Who belongs in the Baseball Hall of Fame?

Cafe Society
1

We have been talking a lot about steroids in baseball. With that as a backdrop, who do you put in the Hall of Fame?

Including both players who have retired and await illegibility as well as those still playing. Use whatever standards you want. Also feel free to include forecasts of what some players will need to do to make it into the Hall or include those who you don’t think make the cut.

Team by Team (I’m sure I’ll miss someone):

BOSTON
Manny Ramirez- Probably needs one or two more seasons but with his numbers and a WS MVP, he is a lock.
Kurt Schilling- I just don’t think so. Heroics don’t equal numbers.

NYY
Derek Jeter- May need a few more years to satisfy thew KC voters, but is a sure fire lock.
A.Rod- If he retired today, he’d still make it in.
Randy Johnson- 300 wins are no longer a requirement. Randy will make it in because of his strikeouts, his dominance and his WS MVP.
Mariano Rivera- Few closers make it. He will.
Berie Williams- Sorry, Bernie. No room for you.

Baltimore-
Cal Ripkin- Next year. Very high percentage as well.
Sammy Sosa- Unless you retroactively asterisk EVERYONE, you cannot keep Sammy out.
Rafe Palmeiro- I vote no. He got busted after the rules were enacted. Stupidity alone keeps him out of the Hall.

Chicago WS-
Frank Thomas- May make it in, but does not deserve it unless his crosses 500 HRs. I’d vote no.

Atlanta-
John Smoltz- Should have stayed as a closer. Either way, I think in a weak year, he may get in the Hall. If you vote on total impact on the team, especially since it was ONE team, I’d give him my vote.

New York-
Tom Glavin- Needs to get to that magic 300# to make up for being the 2nd or third best pitcher on most teams he’s played on.
Pedro- Needs to do it for a few more years to get on my radar.
Mike Piazza- A bit overrated in my book, and injury plagued, but I’ll give him a nod for dominating his position.

St. Louis-
Albert Pulhos- A bit premature, but he is on the right path. Needs to do this for several more years…and he will…
Mark McGuire- Yes. Probably used the juice, and switched to Andro later in his career, but he never violated baseball rules. Plus, his numbers are gaudy even for a juicer.

Houston-
Craig Biggio- A player helped by the steroids scandal. A throw back player who has played three positions (an All-star as a catcher and a second baseman), he is closing in on 3000 hits.
Jeff Bagwell- See Frank Thomas. They were born on the same day. Came into the league at the same time. They have virtually identical resumes. Bagwell is under the roid suspicion if you ask me, though. Unless he manages to get back in form and cross 500 HRs, I think he is in that category of the best guys not in the Hall.
Roger Clemmons- A lock.
Andy Pettite- Not quite.

CHICAGO-
Greg Maddux- As much a lock as Clemmons. Just not as colorful.
Mark Grace- Was a great hitter, but always underated.

CINCI-
Ken Griffey Jr.- The kid is vested.

SanDiego-
Tony Gwynn- Yup. And the juice scandal just makes him more impressive.

SanFran-
Barry Bonds- How do you keep him out? He’s too damn good.

Los Angeles-
Jeff Kent- He’s got a case. Ryan Sandburg really helped the Kents of the world.

Anyone else I missed?

2

Mike Piazza and Jeff Kent will both make the Hall of Fame with little difficulty. They are both among the best hitters ever at their positions.

3

Randy Johnson has 261 wins. He probably won’t get to 300 wins, but you don’t need 300 to get in. In several categories, his numbers are astonishing, and he’s won about 2/3 of his games for his whole career. Lead-pipe cinch. Pedro is also a lock. He won’t finish with a lot of wins, but they say wins are overrated. Look at the way he owned the league for years.

I think Glavine probably makes it. Smoltz, a personal favorite, is probably borderline - but look at how good he’s still pitching after his injuries and return from the 'pen. When you factor in his outstanding postseason numbers, I think he makes it. Riviera will make it for the same reason - dominance when it mattered most.

Pujols needs many more years of what he’s doing now, but if he keeps it up he’s one of the all-time greats. I think Bagwell will make it. He had so many years of constant production. And with time and injuries, it’s easy to forget how much Frank Thomas terrorized the AL in the early and mid '90s.

Other potentials:
Jim Edmonds (age 35, .291 career BA, 330 homers, 994 RBI, uncountable spectacular catches)
If Vladimir Guerrero keeps it up, he’ll make it. He’s a great hitter.

4

Palmeiro would have been a good test of the voters. He has the career stats, but nothing else. Now? I think he’ll be elected between years 6-10 on the ballot.

Bonds would have been a Hall of Famer even without steroids. He just wouldn’t have all those homers.

5

Right. Here’s hoping he’s part of the class of 2010…

Another guy who I think will make it, if he keeps producing the way he has for the last five years, is Miguel Tejada.