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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Of the 294 text messages Jim Leyland received in the hours after his election to the Hall of Fame, the ones that touched him most were from former minor leaguers. He says they were "guys that never made it. Guys that you had to tell them their career was over." Leyland appeared at a news conference a day after his election by the contemporary era committee for managers, executives and umpires. As Hall of Fame managers Tony La Russa and Joe Torre watched from front-row seats, Leyland put on a cream Hall of Fame jersey. "This baby fits nice!" he gushed.
