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Tim Raines, Jeff Bagwell, Ivan Rodriguez Elected To Hall Of Fame

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Tim Raines, Jeff Bagwell and Ivan Rodriguez have been elected to the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame, per an announcement from the Baseball Writers Association of America (full balloting available at that link). Both Raines and Bagwell had to wait for their enshrinement among baseball’s all-time elite, as Raines was on his 10th (and final) ballot this year, while Bagwell was on his seventh. Rodriguez, meanwhile, will receive the call to Cooperstown as a first-ballot Hall of Famer — just the second catcher to ever receive that honor (joining the great Johnny Bench).

Raines, now 57, spent the majority of his career with the Expos, suiting up for Montreal in 13 of the 23 seasons during which he played a Major League game. One of baseball’s greatest leadoff hitters during his peak, the former fifth-round pick played in 2502 Major League games and tallied 10,359 plate appearances while batting .294/.385/.425 with 170 home runs, 808 stolen bases, 1571 runs scored and 980 runs batted in. Not only did Raines rack up stolen bases in bunches during his career — including four straight league-leading seasons of 71+ steals in 1981-84 — he was also extremely efficient in doing so, as evidenced by a career 84.6 percent success rate. The seven-time All-Star spent the bulk of his career playing left field, though he did have cameos in center field and at second base over the life of his illustrious career. Baseball-Reference pegs that career at 68.4 wins above replacement, while Fangraphs credits him for 66.4 WAR.

Now 48 years of age, Bagwell spent his entire 15-year career in an Astros uniform and is widely regarded as one of the greatest Astros of all time (if not the greatest). In 2150 games and 9431 plate appearances, Bagwell batted .297/.408/.540 with 449 home runs, 202 stolen bases, 1529 RBIs and 1517 runs scored. Bagwell was a near-unanimous (one vote shy) National League Rookie of the Year in 1991 when he batted .294/.387/.437 as a 23-year-old, and he was the unanimous NL MVP in a strike-shortened 1994 season that saw him hit .368/.451/.750 with 39 homers and a league-leading 116 RBIs. Bagwell earned four All-Star nods, a Gold Glove at first base and three Silver Sluggers in his brilliant career. In addition to his ’94 MVP win, he finished as second to future Hall of Famer Chipper Jones in 1999 and third behind MVP Larry Walker (who many believe should be in Cooperstown) and runner-up Mike Piazza (another Hall of Famer) in 1997. Baseball-Reference credits Bagwell with 79.6 WAR in his career, while Fangraphs is ever so slightly more bullish at 80.2 WAR.

Rodriguez, 45, spent parts of 20 seasons in the Major Leagues and finished his career as one of the most decorated catchers of all-time. A 14-time All-Star, “Pudge” also won the American League MVP Award in 1999 and was the recipient of an incredible 13 Gold Glove Awards, to say nothing of seven Silver Slugger Awards. In 10,270 career trips to the plate, Rodriguez batted .296/.334/.464 with 311 home runs, 1332 runs batted in and 1354 runs scored. He also prevented an incredible 46 percent of stolen base attempts against him in his career (661 of 1447), leading the league in caught-stealing percentage on nine occasions (including a ridiculous 60 percent mark in 2001).

Falling painfully shy of the 75 percent of votes needed to be immortalized in Cooperstown was Padres legend Trevor Hoffman, who fell just five votes and one percent short of joining this trio. Hoffman’s near-election came in just his second time on the ballot, which suggests that he’ll likely be bestowed with this honor in the years to come. Vladimir Guerrero, too, falls just shy at 71.7 percent in his first year on the ballot, though it seems exceptionally likely that he’ll eventually join Hoffman in the Hall.

Edgar Martinez (58.6 percent), Roger Clemens (54.1 percent), Barry Bonds (53.8 percent) and Mike Mussina (51.8 percent) round out the players to receive more than 50 percent of the vote from the BBWAA. Meanwhile, legendary closer Lee Smith will fall well shy (34.2 percent) of election in what was his 15th and final time on the Hall of Fame ballot.

West Notes: Rangers, Conte, Rockies

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Rangers hitting coach Dave Magadan left the position yesterday, and Evan Grant of DallasNews.com examines four possible candidates to replace him. Three of those are former MLB stars: Jason Giambi, Michael Young and Ivan Rodriguez. Giambi is widely considered a potential future manager, and he already works with young Rangers power hitter Joey Gallo. Young is a special assistant with the Rangers, but Grant feels he’s unlikely to take the hitting coach job and spend less time with his family. Rodriguez was briefly rumored to be a candidate for the Marlins’ manager job earlier this year. Grant also mentions Rangers minor-league hitting instructor Justin Mashore, noting that the organization holds Mashore in high regard. Here’s more from the West divisions.

  • The Dodgers have announced the resignation of Vice President, Medical Services and Head Trainer Stan Conte, who had worked with the team for nine years. “I want to thank Stan for his contributions to the Dodgers over the past nine years as well as all he has done for the entire community of sports medicine,” says Dodgers exec Andrew Friedman. The departure could be the first of many within the Dodgers organization after a disappointing exit from the playoffs this week.
  • The Rockies need to get more from their bench next season, writes Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post. In particular, Daniel Descalso, Wilin Rosario and the since-departed Drew Stubbs struggled. 3B/OF Rafael Ynoa and outfielder Brandon Barnes appear likely to take two bench spots next year, but beyond that, the Rockies’ plans are unclear. Rosario, however, appears likely to depart — he could be a non-tender candidate and has also already indicated that he’s open to being traded.

Ivan Rodriguez A Rumored Candidate For Marlins Job

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12:13am: Rodriguez does not seem to be a candidate, CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman tweets.

12:11am: There are industry whispers about former star catcher Ivan Rodriguez as a potential candidate for the Marlins managerial job, MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro tweets. The Marlins, of course, fired another former catcher, Mike Redmond, from the job on Sunday and will announce a replacement Monday morning.

The idea of Rodriguez as a candidate is consistent with Jon Heyman of CBS Sports’ recent tweet that the job will go to an “outside the box” candidate. Rodriguez retired in 2012 and is now a special assistant to Rangers GM Jon Daniels. He has no managerial experience, although former catchers like Mike Matheny and Brad Ausmus have won managerial jobs in recent seasons despite similarly thin resumés as coaches.

Rodriguez was widely credited for his veteran leadership for the Marlins in 2003, when they won their second World Series, although that was his only season with the team. He spent the rest of his 21-year big-league career with the Rangers, Tigers, Yankees, Astros and Nationals, generally putting up strong offensive numbers while winning ample praise for his work behind the plate (and particularly his arm). He holds the MLB record for games caught, with 2,427.

AL Central Notes: Twins, Francona, Royals

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The latest notes from the AL Central…

  • After training in Phoenix Jim Thome has returned home, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN reports (Twitter link). While Thome still wants a Major League contract, the Twins would likely take him on a minor league deal in Wolfson’s view.
  • Indians manager Terry Francona told Bob Nightengale of USA Today that he has renewed energy in Cleveland. Though Francona's tenure in Boston ended badly, he says he has new perspective on the game after his year as an ESPN analyst. Those around him agree. "He's really the dream manager everyone wants to play for," Jason Giambi said. Even Red Sox president Larry Lucchino acknowledged that Francona "was an important part of the success" of the Red Sox.
  • The Royals offered Ivan Rodriguez a Major League contract before the 2012 season, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (Twitter links). Rodriguez decided to retire instead of playing for Kansas City.

AL West Links: Downs, Daniels, A’s, Ankiel

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Ivan Rodriguez has been hired by the Rangers as a special assistant to the general manager, the team announced today.  "Pudge" spent 13 of his 20 Major League seasons as a Ranger and will now serve the organization as a scout, organizational instructor and ambassador.  Here are some more items from around the AL West…

  • Scott Downs wants to remain with the Angels and the southpaw tells MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez that he would be willing to negotiate an extension during the season.  Downs' representatives at CAA have told the Angels' front office about their client's wishes but have yet to get a response. Downs turns 37 in March and has pitched very well in Anaheim, posting a 2.17 ERA over 99 1/3 innings in his first two years of his three-year, $15MM contract.  He turns 37 in March, however, and Gonzalez speculates that the Angels may let Downs go since Sean Burnett and Nick Maronde are in the fold as left-handed bullpen options.
  • Rangers GM Jon Daniels spoke with Dallas Morning News readers about the team's offseason moves, international signings, the current Texas roster and more in a live chat today.
  • The Athletics have received tentative guidelines from the Commissioner's Office regarding a possible move to San Jose, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports.  This isn't necessarily a sign that the A's will be allowed to move, Shaikin notes, though if the team can comply with these guidelines, it could prompt Bud Selig to put the matter of the proposed move to a vote of the other league owners.  MLB has been studying the Athletics' proposed San Jose relocation for four years, and the Giants are known to oppose the move on the grounds that it infringes on their territorial rights.
  • Rick Ankiel will make $750K if he makes the Astros' Opening Day roster, plus a few small bonuses based on plate appearances, MLB.com's Brian McTaggart reports.  Houston signed the veteran outfielder to a minor league contract in January.

Quick Hits: Willis, Pudge, Lopez, Alvarez

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As if the Phillies didn't already have enough stars on the disabled list, Hunter Pence missed Monday's game due to a shoulder injury suffered diving for a ball Sunday against the Padres.  The extent of the injury is yet unknown and Pence is considered day-to-day for the time being.

Some news from Monday in the Major Leagues…

  • Dontrelle Willis talks to MASNsports.com's Roch Kubatko about the situation that resulted in Willis being placed on the Orioles' restricted list.  Willis is "almost dumbfounded" by how things unfolded, as he thought he and the O's had agreed to part ways since he was injured and not adjusting well to relief pitching.  "I don't understand what's really going on. I don't know if there's been a miscommunication there," Willis said. "Not with me. I talked to my agent and we talked about it, I talked to the proper representation, I talked to Dan [Duquette] personally….It was face-to-face. I don't know what's going on. And now if I want to sign with another team, I can't."
  • Kubatko hears that Willis has drawn interest from a team in South Korea and a team in Japan, but Matt Sosnick, Willis' agent, denies that his client has received any offers.
  • The Marlins' signing of Ivan Rodriguez in 2003 was "money well spent," team president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest tells Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.  Beinfest doesn't regret any of the moves the club made that season (even trading then-prospect Adrian Gonzalez for Ugueth Urbina) because it led to a championship. "You always hate to trade away a talent like Adrian Gonzalez. But you make it every day if you're going to win the World Series," Beinfest said.
    Read more here: http://miamiherald.typepad.com/fish_bytes/2012/04/quick-reflection-on-pudge.html#storylink=cpy
  • Cubs manager Dale Sveum hopes Rodrigo Lopez will clear waivers and remain with the organization, reports ESPN Chicago's Doug Padilla.  The right-hander was designated for assignment earlier today as the Cubs added Michael Bowden to the roster.
  • Pedro Alvarez's struggles inspired a discussion of the greatest draft busts in history in this mailbag piece from Baseball America's Jim Callis.  Alvarez, taken by the Pirates with the second overall pick of the 2008 draft, could be "the biggest waste of hitting talent in draft history" unless he turns himself around, Callis writes.
  • Twins President Dave St. Peter told Jim Memolo and Jeff Nelson on MLB Network Radio that his team needs to pitch better to recover from its 5-11 start. St. Peter suggested the Twins could move Francisco Liriano to the bullpen temporarily. “He’s an asset for this franchise and we need to get him back into a situation where he can go deep into ballgames,” St Peter said. The 28-year-old lefty faces a make or break year and it was announced today that Liriano would skip his next start and not pitch until May 1.

Rangers Notes: Darvish, Hamilton, Rodriguez, Miller

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No team in baseball has scored more runs or allowed fewer runs than the Rangers, so it's no wonder they're 13-3. Here are some Rangers-related links as they prepare to host the Yankees…

  • GM Jon Daniels tells Tyler Kepner of the New York Times that the team didn't mind potentially overpaying during the bidding process for Yu Darvish. “We said, ‘Here’s how we evaluate him, let’s go to the top of our means, whatever we’re willing to pay,’” Daniels said. “It was not about getting the best possible deal. It was about getting the player. And we had to be O.K. with that.”
  • One MLB agent said told Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com that Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton has a strong case for an extension, despite his history of off-field and injury issues. "He's done nothing but perform for them, and nothing he's done has affected him there,” the person said. “He's always performed there, and he continues to perform."
  • Ivan Rodriguez and the Rangers have discussed the possibility of working together in the future, Richard Durrett of ESPNDallas.com reports. "It would be good for our organization and he wants to stay involved in baseball, so we're looking forward to working something out," CEO Nolan Ryan said of his former battery-mate. Rodriguez formally announced his retirement today.
  • Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports says the Rangers have the best lineup in baseball and may be the best team in the game right now (video link). 
  • The Rangers released Justin Miller, Anthony Andro of FOXSportsSouthwest tweets. The right-hander has a partial tear of his right UCL. Here's a complete list of the day's minor moves.

Ivan Rodriguez To Retire

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Ivan Rodriguez will announce his retirement, Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports (on Twitter). The announcement will take place with the Rangers on Monday, the team he started his career with.

Uspw_5393274Rodriguez, 40, spent last season with the Nationals, hitting .218/.281/.323 with two homers in 137 plate appearances. That does not do his Hall of Fame caliber career justice, however. Pudge is a .296/.334/.464 career hitter with 2,844 career hits and 311 homers. He's a 14-time All-Star, a 13-time Gold Glove award winner, a seven-time Silver Slugger award winner, and the 1999 AL MVP. He finished in the top ten of the MVP voting three other times.

During his peak from 1998-2004, Rodriguez hit .322/.363/.538 with 162 homers. He played in 878 of 1,134 possible games, roughly 125 per season. Among catchers, Pudge ranks first all-time in hits (2,844), first in doubles (572), seventh in homers (311), fifth in RBI (1,332), and third in WAR (74.1). Thirteen of his 21 big league seasons were spent with the Rangers, but he also played for the Marlins, Tigers, Yankees, Astros, and Nats. Pudge helped Florida to the 2003 World Series title.

Rodriguez earned over $120MM during his career according to Baseball-Reference.com. His $8.5MM annual salary from 1999-2002 was the second highest annual salary for catcher in baseball history at the time. He was the highest paid catcher in baseball during the 2006 and 2007 seasons at $10MM each year.

Photo courtesy of US Presswire.

Quick Hits: Phillips, Kinsler, Podsednik, Moyer

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Links for Thursday, as the first full day of the regular season wraps up…

  • The Reds and Rangers are working towards contract extensions with Brandon Phillips and Ian Kinsler, respectively, and ESPN's Jim Bowden says (on Twitter) there's some work left to be done on each. Phillips is expected to get $12.5-13MM annually, Kinsler $13.5-14MM.
  • Scott Podsednik will report to the Phillies' Triple-A affiliate, his agent confirmed to David Murphy of The Philadelphia Daily News. Podsednik was not technically a Major League free agent this offseason since he spent all of last year in the minors, so he was unable to opt-out of his contract at the end of Spring Training.
  • Jamie Moyer's can make $2MM in incentives op top of his $1.1MM base salary, Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports (on Twitter). The 49-year-old left-hander will open the season in the Rockies’ rotation.
  • Cardinals right-hander Adam Wainwright took note when Matt Cain of the Giants signed earlier in the week, Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes. "Obviously, you have to pay attention to it,"Wainwright said. "It's a tremendous deal for him." Cain obtained $112.5MM in new money from the Giants, establishing a record for right-handed pitchers.
  • Ivan Rodriguez is working out and says he's in shape, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (Twitter link). Heyman suggests the Rays could be a fit for the veteran free agent.

Mike Axisa contributed to this post.

Royals Offer Ivan Rodriguez Invitation To Camp?

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5:49pm: Bob Dutton of The Kansas City Star reports (on Twitter) that no offer has been made to Rodriguez, be it a contract or invitation to camp.

3:36pm: Royals GM Dayton Moore was told that Rodriguez still wants to play "at some point,'' but is not ready to join the club now, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.

1:14pm: The Royals are interested in bringing Ivan Rodriguez into camp following the injury to starting catcher Salvador Perez, writes Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. Rodriguez is currently thinking about the opportunity and hasn't decided whether he will accept the offer.

The 40-year-old has said that he wants to keep playing and has been waiting for an opportunity. Both the Rays and Mets have appeared as possibilities this offseason but neither club seems interested at this juncture.

Pudge was limited by injuries in 2011, hitting .218/.281/.323 in just 44 games for the Nationals.

Mike Axisa contributed to this post.

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