2019 BASeball Hall of Fame

ESPN 97.5 experts predict 2019 Baseball Hall of Fame inductees

Is Roger Clemens a lock to make the Hall of Fame?

Photo by Getty Images

The latest Baseball Hall of Fame class will be announced on Tuesday, January 22. We asked members of the Gow Media staff to share their selections on who they would put in the Hall of Fame if they had votes. The results were interesting, to say the least. Take a look and see how your favorite personality voted.

A.J. Hoffman, ESPN 97.5
Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens. I considered Mariano Rivera, Gary Sheffield and Manny Ramirez, whom I think are all deserving, but until these two guys are in there, shouldn't be anyone else inducted.

Charlie Pallilo, ESPN 97.5
Bonds, Clemens, Pedro Martinez, Rivera, Roy Halladay, Mike Mussina, and Curt Schilling are easy picks. Scott Rolen, Larry Walker, and Andruw Jones with flawed resumes but most deserving among the rest. Bonds and Clemens were Hall Made Men for me before their careers shifted for whatever reasons. Halladay's first-ballot chances are probably helped by his tragic death. That should have nothing to do with it. Halladay was a Grade-A ace for a decade.

With Rolen, third base is the least represented position in the Hall, and at which only Brooks Robinson and Mike Schmidt won more Gold Gloves. Unlike Omar Vizquel among shortstops, Rolen was a major plus offensive player for years.

Walker's years in Denver inflated his stats and he was far from the most durable player, but a megaforce. Jones should have become a no-brainer but grew lazy way too young. He still averaged 34 homers and 103 RBI for a decade, while probably playing centerfield as well has anyone has ever played it. I seriously doubt Willie Mays was better.

Barry Laminack, ESPN 97.5

Mariano Rivera (The one player on the first-time list that is a true first-ballot Hall-of-Famer), Roger Clemens, and Barry Bonds. These players were great baseball players before the steroid era and were on a patch to be Hall of Famers regardless, so I say let them in. Manny Ramirez was one of the most feared hitters of his era. He could hit for power and average. Only two players on the ballot had a higher career average than he did, and they both played in Coors Field.

---

Continue reading our Hall of Fame picks on SportsMap.

sports

pucker up

Growing pickleball franchise smashes into Houston with 2 locations

Two men play pickleball on a Picklr court.

Photo courtesy of The Picklr

A Picklr court campus similar to the ones soon to open in Houston.

Pickleball is one of the hottest sports sweeping the nation, and one of the biggest names in the game is setting up two new facilities in Houston. Picklr is scheduled to open indoor sports campuses in Cypress and The Woodlands in the coming months.

“Bringing a pickleball facility to Cypress will not only provide a fun and engaging recreational outlet for residents of all ages, but will also foster a sense of community and promote a healthy and active lifestyle,” said Steve Nguyen, owner of The Picklr Cypress.“This facility will serve as a vibrant hub for social interaction, skill development, and friendly/competitive competition, enhancing community bonds and offering a welcoming space for everyone to enjoy.”

Although the game is approximately 60 years old, pickleball saw a massive spike in popularity following the pandemic when people were looking for fun group activities with easy points of entry. Though a racket sport like tennis, it is far easier and slower thanks to using perforated balls, smaller courts, and lighter paddles. This means the game is open to players of all ages, and was originally most popular with retirees. Now, there are roughly 5 million players across America, with players under 24 making up the majority. Houston even has its own professional team, the Hammers (not the Texas Hammer; that's this guy).

The court in Cypress will be located in the old ASI Gymnastics building at 8920 Barker Cypress. It's a relatively modest facility with only six courts including a practice court. By contrast, The Woodlands location will be much more opulent. At 66,517 square feet, it will have 20 courts, 4 private event spaces (one with an exclusive viewing area), as well as a shower, changing room, dry bar, and kitchenette. Picklr The Woodlands will be located at 16590 Interstate I-45 South.

These locations are the first for Picklr in Houston. They have twelve locations all throughout Texas, including in Round Rock and McKinney, and many more nationwide. Picklr locations operate on a membership model similar to a gym. Memberships run $159 a month for adults and $89 for minors, with unlimited access to open play, league play, and tournaments , as well as four free clinics a month. Additional coaching is available.

There is currently no set opening date for the two Houston-area Picklrs. Players interested in learning more may sign up for updates at ThePicklr.com.

pickleball openings