JOPLIN MINER MAGAZINE

                                         Freddie Freeman leads Miners in Series Opener The Miners opened the 2019 season by taking 3 out of 4 from the new and improved Ravenwood Infidels.   Game 1 Infidels: 0-5-0 Miners: 1-5-0 W:Kimbrel L: Foltynewicz HR: None The Miners hoisted their first OL Championship flag in pregame ceremonies.  New Miner ace Chris Sale and Infidel starter Mike Foltynewicz both pitched 8 scoreless innings. The Miners scored the winning run in the 9th.  Freeman led the inning off with a walk, Jeff Mathis hit a pinch hit double, Inciarte was given an intentional walk to load the bases before Franchy Cordero hit a game winning pinch hit single. Game 2 ( 15 innings) Infidels: 9-20-0 Miners: 10-14-1 W: Claudio L; Buehler HR:  Freese, Betts, ...

         A Formula for the Hall of Fame and my 2018 Ballot  After hearing all the talk about Harold Baines' induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame, I came up with a two step formula which is impartial and flexible at the same time.  The automatic way to get into the Hall of Fame is to accumulate career bWAR which equals or exceeds  50 bWAR  for relievers, 62.5 bWAR for pitchers who split their careers as relievers and starters , 75 bWAR for starting pitchers and all hitters.  The second way to get my vote is to accumulate 10 points with 1 point for every All Star appearance and each World Series plus 2 points for every MVP or Cy Young award.  I ignored the steroids issue given there are several players who have used PEDs in the past.  Here are the 2019 inductees based on this formula: Automatically qualify under the career war numbers: Mike Mussina- 83 Roger Clemens- 139.6 Barry Bonds- 162.8 Curt Schil...

After stunning the BDBL commentators by reaching the 2018 BDBL World Series, the Miners face the tough task of continuing the winning tradition set by a past owner who turned down front row tickets to the 2018 BDBL World Series. A great deal of that successful past rested on the shoulders of Clayton Kershaw and others who left the team for the free agent market.  The Miner front office did not sit on its laurels but made a major off season trade, shipping MVP Charlie Blackmon and others for Freddie Freeman and others.  Freeman was recently signed to a 4 year contract, making him the defacto leader of the Joplin organization.  Joplin enters the free agent and farm draft with 21.4 million to acquire 18 roster players and only 3 farm players.  Speculation runs rampart that new owners with large stashes of cash are ready to spend way above market value which will require Miner management to adjust its acquisition strategy. Coaches for the 2019 season have b...