2013 Baseball Hall of Fame Class... who is it gonna be?

PowderedH2O

Next year starts the first of several amazing groups of potential enshrinees for baseball's ultimate honor. Quite a few of these players have some sort of asterisk surrounding the vote. So, who will be the big winners in the January ballot count? With nobody being able to list more than ten names on a ballot, it is possible that some potential HOFers might actually get less than 5% and get left off of future ballots. Here are the top new candidates:
Craig Biggio
Barry Bonds
Roger Clemens
Kenny Lofton
Mike Piazza
Curt Schilling
Sammy Sosa

Plus the top holdover candidates:
Jeff Bagwell
Edgar Martinez
Fred McGriff
Mark McGwire
Jack Morris
Tim Raines
Lee Smith
Alan Trammell
Larry Walker

My votes would be Raines, Piazza, Schilling and Biggio. The rest can wait.

grote15

Both Biggio and Piazza will almost certainly be first ballot. It's going to be interesting to see what % Bonds and Clemens get. I believe it will be higher than what McGwire is getting, but how much higher is anyone's guess.

CEOBIDMC

Biggio and Piazza

Clemens, Bonds and the juicers hopefully never get in.

I'd also vote for McGriff and Raines.

I think Jack Morris gets in, but not with my vote.

soundgard

Schilling

I cant prove it, but i think Piazza used steroids. So he would not get my vote.

thehallmark

I'm all for more people getting in, but this list has me wondering... Was Biggio ever a top ten position player even once in his career?

Darin

I like Biggio, but I wish he would have retired one year sooner. He barely passed Brett for 5th place all-time in doubles. Brett had 665 and without looking it up I think Biggio finished with 667 or 668.
Pretty nice accomplishment!

Tabe

<< <i>I cant prove it, but i think Piazza used steroids. So he would not get my vote. >>


I'd probably still vote for him but I definitely agree that he probably used steroids.

Ditto for Jeff Bagwell.

Tabe

DavidPuddy

It's just my opinion, but I don't think there were many early 90's Astros players that did NOT use some PED.

mlbfan2

<< <i>Was Biggio ever a top ten position player even once in his career? >>



He led MLB (among non-pitchers) in WAR in 1997.

Justacommeman

it might just be me but I don't like anyone on that list to make it on the first ballot

MJ

jdip9

<<<I cant prove it, but i think Piazza used steroids. So he would not get my vote.>>>

<<<it might just be me but I don't like anyone on that list to make it on the first ballot>>>

I agree with both of you. Nobody on that list is deserving of 1st ballot HOF. Roberto Alomar had to wait a year, and he was better than any "clean" player on that list.

PowderedH2O

Alomar likely waited a year because of the spitting incident, not because of his play. I also think that having Schilling on the ballot hurts Jack Morris. When the two of them are placed next to each other, Morris loses. BIG. Every intangible that people say about Jack Morris (big game pitcher, big stud #1 starter, etc..) applies to Schilling. Except, Schilling had a better winning percentage, a better postseason record (Schill's 11-2 mark and 2.22 ERA in postseason pitching is just sick), a better ERA (about .44 runs per game better, while pitching in a much tougher time period), and a strikeout to walk ratio that just obliterates Morris. Schill's WHIP in the postseason is under 1.00, while Morris is nearly 1.3. It really isn't even close. For Morris to get in on the vote, he needs Schilling to get in on the first ballot.

Connecticoin

<< <i>it might just be me but I don't like anyone on that list to make it on the first ballot

MJ >>



Agreed, none of those are shoo-ins like a Ricky Henderson.

Estil

How about we put Bonds in the HOF with his plaque reading in part:

"Set all-time home run record* with 762* home runs and single season home run record 73* in 2001*. Bonds is a seven-time* MVP recipient* and lead the Giants to the 2002 National League pennant*."

How's that sound?

Estil

Anyway, Piazza and Biggio most definitely go in first ballot (Schilling's got a shot at first ballot). All the other 3000 hit players that are eligible and 'roid free got in on the first ballot (since 1962) and there's absouletely no reason why Biggio should be any different. And frankly, why not have Bagwell go in together with him? Wouldn't that be fun? Also this year should be the year Morris gets put over the top and then I suppose McGruff (493=500 as far as I'm concerned) will round it out. Hey if we're gonna have a small class for 2012, why not a big one for 2013?

Also, I might want to point out there is some dispute as to whether getting in the HOF is the highest individual honor in baseball; some players believe getting your number retired is the greatest honor (and with so fewer players staying with one team long enough to even have a chance at it, I would actually have to agree).

Estil

<< <i>I'm all for more people getting in, but this list has me wondering... Was Biggio ever a top ten position player even once in his career? >>



He has 3000 hits. 3000 hits=first ballot HOFer (since 1962 provided you're eligible and 'roid free). It shouldn't really matter. The HOF set a precedent and it should honor it.

fiveniner

Biggio/Piazza

markj111

<< <i>I'm all for more people getting in, but this list has me wondering... Was Biggio ever a top ten position player even once in his career? >>




Nine of the ten comps at baseball-reference are (or will be) in the HOF. The tenth, Whitaker, should be. Remeber that he spent most of his career playing key defensive positions. His offensive WAR was in the top ten six times. He is 13th all time in runs scored-he was in the top ten nine times, twice leading the league.

JustinsShoebox

Biggio for the hits, Schilling for the Ks/Postseason Performance. Only thing that bugs me about Schilling is his wins total. That aside, he should get the green light.

Still hoping for Lee Smith someday...but not going to hold my breathe.

Justin