"Active" Hall of Famers

[Chadwick]

Guys who should get elected, based on what they've already done or can reasonably be expected to finish:

Pitchers
Clemens, Glavine, Johnson, Maddux, Martinez, Rivera

Catchers
Piazza, Rodriguez

First Basemen
Bagwell, Thomas

Second Basemen
Biggio, Kent

Shortstops
Jeter

Third Basemen
Rodriguez

Left Fielders
Bonds, Ramirez

Center Fielders
Griffey

Right Fielders
Sheffield

While I think there are probably going to be another half-dozen players nearing the end of their career right now who will belong by the time they've hung it up, these are the "obvious" choices.

I'm curious to see (a) what reasons someone may have for not believing one of these guys is a qualified Hall-of-Famer; and (b) if I've missed someone who's got as solid a case as these candidates.

[Taco De Muerte]

where the heck is bonds and randy johnson ?

I also think hoffman's a lock too.

[abacab]

Randy Johnson?

[justice22]

bonds can't be considered a clinch at all right now. i would definately say johnson. Frankly, I think Jim Edmonds is nearly a clincher. Unless he were to retire tomorrow, i can expect him to get a few more gold gloves, a couple of 30 hr seasons, and get into the hall. Ichiro is another person who I think will be elected. If he were to play his whole career in the major's, he'd be a sure fire 3000 hitter, and I think voters recognize it. If he retired today, I think he would manage to get in for breaking the line for japanese position players. Those are my only additions.

[Chadwick]

Egg on my face....if Bonds and Johnson aren't shoo-ins (steroid discussion aside) then I'm a baboon. (Don't ask my wife to verify that.) Can't believe I missed them.

Didn't put Hoffman in the group because I don't think he's quite got the same level of "universal" support that Rivera does. Exactly the kind of player I was hoping to see brought up in this thread!

[Taco De Muerte]

bonds can't be considered a clinch at all right now.

Bonds is a lock. The HOF would lose a gigantic amount of credibility if they kept him out. Anyway, it's ridiculous to have sheffield listed and not bonds, when they are both equally involved in the " BAlco scandal ".

[The Dude]

One player I think is sorely missing from the list, is Chipper Jones.

Is there a chance he'll fall to the curse of the 3B? No, I don't believe so. In an Era of statistics such as this, I believe there will be enough awareness of Chipper Jones great level of play for nearly a decade. Add the fact that he was usually considered the best hot corner player by the casual fan for almost a decade, his MVP award, and being one of the corner stones of the Braves dynasty, I think he's already a cinch.

I don't think Hoffmans a lock, but I'd say right now, he's about as close as you can be without truly being a lock. One more season, MAYBE two good ones and he'll be a lock.

[Taco De Muerte]

One player I think is sorely missing from the list, is Chipper Jones.

Is there a chance he'll fall to the curse of the 3B? No, I don't believe so. In an Era of statistics such as this, I believe there will be enough awareness of Chipper Jones great level of play for nearly a decade. Add the fact that he was usually considered the best hot corner player by the casual fan for almost a decade, his MVP award, and being one of the corner stones of the Braves dynasty, I think he's already a cinch.

Delgado, thome, giambi, schilling, mussina, juan gonzalez. These are just a few guy's off the top of my head who have been " elite " in this era. The majority of them probably won't make it, but who knows.

[Imapotato]

My list is much slimmer

SP-Maddux, Clemens, Schilling (don't tell me his 'heroics' don't count), Martinez

C-Piazza
1b-Bagwell, Ortiz (maybe, if he continues on his pace, plus his sudden hits and HRs at the same time in 'heroic' fashion)
2b-Biggio
3b-Chipper Jones
SS-Jeter, Rodriguez
LF-Bonds
CF-Andruw Jones
RF-none

[The Dude]

Schilling a lock but not Johnson?

[BoSox Rule]

Pitchers
Roger Clemens
Pedro Martinez
Greg Maddux
Randy Johnson
Mariano Rivera
Trevor Hoffman
Billy Wagner has the quality, let's how much longer he goes and how well he pitches in that time.

Catcher
Mike Piazza
Ivan Rodriguez

First Base
Frank Thomas
Jeff Bagwell
Todd Helton
Hard not to put Pujols on this list. Obviously not as of now, but come on...

Second Base
Roberto Alomar
Craig Biggio
Jeff Kent with 2-3 more quality years, wasn't a quality player until age 30.

Shortstop
Derek Jeter should be deserving by the time his career is over
Alex Rodriguez

Third Base
Chipper Jones, unless his defense is as bad as the numbers show, but I'm willing to give him the benefit of doubt as of now due to his amazing bat - .313 EqA.

Left Field
Barry Bonds
Manny Ramirez
Rickey Henderson (?)

Centerfield
Ken Griffey, Jr.
Andruw Jones (Already more valuable than Jeter, 3 years younger, and a lot more quietly)
Jim Edmonds (3 more years of Edmonds ball)

Right Field
Gary Sheffield is closer than most fans want to admit

[538280]

Right Field
Gary Sheffield is closer than most fans want to admit

Gary Sheffield should be a lock right now. I've made my case with him before. He's one of the best players of the past 15 or so years. Stop and look at his 1996 season for a second, and tell me that's not an all time great hitting year. It is. He had a 139 relative OBP, which I'd think has to be the best mark anyone has put up in a long time, except for Bonds.

And 1996 isn't really out of context with the rest of his career. He was almost as good in 1992, 2000, 2001, and 2003. Then take a look at his 1997 season, which was considered a big let down season for him. He had a .638 offensive winning percentage that year, which means given average pitching and fielding a team with 9 1997 Gary Sheffields hitting would win about 104 games.

That's still a hell of a year, would be a career year for most players, yet for him it was a down year, even sticks out as such when you look at his stats.

You're a hell of a player when you have an OPS+ of 134 in your off year. Other than Dick Allen, what non HOF player can say that?

Maybe I'm slightly biased, because I always have like Sheffield, but based on any objective analysis he comes out as a surefire HOF caliber player, and easily one of the top 100 of all time (I have him #46 currently).

[ElHalo]

Gary Sheffield should be a lock right now. I've made my case with him before. He's one of the best players of the past 15 or so years. Stop and look at his 1996 season for a second, and tell me that's not an all time great hitting year. It is. He had a 139 relative OBP, which I'd think has to be the best mark anyone has put up in a long time, except for Bonds.

Frank Thomas had seasons of 142 and 139.

I honestly don't see Kent as a lock. His numbers from 2B are certainly impressive, but he's always flown under the radar, and his personality won't help.

I'd like to see Tom Glavine miss, but I don't think that's happening.

[Taco De Muerte]

Gary Sheffield should be a lock right now. I've made my case with him before. He's one of the best players of the past 15 or so years. Stop and look at his 1996 season for a second, and tell me that's not an all time great hitting year. It is. He had a 139 relative OBP, which I'd think has to be the best mark anyone has put up in a long time, except for Bonds.

And 1996 isn't really out of context with the rest of his career. He was almost as good in 1992, 2000, 2001, and 2003. Then take a look at his 1997 season, which was considered a big let down season for him. He had a .638 offensive winning percentage that year, which means given average pitching and fielding a team with 9 1997 Gary Sheffields hitting would win about 104 games.

That's still a hell of a year, would be a career year for most players, yet for him it was a down year, even sticks out as such when you look at his stats.

You're a hell of a player when you have an OPS+ of 134 in your off year. Other than Dick Allen, what non HOF player can say that?

Maybe I'm slightly biased, because I always have like Sheffield, but based on any objective analysis he comes out as a surefire HOF caliber player, and easily one of the top 100 of all time (I have him #46 currently).

I agree with all of this. Infact a goodcase could be made that sheffield's the best Rightfielder of his generation.

[538280]

I agree with all of this. Infact a goodcase could be made that sheffield's the best Rightfielder of his generation.

Yeah, and with maybe one or two more decent years from him he could have a case as being the #4 RFer of all time, only behind Ruth, Aaron, and Robinson. I'm not saying that I'd agree with it, but I could see how in a couple years someone could say he's better than Reggie and Ott, currently for me holding spots #4 and #5.