Congrats Bert Blyleven, a top-20 pitcher

Bert Blyleven

I previously posted about Bert Blyleven, in my opinion one of the top 20 MLB pitchers of all time, when he was finally elected to the Hall of Fame.

Don't believe me? He's 27 in career wins, 14th in innings pitched, ninth in shutouts, 11th in starts, 13th in wins above replacement for pitchers and 43rd in wins above replacement for all players. And still, in today's whiff-heavy era, No. 5 in strikeouts.

Well, today was induction day. Blyleven, top-notch second baseman Robbie Alomar and Pat Gillick, a very good baseball executive with several teams, including Alomar's World Series-winning Toronto Blue Jays, all were honored.

There's an interesting sidebar, which probably hasn't happened before in any induction of three or more people. All three have significant non-American histories.

Blyleven was born in the Netherlands. Alomar has his best years in Toronto; his top two years were their 1992-93 World Series teams. And Pat Gillick was GM for those teams.

And Bert? Per Jim Caple, consider yourself circled. In the HOF.