2017 MLB HOF BALLOT

The National Baseball Hall of Fame announced the 2017 BBWAA Hall of Fame Ballot. The results will be announced on January 18^th with the induction ceremony to occur on July 20^th, 2017.

Let me just say at the start – we have no idea who did PEDs, when they did or didn’t do them, and how much their use helped or hurt players (see It Just Won’t Go Away). Those of you out there that want to use PEDs as a reason to keep a guy out of the Hall of Fame – without proof – well, I just don’t know what to say to you other than we’re supposed to be judged innocent until proven guilty. In what follows I’m going to base my thoughts on what the player did on the field, not what may or may not have happened off it.

PLAYERS

*YOB - Years on Ballot
* OPS+ - 100 is league average so any mark above that is the percent better than the league. Bagwell's 149 mark means his OPS was 49 percent better than the league average. 

Jeff Bagwell had one of the best season ever in 1994. A strike shortened effort of just 110 games was the only thing that could stop Bagwell who went .368-39-116-104-15. He ranks 40^th in MVP shares in league history and received nearly 72 percent of the vote last year. See Jeff Bagwell, HOF Worthy?

Barry Bonds has a .298/.444/.607 slash line and in his final season he posted a .480 OBP... at 42 years of age. He won seven MVPs including 4-in-a-row (2001-04). The most dominant offensive force of at least the last 75 years.

Vladimir Guerrero had a rocket for an arm and had back-to-back 30/30 seasons missing out on going 40/40 by one homer in 2002. He retired with a .318/.378/.553 line and drove in 100 runs 10 times while rapping out 2,590 hits.

Jeff Kent is one of the best offensive players ever at second base. He drove in 100 runs in 7-of-8 season only missing with 93 in 2003 and ended his career with an impressive .290/.356/.500 slash line.

Edgar Martinez – see my thoughts in Edgar Martinez, HOF Worthy?

Fred McGriff hit 493 home runs with 1,550 RBI and a .886 OPS. Really good numbers. However, he only finished with one top-5 MVP effort, only made five All-Star games and, truthfully, he was never considered the best first baseman in his league – ever.

Tim Raines, HOF Worthy?

Manny Ramirez is a different case having actually been busted for PED use. His numbers are historic in nature though with a .312/.411/.585 line that also includes 555 homers, 1,831 RBI and more than 2,500 hits. He had 12 seasons with 100 RBI and can make a case for being one of the 10 best right-handed hitters ever.

Ivan Rodriguez is one of the best all-around catchers ever to pull on the tools of ignorance. He had 2,844 hits, hit .296 for his career with 311 home runs, made 14 All-Star Games and won 13 Gold Gloves.

Gary Sheffield had the quickest bat in baseball. His slash line impressed at .292/.393/.514 as do the counting category numbers of 509 home runs, 1,676 RBI and 1,636 runs scored.

Sammy Sosa average season from 1995-2004: .286-48-123-105-11. #Remarkable

Larry Walker has a .965 career OPS which is the 14^th best in league history and he was a tremendous all-around performer. Unfairly punished for being a Rockie. It’s not like the .865 mark Walker posted on the road stinks. Compare that to the .862 mark of Jose Bautista and .861 mark of Hanley Ramirez.

SHOULD BE ELECTED TO THE HALL: Ivan Rodriguez, Larry Walker, Tim Raines, Edgar Martinez, Vladimir Guerrero, Jeff Bagwell, Barry Bonds

STILL HOPING TO BE INVITED TO THE PARTY: Manny Ramirez, Sammy Sosa, Gary Sheffield, Fred McGriff, Jeff Kent

PITCHERS

Roger Clemens, statistically speaking, is one of the five greatest right-handed pitchers ever: 354-184, 3.12 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 4,672 strikeouts in 4,916.2 innings. He won an MVP award and seven Cy Young trophies.

Trevor Hoffman is second all-time with 602 saves. He saved 30-games 14 times in 15 seasons missing out only in 2003 when injury limited him to nine games.

Mike Mussina is the Fred McGriff of pitchers – qualifying numbers but you never saw Mussina pitch and ever thought to yourself ‘Hall of Fame.’ He won 20 games just once, never won a Cy Young and was named to just five All-Star Games. Really good, but he’s a compiler.

Curt Schilling has three 300-strikeout seasons on his resume and he won 20 games three times in a four year span (2001-04). His claim to fame is his 1.14 WHIP, the 4.38 K/BB ratio (3^rd all-time) and his playoff resume (11-2, 2.23 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 120 strikeouts in 133.1 innings).

Lee Smith racked up 478 saves in his career with a run of 40+ in 3-straight seasons (1991-1993). A 3.03 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 8.7 K/9 simply don’t stand out.

Billy Wagner was right-handed until he broke his arm as a kid. Arguably the best left-handed closer, Wagner ended his career with an 11.9 K/9 ratio, a 2.31 ERA and 1.00 WHIP. He dominated with his short armed heater that often-hit triple-digits despite the fact that he was about 5’10”, 190 lbs.

SHOULD BE ELECTED TO THE HALL: Roger Clemens, Trevor Hoffman, Curt Schilling, Billy Wagner

STILL HOPING TO BE INVITED TO THE PARTY: Mike Mussina, Lee Smith