Derek Jeter is eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2020 and barring voters forgetting to submit their ballots, the induction of Jeter is a sure thing.  It also looks like there will be two former Baseball Hall of Famers who won’t be in attendance.

In an interview with Bleacher Report during the Hall of Fame weekend, Andre Dawson was asked if he would be in attendance for the 2020 ceremony.  He had this to say:

"I sincerely doubt [that I will attend] at this point.  All indications are likely not. ... I can't speak for Tony. But I don't have a sense or feeling like I want to sit on that stage to hear what [Jeter] has to say."

Dawson was employed with the Miami Marlins as a special assistant and upon Derek Jeter’s group buying the team, he was relieved of his duties.  Jeter did not do the job himself, as he had David Samson, then the President of the team do it.  Dawson wasn’t alone as fellow Hall of Famer and special assistant, Tony Perez was also let go in the same manner.

To add to the perceived insult, both Dawson and Perez were offered their jobs back at a substantially less salary ($85,000 to $25,000) and they would no longer have clubhouse access.

As for Perez, he hasn’t stated whether he will be in attendance.  He did state that if he doesn’t attend, he will be open about why, which could include boycotting because of Jeter.  

The man who swung the ax, Samson, he was let go shortly after.

Generally speaking, this is the season for football retirements but we have a mid-season baseball retirement that is significant as New York Yankees Shortstop, Troy Tulowitzki has announced his retirement from Baseball.

Debuting for the Colorado Rockies in 2006, “Tulo” would be the runner-up for the National League Rookie of the Year in 2007, the same season that he helped the Rockies reach their only World Series to date.  The Shortstop would quickly ascend to the top of Colorado hitters and from 2009 to 2011 he would finish in the top ten in MVP voting and was twice named a Silver Slugger and a Gold Glove.  He would also go to the All-Star Game five times for Colorado.  In the middle of the 2015 season, he was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for their playoff drive.

Unfortunately, injuries to his legs piled up and he would miss all of 2018 and only had 13 Plate Appearances this year

Tulowitzki accumulated 1,381 Hits with 225 Home Runs and a Slash Line of .290/.361/856.  While his career bWAR of 44.2 is good, in the modern era it will be difficult to see him making the Baseball Hall of Fame when he is eligible in 2025.  

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to thank Troy Tulowitzki for his on-field memories and we wish him the best in his post-playing career.

A bias against the New England Patriots by the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

According to Rodney Harrison, that is what is transpiring.

In a conversation with the Boston Globe, he had the following to say:

“It’s just unfortunate.  It’s almost a form of discrimination.  People don’t want to elevate us, or recognize or acknowledge how great we are because they’re such haters.  Everywhere I go, people hate on the Patriots.  So we don’t get credit.  All I hear is Tom and Bill.  But that’s such lazy analysis…

…I’m like, Ty Law was the greatest defensive back I’ve ever played with.  Richard Seymour, Willie McGinest, Troy Brown, Kevin Faulk, these dudes were bad, bad dudes.  They weren’t just system guys.  It’s unfair when people say (that).”

While the “hate” against the Patriots might be there, the Hall of Fame process for former Patriots is proceeding fairly based on the current system.

Harrison referred to Ty Law, who will be inducted this year into the Hall.  In terms of the Patriots dynasty (which is still ongoing), Richard Seymour is likely to get inducted soon.  Whether or not Harrison is referring to himself, he was a preliminary nominee, but has not made the Semi-Finals as of yet.  

The New England Patriots are still in the midst of a lengthy dynasty and when it is all said and done there will be a plethora of former Pats inducted into Canton.

Sorry, no bias!

The Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2019 will be officially enshrined on August 1, 2019.

Regular visitors of Notinhalloffame.com know that we are slowly working on the top 50 of every major team in the NHL, NBA, NFL and MLB. Once that is done, we intend to look at how each team honor their past players and executive.  As such it is news to us that as part of the $100 million dollar renovation project at Dodger Stadium, a statue of Hall of Fame Pitcher, Sandy Koufax, will be erected.

The statue of Koufax will be the second one outside of Dodger Stadium as there is currently one of Jackie Robinson, which is currently in the leftfield reserve, though that will be moved to the new centerfield plaza.

Dodger Stadium is the third oldest stadium in Major League Baseball after Fenway Park in Boston and Wrigley Field in Chicago.

The Dodgers hope to have everything complete ahead of hosting the 2020 All-Star Game.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com are excited about the new changes to Dodger Stadium and for Sandy Koufax who has achieved another level of baseball immortality.