Alomar's HOF credentials
By Roch Kubatko
Is ESPN really coming out with a 3-D channel?
I can't wait for the network to launch ESPN-Boxer Briefs, the first channel that requires you to strip down before watching.
(I don't count late-night Cinemax.)
The latest Hall of Fame inductees will be announced today at 2 p.m., and I'm predicting that Roberto Alomar is elected on the first ballot.
Alomar won a record 10 Gold Gloves at second base in 11 years, along with four Silver Slugger Awards. In 17 seasons, he totaled 2,724 hits, 210...Is ESPN really coming out with a 3-D channel?
I can't wait for the network to launch ESPN-Boxer Briefs, the first channel that requires you to strip down before watching.
(I don't count late-night Cinemax.)
The latest Hall of Fame inductees will be announced today at 2 p.m., and I'm predicting that Roberto Alomar is elected on the first ballot.
Alomar won a record 10 Gold Gloves at second base in 11 years, along with four Silver Slugger Awards. In 17 seasons, he totaled 2,724 hits, 210 home runs, 1,134 RBIs, a .300 batting average and .984 fielding percentage. He also was chosen to 12 consecutive All-Star Games.
He was widely regarded as the best player in baseball at one stage of his career, and the "spitting incident" doesn't erase that fact.
Alomar lost interest with the Orioles in 1998. It was painfully obvious. The team was falling apart after two straight appearances in the ALCS, and Alomar wanted out. It looked like he packed all of his skills in a box and stored them in the attic.
He signed with the Indians over the winter, reuniting him with brother Sandy, and hit .323 with 24 homers, 120 RBIs and 37 stolen bases the following season. The box had been opened.
If Alomar is open to any criticism, I'm more inclined to focus on his tendency to hit the shutoff switch.
For whatever reason, I can't think of Alomar without replaying his final at-bat of the 1997 season. Game 6 of the ALCS, bottom of the 11th inning, Brady Anderson on first base after a two-out single off Jose Mesa, Alomar spinning out of the way to avoid being hit by a pitch, plate umpire Mike Reilly calling him out on strikes.
You had to wonder if Alomar was still being punished one year after the "incident."
Without looking it up, do you remember who started in right field for the Orioles?
Give it some thought, then click here for the boxscore.
I'm also predicting that Andre Dawson is voted in, and I'll be greatly disappointed if Bert Blyleven is denied again.
Alomar won a record 10 Gold Gloves at second base in 11 years, along with four Silver Slugger Awards. In 17 seasons, he totaled 2,724 hits, 210 home runs, 1,134 RBIs, a .300 batting average and .984 fielding percentage. He also was chosen to 12 consecutive All-Star Games.
He was widely regarded as the best player in baseball at one stage of his career, and the "spitting incident" doesn't erase that fact.
Alomar lost interest with the Orioles in 1998. It was painfully obvious. The team was falling apart after two straight appearances in the ALCS, and Alomar wanted out. It looked like he packed all of his skills in a box and stored them in the attic.
He signed with the Indians over the winter, reuniting him with brother Sandy, and hit .323 with 24 homers, 120 RBIs and 37 stolen bases the following season. The box had been opened.
If Alomar is open to any criticism, I'm more inclined to focus on his tendency to hit the shutoff switch.
For whatever reason, I can't think of Alomar without replaying his final at-bat of the 1997 season. Game 6 of the ALCS, bottom of the 11th inning, Brady Anderson on first base after a two-out single off Jose Mesa, Alomar spinning out of the way to avoid being hit by a pitch, plate umpire Mike Reilly calling him out on strikes.
You had to wonder if Alomar was still being punished one year after the "incident."
Without looking it up, do you remember who started in right field for the Orioles?
Give it some thought, then click here for the boxscore.
I'm also predicting that Andre Dawson is voted in, and I'll be greatly disappointed if Bert Blyleven is denied again.
