Sox’ Baines, Cubs’ Piniella make Hall of Fame ballot,
The Cubs and White Sox are well-represented on the Hall of Fame ballot.
Harold Baines, Albert Belle, Joe Carter, Lou Piniella and Lee Smith are among the 10 candidates who will be considered by the Today’s Game Era Committee, which looks at candidates from 1998 to today. The other five are Will Clark, Orel Hershiser, Davey Johnson, Charlie Manuel and George Steinbrenner.
Baines, whom the Sox drafted first overall in 1977, had three stints with the team during a major-league career that lasted from 1980 to 2001. The six-time All-Star is one of only 33 players to drive in at least 1,628 runs in their career.
Belle played two seasons with the Sox, hitting .301 with 79 home runs and 268 RBI in 324 games. He was the first major-leaguer to post 50 doubles and 50 home runs in one season (1995).
Carter was drafted second overall by the Cubs in 1981. He went on to become a five-time All Star with the Blue Jays. In 10 of his 16 seasons, Carter had at least 100 RBI.
Piniella last served as manager for the Cubs from 2007 to ’10 (he was replaced 51 games into his final season by Mike Quade). Piniella led the Cubs to two division titles (2007 and ’08). He’s 16th all time with 1,835 victories.
Smith pitched for the Cubs from 1980 to ’87, totaling 180 saves. He held the major-league record for career saves with 478 from 1993 to 2006, when the Padres’ Trevor Hoffman passed him.
The committee will review and vote on the candidates Dec. 9 at the winter meetings in Las Vegas. Candidates need at least 75 percent of the vote for induction. The ceremony is July 21.
Kikuchi available to MLB
The Seibu Lions will post lefthander Yusei Kikuchi, clearing the way for the 27-year-old to negotiate with MLB teams. Kikuchi has a 7346 career record with a 2.77 ERA in Nippon Professional Baseball. He will be represented by Scott Boras, according to Jon Heyman.
A’s Beane named top exec
Athletics executive vice president of baseball operations Billy Beane was voted the inaugural MLB Executive of the Year. Rays general manager Erik Neander and Brewers GM David Stearns tied for second.