JoeBlogs Hall of Fame: The Fifth Class
OK, time for our fifth class of the JoeBlogs Hall of Fame — as a reminder, our first 10 classes will be 13 players, with each class featuring a player at all eight defensive positions, three pitchers and two wild-card selections.
After 10 classes, we’ll have 130 people — roughly half of what I think the JoeBlogs Hall of Fame will be — and the following classes will not be limited by positions.
If you want to see a visual representation of each class, check it out here!
Before we get to today’s class, things are really heating up with WHY WE LOVE BASEBALL, even though we’re still three months out from the release date of Sept. 5. With Father’s Day coming up, I wanted to tell you about some options.
— Rainy Day Books. If you order WHY WE LOVE BASEBALL from our favorite independent bookstore by Father’s Day (June 18), I will not only sign the book but I will also inscribe it any way you like. For instance, someone asked me to inscribe the book by sketching a diagram of my favorite stadium. I (badly) sketched a diagram of old Cleveland Municipal Stadium, complete with the steel girders that blocked every view. I sign it any way you like, but you have to get that order in before Father’s Day. After Father’s Day, I’ll still sign the book and offer a little pithy thought, but it will be dealer’s choice then.
— If you just want a signed copy, there are a couple of options. Barnes & Noble is offering signed editions. Also, BooksAMillion is offering signed copies, and is promoting that as an awesome (late) Father’s Day gift.
— And if you want no fuss, no muss, you can preorder the book from Amazon and there’s a good chance you will get it delivered on the release date.
And please remember: If you do preorder the book from anywhere, save that receipt! We are going to be offering a really cool extra — kind of a director’s cut thing — for every person who preorders the book!
— One last thing: If you’re a GoodReads person and you’re interested in getting an early look at the book, well, Dutton Publishing is giving away 20 uncorrected proofs. All you have to do is sign up for the giveaway. I might sign up for it; I only have one uncorrected proof myself.
OK, let’s go on to the JoeBlogs Hall of Fame fifth class!
Adrián Beltré
Los Angeles—Seattle—Boston—Texas, 1998-2018
There is no waiting period for the JoeBlogs Hall of Fame — active players are eligible, too. So Beltré gets into the JBHOF before he gets into the regular HOF next year. I’m predicting he gets 92% of the vote, by the way. He should be unanimous.
Beltré never won an MVP — but he came really close a couple of times. He certainly would have won it in 2004 had it not been for a whirlwind named Barry Bonds, who had a .609 on-base percentage that year because he was intentionally walked 120 times.
Just for the record — and this is up to the moment:
Barry Bonds in 2004: 120 intentional walks.
Mike Trout in his career: 119 intentional walks.
But this is about Beltré — and in 2004, he hit .334/.388/.629 with 200 hits, 48 homers, 121 RBIs, 104 runs and 9.6 WAR. It is one of the top five seasons ever for a third baseman. I’d put them in this order: