LAS VEGAS (AP) — Harold Baines was given a save as big as any Lee Smith ever posted.In a vote sure to spark renewed cries of cronyism at Cooperstown http://www.coltscheapshop.com/cheap-authentic-bobby-okereke-jersey Jersey , Baines surprisingly was picked for the baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday after never coming close in any previous election.“Very shocked,” the career .289 hitter said on a conference call.Smith, who held the major league record for saves when he retired, was an easy pick when the Today’s Game Era Committee met at the winter meetings.It took 12 votes for election by the 16-member panel — Smith was unanimous, Baines got 12 and former outfielder and manager Lou Piniella fell just short with 11.George Steinbrenner, Orel Hershiser, Albert Belle, Joe Carter, Will Clark, Davey Johnson and Charlie Manuel all received fewer than five votes.Smith and Baines both debuted in Chicago during the 1980 season. Smith began with the Cubs and went on to record 478 saves while Baines started out with the White Sox and had 2,866 hits.Baines had 384 home runs and 1,628 RBIs in a 22-year career — good numbers, but not stacking up against the greats of his day. He never drew more than 6.1 percent in five elections by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, far from the 75 percent required.“I wasn’t expecting this day to come,” the six-time All-Star said.The Hall board-appointed panel included longtime White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf.“I’m glad he was on that committee this year to help to get into the Hall of Fame Noah Fant Jersey ,” Baines said.Reinsdorf praised his former player in a statement. Baines currently serves as a team ambassador in community relations department of the White Sox.“So happy for Harold. He’s a great player and a great human being,” Reinsdorf said. “I am so honored that I was a member of the committee. He deserved to be in long ago. I am just so excited.”“Not only was Harold one of my favorite players to watch, but I have nothing but admiration for him as a player and as a human being,” he said.Tony La Russa, Baines’ first big league manager, also was on the panel that elected him.In the past, Phil Rizzuto and Bill Mazeroski were among the players who benefited from friendly faces on Veterans Committees to reach the Hall. That panel has been revamped over the years, and the Today’s Game Era group was created as part of changes in 2014.“The era committees were established as a sort of a court of appeals for an opportunity in the event that over time it was felt that maybe somebody slipped through the cracks,” Hall President Jeff Idelson said. “And in the case of someone who received 6 percent of the vote in the BBWAA election, the reason that may have happened could be for many, many reasons.”Baines, now 59, had a smooth, consistent, left-handed stroke. But he never finished higher than ninth in an MVP vote http://www.denverbroncosteamonline.com/dalton-risner-jersey , and never was among the top five AL hitters in the yearly batting race. His single-season high was 29 home runs at a time when lots of players hit more.Smith’s fastball helped him become a seven-time All-Star in an 18-year-old career. Known for his slow trudges from the bullpen to the mound, he owned the saves record when he retired during the 1997 season while with Montreal. Trevor Hoffman and then Mariano Rivera reset the mark.Smith never reached 51 percent in 15 BBWAA elections. Still, he kept believing his day would come.“I’m pretty patient, though, and I think I waited long enough. But it’s sweeter,” he said on a conference call. “You look at those things, well, OK, who’s on the ballot this year? Who’s on the ballot next year? But I’d never, never, never give up hope.“And then when they started with the second-chance ballot, I thought my chances got a little better. This probably today was probably the (most) nervous I’ve been with this Hall of Fame voting thing,” he said.Smith became the seventh pitcher who primarily was a reliever to make the Hall, joining Hoffman, Dennis Eckersley Drew Lock Jersey , Rollie Fingers, Goose Gossage, Bruce Sutter and Hoyt Wilhelm. The 61-year-old has long worked for the San Francisco Giants as a minor league pitching coach and instructor.Baines was a designated hitter for much of his career after knee trouble ended his days in the outfield. DHs have struggled to gain backing from Hall voters. Baines joined Frank Thomas as the only players in the Hall who spent more than half his games as a DH.“Everything I hear or read is DH is really not part of the game, I guess. But I disagree. But maybe this will the open up the doors for some more DHs,” Baines said.Both closers and DHs could see the numbers increase again very shortly.Rivera is eligible for the first time and big-hitting DH Edgar Martinez will be back on the ballot when results of the next BBWAA election are announced Jan. 22.Induction ceremonies are scheduled for July 21 at Cooperstown, New York.Between now and then, there’s certain to be more debate about who else should be in the Hall. Drug-tainted Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens are on the upcoming BBWAA ballot, influential players’ union head Marvin Miller has been denied seven times by various committees, and admitted steroids user Mark McGwire wasn’t among Sunday’s candidates. WESTIELD, Ind. (AP) — Jacoby Brissett enjoys playing the role of entertainer at training camp.The Indianapolis Colts quarterback routinely celebrates big plays, moves and grooves to the songs blasting through loudspeakers and even periodically tosses in a barrel roll after diving to the ground to simulate a block against the air. It’s who he is.But when it’s time to work, Brissett is all business.“I’ve seen it in OTAs,” All-Pro linebacker Darius Leonard said Wednesday. “Usually if a vet messes up anybody would just walk by, but Jacoby won’t let a mistake walk by. So you see a leader on the field and off the field, the way he carries himself http://www.denverbroncosteamonline.com/dre_mont-jones-jersey , you just see he’s a great guy on the field and off the field.”The Colts need Brissett to play the tough-guy role right now as Andrew Luck continues to sit out with a strained left calf.Coach Frank Reich announced Tuesday the injury Luck suffered in the spring would keep his starting quarterback out of action until at least Saturday. Reich also has ruled out Luck for next Thursday’s preseason opener at Buffalo and indicated that in a best-case scenario Luck would see only a little playing time anyway in the next two preseason games.So Brissett probably will take the bulk of the snaps in August, and the timing couldn’t be better.The exuberant 26-year-old enters the final year of his contract having spent more time than Luck with the starting offense.For the first time in three years, he is not scrambling to learn a new offense. He has developed timing with new receivers Devin Funchess, a free agent signee, and third-round draft pick Parris Campbell. And he has found a personality fit with playful teammates like Funchess and Pro Bowl tight end Eric Ebron.All of that has made a difference.“He’s done a great job of diving into the playbook,” offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni said. “Year 2 of the system, everybody has a firmer grasp of it and nothing’s new to anybody and you can really see that in Jacoby with the way the plays come out of his mouth, the way that his eyes read the play and the speed that he gets the ball out with.”Most NFL fans haven’t seen much of Brissett since Luck missed the entire 2017 season while recovering from shoulder surgery.Brissett came to Indy that season in a cutdown weekend trade from New England. Less than two weeks later, Brissett, barely knowing the offense, was forced into relief duty in the Colts’ season opener. He wound up starting the final 15 games, throwing for 3,098 yards, 13 touchdowns and seven interceptions despite enduring a league-high 52 sacks.When Luck returned last season, Brissett went back to the supporting cast. He threw only four passes in four games including the desperation heave from near midfield in the waning seconds of a Week 3 loss at Philadelphia. And with Brissett out of the spotlight T.J. Hockenson Jersey , his value around the league took a hit.Now, with Luck out again, Brissett has another opportunity to showcase his talent on the NFL stage.Brissett prefers to look at the big picture.“You’ve got to make strides, obviously, second year in the system and that’s what I hope to do throughout this system,” he said. “You’ll never see the finished product right now. Everybody understands that.”And after Brissett spent much of last season posing with the defense after turnovers, those in the Colts’ locker room have no doubts Brissett can get the job done with or without Luck.“I think any time a guy gets a lot of reps, that’s huge for us as a team,” Sirianni said. “Obviously yeah, we want Andrew out there. But when a guy is getting significant reps, getting the timing down with the receivers, the snap count, the cadence and the calls down with the center and the offensive line — I mean that’s invaluable. What I think he has really done is gain the trust of everybody in the offensive huddle.”