SoDo Mojo’s Hall of Fame Ballot Series, Part 2

The National Baseball Hall of Fame will soon make the announcement of their 2018 class. The following is another bite at the apple with respect to our take on who would be on our ballots this year.

If you’re a card-carrying member of the Baseball Writers of America, you simply cannot compose a statistical argument against including Barry Bonds or Sammy Sosa on your Hall of Fame ballot. Every time you leaf through the stats sheet, the heft of their combined 1,371 regular season home runs, 3,663 RBIs, 3,702 runs scored, 220.8 career WAR and eight MVP awards smacks  you squarely in the face. There’s a couple of wheelbarrows filled with other honors, awards and accolades to rummage through as well.

They aren’t alone. Manny Ramirez posted numbers worthy of the Hall, as did Roger Clemens.

Good thing I’m not a member of the BBWAA, because I’m not including any of them on my fictional ballot this year. Babe Ruth may have been a sloppy, hot dog gulping, womanizing drunk, but those were fundamental personal issues and/or character flaws. Bonds, Sosa, Ramirez and Clemens were purposely and willfully deceptive, so I’ll take a pass. Known cheaters need not apply.

I’m in opposite corners on this issue with my colleague Colby Patnode, who wrote a good piece detailing who he’d vote for — and why — were he given the chance. Although we disagree on Bonds, Sosa, and Clemens, we intersect on a number of worthy candidates.

With that said, let’s start with my top choice, which not-so-coincidentally happens to be the same for both of us.

Ballot Choice #1: Eeeeeeeedddd-gaaaarrrrrrrrr!

Admittedly, I hated the wailing “Eeeeeeeddd-gaaaarrrrrr!” chant that rang out whenever Edgar Martinez stepped up to the plate (it always reminded me of this Simpson’s clip). Nevertheless, there was no questioning fan devotion to one of the very best right-handed hitters of his generation.

Ryan Spaeder of The Sporting News wrote a great piece chronicling  Martinez’ worthiness for election to the Hall of Fame. In addition to showing how he compares in key metrics to existing Hall of Fame players such as Johnny Mize, Stan Musial, Willie McCovey, Tony Gwynn and Henry Aaron, he points out that fellow specialist Mariano Rivera — a shoo-in first-time inductee when his name comes up in 2019 — had a lower career WAR and arguably less impact on the field, at least during the regular season.

It’s high time that Edgar make it in the Hall, and given the fact that 80% of the ballots counted have his name on them, it’s looking very good so far. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Ballot Choice #2: Jim Thome

Until Bonds, Sosa and A-Rod tainted the rarefied air of 600 career home runs by injecting their butts with banned performance enhancements, that number was an automatic ticket into the Hall of Fame. Period.

Although he played in the same era, Thome’s name has never, ever been linked to that shameful period in baseball’s history. Since clean-as-a-whistle Ken Griffey Jr. got in, there’s absolutely no reason Thome shouldn’t make it as well. Among his array of impressive stats, Thome’s 612 homers, 1699 RBIs and a career OBS of .956 (by comparison, Junior’s was .907) close the deal in my book.

At 93.7% as of this writing, Thome’s a lock to get in.

Ballot Choice #3: Mike Mussina

I agree with Colby’s assessment that Mussina suffers from underrated-itis. He never pitched fewer than 152 innings outside of his rookie campaign (are you reading this, James Paxton?), and notched double-digit wins every full year he played. His career culminated with his only 20-win season in 2008, after which he retired.

Mussina went 270-153 during his 18 year career, striking out 2813 batters in 3,562 2/3 innings and winning seven Gold Glove awards. His career WAR of 82.7 is 24th all time. There are currently 68 pitchers enshrined in the Hall of Fame, so what does that tell you?

At 73.1%, Mussina is on the cusp of getting in, but he’ll need a little help if he hopes to make it this year.

Ballot Choice #4: Larry Walker

If I’m voting for Edgar, I’ve got to vote for Larry Walker. Walker may have played most of his career in a park (Coors Field) where I could hit a teed-up wiffle ball over the fence, but it’s not as if chose his zip code. Oh wait, he did.

Nevertheless, Walker’s numbers stack up: a .313/.400/.565 slash line, leading the league in homers in 1997 (49) and surpassing 100 RBIs five times.  He won the National League batting title three times, slugging percentage twice, OPS twice, all while collecting seven gold gloves. He even swiped 33 bags in 1997.

Walker’s career WAR of 72.6 is right up there with the big boys. Unfortunately, his 38.9% isn’t going to make it happen this year.

Ballot Choice #6: Vladimir Guererro

Maybe because he feasted on M’s pitching for half his career, I thought his big league tenure lasted longer than the sixteen seasons it did. However, Vlad the Impaler certainly made his mark over the years, blasting 449 home runs and 1,496 RBIs over his career. He isn’t exactly remembered for his speed, but in a ridiculous two-year period from 2001-2002, Guererro stole a combined 77 bases while being caught 36 times!

Does this bring back memories?

Guererro’s career WAR was 59.3, and he won the AL MVP in 2004. He’s got my vote, and at 94.3%, just about everyone else’s as well.

Ballot Choice #7: Trevor Hoffman

If there’s anyone who can sympathize with plight of the DH with respect to the Hall of Fame, it’s the relief pitcher. As of this writing, only five have made it in: Hoyt Wilhelm, Rollie Fingers, Dennis Eckersley, Bruce Sutter and Goose Gossage.

But the times, they are a-changin’, and although Trevor Hoffman doesn’t quite make a compelling case to be enshrined, he gets my vote. His 601 career saves is the second highest of all time, trailing only sure-fire first ballot Mariano Rivera’s 652. No, Hoffman didn’t altogether stack up to The Sandman, but he does with the others already in, and consistency coupled with body of work are prerequisites in my book.

Hoffman’s name on 77.7% of the ballots means things are looking pretty good for him right now.

Ballot Choice #8: Omar Vizquel

Since I’ve hamstrung my ballot from the get-go by not including known steroid users, it’s getting a bit tougher now. With that said, longevity, body of work, defensive wizardry and speed earn Omar Vizquel a place on my ballot.

And why not? Granted, it was a different era and via the Veteran’s Committee, but Pee Wee Reese made it in on the strength of a .269/.366/.377 slash, amassing 2,170 hits and a dWAR of 25.6. Vizquel’s .272/.336/.352, 2877 hits and dWAR of 28.4 (10th all time) match up well. Furthermore, Vizquel stole 172 more bags than Reese and earned 10 gold gloves, second to Ozzie Smith among shortstops.

It’s only his first time on the ballot, so Little O shouldn’t be overly concerned with his 29.1% ballot inclusion this year. He’s got plenty of time.

Ballot Choice #9: Curt Schilling

This choice is even tougher. With just 216 career wins, Schilling isn’t close to the 300 line that typically guarantees inclusion. Furthermore, he never led the league in ERA or won a Cy Young Award.

What gets Schilling in is how dominant he was over the latter-half of his career. From 1997 until his retirement following the 2007 season, he won 178 games, striking out 200+ batters six times (including 300+ twice), and winning two World Series. Speaking of the postseason, Schilling went a sparkling 11-2 with a 2.23 ERA, fanning 120 in 133 1/3 innings.

He’s by no means a consensus choice (in part due to his controversial use of social media), but I’d put him on my ballot. At this point, 66.3% of the voters agree with me.

Ballot Choice #10: Jeff Kent

Last on my list is a middle infielder who in many respects was the polar opposite of Omar Vizquel: outstanding bat, not-so-great glove. With only 21 second basemen enshrined as of this writing, the question is this: does Kent stack up?

It’s debatable, but his offensive prowess overcomes his defensive weaknesses in my book. 377 homers and 1,518 RBIs over a 17 year career speak volumes, as does winning the 2000 N.L. MVP. That season, he bashed 33 homers, drove in 125 runs and hit .334. All told, Kent had eight seasons of 100+ RBIs and played in five All Star games.

The voters don’t see it my way right now, as a mere 10.9% have them on their ballots.

Final Thoughts

I like my choices. I’ve picked several obvious candidates, a few long shots and a player or two in between. Erasing Bonds, Sosa, Clemens and Ramirez made things more challenging, but it also a bit more fun.

To sum things up, here is my list once more:

1. Edgar Martinez

2. Jim Thome

3. Mike Mussina

4. Larry Walker

5. Chipper Jones

6. Vladimir Guererro

7. Trevor Hoffman

8. Omar Vizquel

9. Curt Schilling

10. Jeff Kent

We’ll know in a couple of weeks how things shake out. Eeeeeeeedddd-gaaarrrrrrr! Nope, still hate it.

Next: Hall of Fame Ballot Series, Part 1