Al Yellon

Joe Posnanski looks at some of the ballot holdovers and explains why it’s a good thing that voters have 15 years to examine Hall of Fame credentials.

Jim Margalus of South Side Sox profiles Ed Walsh, star pitcher for the White Sox a century ago.

John Sickels has the lowdown on Gerrit Cole and the rest of the Pirates’ best prospects for 2012.

... and Bill Petti of Beyond the Boxscore says this is a “solid signing”.

The Athletics got quite a haul of prospects from the Nationals in this deal. John Sickels has short profiles of A.J. Cole, Tom Milone, Derek Norris and Brad Peacock (pictured).

Molly Knight of ESPN.com profiles the local kid who became a World Series hero after “his own indifference, injuries and three brushes with the law”.