All I Want for Christmas from the Red Sox...

Is a Rafael Devers extension.

We have already lost one major franchise player.  They need to lock up the one that is left.  Devers has a serious chance at being special.  I know it is going to be expensive.  Too bad.  It would have been cheaper if they had locked him up last year at this time.  They didn't and now the market has exploded.  That's on them.  They need to keep someone around to build around.  If it's not Devers, there is no one else around.

The Jason Varitek Quest for 1,000: #978

Card #978 comes from 2021 Topps Dynasty.  It has been a little bit since I had gotten a really high-end Varitek card.  This is serial-numbered to just 10 and features both an autograph and a three-colored patch that is clearly from lettering or numbering on one of the team's red alternate jerseys.  I definitely had to grab this one.  Plus it came reasonably inexpensive for a card of this type.

The Top Prospect

Well I had to show off my first card of Boston's top prospect at this point.  Marcelo Mayer was drafted fourth overall in the 2021 draft out of high school.  It was one of the highest profile picks the Red Sox have ever made.  Mayer was largely considered one of the top talents in the draft, so for him to fall to Boston was extremely exciting.  He is just 19 years old and looks like the shortstop of the future for the Red Sox.  He made it to High A ball last year and looks like he could be in Double A by the end of 2023.  At this rate, he could make it to the Majors by 2024.  Hopefully Boston holds on to him.  Talents like him do not come around often.  He looks like the real deal.

The Jason Varitek Quest for 1,000: #977

Card #977 is from the Brooklyn Collection from 2021.  This is actually the orange parallel and is serial-numbered to just 20.  The thing I like about this one is that it is photo that I have not seen before.  That is sort of unusual for Topps.  Plus, it's a photo with most of the catching equipment on, and of course I like catcher cards.

2023 Hall of Fame Ballot

2023's Hall of Fame vote is going to be interesting.  There are no slam dunk candidates among the new players on the ballot.  There are a few holdovers, but most of them have been slowly building towards election without anyone real close.  Time will tell if anyone gets elected, though I think it unlikely there will be a total shutout.

BOBBY ABREU

TEAMS: Astros, Phillies, Yankees, Dodgers, Mets
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 2x All Star, Gold Glove, Silver Slugger
IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Phillies
WILL HE BE ELECTED?: Maybe by an Eras Committee?

Abreu has a sneaky good case for the Hall of Fame.  His line of .291/.395/.475 is a lot better than I thought it would be.  He was not often a standout star, which I think hurts his candidacy, but the numbers are decent.  He also hit 288 home runs and stole 400 bases, which I think is the most surprising number.  He was a 30/30 man twice in his career.  I could see his stock rise as a result of more analytical voters in the same way that Larry Walker, Edgar Martinez and Bert Blyleven were boosted.

BRONSON ARROYO

TEAMS: Pirates, Red Sox, Reds, Diamondbacks
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: All Star, Gold Glove
IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Reds
WILL HE BE ELECTED?: No.

Arroyo had a solid career, mostly with the Reds.  He was never really a standout pitcher, but he did lead the league in games started twice, innings pitched once and shutouts once.  He won 15 or more games three times during his career.  He received some MVP votes one year and Cy Young votes another.  He had a career record of 148-137 with an ERA of 4.28 and 1,571 strikeouts.  Arroyo was a reliable innings eater, but he was never really a star.  It will be surprising if he receives any votes.

CARLOS BELTRAN

TEAMS: Royals, Astros, Mets, Giants, Cardinals, Yankees, Rangers
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Rookie of the Year (1999), 9x All Star, 3x Gold Glove, 2x Silver Slugger
IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Mets
WILL HE BE ELECTED?: Maybe after a year or so.

Beltran is easily the best player of the new players on the ballot.  Unfortunately, his candidacy is marred by his involvement with the 2017 Astros cheating scandal.  I could see voters punish him for a year or two as they did with Roberto Alomar.  It's also possible he never recovers from it.  For his career, Beltran hit .279/.350/.486 with 435 home runs, 312 stolen bases and 1,587 RBIs.  He only led the league in one category: games played.  He played on one World Championship team (the aforementioned Astros) and played in the World Series with the Cardinals in 2013.

MARK BUEHRLE

TEAMS: White Sox, Marlins, Blue Jays
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 5x All Star, 4x Gold Glove
IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: White Sox
WILL HE BE ELECTED?: Unlikely

The southpaw Buehrle was a member of the 2005 World Champion White Sox and pitched a no-hitter in 2007.  Buehrle was consistent and durable, pitching more than 200 innings 14 years in a row and winning more ten or more games 15 years in a row.  He led the league in games started twice and innings twice.  Buerhle has been on the ballot for a few years now, but he has always stayed just above the five percent needed to stay on the ballot without gaining much traction.  I do not think that is likely to change.

MATT CAIN

TEAMS: Giants
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 3x All Star
IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Giants
WILL HE BE ELECTED?: No.

Cain pitched a perfect game and was a starting pitcher on two World Championship teams.  Beyond that, there is not much to say about him.  He did make it to three All Star teams and he did finish in the top ten of the Cy Young vote twice, but injuries really derailed his career.  Lifetime, he was 104-118 with a 3.68 ERA and 1,694 strikeouts.  There are not a lot of starters in the Hall of Fame with losing records.  There are five in fact.  Four of them were closers (Rollie Fingers, Lee Smith, Trevor Hoffman, Bruce Sutter).  The other one was Hank O'Day, who seems not to have been elected due to his playing  career.  I cannot see Cain getting in.  I would be shocked if he got a single vote.

R.A. DICKEY

TEAMS: Rangers, Mariners, Twins, Mets, Blue Jays, Braves
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Cy Young (2012), All Star, Gold Glove
IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Mets
WILL HE BE ELECTED?: No.

Dickey had a weird career.  For the first several seasons of his career, he could not seem to stick in the Majors.  He made his debut in 2001, but spent the entire 2002 and 2007 seasons in the minors.  It was not until 2008 that he seemed to stick, and even then, he pitched mostly out of the bullpen.  He started throwing a knuckleball and then shocked the world by winning the 2012 Cy Young Award for the Mets, leading the league in strikeouts and winning 20 games.  After that though he reverted to being a slightly above-average starter again.  He has a career 120-118 record with a 4.04 ERA and 1,477 strikeouts. 

JACOBY ELLSBURY

TEAMS: Red Sox, Yankees
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: All Star, Gold Glove, Silver Slugger
IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Red Sox
WILL HE BE ELECTED?: No.

Ellsbury's primary weapon was his game-changing speed.  His speed was legendary.  It allowed him to steal home twice.  He holds the Red Sox single season stolen base record with 70 in 2009 and was the team's first 30/30 man in 2011.  He led the league in stolen bases three times.  In 2011, he finished second in the MVP race, leading the league in total bases and hitting .321.  Unfortunately, he is another player whose career was derailed by injuries.  He finished his career with a line of .284/.342/.417 with 104 home runs 512 RBIs, 749 runs scored, 1,376 hits and 343 stolen bases.  That's not going to get him in Cooperstown, but he will likely be a Red Sox Hall of Famer.

ANDRE ETHIER

TEAMS: Dodgers
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 2x All Star, Gold Glove, Silver Slugger
IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Dodgers
WILL HE BE ELECTED?: No.

Ethier spent 12 years in the Majors, all with the Dodgers after being acquired from the Athletics.  He hit more than 20 home runs four times and drove in more than 100 runs once.  In 2009 he finished sixth in the MVP vote.  For his career, he hit .285/.359/.463 with 162 home runs and 687 RBIs.  There is not much to say about Ethier.  He was good for several seasons, but not really a standout for more than a couple of seasons.  His numbers do not come close to Hall-worthy.

J.J. HARDY

TEAMS: Brewers, Twins, Orioles
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 2x All Star, 3x Gold Glove, Silver Slugger
IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Orioles
WILL HE BE ELECTED?: No.

Hardy had some impressive power for a shortstop.  He hit more than 20 home runs five times in his career and finished with 188.  He was also a decent defensive shortstop as his three Gold Gloves attest.  But, he was wildly inconsistent and not a great hitter.  Hardy hit .256/.305/.408 in his career and had a lifetime OPS+ of 91.  His defense was not good enough to make up for his offensive deficiencies.

TODD HELTON

TEAMS: Rockies
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 5x All Star, 3x Gold Glove, 4x Silver Slugger
IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Rockies
WILL HE BE ELECTED?: Yes.

I feel comfortable saying Helton will eventually be elected, and it's about time.  His voting numbers have increased each year.  It probably will not happen this year, but maybe very soon.  He made it to 52% last year.  Helton was one of the most consistent hitters in the game.  In his early years, he was a good power hitter.  Though his power declined over time, he remained a terrific hitter.  He won a batting championship in 2000, and that season he led the league in hits, doubles, RBIs, OBP and slugging percentage while hitting 42 home runs.  For his career, Helton hit .316/.414/.539 with 369 home runs and 1,406 RBIs.  

TORII HUNTER

TEAMS: Twins, Angels, Tigers
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 5x All Star, 9x Gold Glove, 2x Silver Slugger
IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Twins
WILL HE BE ELECTED?: Maybe by an Eras Committee?

Hunter barely stayed on the ballot last year and it is certainly possible that he may never be elected.  I think in this current state with the Eras Committees electing so many players that Hunter could certainly get in some day.  Hunter was widely renowned for his impressive defense.  He probably could have won even more than his nine Gold Gloves.  He was a pretty decent hitter too.  For his career, he hit .277/.331/.461 with 353 home runs and 1,391 RBIs.  It would not shock me to see him get in some day, but it will not be this year.  Or next.  Or even soon.

ANDRUW JONES

TEAMS: Braves, Dodgers, Rangers, White Sox, Yankees
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 5x All Star, 10x Gold Glove, Silver Slugger
IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Braves
WILL HE BE ELECTED?: Yes

Jones is an even more impressive version of Torii Hunter and is therefore closer to election.  He has been on the ballot a few more years and cracked the 40% mark last season.  He could get in in the next couple of years, but probably not this year.  Jones is widely regarded as one of the greatest defensive center fielders of all time.  He also hit quite a few more home runs in his career than Hunter.  The stumbling block with Jones is that his career fell off a cliff after hitting 30 years of age.  But, his career numbers were .254/.337/.486 with 434 home runs and 1,289 RBIs.  He was second in the MVP race in 2005 when he led the league with 51 home runs and 128 RBIs.  

JEFF KENT

TEAMS: Blue Jays, Mets, Indians, Giants, Astros, Dodgers
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: MVP (2000), 5x All Star, 4x Silver Slugger
IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Giants
WILL HE BE ELECTED?: Maybe by an Eras Committee

Kent is in his final year on the BBWAA ballot, but he only made it on to 32% of ballots last year.  It looks like his time has run out in this phase.  Kent probably should be getting more attention, even if it is just on the basis of his career record for home runs by a second-baseman (377).  In his 17-year career, Kent hit .290/.356/.500 and drove in 1,518 runs.  Those are certainly impressive enough numbers.  For several years there were just too many other candidates.  Now that that logjam has eased up, he has too much ground to make up in just one year.  I just do not see it happening.    

JOHN LACKEY

TEAMS: Angels, Red Sox, Cardinals, Cubs
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: All Star
IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Angels
WILL HE BE ELECTED?: No.

Lackey was a dependable starting pitcher for several seasons, but rarely stood out.  He did finish fourth in the Rookie of the Year vote in 2002 and third in the Cy Young vote in 2007 when he went 19-9 and led the league with a 3.01 ERA.  Lackey's standout quality was his ability to pitch in big games.  He was a part of three World Championship teams, including winning the clinching game of the 2013 World Series.  Unfortunately, this is not enough to qualify him for the Hall of Fame.  His career numbers of 188-147 with a 3.92 ERA and 2,294 strikeouts are not impressive enough for the Hall.  He will be off the ballot after one year.

MIKE NAPOLI

TEAMS: Angels, Rangers, Red Sox, Indians
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: All Star
IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Angels?  A legitimate argument could be made for any of his teams.
WILL HE BE ELECTED?: No.

Napoli never led the league in any category and was an All Star just once.  He had a lot of power, especially for a catcher as he was for most of the beginning of his career.  He eventually moved to first base and designated hitter full-time.  Napoli was known for his leadership abilities and for his gritty play, most on display with being a member of the 2013 World Champion Red Sox and 2016 AL champion Cleveland Indians.  Unfortunately, the numbers just are not there.  He hit 267 career home runs over 12 seasons and hit 30 or more twice.  His career line was .246/.346/.475 with 744 career RBIs.  That just is not getting him in.  Nor will he get much support.

JHONNY PERALTA

TEAMS: Indians, Tigers, Cardinals
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 3x All Star
IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Indians
WILL HE BE ELECTED?: No.

Peralta hit 20 or more home runs and was an All Star three times as primarily a shortstop.  He even garnered some MVP support one year.  Unfortunately, his career was far too inconsistent to make any real headway towards Hall of Fame support.  His line was .267/.329/.423 with 202 career home runs and 873 RBIs.  He also struck out a lot, striking out more than 100 times nine times.  He was a solid player for 15 years, but nowhere near enough for the Hall of Fame.  I would be surprised if he received any votes.

ANDY PETTITTE

TEAMS: Yankees, Astros
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 3x All Star
IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Yankees
WILL HE BE ELECTED?: Probably not.

Pettitte was a great post-season performer and one of the best starting pitchers for the dynasty Yankees of the late 1990's/early 2000's.  This has led to a perception of him being a bit better than he was.  He was certainly good, and he finished in the top five of the Cy Young vote four times.  But he benefitted from pitching for great Yankees teams most of his career and being durable.  He only led the league in any major category once: wins in 1996, which is a result of playing for the Yankees.  He had a record of 256-153 with a 3.85 ERA and 2,448 strikeouts.  I do suspect there will be a following to try to get him in, but he does have inclusion in the Mitchell Report to contend with.  

MANNY RAMIREZ

TEAMS: Indians, Red Sox, Dodgers, White Sox, Rays
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 12x All Star, 9x Silver Slugger
IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Red Sox
WILL HE BE ELECTED?: Not soon.

Had Manny not been suspended twice for PED test failures, he would already be in the Hall of Fame.  There is zero question about his numbers or his accolades.  He finished second in the Rookie of the Year vote in 1994 and in the top five for the MVP four times.  He has won a batting title and led the league in home runs and RBIs.  He has a career stat line of .312/.411/.585.  Those are CAREER numbers.  He hit 555 home runs and drove in 1,831 runs.  And he could have done more had he not been suspended twice.  This is his seventh year on the ballot and he has yet to crack 30%.  I do not see him getting in any time soon, even if his numbers would merit inclusion.

ALEX RODRIGUEZ

TEAMS: Mariners, Rangers, Yankees
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 3x MVP (2003, 2005, 2007), 14x All Star, 2x Gold Glove, 10x Silver Slugger
IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Yankees
WILL HE BE ELECTED?: Not soon.

Rodriguez has basically the same problem as Manny Ramirez.  He was suspended for an entire season due to PED usage.  He admitted to a large amount of use during his time with the Rangers in particular.  Again, like Ramirez, his numbers would easily merit induction.  He was one of the best players in the game during his career and would be on a list of the greatest players of all time just looking at his numbers.  He hit .295/.380/.550 with 696 home runs (fifth all time) and 2,086 RBIs.  In his early years, he even stole quite a few bases, being one of just four players to make the 40/40 mark.  The baseball writers did not elect Roger Clemens or Barry Bonds, there is no way they will elect Alex Rodriguez or Manny Ramirez.

FRANCISCO RODRIGUEZ

TEAMS: Angels, Mets, Brewers, Orioles, Tigers
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 4x All Star
IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Angels
WILL HE BE ELECTED?: Maybe?

Hall of Fame elections have been pretty inconsistent when it comes to closers.  Of course Mariano Rivera is the only player to be elected unanimously.  It is kind of a crapshoot with other closers.  Rodriguez's major claim to fame is that he holds the all-time single season saves record with 62 saves in 2008.  He led the league in saves three times and has 437 in his career.  Rodriguez was an elite closer who also managed to finish in the top five of the Cy Young vote three times.  He had a career ERA of 2.86 and struck out 1,142 batters in 976 innings pitched.  I could see Rodriguez sticking on the ballot and maybe garnering support as time goes on.  Billy Wagner has.  But Joe Nathan was similarly dominant and he dropped off the ballot after one year.  Closers are a crapshoot.

SCOTT ROLEN

TEAMS: Phillies, Cardinals, Blue Jays, Reds
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Rookie of the Year (1997), 7x All Star, 8x Gold Glove, Silver Slugger
IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Phillies maybe?
WILL HE BE ELECTED?: Yes.  Likely this year.

Rolen is the most likely player on the ballot to be elected this time around.  He has been steadily building support over his five years on the ballot and made it to 63% last year.  With no obvious new candidates and a big logjam from the last few years broken down, it is likely he gets in this year.  Rolen was a terrific defensive third-baseman who could hit a little too.  He had a stat line of .281/.364/.490 with 316 career home runs and 1,287 RBIs.  He finished fourth in the MVP vote in 2004 with the Cardinals.  Third base is underrepresented in the Hall of Fame and Rolen was arguably the best National League third-basemen during his generation.  That is usually enough to get someone in.  

JIMMY ROLLINS

TEAMS: Phillies, Dodgers, White Sox
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: MVP (2007), 3x All Star, 4x Gold Glove, Silver Slugger
IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Phillies
WILL HE BE ELECTED?: Possibly?

Rollins stayed on the ballot last year, but finished with just under 10% of the vote.  Rolen did just a little bit better than that in his first year on the ballot, so anything is possible.  Rollins had a pretty good career that included an MVP award in 2007 and playing on a World Championship team in 2008.  He led the league in runs once, triples four times and stolen bases once, so there is some black ink on his Baseball Reference page.  For his career, he hit .264/.324/.418 with 231 home runs, 936 RBIs and 1,421 runs scored.  He also had 2,455 hits, so he was not far from 3,000.  He stole 470 bases.  And he was a shortstop.  I think he has a sneaky good candidacy that could easily pick up steam over time.  

GARY SHEFFIELD

TEAMS: Brewers, Padres, Marlins, Dodgers, Braves, Yankees, Tigers, Mets
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 9x All Star, 5x Silver Slugger
IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Marlins?
WILL HE BE ELECTED?: Possibly at some point by an Eras Committee.

Sheffield has similar numbers to Manny Ramirez, though slightly less.  He does not have the PED suspensions that Ramirez had, but his name came up in the BALCO investigation.  That, coupled with his surly temperament and ability to wear out his welcome with every team he played for has made it difficult for him in the voting.  He has been on the ballot for eight years now, and has been stuck at 40% for the last two.  Time is running out.  His numbers are certainly there: .292/.393/.514 with 509 home runs and 1,676 RBIs.  I just don't see him getting voted in by the BBWAA.

HUSTON STREET

TEAMS: Athletics, Rockies, Padres, Angels
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Rookie of the Year (2005), 2x All Star
IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Athletics
WILL HE BE ELECTED?: No.

Street is one of three closers on the ballot this year and he has the least chance being elected of them.  He is also the most likely to be one and done on the ballot.  That is not to say that he was not a great closer.  He won the Rookie of the Year in 2005 and saved 324 career games in 13 seasons.  He had a career ERA of 2.95 and was below 2.00 in four seasons.  He had a record of 42-34 with 665 career strikeouts.  Those numbers are just not enough to keep him on the ballot, much less get him in the Hall of Fame.

OMAR VIZQUEL

TEAMS: Mariners, Indians, Giants, Rangers, White Sox, Blue Jays
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 3x All Star, 11x Gold Glove
IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Indians
WILL HE BE ELECTED?: Looking less and less likely.

Three years ago it looked like Vizquel would build enough support to get elected.  In his third year on the ballot, he cracked the 50% mark.  But then, some less than savory information came out that hurt his candidacy.  His support since then has shrunk to below 25%, lower than he even started out.  I am okay with this.  I have covered Vizquel several times and have called him a highly overrated candidate.  He was a terrible hitter for most of his career, finishing with an OPS of .688 and an OPS+ of 82.  His 2,877 hits were due to playing 24 seasons.  His defense is what kept him in the league as he won 11 Gold Gloves, but advanced defensive metrics suggest that he was overrated.   

BILLY WAGNER

TEAMS: Astros, Phillies, Mets, Red Sox, Braves
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 7x All Star
IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Astros
WILL HE BE ELECTED?: Probably.

I have come around on Wagner over the years.  Right now, I think he will probably get in in the next couple years.  He is running low on time, this is his eighth year on the ballot, but he is heading in the right direction.  He appeared on 51% of the ballots last year and appears to have gained a few already this year.  Wagner was a dominant closer, striking out 1,196 batters over just 903 innings pitched and saving 422 games.  He had a career ERA of 2.31.  I think he will get in while still on the BBWAA ballot, with an outside chance of making it this year.  

JERED WEAVER

TEAMS: Angels, Padres
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: 3x All Star
IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Angels
WILL HE BE ELECTED?: No.

In looking at Weaver's career, he is better than I remembered him being.  Maybe I had him confused with his brother Jeff.  Of course, I still doubt he receives more than a vote or two, and most likely none.  He did finish in the top five of Cy Young voting three years in a row, with a high of second to Justin Verlander in 2011.  He led the league in wins twice and strikeouts once.  His career record was 150-98 with a 3.63 ERA and 1,621 strikeouts.  It looks like he started to struggle in his 30's then dealt with injuries and that was pretty much it for his career.

JAYSON WERTH

TEAMS: Blue Jays, Dodgers, Phillies, Nationals
ACCOMPLISHMENTS: All Star
IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Nationals
WILL HE BE ELECTED?: No.

Werth was a slugging outfielder who primarily played for the Phillies and Nationals.  He was a big bat in the lineup for the 2008 World Champion Phillies and hit more than 20 home runs six times during his career, with a career high of 36.  But, he was an All Star just once and only led the league in one category one year throughout his career (doubles), and he never drove in 100 runs.  His career stat line was .267/.360/.455 with 229 home runs and 799 RBIs.  That just is not getting it done.

PREDICTIONS

1.  Scott Rolen is the only player to get elected.

2.  Jeff Kent makes a big gain, but it is too little, too late and he drops off the ballot.

3.  Todd Helton, Andruw Jones and Billy Wagner all make big gains, positioning them to be elected in the next couple of years.  

4.  Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez make modest gains, but continue to stagnate.

5.  Carlos Beltran and Francisco Rodriguez are the only newcomers to remain on the ballot.  None of the other newcomers receive even one vote and drop off.

Finished a Vintage Team Set

Several years ago I targeted the 1959 Topps team set as one I could possibly complete.  It did not feature any real high-priced cards.  There were some stars, but no huge ones (Ted Williams was notably absent) and no big rookie cards (Yastrzemski came the next year).

This Gary Geiger card completed the set.  As could be guessed from the photo, Geiger was new to Boston in 1959.  Hence, no cap.  He was traded by Cleveland prior to the season along with Vic Wertz for fan favorite Jimmy Piersall.  Geiger had trouble staying on the field.  He put up decent numbers during his time in Boston, but was injured a lot.  He also had a little bit of pop in his bat, hitting more than 15 home runs three times.  He also stole more than 15 bases twice.  Geiger had a lot of talent, but injuries made it difficult to harness that talent.  

So this means 1959 Topps is my oldest complete team set, surpassing the 1978 Topps team set.  I really have some work to do with vintage.

The Jason Varitek Quest for 1,000: #976

 

Jason Varitek card #976 is the 2021 Topps Archives 1989 Big Foil Blue parallel.  That is a mouthful.  These cards have a blue border, sort of.  Quite frankly, in a certain light the normal cards look like they have a blue border.  Still, it's another card and another step closer to 1,000.

A Rant

I don't really know what happened here.  The Red Sox front office, either through CEO Chaim Bloom or ownership itself, just never really seemed to step up.  Xander Bogaerts is now gone.  Arguably the face of the franchise and certainly the longest tenured player is headed to San Diego.  The contract is massive.  $280 million for eleven years.  I do not blame the Red Sox for not matching that.  Xander is going to be 30 next season and has seen his power numbers dip, and he has never been great defensively.  Certainly he will have to move positions at some point.  But, the fact remains that it never should have gotten this far.  

Boston had the chance to extend him last year.  He wanted an extension.  But they never seemed to take it seriously.  Just like with Jon Lester, they seemed to assume he would just take whatever they offered him.  They could have locked him up for another five years and it would not have hurt them that much.  In the end, it seems their offer was for six with the possibility of adding a year.  But for some crazy reason, the Padres offered eleven.  I have no idea what the Padres are thinking.  They now have three infielders on $300 million contracts, including two shortstops.  And they will have to make a decision regarding Juan Soto.  They are spending money like it is endless.  That's not my concern.  

What is my concern is what Boston does next.  Rafael Devers is now the face of the franchise, if he wasn't before.  But he will be a free agent after 2023.  Is the Boston front office going to step up and lock him up?  If he is allowed to leave, who's left?  They do not have another homegrown star right now.  Matt Barnes has the longest tenure on the team, having been there since 2014, but his hold on a roster spot is tenuous after a major collapse in 2021.  Chris Sale is next, but he has had a hard time staying on the field since 2019 and his surliness is not exactly endearing to the media.  They do have some guys coming up, including Triston Casas and eventually Marcelo Mayer, who is the heir apparent at shortstop.  But those guys are rookies and prospects.  If Devers leaves, this team really has no identity.  Does the front office even care?  It certainly does not seem like it.

We will probably never know how hard the team tried to keep Xander around.  But it sure doesn't look like they tried that hard.  They were blown out of the water by the offer from the Padres.  Sure, that contract is going to look horrible in about five years, but it never should have gotten this far.  If they had taken it seriously last Spring, they may never have been in this position.  Now, they need to step up and treat their one remaining homegrown player right.  Probably even treat him better than right.  Devers should be able to name his price and the front office should say absolutely, yes.  

Boston fans are getting tired of seeing homegrown stars walk out the door.  I know I am.  I have been a fan since 1991.  I have seen Wade Boggs, Ellis Burks, Roger Clemens, Mike Greenwell, Mo Vaughn, Nomar Garciaparra, Trot Nixon, Kevin Youkilis, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jon Lester, Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi, Christian Vazquez and now Xander Bogaerts all leave.  It has not always been the same ownership, but the results have been the same.  The team has not stepped up to keep the homegrown stars happy.  Players around the league see that and it makes them less likely to come to Boston.  

The three longest tenured players during my fandom have been David Ortiz, Jason Varitek and Tim Wakefield.  There is something to be said for the team keeping them around, though they certainly did not make huge long-term deals with any of them.  But all three came from other organizations.  This team is suffering from a massive identity problem and a big part of that comes from how they treat homegrown stars.  The team owes it to its fans to treat their players right.  They can start by extending Devers.  That needs to happen right now.  

Topps Now: October 20, 2021

This was the last Topps Now card from 2021 for the Red Sox.  There was not much to cheer about for Boston on October 20.  They were eliminated from the postseason by the Astros.  But, Rafael Devers hit a home run.  It was his eighth postseason home run.  And Devers had yet to turn 25.  Devers is a special player.  Boston needs to keep him around.

Congratulations Fred McGriff!

On Sunday, the Era Committee met to discuss an eight-player ballot for induction into the Hall of Fame.  Only Fred McGriff was elected.  McGriff was one of my little brother's favorite players when he started watching baseball.  

McGriff played for six teams over 19 seasons.  He came up with the Blue Jays, then played for the Padres, Braves, Devil Rays, Cubs and Dodgers.  He was a five-time All Star and won the Silver Slugger three times.  He led the league in home runs twice and OPS once.  For his career, he hit .284/.377/.509 with 493 home runs and 1,550 RBIs.  The big question is what hat he will wear.  He spent five seasons each with the Blue Jays, Braves and Devil Rays.  He came up with the Blue Jays, but he won a World Series with the Braves and was a bigger star there.  He was the first Devil Rays star and from the Tampa area originally.  I think it very possible he could have no cap on his plaque.

He is a welcome addition to the Hall of Fame, but I would argue he was not the best player on the ballot.  There were three choices that I would argue would have been better picks.  Before I get to them though, who are the also-rans?

Albert Belle played for the Indians, White Sox and Orioles over a 12-year career.  He was a dominant offensive force, but he was forced into early retirement due to injuries (this is going to be a theme).  He hit .295/.369/.580 with 242 home runs.  I do not see him as a realistic Hall of Famer due to the brevity of his career.  Belle was an All Star five times and also won five Silver Sluggers.

IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Indians

Don Mattingly spent his entire 14-year career with the Yankees, though he has been the manager in recent years for the Dodgers and Marlins.  Mattingly hit .307/.358/.471 with 222 home runs and 1,099 RBIs and was largely considered one of the best players in the mid to late 1980's.  His career went downhill quickly though after 1989 due to nagging injuries.  He was the 1985 AL MVP and was a six-time All Star, three-time Silver Slugger and eight-time Gold Glove winner.  I am not a proponent of Mattingly in the Hall, though he finished second on the ballot.  His numbers for a first-baseman are not that great overall.  But I do think that if he gets in based on how great he was in the 1980's, Nomar Garciaparra also has to get in.  That, I would be okay with.

IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Yankees

Dale Murphy won back-to-back MVP awards for the Braves in 1982 and 1983.  He also played with the Phillies and Rockies in an 18-year career.  Like Belle and Mattingly though, his numbers took a sharp decline after the 1987 season.  He was a seven-time All Star, four-time Silver Slugger and won the Gold Glove five times.  Murphy hit .265/.346/.469 with 398 home runs and 1,266 RBIs.  He was a 30/30 man in 1983.  Murphy led the league in home runs twice, RBIs twice and OPS once.  Again, I do not see Murphy as a likely Hall of Famer, but in this recent voting history, he could certainly get in.

IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Braves

Rafael Palmeiro played 20 seasons for the Cubs, Rangers and Orioles.  He spent two stints with both the Rangers and Orioles.  Palmeiro's career was basically over after he became the first high-profile player to be suspended for PED use.  He was a four-time All Star, two-time Silver Slugger and three-time Gold Glove winner.  Notably, he won one Gold Glove for first base after spending much of the season at DH.  Palmeiro hit .288/.371/.515 with 3,020 career hits, 569 home runs and 1,835 RBIs.  He certainly has the numbers to make it to the Hall, but there is that PED suspension to deal with.

IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Rangers

Now, for the three players who I think were better than McGriff, but did not get elected.

Barry Bonds is the single-season (73) and all-time (762) home runs leader.  He played 22 seasons with the Pirates and Giants.  He has won seven MVP awards and a 14-time All Star.  He also won 12 Silver Slugger Awards and eight Gold Glove Awards.  He was once one of the best all-around players in the game, then turned into the top hitter in the game.  Bonds of course, was implicated in steroid use in a high-profile court case involving the BALCO lab.  That has largely kept him from being elected to the Hall of Fame and it hurt him on the Eras ballot as well.  Bonds should be in, he is one of the greatest players of all time and he was never actually suspended for PED use.

IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Giants

Roger Clemens is one of the greatest pitchers of all time, and a seven-time Cy Young Award winner and should have won more.  He pitched 24 seasons in the Majors with the Red Sox, Blue Jays, Yankees and Astros.  He was an 11-time All Star and won the 1986 AL MVP award.  He had a career record of 354-184 with 4,672 strikeouts and an ERA of 3.12.  He led the league in wins four times, ERA seven times and strikeouts five times.  Like Bonds, Clemens was implicated as using steroids, primarily by Jose Canseco in his tell-all book and in the Mitchell Report.  Clemens should be in the Hall of Fame, like Bonds.  He was also never actually suspended.  

IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Red Sox

Curt Schilling pitched 20 seasons for the Orioles, Astros, Phillies, Diamondbacks and Red Sox.  He was a member of three World Championship teams, including the first Red Sox championship in 86 years.  He never won a Cy Young Award, but finished second three times.  He was an All Star six times.  He led the league in wins twice and strikeouts twice.  He had a career record of 216-146 with an ERA of 3.46 and 3,116 strikeouts.  Schilling finished third on the ballot.  He does not have any steroid allegations against him, but his outspoken personality has led to some questionable comments on social media and elsewhere.  He is his own worst enemy.  That being said, his numbers are certainly Hall-worthy.

IF ELECTED, CAP WOULD BE: Phillies?  Blank is certainly possible.

My other issue with this ballot is the players not on it.  The last time this group was voted on, Lou Whitaker and Dwight Evans did well and looked like they could get in.  They should be in.  Neither was even on the ballot this time.  Bonds, Clemens, Schilling and McGriff just fell off of the BBWAA ballot.  Maybe they should have been kept off a bit longer to look closer at Evans and Whitaker.  Furthermore, Belle does not seem like a likely Hall of Famer and Palmeiro has the positive test to contend with.  All in all, I am happy for McGriff, but particularly disappointed Evans was not on the ballot and Clemens and Schilling did not get elected.  Hey, I am a Red Sox fan.

2021 Stadium Club Chrome Ebay Break

I wish I had a scanner that still works.  I feel bad because a lot of these cards deserve to be seen a little bit better than this picture.  Anyway, I tried out another Ebay break for Stadium Club Chrome.

1.  Tanner Houck.  This is my favorite photo and a big reason I wish I had a better scanner.  Love the full shot at Fenway Park.  Houck was the team's first round pick in 2017.  He should have a more settled role next season, quite possibly out of the bullpen.

2.  Garrett Whitlock.  Whitlock was Boston's best rookie in 2021 and an absolute steal in the Rule 5 Draft.  From the Yankees no less.  Whitlock will likely be a started in 2023.  

3.  Hirokazu Sawamura.  Sawamura was a reliable righty from Japan in 2021.  He had some decent moments in 2022, but was eventually released in a purge of relievers who were ineffective.  Somehow, Ryan Brasier still had a job.

4.  Ted Williams.  I always enjoy it when The Splendid Splinter makes an appearance.  Easily the franchise's top player of all time.

5.  Manny Ramirez.  I love this shot too.  Manny is still waiting on his call to the Hall, but it may be a long time given his PED ties.

6.  Xander Bogaerts.  I still love these uniforms.  Bogaerts is Boston's biggest free agent this offseason and will hopefully be brought back.

7.  Rafael Devers.  Probably Boston's biggest star of the moment, the Red Sox need to lock him up too.

8.  David Ortiz.  Ortiz is Boston's most recent Hall of Famer and is one of just a couple of players who have played for four Red Sox World Championship teams. 

9.  Alex Verdugo.  Verdugo came on strong in the second half of 2022.  Hopefully he can build on that in 2023 and finally break out.

10.  Bobby Dalbec.  My only insert from the break is this Dalbec card.  It was recently revealed Dalbec is on the trade block.  I have been saying that for awhile.

Knuckleballer Relic

Showing off another relic I purchased.  I do not have a lot of Tim Wakefield relics, primarily because I do not think there were a lot.  Wakefield was one of the more memorable Red Sox players during my lifetime.  Knuckleballers are so rare.  Since his retirement, we have had R.A. Dickey, Steven Wright and very briefly a couple of other players.  I think Mickey Jannis is the last one I recall.  We need a new full-time knuckleballer.

The Jason Varitek Quest for 1,000: #'s 974 and 975

 A couple of Variteks are up next:

1.  2021 Topps Archives 1989 Big Foil.  Topps resurrected this design for reasons I cannot quite comprehend, though they are the standard size.  It was good to see a few Variteks pop up.

2.  2021 Topps Japan MLB in Japan.  This was a pretty cool card to pop up last year.  Varitek played in Japan as part of the Red Sox team that opened the 2008 season in Japan against the Athletics.  

I am now 25 cards away from the goal.

Former First Rounder Relics

Today's post is a couple of relics of former first round draft picks of the Red Sox.  Neither player is still with the team.  One of them was markedly better than the other.

1.  Deven Marrero.  I remember watching the draft on TV the year Marrero was Boston's first pick and being wholly unimpressed with the pick.  Marrero was a good-fielding, but light-hitting shortstop.  Nevertheless, Marrero made it to the Majors in 2015.  He spent parts of three seasons with the Red Sox and lived up to his reputation.  In those years, he hit just .208/.259/.309 with five home runs, 30 RBIs and seven stolen bases in 109 games.  He was good defensively though.

2.  Andrew Benintendi.  The seventh overall pick in the 2015 Draft looked like he was going to be a star.  He rocketed through the minors and made it to Boston by second half of the 2016 season.  He finished second in the Rookie of the Year vote in 2017 after hitting .271/.352/.424 with 20 home runs, 90 RBIs and 20 stolen bases.  He started off the 2018 great but cooled off considerably in the second half.  He was never the same again in Boston.  He ended up playing through the 2020 season in Boston before being traded to the Royals.  His stats with Boston ended up being a line of .273/.353/.435 with 51 home runs, 53 stolen bases and 260 RBIs.  Certainly decent, but not quite what was expected of him.  He is a free agent this offseason after being traded to the Yankees at the trading deadline.  It will be interesting to see where he ends up next.

Boston Sapphire Sox

I bought a couple of the Sapphire cards from last year, which is not something I do frequently.

1.  Christian Vazquez.  I had to grab Vazquez as he was one of my favorite players, up until he was traded to the Astros at the trading deadline.  That deal really upset me.  Vazquez had been one of my favorites for the last several years and it took me by surprise that they would trade him away.  I am hoping for a reunion, but not expecting one.

2.  Marwin Gonzalez.  I know he was terrible in Boston, but there were not a lot of cards of him.  I like to get cards of players that are kind of rare.  This card is also one that did not have a regular version in Chrome.  So that was another reason to get it.

Project 70: Xander Bogaerts by Lauren Taylor

I discussed this a little bit before.  My favorite artist from the Project 70 set was easily Lauren Taylor.  Her artwork is incredible.  Luckily, she also did a couple of Red Sox cards.  I showed off the All Star card of Rafael Devers with Nolan Arenado earlier this year.  She did one of Xander Bogaerts as well.  It was a very easy decision to grab this one.  It's a terrific-looking card.

Topps must have agreed with how great Lauren Taylor's artwork is.  She ended up doing a small set this year.  I picked up the Red Sox cards and will show them off when I receive them.