Top News:
Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com:
Biggio tops vote but no one elected to Hall — Former Astros star finishes 39 votes shy, trailed by Morris, Bagwell, Piazza — NEW YORK — The most highly debated election for entry into the National Baseball Hall of Fame ended Wednesday without a new inductee.
Discussion:
Associated Press, Baseball Prospectus, Viva El Birdos, Metsblog, Beyond the Box Score, Hit and Run and Gaslamp Ball
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Hall of Famers glad Bonds, Clemens denied … NEW YORK — Nobody was happier about the Hall of Fame shutout than the Hall of Famers themselves. — Goose Gossage, Al Kaline, Dennis Eckersley and others are in no rush to open the door to Cooperstown for anyone linked to steroids.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, baseballmusings.com, ESPN.com and ESPN
Richard Justice / MLB.com:
Time to consider changing Hall of Fame voting system — Are the most qualified people voting? After 80 years of doing things one way, is it time to consider another? Those are among the questions the National Baseball Hall of Fame ought to be asking itself.
Discussion:
Beyond the Box Score, ESPN, Amazin' Avenue and Baseball Prospectus
Fox Sports:
2013 Hall of Fame vote an aberration — I'm sorry, it's not a calamity. Not even close. — Many fans were stunned Wednesday by the announcement that the voting members of the Baseball Writers Association of America did not elect anyone to the Hall of Fame — not a single player from the most star-studded ballot in recent memory.
Discussion:
ESPN.com - null, Sports on Earth Writers, Baseball Nation, Getting Blanked and ESPN
ESPN:
No players elected to Baseball Hall of Fame by writers — NEW YORK — Steroid-tainted stars Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa were denied entry to baseball's Hall of Fame, with voters failing to elect any candidates for only the second time in four decades.
Discussion:
Associated Press and Hardball Times
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
No Players Elected to Baseball Hall of Fame
Discussion:
Athletics Nation and Baseball Nation
Jayson Stark / MLB:
Stark: What should the Hall of Fame be?
Discussion:
Hit and Run, San Francisco Giants, Baseball Analytics Blog, Boston Globe, Over the Monster and New York Times
Howard Bryant / MLB:
Drawing a blank on a HOF ballot
Discussion:
ESPN.com, Fish Stripes, Full Count, AZ Snake Pit, The Big Lead, ESPN and HardballTalk
Craig Calcaterra / HardballTalk:
Ken Burns on Bonds, Clemens, Piazza: “Those motherf***ers should suffer for a while”
Discussion:
Metsblog, Hollywood Reporter, Awful Announcing and Amazin' Avenue
Dan Shaughnessy / The Boston Globe:
A Hall of Fame ballot without a whiff of PED usage
Discussion:
Boston Globe, Baseball Prospectus, South Side Sox, The Good Phight, Hardball Times, Royals Review, AZ Snake Pit, Bluebird Banter, MLB Daily Dish, Talking Chop, The Crawfish Boxes, Comcast SportsNet, Beyond the Box Score, Baseball Crank, baseballmusings.com, Brew Crew Ball, Batter's Box Interactive …, Fire Brand, MLB.com, platoonadvantage.com and Dan Shaughnessy Watch
Jerry Crasnick / MLB:
Jonathan Singleton banned 50 games — Houston Astros prospect Jonathan Singleton, a rising star in the organization and the team's first baseman of the future, has been suspended for the first 50 games of the 2013 season for his second violaton of minor league baseball's drug policy.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, The Crawfish Boxes and The Good Phight
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Brian McTaggart / MLB.com:
Top Astros prospect suspended 50 games — Singleton acknowledges testing positive for marijuana use — HOUSTON — Jonathan Singleton, ranked by MLB.com as the top prospect in the Astros' organization, has been suspended 50 games by Major League Baseball after violating the Minor League Drug Prevention …
Discussion:
Philly.com, Baseball Nation and MLB Daily Dish
Michael S. Schmidt / New York Times:
Baseball to Expand Drug-Testing Program — WASHINGTON — Major League Baseball and its players union have reached a deal to expand their drug program, agreeing to in-season blood-testing for human growth hormone and to a new test designed to catch players using testosterone.
Discussion:
MLB, SI Tracking Blog, HardballTalk and Bleed Cubbie Blue
Keith Law / ESPN:
MLB 25 Under 25 Rankings — Ranking the top players in baseball below the age of 25 — Welcome to the second edition of my rankings of the top MLB players under the age of 25. This year's list runs to 25 players, with my comments on each player broken down into two sections …
Discussion:
Over the Monster and Getting Blanked
Thomas Harding / MLB.com:
Rockies give Corpas invitation to Spring Training — DENVER — The Rockies have looked to an old friend to help with their new pitching plan. — Right-hander Manny Corpas, the closer on the 2007 Rockies club that went to the only World Series in team history, rejoined the Rockies on Wednesday …
Discussion:
HardballTalk, MLB Rumors and MLB Daily Dish
csnphilly.com:
Hamels OK after offseason shoulder issue — Ruben Amaro Jr. insists that it's nothing to be concerned about, but any time someone hears that Cole Hamels experienced shoulder soreness, well, there's going to be concern. — That's just the way it is with pitching arms. Especially ones critical to a team's success.
Discussion:
The Good Phight, HardballTalk and MLB Daily Dish
Rhett Bollinger / MLB.com:
Inbox: Morneau to be traded before Deadline? — Beat reporter Rhett Bollinger answers Twins fans' questions … With Justin Morneau in the final year of his contract, how likely is it the Twins deal him before the Trade Deadline? I think we could bolster our pitching prospects and build for 2014 if we deal him this year.
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish and MLB Rumors
