Fortunately, I am impervious to pain, so the last 10 days doesn't move me at all.

Why thanks Rob! I appreciate this pure display of friendship! (Goddamn college basketball)

NINE HUNDRED?!

No. That never impacted me one way or the other. The previous three years, I thought he was just shy b/c his peak was just a shade less than Jones' peak. But the better WAR, bigger counting stats, etc. got me to dig deeper.

I was previously a Jones but not a Beltran guy b/c I thought Jones' peak was better. But how can I credit Jones for his peak and not punish him for his RAPID decline while punishing Beltran for being a very solid player for several years beyond his peak?

If you've read this far, I thank you and look forward to your feedback. And thank you to @notmrtibbs.com, @shutthedore.bsky.social & @tonycal.bsky.social for making this time of year so much more fun than it already was w/the HOF tracker. It's so cool and such an honor to be a part of this.

And that my friends is how I became the first HOF voter to fill out a ballot to Poison's "Cry Tough."

Life ain't no easy ride
At least that's what I'm told
Sometimes the rainbow, baby
Is better than the pot of gold

www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOzd...

It also meant so much to fill out my ballot out next to a pic of my late Mom, who inspires all of us everyday. This is not the most noble goal anyone has ever achieved, but it's mine and I can't believe it happened.

I filled it out at my Dad's house, at the kitchen table where I once read The Hartford Courant (whose main baseball writer back then, Jack O'Connell, is the BBWAA secretary). It meant so much to share the moment w/my Dad, long my best friend & biggest supporter, as well as my wife, daughter & sis.

But I began getting back into the business with the TSX wire service in 2011 and I got into the BBWAA following the 2015 season. Ten uneventful years of American life later, I'm casting my first HOF ballot.

Long story short, I've written about baseball most of my adult life but never at a daily newspaper, which was a requirement for BBWAA membership until dot-coms began being invited in 2007. In 2008, I lost my job at a hybrid dotcom/print pub and figured my career was over.

I've wanted to vote for the HOF since January '88, when I read Jim Bunning missed election by four votes when nine empty ballots were cast. It sounded like such an honor and I knew I'd never cast an empty ballot. (Though I am also not usually a full ballot guy...I contain multitudes)

Ha! The soundtrack to our times, unfortunately.

Haha I saw that and thought of you! They pretty much were the difference.

That was awesome! Did a triple take as soon as I saw the last name on the board outside the locker room. Your nephews look like your son!