This post is for voting and discussion in the 136th round of balloting for the Circle of Greats (COG).  This round of balloting adds to the list of candidates eligible to receive your votes those players born in 1977. Rules and lists are after the jump.

The new group of 1977-born players, in order to join the eligible list, must, as usual, have played at least 10 seasons in the major leagues or generated at least 20 Wins Above Replacement (“WAR”, as calculated by baseball-reference.com, and for this purpose meaning 20 total WAR for everyday players and 20 pitching WAR for pitchers). This group of 1977-born candidates joins the eligible holdovers from previous rounds to comprise the full list of players eligible to appear on your ballots.

In addition to voting for COG election among players on the main ballot, there will be also be voting for elevation to the main ballot among players on the secondary ballot. For the main ballot election, voters must select three and only three eligible players, with the one player appearing on the most ballots cast in the round inducted into the Circle of Greats. For the secondary ballot election, voters may select up to three eligible players, with the one player appearing on the most ballots cast elevated to the main ballot for the next COG election round. In the case of ties, a runoff election round will be held for COG election, while a tie-breaking process will be followed to determine the secondary ballot winner.

Players who fail to win either ballot but appear on half or more of the ballots that are cast win four added future rounds of ballot eligibility. Players who appear on 25% or more of the ballots cast, but less than 50%, earn two added future rounds of ballot eligibility. One additional round of eligibility is earned by any player who appears on at least 10% of the ballots cast or, for the main ballot only, any player finishing in the top 9 (including ties) in ballot appearances. Holdover candidates on the main ballot who exhaust their eligibility will drop to the secondary ballot for the next COG election round, as will first time main ballot candidates who attract one or more votes but do not earn additional main ballot eligibility. Secondary ballot candidates who exhaust their eligibility will drop from that ballot, but will become eligible for possible reinstatement in a future Redemption round election.

All voting for this round closes at 11:59 PM EST Sunday, February 6th, while changes to previously cast ballots are allowed until 11:59 PM EST Friday, February 4th.

If you’d like to follow the vote tally, and/or check to make sure I’ve recorded your vote correctly, you can see my ballot-counting spreadsheet for this round here: COG 1977 Vote Tally. I’ll be updating the spreadsheet periodically with the latest votes. Initially, there is a row in the spreadsheet for every voter who has cast a ballot in any of the past rounds, but new voters are entirely welcome — new voters will be added to the spreadsheet as their ballots are submitted. Also in the spreadsheet is a column for each of the holdover candidates; additional player columns from the new born-in-1977 group will be added to the spreadsheet as votes are cast for them.

Choose your three players, for both the main and secondary ballots, from the lists below of eligible players. The current holdovers are listed in order of the number of future rounds (including this one) through which they are assured eligibility, and alphabetically when the future eligibility number is the same. The 1977 birth-year players are listed below in order of the number of seasons each played in the majors, and alphabetically among players with the same number of seasons played.

Holdovers:

Everyday Players (born in 1977, ten or more seasons played in the major leagues or at least 20 WAR):
Carlos Beltran
Alex Gonzalez
Eric Chavez
Andruw Jones
Marlon Byrd
David Ross
Nick Punto
Willie Bloomquist
Rafael Furcal
Lyle Overbay
Juan Pierre
Brian Roberts
Jack Wilson
Mark Ellis
Eric Hinske
Brandon Inge
Travis Hafner
Orlando Hudson
Wil Nieves
Adam Everett
D’Angelo Jimenez
Craig Monroe
Freddy Sanchez
Jason Smith
Marcus Thames

Pitchers (born in 1977, ten or more seasons played in the major leagues or at least 20 WAR):
A.J. Burnett
Ryan Dempster
Fernando Rodney
Bronson Arroyo
Vicente Padilla
Joaquin Benoit
Roy Halladay
Javier Lopez
Dennys Reyes
Kerry Wood
Bruce Chen
Jason Frasor
Roy Oswalt
Ryan Vogelsong
Joe Beimel
Heath Bell
Will Ohman
J.J. Putz
Kip Wells
Jake Westbrook
Danys Báez
Grant Balfour

As is our custom with first time candidates, here is a factoid and related quiz question on each of the new players on the ballot. Unless specified otherwise, references in the quiz questions are to modern era (since 1901) seasons or games in the AL and NL.

1. Carlos Beltran recorded 8 seasons with 100+ RBI, but failed to reached 120 RBI in any of them. Which player without a 120+ RBI season has the most 100+ RBI seasons? (Chipper Jones, 9 seasons)
2. Alex Gonzalez is one of a dozen players with careers including 1500+ games at shortstop and fewer stolen bases than triples. Which player in that group has the highest career totals for both stolen bases and triples? (Joe Cronin)
3. Eric Chavez played over 1200 games at 3B for the A’s. Who is the only player with more 3B games for the A’s? (Sal Bando, 1446 games at 3B for A’s)
4. Andruw Jones and his teammate Chipper Jones jointly recorded 7 seasons with both reaching 25 HR and 90 RBI. Which other team had players with identical surnames record those totals in the same season? (1995 Mariners, Edgar and Tino Martinez)
5. David Ross is the oldest catcher to homer in the World Series, at age 39 in game 7 of the 2016 series, his final major league game. Who is the oldest player to homer as a catcher in his final regular season game? (Todd Zeile, aged 39 in 2004, off of Claudio Vargas, the last home run allowed by an Expos’ pitcher)
6. Marlon Byrd is one of 83 retired players with 35 or fewer home runs in 500+ games, incl. 350+ in CF, through his age 29 season. Which of those players has more career home runs than Byrd’s total of 159? (Cy Williams, 251 career HR, incl. 34 through his age 29 season)
7. Nick Punto’s 1163 career games are the fewest of any player with 300+ games at 2B, 3B and SS. Whose record did Punto break? (Frankie Gustine, 1261 games)
8. Willie Bloomquist played at least 100 games at 2B, 3B, SS, LF, CF and RF. Which other player did the same? (Woodie Held)
9. Jack Wilson’s six consecutive seasons (2002-07) with 130+ games at SS is tied with Honus Wagner (1905-10) for the most by a Pirate. Which other expansion era player has six seasons for the Pirates with 130+ games at shortstop? (Jay Bell)
10. Brian Roberts’ three seasons with 50+ doubles are second only to Tris Speaker’s total of 5 such seasons. Which three players share that ranking with Roberts? (Albert Pujols, Stan Musial, Paul Waner)
11. Lyle Overbay recorded two seasons with 150+ games at 1B, for both the Brewers and Blue Jays. Which player has a pair of such seasons for three franchises? (Eddie Murray, with Orioles, Dodgers and Mets)
12. Juan Pierre played in 821 consecutive games from 2002 to 2007, including 334 consecutive games in CF to end the streak. Before Pierre’s 2004 season, who was the last player to play every inning of every team game in CF? (Richie Ashburn, 1953)
13. Rafael Furcal is one of eleven players with 1500+ games at shortstop to post career totals of 300+ doubles, 50+ triples and 100+ home runs. Which of those players, like Furcal, won a league RoY award? (Derek Jeter)
14. Ty Wigginton is one of sixteen players with 150+ games at 1B, 2B and 3B. Which of those players has more career home runs than Wigginton’s total of 169? (Paul Molitor, 234 career HR)
15. Eric Hinske played in three consecutive World Series (2007-09) for three different franchises. Which other player did the same? (Don Baylor, 1986-88)
16. Mark Ellis launched a 3-run home run for the A’s in the 9^th inning of game 5 of the 2002 ALDS. Which second baseman hit a grand slam home run in the 9^th final inning of a sudden death post-season game? (Howie Kendrick, 2019 NLDS)
17. Brandon Inge played 300 games at C and 3B. Which other two players did the same? (Joe Torre, B.J. Surhoff)
18. Wil Nieves went 0 for 32 to begin his time with the Yankees. Which player has the only longer oh-fer to start his Yankee career? (Marv Breuer, 0 for 49, 1939-40, then he reached base in his next 4 PA with two hits and two walks)
19. Orlando Hudson recorded eight straight seasons (2003-10) with 120 hits, 20 doubles and a .265 BA. Which second baseman has the longest streak of such seasons? (Roberto Alomar, 1988-2002)
20. Travis Hafner played 88% of his career games as DH, the highest proportion of any player in a 1000+ game career (or in a 100+ game career). Which other DH matched Hafner’s career HR total and, like him, finished his career as a Yankee? (Kendrys Morales)
21. Aaron Rowand recorded seasons with 125+ games in CF, 20+ HR and a .300 BA for both the White Sox (2004) and Phillies (2007). Who is the only other player with such a season for either of those franchises? (Cy Williams, 1922 and 1924 Phillies)
22. Adam Everett is one of four players with 600+ games at shortstop for the Astros. Which of those players has more career home runs than the other three combined? (Carlos Correa)
23. Marcus Thames recorded a pair of seasons with 25+ HR and fewer than 90 hits? Who is the only player with more such seasons? (Mark McGwire, 1995, 2000, 2001)
24. Freddy Sanchez played 150+ games at 2B for both the Giants and Pirates. Which other player did the same? (Johnny Rawlings)
25. Jason Smith posted a career .105 BA as a pinch-hitter. Which player has the only lower BA in 75+ career AB as a pinch-hitter? (Tommy Byrne, .080 BA as a pinch-hitter)
26. Craig Monroe homered in each of his first two World Series games in 2006. Which player has the only longer streak of such games to begin his World Series career? (Barry Bonds, 3 games, 2002 WS)
27. D’Angelo Jimenez stroked four hits in the 3^rd game of his career. Which other Yankee did the same? (Howie Camp, 1917)
28. A.J. Burnett led the majors with 25 wild pitches in 2011. Which pitcher had a season with more wild pitches while leading his league in W-L%? (Juan Guzman, 1993)
29. Fernando Rodney led his league with 48 saves at age 37 in 2014. Who is the oldest league saves leader since it became an official statistic in 1969? (Trevor Hoffman, age 38 in 2006)
30. Ryan Dempster led his league in games finished in 2006, and in his games started in 2014. Which pitcher led his league at least twice in each of those categories? (Wilbur Wood GF: 1968 and 1970, GS: 1972-75; Ed Walsh GF: 1904 and 1912-13, GS: 1907-08 and 1913)
31. Bronson Arroyo posted a franchise record eight seasons (2006-13) with 30 or more starts for the Reds. Which two pitchers also recorded 30+ starts in each of those seasons and, like Arroyo, hold franchise records for such seasons? (Felix Hernandez, Mark Buehrle)
32. Vicente Padilla began his post-season career in 2009 with a pair of 7+ IP starts allowing no more than 4 hits and one run in each. Which other Dodger did the same? (Don Sutton, 1974)
33. Javier Lopez is the only pitcher to record 100+ relief IP for the Giants, Red Sox and Rockies. Which other pitcher recorded 100+ relief IP for the Rockies and for one of the other two franchises? (Matt Herges, Rockies and Giants)
34. Joaquin Benoit recorded a 200+ ERA+ score in 50+ IP seasons for three different franchises. Who is the only starting pitcher to do this? (Roger Clemens, for Red Sox, Blue Jays and Astros)
35. Roy Halladay won a Cy Young Award in each league. Who was the first pitcher to do this? (Gaylord Perry, for Indians in 1972 and Padres in 1978, his first season in each of those uniforms)
36. Kerry Wood, at age 21, started game 3 of the 1998 NLDS with his team facing elimination. Who is the only younger pitcher to start a post-season elimination game? (Fernando Valenzuela, 1981 NLDS and 1981 NLCS)
37. Dennys Reyes posted consecutive seasons (2008-09) of 75+ games averaging less than two outs per appearance. Who was the first pitcher to do this? (Tom Martin, 2003-04)
38. Jason Frasor’s 505 games is a Blue Jays franchise record for pitchers. Which pitcher holds the Blue Jay career record for relief IP? (Duane Ward)
39. Bruce Chen is the career IP leader among Panamanian-born pitchers. Who is the career WAR leader among these pitchers? (Mariano Rivera, 56 WAR)
40. Roy Oswalt’s .636 W-L% is the Astro franchise record in 100+ decisions. Which pitcher has more wins as an Astro than Oswalt’s total of 143? (Joe Niekro, 144 Astro wins)
41. Ryan Vogelsong recorded 300+ IP for the Giants and Pirates. Which two contemporaries of Vogelsong did the same (though neither was ever Vogelsong’s teammate)? (Jason Schmidt, Kevin Correia)
42. J.J. Putz is one of thirteen pitchers to record 35+ saves with 180+ ERA+ in 3 or more seasons. Who was the first pitcher to do this? (Doug Jones in 1988, 1992 and 1997)
43. Heath Bell pitched in 354 games in 5 years (2007-11) with the Padres. Which pitcher appeared in the most games in a 5-year span playing for one franchise? (Pedro Feliciano, 408 games with 2006-10 Mets)
44. Jake Westbrook went 6+ IP and took the loss for the Indians as the game 7 starter in the 2007 ALCS. Which other Cleveland starting pitcher recorded 6+ IP in a post-season sudden death game? (Jaret Wright, 1997 WS)
45. Joe Beimel recorded 180+ IP for the Dodgers and Pirates. Which other expansion era relief pitcher did the same? (Pete Mikkelsen)
46. Kip Wells twice led his league in losses with fewer than 200 IP. Which other pitcher did the same? (Jose DeLeon, 1985 and 1990)
47. Will Ohman recorded three seasons with 65+ appearances and BB/9 over 4.5. Who was the first pitcher to do this? (Mitch Williams, 1986-88)
48. Grant Balfour is one of five pitchers with 200+ games for the Rays and 200+ games for a second franchise. Which of those pitchers recorded the highest career WAR? (Roberto Hernandez, 18.5 WAR)
49. Danys Báez recorded 26 starts in the 2002 season and no starts the rest of his career, one of 21 expansion era pitchers (including several notables) with a single 25+ start season in a 500+ game career. Which of those pitchers is in the Hall of Fame? (Goose Gossage)