2016 Ballot, Thanks Mr. Galloway
As a member of the IBWAA, one of the many perks we receive is the opportunity to vote and share our selections for induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Due to my general leaning toward a large Hall of Fame and my apathetic feelings toward serving as a moral high ground for the “Steroid Era”, I would have a full ballot of 10 players, and would select more, if the ballot was extended. However, since we are limited to only 10, these are my selections for the 2016 Hall of Fame.
Jeff Bagwell
My favorite player as a child and my vote for the most underrated player in recent baseball history. Bagwell finished his 15-year career with a .297/.408/.540 with 449 home runs, 202 stolen bases, and 80.7 WAR – that’s a Hall of Famer!
Barry Bonds
Perhaps the best offensive player in my lifetime, Bonds’ induction will 100% come down to how the voters feel about “steroids”, as his .298/.444/.607 batting line and 164.4 WAR make him a top-5 player in baseball history.
Roger Clemens
Probably a top-5 pitcher in baseball history, Clemens won an astonishing 354 games and produced 170 more wins than losses over his 24-year career. I understand the steroid “issues” but how can there legitimately be a Hall of Fame without Roger Clemens? I am curious which team cap his plaque would have if he achieves enshrinement, as Boston, Toronto and New York each has a claim.
Ken Griffey Jr.
Griffey posted 630 career home runs and is one of the best two-way centerfielders in history – not only will he waltz into Cooperstown, some have speculated he might be the first unanimous selection into the Hall. I assume a few keep him off their ballots for political reasons, but he will receive 95%+ support for his candidacy and his induction speech should be tremendous next July.
Edgar Martinez
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Mike Mussina
Growing up an Orioles’ fan as a kid, Mussina was my favorite pitcher and co-favorite player as a child. That bias stated, Mussina is criminally underrated, as his 270-153 career record reflects. Even more impressive to me, Mussina has a higher winning percentage for the Orioles (.645%) than for the Yankees (.631%) as he pitched for some poor teams in Baltimore. Mussina never won a Cy Young award and “only” made five All-Star appearances in his 18-year career, but if Jack Morris is a Hall of Famer, Mussina should also be enshrined. It might take several years, but “Moose” should one day join teammate Cal Ripken Jr. in Cooperstown.
Mike Piazza
Without question Piazza is the best hitting catcher in baseball history, as his 427 home runs and a career batting line of .308/.377/.545 proves, but recent analysis has shed light on his skills defensively as well. During his career he was knocked for his ability to throw out runners and was dismissed as an offense-only backstop, but new research has shown that while his arm was lacking, he was a terrific pitch-framer and solid blocking pitches. Sure there are rumors of steroids with Piazza, but without proof, it is difficult not to vote for perhaps the greatest catcher ever to play the sport.
Tim Raines
Likely the second greatest leadoff hitter ever in baseball, Raines has become one of the most discussed candidates of all-time for the Hall of Fame. His detractors say he was only a superstar for a short time and complied his impressive statistics due to playing for 23-years. First I think it is impressive to play for 23 years as an outfielder and I believe if he played in a larger media market during his prime, he would already be in Cooperstown.
Curt Schilling
Certainly his win total feels a little light for Cooperstown, but it should be noted that Schilling was 70 games over .500 for his career (216-146). That said, his career 3.46 ERA, 79.7 WAR and key role in leading three separate teams to the World Series gives him more than enough credentials for enshrinement.
Alan Trammell
Trammell was underrated throughout his career due to playing in Detroit and during the same era as Cal Ripken Jr. and Ozzie Smith, but he was an outstanding defensive infielder who hit 185 home runs in his career. He was not the hitter Ripken was, or the defender Smith was, but he was a terrific combination of both and should be enshrined in Cooperstown.