Yep, the big one is out.  Jeter the only new guy to be an obvious pick.  Jays on the ballot are Roger Clemens, Scott Rolen, Jeff Kent, Omar Vizquel.

The ballot for the current Veteran's committee is set - Modern Era

Two new members of the HOF were announced today.

The current Veterans committee is to debate the "Modern Baseball Era" Voting is on December 10th and there are ex-Jays on the ballot.

Well, that time of year again.  The HOF has released the list of who is on the ballot and it is a very, very crowded one yet again.

No one made it, just like 1996 except this time it wasn't due to a lack of talented players.

The Baseball Hall of Fame operates in mysterious ways and one of the biggest mysteries is how they select the winner of the Ford C. Frick award.  The winner gets to be represented in the Hall of Fame.  Tom Cheek is this years winner.

The Hall of Fame is not a part of MLB.  They are a private institution.  As a private institution they want people to come and visit and, in my opinion, there is always a pull between naming broadcasters who are alive versus dead.  Dave VanHorne, who was elected last year, is most definitely alive and therefore can go on multiple TV and radio shows and talk about what a great place the Hall of Fame is and in that way generate publicity and revenue for the Hall.  Tom Cheek cannot do that.  That is speculation on my part as to why it has taken so long for Tom Cheek to be named.

The ballot for pre-integration (pre 1947) is out as is the Ford Frick award that we push Tom Cheek for.

Andy Pettitte retired in 2010. Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera are back for another go-round. But one less tie to recent Yankee greatness is no longer going to step to (or squat behind) the plate for the Bronx Bombers.

The Associated Press reported Saturday that free agent catcher Jorge Posada will announce his retirement this month, after 17 seasons with the New York Yankees rather than pursue opportunities with other teams. (Yahoo! || ESPN New York)

A five-time All-Star, Posada compiled a career batting average of .273 with 275 home runs and 1,065 RBIs, winning the Silver Slugger Award five times as best hitting catcher in the American League and won five World Series titles with the team that drafted him in the 24th round of the 1990 draft.

Only Hall of Famers Bill Dickey and Yogi Berra caught more games in Yankee pinstripes than Posada, who did so 1,574 times. So there's the basis for tonight's question and the "Hall Watch" designation of this thread ... does Jorge eventually join his predecessors Bill and Lawrence (that's Yogi, kids) in Cooperstown?

And if not, where does he rank in the annals of Yankee backstops? In addition to the two HOFers, don't forget Bresnahan, Howard, Munson and more!

A truly outstanding contemporary sports jounralist, Jonah Keri (who, head's up baseball fans of Canada, apparently is making his next project a book about the Montreal Expos), recently tweeted the following:

If you have a Hall of Fame ballot, these pieces on Tim Raines (http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/tim-raines-case-for-the-hall-of-fame/) & Jack Morris (http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/jack-morris-babblefest-2009/) are worth reading.

The links point to two separate stories written by Friend of Batter's Box Tom Tango, and they are worth the read for anyone who has an opinion about Raines' and/or Morris' HOF candidacy. (Spoiler alert: Tangotiger gives one yea and one nay ....)

Three words ....

It's about *&^%$#@!!! time!

The 2012 Hall of Fame ballot has been released. There are 14 players returning from last year's ballot and 13 new faces. A player needs 75% of the votes to gain admission, and the voters are allowed to vote YES to as many as ten.

Touch 'em all, Tom!

The annual Ford C. Frick ballot nominations are in full review by Baseball's Hall of Fame, and as such, the likeliest candidates are receiving full feature review from the Hall on Facebook and in update-subscriber e-mails ... today's edition highlights a man who will bear more than passing familiarity to Canadian baseball enthusiasts of both Jay and Expo lineage ... 2012 Frick Ballot Preview: Tom Cheek

Voting for the 2012 Ford Frick Award is underway on the Baseball Hall of Fame’s Facebook page.  Tom Cheek is on the ballot again, as are a host of other names you’ll know and appreciate. Take 45 seconds and vote, won’t you? And tell us here that you did and who you cast your lot behind!

So I came back from the laundromat and turned on the television. It was scoreless in the second inning, one out, runners on second and third. And Rajai Davis promptly lashed a two-run single to left... and oh hell. That's Scott Rolen at third base, and there he is making the diving stop, holding the runner at third and throwing Davis out at first.  Bloody Hall of Famers.

Hang on...