Peter Botte
@peterbotte.bsky.social
Sportswriter. BU alum. Tyler's/Hayley's dad. Brody’s grandpa! FishSticks/Big 50: NYY.
https://www.amazon.com/Big-50-New-York-Yankees/dp/1629377546
https://www.amazon.com/Big-50-New-York-Yankees/dp/1629377546
I don’t go by career numbers as much as the year by year. Felix was much better, & more dominant. Two ERA titles. Three top-2 Cy Young finishes, one win.
Buehrle very durable, but didn’t have one season with an ERA under 3 and only 3 under 3.50. Only received any Cy votes once in his entire career.
Buehrle very durable, but didn’t have one season with an ERA under 3 and only 3 under 3.50. Only received any Cy votes once in his entire career.
December 12, 2025 at 4:28 PM
I don’t go by career numbers as much as the year by year. Felix was much better, & more dominant. Two ERA titles. Three top-2 Cy Young finishes, one win.
Buehrle very durable, but didn’t have one season with an ERA under 3 and only 3 under 3.50. Only received any Cy votes once in his entire career.
Buehrle very durable, but didn’t have one season with an ERA under 3 and only 3 under 3.50. Only received any Cy votes once in his entire career.
I can’t speak for other voters. I would not have voted for Vlad off a 68-win team. I wouldn’t have voted for ARod the year he won for Texas or Dawson when he won for the Cubs.
Point is Abreu wasn’t considered a top-10 NL player in any season, made two AS teams. Fine player but falls short for me.
Point is Abreu wasn’t considered a top-10 NL player in any season, made two AS teams. Fine player but falls short for me.
December 12, 2025 at 3:03 PM
I can’t speak for other voters. I would not have voted for Vlad off a 68-win team. I wouldn’t have voted for ARod the year he won for Texas or Dawson when he won for the Cubs.
Point is Abreu wasn’t considered a top-10 NL player in any season, made two AS teams. Fine player but falls short for me.
Point is Abreu wasn’t considered a top-10 NL player in any season, made two AS teams. Fine player but falls short for me.
The Phillies were 77-85. The Reds were 96-66.
Vaughn carried them. I know Abreu had a higher war. It’s not Stats of the Year. It’s MVP. It would take an extraordinary feat (like Ohtani on the angels) to vote an MVP off a bad team.
Vaughn carried them. I know Abreu had a higher war. It’s not Stats of the Year. It’s MVP. It would take an extraordinary feat (like Ohtani on the angels) to vote an MVP off a bad team.
December 12, 2025 at 1:59 PM
The Phillies were 77-85. The Reds were 96-66.
Vaughn carried them. I know Abreu had a higher war. It’s not Stats of the Year. It’s MVP. It would take an extraordinary feat (like Ohtani on the angels) to vote an MVP off a bad team.
Vaughn carried them. I know Abreu had a higher war. It’s not Stats of the Year. It’s MVP. It would take an extraordinary feat (like Ohtani on the angels) to vote an MVP off a bad team.
Premium defender at a premium position. Won an MVP. I get that OBP would be appreciated more if Abreu were playing today, but zero top-10 MVP seasons.
December 12, 2025 at 2:26 AM
Premium defender at a premium position. Won an MVP. I get that OBP would be appreciated more if Abreu were playing today, but zero top-10 MVP seasons.
Extremely durable, but didn’t have one season with an ERA under 3 and only 3 under 3.50. Only received any Cy votes once in his entire career.
December 12, 2025 at 2:23 AM
Extremely durable, but didn’t have one season with an ERA under 3 and only 3 under 3.50. Only received any Cy votes once in his entire career.
It is. It’s why I came around on Rolen and was hoping Mattingly got in on the Vets ballot.
December 11, 2025 at 5:44 PM
It is. It’s why I came around on Rolen and was hoping Mattingly got in on the Vets ballot.
Their overall numbers are pretty close. I’d give Felix an edge though, had a more dominant stretch. Two-time ERA leader, more All-Star teams, finished top 5 in Cy four times (including one win and two seconds). Hamels finished fifth one time.
December 11, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Their overall numbers are pretty close. I’d give Felix an edge though, had a more dominant stretch. Two-time ERA leader, more All-Star teams, finished top 5 in Cy four times (including one win and two seconds). Hamels finished fifth one time.
And you didn’t come off as rude, we are allowed to disagree.
December 18, 2024 at 8:04 PM
And you didn’t come off as rude, we are allowed to disagree.
Same reason I don’t vote for Buehrle, who was very durable but rarely great.
December 18, 2024 at 8:02 PM
Same reason I don’t vote for Buehrle, who was very durable but rarely great.
I believe you have to have an outlier year to win MVP on a terrible team, like Ohtani. I don’t believe ARod should’ve won that year in Texas. My point on Abreu is he never was considered a top player in his league/never led the league in any category except 2Bs one time. Not enough dominance for me.
December 18, 2024 at 8:02 PM
I believe you have to have an outlier year to win MVP on a terrible team, like Ohtani. I don’t believe ARod should’ve won that year in Texas. My point on Abreu is he never was considered a top player in his league/never led the league in any category except 2Bs one time. Not enough dominance for me.
The Reds were 96-67.
December 18, 2024 at 1:57 PM
The Reds were 96-67.
The Phillies were 77-85 that year.
December 18, 2024 at 1:55 PM
The Phillies were 77-85 that year.
More weight because he’s a SS. Also won an MVP, while Abreu never finished top-10.
December 18, 2024 at 1:52 PM
More weight because he’s a SS. Also won an MVP, while Abreu never finished top-10.
I would argue there are different levels of actual crimes, too (felonies, misdemeanors, driving violations, etc). I consider the PED suspensions as a worse infraction than stealing signs. I also did not vote for Beltran his first year because of it.
December 16, 2024 at 9:13 PM
I would argue there are different levels of actual crimes, too (felonies, misdemeanors, driving violations, etc). I consider the PED suspensions as a worse infraction than stealing signs. I also did not vote for Beltran his first year because of it.
I will revisit them again next year. I do like Felix better, I think he had a stretch of dominance, which Abreu never did. (No top-10 MVPs, never led league in anything except doubles one time).
December 16, 2024 at 6:35 PM
I will revisit them again next year. I do like Felix better, I think he had a stretch of dominance, which Abreu never did. (No top-10 MVPs, never led league in anything except doubles one time).
Pedroia was my closest no vote, but I foresee adding him, maybe even next year.
December 16, 2024 at 6:17 PM
Pedroia was my closest no vote, but I foresee adding him, maybe even next year.
Most of the egregious Hall of Famers were put in by the Vets committees.
December 16, 2024 at 6:06 PM
Most of the egregious Hall of Famers were put in by the Vets committees.
Lee Smith was not voted in by the writers, but by a 16-person vets committee. He was on the writers ballot for the full 15 years and never got particularly close.
December 16, 2024 at 6:04 PM
Lee Smith was not voted in by the writers, but by a 16-person vets committee. He was on the writers ballot for the full 15 years and never got particularly close.
Pedroia was my closest No vote. Will reconsider next year.
December 16, 2024 at 5:27 PM
Pedroia was my closest No vote. Will reconsider next year.