The Votes Are In!

After a 14 year wait, Bert Blyleven is can finally add "Hall of Famer" to his resume. Bert joins Roberto Alomar as the two 2011 Hall of Fame inductees announced earlier today. Alomar made it on his second year on the ballot with a whopping 90% of the vote, up from a frustrating 73.7% last year.

During Blyleven's 22 season career, he amassed an amazing 3,701 strikeouts, 287 wins, a 3.31 ERA, 2 All-star teams, 2 World Series rings, and a no-hitter. Despite being 13 wins shy of 300, he pitched an additional 79 quality starts in which he earned no decision. He also pitched an astounding 242 complete games. Aside from all of the numbers and stats, he may be even more well known and beloved by many for his colorful personality on and off the field, and for his post-baseball career.

Andre Dawson Makes Hall, Bert Blyleven and Roberto Alomar Get the Shaft

First, please stop snickering at the word “shaft.”

Moving on…

Andre Dawson was the only legend voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame this afternoon. The Hawk received 420 out of 539 votes for 77.9% — 2.9% more than the 75% needed to be inducted. [math whiz]

Continue reading and comment on this story at Sports Untapped.

Bert Belongs!

If Bert Blyleven's 22-season repertoire doesn't punch his ticket to the Hall of Fame (3.31 ERA, 60 shut outs, 3,701 strikeouts -- 6.7 K's per nine -- 4,970 innings pitched, 287 wins, 242 complete games, .247 opponent's batting average, .969 fielding percentage, blah, blah, blah) maybe this stunt will.

Most Minnesotans used worms for the state's fishing opener this weekend (yay!) but not Bert. He chowed some night crawlers in the name of charity before the Minnesota Twins' 9-6 win over the Seattle Mariners at the Metrodome Saturday evening. All proceeds from Blyleven v. Nightcrawlers, which amounted to $15,000, went to the Parkinson's Association of Minnesota.

Bert's reaction to the worms? This may not the first time he's tasted live bait, since he called them "pretty tasty" and "full of protein."

We know you want to see the video...

Bert Belongs!

Happy Birthday Bert!

Anyone who watches Twins baseball on FSN North knows exactly when Bert Blyleven's birthday is and how old he will be. Not because we care exactly, but because he makes a point to start the countdown the day after his birthday and then continue it throughout the entire baseball season.

Every season opener, the former curveball mastermind claims it's his birthday, and it's usually pretty close. Today, it actually is. Sometimes he gets a tie, a cupcake or golf balls from co-host and long-time partner in crime, Dick Bremer, but this year everyone is in on it.

"We're all taking a collection we're going to give it to him later. We'll have about seven cents when we get all done," said Wally the Beer Man.

We wish you a Happy 58th Birthday, Bert. Someday, hopefully sooner than later, you'll celebrate it as a Hall of Famer.

[WCCO] | [30-Year-Old Cardboard]

Circle Me Bert

Bert Blyleven has once again proven he belongs in the Hall of Fame, if only for his stellar performance as the Kingdom of the Netherlands pitching coach during this year's World Baseball Classic.

The former Minnesota Twins curveball specialist, in his first year as a WBC coach, has put together quite the miracle. Most of these guys are virtual unknowns who have no shot at pitching at the major league level as far as we can tell. They're Class-AA hurlers at best. Sidney Ponson for crying out loud.

Yet somehow, the Dutch rotation and bullpen have allowed a combined 6 runs on 23 hits over their last three contests, holding the Dominican Republic to just 3 runs over two games. The Dominican Republic. The WBC's radically over-paid team, now eliminated in the first round.

Circle me, Bert.

For a far more detailed description of why Blyleven belongs in the Hall, check out Joe Posnanski's blog.

[Bert Belongs]

There's Always Next Year...

BLB would like to congratulate Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice on their being added to the Hall of Fame. They played their asses off and now they are being recognized for their awesomeness. Kudos, gentlemen!

I'd like to take a moment to whine about Bert Blyleven. HE deserves it too. Just sayin'. Carry on.

The Man, The Mustache, The Legend

After eight years of falling just short, Rich "Goose" Gossage finally received at least 75% of the BBWAA's votes -- 85.8% to be exact -- earning baseball's highest honor to become just the fifth reliever in Cooperstown history.

Still spotted from a mile away by that bushy 'stache and wide grin, Goose was chillin' in a recliner in his Colorado Springs living room when he received The Call. "Oh my God, I've been elected," he said.

The nine-time All-Star spent time with nine big league teams from 1972-94, building up 310 saves -- 52 of them after seven outs or more -- paving the way for closer everywhere. He won his one and only World Series title in 1978 with the New York Yankees, with whom he spent six seasons of his career.

"I think Jim Rice does belong in the Hall of Fame," Gossage said. "No hitter scared me, but Jim [Rice] came the closest."

Rice was over-looked yet again in his next-to-last year on the ballot, getting 72.2% of the vote, climbing a bit from the 63.5% he received last year.

Andre Dawson came in third, again, with 65.9% while Bert Blyleven...we all know how I feel about this guy... saw his percentage rise from 47.7 last year to 61. 9 this year. Lee Smith held on at fifth with 43.3% and Jack Morris received 42.9%.

Mark McGwire, whose image is forever tarnished after telling Congress in 2005 that he "wouldn't talk about the past," received 128 votes (curiously the same amount of votes he got last year) for a slim 23.6%. Better luck next year, pal.

And Tommy John? Just 29.1%. Pretty hard core that a guy who has a surgery named after him can't even knock on the door.

[SI]

Will Bert Blyleven Strike Out Again?

Eleven years, you guys. Eleven. I have this same conversation with anyone who'll listen around this time every year. Why the hell isn't Bert Blyleven in the Hall of Fame? What kind of Hall of Fame excludes the best curveball ever?

Now a tv color analyst for the Minnesota Twins, Blyleven is the best retired non-Hall of Famer out there. Hands down. He had 287 career victories, 60 shutouts -- amazing -- 3,701 strikeouts-- fifth all-time -- and ranks 13th with 4,970 innings pitched. All excellent stats which all happen to be the best numbers among the candidates.

In fact, there is only one pitcher in Cooperstown that ranks higher than Bert in the categories of wins, strikeouts, and shutouts. That would be Nolan Ryan.

So, he never won a Cy Young Award. He was only an All-Star twice. He pitched for 22 seasons. He gave up a crapload of homers. Yeah, yeah. Bert's a swell guy, so we can omit a lack of integrity and commitment to excellence that is considered in the voting process as reasoning for the BBWAA, whose opinions are the ones that matter most.

But, I suppose it's gonna be another tough one this year, what with going up against The Hawk for the seventh consecutive year (that was for you Debra).

Other players for consideration include first-timer Tim Raines, who swiped over 70 bases six times in his career, Goose Gossage, who paved the way for closers everywhere, Jack Morris, who pitched a 10-inning shutout during Game 7 of the 1991 World Series and owns a .577 career winning percentage, eight-time All-Star Jim Rice, whose 100+ RBI seasons sit nicely with his 1978 MVP Award, Lee Smith, who was just passed in saves by Trevor Hoffman in 2006, and Mark McGwire, who sucks at life but had a mean, if not juiced, bat.

Inductees will be announced this Tuesday.

[Bert Belongs] | [The Hall of Very Good]

Babes Love Bert Fucking Blyleven

Former Twins pitcher Bert Blyleven was busted cussing during the Twins Pregame Show Sunday and was suspended on Monday for two games. Anthony LaPanta seems a bit amused, but keeps his composure quite well. I don't see what the big fucking deal is. Fuck.

Here it is, you be the judge.