Issue #468

The goal with The Baseball Buffet series is to provide the best daily dose of relevant baseball info in a smart-brevity format (mostly short bullets, getting to the point, with quick analysis/insights.) Think of it like what baseball fans of a certain age would look forward to in their morning newspaper’s sports section each day!

⚾ Welcome! ⚾

Another slow day of offseason baseball news yesterday, so I figured today’s edition would be a good time to share a few bits from the recent Baseball Buffet reader survey. This short survey ran at the end of the regular season, and had close to 600 respondents—thanks again to everyone who participated, as your feedback and ideas are very helpful for me as I plan for the future.

The first question was “On average, how many days a week do you read at least some of The Baseball Buffet”? Great to see that a majority read it every day, and a large percentage read it 5-7 days a week:

  • 55% - 7 days a week

  • 10% - 6 days a week

  • 22% - 5 days a week

  • 13% - 4 days or less

Another question gets at the “buffet” aspect of The Baseball Buffet: “During the regular season, which of the following features did you read consistently (over half of the time)?”

  • 85% - Game recaps from the previous day

  • 67% - On this day in baseball history

  • 59% - Who’s on the move? (transactions)

  • 55% - League leaders

  • 55% - Daily trivia question

  • 49% - Today’s games preview

  • 39% - Who is streaking

  • 37% - Good reads

  • 35% - The Birthday Boys

  • 29% - HR Watch

  • 27% - Who might struggle today? 159

  • 26% - Hits Watch 151

If you are a fan of any of the items that came out lower on that list… don’t worry! I plan to continue with all of these features (and more!) in 2026. (If I ever launch a feature and I learn that only 5-10% of readers are regularly enjoying it… well, then I might consider dropping it.)

Today’s Trivia Question

As noted below, one of today’s Birthday Boys is the great Mariano Rivera. He is the all-time saves leader with 652, followed by Trevor Hoffman who had 601. Can you name the next six on the all-time saves leaderboard, each of whom have over 400? (Bonus points the closer you can get to naming them in order.)

2026 Team Wall Calendars!

Its that time of year… I know wall or desk calendars aren’t for everyone, but as a kid in the 1980s it was a tradition in my house to get a new calendar for the new year. And most years, my theme was baseball.

Turner Sports produces attractive 12×12” Team Wall Calendars. I think they produce them for all 30 MLB teams, but I could only find some teams available at Amazon. Looks like Calendars.com has a broader selection, but here are the ones I found at Amazon:

Again, those are the teams I could find at Amazon so far. Other teams seem to be available at Calendars.com.

On this day in baseball history…

Here is what stands out to me for this day in baseball history. Unless otherwise noted, the descriptions are from baseball-reference.com.

📅 On November 29…

  • 1916: Johnson and Alexander face each other for the first time. “In Kansas City, MO, Walter Johnson and Grover Cleveland Alexander face each other for the first time. The exhibition game between the two stars features Zach Wheat, Casey Stengel, Max Carey, Hal Chase and others. The “Johnsons" prevail over the "Alexanders", 3 - 2.”

  • 1971: Three big trades in one day. “In three blockbuster deals, the Cubs trade P Ken Holtzman to the A's for OF Rick Monday; the Giants trade P Gaylord Perry and SS Frank Duffy to the Indians for P Sam McDowell; and the Reds trade 1B Lee May, 2B Tommy Helms, and OF Jimmy Stewart to the Astros for 2B Joe Morgan, OF Cesar Geronimo, and P Jack Billingham. This last trade, criticized in the Cincinnati press, is one of the best in Reds history, and puts the wheels on the Big Red Machine, as future Hall of Fame member Morgan will win two MVP Awards with the team.”

  • 1976: The Yankees sign Reggie Jackson. “The Yankees sign free agent Reggie Jackson to five-year, $3.5 million dollar contract. During "Mr. October"'s tenure, the Bronx Bombers will win four division titles, three pennants and two World Series.”

🎂 Today’s Birthday Boys 🎉

Mariano Rivera (1969)

  • Hall of Famer (first ever elected unanimously)

  • 19-year major league career, spanning from 1995-2013, all with the New York Yankees

  • Began in his age-20 season at Rookie-ball, and had a ridiculous 0.17 ERA (yes, only 1 ER and only 17 hits allowed in 52 IP) mostly as a reliever.

  • Then he rose up through the minors as a starter, but had mixed results in 1995 with the Yankees as a combined starter/reliever with a 5.51 ERA over 67 innings.

  • He became a reliever in 1996 and was an outstanding setup man (2.09 ERA and 130 K in 107.2 IP) for closer John Wetteland.

  • Was the Yankees' closer from 1997-2011, with 35+ saves in eleven seasons. He led the AL in saves three times, including a career-high 50 saves in 2001.

  • 13-time All-Star, and had an ERA below 2.00 an impressive eleven times

  • He was even better in the postseason, with an amazing 0.70 ERA and 42 saves in 96 games and 141 IP. This included being named World Series MVP in 1999 and ALCS MVP in 2003.

  • Overall had a 2.21 ERA, and is the all-time career leader with 652 saves. He is also the all-time leader with 952 games finished, and his 205 career ERA+ is the best ever amongst pitchers with 1,000+ IP.

Minnie Miñoso (1923-2015)

  • Hall of Famer

  • 20-year major league career, spanning from 1946-1980, mostly with the Chicago White Sox

  • Began his career in the Negro Leagues, but then signed with the Cleveland Indians as an amateur free agent before the 1948 season

  • Was an All-Star and came in second in the AL Rookie of the Year voting in 1951, even though he was traded early in the year from the Indians to the White Sox. He batted .326 and scored 112 runs, while leading the AL with 31 SB and 14 triples.

  • All-Star in nine seasons, and came in fourth in the MVP voting an impressive four times

  • Led the AL in SB three times, triples three times, doubles once, and hits once

  • Had 20+ HR four times, 100+ RBI four times, and 100+ runs four times

  • Nicknamed the "Cuban Comet", he mostly played LF, but spent some time at 3B, RF, and CF early in his career

  • Left MLB after his age-40 season in 1964, but continued to play and hit well in the Mexican League through 1973 (his age-49 season)

  • Made highly publicized but brief appearances with the White Sox in 1976 at age 52 (1-8 in three games), and in 1980 at age 56 (0-2 in 2 games)

  • Overall had 195 HR, 1,228 runs, 216 SB, a .299/.387/.461 slash line, and a 130 OPS+

Bill Freehan (1941-2021)

  • 15-year major league career, spanning from 1961-1976, as a catcher for the Detroit Tigers

  • 11-time All-Star, and won five Gold Glove Awards

  • Had some pop, with 20+ HR three times, including a career high 25 HR and 84 RBI in 1968, the "Year of the Pitcher", and as a key member of the Tigers World Series championship team (though he struggled as a hitter in that World Series itself, going 2-24)

  • Overall had 200 HR, a .262/.340/.412 slash line, and a 112 OPS+

Howard Johnson (1960)

  • 14-year major league, spanning from 1982-1995, starting with the Tigers but then mostly playing for the Mets

  • Two-time All-Star

  • Had a nice combination of power and speed, with three 30/30 HR/SB seasons, and two others that were in the 20/20 club

  • Led the NL with 104 runs in 1989, and then with 38 HR and 117 RBI in 1991

  • Primarily played 3B, but also spent some time at SS and the OF

  • Overall had 228 HR, 231 SB, a .249/.340/.446 slash line, and a 118 OPS+

Dick McAuliffe (1939-2016)

  • 16-year major league career, spanning from 1960-1975, mostly with the Tigers (and hence he was a long-time teammate of fellow Birthday Boy Bill Freehan above)

  • Played mostly SS early in his career, then shifted to 2B, with some time spent at 3B along the way

  • All-star in three consecutive seasons from 1965-1967

  • Had some pop for a middle-infielder of his era, hitting 20+ HR three times, and 15+ HR another three times

  • Overall had 197 HR, a .247/.343/.403 slash line, and a 109 OPS+

Mike Easler (1950)

  • 14-year major league career, spanning from 1973-1987, playing for six different clubs

  • Climbed his way up through the minors starting in 1969, in his age 18 season, with only brief appearances in the majors for ten years. Played for four different AAA teams, hitting .352 in 1976 and .330 in 1978.

  • Nicknamed "Hit Man", he finally broke out in 1980 with the Pirates by batting .338 with 21 HR and 74 RBI in 132 games.

  • Was an All-Star in 1981, and overall had four seasons with 15+ HR, including a career high 27 HR and 91 RBI in 1984 for the Red Sox

  • Mostly was a LF and DH

  • Overall had 118 HR, a .293/.349/.454 slash line, and a 118 OPS+

A currently active player who was born on November 29 is MJ Melendez (free agent).

Check out the second annual Here’s the Pitch, edited by Dan Schlossberg, from the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America. The book is published by ACTA Sports, which previously was the publisher of the annual Bill James Handbook around this time each year. (ACTA is also the publisher of my first baseball book from 2019, which is of course always mentioned at the end of each edition of this newsletter.)

This year, Here’s the Pitch 2026 has a foreword by Jayson Stark, an introduction by edited Dan Schlossberg, and then 26 articles by a range of IBWAA authors. Topics vary greatly, from walk-up music and fungoes; women in baseball; Lou Gehrig, Ted Williams, Pete Rose, and Babe Ruth; some looks ahead to 2026; and much more… check it out!

Baseball Quote of the Day

One of the new features I’m starting up during the offseason is a baseball-related quote of the day. These will include quotes by players or managers that are insightful or funny, and interesting quotes from others about the game itself. I’ll try to mix it up over time.

Today I’ll go with one quote each from four of the Birthday Boys above:

"I have baseball in my blood. Baseball is all I've ever wanted to do." - Minnie Miñoso

"I wanted to hit well... I just never put that ahead of my primary responsibility. The catcher has to be the captain of the field. I felt if I did my job behind the plate, I was contributing to the team in the best way I could." - Bill Freehan

"My style of play maybe shortened my career. I don't know if I could've changed that. I went 'til the batteries ran out." - Howard Johnson

"I don't just think regular season. I think playoffs. World Series. That's how I think." - Mariano Rivera

⚾ I hope you enjoyed the newsletter today! ⚾

Today’s Trivia Answer

The all-time saves leaderboard is as follows:

  • 652 - Mariano Rivera

  • 601 - Trevor Hoffman

  • 478 - Lee Smith

  • 476 - Kenley Jansen (active, free agent)

  • 440 - Craig Kimbrel (active, Free agent)

  • 437 - Francisco Rodriguez

  • 424 - John Franco

  • 422 - Billy Wagner

Good Reads

Here I am providing one or more links to baseball articles I’ve enjoyed recently, whether by writers at MLB.com or elsewhere.

See recent issues of The Baseball Buffet for more recent good reads!

Did you know? I wrote a 600+ page book with the same title as this newsletter/blog? Now Taking the Field: Baseball’s All-Time Dream Teams for All 30 Franchises was published in early 2019, by ACTA Sports. It is available at Amazon and most other major booksellers.

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