Here we go… my 11^th straight Hall of Fame ballot. I must say though, what started as a childhood love for the Hall, and continued with semi-regular pilgrimages there starting with Robbie Alomar’s induction in 2011, has now lost some of its luster for me. Continue reading →

According to what I can find in old emails that I’ve posted to this website, 2017 marks my 10^th Baseball Hall of Fame ballot.

I wonder if this means that I have now reached my requisite years of baseball writing and am eligible for an actual hall of fame ballot? I can only assume so! I stress each year wondering what I’m going to write to keep things fresh. Stats don’t change, my opinion doesn’t change.  Continue reading →

I find it very funny that I now have an actual following of this silly, once-a-year blog. For those of you who know me, or sort of know me, you know that I love baseball. I love the numbers. I love the history. I love the pageantry, even when it’s cheesy. I love the experience of live baseball and the weird sense of community. I get lost in all the clichés and I find nothing more relaxing sitting at the stadium, scoring a ballgame… well, it’s not always relaxing. I seem to recall a certain seventh inning of a certain game 5 – at the same time the best and worst baseball experience of my life! (Editor’s note: Whaaaaaaa? “Relaxing”? I have never seen you relaxed at a ball game. Never. Game 5 or no game 5. I think you do not know what this word means.) Continue reading →

The invention of Twitter is either the best or worst thing that ever happened to me as a baseball fan.

As many of you know, I have been preparing mock hall of fame ballots for at least the last dozen or so years. This started as maybe a fun launching point of debate at work or with my fellow Triumph member community but has now turned into something completely different. Mrs. Taxman has even made me my own site (you can see some past ballots that I was able to find) and I have even received requests waiting for my ballot. With the ease of access to information, Twitter, voter columns, opinions, and personal Hall of Fame pilgrimages, I have too much information available and thus have significantly expanded the word count over the years to the point that I am not sure anyone reads anymore. Continue reading →

One of our favourite rooms on the planet!

Well, it’s that time of the year again. It’s the time when I know I will be upset over something so stupid.

Last year I made my fourth lifetime trip to Cooperstown, second on induction weekend.

Cooperstown is a magical and mystical place, especially to someone who grew up loving baseball. It’s a place where legends are remembered and no matter how old you are you become a child again, swept up in it all. And on the Saturday of Hall of Fame Weekend, the last weekend in July, all the heroes from your childhood and legends from before parade up and down the one street in town; the one with the traffic light.

If you’ve never been to Cooperstown stop thinking about going, just go. It’s a quick 5-hour drive from Toronto.

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Like in tax, there are a lot of acronyms in here. If you have any questions, I am happy to answer them. Team Taxman is my fantasy baseball team. Enjoy.

Our hotel is booked and Stacie and I have hall of fame weekend in Cooperstown planned and ready to go. We are going first and foremost to honour Tom Cheek, but also to revel in the spectacle that is hall of fame weekend. Continue reading →

As is customary, I am going to complete my hall of fame ballot before it is released today. Like many, I am predicting that only Barry Larkin makes it in.

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As is customary, I am going to complete my hall of fame ballot and forget to mail it in. When scanning through the list, I note many names of guys that I either owned in fantasy or battled against. I am also pretty sure I have seen all of them live; for some admittedly late in their career. Continue reading →

Rickey Henderson

Bert Blyleven

Mark McGwire

Tim Raines

Jack Morris

Dan Plesac – anyone who comes out in the 5^th inning to shovel dirt, should get at least one vote before being kicked off the ballot.

I know that I am being a bit of a hypocrite with the Morris vote, since I am not voting for Rice or Dawson but am voting for Morris using the same criteria that people would use to vote Morris in.