We love this day!

Though, that does not mean, we always love the results.

The Baseball Hall of Fame announced the results of the Class of 2022, and it ends an era of sorts as many of the controversial PED associated players are off the ballot.

Let’s get right into it.

The Baseball Hall of Fame elected one player this year, which was David Ortiz, who enters on his first year with 77.9%.  The long-time Designated Hitter led the Red Sox to three World Series Championships, and had 541 Home Runs, 1,768 RBIs and went to ten All-Star Games.  Ortiz becomes the first predominant DH to enter the Hall in his first year.

Here is a look at the rest of the vote:

Barry Bonds. 66.0%, 10^th and Final Year:  Bonds was a seven-time MVP, and let’s be frank: We all knew that he was using PEDs, and so did the people who kept voting him as an MVP.  Saying that, Bonds is one of the greatest offensive baseball players that the game ever saw, and is the game’s all-time leader in Home Runs (762) and Walks (2,558), and has a career Slash Line of .298/.444/.607.  Statistically speaking, we know that Bonds belongs in the Hall, and we also know why the voters kept him out.  He climbed from 61.8% from last year.

Roger Clemens. 65.6%, 10^th and Final Year:  We could “lather, rinse, repeat” with Clemens in regards to Bonds, as he is also a generational superstar who won seven Cy Youngs.  Like Bonds, Clemens was surly, but also was never officially popped for PEDs by Major League Baseball.  Clemens has every Hall of Fame stat you can think of, and shatters many of the inductees, but he will have to exist in an island with Bonds of players that eclipse the actual Hall of Famers.  Clemens reached his highest total, increasing from last year’s 61.6%.

Scott Rolen.  63.2%, 5^th Year:  Rolen, continues to rocket up the votes.  Debuting with only 10.2% in 2018, Rolen had 52.9% last year, and is poised to enter in 2023 with this result.  We would bet on it!

Curt Schilling.  58.6%, 10^th and Final Year.  Schilling told voters not to vote for him, and that is exactly what he got, as he dropped from 71.1% from last year.   While we think he has the resume for Cooperstown, his off-field feud with the media did him no favors.  This was his last year on the ballot, debuting at 38.8% in 2013, and peaking at 71.1% in 2021. Frankly, we feel that this elevates his fame, rather than decreases it, and a martyr factor now exists with Schilling.  His only path is the Veteran’s Committee, and it is likely that he will feel the same when he is eligible in those forums.

Todd Helton.  52.0%, 4^th Year:  Helton has now gone from 16.5 in Year one to looking like he is one or two years away.  We recently named Helton the greatest Colorado Rockies player of all-time.

Billy Wagner.  51%, 7^th Year:  Wagner is the top closer on this ballot, and considering his first three years he was barely over 10%, his ascension has been more than impressive.  This is his first year exceeding 50%.

Andruw Jones.  41.1%, 5^th Year:  Jones did not have double-digits if Hall of Fame votes in his first two years, but made it to 33.9% last year and cracks 40% this year.

Gary Sheffield.  40.6%, 8^th Year:   Sheffield has all of the Hall of Fame metrics, but lacks the name, the team, and the notoriety.  It was a little surprising he got to 40 percent last year, and he has the exact same number this year.  This is not boding well for Sheffield.

Alex Rodriguez.  34.3%, 1^st Year:  We said this for years, in that we were most intrigued of any player in any potential Hall to see where he would finish in terms of his first year of eligibility.  A-Rod was popped for PEDs, was at one time massively unpopular, but only Bonds had better stats of any position player on this ballot, and he is among the top ten ever in terms of skills and stats.  Bluntly, this is way lower than we thought.

Jeff Kent.  32.7%,  9^th Year:  Kent is a former MVP but never got past 30 percent on the ballot until last year (32.4).  A rise of less than half a percent tells us all we need to know about his chances.

Manny Ramirez.  28.9%,  6^th Year:  Unlike other PED-associated players on this list, Ramirez WAS popped and suspended for steroids.  He only climbs up .7% from last year.

Omar Vizquel.  23.9%. 5^th Year:   Ouch!!!!  While we don’t this for sure, has anyone fallen worse than Vizquel?  Since the last vote, he was accused of domestic violence, and it has shattered his chances.  Considering he debuted at 37.0, and he is now double digits lower than this, what chance does he have?  He drops from 49.1% and 52.6% from 2020.

Sammy Sosa.  18.5%, 10^th and Final Year:  Say what you want about Sosa, but this is a player who at one point was considered to be one of the top five players in the game for a half-decade, and was in the upper-echelon in terms of popularity.  For what it is worth, this was the highest result that Sosa received.

Andy Pettitte.  10.7%, 4^th Year:  Pettitte has a lot of the numbers you need, but is an admitted PED user.  For whatever reason, Pettitte dropped from 13.7%.

Jimmy Rollins.  9.4%, 1^st Year:  Rollins enters the ballot and survives to see another day.  

Bobby Abreu.  8.6%, 3^rd Year.  Abreu still has not reached ten percent, but he hasn’t dipped below five either.  He had 8.7% last year.

Mark Buehrle.  5.8%, 2^nd Year.  Buehrle hangs on, but plummets from 11.0% from last year.

Torii Hunter.  5.3%, 2^nd Year.  Hunter is clinging to life on this ballot, and like Buehrle, he suffered a similar drop.  He had 9.5% last year.

The following did not receive the 5% needed to remain on the ballot:

Joe Nathan (4.3%), Tim Hudson (3.0%), Tim Lincecum (2.3%), Ryan Howard (2.0%), Mark Teixeira (1.5%), Justin Morneau (1.3%), Jonathan Papelbon (1.3%), Prince Fielder (0.5%), A.J. Pierzynski (0.5%), Carl Crawford (0.0%) and Jake Peavy (0.0%).

We will rework our Notinhalloffame.com Baseball list of those to consider for the Baseball Hall of Fame by the end of February.  This will involve removing those who were inducted, and added those worthy and eligible.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate David Ortiz.

On a ballot packed with qualified candidates for the National Baseball Hall of Fame, is it possible that none of them will be elected this year?

If that happens, as it did last year, it would be the third time in the last decade that the qualified voters of the Baseball Writers' Association of America (BBWAA) have thrown a shutout at the Hall of Fame. This is an odd paradox considering that after the Big Zilch of 2013, the BBWAA in subsequent years went on to elect 22 players across the next seven ballots, with the various guises of the veterans committee voting in another five players (and six non-players) during that seven-year span. (In 2013, the veterans committee did elect three candidates to the Hall.)

Last year, Curt Schilling, who had garnered 70 percent of the vote on the previous ballot, seemed to be a lock for election. Instead, he stalled with a negligible increase in support, then threw a social-media Trumper tantrum declaring that he wanted to be removed from this year's ballot. The Hall of Fame quickly responded that it would not do so.

It’s on!

The 2022 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot is officially out with seventeen returning players and thirteen new first year eligible names.

To return on the ballot, a player must be within their ten years of eligibility and received at least 5% of the vote.

The returning former players are: (with their year of eligibility and last year’s result)

Curt Schilling: 10^th Year, 71.1%

Barry Bonds: 10^th Year, 61.8%

Roger Clemens: 10^th Year, 61.6%

Scott Rolen: 5^th Year, 52.9%

Omar Vizquel, 5^th Year, 49.1%

Billy Wagner, 7^th Year, 46.4%

Todd Helton,4^th Year, 44.9%

Gary Sheffield, 8^th Year, 40.6 %

Andruw Jones, 5^th Year, 33.9%

Jeff Kent, 9^th Year, 32.4%

Manny Ramirez, 6^th Year, 28.2%

Sammy Sosa, 10^th Year, 17.0%

Andy Pettitte, 4^th Year, 13.7%

Mark Buehrle, 2^nd Year, 11.0%

Torii Hunter, 2^nd Year, 9.5%

Bobby Abreu, 3^rd Year, 8.7%

Tim Hudson, 2^nd Year, 5.2%

The new former players are:

Carl Crawford

Prince Fielder

Ryan Howard

Tim Lincecum

Justin Morneau

Joe Nathan

David Ortiz

Jonathan Papelbon

Jake Peavy

A.J. Pierzynski

Alex Rodriguez

Jimmy Rollins

Mark Teixeira

Notably Coco Crisp, Marlon Byrd, Michael Bourn, Kyle Lohse, Angel Pagan, Omar Infante, Matt Thornton, Billy Butler, Colby Lewis, Jeff Francoer, Javier Lopez and Ryan Vogelsong were eligible this year, but were not included on the ballot.

The results will be announced on January 25, 2022. 

We here at Notinhalloffame.com thought it would be fun to take a look at the major awards in North American team sports and see how it translates into Hall of Fame potential.

Needless to say, different awards in different sports yield hall of fame potential.  In basketball, the team sport with the least number of players on a roster, the dividend for greatness much higher.  In baseball, it is not as much as a great individual season does not have the same impact.

Last time, we looked at the ALCS or NLCS MVPs.  We have one major baseball award left, the Hank Aaron Award, which is given annually to the best hitter in each league.  It is named after Aaron, who was one of the most prolific hitters of all-time.

The trophy first came into existence in 1999, with one awarded in each league.

So how many Hank Aaron Award winners have made the Baseball Hall of Fame?

Let’s find out!

The following are the past players who have won the Hank Aaron Award who are eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame and have been enshrined.

2006 AL: Derek Jeter, New York Yankees, Third Base, 14 HR, 97 RBI, .343/.417/.483            

Derek Jeter is one of the most popular players in Yankees history, which is incredible considering how many legends wore the pinstripes.  In 2006, Jeter had already won the World Series four times, and he went to his seventh All-Star Game, while earning his first Silver Slugger.  Jeter was the runner-up for the MVP this year.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020.

2009 AL: Derek Jeter, New York Yankees, Third Base, 18 HR, 66 RBI, .334/.406/.465 (2)            

Jeter finished third in MVP voting this year, and he collected his fourth consecutive Silver Slugger.  He would lead New York to another World Series win, his fifth, and he played until 2014, collecting 3,465 Hits with a .310 lifetime Batting Average.  Jeter was overall a 14-time All-Star, five-time Silver Slugger, five-time Gold Glove winner, who also smacked 260 Home Runs with 1,311 RBIs.

Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020.

The following are the players who have won the Hank Aaron Award who are eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame and have not been selected:

1999 AL: Manny Ramirez, Cleveland Indians, Outfield, 44 HR, 165 RBI, .333/.442/.633.            

Ramirez had already proven himself as a star, but this season, he led the American League in RBIs with 165, which would be a career-high.  An All-Star for the third time, Ramirez also led the league in Slugging Percentage, OPS (1.105) and was third in MVP voting.  He also won the Silver Slugger.

Eligible Since 2017.  Ramirez has been on the ballot for five years, finishing as high as 28.2% in both 2019 and 2020.  Ranked #7 on Notinhalloffame.com  

1999 NL: Sammy Sosa, Chicago Cubs, Outfield, 63 HR, 141 RBI, .288/.367/.635, 1999, NL            

Sosa was the 1998 National League MVP, and was ninth this year in voting.  He was also a Silver Slugger winner, winning it for the third of six times.  While Sosa is a seven-time All-Star with 609 career Home Runs, PED suspicion has kept him out of Cooperstown.

Eligible Since 2013.  Sosa has been on the ballot for nine years, finishing as high as 17.0% in 2020.  Ranked #31 on Notinhalloffame.com  

2000 AL:  Carlos Delgado, Toronto Blue Jays, First Base, 41 HR, 137 RBI, .344/.470/.664, 2000, AL            

Delgado was an All-Star for the first time, and he led the AL in Doubles (57) and was fourth in MVP voting.  The First Baseman earned the second of his third Silver Sluggers this year, and he would later play for Florida and New York (NL), retiring on 2009.  Delgado had 473 Home Runs with 1,512 RBIs over his career.

Eligible Since 2015.  Delgado was on the ballot for one year in 2015 and received 3.6% of the vote.  Ranked #82 on Notinhalloffame.com  

2000 NL:  Todd Helton, Colorado Rockies, First Base, 42 HR, 147 RBI, .372/.463/.698, 2000, NL            

2000 was arguably Helton’s best year in baseball as he led the NL in Hits (216), Doubles (59), RBIs, and all three Slash Line components.  This began a five-year streak of All-Star Game appearances, and a four-year run of Silver Sluggers.  Helton, who was fifth in MVP voting this year, played his entire career with the Rockies, and had 2,519 Hits, 369 Home Runs, 1,406 RBIs with a Slash Line of .316/.414/539.

Eligible Since 2018.  Helton has been on the ballot for three years, finishing as high as 44.9% in 2021.  Ranked #9 on Notinhalloffame.com  

2001 AL:  Alex Rodriguez, Texas Rangers, Shortstop, 52 HR, 135 RBI, .318/.399/.622, 2001, AL            

After establishing himself as a superstar in Seattle, Rodriguez signed what was then the biggest contract in baseball with the Texas Rangers.  Rodriguez delivered with his best year to date, though he was only sixth in MVP voting.  He led the AL in Home Runs (52), Runs Scored (133), and was a Silver Slugger for the fifth time.

Eligible Since 2022.  Rodriguez is on the ballot for the first time this year.  Ranked #3 on Notinhalloffame.com  

2001 NL:  Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants, Outfield, 73 HR, 137 RBI, .328/.515/.863, 2001, NL            

This was the year that Bonds set the single season record in Home Runs, and Slugging Percentage, and while he was wildly unpopular outside of San Francisco, he was the runaway winner for the MVP, his fourth and first since 1993 when he was a Pirate.  Bonds also led the NL in OBP, OPS, and won his ninth Silver Slugger this year.

Eligible Since 2013.  Bonds has been on the ballot for nine years and finished as high as 61.8% in 2021.  Ranked #1C on Notinhalloffame.com  

2002 AL:  Alex Rodriguez, Texas Rangers, Shortstop, 57 HR, 142 RBI, .300/.392/.623, 2001, AL (2)           

A-Rod was incredible this year, leading the AL in Home Runs for the second straight year, and winning his first RBI Title.  Rodriguez finished second for the MVP, won his sixth Silver Slugger, and defensively won the Gold Glove for the first time. 

Eligible Since 2022.  Rodriguez is on the ballot for the first time this year.  Ranked #3 on Notinhalloffame.com  

2002 NL:  Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants, Outfield, 46 HR, 110 RBI, .370/.582/.799, 2002, NL (2)         

Bonds was again putting up PlayStation like numbers, and while his Home Runs were “only” 46, his OBP rocketed up to .582.  Basically, nobody wanted to pitch to him unless they had to.  Bonds repeated as MVP, winning his fifth overall, and also was a Silver Slugger for the tenth time.

Eligible Since 2013.  Bonds has been on the ballot for nine years and finished as high as 61.8% in 2021.  Ranked #1C on Notinhalloffame.com  

2003 AL:  Alex Rodriguez, Texas Rangers, Shortstop, 47 HR, 118 RBI, .298/.396/.600 (3)           

While arguably this was his weakest of his three years in Texas, Rodriguez captured his first MVP.  A-Rod led the AL in Home Runs for the third straight season (47), and he won his first Slugging Title (.600).  Silver Slugger number seven came to Rodriguez as did his second Gold Glove. 

Eligible Since 2022.  Rodriguez is on the ballot for the first time this year.  Ranked #3 on Notinhalloffame.com 

2004 AL: Manny Ramirez, Boston Red Sox, Outfield, 43 HR, 130 RBI, .308/.397/.613 (2)           

Ramirez joined the Red Sox in 2001, and in 2004, he won his first Home Run Title.  This season, he won his third Slugging Title, third OPS Title, and was third for the AL MVP.  Again winning the Silver Slugger, Ramirez and the Red Sox broke the curse this year, by winning their first World Series since 2019.  Ramirez played until 2012, blasting 555 Home Runs, 1.831 RBIs, with a lifetime Slash Line of .312/.411/.585.

Eligible Since 2017.  Ramirez has been on the ballot for five years, finishing as high as 28.2% in both 2019 and 2020.  Ranked #7 on Notinhalloffame.com  

2004 NL:  Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants, Outfield, 45 HR, 101 RBI, .362/.609/.812 (3)         

Bonds did not win the Hank Aaron Award in 2003, but he won the MVP that year, his third in a row.  He reclaimed the Hank Aaron Award in 2004, along with his fourth straight MVP, where he set a MLB record with a 1.422 OPS season.  Injuries and age caught up with Bonds, and despite being an All-Star in 2007 with a National League leading OBP of .480, he was not signed by any other team afterward.  He finished his career with 762 Home Runs, and 2,558 Walks, both of which are all-time records.  He retired with a lifetime OPS of 1.051.

Eligible Since 2013.  Bonds has been on the ballot for nine years and finished as high as 61.8% in 2021.  Ranked #1C on Notinhalloffame.com  

2005 AL:  David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox, Designated Hitter, 47 HR, 148 RBI, .300/.397/.604.         

Ortiz became the first primary Designated Hitter to win the Hank Aaron Award, and the popular player won the RBI Title for the first of what would be three times.  This was his second year in Boston, his second All-Star season, and he also won his second Silver Slugger.  Ortiz was the runner-up for the MVP.

Eligible Since 2022.  Ortiz is on the ballot for the first time this year.  Ranked #8 on Notinhalloffame.com  

2005 NL:  Andruw Jones, Atlanta Braves, Outfield, 51 HR, 128 RBI, .263/.347/.575.          

This was the best season of Jones’ career, and he won the Home Run (51) and RBI (128) Titles for the only time this year.  Jones also captured his only Silver Slugger this year, and he was the runner-up for the National League MVP.  Jones stayed with Atlanta until 2007, after which he played with the Dodgers, Rangers, White Sox and Yankees, and retired with 434 Home Runs.

Eligible Since 2017.  Jones has been on the ballot for four years and finished as high as 33.9% in 2021.  Ranked #40 on Notinhalloffame.com  

2006 NL:  Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies, First Base, 58 HR, 149 RBI, .313/.425/.659.          

In what was his third Major League season, Ryan Howard was spectacular, and produced his best year in Baseball.  Howard was first in Home Runs (58), Runs Batted In (149), and his Slash Line of .313/.425/.659 were career highs.  Justifiably, Howard won the MVP and the Silver Slugger, and over the next three seasons, he blasted at least 45 Home Runs and 136 RBIs.  Howard slumped after that, losing facets of his game, which considering he couldn’t field or run fast, took him out of any Hall of Fame consideration.  He played his entire career with the Phillies, accumulating 1,475 Hits, 382 Home Runs and 1,194 RBIs.

Eligible Since 2022.  Howard is on the ballot for the first time this year.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com

2007 AL:  Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees, Shortstop, 47 HR, 118 RBI, .298/.396/.600. (4)           

Rodriguez joined the Yankees in 2004, and to say it was a tumultuous period would be an understatement.  This did not mean that he did not produce colossal numbers in the Bronx, as he did.  He won his second MVP in 2005, and his third this year, winning his fifth Home Run Title (54), second RBI Title (156), third Slugging Title (.645) and second OPS Title (1.067).  A-Rod also won the ninth of what would be ten Silver Sluggers.  Rodriguez drama began after this season, but he did win a World Series Ring in 2009.  He finished his career with 3,115 Hits, 696 Home Runs, 2,086 RBIs, 329 Stolen Bases and a lifetime Batting Average of .295.

Eligible Since 2022.  Rodriguez is on the ballot for the first time this year.  Ranked #3 on Notinhalloffame.com 

2007 NL:  Prince Fielder, Milwaukee Brewers, First Base, 50 HR, 119 RBI, .288/.395/.618.          

Prince Fielder followed in the footsteps of his father, Cecil, as he became a stocky power-hitting First Baseman, and this was his breakout year.  Fielder led the American League in Home Runs (50), was third in MVP voting, and won the Silver Slugger.  He had five more 30 Home Run seasons, would become a six-time All-Star and collected three Silver Sluggers.  His career ended abruptly at age 32 due to injuries, and he retired with 319 Home Runs.

Eligible Since 2022.  Fielder is on the ballot for the first time this year.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com

2008 AL:  Kevin Youkilis, Boston Red Sox, First Base, 29 HR, 115 RBI, .312/.390/.569.          

This was the best year of Youkilis’ career, where he had career-bests in Home Runs (29), RBIs (115) and Batting Average (.312), and was an All-Star for the first time.  Youkilis was third in MVP voting, and he helped the BoSox win two previous World Series.  He went to two more All-Star Games, and played with Boston until 2012, finishing his career with brief stops in Chicago (AL) and New York (AL) before retiring in 213.  He had 1,053 career Hits.

Eligible Since 2019.  Youkilis was on the ballot for one year in 2019, but did not receive any votes.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com

2008 NL:  Aramis Ramirez, Chicago Cubs, Third Base, 27 HR, 112 RBI, .289/.380/.518.          

Ramirez was an All-Star in 2005, and in 2008, his 11^th Season, He was an All-Star for the second and final time.  This year, he was tenth in MVP voting, equalling his finish in 2004.  Ramirez later played for Milwaukee, going to a third All-Star Game in 2014, and was a Silver Slugger (while still a Cub) in 2011.  He retired in 2015, finishing with 2,303 Hits, 386 Home Runs and 1,417 RBIs.

Eligible Since 2021.  Ramirez was on the ballot for one year in 2021, and received 1.0% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com

2016 AL:  David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox, Designated Hitter, 38 HR, 127 RBI, .315/.401/.620, AL (2)         

Ortiz had one of the best farewell seasons ever, and fittingly it resulted in his second Hank Aaron Award, 11 years after his first.  For the only time in his career, he led the AL in Doubles (48), and his 127 RBI gave him his third RBI title.  Ortiz also led the AL in Slugging Percentage (.620) and OPS (1.021), and he won the Silver Slugger for the seventh time.  Over his career, Ortiz had 2,473 Hits, 541 Home Runs, 1,768 RBIs with a lifetime OPS of .931.  He was also instrumental in the Red Sox winning three World Series.

Eligible Since 2022.  Ortiz is on the ballot for the first time this year.  Ranked #8 on Notinhalloffame.com  

Let’s update our tally, shall we?       

So, who is up next?

The following are the players who have won the Hank Aaron Award in MLB who have retired but have not met the mandatory years out of the game to qualify for the Baseball Hall of Fame: 

2010 AL: Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays, Outfield, 54 HR, 124 RBI, .260/.378/.617           

Jose Bautista seemingly came out of nowhere to become an offensive star, as at age 29, he went from 13 to 54 Home Runs.  Bautista led the AL in Home Runs this year, and earned his first Silver Slugger.  He was also fourth in MVP voting, and began a six-year run of All-Stars.  

Eligible In 2024. 

2011 AL: Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays, Outfield, 43 HR, 103 RBI, .302/.447/.608 (2)           

As great as Bautista’s power numbers were in 2011, they were down from what he did in 2010.  Nevertheless, Bautista became a more complete hitter, leading the AL in Walks (132), had his first (and only) .300 season, and he led the league in Slugging (.608) and OPS (1.056).  Bautista was third in MVP voting, and won his second Silver Slugger.  He won a third Silver Slugger in 2014, and had 344 Home Runs over his career, most of which happened after he turned 29.

Eligible In 2024. 

2011 NL: Matt Kemp, Los Angeles Dodgers, Outfield, 39 HR, 126 RBI, .324/.399/.586            

This was by far the nest season of Matt Kemp’s career, where he led the National League in Runs Scored (115), Home Runs (39) and RBIs, all of which were career-highs.  Kemp was the runner-up for the MVP, and this was his second and final Silver Slugger year.  The three-time All-Star would later play for San Diego, Atlanta, Cincinnati and Colorado, and he had 287 Home Runs.

Eligible In 2026. 

The following are the past players who have won the Hank Aaron Award who are eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame and are still active.

2004 NL: Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals, First Base, 2004, 43 HR, 124 RBI, .359/.439/.667.

Pujols was in his third season, and the second of which where he finished second in MVP voting behind Barry Bonds.  This year, Pujols, who won his second Silver Slugger, led the NL in Hits (212), Doubles (51) and Batting Average (.359). 

41 Years Old, Playing for the Los Angeles Angels.

2009 NL: Albert Pujols, St. Louis Cardinals, First Base, 2009, 47 HR, 135 RBI, .327/.443/.658 (2)            

After winning his first Hank Aaron Award in 2003, Pujols won the National League MVP in 2005 and 2008, and 2009 saw the slugger win his third.  Pujols won the Home Run title for the first time this year, and he also captured his first OBP crown.  This was also his third time winning the Slugging and OPS Title.  Silver Slugger number five happened this year for Pujols.

41 Years Old, Playing for the Los Angeles Angels.

2010 NL: Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds, First Base, 37 HR, 113 RBI, .324/.424/.600            

This was Votto’s fourth year in the Majors, and it was his breakout campaign.  Not only did Votto win the Hank Aaron award, the First Baseman won the MVP.  Votto was an All-Star for the first time this year, and he would win his first of seven OBP Titles, and the first of two OPS Titles.

37 Years Old, Playing for the Cincinnati Reds.

2012 AL: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers, First Base, 44 HR, 139 RBI, .330/.393/.606            

Cabrera was a World Series Champion with Florida in 2007, and like all of their stars, he was traded, in his case to Detroit.  Cabrera got better in Motown, and this year he went to his seventh All-Star Game, won his second Home Run Title, his second Batting Title, and he won his first MVP.

38 Years Old, Playing for the Detroit Tigers.

2012 NL: Buster Posey, San Francisco Giants, Catcher, 24 HR, 103 RBI, .336/.408/.549      

This year, Posey became the first Catcher to win the Hank Aaron Award, which he did in a campaign that earned him the MVP.  Posey, who two years before won the Rookie of the Year, captured the Batting Title this year and he also won the Silver Slugger.

34 Years Old, Playing for the San Francisco Giants.

2013 AL: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers, First Base, 44 HR, 137 RBI, .348/.442/.636      

Cabrera went back-to-back for Hank Aaron Awards, and did the same for MVPs.  He was first in the AL in all aspects of the Slash Line, and was first in OPS (1.078), which was a career-high.  Cabrera won his fifth Silver Slugger this year, and would win two more.  Still playing, Cabrera became a member of the 500 Home Run club in 2021.

38 Years Old, Playing for the Detroit Tigers.

2013 NL: Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks, First Base, 36 HR, 125 RBI, .302/.401/.651      

Goldschmidt broke out this year, leading the National League in Home Runs (36), RBIs (125), Slugging Percentage (.551) and Slugging Percentage (.952).  He was the runner-up for the MVP, and also won his first Gold Glove and Silver Slugger, while also beginning a six-year streak of All-Stars.

33 Years Old, Playing for the St. Louis Cardinals.

2014 AL: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels, Outfield, 36 HR, 111 RBI, .287/.377/.561      

Two years after winning the Rookie of the Year, Mike Trout was the proven best player in baseball.  Trout was second in MVP voting in his first and second full year, and this season, he did not only win the Hank Aaron but his first MVP.  This year, Trout led the AL in Runs (115), RBIs (111) and won his third straight Silver Slugger.

30 Years Old, Playing for the Los Angeles Angels.

2014 NL: Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins, Outfield, 37 HR, 105 RBI, .288/.395/.555      

This is Stanton’s fifth season, and he led the National League in Home Runs for the first time (37), and won his second Slugging Title (.555).  Stanton was second in MVP voting and he won his first Silver Slugger this year.

31 Years Old, Playing for the New York Yankees.

2015 AL: Josh Donaldson, Toronto Blue Jays, Third Base, 41 HR, 123 RBI, .297/.371/.568      

Donaldson broke out the year before, going to his first All-Star Game, but it would be his last year in Oakland, as he was traded to Toronto.  In his first year as a Blue Jay, Donaldson had his best year in Baseball, leading the American League in Runs (122), RBIs (123), and he won the MVP and his first Silver Slugger.

35 Years Old, Playing for the Minnesota Twins.

2015 NL: Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals, Outfield, 42 HR, 99 RBI, .330/.460/.649      

Harper won the National League Rookie of the Year in 2012, and this year he had his monster campaign, leading the NL in Runs Scored (118), Home Runs (42), OBP (.460), Slugging Percentage (.649) and OPS (1.109). He also won his first Silver Slugger this year.

28 Years Old, Playing for the Philadelphia Phillies.

2016 NL: Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs, Outfield, 39 HR, 102 RBI, .292/.385/.554      

This was Bryant’s second season, and he also won the MVP.  Bryant also led the NL in Runs Scored (121), Offensive bWAR (6.4), was fourth in OPS, OPS+ (146) and third in Home Runs.  More importantly, Bryant led the Cubs to their first World Series win in over 100 years.

29 Years Old, Playing for the San Francisco Giants.

2017 AL: Jose Altuve, Houston Astros, Second Base, 24 HR, 81 RBI, .346/.410/.547      

For the fourth year in a row, Altuve led the National League in Hits (204), and won his third Batting Title.  Altuve also won the Silver Slugger and MVP, and the Astros won the World Series, their first.

31 Years Old, Playing for the Houston Astros.

2017 NL: Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins, Outfield, 59 HR, 132 RBI, .281/.376/.631      

In between his first and second Hank Aaron Award, Stanton remained a competent power hitter, but this year he was outstanding, finishing first in Home Runs (59), RBIs (132), Slugging Percentage (.631).  Stanton won the MVP this year and earned his second Silver Slugger.  Stanton signed with the Yankees after this year.

31 Years Old, Playing for the New York Yankees.

2018 AL: J.D. Martinez, Boston Red Sox, Outfield, 43 HR, 130 RBI, .330/.402/.629      

In his first year with the Red Sox, Martinez was fourth in MVP voting, and was also the league-leader in RBIs.  An All-Star for the second time this year, Martinez won the Silver Slugger both as an Outfielder and Designated Hitter. Martinez was also second in Batting Average, Slugging Percentage and third in OPS.

33 Years Old, Playing for the Boston Red Sox.

2018 NL: Christian Yelich, Milwaukee Brewers, Outfield, 36 HR, 110 RBI, .326/.402/.598      

The acquisition of Christian Yelich paid instant dividends for the Brewers, with the Outfielder winning the Batting Title, Slugging Title and OPS Title in his first year there.  Yelich also won the Silver Slugger and won the MVP.

29 Years Old, Playing for the Milwaukee Brewers.

2019 AL: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels, Outfield, 45 HR, 104 RBI, .291/.438/.645 (2)     

In between Trout’s first and second Hank Aaron Award, won his second MVP, three more Silver Sluggers, three OBP Titles, one Slugging Title and two OPS Titles.  This year, Trout led the American League in OBP (.439), Slugging Percentage (.645) and OPS (1.083).  Trout won his third MVP this year and captured his seventh Silver Slugger.

30 Years Old, Playing for the Los Angeles Angels.

2019 NL: Christian Yelich, Milwaukee Brewers, Outfield, 44 HR, 97 RBI, .329/.429/.671 (2)      

Yelich almost won the MVP again, as his late-season injury that cost him significant games kept him from it.  Regardless, he swept the Slash Line, and won his second Silver Slugger.

29 Years Old, Playing for the Milwaukee Brewers.

2020 AL: Jose Abreu, Chicago White Sox, First Base, 19 HR, 60 RBI, .317/.370/.617.      

This was the second straight year that Abreu led the American League in RBIs, and he also topped the league in Hits (76), Slugging Percentage and Total Bases (148).  Abreu won the MVP this year, his first.

35 Years Old, Playing for the Chicago White Sox.

2021 NL: Freddie Freeman, Atlanta Braves, First Base, 13 HR, 53 RBI, .341/.462/.640.      

Freeman earned his second Silver Slugger this year, and after four previous top ten finishes in MVP voting, he won it this year.  He was the league-leader in Runs Scored (51) and Doubles (23), and was second in OPS (1.102).

32 Years Old, Playing for the Atlanta Braves.

The PED situation has lowered the bar significantly for Hank Aaron Award winners to enter Cooperstown, but this average will rise in time.

So, what is up next?

We have another look in Baseball, with the MLB All-Star Game MVP.

As always, we thank you for your support, and look for that soon.

We are a month removed from the Baseball Hall of Fame 2021 vote, and that means it is time to release our new list of those to consider for Cooperstown in 2022.  With nobody elected in 2021, there are no removals from the list, but there are four new entries.  We currently have 108 on this list, and by Spring, we will be expanding it to an even 300, which will be our fixed number moving forward.

As per our first year, there are three number ones, with the rational showing one eligible, and two ineligibles (Pete Rose and Shoeless Joe Jackson) due to gambling.

Remaining at #1A is Pete Rose, the man who collected an all-time record 4,256 Hits.  Rose was banned from the game over 30 years ago for betting on baseball.  

Also, staying at #1B, is “Shoeless” Joe Jackson.  Jackson was suspended for his alleged participation in the Chicago White Sox throwing of the 1919 World Series.

Barry Bonds is at #1C.  Bonds is the all-time leading Home Run leader with 762, and he is also first in Walks (2,558), Win Probability Added (127.7) and Power-Speed # (613.9).  While never caught, the seven-time MVP was widely suspected of PED use, and the Baseball Hall of Fame voters have kept him out.  He only has one year left of eligibility.  

Roger Clemens is just behind Bonds at #2.  Like Bonds, Clemens has been kept out of Cooperstown due to PED suspicion, and he is also entering his tenth and final year on the ballot.  Clemens is a seven-time Cy Young Award winner and is third all-time in Strikeouts (4,672).

The highest debut is Alex Rodriguez, who appears at #3. Unlike Bonds and Clemens, Rodriguez was twice suspended for PED use, but also, unlike Bonds and Clemens, he seems to be welcomed back as shown by his gig at Fox.  Rodriguez is fourth all-time in Home Runs (696).

Former Detroit Tiger Second Baseman, Lou Whitaker, is at #4.  Whitaker was a member of Detroit’s 1984 World Series Championship team, and is considered one of the best infielders not in the Baseball Hall.  

Bill Dahlen, a former star in the 1900s is in at #5.  Dahlen won a World Series with the New York Giants in 1905, and is still in the top-fifty in bWAR for Position Players.

Curt Schilling is at #6.  The former two-time World Series champion has one year left and has asked to be removed from the ballot after failing to enter the Hall.  He has feuded with media in the past, and his current right-wing politics have alienated many others.  

At #7 is Manny Ramirez.  Like Rodriguez, Ramirez has also been suspended for PEDs twice, and it has hampered his pursuit for a Hall of Fame plaque.  

Our second top-ten debut is at #8, David Ortiz, Ramirez’s former teammate in Boston.  With the Red Sox, Ortiz became the best Designated Hitter that baseball has ever seen, and would win three World Series rings.

Todd Heltonremains in the top ten at #9.  The career Colorado Rockie is trending towards induction in roughly three years.

Tommy Johnrounds out the top ten.  Ironically, the surgery that bears his name, is recognized by the Hall.  His only path for induction is with the Veteran’s Committee.

There are two other new entries, Mark Teixeira at #93 and Jimmy Rollins at #102.

Thank you all for your support, and look for our revised Football list next month.

In a tumultuous year that was not normal for anything and everything including baseball, one thing that might be back to normal is voting for the Baseball Hall of Fame. Granted, the 2021 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot has 14 returning candidates, with just about every one of them owning cases for induction that range from borderline to compelling.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  We have a new one to unveil today, that of the Boston Red Sox. 

The Red Sox were a charter member of the American League in 1901, first called the Boston Americans until they changed their name to the Red Sox in 1908.  Boston was the first team to win the modern World Series in 1903, and they were the dominant team of the 1910s, winning four titles in the decade. It was all sunshine and lollipops for the Red Sox, but the “Curse of the Bambino” struck when the Red Sox stupidly sold the contract of Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees, shifting the balance of power in the American League.

The Red Sox would be abysmal for years after, and they not win the World Series for the rest of the century.  They did have four shots at it, with three American League Pennants (1946, 1967, 1975 and 1986) but they fell short every time.  It would not be until 2004, where they won their sixth World Series, and they won three more after (2007, 2013 & 2018).

As for all of our top 50 players in baseball we look at the following: 

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the American League.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Remember, this is ONLY based on what a player does on that particular team and not what he accomplished elsewhere and also note that we have placed an increased importance on the first two categories.

This list is updated up until the end of the 2019 Season.

The complete list can be found here, but as always we announce our top five in this article.  They are:

1. Ted Williams

2. Carl Yastrzemski

3. Roger Clemens

4. Wade Boggs

5. Cy Young

We will continue our adjustments on our existing lists and will continue developing our new lists.  

Look for our All-Time Top 50 Chicago White Sox coming next!

As always we thank you for your support.

There will be a question one day as to just who is the greatest Designated Hitter of all time.  For many, there is no question, as it is David Ortiz.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com thought it would be fun to take a look at the major awards in North American team sports and see how it translates into Hall of Fame potential.

Needless to say, different awards in different sports yield hall of fame potential.  In basketball, the team sport with the least number of players on a roster, the dividend for greatness much higher.  In baseball, it is not as much as a great individual season does not have the same impact.

Last time, we looked at the Bert Bell Award.  This time we went back to baseball, and the World Series MVP.

The World Series was first played in 1903, but they did not award an MVP of the Fall Classic until 1955.  It goes without saying only a great team can win a World Series, but in a seven-game series any player can get on a hot streak.

So how many World Series MVPs have made the Baseball Hall of Fame?

Let’s find out!

The following are the past players who have won the World Series MVP who are eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame and have been enshrined.

Whitey Ford, New York Yankees, Pitcher (1961)             

Based on who won the World Series MVP from 1955 to 1960, we think it safe to day that Whitey Ford will forever be the first chronological World Series MVP to enter the Baseball Hall of Fame.  Ford was a career-Yankee who would help the Bronx Bombers win six World Series Titles.  In 1961, Ford won the Cy Young Award with a 25-4 record, and in the World Series he won both starts.  Ford pitched 14 Innings without allowing a single run, and the Yankees would defeat the Cincinnati Reds in five games.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1974.

Sandy Koufax, Los Angeles Dodgers, Pitcher (1963)        

Sandy Koufax was on year two of his second-half of brilliance, and in the regular season he would win the first of five consecutive ERA Titles.  In the World Series, his Dodgers were paired against the New York Yankees, and Koufax won both starts.  He would throw for 18 Innings with a 1.50 ERA.  Los Angeles would sweep New York.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1972.

Bob Gibson, St. Louis Cardinals, Pitcher (1964)              

Bob Gibson would do well in 1964 with a 19-12 record, but he was still not yet a superstar.  The World Series would change that.  He led the St. Louis Cardinals to a win over the New York Yankees where he went 2-1 with 27 Innings and 31 Strikeouts.  Gibson would go to the All-Star Game annually from 1965 to 1970 but had plenty left to offer. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1981.

Sandy Koufax, Los Angeles Dodgers, Pitcher (2)(1965)   

Koufax became the first player to repeat as the World Series MVP, and doesn’t it seem appropriate?  In between his World Series MVPs, Koufax won the Cy Young and MVP.  This year, Los Angeles faced the Minnesota Twins and Koufax went 2-1 with a 0.38 ERA.  He played two more seasons, winning the Cy Young in both of them.  Koufax retired after that with a record of 165-87 and 2,396 Strikeouts.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1972.

Frank Robinson, Baltimore Orioles, Outfield (1966)       

The Cincinnati Reds made a colossal error when they traded Frank Robinson to the Baltimore Orioles after 1965 season. Robinson proceeded to have the best year of his life, becoming the first player to win the MVP in both leagues. It got even better, as Robinson led the Orioles to their first World Series, and he would have two Home Runs with a 1.217 OPS in Baltimore’s sweep of the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1982.

Bob Gibson, St. Louis Cardinals, Pitcher (2) (1967)         

Gibson’s star rose since 1964, and in 1967, he had an even better World Series performance than his first.  Gibson pitched three complete games, winning them all, and only allowed three earned runs.  His 1.00 ERA was matched with an equally spectacular WHIP of 0.704.  Gibson would have a phenomenal 1968 in the “Year of the Pitcher” where he led the National League with a 1.12 ERA and a 0.853 WHIP.  He won the Cy Young and MVP that season, and he would play until 1975, ending a career spent entirely with the St. Louis Cardinals.  Gibson had a record of 251-174 with 3,117 Strikeouts.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1981.

Brooks Robinson, Baltimore Orioles, Third Base(1970)  

Brooks Robinson was already a superstar by this point, as he was already a World Series champion (1966), an MVP (1964), and he was on year 11 of 15 straight All-Star Games.  The 16-time Gold Glove winner batted .429 with two Home Runs in the Orioles five-game victory over the Reds.  Robinson played his entire career with Baltimore and would accumulate 2,848 Hits, 268 Home Runs and 1,357 Runs Batted In.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1983.

Roberto Clemente, Pittsburgh Pirates, Outfield(1971)   

A legend with 3,000 career Hits, Clemente was already a World Series Champion (1960), and an MVP (1966).  In 1971, the 15-time All-Star batted .414 with two Home Runs in the Pirates seven-game win over Baltimore.  Clemente only played one more season and died shortly after in a plane crash.  He was delivering aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.  He was fast-tracked to the Baseball Hall of Fame the year after.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1973.

Reggie Jackson, Oakland Athletics, Outfield (1973)       

Reggie Jackson won the American League MVP this year, and would win the first of what would be four Home Run Titles.  In the seven-game win over the New York Mets, Jackson batted .315 with a Home Run, in what was Oakland’s second of three straight World Series Championships.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993.

Rollie Fingers, Oakland Athletics, Pitcher (1974)           

This was the last of three straight Oakland World Series titles, and the future Hall of Fame closer was in the beginning of his turn as an elite closer.  In this World Series, Fingers appeared in four Games, won one of them, had two Saves with an ERA of 1.93.  Fingers would later win the Cy Young and MVP in 1983 when he was with the Milwaukee Brewers. He would play until 1985 and accumulate 341 Saves over his 17-year career.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992.

Johnny Bench, Cincinnati Reds, Catcher (1976)             

The Catcher of the “Big Red Machine”, was a two-time MVP by this point and had already won two Home Run Titles.  In this year’s World Series, Bench batted .533, a 1.667 OPS with two Home Runs and six Runs Batted In.  The 14-time All-Star played his entire career with Cincinnati and would collect 2,048 Hits, 389 Home Runs and 1,376 RBIs.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1989.

Reggie Jackson, New York Yankees, Outfield (2)(1977)  

This was the first of two straight World Series Championships for the New York Yankees, and it was this year where Reggie Jackson became “Mr. October”.   In Game Six of the 1977 World Series, Jackson belted three Home Runs on three first pitches against Dodger hurlers, and that was the clinching game.  He would bat .450 with an OPS of 1.792 with five taters.  Jackson played until 1987, and would retire with 2,584 Hits, 563 Home Runs, 1,702 RBIs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1993.

Willie Stargell, Pittsburgh Pirates, First Base (1979)       

Winning the MVP this year (though he probably should not have), Willie Stargell did earn both NLCS and World Series MVP.  The career-Pirate helped his team defeat Baltimore in seven games with a .400 Batting Average with three Home Runs and seven RBIs.  He played 21 seasons and retired in 1982 with 2,232 Hits, 475 Home Runs and 1,540 RBIs. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988.

Mike Schmidt, Philadelphia Phillies, Third Base (1980)  

This season, Mike Schmidt won the first of what would be three MVPs and it was also the year he set career-highs (also league-leading) in Home Runs (48) and Runs Batted In (121).  Schmidt also finished first in Slugging Percentage (.624) and OPS (1.004).  The Phillies would win his first World Series this year as Schmidt batted .381 with a two Home Runs and seven RBIs.  Philadelphia would beat Kansas City in six games.  Schmidt played his entire career with the Phils and would retire in 1989. Overall, he would appear in twelve All-Star Games, win six Silver Sluggers, ten Gold Gloves and had 2,234 Hits with 548 Home Runs and 1,595 RBIs.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995.

Alan Trammell, Detroit Tigers, Shortstop (1984)            

This year, Alan Trammell was on his second of what would be six All-Star Games and the Detroit Tigers were an unstoppable team in 1984.  In this World Series, Detroit took out the San Diego Padres in five games with Trammell batting .450 with two Home Runs, six RBIs and a 1.300 OPS.  He would play his entire career with the Tigers, retiring in 1996 with 2,365 Hits, 185 Home Runs, four Silver Sluggers and three Gold Gloves.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018.

Jack Morris, Minnesota Twins, Pitcher (1991)                

Jack Morris already won a World Series title in 1984 with the Detroit Tigers, but this title was especially sweet.  In the 1991 World Series, Morris pitched in three games, winning two games with a 1.17 ERA.  In Game 7, Morris pitched a ten-inning shutout to win the Fall Classic for the Twins.  Morris went on to win two more World Series Rings with the Toronto Blue Jays.  He retired in 1994 with a record of 254 Wins against 186 Losses with 2,478 Strikeouts.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018.

Paul Molitor, Toronto Blue Jays, Third Base and Designated Hitter (1993)   

Paul Molitor was with the Milwaukee Brewers for 15 years before joining the Toronto Blue Jays in 1993, who were the defending World Series Champions.  That year, Molitor would go to his fifth All-Star Game, and led the American League in Hits (211) and would bat .332.  The Blue Jays returned to the World Series, and in their successful title defense, Molitor batted .500 with two Home Runs, eight RBIs and a 1.571 OPS.  Moltor played until 1998, and retired with 3,319 Hits, 234 Home Runs, 1,307 RBIs with a Batting Average of .303.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.

Tom Glavine, Atlanta Braves, Pitcher (1995)                  

The Atlanta Braves were one of the most loaded teams of the 1990s, but it only translated into one World Series win. That was in 1995, and the World Series MVP went to one of the big three, Tom Glavine.  He would win the 1991 Cy Young, and later the 1998 Cy Young, and this season was a nice 16-7 year, a 3.08 ERA, and a third place finish in the Cy Young vote.  In the World Series, Glavine won both starts and had an ERA of 1.29, a WHIP of 0.714 and 11 Strikeouts.  He retired in 2008 with a 305-203 record and 2,607 Strikeouts.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014.

Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees, Pitcher (1999)         

Considered to be the greatest Relief Pitcher of all-time, Mariano Rivera would win five World Series Rings, and was a 13-time All-Star. In the 1999 World Series, Rivera appeared in three games, winning one, saving two, and he did not allow a run. Rivera’s overall post-season record was 8-1, 42 Saves, 0.70 ERA, 0.759 WHIP over 141 Innings.  Let that sink in!   When Rivera retired, he was the all-time leader in Saves (652), Games Finished (952) and a career WHIP of 1.000.  Rivera became the first player to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame with a unanimous vote.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019.

Derek Jeter, New York Yankees, Shortstop (2000)          

Playing his entire career with the New York Yankees, Derek Jeter was not only the leader of the team, but was the most popular player and recognizable player of his day.  In the 2000 World Series, he batted .409 with two Home Runs, two RBIs and an OPS of 1.344.  Jeter would overall go to 14 All-Star Games, and was a five-time Silver Slugger and five-time Gold Glove winner.  He retired in 2014 with 3,465 Hits, 260 Home Runs, 1,311 RBIs and a Batting Average of .310. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020.

Randy Johnson, Arizona Diamondbacks, Pitcher (co-winner) (2001)    

Sharing the World Series MVP with Curt Schilling, Randy Johnson was on the third of four straight Cy Young Awards, one of the most incredible runs of any pitcher in the history of the game.  With the Arizona Diamondbacks, Johnson took the team that was still under ten years old to the World Series, and he won three World Series Games with a 1.04 ERA against the Yankees.  He also had a WHIP of 0.692 with 19 Strikeouts.  Johnson played until 2009, and retired with a record of 202-166 with 4,875 Strikeouts.  Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.

The following are the players who have won the World Series MVP who are eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame and have not been selected:

Johnny Podres, Brooklyn Dodgers, Pitcher (1955)

The winner of the first World Series MVP, coincided with the only championship that the Dodgers would win in Brooklyn.  This was Podres third year in baseball, and he had been an average starter at best.  He would win both his starts, including a shutout in Game 7.  Over 18 Innings, he had a 1.00 ERA with 10 Strikeouts. Podres would play until 1969, mostly with the Dodgers and he retired with a record of 141-116 with 1,435 Strikeouts. He won two more World Series Rings with the Dodgers after they relocated to Los Angeles.  Eligible Since 1975.  Podres was on the ballot for three years and finished as high as 0.8% in both 1975 and 1978. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com

Don Larsen, New York Yankees, Pitcher (1956)

After only lasting 1.2 Innings in Game 2 (though all four runs were unearned due to errors), Larsen came back to throw a perfect game, the only time that this happened in the history of the World Series.  The Yankees beat the Dodgers in seven games, and Larsen’s Game 5 meant you could not possibly give the World Series MVP to anyone else.  Aside from the most spectacular pitching performance ever, Larsen was an average pitcher at best.  The 11 regular season Wins that he had in this regular season, was the most he had, and Larsen would only post 81 Wins against 91 Losses.  Eligible Since 1973.  Larsen was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 12.3% in 1979. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com

Lew Burdette, Milwaukee Braves, Pitcher (1957)

This was the only World Series that the Braves would win while competing in Milwaukee.  Burdette, who was an All-Star this year, had a 17-9 regular season record, would win all three of his World Series starts, throwing for 27 Innings with a 0.67 ERA.  Burdette would go to a second All-Star Game two years later and would retire in 1967 with a 203-144 record.  179 of those wins were with the Braves.  Eligible Since 1973.  Burdette was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 24.1% in 1984. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com

Bob Turley, New York Yankees, Pitcher (1958)

This was the best season of Bob Turley’s career as he was an All-Star for the third (and final) time, and he would have a career-high 21 Wins.  For the regular season, he won the Cy Young, and was the runner-up for the MVP.  In the World Series, he lost his first start, but won the next two, aiding the Yankees in their seven-game win over the Milwaukee Braves.  In the process, the Yanks became the second team to overcome a 3-1 deficit to win the World Series.  It was all downhill for Turley, as he never had another 10 Win season again, and he retired with 101 Wins against 85 Losses.  Eligible Since 1969.  Although he was eligible, he was not on the ballot.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Larry Sherry, Los Angeles Dodgers, Pitcher (1959)

1959 was Sherry’s second year of an 11-year journeyman career.  In the six-game series win over the Chicago White Sox, he appeared in four games, pitched in 12.2 Innings and had a 2-0 record with 2 Saves.  He had a 0.71 ERA and a 0.789 WHIP over the Fall Classic. Sherry would have a record of 53-44 with 82 Saves.  Eligible Since 1974.  Although he was eligible, he was not on the ballot.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Bobby Richardson, New York Yankees, Second Base (1960)

The sixth World Series MVP finally went to a position player, and while it is not a Hall of Famer, it is of course a New York Yankee!  Bobby Richardson was already a two-time All-Star, and he would go to five more over his career.  Historically speaking, this was also the first, and to date, only player to win the World Series as the member of the losing team.  Richardson would bat .367 with 11 Hits in the Series.  While the Yanks lost this one, Richardson would win three rings with the team.  He retired in 1966 with 1,432 career Hits.  Eligible Since 1972.  Richardson was on the ballot for three years and finished as high as 2.0% in 1972.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Ralph Terry, New York Yankees, Pitcher (1962)

Ralph Terry would only go to one All-Star Game in his career, which would be 1962.  That season, he led the American League in Wins (23) and Innings Pitched (298.2) and was 14^thin MVP voting.  Terry was on the World Series Title the year before with New York, and in this championship, he went 2-1 with an ERA of 1.80 and WHIP of 0.766.  This was the best year he had, and he played until 1967, retiring with a record of 78-59.  Eligible Since 1973.  Although he was eligible, he was not on the ballot.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Mickey Lolich, Detroit Tigers, Pitcher (1968)

Mickey Lolich had an up and down 1968, and was overshadowed by Denny McClain, who was a 30-Game winner that year.  However, in the 1968 World Series, it was Lolich who was the star, winning all three starts with a 1.67 ERA.  He would later go to three All-Star Games, and finished his career with a 217-191 record and 2,832 Strikeouts.  Eligible Since 1985.  Lolich was on the ballot for fifteen years and finished as high as 25.5% in 1988. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Donn Clendenon, New York Mets, First Base (1969) 

A very unlikely winner of the World Series MVP, Donn Clendenon was traded midway through the 1969 season from the Montreal Expos and he would platoon at First Base with Ed Kranepool.  Clendendon did not even play on the NLCS, but played in four of the five World Series Games where he batted .367 with three Home Runs and four RBIs.  He played until 197 and had 1,273 Hits with 159 Home Runs.  Eligible Since 1978.  Although he was eligible, he was not on the ballot.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Gene Tenace, Oakland Athletics, Catcher (1972)

It was in the 1972 post-season where Gene Tenace finally won the starting Catcher’s job, and in what was the first of three straight World Series wins by Oakland, Tenace was on fire.  He would bat .348 with four Home Runs and nine RBIs. He would play until 1983, winning a fourth World Series win with the Cardinals in 1982.  Eligible Since 1989.  Tenace was on the ballot for one year and finished with 0.2% of the ballot. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Pete Rose, Cincinnati Reds, Third Base (1975)

Pete Rose was at the heart of Cincinnati’s Big Red Machine, and he was already an MVP.  In this World Series, Rose and the Reds beat Boston and had a .370 Batting Average with 10 hits with five Walks.  Rose would help the Reds win another World Series in 1976, and the first for Philadelphia in 1980.   He played until 1986 and would retire as the all-time leader in Hits with 4,256.  Eligible Since 1992.  Rose was declared ineligible by the Baseball Hall of Fame due to gambling on baseball. Ranked #1A on Notinhalloffame.com.

Bucky Dent, New York Yankees, Shortstop (1978)

Bucky Dent was never known for his hitting, but the three-time All-Star came to life in the 1978 World Series.  Prior to that, he hit the Home Run tin the tie-breaker where the Yankees beat the Red Sox to win the AL East.  He batted .417 with seven RBIs in the World Series, earning him his second ring, as he was with the Yanks the year before.  Dent played until 1984 and retired with 1,114 Hits.  Eligible Since 1990.  Dent was on the ballot for one year and finished with 0.7% of the ballot. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Ron Cey, Los Angeles Dodgers, Third Base (co-winner) (1981)

For the first and only time in World Series MVP history, there were three co-winners.  Prior to this win, Ron Cey was a six-time All-Star, and had already appeared in three World Series for the Dodgers, albeit in losing efforts.  This year, he batted .350 with a Home Run and six RBIs.  He played until 1987, and had 1,868 Hits and 316 Home Runs when he retired.  Eligible Since 1993.  Cey was on the ballot for one year and finished with 1.9% of the ballot. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Pedro Guerrero, Los Angeles Dodgers, First Base (co-winner) (1981)

For the first and only time in World Series MVP history, there were three co-winners.  This season would see the first of five All-Star years for Pedro Guerrero, and in the World Series, he batted .333 with two Home Runs, seven RBIs and an OPS of 1.179.  Eligible Since 1998.  Guerrero was on the ballot for one year and finished with 1.3% of the ballot. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Steve Yeager, Los Angeles Dodgers, Catcher (co-winner) (1981)

For the first and only time in World Series MVP history, there were three co-winners.  A light hitting Catcher but well-respected handler of pitchers, Steve Yeager had two key Home Runs with a ,286 Batting Average in the World Series. Eligible Since 1998.  Yeager was on the ballot for one year and finished with 0.5% of the ballot. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Darrell Porter, St. Louis Cardinals, Catcher (1982)

Darrell Porter had been a four-time All-Star prior to this World Series, and in this season’s Fall Classic, the Catcher batted .286 with one Home Run and five RBIs.  Notable, he batted .556 in the NLCS, and won the NLCS MVP that season. He played until 1987, and retired with 1,369 Hits and 188 Home Runs.  Eligible Since 1993.  Porter was on the ballot for one year but did not receive any votes.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Rick Dempsey, Baltimore Orioles, Catcher (1983)

For the third year in a row, a Catcher won the World Series MVP.  Dempsey, who was never known for being a great hitter delivered on this stage with a .385 Batting Average and a Home Run in Baltimore’s five-game Series win over Philadelphia.  Dempsey would later win a second World Series Ring with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1988. He played until 1992.  Eligible Since 1998.  Dempsey was on the ballot for one year and finished with 0.2% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Bret Saberhagen, Kansas City Royals, Pitcher (1985)

In his second year in the Majors, Bret Saberhagen won the Cy Young with a 20-6 record and a league-leading 1.056 WHIP. In the World Series win over the Cardinals, he would win both starts and have a stellar 0.50 ERA and 0.667 WHIP. Saberhagen would win his second Cy Young in 1989.  The hurler would play until 2001 and retire with a record of 167-117 and 1,715 Strikeouts. Eligible Since 2007.  Saberhagen was on the ballot for one year and finished with 1.3% of the vote.  Ranked #65 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Ray Knight, New York Mets, Third Base (1986)

While it could be joked that the World Series MVP was really Bill Buckner, Ray Knight had an incredible World Series.  He would bat .391 with an OPS of 1.005 with one Home Run and five RBIs.  Knight was an All-Star twice and he played until 1988 with 1,311 Hits.  Eligible Since 1994.  Knight was on the ballot for one year and finished with 0.2% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Frank Viola, Minnesota Twins, Pitcher (1987)

Finishing sixth in Cy Young voting this year, Frank Viola ascended to the ace of the Twins pitching staff.  In the seven-game World Series win over the St. Louis Cardinals, Viola started three of them and went 2-1 over 19.1 Innings with an ERA of 3.72 and 16 Strikeouts.  Viola would win the Cy Young the following season, and he played until 1996, retiring with a record of 176-150.  Eligible Since 2002.  Viola was on the ballot for one year and finished with 0.4% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Orel Hershiser, Los Angeles Dodgers, Pitcher (1988)

Before 1988, Orel Hershiser was already the ace of the Dodgers pitching staff, but he was about to embark on the best season of his career.  This year, Hershiser won the Cy Young while leading the National League in Wins (23) and posting an ERA of 2.26 with 178 Strikeouts.  Hershiser would win the NLCS MVP, appearing in four games, winning one, and earning an ERA of 1.09.  In that World Series, he won both starts against the Oakland A’s winning both games with an ERA of 1.00 and a WHIP of 0.722.  Hershiser played until 2000 and would have a record of 204-150 with 2,014 Strikeouts.  Eligible Since 2006.  Hershiser was on the ballot for two years and finished as high as 11.2% in 2006.  Ranked #71 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Dave Stewart, Oakland Athletics, Pitcher (1989)

From 1987 to 1990, Dave Stewart finished in the top four in Cy Young voting, and was the ace of the Oakland staff that went to three straight World Series (1988-90).  1989 was the only one of the three that the A’s would win, and in this year, he would win both starts against the San Francisco Giants with a 1.69 ERA and 14 Strikeouts.  Stewart played until 1995, retiring with a 168-129 record and 1,741 Strikeouts.  Eligible Since 2002.  Stewart was on the ballot for two years and finished as high as 7.4% in 2001. Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Jose Rijo, Cincinnati Reds, Pitcher (1990)

Jose Rijo and the Cincinnati Reds would shock Oakland in a four-game sweep in the World Series, and Rijo won both starts, with a phenomenal 0.59 ERA and 14 Strikeouts.  The Puerto Rican played until 1995, and after a five-year layoff due to injury, he returned for two years before retiring for good in 2002. He would have a record of 116-91. Eligible Since 2008.  Rijo was on the 2001 ballot and received 0.2% of the ballot, and appeared again in 2008, but had no votes that year.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Pat Borders, Toronto Blue Jays, Catcher (1992)

An unlikely World Series MVP, Pat Borders never had a season where he hat over 125 Hits and only had two 100 Hit plus years. Regardless, his bat was on fire in the 1992 World Series where he batted .450 with nine Hits, one Home Run and three RBIs.  This would be the first World Series win for the Toronto Blue Jays, and he would help them win it again in 1993.  He played until 2006.  Eligible Since 2011.  Although Borders was Hall of Fame eligible, he was never on the ballot.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com. 

John Wetteland, New York Yankees, Pitcher (1996)

John Wetteland played two seasons with the New York Yankees, and this was the second of them.  For the first and only time, the closer would lead the league in Saves (43), and he was an All-Star for what would be the first of three times. Wetteland appeared in five games in the ’96 World Series against the Braves, and he would net four Saves with a 2.08 ERA and six Strikeouts.  He played until 2000, retiring with 330 Saves.  Eligible Since 2006.  Wetteland was on the ballot for one year and received 0.8% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Livan Hernandez, Miami Marlins, Pitcher (1997)

In Florida’s shocking World Series win, Livan Hernandez was a rookie, who was the runner-up for the Rookie of the Year Award. Hernandez was incredible in the post-season, winning the NLCS MVP (2-0), and he won both his starts in the ’97 World Series against the Cleveland Indians, albeit with a 5.27 ERA. Hernandez played until 2012, and was a two-time All-Star.  He finished his career one game over .500, with a record of 178-177.  Eligible Since 2018.  Hernandez was on the ballot for one year and received 0.2% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Scott Brosius, New York Yankees, Third Base (1998)

Scott Brosius became very popular when he arrived in 1998 to New York.  This would be his only All-Star year, and in the World Series he batted .471 with two Home Runs and six RBIs.  Brosius played for three more years, and retired with two more World Series Rings and 1,001 Hits.  Eligible Since 2007.  Brosius was on the ballot for one year and but did not receive any votes.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Curt Schilling, Arizona Diamondbacks, Pitcher (co-winner) (2001)

In the regular season, Curt Schilling finished second in Cy Young voting to his teammate, Randy Johnson, which would be the same hurler who he shared the World Series MVP with.  In this World Series, Schilling pitched in three games, winning one with an ERA of 1,69 with 26 Strikeouts.  He would win two more World Series rings with the Boston Red Sox, and he retired in 2007 with a record of 216-146 with 3,116 Strikeouts.  Eligible Since 2013.  Schilling has been on the ballot for eight years and has finished as high as 70.0% in 2020.  Ranked #5 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Troy Glaus, Anaheim Angels, Third Base (2002)

Troy Glaus was a four-time All-Star, two of which happened before 2002, and two after.  In the Angels first World Series win, Glaus batted .385 with an OPS of 1.313. and three Home Runs and eight RBIs.  He would play until 2010 and retired with 320 Home Runs.  Eligible Since 2016.  Glaus was on the ballot for one year and but did not receive any votes.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Josh Beckett, Florida Marlins, Pitcher (2003)

We think it can be safely stated that the Marlins are the most unlikely two-time World Series Champions, but that is sports for you!  Their second World Series MVP was Josh Beckett, who was in his third year in the Majors.  In this World Series, he would pitch in two Games, going 1-1 with a 1.10 ERA and 19 Strikeouts.  A future three-time All-Star, Beckett would later help the Red Sox win the 2007 World Series, and he played until 2014, retiring with a 138-106 record.  Eligible Since 2020.  Beckett was on the ballot for one year and but did not receive any votes.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Manny Ramirez, Boston Red Sox, Outfield (2004)

One of the huge reasons that the “Curse of the Bambino” was finally eradicated in 2004 was because of Manny Ramirez, who was on year seven of eleven straight All-Star Game appearances.  In the four-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals, Ramirez batted .412 with a Home Run and four RBIs.  His controversial career came to an end in 2011, and would have 2,574 Hits, 555 Home Runs and 1,831 RBIs.  Eligible Since 2017.  Ramirez has been on the ballot for four years and has finished as high as 28.2% in 2020. Ranked #6 on Notinhalloffame.com.

Jermaine Dye, Chicago White Sox, Outfield (2005)

An All-Star in 2000, and later in 2006, Jermaine Dye would win his first and only World Series ring in 2005 with the Chi-Sox. In the White Sox sweep of the Astros, Dye had a Home Run, three Runs Batted In, and a .438 Batting Average. He played until 2009, and would have 1,779 Hits with 325 Home Runs.  Eligible Since 2015.  Dye was on the ballot for one year and but did not receive any votes.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

David Eckstein, St. Louis Cardinals, Shortstop(2006)

This was the first of two straight All-Star Game years for David Eckstein, and he had already won a World Series Championship with the Anaheim Angels in 2002.  Eckstein batted .364 with four RBIs in this World Series, and he played until 2010.  Eligible Since 2016.  Eckstein was on the ballot for one year and received 0.5% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Mike Lowell, Boston Red Sox, Third Base (2007)

Mike Lowell finished fifth in MVP voting this year, which would be the highest he would ever finish.  A four-time All-Star, Lowell already had a World Series Ring with the Marlins, and in this World Series sweep over the Colorado Rockies, he would bat .400 with a Home Run with four RBIs.  Lowell played until 2010, and he retired with 1,619 Hits and 223 Home Runs. Eligible Since 2016.  Lowell was on the ballot for one year and but did not receive any votes.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Hideko Matsui, New York Yankees, Outfield (2009)

Hideki Matsui was already a two-time All-Star, and with his MVP in the 2009 World Series, he became the first Japanese to win the award.  In the six-game win over the Philadelphia Phillies, “Godzilla” blasted three Home Runs, had eight RBIs, and had a disgusting Slash Line of .615/.643/1.385, meaning he had an OPS over 2.000.  He played in the Majors until 2012.  Eligible Since 2018.  Matsui was on the ballot for one year and received 0.8% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Edgar Renteria, San Francisco Giants, Shortstop (2010)

This was the penultimate season of Edgar Renteria, who was a five-time All-Star, who had previously won a World Series Ring in 1997 as a Florida Marlin.  In the 2010 World Series, the Venezuelan Shortstop had two Home Runs, six RBIs and batted .412.  Retiring in 2011, Reneteria had 2,327 Hits with 140 Home Runs.  He was also a three-time Silver Slugger and twice a Gold Glove winner.  Eligible Since 2018.  Matsui was on the ballot for one year and received 0.8% of the vote.  Unranked on Notinhalloffame.com.

Let’s update our tally, shall we?

So, who is up next?

The following are the players who have won the World Series MVP in the NFL who have retired but have not met the mandatory years out of the game to qualify for the Baseball Hall of Fame:

David Freese, St. Louis Cardinals, Third Base (2011)

David Freese will mostly be remembered over his career for his 2011 playoffs, where he won both the NLCS MVP and World Series MVP. In Game 6 of the World Series, Freese tied the game to send it into extra innings.  In the 11^thinning, he homered to win it, and force a Game 7, which the Redbirds won.  Overall, in the World Series, he had seven RBIs, the aforementioned Home Run, and a .348 Batting Average.  He played until 2019, and had 1,041 Hits.  Eligible in 2025.

David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox, Designated Hitter and First Base (2013)

This season would be the ninth of ten of All-Star seasons, for David Ortiz, which would also see him earn his third and final World Series Ring.  In the 2013 World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, Ortiz had the following Slash Line: .688/.760/1.188.  Incredible right?  He played until 2016, and would end his career with 2,472 Hits, 541 Home Runs, and 1,768 RBIs.  Eligible in 2022.

Ben Zobrist, Chicago Cubs, Second Base (2016)

In what Ben Zobrist’s first of four years in Chicago, the Cubs finally broke their curse and won their first World Series in well over a century.  In the regular season, Zobrist was an All-Star for the third and final time, and he would win the World Series for the second straight year, as he was with the Royals in 2015.  In this World Series, he batted .357 with 10 Hits and two RBIs.  He played until 2019 and retired with 1,566 Hits and 167 Home Runs. Eligible in 2025.

Steve Pearce, Boston Red Sox, Outfield (2018)

This was the penultimate year for Steve Pearce, who over 13 years would never have a 100 Hit season.  In the 2018 World Series, his bat was on fire with a three Home Run, eight RBI performance with a .333 Batting Average.  He would only have 572 Hits over his career.  Eligible in 2025.

The following are the players who have won the World Series MVP who are still active.

Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies, Pitcher (2008)

Cole Hamels led the National League in WHIP this year and in the World Series, he pitched two games, going 1-0 with an ERA of 2.77.  Hamels also won the NLCS MVP.  35 Years Old, Playing for the Atlanta Braves.

Pablo Sandoval, San Francisco Giants, First Base (2012)

Exceptionally popular, Pablo Sandoval would bat .500 in the four-game sweep over the Detroit Tigers and the “Panda” would have three Home Runs and four RBIs.  33 Years Old, Playing for the San Francisco Giants.

Madison Bumgarner, San Francisco Giants, Pitcher(2014)

Bumgarner was on year two of a four-year run of All-Star Game years, and he would finish fourth in Cy Young voting.  In the 2014 playoffs, Bumgarner was on fire winning both the NLCS MVP and the World Series MVP.  In the latter, he went 2-0 with a 0.43 ERA, and earned a save in the deciding Game 7 over the Kansas City Royals.  30 Years Old, Playing for the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals, Catcher (2015)

An All-Star for the third straight year, Salvador Perez batted .364 in Kansas City’s five-game World Series win over the New York Mets.  He would also have two Doubles and two RBIs.  30 Years Old, Playing for the Kansas City Royals.

George Springer, Houston Astros, Outfield (2017)

This was the breakout year for George Springer, and the breakout for the Houston Astros, who won their first World Series this year. In the seven-game series over the Los Angeles Dodgers, Springer blasted five Home Runs, with seven RBIs, with a .379 Batting Average and an even 1.000 OPS.  30 Years Old, Playing for the Houston Astros.

Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals, Pitcher(2018)

In the regular season, Stephen Strasburg led the National League in Wins (18), and was fifth in Cy Young voting.  In the World Series, he pitched twice, winning both games with 14 Strikeouts and a 2.51 ERA.  31 Years Old, Playing for the Washington Nationals.

You can’t win the World Series MVP, without making the World Series, and winning teams have stars, average players, and those who seize the moment.  The World Series MVP reflects all of those players.

So, what is up next?

We are going to return to the ice, and look at the Art Ross Trophy, which is awarded annually to the player who has the most Points in a season.

As always, we thank you for your support, and look for that soon.

It never stops for us at Notinhalloffame.com and nor do we ever intend for it to.

Early in the new year, the Baseball Hall of Fame will be announcing the Class of 2019 but before that we have updated our Baseball Futures and here are the potential additions to the that ballot in 2022.

In alphabetical order by their first name:

A.J. Pierzynski:  The Catcher was certainly famous (or infamous in some cases) is a two time All Star, one time Silver Slugger but importantly was the pulse that helped the Chicago White Sox win the 2005 World Series.

Alex Rodriguez:  Love him or hate him, PED or not, A-Rod was one of the greatest players of all time. A three time MVP and fourteen time All Star, Rodriguez retired with 696 Home Runs, 3,115 Hits, 2,086 Runs Batted In and a bWAR of 117.8, which are all first ballot Hall of Fame numbers however he WAS caught with PEDs and suspended.  He does however have a job broadcasting so his forgiveness trail seems much quicker than some.  

Angel Pagan:  Pagan was a two time World Series Champion with the San Francisco Giants and he would lead the National League in Triples in 2012.  Pagan is also a two time Silver Medalist at the World Baseball Classis representing Puerto Rico.

Billy Butler:  Mostly used as a Designated Hitter, Butler would go the All Star Game in 2012, which would be the same season he was named the winner of the Edgar Martinez Award.

Carl Crawford:  Crawford was at his best when he was with the Tampa Bay Rays and it was there where he would become a four time All Star who woud also lead the American League four times in Triples and in Stolen Bases.  He would collect 1,931 Hits over his career.

Coco Crisp:  Crisp would help the Boston Red Sox win the World Series in 2007 and he would also lead the AL in Stolen Bases in 2011.  He would have 1,572 Hits over his Major League Baseball career.

Colby Lewis:  Lewis would have a decent career as a starter where he would win 77 Games.

David Ortiz:  “Big Papi” is a legend in Boston and how can he not be?  Ortiz powered the Red Sox to three World Series Championships and he was a ten time All Star.  Ortiz is in the opinion of many the greatest Designated Hitter that ever lived and he has 541 career Home Runs with an OPS of .931.  He should receive a very healthy first year ballot percentage.

Jake Peavy:  Peavy was the National League Cy Young Award winner in 2007 and was a three time All Star. He would win 152 Games, 92 of which were with the San Diego Padres.

Javier Lopez:  Lopez only won 30 Games with 14 Saves over his long career as a Relief Pitcher but he is a four time World Series Titles, one with Boston and three with the San Francisco Giants.

Jeff Francouer:  Francouer would win a Gold Glove in 2007 and would have 1,373 Hits over his career.

Jimmy Rollins:  A three time All Star at Shortstop, Jimmy Rollins would win the National League MVP in 2007 and lead the Philadelphia Phillies to the World Series the nest year. He retired with 2,455 Hits and 231 Home Runs.

Joe Nathan:  Nathan was a six time All Star closer who won the Rolaids Relief Award in 2009.  He finished his career with 377 Saves.

Jonathan Papelbon:  Papelbon was named to the All Star Game six times and he was huge part of the Boston Red Sox 2007 World Series win.  He retired with 368 Saves.

Juan Uribe: Uribe was a two time Wilson Defensive Player and the infielder would accumulate over 1,500 Major League Hits.

Justin Morneau:  The 2006 American League MVP with the Minnesota Twins was a four time All Star. Late in his career he would have a resurgence where he won the Batting Title (2014) with the Colorado Rockies.

Kyle Lohse:  Lohse would win 147 Major League Games and he helped the St. Louis Cardinals win the 2011 World Series.

Mark Teixeira:  A five time All Star, Mark Teixeira would blast 4009 Home Runs with 1,862 Hits over a career that is best known with the Texas Rangers and New York Yankees.  A member of the Yankees 2009 World Series Team, the First Baseman is also a three time Silver Slugger and five time Gold Glove winner.

Marlon Byrd:  An All Star in 2011, Marlon Byrd would have over 1,500 Hits over his career.

Matt Thornton:  A Relief Pitcher throughout his career, Matt Thornton was an All Star in 2010 and a World Series winner the next season with St. Louis.

Michael Bourn:  A two time All Star, Michael Bourn would lead the National League in Stolen Bases three times and was also a two time Gold Glove winner.  Bourn also would finish first in Total Zone Runs twice.

Omar Infante:  Infante was an All Star in 2010 and collected 1,427 Hits over his career.

Prince Fielder:  Fielder was a powerhouse like his father and the six time All Star was the Home Run leader in the National League in 2007.  A three time Silver Slugger belted 319 Home Runs over his career.

Ryan Howard:  The 2006 National League MVP played his entire career with the Philadelphia Phillies and he would later propel them to the 2008 World Series.  Howard blasted 382 Home Runs over his career and was a two time league leader in that statistic.

Ryan Vogelsong:  Vogelsong was a two time World Series Champion with the San Francisco Giants who was also an All Star 2010.  He would win 61 Games over his career.

Scott Kazmir:  Kazmir was a three time All Star who won 108 Games over his career.  As a Tampa Bay Devil Ray, he would lead the American League in Strikeouts in the 2007 season.

Tim Lincecum:  Lincecum was a two time National League Cy Young Award winner who was also a four time All Star.  “The Freak” would win 110 Games in the Majors.

You know what we want you to do!

Take a look at the full list of 2022 Future Baseball Hall of Fame Eligibleplayers and cast your vote and offer your opinions.

As always, we here at Notinhalloffame.com thank you for your support!