Top News:
Kuiperfan / Joe Posnanski:
Hall of Fame: The Eight Definites — In my mind, there are eight players on this year's ballot who are clearly above my Hall of Fame standard. That does not mean that they are without their flaws. A couple of them have significant flaws ... I refused to vote for one of them for a while until …
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue, FanGraphs Baseball, Beyond the Box Score, Pinstriped Bible …, HardballTalk and Redleg Nation
RELATED:
Bill Conlin / Philly.com:
Jeff Bagwell, Juan Gonzalez belong in Hall of Fame — THE 2011 HALL OF FAME ballot presented the usual challenges and tough decisions common in years without a slam-dunk first-ballot presence. — Bert Blyleven and Roberto Alomar, both painfully close to the magic 75 percent a year ago, are back for another run at the tape.
Jeff Pearlman:
Jeff Bagwell and why I disagree with Joe Posnanski — I was recently directed to this SI.com column, which was penned by Joe Posnanski. — Joe is one of the finest sports writers out there and—from my limited exposure—a genuinely good guy. His passion for baseball blows mine away.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, MVN, Can't Stop The Bleeding and Deadspin
Dan Graziano / Fanhouse MLB Blog:
Jeff Bagwell a ‘No’ for This Hall Voter — No, I didn't vote for Jeff Bagwell for the Hall of Fame. Yes, it's for the reason everybody loves to hate. I don't know for sure that Bagwell took steroids or any other performance-enhancing drugs to help him attain his Hall of Fame-caliber numbers.
Sports Illustrated:
Palmeiro on Hall of Fame: ‘I hope the voters judge my career fairly’
Discussion:
HardballTalk, USA Today, Can't Stop The Bleeding, Fanhouse MLB Blog and Deadspin
Craig Calcaterra / HardballTalk:
Jeff Bagwell denies using PEDs
Discussion:
Associated Press, baseballmusings.com, Fanhouse MLB Blog and ESPN
Lyle Spencer / MLB.com:
Halos may have re-taken lead in Beltre sweeps — Reports indicate Angels have inside track to sign star free agent — The Angels are apparently still alive in the Adrian Beltre derby, and they could be in the driver's seat. — According to Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com …
Discussion:
The LoHud Yankees Blog
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Trsullivan / Postcards from Elysian Fields:
Of Adrian Beltre, Michael Young and Conspiracy Theories — Are the covert Rangers really interested in free agent third baseman Adrian Beltre and have sinister plans for Michael Young? — Or are they just staying around the periphery long enough to drive up the price at the expense of the Angels.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Nick Collias / MLB Rumors:
Rangers, Yankees, Indians Interested in Bartolo Colon — Bartolo Colon's work in the Dominican winter league has continued to draw the attention of major league teams, and the 37-year-old starter sounds eager to sign. According to an AP story out of Santo Domingo, Colon told reporters …
Discussion:
HardballTalk, River Avenue Blues, Sliding Into Home and Fenway West
Associated Press:
Harmon Killebrew Says He Has Esophageal Cancer — MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Hall of Fame slugger Harmon Killebrew has been diagnosed with esophageal cancer. — The 74-year-old Killebrew released a statement through the Minnesota Twins on Thursday, saying he expects to make a full recovery from the “very serious” condition.
Discussion:
The Sommer Frieze
Murray Chass / Murray Chass On Baseball:
MLB LOSES PILLAR OF HONESTY — Bill Lajoie was one of the most remarkable men I ever encountered in Major League Baseball. One reason for that status was he was one of the most honest men I ever met in Major League Baseball. I don't mean he fell short of being 100 percent honest while others didn't.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Associated Press:
Tom Vandergriff dies at 84 — DALLAS — Tom Vandergriff, the former Dallas-area mayor who lured the Texas Rangers out of Washington nearly 40 years ago, has died. He was 84. — The former Arlington mayor's son, Victor Vandergriff, said his father died of natural causes at a Fort Worth hospital Thursday.
