It's that time of year again. On Tuesday, we'll find out who the writers selected as the newest members of the Baseball Hall of Fame. And we've got another loaded class of sure-fire first-ballot candidates, headlined by Randy Johnson and Pedro Martinez. We've also got our annual debate on who should be in and who shouldn't, and all the articles that go with it.
We've also once again got an incredibly overloaded ballot filled with plenty of guys that would be no-brainer selections and probably in already if not for suspicions of certain writers. The 10-man ballot is also going to remain a problem for the next couple of years. Because these Steroid Era guys aren't coming off the ballot and the worthy first-timers just keep coming. This year's ballot includes 34 names, at least 18 of whom I want to say I'd vote for. But since the limit is 10, I'm sticking to that limit.
So, how'd I narrow it down? Simple. I ranked those 18 players from 1-18. The top 10 got my vote. The other eight, even if I've typed their name in this column in the past, didn't make the cut. That doesn't mean I don't think they're Hall of Famers. I just ran out of room. As a result, Gary Sheffield, Edgar Martinez, Sammy Sosa, Mike Mussina, Tim Raines, Jeff Kent, Larry Walker and Don Mattingly were left off my ballot.
1. Randy Johnson, Pitcher (1988-89 Expos, 1989-98Mariners, 1998 Astros, 1999-2004 Diamondbacks, 2005-06 Yankees, 2007-08 Diamondbacks, 2009 Giants): As obvious a first-ballot Hall of Famer as there's ever been. It's not going to be unanimous, but that's OK. I actually don't blame those writers who didn't vote for Big Unit so that they could throw their support to others. Because he's getting elected by a landslide. Has there ever been a more dominant, intimidating mound presence than Randy Johnson in his prime? (Ask John Kruk that question.) He's, without a doubt, the greatest left-handed pitcher of his era. In fact, he's on the short list of greatest lefties of all-time. The only real question regarding Randy Johnson and Cooperstown is Mariners hat or Diamondbacks hat? I say Diamondbacks. Let Griffey be the first Mariner.
2. Pedro Martinez, Pitcher (1992-93 Dodgers, 1994-97 Expos, 1998-2004 Red Sox, 2005-08 Mets, 2009 Phillies): Familiarity breeds contempt. Which is probably why I hated Pedro Martinez so much during his prime. He won "only" 219 games, but had a career winning percentage of .687, which is sixth-best all-time. Pedro won three Cy Youngs and should've been AL MVP in 1999, when he put on an All-Star performance for the ages at home in Fenway. And there was that whole Curse thing in 2004.
3. John Smoltz, Pitcher (1988-2008 Braves, 2009 Red Sox, 2009 Cardinals): If only he'd retired one year earlier. Then it really would've been a Braves party last summer. Smoltz is the best No. 3 starter in history, which is by no means a knock on him. Because the likelihood of seeing a starting rotation with three Hall of Famers like the Braves of the mid-90s is slim to none. I can't even begin to get into the reasons why John Smoltz should get elected on the first ballot. But the biggest is this...he went from dominant starter to lights out closer and back. He was also 15-4 in 41 career postseason appearances.
4. Barry Bonds, Outfielder (1986-92 Pirates, 1993-2007 Giants): Say what you want about steroids and why that means Barry Bonds doesn't belong in the Hall of Fame. I'm still going to disagree with you. And will continue to disagree with you until Bonds is eventually elected, whenever that may be. He won seven MVPs. He was the most feared, dominant player in the game during his prime. Sounds like a Hall of Famer to me. Most importantly, he holds the all-time and single-season home run records. Yet the owner of the most hallowed record in the game isn't considered one of the all-time greats? I don't get it.
5. Roger Clemens, Pitcher (1984-96 Red Sox, 1997-98 Blue Jays, 1999-2003 Yankees, 2004-06 Astros, 2007 Yankees): Everything I just said about Barry Bonds also applies to his partner in crime, Roger Clemens. Buster Olney is one of the people in baseball I respect the most. And he made an excellent point about two. Steroids or not, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were Hall of Famers before, and they were two of the most dominant players of their era. The Hall of Fame seems incomplete without them. Especially since Clemens was everything Randy Johnson was, except from the right side.
6. Craig Biggio, Second Baseman (1988-2007 Astros): Biggio came two votes shy last year, so it seems likely he'll join the three first-time pitchers and make this a four-member class. He's not in the same class as a Randy Johnson or a Pedro Martinez, but Craig Biggio is a Hall of Famer nonetheless. He spent his entire career in Houston and is the only player in baseball history with 3,000 hits, 600 doubles, 400 steals and 250 home runs. I actually didn't even realize until looking up his stats today that Biggio has more doubles than any other right-handed hitter in history. More than Edgar Martinez, who seemingly only hit doubles. More than Willie Mays. More than Rogers Hornsby. Biggio's getting in either this year or next.
7. Jeff Bagwell, First Baseman (1991-2005 Astros): Biggio and Bagwell were the Houston Astros for 15 years. Yet while Biggio hovers agonizingly close to Cooperstown, Bagwell hasn't come close, all because of suspicious-looking acne on his back that proves absolutely nothing. Bagwell was an offensive force that spent his entire career in that pitcher's paradise that was the Astrodome. Injuries are the only thing that kept him from 500 home runs. Suspicion is the main thing keeping him out of Cooperstown.
8. Mike Piazza, Catcher (1992-98 Dodgers, 1998 Marlins, 1998-2005 Mets, 2006 Padres, 2007 Athletics): I never liked Mike Piazza. Especially when he was playing, this was never a secret to anybody. But that doesn't mean I don't think he's a Hall of Famer. Piazza's the greatest hitting catcher in history. Period. Better than Johnny Bench. Better than Gary Carter. He's another guilt by association guy simply because of the era when he played. But like Bonds, I simply cannot justify seeing his name on the ballot and saying 10 other candidates belong in the Hall of Fame more than he does.
9. Mark McGwire, First Baseman (1986-97 Athletics, 1997-2001 Cardinals): My most controversial selection, perhaps even more so than Bonds and Clemens. Of course, the only difference is that McGwire admitted his PED use, which is probably what will keep him out of the Hall of Fame permanently. But I've been a consistent "Yes" on McGwire, and I will continue to be, even though I know he's never getting in and it's essentially a wasted vote. (It's a good thing I don't actually have a vote, then.) But I can't overlook 583 home runs or the 1998 season that brought baseball back. And while I'm at it with the righty-lefty combos, McGwire and Bonds were to offense what Johnson and Clemens were to pitching during the late 90s/early 2000s.
10. Curt Schilling, Pitcher (1988-90 Orioles, 1991 Astros, 1992-2000 Phillies, 2000-03 Diamondbacks, 2004-07 Red Sox): With four players coming off my 2014 ballot (Greg Maddux, Frank Thomas, Tom Glavine and Jack Morris) and only three coming on (Johnson, Pedro and Smoltz), Curt Schilling gets the honor of going back on my ballot after not being on it in 2014. And with Randy Johnson and Pedro Martinez joining the field this year, it seems fitting to vote for the second half of the 1-2 punch with those two guys on the Diamondbacks' 2001 and Red Sox' 2004 championship teams. He's not on that same level by any stretch of the imagination, but that doesn't make Curt Schilling's career any less Hall of Fame-worthy. His postseason record alone (11-2, 2.23 ERA, 7-0 in elimination games) is enough to make the discussion about Curt Schilling a lengthy one.
There you have it. That's my ballot. As for who actually gets in, I think we're going to have another big class. There's no doubt Randy Johnson and Pedro Martinez will sail past the necessary 75 percent, and I think John Smoltz and Craig Biggio will join them in the Hall of Fame Class of 2015.
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