Though I don't have a "vote" in the MLB Hall of Fame candidates I do believe that there should be at least five players inducted along with Jack Morris, Alan Trammel, and Bob Costas this summer in Cooperstown.
My Picks to be inducted into the Hall of Fame are as follows:
Trevor Hoffman
Vladimir Guerrero
Edgar Martinez
Chipper Jones
Jim Thomae
Trevor Hoffman 3rd year on the ballot: who is on the ballot for his 3rd year, and garnered 74% of the vote a year ago, should be one able to make up the 1% needed for election this year.
Hoffman, who broke into the Majors with the San Diego Padres and spent the majority of his 18-year career amassing 552 out of his 601 career saves while in a Padres uniform. While not on the same level as Mariano Rivera, Hoffman dominated the NL averaging 39 saves a year while like Rivera who was a 1 pitch pitcher, Hoffman, dominated opposing hitters by using his change-up.
Vladimir Guererro 2nd year on Ballot: who is on the ballot for the second year has reportedly earned around 71% of the published ballots by the BBWAA writers, may have to wait till 2019 to reach election.
During his 16 year career which included 8 years with the Montreal Expos, 6 with the Anaheim Angles and 1 year each with the Texas Rangers and Baltimore Orioles, was one of the feared hitters as well as one of the most feared outfielders during his career.
Guererro who began his career in Montreal playing in front of small crowds, and on turf made his presence known, as one of the best defensive right-fielders in the game, with his cannon-like arm which he would use to throw out runners. 3 times during his career he led his respective league in outfield assists.
His career accolades include: 9x All-Star, 2004 AL MVP, 449 career home runs (40th all-time)
Edgar Martinez 9th year on the ballot:
Martinez who spent his entire 18-year career with the Seattle Mariners is one of the best pure hitters, that has ever played the game. Though he began his career playing third base which he did adequately, it was as a DH that he really made his impact felt.
Over his career, he averaged a .312 batting average, with 24 home runs and driving in over 80-+ RBI's per year.One of his best moments came in the 1995 playoffs when he hit the game-winning double off of Jack McDowell of the Yankees to drive in Ken Griffey Jr to beat the Yankees and advance the Mariners to the ALCS that season. After he retired the award for the best DH was named after him.
He was a 7x All-Star, 1992 AL Batting Champion hitting .332 that season. If elected he would join Frank Thomas as players who spent the majority of their careers as DH's
Chipper Jones: 1st year on the ballot. Jones like Martinez did with the Mariners, spent his entire 18-year career with the Atlanta Braves. Jones was the overall number 1 pick by the Braves and broke into the Majors as a 21-year-old in 1993.
Jones ability to play multiple positions which included playing at 3rd base, Left Field, and Right Field, enabled him to prolong his career. Jones accolades include A career .304 hitter, 454 homers, 1,561 RBI and 2,615 hits in his 18-year career. Jones has been named an All-Star seven times and has won an MVP and a batting title during his career.
Jim Thomae: 1st year on the ballot: Thomae has a very impressive resume which includes playing for 22 years with the Cleveland Indians (13) Philadelphia (4) Chicago White Sox (4) Minnesota Twins (2) LA Dodgers 1 and Baltimore (1).
Beginning with the Indians he was one of the best players on a stacked Cleveland team that included Albert Belle, and Manny Ramirez, yet it was Thomae who outlasted both of his ex-teammates. He spent his first 7 seasons of his career playing at 3rd base before going across the diamond and playing 12 seasons as a first-baseman, before becoming a DH for the latter part of his career which was 2+ seasons.
His career numbers are impressive and should be HOF worthy. Thome was a 5x All-Star, he had 2328 career hits, 612 Home Runs* (Thomae's 612 Homers put him behind Ken Griffey Jr (another HOF inductee) and ahead of Sammy Sosa for 7th on the All-Time Home Run list.)
Next years ballot will include first-timers:
Mariano Rivera ( 1st ballot HOF In My opinion)
Todd Helton,
Roy Halladay
Michael Young
Hold-Overs from the 2018 class include Mike Mussina, Curt Schilling, Larry Walker, Billy Wagner, Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds.
My Picks to be inducted into the Hall of Fame are as follows:
Trevor Hoffman
Vladimir Guerrero
Edgar Martinez
Chipper Jones
Jim Thomae
Trevor Hoffman 3rd year on the ballot: who is on the ballot for his 3rd year, and garnered 74% of the vote a year ago, should be one able to make up the 1% needed for election this year.
Hoffman, who broke into the Majors with the San Diego Padres and spent the majority of his 18-year career amassing 552 out of his 601 career saves while in a Padres uniform. While not on the same level as Mariano Rivera, Hoffman dominated the NL averaging 39 saves a year while like Rivera who was a 1 pitch pitcher, Hoffman, dominated opposing hitters by using his change-up.
Vladimir Guererro 2nd year on Ballot: who is on the ballot for the second year has reportedly earned around 71% of the published ballots by the BBWAA writers, may have to wait till 2019 to reach election.
During his 16 year career which included 8 years with the Montreal Expos, 6 with the Anaheim Angles and 1 year each with the Texas Rangers and Baltimore Orioles, was one of the feared hitters as well as one of the most feared outfielders during his career.
Guererro who began his career in Montreal playing in front of small crowds, and on turf made his presence known, as one of the best defensive right-fielders in the game, with his cannon-like arm which he would use to throw out runners. 3 times during his career he led his respective league in outfield assists.
His career accolades include: 9x All-Star, 2004 AL MVP, 449 career home runs (40th all-time)
Edgar Martinez 9th year on the ballot:
Martinez who spent his entire 18-year career with the Seattle Mariners is one of the best pure hitters, that has ever played the game. Though he began his career playing third base which he did adequately, it was as a DH that he really made his impact felt.
Over his career, he averaged a .312 batting average, with 24 home runs and driving in over 80-+ RBI's per year.One of his best moments came in the 1995 playoffs when he hit the game-winning double off of Jack McDowell of the Yankees to drive in Ken Griffey Jr to beat the Yankees and advance the Mariners to the ALCS that season. After he retired the award for the best DH was named after him.
He was a 7x All-Star, 1992 AL Batting Champion hitting .332 that season. If elected he would join Frank Thomas as players who spent the majority of their careers as DH's
Chipper Jones: 1st year on the ballot. Jones like Martinez did with the Mariners, spent his entire 18-year career with the Atlanta Braves. Jones was the overall number 1 pick by the Braves and broke into the Majors as a 21-year-old in 1993.
Jones ability to play multiple positions which included playing at 3rd base, Left Field, and Right Field, enabled him to prolong his career. Jones accolades include A career .304 hitter, 454 homers, 1,561 RBI and 2,615 hits in his 18-year career. Jones has been named an All-Star seven times and has won an MVP and a batting title during his career.
Jim Thomae: 1st year on the ballot: Thomae has a very impressive resume which includes playing for 22 years with the Cleveland Indians (13) Philadelphia (4) Chicago White Sox (4) Minnesota Twins (2) LA Dodgers 1 and Baltimore (1).
Beginning with the Indians he was one of the best players on a stacked Cleveland team that included Albert Belle, and Manny Ramirez, yet it was Thomae who outlasted both of his ex-teammates. He spent his first 7 seasons of his career playing at 3rd base before going across the diamond and playing 12 seasons as a first-baseman, before becoming a DH for the latter part of his career which was 2+ seasons.
His career numbers are impressive and should be HOF worthy. Thome was a 5x All-Star, he had 2328 career hits, 612 Home Runs* (Thomae's 612 Homers put him behind Ken Griffey Jr (another HOF inductee) and ahead of Sammy Sosa for 7th on the All-Time Home Run list.)
Next years ballot will include first-timers:
Mariano Rivera ( 1st ballot HOF In My opinion)
Todd Helton,
Roy Halladay
Michael Young
Hold-Overs from the 2018 class include Mike Mussina, Curt Schilling, Larry Walker, Billy Wagner, Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds.
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