With Spring Training just weeks away, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Who will get the call from the Hall?
The results of this year’s round of Hall of Fame voting will be announced at 5pm CT this evening, determining who will join former Pirates, Marlins, Rockies, and Tigers manager Jim Leyland in being inducted into Cooperstown on July 13. Third baseman Adrian Beltre appears to be all but guaranteed to join Leyland in this year’s class. As shown by the Baseball Hall of Fame Vote Tracker maintained by Ryan Thibodaux, Beltre has received votes on a whopping 99% of publicly-known ballots at the moment. With 53.4% of ballots known, Beltre would need votes from less than 60% of the remaining ballots to secure his spot in Cooperstown. In addition to Beltre, Twins catcher Joe Mauer and Rockies first baseman Todd Helton both appear to have a strong chance of getting the call this evening with votes on 82.9% and 82% of known ballots, respectively.
Southpaw closer Billy Wagner (77.6%) and slugging outfielder Gary Sheffield (75.1%) are both also on paths to clear the 75% threshold and land a plaque in Cooperstown, though the odds either player makes it in are still up in the air at this point. This year’s results are particularly key for Sheffield, as this is his tenth and final appearance on the ballot. By contrast, Wagner is in his ninth year of eligibility while Helton is in his 6th. Mauer and Beltre just joined the ballot this year. On the other end of the spectrum, left-handed starter Mark Buehrle, third baseman David Wright, right-handed closer Francisco Rodriguez, and outfielder Torii Hunter all have been selected on between 4% and 8% of public ballots. Players need at least 5% of the total vote to remain on the ballot for the following year.
2. Paxton headed out West?
The Dodgers appear to be nearing a deal to add a third starting pitcher to their rotation this winter, as reports have indicated the club is close to a one-year deal with veteran southpaw James Paxton. If the deal is completed, Paxton would join fellow offseason acquisitions Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow as well as internal arms Bobby Miller and Walker Buehler in the club’s likely starting five. The Dodgers have an open spot on their 40-man roster, so no corresponding move will be necessary to bring in Paxton if the deal is completed. Big Maple’s likely departure from the free agent market takes another mid-rotation arm off the board, leaving Mike Clevinger, Michael Lorenzen and Hyun-Jin Ryu among the best remaining options.
3. MLBTR Chat Today:
With just three weeks left until Spring Training, there’s plenty of boxes still unchecked on the offseason shopping lists of clubs all around the league. Are you wondering what’s next for your favorite team, or perhaps curious about what the market for a particular free agent looks like? If so, tune in this afternoon when MLBTR’s Steve Adams hosts a live chat with readers at 1pm CT. You can click here to ask a question in advance, and that same link will allow you to join in on the chat once it begins or read the transcript after its completed.