It's 10 degrees here this morning, so it's time to think about baseball. I am very excited that ex-Indian Dennis Eckersley made it into the Hall of Fame on the his first ballot: what more could he have done? maybe this will help break the prejudice against relievers, who are sadly underrepresented in the Hall:

Closer Dennis Eckersley and designated hitter Paul Molitor were elected to Cooperstown in their first year of eligibility. Eckersley is only the third pitcher to appear mostly as a reliever to be elected. Molitor is the first Hall of Famer to have more at-bats at DH than any other position.

Molitor, who will enter the Hall as a Milwaukee Brewer, received 85.2 percent (431 of 506) of the writers' votes. Eckersley, expected to be enshrined as an Oakland Athletic, was named by 83.2 percent.

...."I know guys like Goose, Sutter and Lee Smith, when he first came up, had to work a lot harder for saves than I did," said Eckersley. "I hope this makes it easier for them to get in."

Eckersley, who started his career in Cleveland in 1975, didn't become a full-time closer until 1987 after the Chicago Cubs traded him to Oakland. Tony La Russa, the A's manager, used him almost exclusively to get the final three outs of a game.

"Going to the bullpen was great," said Eckersley.

"All I had to do was pitch one or two innings. I could be the kind of pitcher I was when I was 20 years old. I could challenge people and throw strikes."

Eckersley spent his first 12 years as a starter. He threw a no-hitter for the Indians in 1977, won 20 games for Boston in 1978 and completed 100 games.

"No way I get in the Hall just as a reliever," said Eckersley, who saved 390 games. "Being a starter is what distanced me from other relievers." [Cleveland.com]

I am certain it is true that being a successful starter helped, but he wouldn't have been voted in just as a starter either. Shouldn't the vote be based upon being the best at your own position? It isn't a pitcher's fault if he excels at being a reliever - give credit where credit is due.

Eckersley and Molitor faced each other many times. Molitor said the most memorable at-bat may have been the last.

It came in 1998, the final season for both players. Molitor, playing for the Twins, laid down a bases-loaded, two-out bunt in the ninth inning to beat Eckersley and Boston.

"Dennis always showed a lot of emotion on the field and he's probably still mad at me," said Molitor with a laugh. "He was profane with me as he left the field."

Eckersley laughed when told of Molitor's story.

"I'm 43 years old, they're 25 games out of first place and he drops down a bunt," said Eckersley. "But guess what? It worked. What Molitor is, is a little weasel."

But a Hall of Fame weasel.

Of course, the machinations of the ever-selfish Pete Rose cast a shadow over this year's class, but we should do our best to ignore the liar and gambler and focus our attention on the two who didn't disgrace themselves and the game.