Almost Cooperstown

As Director of Product Adam has been part of Sports-Reference for a long time. Keeping Baseball -Reference.com fresh, being part of the addition of Football, Basketball, (both college and pro), and hockey has proven to be groundbreaking. Adam has also worked on bringing in Negro League player data into BR. 

We talk Hall of Fame (Adam is a Dustin Pedroia advocate), and what's next for Adam!

Intro & Outro music this season courtesy of Mercury Maid! Check them out on Spotify or Apple Music!  

Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you can give us 4 or 5 star rating that means a lot. And if you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at [email protected].  You can also follow us on X @almostcoop or visit the Almost Cooperstown Facebook page or YouTube channel.  And please tell your friends!

We don't know about you, but we forget things that happened during a baseball season even when it was LAST season!  Sure the #dodgers beat #yankees in the #worldseries but besides Shohei and Aaron Judge, and Skubal, Sale and Skenes, there still were a lot of interesting and even amazing things that happened. 

We discuss the four no-hitters, the pitching triple crowns, and sad things like the #whitesox season. 
Remember how many #MLB managers got fired during the season. We do!  This was a way more fun exercise for us than we first thought and we hope you agree!  And since it's our first podcast drop for 2025 - Happy New Year!

Intro & Outro music this season courtesy of Mercury Maid! Check them out on Spotify or Apple Music!  

Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you can give us 4 or 5 star rating that means a lot. And if you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at [email protected].  You can also follow us on X @almostcoop or visit the Almost Cooperstown Facebook page or YouTube channel.  And please tell your friends!

Founded in 1901, the AL contains teams like #Yankees and #RedSox who have an epic list in their top 5 for players hitting home runs while a member of the franchise. 

Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Mickey Mantle, David "Big Papi' Ortiz, Jim Rice, Joe DiMaggio, Yogi Berra are all in their teams top 5. All are HOFer.. Aaron Judge is outside the Yankee top five but he's closing fast.  

Then there's the #orioles. Another original #AmericanLeague team, they started as the Milwaukee Brewers for one year before moving to St. Louis and becoming the Browns. HOFers Eddie Murray, Cal Ripken Jr. and Frank Robinson are in the top 5. But Besides being mostly terrible, the Browns had few home run threats. The #bluejays and #Rays are more recent additions but only Fred McGriff is in the top five of either team and is a HOFer. Carlos Delgado rules the roost for Toronto. Edwin Encarnacion has 424 career homers not 434 

#guardians #tigers #whitesox #twins #royals have familiar names in their top two but once you go deeper it gets more difficult. 

#athletics #angels #rangers #astros #mariners have a few HOFers on their list.

Link to an article by Mark - https://almostcooperstown.substack.com/p/career-home-run-leaders-for-each-be7?r=6m2o9

Intro & Outro music this season courtesy of Mercury Maid! Check them out on Spotify or Apple Music!  

Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you can give us 4 or 5 star rating that means a lot. And if you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at [email protected].  You can also follow us on X @almostcoop or visit the Almost Cooperstown Facebook page or YouTube channel.  And please tell your friends!

Who are the home run leaders while wearing a team's uniform?  Sounded like a interesting episode topic but then Rickey Henderson so sadly and suddenly passed away at age 65. Rickey's 66th birthday would have been on Christmas this Wednesday. With 1,406 stolen bases Rickey doesn't only have the most stolen bases in one season, or in a career, he also scored the most runs in baseball history with 2,295! He also had 81 career leadoff home runs, the most in history. Rickey is and was the best leadoff hitter in #MLB history. He will be sorely missed. 

#Padres Manny Machado became the franchise home run leader. But he hasn't been there that long. It was surprising! With 167 he passed Dave Winfield, Nate Colbert, Phil Nevin, and the former leader Adrian Gonzalez. 

Gordon and Mark go team by team in the #nationalleague to reveal the top 5 in home runs for each team while wearing their uniform. 

Here's a link to an associated article by Mark: https://almostcooperstown.substack.com/p/career-home-run-leaders-for-each?r=6m2o9

Intro & Outro music this season courtesy of Mercury Maid! Check them out on Spotify or Apple Music!  

Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you can give us 4 or 5 star rating that means a lot. And if you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at [email protected].  You can also follow us on X @almostcoop or visit the Almost Cooperstown Facebook page or YouTube channel.  And please tell your friends!

Steve Phillips has been a radio personality for 20 years starting not long after his time his time as GM for our #mets. Steve brought in Mike Piazza who had the biggest non-playoff home run in Mets history - until this year maybe? Today Steve hosts 'The Leadoff Spot' on Sirius/XM radio weekdays from 7-10AM. Steve also broadcasts some Toronto Blue Jays games and is a regular contributor the #mlbnetwork. 

We didn't want to ask him about Bobby Bonilla but did finally at the end, and we did not have time to get into the failed deal for A-Rod or the Kenny Rogers meltdown in 1999 so we will have Steve back hopefully very soon! 

Intro & Outro music this season courtesy of Mercury Maid! Check them out on Spotify or Apple Music!  

Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you can give us 4 or 5 star rating that means a lot. And if you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at [email protected].  You can also follow us on X @almostcoop or visit the Almost Cooperstown Facebook page or YouTube channel.  And please tell your friends!

How about the #Giants finally getting their man in Willy Adames. But it was a big price to pay. Clay Holmes to the #mets as a starter? Luis Severino to Sacramento is a big deal for the franchise formerly known as the #athletics who seem like they will eventually move to Vegas. 

Frankie Montas to the Mets was the reason Severino headed west. But still no word on Juan Soto but we think it will happen this week. 

Classic Era baseball committee came up with Dick Allen and Dave Parker but we thought Luis Tiant might make it and that all 8 candidates were worthy - well at least 7 of them. 

How about the Golden at-bat? Is this #MLB fan trolling? Commissioner Rob Manfred knew he'd be raked over the coals. But did it anyway. Why? It's a terrible idea and in no way makes #baseball better. 

HOFer Mickey Mantle is the greatest switch hitter of all time. End of story. HOFer Eddie Murray was the other switch hitter that has 500 career (504) home runs. Switch hitting is happening less frequently as the benefits are more questionable than ever. 

Intro & Outro music this season courtesy of Mercury Maid! Check them out on Spotify or Apple Music!  

Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you can give us 4 or 5 star rating that means a lot. And if you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at [email protected].  You can also follow us on X @almostcoop or visit the Almost Cooperstown Facebook page or YouTube channel.  And please tell your friends. 

Having worked with HOFer Roland Hemond with the Chicago #whitesox, Dan Evans took on the job of rebuilding the #dodgers in 2001. He was there for four seasons and had a winning season each year before being fired with almost 200 others. The Dodgers went 71-91 the next season and Dan tells us it did not bother him a bit! 

Dodgers GM from 2001-2004 having a winning record each year, Dan Evans is a baseball lifer with a lot of life left ahead!  We could have talked with Dan for hours and hours! Not being the GM that traded Beltre was very interesting to hear since Dan knew he was watching one of the greats, but others in the Dodger organization did not see it or agree. Dan also was the GM who brought back HOFers Duke Snider, Sandy Koufax, and #dodgers star Maury Wills into the Dodger family. Dan also talked about conversations he had with the teammates of Jackie Robinson and how special it was to know Jackie's widow Rachel. 

A historian of the game, Dan sees the future at the same time making him one of the most interesting interviews we've ever done on the podcast. We will have him back hopefully very soon as we've much left to discuss! 

Dan's course for those thinking about being involved for baseball can be found here: https://www.sportsmanagementworldwide.com/users/dan-evans

And our apologies for the audio difficulties in the podcast. 

Intro & Outro music this season courtesy of Mercury Maid! Check them out on Spotify or Apple Music!  

Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you can give us 4 or 5 star rating that means a lot. And if you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at [email protected].  You can also follow us on X @almostcoop or visit the Almost Cooperstown Facebook page or YouTube channel.  And please tell your friends!

Why aren't more teams on #MLB free agent Juan Soto? They make plenty of money but are afraid. Afraid even though they are increasing franchise value and have more revenue streams than ever before. 

Teams should be spending more on Free Agents. We tell you which ones. Which teams should be spending more period? After Juan Soto signs who will be next?  Pete Alonso? Anthony Santander? Blake Snell and Tommy Edman have already signed w L.A. Dodgers. But are the #Dodgers done? Where are the #Tigers #Royals & #Guardians?  #Phillies #Braves have $ but are holding back! 

We cover which teams have the highest franchise value and which ones have the highest & lowest payroll obligations over the next few years. 

Intro & Outro music this season courtesy of Mercury Maid! Check them out on Spotify or Apple Music!  

Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you can give us 4 or 5 star rating that means a lot. And if you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at [email protected].  You can also follow us on X @almostcoop or visit the Almost Cooperstown Facebook page or YouTube channel.  And please tell your friends! 

79/113/122 those are the numbers representing the amount of days until pitchers & catchers report, #Dodgers #Cubs opening games in Tokyo March 18, and the REAL opening day on March 27. 

MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, and Manager of the Year were all awarded. There were exactly ZERO surprises. Guess that's but it's also kind of boring. News Flash - #Mets Francisco Lindor did not win anything but a silver slugger. Sure he gets paid but what does Lindor have to do to get recognized as one of #Baseball's best? 

Who will get in on the recently released 2025 HOF ballot? #Mariners Ichiro Suzuki is on the ballot & may be a first ballot HOFer. Should he be unanimous? We give reasons why yes, and why no.  Felix Hernandez & C.C. Sabathia are also on the ballot for the 1st time. Will they get in first time around? How about #Astros #Mets #Phillies Billy Wagner? This is his last time around. Will he get in? 

Intro & Outro music this season courtesy of Mercury Maid! Check them out on Spotify or Apple Music!  

Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you can give us 4 or 5 star rating that means a lot. And if you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at [email protected].  You can also follow us on X @almostcoop or visit the Almost Cooperstown Facebook page or YouTube channel.  And please tell your friends! 

Baseball fans may have heard the story that Stan Musial began his career in baseball as a pitcher/outfielder. A shoulder injury forced him to become a hitter and outfielder full-time for which #MLB is forever grateful. Stan-the-Man had 3,630 hits - the same 1,815 hits at home as he had on the road! He missed only one season due to WWII in 1945 only to return the next year, win the #NLMVP and lead the #Cardinals to their 6th World Series victory in 21 years. 

Musial played 22 seasons in the Majors and was an All-Star 24 times. That's not a misprint and Gordon and I tell you why. Was he better than the 'Spendid Splinter' Ted Williams? Maybe not as a hitter but he did have more hits in his career. Williams out-homered Stan despite carding 3 fewer seasons. 

But we highlight the most unusual facet of Musial's career which was his shuttling between the outfield and first base (where he played more than 30% of his games during his illustrious career). Both Musial and Williams started their careers long before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in #baseball. 

Intro & Outro music this season courtesy of Mercury Maid! Check them out on Spotify or Apple Music!  

Please subscribe to our podcast and thanks for listening! If you can give us 4 or 5 star rating that means a lot. And if you have a suggestion for an episode please drop us a line via email at [email protected].  You can also follow us on X @almostcoop or visit the Almost Cooperstown Facebook page or YouTube channel.  And please tell your friends!