Redleg Lifestyle
B Lark is headed your way, Coop!
And with 86% of the BBWAA vote, our man Barry Larkin is the newest member of the Baseball Hall of Fame! OMGreds could not be more stoked! Congratulations to Barry and his family. What a day for Barry, the Reds and Cincinnati.
It seems like anymore the BBWAA Hall of Fame results are decided well in advance of today. Writers resolve to vote for guys for whom others make a big push – and it’s often the guys who came close but missed the year before, which is what happened with Goose Gossage in 2008 and Jim Rice in 2009. This year, Bert Blyleven, in particular, wasn’t going to be denied. He came so close last year (5 votes shy) he’s running out of time and the consensus is how can you keep him out with that many strikeouts. And Roberto Alomar was right there last year as well, just 8 votes shy. And his numbers clearly merit Hall of Fame enshrinement in his second year on the ballot.
Everything I read beforehand said to expect a modest bump for Barry Larkin – who got 51.6 percent of the vote last year, his first on the ballot – but that he’ll likely have to wait another year. And sure enough, Barry finished third with 62.1 percent. So while I was very disappointed, I wasn’t the least bit surprised. Hopefully next year.
Was Barry deserving of getting in on his first or second ballot? Absolutely. No question. But Larkin’s not the only one who got robbed. I don’t see any reason why Jeff Bagwell shouldn’t have gotten in as a first-timer. Is it really fair to assume a guy was juicing when there’s no proof, no failed drug test, no one who has ever said he saw him use steroids? C’mon. And you can’t argue with those numbers. Tyler Kepner wrote a great column, by the way, about how Bagwell’s rejection presumes guilt over innocence, and how sad that is.
Also on the ballot were former Reds Dave Parker, Bret Boone, Lenny Harris and Benito Santiago. We’ve previously made it clear that Parker deserves to be in the Hall, and in case you missed it, John Erardi wrote a strong piece just recently to that effect. Worth a read if you haven’t already. We say give Cobra his due. (He only got 15.3 percent.) Finished in the top 5 in MVP voting in five different seasons (and got robbed in 1985). One of the most feared hitters of both the late ’70s and mid ’80s. No reason he shouldn’t be in.
Blyleven and Alomar will join general manager Pat Gillick – elected by a post-expansion Veterans Committee last month – for the induction ceremonies in Cooperstown on July 24.
Meanwhile, consolation for Larkin fans? There’s a tricky, 15-question Larkin quiz that just got posted earlier this week on Cincinnati.Com. Enjoy.
According to this report on MLB.com, Barry Larkin will become a studio analyst for the new MLB Network, which is set to take to the airwaves on January 1.
It would have been cool to see the Reds bring him back into the organization after he parted ways with Ol’ Leatherpants and the Nationals, but it will be great to see him breaking down highlights every night on TV. And, it looks like we’ll actually be able to see him, as most of the major satellite and cable carriers have agreed to broadcast the new network, including DirecTV and Time Warner.
Since the beginning of OMGreds I’ve struck up a few friendships with fellow baseball bloggers – Reds fans, card collectors, etc. It’s been fun, educational and sometimes rewarding. The folks that are apart of the this community can be EXTREMELY generous and that was evident to me tonight when I checked my mailbox. Joe from Cincy Reds Cards sent me a mind-blowing box of Reds cards out of the blue. Seriously, there must be 300 some cards in the box he sent – see the photo on the right. 2/3 of the cards were of our main man, Barry Larkin. Going through all the loot was like Christmas morning when you’re 5-years-old. Flat out glorious. Eric Davis, Johnny Bench, Adam Dunn, Junior, Brandon Phillips… the list goes on. The kicker? Two autographed cards from none other than Mr. Larkin (see above and Johnny Cueto. WHAT? WHAT? That’s some serious loot right there.
Joe and I have swapped a few emails this year and quite a few blog comments as well. He’s out in Salt Lake City, so he’s a long-distance Reds fan. It’s good to see the love for the Reds across the country. The thing about Joe is that he lost his entire card card collection – and probably a lot his belongings in an apartment fire over the summer. The blogging community came together and sent him LOADS of Reds cards to cheer him up a bit. OMGreds sent a little package as well… but nothing compared to what he just sent me.
Now, the other half of Cincy Reds Cards, Brad has been awesome to me as well – hooking me up with a handful of Joey Votto, Reds and Bengals cards. I was probably doing him a favor taking those Bengals cards! Just sayin’… the fellas at Cincy Reds Cards are the best. Check out their blog. They haven’t updated in a bit… but what is there if flat out hilarious.
So, I just want to say thanks to Joe and Brad and tell everyone how truly awesome Reds fans are.
PS… you all see the rumors about Larkin’s return to the Reds?
