04/19/24
December 15, 2015
SportsFilter: The Tuesday Huddle:
A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.
If A-Rod can hang on 2 more seasons and gets into the Hall of Fame, then drop Pedro and you've got Clinton to Trump covered.
Which of the three assumptions in that statement is most unlikely to come to pass?
Perhaps a more likely player to bridge Clinton and whoever is next would be Adrian Beltre - both due to potential longevity and HoF potential.
posted by holden at 01:33 PM on December 15, 2015
Pedro Martinez: Clinton to Obama
You mean Mariano Rivera, right?
posted by yerfatma at 01:56 PM on December 15, 2015
Pedro Martinez: Clinton to Obama
You mean Mariano Rivera, right?
I changed my mind halfway through.
Original statement was "Hall of Fame players (or future HOF players)" which would include Rivera (since he's not yet inducted).
Once I realized that Pedro had pitched in 2009, I switched to him (as he was already in the HOF), but forgot to switch his name in the original statement. I didn't notice until you pointed it out now.
Perhaps a more likely player to bridge Clinton and whoever is next would be Adrian Beltre - both due to potential longevity and HoF potential.
Yes, he has the best chance to make it to the HOF and be from the Clinton administration.
The other option is to take a young superstar from the Obama administration who might play 20+ years and reach the HOF. Trout/Harper is the obvious choice, but what you want is someone who starts at JUST the end of this Obama term, is very young, and you could wishcast into being a future HOF. Byron Buxton, Roberto Osuna, Addison Russell, and Carlos Correa are all good candidates. As well, players that haven't even started their MLB careers but are right on the edge of coming up (Dansby Swanson? Nick Williams?) in 2016 might be a good choice.
If I had to guess, I think Mike Trout or Carlos Correa are the best bets to continue this forward.
posted by grum@work at 03:41 PM on December 15, 2015
When you're bored at work and waiting for a system to come back up:
The combined MLB careers of just six Hall of Fame players span the 26 U.S. presidents from U.S. Grant (1869-1877) to Barack Obama (2009-current): Anson, Wagner, Ruth, Spahn, Ryan, Rivera.
Cap Anson: Grant to McKinley
Honus Wagner: McKinley to Wilson
Babe Ruth: Wilson to FDR
Warren Spahn: FDR to Johnson
Nolan Ryan: Johnson to Clinton
Pedro Martinez: Clinton to Obama
Their careers don't necessarily overlap. Spahn finished a season before Ryan, but they both played during the Johnson administration.