Chicago Baseball Stories

Hall of Fame Candidates Don't Measure Up To Santo

Bob Vorwald posted Nov 8, 2010 | no comments |

Bob Vorwald

Bob Vorwald is the executive producer of WGN Sports. His in-game assignment is to accept blame.

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This is another post about Ron Santo getting into the Hall of Fame, but it admittedly takes me awhile to get there.

The Baseball Hall of Fame announced today that 12 individuals are up for election to the Hall by the new Expansion Era Committee and any winners will be announced at the baseball winter meetings in Orlando on December 6. The Hall has done away with the "we don't want anybody else in our club and if pressured, we'll just vote in a dead guy like Joe Gordon" panel of all living HOF members doing the Veterans voting. Instead, this year the new panel votes on a group selected from 1973-present. Next year, the panel will look at Golden Era nominees from 1947-72, and the following year the pre-Integration nominees (1871-1946) get their shot, then they continue to rotate going forward.

The 16-member panel consists of Hall of Famers Johnny Bench, Whitey Herzog, Eddie Murray, Jim Palmer, Tony Perez, Frank Robinson, Ryne Sandberg, and Ozzie Smith, as well as executives Bill Giles (Phillies), David Glass (Royals), Andy MacPhail (Orioles), and Jerry Reinsdorf (Sox). Bob Elliott (Toronto Sun), Tim Kurkjian (ESPN), Tom Verducci (SI), and Ross Newhan (retired LA Times) round out the panel.

They will fix the travesty of Marvin Miller's absence from the Hall and also vote on Billy Martin (don't care), George Steinbrenner (yes for the impact he had on the game), and Pat Gillick (don't think so). They will also discuss the following players, nice careers all, but none of which in my opinion ever established a period of sustained excellence that qualifies for the Hall of Fame.

Al Oliver - no
Tommy John - no
Rusty Staub - no (Le Grande Orange belongs in the Nickname HOF)
Ted Simmons - no (loved you as part of Harvey's Wallbangers Simba, but no)
Vida Blue - no
Ron Guidry - no
Dave Concepcion - no (enough of the Big Red Machine already)

And Steve Garvey. Maybe, and believe me, it's hard to type even that. In my crowd, any time there is the slightest chance of anything bad happening, the quick advice offered is "walk Garvey". Remove all doubt. Stay away from danger. Walk Garvey. October 6, 1984. Sigh. Where was I?

Oh yeah, Steve Garvey in the Hall of Fame. The ironman streak (National League record at 1,207) and his post-season body of work should be considered. He was a ten-time All-Star and won an MVP. Maybe I could stomach it, because if Garvey gets in, it would mean Ron Santo should be a lock. Santo's numbers trump Garvey's across the board: HR (342-272), RBI (1331-1308), OBP (.362-.329), OPS (.826-.775), OPS+ (125-116), Gold Gloves (5-4). Garvey has a slim edge in batting average (.294-.272), runs (1143-1138), and All-Star Games (10-9). I could live with a Hall of Fame with Steve Garvey in it if it means that Ron Santo gets in, too.

I didn't say I'd watch his speech.

Santo is a Hall of Famer by the numbers, especially when compared to others of his time. He should get credit for playing with diabetes throughout his career and for all the good he's done for baseball through his work on WGN Radio. He shouldn't be penalized for the thought that a team that didn't win anything shouldn't have four Hall of Famers, but believe me, that sentiment is huge among his peers who are already enshrined. You didn't like the heel click? Get over it.

So for Ronnie it's wait till next year and it's not like he's ever heard that one before. I'm going on the assumption the experts panel puts him on the 2011 ballot, a no-brainer if ever there was one. Here's hoping sanity and common sense prevails and he goes in then, along with Gil Hodges. That one was hard to type, too. I guess I'm ripping off all my Cub scabs today my stumping for the manager of the '69 Mets, but Hodges belongs in the Hall for his Dodger playing career alone. My pal Willie gave me this one at breakfast yesterday. Did you know that when Hodges retired, he was the most prolific right-handed home run hitter in National League history with 370?

I don't believe the committee stays the same next year, but if it did, Ronnie would have Sandberg and MacPhail in his corner and would Jerry Reinsdorf help out an old Cub? Santo did play for the White Sox for one year...

So c'mon blue ribbon committee. Get it right. Especially next year.

Tagged Baseball Hall of Fame, Cubs, Gil Hodges, Ron Santo, Steve Garvey

Cubs Win! Cubs Win! Cubs Win!

Bob Vorwald posted Nov 3, 2010 | no comments |

Bob Vorwald

Bob Vorwald is the executive producer of WGN Sports. His in-game assignment is to accept blame.

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Congratulations to the Cubs and the city of Mesa. Voters approved funds last night for the Cubs new spring training complex. In case you haven't seen the proposed Wrigleyville West development, here's the drawings shown to the community last month.

Gallery sneak peek (5 images):

View the gallery...

Tagged Cubs, Mesa, spring training, Wrigley Field

Having A Ball

Bob Vorwald posted Oct 28, 2010 | no comments |

Bob Vorwald

Bob Vorwald is the executive producer of WGN Sports. His in-game assignment is to accept blame.

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I've never had more fun working in Chicago television than five years ago today we broadcast the White Sox victory parade. It was such a beautiful day, the crowds were incredible, and we had only been given the details on the actual route at about 7:30 the night before, so our broadcast was a small miracle in itself. But what I'll always remember about that day is my favorite moment in Chicago sports history - when Paul Konerko reached into his pocket and stunned Jerry Reinsdorf by handing him the baseball from the last out of Game 4 two days before. It was a perfect ending to a perfect day.

Paulie explained how it all came about:

"I had caught the last out in all of our victories in the post-season that year, both the division series and the ALCS. Both times, I gave the ball to the winning pitcher of the game, which I felt was the right thing to do. I didn't think about it too much before the game, because I didn't want to get too far ahead of myself. When we were up one game to nothing, then two games to nothing, I didn't want to think about it. Then, we were up three-nothing so before Game 4, I did say to myself, "Hey, if I get the last out, what am I going to do?" I definitely knew I'd keep it, but I knew there would be a celebration and I didn't want someone to take it, so I hid it in my bag.

After the game, I had to make sure I got it to the clubhouse, then took it with me so I had it all the time. I left it alone in a bag or anything like that, because you hear crazy stories about people stealing stuff and I didn't want someone to seek that thing out. I made sure it was in a safe place. I had a jacket on and kept it in right in the inside pocket.

I knew before that I would give it to Jerry, but I didn't know when. It actually worked out that I didn't really see him. I saw him a bit the night we clinched, but the next time I saw him wasn't until we were on the stage at the rally. I was leaving on a plane right after that, so it just worked out that it shook out for me to give it to him there. It wasn't like it was all pre-planned. In my mind, that's who it should have gone to. It wasn't mine, it wasn't for anybody on the team. Maybe I could have thrown it to the fans and let them have at it, but I thought it belonged to the guy who runs the show."

Here's Jerry's version:

"I never could have imagined what happened on the parade day. I was obviously very happy when we won the last game, but it was only afterwards that I realized the impact that winning the World Series had on our community. You could have gone to any cemetery in the Chicago area the next day and found graves decorated in White Sox paraphenalia. I don't know how many people came to me and said they had to be sure that their father or mother or grandfather knew that the White Sox had won the World Series.

The parade was phenomenal. The mayor himself planned the parade so it went through six or seven different neighborhoods. The city estimated there were close to two million people on the parade route and there wasn't one arrest. There wasn't one incident. The signs that were held up along the way were just phenomenal. I had women come up to me after that with tears in their eyes telling me how happy they were and what it had done for their families. I even had one gentleman stop me the following spring in the parking lot and he said that his father died 15 minutes after the last out, but he knew and he died happy. That's the kind of impact that winning the World Series had on this community.

Paul giving me the ball kind of stunned me a little bit. I hadn't given any thought to where the ball was. If somebody had asked me, I would have said I guess Paul has the ball. The year before there was a dispute with the Red Sox and Doug Mientkiewicz and they ended up in litigation. When Paul handed me that ball, it just choked me up and it was a tremendous feeling. It got me in a little bit of trouble with my wife, because I think I said it was the most emotional moment of my life, and she pointed out there was a time when we got married and had some children, so maybe I should have said it was close to the most emotional moment of my life!"

It just doesn't get any better than that.

Tagged Jerry Reinsdorf, Paul Konerko, White Sox

It's A White Sox Winner!

Bob Vorwald posted Oct 26, 2010 | no comments |

Bob Vorwald

Bob Vorwald is the executive producer of WGN Sports. His in-game assignment is to accept blame.

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Good luck to Juan Uribe and Aaron Rowand tonight. Five years ago, they were finishing off the sweep in Houston!

Tagged Juan Uribe, White Sox, World Series

Let's Get Series-ious

Bob Vorwald posted Oct 26, 2010 | no comments |

Bob Vorwald

Bob Vorwald is the executive producer of WGN Sports. His in-game assignment is to accept blame.

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Ramblings while we wait yet another day for the World Series to start so Fox can show us "Rocky Horror Glee" tonight. (Yes, I'm a big fan of the show, but I wish they would tighten up the October baseball calendar.):

*If the Giants win the World Series, shouldn't they give Marlon Byrd some sort of share, since it was his play (and that of Brian McCann) in the All-Star Game that earned them home field advantage? If not money, a lifetime supply of Gilroy garlic fries?

*I'll do my part as every Chicago baseball blogger is right now and remind you that Josh Hamilton was a Cub for five minutes. The Cubs selected him in the Rule V draft on December 7, 2006 and immediately sold him to the Reds. Kudos to whoever was the Ranger that suggested the team celebrate with ginger ale and not champagne to respect Hamilton's sobriety. That's team chemistry.

*Can MLB, and all the other sports for that matter, please get some decent championship hats? They get gaudier and uglier every year. That awful white front needs help. Keep the team color and add a champions logo to make it classy. Either that or give each team member special championship Zubaz pants to complete the current ensemble.

*Leave it to baseball to totally luck out on the weather, at least temperature-wise. We should be spared the shots of players wearing stocking hats under their caps and those giant mittens in the dugouts.

*Finally, here's the great Joe Posnanski with everything you ever want to know about Game 1 starters. And more. Much, much more.

Tagged Joe Posnanski, Josh Hamilton, Marlon Byrd, World Series

The Hits Just Keep Coming

Bob Vorwald posted Oct 20, 2010 | no comments |

Bob Vorwald

Bob Vorwald is the executive producer of WGN Sports. His in-game assignment is to accept blame.

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This screen grab is from 30 fps.

If you missed Brett Gardner's bat flying 100 feet through the air to smash a TBS camera last night, here you go.

Keep "studying" the problem, MLB. I wonder what Tyler Colvin thought if he was watching the game? Again, if the bat had impaled Alex Rodriguez as he was coming down the third base line, would this problem be addressed a bit more urgently?

Tagged Alex Rodriguez, Brett Gardner, TBS, Yankees

Quade, Ryno, and Brenly Will Manage Somehow

Bob Vorwald posted Oct 19, 2010 | no comments |

Bob Vorwald

Bob Vorwald is the executive producer of WGN Sports. His in-game assignment is to accept blame.

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A few random thoughts while waiting for afternoon baseball (only two games left):

*Congratulations to Mike Quade on getting the Cubs job. He certainly earned it with the way he took the bull by the horns in the last two months of the season. I have no idea how to value the type of baseball the Cubs played when they were so far out of it, but the team and organization seemed to rally around Quade. He's certainly paid his dues and having the chance to be at the helm in 2010 can only help him next season.

*I'll be watching with great interest to see what Ryne Sandberg's next move is. He's done everything anyone could ask for in his quest to manage in the majors. It's unprecedented for a Hall of Famer to head to the minors for four years as he has. I'm not sure what his path to a managing job is if he doesn't get one of the openings still available - maybe 3rd base coach for someone? I don't see it being with the Cubs unless he stays at Iowa for another year.

*If Quade wants to focus on one thing for next year, start with defense and catching the ball. Anyone who saw the Braves, Reds, and Rays get bounced last week knows what I mean. The Cubs had 126 errors last year, trailing only Pittsburgh and Washington by one, and tied with Atlanta. The Cubs led the majors with 99 unearned runs, FIFTEEN more than the runner-up Nationals.

*Quade is in the right division to contend each year. Here's one for you. Since the Cardinals won the World Series in 2006, the NL Central is 1-15 in the post-season.

*Former Tribune sports editor Dan McGrath offers up this great view on Bob Brenly's managing future.

*Lost in the bad memories last week of the 7th anniversary of the Cubs Game 6 collapse to the Marlins in 2003 was one bit of good news. The ill-conceived, why drag this up again, ESPN 30 for 30 show on Steve Bartman, "Catching Hell", was supposed to debut October 26. Apparently the director, Alex Gibney, asked for more time and the show has been put off until sometime in 2011. How about the 12th of Never?

Tagged Bob Brenly, Cubs, Mike Quade, Ryne Sandberg, Steve Bartman

Reliving The Nightmare

Bob Vorwald posted Oct 14, 2010 | no comments |

Bob Vorwald

Bob Vorwald is the executive producer of WGN Sports. His in-game assignment is to accept blame.

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After trying not to think about it all day, I have to give in and vent a little bit about the Cubs crushing loss 7 years ago tonight. One of the tried and true "facts" that is constantly spouted involves how Dusty Baker abused Mark Prior in Game 2 of the series by sending him out for the 8th inning with the Cubs up 12-2, which set the stage for Prior's downfall in Game 6.

Remember, the Cubs had given up 9 runs the night before and blew an early 4-0 lead. Dusty sent Prior out for the 8th, watched him walk the first batter, then Randall Simon booted a ball and that was it for Prior. Dave Veres came in, gave up a run, and the Cubs held on to even the series at a game apiece. Prior threw 116 pitches - hardly an absurd workload, especially when you consider he was throwing with a big lead all night, not trying to execute perfect pitches in a one-run game. He was coming off a 133-pitch outing against the Braves, but I'm sorry, you're playing for the World Series, down 1-0, and know there's always a Cubbie occurrence lurking (and several of them then happened six days later, five years before Lou Piniella coined the term).

SIX days later, ON FIVE DAYS REST, yes he had an extra day, Prior was in control with 7 shutout innings against the Marlins when the Cubs World Series dreams blew up. Yes, Prior had thrown a ton of innings and pitches down the stretch - I don't dispute that. I just want to point out that Prior was working on an extra day's rest at that point. Dusty rode Prior and Wood hard, but that's the price you pay when you're trying to grab the ring. Look down at that less-than-vaunted Cub bullpen and I don't blame him for going with arguably the best pitcher in baseball at that point. In the other league, Grady Little went down in similar fashion, I know.

Don't even get me started on the lynching of Steve Bartman. Needless to say, I won't be viewing nor do I see the need for ESPN to drag his name through the mud again next week, even if it is under the auspices of "setting the record straight". Hopefully, some day we'll see him throw out the first pitch amidst thunderous cheers at Wrigley Field. There's no way to ever undo the tremendous wrongs that guy has suffered, but it would be a good start.

Finally, the next Gold Glove Moises Alou earns will be his first so I've never been convinced he would have caught that ball anyway, but if you go back to the 1998 wild card game, Orlando Merced jumped and caught a ball in almost exactly the same spot to get the Cubs out of a jam against the Giants. I guess baseball really does even things out.

Tagged Cubs, Dusty Baker, Mark Prior, Marlins, Steve Bartman

Managing Just Fine

Bob Vorwald posted Oct 12, 2010 | no comments |

Bob Vorwald

Bob Vorwald is the executive producer of WGN Sports. His in-game assignment is to accept blame.

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*Good Fox - Best line from "MoneyBart" on "The Simpsons" Sunday Night came from Moe the Bartender: "The only thing I know about strategy is that whatever the manager does, it's wrong. Unless it works, in which case he's a button pusher." Great cameo by Mike Scioscia.

*Bad Fox - Way to keep that momentum MLB! No games for Wednesday and Thursday. Phillies have five days off and Giants four before their opener Saturday. Hey, it's like the All-Star Break, only longer. No need to have any starting pitching depth in the playoffs. All so we can have Game 7 of the World Series on November 4. (Yes, I know it's TV's fault and I make my living from TV. Blame Fox.)

*Let me get this straight. Bobby Cox, who will be a HOF manager, won one World Series with HOF starters Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, and John Smoltz. Bob Brenly won one World Series with HOF starters Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling, yet is considered lucky to have been in the right spot and has never been offered another managing job? (BB won the division the next year, went 84-78 in 2004 while SF won 100 games in the division, then was canned after the D-Backs gutted the team in 2004.)

*Good news if you are a Rays fan. No baseball post-season series has ever featured wins in every game by the road team.

*Last night the Giants had the bases loaded with Jose Uribe up and Brenly mentioned that Uribe was 4-for-7 with two home runs in those situations this season. I'm pretty sure Dick Stockton followed up with the nugget that both home runs were grand slams. Uh, yeah....

Tagged Bob Brenly, Bobby Cox, Mike Scioscia, The Simpsons

Check This Out

Bob Vorwald posted Oct 8, 2010 | no comments |

Bob Vorwald

Bob Vorwald is the executive producer of WGN Sports. His in-game assignment is to accept blame.

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Yesterday's Rangers-Rays Game 2 turned on a 5th inning missed checked swing call by umpires Jim Wolf and Jerry Meals (SI photo above). Ranger shortstop Michael Young took a two-strike hack against Chad Qualls only to see the home plate and first base umps rule that it was a legal checked swing. The Rays dugout erupted, Young got another swing, and hit the next pitch for a three-run homer.

And the definition of a checked swing in the baseball rulebook is:

Nothin'. It's not there. A sport that gives us a "War and Peace" version of a balk explanation leaves the checked swing up to the umpire's discretion. Yeah, that's a good idea.

Look, the Rangers kicked tail in both games and there's no guarantee Josh Hamilton doesn't come up next and launch one off Qualls - he's no stranger to giving up post-season blasts. Thanks to him, Paul Konerko has a blue seat in his honor at U.S. Cellular Field.

Why not have some sort of replay in place? (Rays manager Joe Maddon got tossed yesterday and I can understand why. Remember he was on the other side of Derek Jeter's master thespian phantom hit by pitch performance a few weeks ago, then had to watch them screw up a pitch that actually did hit Carlos Pena in Game 1) It's just another instance where baseball isn't doing everything possible to make sure the post-season isn't marred by missed calls. I heard Commissioner Selig talk on the radio the other day that the umps are getting 98-99% of the close calls right. Fine, but if the technology is available, and it is, why not get'em all right? (Fortunately, the airlines aren't satisfied that MOST of the time, their number of takeoffs equal the the number of their landings.)

I'm sure there is the worry of hurt feelings among the notoriously thin-skinned umpires union, but it's not that hard to add replay to baseball. Put one umpire in the press box with communications to the television truck(s). He sees something fishy, buzzes the home plate umpire to hang on for a minute, looks at the replay, tells the home plate umpire if the call is changed or upheld, and play goes on. It wouldn't take that long at all.

But it does take someone, like say, the Commissioner, to step in and say, "Let's get it right."

Tagged Bud Selig, instant replay, Michael Young, Rangers, Rays