Countdown to Cooperstown: Class of 2016

The three years prior to the 2016 induction could be, based on the "who's in" and "who's out" arguments, some of the most explosive years the Baseball Hall of Fame has ever seen.

Thankfully, the first ballot guys of the potential Class of 2016 might bring it all back down to Earth.

However it all shakes out, 2016 also looks to be the third year in a row that someone could argue a unanimous selection. And while no one will ever get 100% of the vote...it's hard to believe that anyone would not vote for Ken Griffey Jr. or Trevor Hoffman.

IN.

Ken Griffey Jr.

When Griffey finally gets into the Hall of Fame, it'll be the final step of an epic journey that started on Opening Day 1989.  But what can be said about Junior that you don't already know?  630 career home runs, 1836 RBI and 2781 hits pretty much make him a shoe-in.  And if that isn't good enough...how about ten Gold Gloves, 13 All-Star Game appearances and that 1997 American League MVP award?  Yeah...thought so.

Trevor Hoffman.

Hoffman is a tricky one.  Yes, dude is second all-time in saves, but the Hall of Fame has been unkind to some other closers (Lee Smith anyone?).  That said, I have a feeling that Hoffman and his 601 saves will make their way to Cooperstown.

OUT (in random order).

Garret Anderson.

The Angels' franchise leader in just about every offensive category, Anderson quietly put together one of the better careers of the last 20 years.  That said, there's no way dude gets into the Hall of Fame.  Simply put, while his .293 batting average, 2529 career hits and 522 doubles are the mark of a great career...there are too many others that fared much better.

Brad Ausmus, Luis Castillo, David Eckstein, Troy Glaus, Mark Grudzielanek, Jose Guillen, Christian Guzman, Mike Hampton, Bobby Howry, Jason Kendall, Mike, Lowell, Damaso Marte, Gary Matthews Jr.,  Bengie Molina, Russ Ortiz, Chan Ho Park, Russ Springer, Mike Sweeney, Fernando Tatis, Jeff Weaver and Randy Winn.

ON THE BUBBLE.

Billy Wagner.

It's quite possible that after Mariano Rivera surpasses Trevor Hoffman as the all-time saves leader, the career of Wagner will begin to come into focus.  Right now, he sits fifth all-time in saves (with 422) and carries with him a 2.31 career ERA...half a run better than Hoffman. 

Jim Edmonds.

"Jimmy Baseball" is one of those players that if, in 2016, he got 50% or 5% I wouldn't be surprised.  His numbers, while pretty good, aren't great.  But then again...you can do plenty worse than his eight Gold Gloves and 393 home runs. 

Missed any of the other re-hashes from this week?  Be sure to check out 2013, 2014 and 2015 .  On Friday, your first look at 2017 hits the interwebs.

 

Countdown to Cooperstown: Class of 2016 (so far)

The three years prior to the 2016 induction could, based on the "who's in" and "who's out" arguments, be some of the most explosive years the Baseball Hall of Fame has ever seen.

Thankfully, the first ballot guys of the potential Class of 2016 might bring it all back down to Earth.

However it all shakes out, 2016 also looks to be the third year in a row that someone could argue a unanimous selection. And while no one will ever get 100% of the vote...it is hard to believe that anyone would not vote for the two pitchers mentioned or Ken Griffey Jr.

IN.

Ken Griffey Jr.

When Griffey finally gets into the Hall of Fame, it'll be the final step of an epic journey that started on Opening Day 1989.  But what can be said about Junior that you don't already know?  630 career home runs, 1836 RBI and 2781 hits pretty much make him a shoe-in.  And if that isn't good enough...how about ten Gold Gloves, 13 All-Star Game appearances and that 1997 American League MVP award?  Yeah...thought so.

Trevor Hoffman.

Hoffman is a tricky one.  If he was on the ballot this year, he'd make it in based on the fact that he is the all-time saves leader and the only closer in the history of the game with more than 600 saves.  Five years from now, however, he'll be second to Mariano Rivera.  Now, the Hall of Fame has been unkind to some other closers (Lee Smith anyone?)...but I have a feeling that Hoffman and his 601 saves eventually make their way to Cooperstown.

OUT (in random order).

Garret Anderson.

The Angels' franchise leader in just about every offensive category, Anderson quietly put together one of the better careers of the last 20 years.  That said, there's no way dude gets into the Hall of Fame.  Simply put, while his .293 batting average, 2529 career hits and 522 doubles are the mark of a great career...there are too many others that fared much better.

Mike Hampton, Bobby Howry, Randy Winn, Troy Glaus, Luis Castillo, Mike Lowell, Brad Ausmus, Mark Grudzielanek and Mike Sweeney.

ON THE BUBBLE.

Andy Pettitte.
Alright, how soon until people completely forget Pettitte's admission to using steroids?  I only ask because while some of his contemporaries while be left out in the Cooperstown cold, there are plenty of people out there that believe the five-time World Series champ has done enough to be enshrined.  What do I think?  I love the rings, his post season prowess and his 240-138 career record...but the 3.88 ERA and only 2251 isn't impressing me.

Billy Wagner.

It's quite possible that after Mariano Rivera surpasses Trevor Hoffman as the all-time saves leader, the career of Wagner will begin to come into focus.  Right now, he sits fifth all-time in saves (with 422) and carries with him a 2.31 career ERA...half a run better than Hoffman.  And while I'm saying Hoffman is "IN" and Wagner is "On the Bubble"...I'm not so sure that Wagner doesn't get in first.  We'll see.

Jim Edmonds.

"Jimmy Baseball" is one of those players that if, in 2016, he got 50% or 5% I wouldn't be surprised.  His numbers, while pretty good, aren't great.  But then again...you can plenty worse than his eight Gold Gloves and 393 home runs. 

So there you have it, gang...your week-long look ahead at the next five years of first ballot-eligible Hall of Famers comes to a close.  In case you missed any of them, check them out.

Monday:  2012
Tuesday:  2013
Wednesday:  2014
Thursday:  2015


 

Jim Edmonds Returns to Anaheim

Much was made of Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jim Edmonds’ return to Angel Stadium…a stadium he hadn’t played in since his final game as an Angel.

He was hitless in what was the Angels last game of the 1999 season (he was 2-5 against the Halos Tuesday night) and right before the start of 2000, he found himself traded to the Cardinals for Kent Bottenfield and Adam Kennedy.

Kennedy had a pretty successful career for the Anaheim (and later Los Angeles) Angels, winning a World Series in 2002, whereas Bottenfield saw himself shipped to Philadelphia at the trade deadline in 2000.

“Jimmy Ballgame” saw his career flourish in the shadow of the Gateway Arch, playing alongside Mark McGwire, Albert Pujols and Scott Rolen, but just how great of a player did the Angels give up?

For starters, there are a few avenues you can go down in order to come to some sort of conclusion.

First, you could start by comparing him to contemporary outfielders like Steve Finley and Luis Gonzalez. Both guys who, in my mind, would illustrate what my gut tells me…Jim Edmonds DOES NOT belong alongside those enshrined in Cooperstown.

Frankly, not one of the three belongs in the same sentence as the sleepy New York town.

Sure, Edmonds is good…he was a world champ in 2006, a four-time all-star and twice he’s finished in the top five in the MVP voting. But Hall worthy?

No way.

But then I remembered…you CAN go into the Hall based on your defense (a la Bill Mazeroski or Ozzie Smith) and Edmonds did bring home eight Gold Gloves in a nine year span. With this guy, his repertoire was the opposite of most…his defense was the delicious dessert at the forefront and batting was the icing.

At the plate, the 39 year-old is sitting at 385 career home runs (more than Joe DiMaggio, Ralph Kiner and Tony Perez), a .284 career batting average with five seasons above the .300 mark.

Barring injuries (and honestly, couldn’t we say that about a bunch of players) and a season away from pro ball, Edmonds could be nearing 500 bombs and 2500 hits versus where he’ll end up…closer to 400 and 2100.

Again, he is good…just not great.

Ask yourself this…do his highlight reel catches and sub-"benchmark" numbers make him more of a Hall of Famer than someone like Jim Thome, Ivan Rodriguez or Chipper Jones? Because, let's face it, that's who he is likely going to be up against when he comes up for selection.

My guess is he'll be a guy, like Steve Garvey, Dave Parker or Don Mattingly, destined to appear on the ballot for the full 15 years...but not great enough to break through the doors.

I could be wrong…but only time will tell.

The Hall of Fame Class of 2014

While it is way, way too early to even think about Mark Buehrle and the Hall of Fame…there is one pitcher on the 2014 ballot with a perfect game and another that can match Buehrle’s two no-hitters.

That aside…it’s hard to imagine ANY pitcher competing with the credentials displayed by Hall of Fame shoe-in Greg Maddux.

Which brings me to…

IN.

Greg Maddux.
What can be said about Maddux that everyone doesn’t already know? 355 wins compared to 227 losses, a career 3.16 ERA and 3371 strikeouts. Add to that four straight Cy Young Awards, 18 straight Gold Gloves, eight All-Star Games, having his number retired by two teams…and that’s just the tip of the iceberg!

Frank Thomas.

“The Big Hurt” is still out there trying to find a ride for the remainder of the season, but honestly…does he need to? With a career batting average of .301, 521 home runs, 1704 RBI and close to 2500 base hits…there is no reason the two-time MVP needs to suit up again as his legacy is locked and loaded. Did you know…Thomas is the only player in baseball history to have seven consecutive seasons of a .300 average, 100 runs, 100 RBI, 20 home runs and at least 100 walks? Yup, the guy was Albert Pujols before Albert Pujols was.

Jeff Kent.
Kent and his lip curtain have a long road ahead of them. Is his legendary prickliness toward the media enough to keep him on the bubble…or do his numbers as one of the best second basemen ever win out? The 2000 National League MVP amassed 2461 hits, 377 home runs and a .290 batting average. Four times a Silver Slugger, five times an All-Star and for six years…playing in that long shadow of Barry Bonds. I put him in, not because of the womb broom…but because he is just THAT much better than Ryne Sandberg and Joe Morgan.

OUT (in random order).

Kenny Rogers.
“The Gambler” tossed his perfect game 15 years ago NEXT Tuesday (July 28, 1994), so it is only appropriate he gets brought up as a 2014 Hall candidate. Unfortunately, he’s going to be watching from home like the rest of us. The guy was a wizard on the bump…five Gold Gloves, 219 wins and close to 2000 strikeouts, but what is most impressive is that he is the all-time leader in pickoffs with 93.

Moises Alou.
Alou had a much better career than a lot of people realize, but just because he is underrated...he doesn’t deserve a plaque in Cooperstown. Over his 17 year career, Alou boasted a .303 career batting average, just under 2200 career hits and 332 home runs. Considering he finally got his crack at the bigs at age 25…it’s hard to imagine what kind of numbers he would have had if he broke in five years prior.

Ray Durham, Richie Sexson, Shannon Stewart, Armando Benitez, Steve Trachsel, Mike Timlin, Keith Foulke, Todd Jones, Mark Grudzielanek, Esteban Loaiza, Freddy Garcia, Jon Lieber, Damion Easley, Trot Nixon, Jacque Jones, J.T. Snow, Jose Vidro, Matt Morris, Jay Payton, Paul Lo Duca, Jose Cruz Jr., 2003 National League Cy Young Award winner Eric Gagne, Paul Byrd, Sean Casey and Scott Hatteberg.

ON THE BUBBLE.

Mike Mussina.
To me, “Moose” is an interesting case. On paper, you see a HUGE winning percentage (.638), a brilliant 270 and 153 record and 2813 Ks. His career ERA is 3.68 and one could argue that had he not toiled for more than half of his career in Baltimore…he would be as much of a Hall candidate as Tom Glavine. However, Glavine had five seasons with more than 20 wins. Mussina, while he’s hit double digits in wins seventeen straight years, only his 20 once. The Cy Young award has eluded Mussina as well. Unfortunately, six top five finishes and no hardware doesn’t make for the best Hall of Fame case.

Jim Edmonds.
If the eight-time Gold Glove recipient proved anything last year with the Cubs is that he can still play. “Jimmy Baseball” entered 2009 with 382 home runs and no job. Should he never play again, those 382 bombs are more than Hall of Famers Joe DiMaggio, Ralph Kiner and Tony Perez. Edmonds also has a .284 career batting average with five seasons above the .300 mark. And, oh yeah…the guy could go down as the best fielding center fielder during his time.

Luis Gonzalez.
In 2001, “Gonzo” hit .325 with 57 home runs and 142 RBI and led the Diamondbacks to a World Series title. Still serviceable last season at 41, Gonzalez was an every day player for the Marlins and is still looking for work. With 354 home runs, it isn’t likely that Gonzalez will get to 400. That being said, he is nine hits from 2600 and 61 RBI from 1500. Only one player that is Hall eligible (Harold Baines) has more than 1500 RBI and has yet to be enshrined in Cooperstown. There are no Hall eligible players with more doubles than “Gonzo” that have yet to get called to the Hall. If he never plays again…Gonzalez is a tough call.

Hideo Nomo.
Ask anyone what they think of Nomo and his Hall chances and they’ll likely laugh in your face. However, he is the guy who is credited with paving the way for Japanese players to make their way to the Majors. After a brief, yet successful, career in Japan, Nomo hit the states and won the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 1995. He’s the only Japanese player to have thrown a no-hitter (he threw two…one in each league) and finished his abbreviated MLB career with four seasons with more than 200 strikeouts and a 123-109 record. But…without Nomo, there would be no Ichiro. Let’s not forget how he took the league by storm in 1995 and made it okay for Major League teams to take a chance on Asian players.

It takes being out of the game five years to be eligible for the Hall of Fame. Over the last week, you’ve been brought up to speed on each of the next five years of eligible, potential inductees. If you’ve missed a year or have a comment to make…check them out here:

Monday…2010.
Tuesday…2011.
Wednesday…2012.
Thursday…2013.

Check back today after 12:00pm CST for another special Hall of Fame preview.

Metallica, Koko B. Ware and Pedro Martinez walk into a bar...

As Opening Day arrives (and The Hall of Very Good’s Milestone Preview comes to a close), it is important that we acknowledge those superstars that are still out there every day making a difference and, in some cases…looking for their next gig.

On Saturday night, two monumental Hall of Fame inductions went down.

First, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland…wait, Cleveland?!? Anyway…the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland opened its doors to Jeff Beck, Little Anthony & The Imperials, Bobby Womack, Run-DMC and Metallica.

Next, on the eve of Wrestlemania XXV, the WWE welcomed Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat, “Cowboy” Bill Watts, Koko B. Ware, Howard Finkel, the Funks, the Von Erichs and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin.

I’m not really sure which one is more of an honor or which one rivals the Baseball Hall of Fame, but let’s be honest, now that Koko B. Ware (with his colorful personality, pet bird and no championships) has made it into the WWE Hall of Fame…can Cooperstown throw a bone Ron Santo’s way so I can stop listening to Cubs fans complaining?

Now…on to more pressing issues.

Even with Curt Schilling officially retired, “Pudge” Rodriguez in Houston and Garry Sheffield released by the Tigers and then picked up by the Mets three days later, there are still some big names out on the free agent market that are closing in on some pretty historic numbers.

MOISES ALOU

Tired of the nagging injuries, Moises Alou told the world that, following the recent World Baseball Classic, he was going to be done. Of course, he has yet to make this official.

Should a team take a chance on the 43 year-old slugger (he hit .342 in 102 games for the Mets over the last two seasons), they’ll get a .303 career batting average, just under 2200 career hits and 332 home runs.


JIM EDMONDS

If the eight-time Gold Glove recipient proved anything last year with the Cubs is that he can still play. “Jimmy Baseball” enters 2009 with 382 home runs and no job. Those 382 bombs are more than Hall of Famers Joe DiMaggio, Ralph Kiner and Tony Perez. Edmonds also has a .284 career batting average with five seasons above the .300 mark.

LUIS GONZALEZ

In 2001, “Gonzo” hit .325 with 57 home runs and 142 RBI and led the Diamondbacks to a World Series title. Still serviceable at 41, Gonzalez was an every day player last year for the Marlins and hit .261.

With 354 home runs, it isn’t likely that Gonzalez will get to 400. That being said, he is nine hits from 2600 and 61 RBI from 1500. Only one player that is Hall eligible (Harold Baines) has more than 1500 RBI and has yet to be enshrined in Cooperstown. There are NO Hall eligible players with more doubles than “Gonzo” that have yet to get called to the Hall.


PEDRO MARTINEZ and FRANK THOMAS

It’s pretty safe to say that the world knows the story of both Pedro Martinez and Frank Thomas by now. Alou, Edmonds and Gonzalez…maybe not so much.

Martinez has the lowest ERA among active starters in the Majors and the second most strikeouts. His three Cy Young Awards and pinpoint accuracy make him a legend, yet he is still out there trying to find work.

“The Big Hurt”, on the other hand, has had the quietest off season since he broke into the bigs. With a career batting average of .301, 521 home runs, 1704 RBI and close to 2500 base hits…there is no reason Thomas needs to suit up again as his legacy is locked and loaded.

At 40, Thomas has not set a deadline to decide his future and will wait until the All-Star break before making any other determinations.

So if you go into Opening Day with any thoughts, know that there are still some baseball stories out there that are yet to be completed.

Also...Metallica fought the crusade against Napster (which, let’s face it, was the forerunner to ALL the downloadable mp3 sites out there), yet feel Guitar Hero is a great way to promote themselves.

Allow me to clarify.

basically, they wanted to keep diehard fans away from sharing their music (live shows and what not) online, yet have no issue with 13 year-olds banging away to “For Whom the Bell Tolls” on a plastic “guitar” in their parents living room.

Maybe I’m getting old...here's to a great 2009!

Long time friend...first time reader

I don’t do requests…it’s true.

Sure, there have been instances where I’ve asked for ideas or suggestions, but generally, I don’t pay attention to the “you should write about about so and so” emails.

Until now.

Sorta.

I got an email from a friend earlier in the week. I was shocked. I hadn’t heard from him in a couple of years and to top it off, I had no clue he knew about this site…much less what a “blog” was. Suffice it to say, after the standard pleasantries, there it was…”you should write a little more about the Cubs in your blog.” Ugh.

The Cubs? Really?!?

Had this dude actually read my site? Outside of Lee Smith, I can’t say I’ve really trumpeted many Cubs (I’m looking your way “Ryno”) as Hall of Famers. But I had a plan. I had an idea on how I could fulfill BOTH of our wants.

Jim Edmonds.

Yeah…”Jimmy Baseball”! He’s a Cub still, right? Admittedly I’ve been kicking Edmonds around for a while now…I just haven’t been motivated enough to write about him.

There were a few avenues to go down. I started by comparing him to contemporary outfielders like Steve Finley and Luis Gonzalez. Both guys who, in my mind, would illustrate what I already thought…Jim Edmonds DOES NOT belong alongside those enshrined in Cooperstown because, frankly, not one of the three belongs in the same sentence as the sleepy New York town.

Sure, Edmonds is good. He’s a world champ, a four-time all-star and twice he’s finished in the top five in the MVP voting. But Hall worthy? No way. The fact that he’s never finished in the top five in any major statistical category cemented my opinion. (NOTE: Jake has added a couple of statistics that I obviously overlooked in the comments section below. That being said...my opinion hasn't changed.)

But then I remembered…you CAN go into the Hall based on your defense (a la Bill Mazeroski or Ozzie Smith) and Edmonds did bring home eight Gold Gloves in a nine year span. With this guy…defense was the delicious dessert at the forefront and his batting was the icing.

At the plate, Edmonds has 379 career home runs (more than Joe DiMaggio, Ralph Kiner and Tony Perez), a .285 career batting average with five seasons above the .300 mark.

Barring injuries (and honestly, couldn’t we say that about a bunch of players), Edmonds could be nearing 500 bombs and 2500 hits versus where he’ll end up…closer to 400 and 2200.

He is good…just not great.

On paper, his stat line is comparable to a player that, for some reason, still has a weird groundswell of support…Dick “Richie” Allen.

At first thought, the two couldn’t have been more opposite. If you look at their fielding accomplishments alone, you wouldn’t even continue the comparison. Allen had more errors in his first two full seasons (67) than Edmonds has had over his sixteen year career (51).

Sure, they played different positions. Edmonds has primarily been a centerfielder whereas Allen played everywhere. The guy was a hired stick who would have been a terrific DH had he played in the American League and not started his career ten years prior to the implementation of the role.

Allen was once quoted as saying “I can play anywhere…first, third, left field, anywhere but Philadelphia.” It is ironic that in 1977, Dick walked away from baseball after the Oakland A’s tried to make him what he should have always been…a designated hitter.

I’m sure that didn’t help the public’s perception of Allen.

So, back to Edmonds. Jim has always been seen as a “good guy”…he is liked and hasn’t come close to sniffing a controversy. Allen was HATED. It got so bad in Philadelphia, that when he took the field, he became John Olerud-like by donning a batting helmet to protect his skull from the batteries and other debris being hurled by the Phillie faithful.

But, enough about that. I mentioned these guys are similar (and Baseball Reference would agree)…but how?

Well, without getting into TOO much depth, their stat lines are virtually as identical as the number they both wore. Career batting average, on base percentage and slugging slightly favors Allen (.292, .378 and .534) when compared to Edmonds (.285, .377 and .527). The totals swing in Edmonds favor. Jim has Dick beat with runs, hits, homers and RBI (1201, 1874, 379 and 1171 compared to 1099, 1848, 351 and 1119) but did play in a few more games. Allen hit 30 or more home runs six times and only three times, knocked in 100 or more. Seven times, Allen hit better than .300 and six times he finished in the top ten among the league leaders.

Clearly, you can see that the comparison is pretty much a wash, but Allen did garner some hardware.

“Richie” brought home his only MVP award in 1972, his first of three seasons with the White Sox and, like Edmonds, he only finished in the top five in MVP voting twice. Also like Edmonds, you could point at a few other seasons where they were on the short list of the league’s elite.

However, UNLIKE Edmonds…Allen was a man on an island.

Edmonds played alongside the underrated duo Garrett Anderson and Tim Salmon while with the Angels and then, with the Cardinals, was plugged into lineups that included Mark McGwire, Albert Pujols and Scott Rolen.

The best player Allen played alongside during his first stint with the Phillies…Johnny Callison.

Who?

EXACTLY.

While with the Cardinals in 1970, Allen was in the same lineup as Lou Brock and Joe Torre...but they’re not exactly McGwire and Pujols now are they? The best lineup Allen ever saw was in 1975 and 1976 when, during his second stint in Philly, he was paired up with Mike Schmidt and Greg Luzinski.

"He was the greatest player I ever managed, and what he did for us in Chicago was amazing," Allen's White Sox manager Chuck Tanner said. "In Pittsburgh I had guys like Willie Stargell, Dave Parker, Phil Garner, Bill Madlock, but in Chicago it was Dick Allen and, what, Bill Melton? There just wasn't a lot of talent there. With Dick...well, we were able to battle the Oakland A's, one of the greatest teams ever. Without him we simply weren't a first division team."

Allen’s impact on the game was much like Albert Belle’s. Both were guys that swung a big stick, but weren’t necessarily favorites of the media (Allen was at least a hit with his teammates) and that was reflected in how they were received when up for enshrinement.

Dick Allen spent fourteen years on the Hall of Fame ballot hovering between 3.7% (1983) and 18.9% (1996). During that span, his vote totals were constantly eclipsed by notable “almost” Hall of Famers Ron Santo, Joe Torre and Tony Oliva even though the numbers would show that he was better. Unfortunately, this carried over to the Hall of Fame Veterans Committe as well. As recent as 2007, Allen received only 13.4% of that vote. You can't say the guy wasn't consistent.

How will Edmonds fair when he is up for election five years after he makes that last diving catch in deep center.

Only time will tell.

***For more on the case for (and against) Dick Allen's inclusion in the Hall of Famer, check out Dick Allen (for) the Hall of Fame HERE***