Baseball Hall Pass Means Cushy Retirement

(NEWSER) - With Rickey Henderson set to enter the Baseball Hall of Fame next month, the Pepper blog rehashes top Rickey-being-Rickey moments. Some highlights:

• “People are always saying, ‘Rickey says Rickey.’ But it’s been blown way out of proportion. People might catch me, when they know I’m ticked off, saying, ‘Rickey, what the heck are you doing, Rickey?’ They say, ‘Darn, Rickey, what are you saying Rickey for? Why don’t you just say, 'I'?' But I never did. I always said, ‘Rickey,’ and it became something for people to joke about.”

Prototype leadoff hitter elected to Baseball Hall on first try; Rice gets in on last try

(NEWSER) - Rickey Henderson and Jim Rice have been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, MLB reports today. Henderson, often cited as the best leadoff hitter ever, was considered a shoe-in, and captured 94.8% of votes in his first year on the ballot. Rice, a Boston stalwart, squeaked in with 76.4% of the vote in his final year of eligibility. The cutoff is 75%. More»

Gossage flies solo as Rice, Dawson wait by the phone

(NEWSER) - Legendary closer Goose Gossage will enter the Baseball Hall of Fame this year by himself, the Hall announced today, making the grade after nine previous appearances on the ballot. The impressively mustachioed Gossage, who toiled for the Yankees, Padres, and seven other franchises, is only the fifth relief pitcher to be voted into Cooperstown. He said getting the news felt "like an anvil just fell on my head." More»

Political mandates could push baseball out of huge talent pool

(NEWSER) - Baseball is big in Venezuela, and vice versa: 200 Venezuelans have played in MLB, including 50 who are currently active. You’d expect clubs to be racing to the country in search of talent, but concerns about Venezuela’s political climate are actually scaring them away: The Padres, Orioles, Red Sox, and Indians have all discontinued formerly active player development operations there in recent years, ESPN reports. More»

Induction comes roughly a year after his death

(NEWSER) - Ron Santo is getting a place in Cooperstown at last—almost exactly one year after his death . The Veterans Committee ushered the Cubs great into the Baseball Hall of Fame today, with 15 of its 16 members giving him the nod, the Chicago Tribune reports. Santo was the only candidate up for consideration to get the requisite 12 votes for induction; Jim Kaat came in second with 10 votes, followed by Minnnie Minoso and Gil Hodges with nine each. More»