Detroit Tigers Clips Thursday, January 7, 2016

Detroit Free Press Trammell denied HOF in final year on ballot (Fenech)

MLive.com Hall of Fame: denied again; Ken Griffey Jr. and make it (Staff)

Oakland Press Tigers’ Alan Trammell falls short in final year on Hall of Fame ballot (Mowery)

CBSSports.com Trammell, McGwire are among those who fell off Hall of Fame ballot (Perry)

Daily Transactions

1

Trammell denied Baseball HOF in final year on ballot January 7, 2016 By Anthony Fenech/ Detroit Free Press

Alan Trammell’s days on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot are over. In his 15th year of consideration from the Baseball Writers Association of America, the longtime Tiger legend once again fell short of the 75% needed for induction to Cooperstown, earning 40.9% of the vote. “It’s flattering and honoring just to be talked about it,” Trammell said recently. “And I know that as a player, I could hold my own.” Two players were inducted by the writers this evening: Centerfielder Ken Griffey, Jr., with 99.3% of the vote and Mike Piazza, with 83%. Tigers did not receive a vote. Trammell, 57, was a career .285 hitter in 20 major league seasons – all in Detroit. Voting results for the Baseball Hall of Fame He 185 home runs, stole 236 bases, was a six-time All-Star with four Gold Glove Awards, three Silver Slugger Awards and a World Most Valuable Player in 1984 to his name. By the numbers, he stacks up favorably with the best in baseball history. But by the vote, Trammell has never come close to enshrinement. Before this year, his high-water mark in the voting was 36.8% in 2012. Last season, he earned 25.1% of the vote. “You don’t expect overnight to go from 20-25% to 75% in one year,” he said. “There’s some sort of apprehension that it could happen but obviously, that’s not the case.” Trammell’s long-standing dream has been to go into the Hall of Fame with play partner , and that dream remains a possibility when the Expansion Era evaluates the candidates for next year’s class. Trammell, Whitaker and teammate are all eligible due to a rule change by the Hall of Fame before this year’s voting. This year, the Hall of Fame limited the length of time on the ballot from 15 years to 10 years. In order to be considered by the Veterans Committee, a player had to be retired for 21 years. Now, because of the rule change, that requirement is 16 years. “That would be more of a team thing,” Trammell said. “We would be linked together and that would be very cool, very special.” With Trammell’s time on the BBWAA ballot expired, no player from the 1984 champion Tigers have been elected into the Hall of Fame. “I couldn’t have asked for anything more,” Trammell said. “I’m still living the dream, running around and doing my thing and being involved in baseball. This is all I’ve ever done and it’s all I’ve always wanted to do and I’ve come full circle with my role.”

2

Hall of Fame: Alan Trammell denied again; Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Piazza make it January 7, 2016 By MLive.com Staff/ MLive.com

Former Alan Trammell, as expected, again fell short of the votes needed to make baseball's Hall of Fame. The vote announced Wednesday means that Trammell's only chance to get into the hall in future years will rest with a veteran's committee. Who did get in this year? Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Piazza were elected to the Hall of Fame. A player needs 75 percent on the Baseball Writers' Association of America ballot to gain induction. Trammell received 41 percent in his 15th and final ballot appearance. Trammell had resigned himself to this outcome. Support for Trammell has gradually increased the past decade. He secured 36.8 percent of the vote in 2012, which until this year had been a personal best. Baseball Writers' Association of America voters are only allowed to select a maximum of 10 players apiece. Trammell was a four-time Gold Glove winner who played all 20 seasons of his career with the Tigers.

3

Tigers’ Alan Trammell falls short in final year on Hall of Fame ballot January 7, 2016 By Matthew Mowery/ Oakland Press

DETROIT >> The 1984 Detroit Tigers have been shut out. Barring help down the road from the Veterans Committee, the last World Series champion in the franchise’s history will not have any representation in the Baseball Hall of Fame from on-the-field players. The last of those players to fall short in the Baseball Writers Association of America voting was Alan Trammell, who — at 40.9 percent — fell well short of the 75 percent needed for induction in his final year on the ballot The only players elected this time around were Ken Griffey Jr. (99.3 percent of the vote, on all but three ballots, a record) and Mike Piazza. Jack Morris’ final year on the ballot was last year. Lou Whitaker failed to make it past his first year on the ballot, receiving less than the five percent needed to maintain a spot. Same with , Willie Hernandez, , and so on. The only guy who wore a uniform that year who made it in is manager . Current Tigers manager Brad Ausmus received zero votes in his first (and now only) year on the ballot.

4

Trammell, McGwire are among those who fell off Hall of Fame ballot January 7, 2016 By Dayn Perry/ CBSSports.com

The big story regarding Wednesday's Hall of Fame announcement is that Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Piazza have been elected. On the other end of the continuum we have those candidates who fell off the ballot and will not be appearing on the BBWAA ballot again. First and foremost, we have Alan Trammell and Mark McGwire. Trammell, the longtime Tigers shortstop, was named on 40.9 percent of ballots in his 15th and final year. As for McGwire, he of the 583 career home runs and admitted use of performance-enhancing drugs during his playing days, he's a casualty of the new 10-year time limits. In his 10th and final year on the BBWAA ballot, McGwire mustered just 12.3 percent support. Elsewhere, we have a large group who failed to garner the 5.0 percent necessary to remain on the BBWAA ballot. Those candidates are: (2.5 percent), (1.8 percent), (0.7 percent), (0.5 percent), (0.5 percent), Garret Anderson (0.1 percent), Brad Ausmus (no votes), Luis Castillo (0 votes), (0 votes), (0 votes), (0 votes), (0 votes), and Randy Winn (0 votes).

5

LAST UPDATED: THU, JANUARY 7, 2016, 03:03 EST

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2016

TEAM PLAYER TRANSACTION

Kansas City Royals Lane Adams Designated for Assignment

Kansas City Royals Signed as Free Agent, ( 2016-2019; Opt 2020)(four-year contract)

Los Angeles Dodgers Tyler Olson Designated for Assignment

Los Angeles Dodgers Brandon Beachy Signed as Free Agent, ( 2016)(one-year contract)

Milwaukee Brewers Signed as Free Agent, ( 2016)(one-year contract)

Milwaukee Brewers Josmil Pinto Designated for Assignment

Pittsburgh Pirates Designated for Assignment

Pittsburgh Pirates Neftali Feliz Signed as Free Agent, ( 2016)(one-year contract)

Washington Nationals Signed as Free Agent, ( 2016)(one-year contract)

Washington Nationals Taylor Hill Designated for Assignment

Washington Nationals Signed as Free Agent, ( 2016-2018)(three-year contract)

Washington Nationals Erik Davis Designated for Assignment

TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

TEAM PLAYER TRANSACTION

6

Cleveland Indians Signed as Free Agent, ( 2016)(one-year contract)

Cleveland Indians Kirby Yates Designated for Assignment

Cleveland Indians Signed as Free Agent, ( 2016)(one-year contract)

Pittsburgh Pirates Released

Pittsburgh Pirates Sean Rodriguez Signed as Free Agent, ( 2016)(one-year contract)

Texas Rangers Signed to a Minor League Contract

Toronto Blue Jays Arnold Leon Traded From from Athletics, Oakland (for cash considerations)

MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 2016

TEAM PLAYER TRANSACTION

Chicago Cubs Brendan Ryan Cleared Waivers and Became a Free Agent

Los Angeles Angels Gregorio Petit Signed to a Minor League Contract

Los Angeles Angels Rafael Lopez Cleared Waivers and Became a Free Agent

Philadelphia Phillies Cedric Hunter Signed to a Minor League Contract

Pittsburgh Pirates Ed Easley Signed to a Minor League Contract

7