View from the Catwalks: Buck O’Neil and Tony O. are among the six new Hall of Famers
Buck O’Neil headlines six new Hall of Famers, Joey Wendle is traded, and the owners lock out the players.
Some light housekeeping before we get to the news. Going forward, the View from the Catwalks will be limited to a weekly feature, on Mondays, assembled by me. So if you see any interesting stories, feel free to tweet them at me or email me a link.
Onward!
On Sunday evening, the National Baseball Hall of Fame announced six new members would be inducted in 2022: Negro League legends Buck O’Neil (finally!) and Bud Fowler via the Early Baseball Era Committee, and Minnie Miñoso, Tony Oliva, Jim Kaat, and Gil Hodges via the Golden Days Era Committee.
We couldn't be more thrilled to welcome Gil Hodges, Jim Kaat, Minnie Miñoso, Tony Oliva, Bud Fowler and Buck O'Neil to Cooperstown!https://t.co/ax8NfTumYq pic.twitter.com/FY99BQyMU2
— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) December 6, 2021
Unfortunately, Dick Allen fell one vote shy (again).
On a momentous Hall of Fame day, here's some reaction from me, @JRFegan @AaronGleeman and @alec_lewis.
— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) December 6, 2021
James, Aaron and Alec had the fun job: Looking at the election of Minnie Minoso, Tony Oliva & Buck O'Neil. I reflected on another Dick Allen near-miss.https://t.co/t5MOh76MCN
Meanwhile, HOF ballots for the regular order (?) elections are trickling in. As always, Ryan Thibodaux is your source for how that’s progressing.
As just announced by @baseballhall, here's the 2022 @officialBBWAA Hall of Fame ballot: pic.twitter.com/tesaStndwI
— Ryan Thibodaux (@NotMrTibbs) November 22, 2021
Just in front of the deadline, and right before the lockout started, my heart was ripped from my chest when Joey Wendle was dealt to the Marlins for outfield prospect Kameron Misner.
Cannot quite put into words how much I’ll miss covering Joey Wendle. Incredible human as well as his wonderful wife, Lindsey.
— Tricia Whitaker (@TriciaWhitaker) December 1, 2021
One of the most selfless — probably THE most selfless athlete I’ve ever covered.
Best of luck, Joey. We will miss you, your family, your heart & hustle. pic.twitter.com/2KMtApAfkK
All the best to Joey Forearms and his family!
As for the return, here’s a Fish Stripe piece by Spencer Morris from this past September where he goes into whether Kameron Misner has turned a corner.
Of course, Wendle wasn’t the only player on the move last week.
As expected by literally everyone, the owners locked out the players at midnight on December 1st. It is the first labor stoppage since baseball nearly destroyed itself in 1994/95. Sporting News has a good breakdown on baseball’s labor history in baseball and how we got here.
Because of the lockout, there have been changes on MLB’s webpage, the biggest likely being the decision to pull down all photos of active players. The players responded in solidarity by pulling their own profile pictures from social media. But nobody did this better than “Crazy Eyes” Pete Fairbanks.
Omg I’m dying at Pete fairbanks’ IG photo #RaysUp pic.twitter.com/TN28rKOHbq
— Jared Ward (@Jaredsward) December 3, 2021
Rob Manfred wrote a letter to fans. Yawn.
The Players Union also wrote a letter.
Statement from the Major League Baseball Players Association: pic.twitter.com/34uIGf762W
— MLBPA Communications (@MLBPA_News) December 2, 2021
The Rays emailed their own statement to the fans. It used the same “defensive lockout” language that Manfred did.
#Rays said in an email to fans they are "disappointed" with the current situation, that MLB was "forced to commence a defensive lockout” after having "exhausted every reasonable avenue” to get a deal done with union.https://t.co/ztSMfQcAER
— Marc Topkin (@TBTimes_Rays) December 3, 2021
This is a good look at the deal players have.
Free agency requirements haven't changed since 1976. Arbitration eligibility hasn't changed much since '91. Player career length has changed *a lot.* Service time declined 23% from 2003 to '19. Manfred wrote that MLB players have the best deal. They don't. https://t.co/Bqtq75jtiM
— Travis Sawchik (@Travis_Sawchik) December 3, 2021
Enough of that labor nonsense. Our own Homin caught some fun clips of Ji-Man Choi playing in a charity game. Switch hitting!
Breaking news. Ji-Man choi tries switch-hitting again in this offseason. #Rays (thread) pic.twitter.com/QrdgKLAO45
— Homin Lee (@Homein22) December 4, 2021
And pitching!
Moreover, he is ready to give us @Brett_Phillips8 level excitement. #Rays pic.twitter.com/snT06wkxBC
— Homin Lee (@Homein22) December 4, 2021
Mayor Krisemen announced that Miami’s Midtown Development will redevelop the Trop site.
On Wednesday, St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman announced that Midtown Development out of Miami will redevelop Tropicana Field’s 86-acre property into a massive space for retail, offices, housing, and green space that may or may not contain a stadium. https://t.co/0PlULVX0pz
— FOX 13 Tampa Bay (@FOX13News) December 2, 2021
Russell Carleton, who has previously voiced doubts about the efficacy of the shift, also has doubts about the opener.
Shameless self-promotion: I have my doubts about whether "the opener" actually works. @baseballpro https://t.co/tI1823srvm
— Russell A. Carleton (@pizzacutter4) December 1, 2021
R.J. Anderson with a piece on college coaches embracing the data revolution.
Regarding those Yankees coaching promotions, I wrote about Lawson and Druschel when they were both working at the collegiate level: https://t.co/Qtbc6VQeIJ
— R.J. Anderson (@r_j_anderson) December 3, 2021
Lastly, Daisuke Matsuzaka retired over the weekend.
Ichiro surprised Daisuke Matsuzaka at his retirement ceremony last night. Incredible moment. pic.twitter.com/tV2SsMzQR8
— Ben Porter (@Ben13Porter) December 4, 2021