Detroit Tigers Links: Ivan Rodriguez might make the Baseball Hall of Fame

The Hall of Fame should get a little Pudgier

This is premature, but it looks like Ivan Rodriguez could make it into the Hall of Fame on Wednesday. Sports Illustrated has a good break down of his career and his Hall of Fame chances at large. Even if he doesn’t make it this year, his inclusion seems like it is inevitable. To celebrate, here’s a picture of Pudge with a pony, flanked by a crooked trampoline and a misplaced sink top.

Remembering Maggs and Carlos

We will lament Carlos Guillen’s and Magglio Ordonez’s exclusion from the Hall of Fame later today, but I’m going to pile on since the two of them were directly responsible for a pennant and the resurgence of the Detroit Tigers to the national stage.

Guillen, the lesser acclaimed of the two, might have been my favorite player on those teams, and was my jersey of choice during that time. The silky swagger he played middle infield with resonated deeply with my complete inability to field a ground ball. That swagger translated to the plate as well, where he could hit walk-off home runs with the best of them. He had three All-Star Game appearances with the team — it should have been four — and a torrid five-year period where he hit .308, slugged nearly .500, and gathered 361 RBI. Quite the career in the Olde English D.

Magglio needs less introduction. He holds one of the most iconic hits in franchise history, as well as a ludicrous 2007 season where he hit .363 with 139 RBI. He hit .300 in his sleep and was an anchor of the Tigers lineups for half a decade. Here is some prospective from SB Nation’s Grant Brisbee on the players not making a return to the ballot.

Both were great players on great teams and I will remember the joy they brought me and the city of Detroit for the rest of my life.

JaCoby Jones is eyeing starting spot

And, well, he should. The current options are not ideal.

Rob Parker also trolls ballot boxes

That’s a trash ballot, and you should feel bad.

I wouldn’t say I’ll be missing him

It appears that Jim Joyce is retiring. This really more of a heads up, because I don’t actually want to discuss The Incident.

Okay, one comment: that link takes you to an umpire ejection fantasy league and I am so in.

Jerry Dipoto is basically a video game

If you have been following baseball at all the last year and a half, you know that the Seattle Mariners have been very active in the trade market, especially this offseason. What you may not have known, is just how active they have been.

That is an outrageous stat. One in every four trades that has taken place has involved the Mariners. It’s even more interesting when you frame it against the lack of movement from the organization before Jerry’s arrival.

And while we are on the topic of video game GMs, I stumbled across a browser powered baseball GM simulator game on Reddit. I would suggest it, but make sure you have some free time, because it’s highly addictive.

For your free time

The Padres signed Wil Myers to an $83 million extension. That is the largest contract ever signed by a player who blatantly spells his name wrong. The Rangers are re-signing Josh Hamilton. I forgot about his existence. Alex Rodriguez will star in a depressing show. Jose Bautista finally gets his deal with the Blue Jays. Keon Broxton looks like the Brewers’ best player.

Baseball is awesome