
- Now for those that didn’t make it. Jon Tayler looks at the Hall chances of Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds and Curt Schilling going forward.
- Jeff Passan discovered which voters who left Clemens and Bonds off the ballot. From talking to the few that were willing to speak with him, Passan concludes that there is no way either will win election to the Hall through the BBWAA vote.
- Travis Sawchik and Nathaniel Rakich looks at the voting results and shows how voting patterns are changing and becoming more in-line with advanced statistics.
- Michael Baumann echoes that sentiment and explains why all four inductees deserved induction.
- Jayson Stark has five things we’ve learned from this year’s balloting. (The Athletic sub. req.)
- On to current major leaguers. Pitcher Sonny Gray was traded to the Reds after agreeing to a three-year, $30.5 million contract extension.
- Jeff Sullivan breaks down the deal and writes that Gray is now Cincinnati’s problem, albeit one with some upside.
- Sullivan also thinks the Reds have an outside shot at winning the NL Central.
- Outfielder Nick Markakis agreed to return to the Braves on a one-year, $6 million deal.
- The Rangers signed free agent infielder Asdrubal Cabrera to a one-year, $3.5 million deal.
- The Dodgers and Marlins are discussing a deal that would send catcher J.T. Realmuto to Los Angeles.
- Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera has been ordered to pay $20k a month in child support by a Florida court.
- Stephon Johnson has a look back at the acclaimed baseball movie “Sugar” on it’s tenth anniversary. (The Athletic sub. req.) By the way, you can read Al’s original review of the movie here.
- And finally, the Brewers ballpark will be known as “American Family Insurance Park” (or something like that) starting with the 2021 season. What? You mean it will no longer be called “Wrigley Field North”?
And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster.