Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists and consistently look to update them when necessary and based on necessity. As such, we are delighted to present our post-2024 revision of our top 50 Arizona Diamondbacks.

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 National League.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

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

Please note that our algorithm has changed, which yielded minor changes throughout the baseball lists.

Last year, the Diamondbacks had a good season, winning 89 Games, but they did not make the playoffs.  As the team has only existed for 27 years, there is ample opportunity for new players to enter the list, which occurred in this cycle with three new entries.

As always, we present our top five, which saw a change based on the new structure:

1. Randy Johnson

2. Paul Goldschmidt

3. Brandon Webb

4. Luis Gonzalez  

5. Curt Schilling

You can find the entire list here.

Based on our new system, Gonzalez overtook Schilling for the #4 spot.

Ketel Marte, who finished third in MVP voting, remained at #6, as the chasm was too large to surpass Schilling at #5.

Zac Gallen, who went 14-6 last season, shot up to #7 from #12.

First Baseman Christian Walker advanced to #16 from #22.

Merrill Kelly, who missed a large part of last season, still moved up two spots to #21.

Corbin Carroll did not have a good follow-up to his 2023 Rookie of the Year award, but he still moved up significantly from #38 to #28.

The three debuts are Infielder Geraldo Perdomo at #42, Catcher Gabriel Moreno at #45, and Outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. at #49.

We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.

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.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity.  As such, we are very happy to present our post 2022/23 revision of our top 50 Arizona Diamondbacks.

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 Major League Baseball.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

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

Last year, Arizona shocked the world by not only making the playoffs, but competing in the World Series, though they fell to the Texas Rangers in five Games.  The 2023 Season, gave us one new entrant and several elevations.

As always, we present our top five, which saw no changes:

1. Randy Johnson

2. Paul Goldschmidt

3. Brandon Webb

4. Curt Schilling

5. Luis Gonzalez

You can find the entire list here.

Infielder, Ketel Marte, continued his rise, inching up one spot #6.

Starting Pitcher, Zac Gallen, climbed to #12 from #21.

Of note, Infielder, Nick Ahmed, who was released in August, actually fell a spot to #19.

First Baseman, Christian Walker, rose from #31 to #22.

Another Starting Pitcher, Merrill Kelly, jumped from #36 to #23.

The lone new entrant is the 2023 National League Rookie of the Year, Corbin Carroll, who debuts at #38.

Relief Pitcher, Andrew Chafin, who returned as a Free Agent, only to be traded late in the season to Milwaukee, did enough to move up two spots to #42.

We thank you for your continued support for our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.

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.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity.  As such, we are very happy to present our post 2022 revision of our top Arizona Diamondbacks.

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 National League.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

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

Last year, Arizona was awful, but as this is a young team with high turnover, there were three new addition and other elevations.  

As always, we present our top five, which was not affected by the last season:

1. Randy Johnson

2. Paul Goldschmidt

3. Brandon Webb

4. Curt Schilling

5. Luis Gonzalez

You can find the entire list here.

Infielder, Ketel Marte climbs to #7 from #11.

Outfielder, David Peralta, moved up two spots to #12.

Pitcher, and Arizona’s top player, Zac Gallen, shot up to #21 from #36.

First Baseman, Christian Walker, debuts at #31.

Starting Pitcher, Merrill Kelly, had a massive jump to #36 from #49.

Daulton Varsho, who is now with the Toronto Blue Jays, makes his first appearance at #44.

Catcher, Carson Kelly is the third new entrant, debuting at #49.

The new additions pushed Chris Snyder, Ryan Roberts and Erubiel Durazo off the list.

We welcome your input and comments and as always, we thank you for your support.

Today the Contemporary Baseball Veterans Committee met and voted on, and elected Fred McGriff unanimously, receiving all sixteen votes.

The committee was comprised of Hall of Fame platers, Greg Maddux, Jack Morris, Ryne Sandberg, Lee Smith, Frank Thomas, Alan Trammell, Executives, Paul Beeston, Theo Epstein, Derrick Hall, Arte Moreno, Kim Ng, Dave St. Peter, Ken Williams and Veteran Media Members/Historians Steve Hirdt, LaVelle Neal and Susan Slusser. 

McGriff, who played First Base, was a five-time All-Star, received 39.8 percent in 2019, his last year on the writer’s ballot, but this committee is more player driven.  He had 493 Home Runs, and likely would have had 500 had there not been a strike in 1994, likely would have had 500.  McGriff’s induction was largely predicted my many (including us), though the 100% tally is a little bit of a surprise. 

Finishing second was Don Mattingly, who had eight votes.  Arguably the greatest New York Yankee to have never won a World Series Ring in the Bronx, Mattingly won a Batting Title (1985), twice led the AL in Hits, and had a lifetime Batting Average of .307.  He is also a nine-time Gold Glove winner and three-time Silver Slugger.  Ranked #35 on Notinhalloffame.com, “Donnie Baseball” was on the ballot for 15 years with his peak coming in year one (28.2%) in his first year (2001).

Curt Schilling was in third with seven votes.  Likely ousted on the regular ballot due to his anti-media stance and right-wing beliefs, Schilling failed to make it past the ten years on the ballot, peaking on his penultimate year, 2021 with 71.1%.

Former two-time MVP, Dale Murphy has six votes.  Ranked #30 on Notinhalloffame.com, Murphy was on the ballot for 15 years, with his highest tally coming in 2000 (23.2%), Murphy’s second year on the ballot.  

Albert Belle, Rafael Palmeiro, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens received four or less votes.  We do not know how many (if any) these former players received.  In the case of the latter three, it is an indictment that the PED-associated players have an even tougher road than they had with the writers.

McGriff will be inducted along with the rest of the inductees this summer.  Please note that we will not be revising our Notinhalloffame.com Baseball list until the conclusion of the Modern Ballot.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate Fred McGriff for earning this prestigious honor.

Days after the Houston Astros were crowned the 2022 World Series Champions, the Baseball Hall of Fame announced the eight Contemporary Baseball Hall of Fame ballot candidates. 

Of the former players nominates, should any of the receive at least 75% of the vote from the 16-member Committee, they will enter Cooperstown!  The Committee will be meeting on December 4.

Here are the nominees:

Albert Belle:  Belle was a five-time All-Star and Silver Slugger and was named by The Sporting News as the Player of the Year in 1995.  He had 381 Home Runs and a lifetime Slugging Percentage of .564.  Ranked #61 on Notinhalloffame.com and was on the ballot for two years, peaking a 7.7% in his first year in 2006.

Barry Bonds:  The controversial slugger set the all-time mark for Home Runs (762) and in a single season (73) while winning seven MVP Awards.  A 14-time and 12-rime Silver Slugger, Bonds is also the all-time leader in Walks (2,558) and boasts a lifetime OPS of 1.051.  Ranked #1 on Notinhalloffame.com and was on the ballot for ten years, finishing as high as 66.0% in his final year, 2022.

Roger Clemens:  Clemens has the same level of polarization that Bonds has, only he was a Pitcher.  A seven-time Cy Young winner and 12-time All-Star, Clemens has the World Series Rings (2) that Bonds does not have, and we think it is a safe bet that he will be the last 350-Win Pitcher in Baseball.  Clemens, who also has 4,672 Strikeouts, is also a two-time Major League Player of the Year.  Ranked #2 on Notinhalloffame.com and was on the ballot for ten years, with his highest total coming in 2022, 65.2%, his last year on the ballot.

Don Mattingly:  Arguably the greatest New York Yankee to have never won a World Series Ring in the Bronx, Mattingly won a Batting Title (1985), twice led the AL in Hits, and had a lifetime Batting Average of .307.  He is also a nine-time Gold Glove winner and three-time Silver Slugger.  Ranked #35 on Notinhalloffame.com, “Donnie Baseball” was on the ballot for 15 years with his peak coming in year one (28.2%) in his first year (2001).

Fred McGriff:  The “Crime Dog” is not closely associated with one team, which overall hurts his Hall of Fame chances, nor does the fact that he played in an era with offensively charged First Basemen, hence why he is “only” a five-time All-Star.  McGriff had 493 Home Runs, and had he made 500, would we be having this conversation?  Ranked #27 on Notinhalloffame.com, McGriff was on the ballot for ten years with his highest tally coming in 2019, 39.8%, his last year of eligibility.

Dale Murphy:  Murphy won the National League MVP in both 1983 and 1984, where the seven-time All-Star smacked 398 Home Runs over his career.  Ranked #30 on Notinhalloffame.com, Murphy was on the ballot for 15 years, with his highest tally coming in 2000 (23.2%), Murphy’s second year on the ballot.  

Rafael Palmeiro:  Palmeiro is one of only three players who had 3,000 Hits and 500 Home Runs over his career, and he was named the Major League Player of the Year in 1999.  The First Baseman was a four-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger, and like others on this list, he is associated with PEDs, though unlike others, he was caught.  Ranked #20 on Notinhalloffame.com, Palmeiro was only on the ballot for four years, with the highwater mark in 2012 (12.5%), his second year of eligibility.

Curt Schilling:  Schilling might be the most contentious former player of this group and think of what that means!  Likely ousted on the regular ballot due to his anti-media stance and right wing beliefs, Schilling failed to make it past the ten years on the ballot, peaking on his penultimate year, 2021 with 71.1%.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate the former baseball stars who have made it to this stage.

By paring the number of candidates to be considered by the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee to a lean-and-mean eight, and if trends by recent iterations of the National Baseball Hall of Fame Veterans Committee continue, the odds look very good for Fred McGriff to be making an induction speech in Cooperstown, New York, in July 2023 when the committee announces its results during the baseball winter meetings to be held on December 4, 2022.

Why should McGriff start preparing his induction speech? Because the Screening Committee that selected the eight players whose careers began after 1980 to be considered by the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee of the Hall of Saints—sorry, make that the Hall of Fame—have gamed the ballot to, in essence, eliminate half of its candidates right off the bat, leaving the slugging first baseman as the most viable candidate for consideration ahead of, in order of descending likelihood, Don Mattingly, Dale Murphy, and Albert Belle.

Is it that time again!

One of our core lists on Notinhalloffame.com, our Baseball list of those to consider for the Baseball Hall of Fame has been revised.

The steps in our revisions are basic:

-Remove all of those who were inducted.  This included David Ortiz (#8), Gil Hodges (#11), Minnie Miniso (#14), Jim Kaat (#20) and Tony Oliva (#27).

-Input those we think worthy who are now eligible.

-Adjust rankings based on your votes and comments.

Before we announce our top ten, note that we did one major change.  We used to have three number ones, with Pete Rose and “Shoeless” Joe Jackson appearing as 1A and 1B since our inception, as both were deemed ineligible.  We have altered this with no multiples at the top, and although Rose and Jackson are still not welcome into Cooperstown, we disagree, and will keep them ranked.

The entire list can be found here, but here is our new top ten:

#1. Barry Bonds.  Bonds’ ten years of eligibility may have ended a few months ago, but the all-time leader in Home Runs leader won seven MVPs, despite there being a cloud of PED suspicion around him.  His chances now lie with the Veteran’s Committee.  Bonds was ranked at 1C last year.

#2. Roger Clemens.  Clemens is like Bonds, in that he too ended his regular stay on the ballot, and was likely excluded due to the belief that he might have used PEDs.  Clemens won the Cy Young seven times, and remains at #2.  

#3. Alex Rodriguez.  Unlike Bonds and Clemens, Rodriguez DID test positive for PEDs, which happened after the 2004 agreement between the players and MLB that outlawed the enhancers.  A-Rod was on his first year of eligibility, drawing only 34.3% of the vote, despite being a three-time MVP.  He holds the same rank as last year.

#4. Pete Rose.  Rose is the all-time leader in Hits, but he has been from baseball for gambling on the sport.  Ranked at #1A last year, Rose drops considerable on this list, but despite the issues of the players of above him, Rose actually has a significantly lower bWAR than Bonds, Clemens and Rodriguez.

#5. “Shoeless” Joe Jackson.  Ranked #1B last year, Jackson is ineligible for the Hall due to his possible participation in the throwing of the 1919 World Series.  That being said, there are many, including us, who feel that he belongs.

#6. Lou Whitaker.  The former Tigers Second Baseman might not have lasted more than one year on the Hall of Fame ballot, but he was once on the Veteran’s Ballot, and is considered one of the more egregious snubs by sabremetricians.  He was ranked #4 last year.

#7. Bill Dahlen.  Dahlen was a previous Veteran’s Committee Nominee, and that is still the route in which he needs to gain entry to Cooperstown.  The Shortstop was a two-time leader in Defensive bWAR and won a World Series Ring with the Giants in 1905.  He was ranked #5 last year.

8. Curt Schilling.  Schilling asked to be removed off of the ballot, and that didn’t happen, and many of the voters acquiesced to his later request to be removed from consideration.  On his last year on the ballot, Schilling dropped from 71.1 to 58.6, and despite his resume, it is conceivable that he will never see a Veteran’s Committee ballot.

9. Manny Ramirez.  Ramirez entered the ballot in 2017, and offensively he statistically had a better resume than Ivan Rodriguez and Vladimir Guerrero, both of which are now in Cooperstown.  He is in the same vein as A-Rod, as he was popped for PEDs as a player.  Ramirez will enter his seventh year on the ballot, but has yet to crack 30%.

10. Carlos Beltran.  Beltran is the only new entry in his first year of eligibility, and the nine-time All-Star has the stats for the Hall, but his recent scandal involving the Astros World Series win, could cost him some votes.

There were other new entries, including closer, Francisco Rodriguez, who debuts at #172.  To close off the list, a new #300 had to come in, which was Derrek Lee.

Thank you all for your support, and we encourage you to cast your votes and offer your opinions.

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 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.

We said yesterday that the omission of Curt Schilling would have to see the former pitcher go on a bit of an “apology tour” if he wants to make the Baseball Hall of Fame next year on his last year of eligibility.  Schilling fell 16 votes shy, finishing at 71%.  It is clear that statistically he belongs, but his politics and anti-media stance have seen voters openly state they would not vote for him.

In response, Schilling responded on his official Facebook page:

I can say at this point I am mentally done. I know math and I know trends and I know I will not attain the 75% threshold for induction. 

As I’ve stated often over the past years to those I’ve spoken with in my heart I am at peace. Nothing, zero, none of the claims being made by any of the writers hold merit. In my 22 years playing professional baseball in the most culturally diverse locker rooms in sports I’ve never said or acted in any capacity other than being a good teammate. 

I’ve certainly been exposed to racism and sexism and homophobia as it’s part of who human beings are. I’ve played with and talked with gay teammates. I’ve played with wife beaters, adulterers, assaulted, drug addicts and alcoholics. I’ve never hit a woman, driven drunk, done drugs, PEDs or otherwise, assaulted anyone or committed any sort of crime. 

But I’m now somehow in a conversation with two men who cheated, and instead of being accountable they chose to destroy others lives to protect their lie. 

Having said all that the media has created a Curt Schilling that does not and has never existed. It’s one of the things that has allowed me to sleep at night. Not an ounce of that is to absolve myself of sin, Lord knows I’ve committed my share and will do so again. Never malicious, never to willfully or intentionally hurt another person. I was 100% accountable and still am. Even the thought of responding to claims of “nazi” or “racist” or any other term so watered down and rendered meaningless by spineless cowards who have never met me makes me ill. In modern times responding to such drivel somehow validates the claim. 

My love of this country has always been worn on my sleeve. My desire to do the right thing and be a good person has driven most of my life choices. I stood at my locker 400+ times after my starts and took every question and answered honestly. Those people who stood there asking the questions KNOW what they are claiming is untrue yet they quote, re-quote and link to one another story after story that began as lies and grew into bigger ones. The game has made it clear it does not want me back and that’s fine, the game owes me exactly nothing. It gave a billion more times than it took and I’ll forever be deeply in debt to it. My desire to work with and teach young men the art of pitching will be tucked away. 

But as I watch my wife battle cancer and go through the grueling soul crushing process of chemotherapy and see her hurt every time some idiot writes another hit piece linking to other hit pieces, none rooted in any sort of truth but rather story after story of “what he meant was” and “what he’s saying is” and “that’s a dog whistle for” all the while providing zero actual acts or quotes of the claims being made I can’t help but to go into deep conversation with my father. 

“Never live your life trying to impress people you don’t know, or who don’t know you” and what that means in todays world. 

Being an aspie has allowed it to flow like water off a ducks back. But to see the hurt I’m causing my wife and to have my children read and hear this stuff and then look at me and try and match a public “image” that in no way aligns with the man their father is , has been something I never considered. 

I do not and never will “scoreboard” the cowards but if I’m not mistaken only Jamie Moyer and I “swept” the humanitarian awards players can win. Awards meant to define who the true man is apart from the player. These same writers voted on those awards. Do those awards and 22 years absent of a single validating event to support their claims define me? Or does a “what he meant to say” tweet? Based on the vote and the pike of dung authored by morally decrepit men like Dan Shaughnessy it’s the latter. I cannot and will not say or do anything to possibly soften a weak willed mans opinion of me if it is not something I believe. Just or not. I’ve chosen Arizona as the team I would have represented if I had been inducted and even though I heard someone there is calling for the DBacks front office to “meet” should the induction happen I’ll stand with that decision as I know Mr Kendrick to be an honorable and kind man. 

Should that change it most certainly would be the Phillies. What Mr Henry and Mr Werner did to my family and I in my final year has been forgiven but will never be forgotten. One thing this text certifies is that I talk way too much but I know I was never a yes/no answer guy. I apologize for the insane length of this but I guess I needed an outlet and I sure as hell don’t want to dump any of this on a woman who just ended her 3rd chemo and provides the reasons I eat sleep and breathe everyday. Why the text? If by some miracle this would happen I have zero interest in taking questions from the very group who lined up to destroy my character with no regard to anyone in my life or being held to account for their lies. I would and will talk with the guys on the MLB network if you want that, but no one else. 

I wanted to reiterate this final point. I will not participate in the final year of voting. I am requesting to be removed from the ballot. I’ll defer to the veterans committee and men whose opinions actually matter and who are in a position to actually judge a player. I don’t think I’m a hall of famer as I’ve often stated but if former players think I am then I’ll accept that with honor. 

Again, I won’t be able to thank you for your kindness and sincere interest in this process as it pertains to me. I’ll be forever grateful. God Bless you all again and one more time a final thank you for all your efforts to help my family and I.

We thought it was important to post the full letter, rather than cherry-pick.  Regardless of what you think of Schilling, the emotion in this open letter is clear.

There is never been a case where a player has been asked to be removed from a ballot.  We don’t expect the Hall to comply with this request, but we know this, Curt Schilling is a bigger name than ever.  The concern over his platform rising over gaining HOF induction is incorrect, as we also wrote yesterday:

Here is what many voters and fans don’t seem to understand.  Once a player is retired, unless they are managing or broadcasting, they only have one more hurdle to climb; Cooperstown.  Pete Rose, by his own admission, is more known today because he is not inducted. When Dick Allen recently passed, it gained more attention because he was a Hall of Fame snub then he would have if it he was a Hall of Fame inductee.  An Induction for Schilling does not raise his platform at all, it actually decreases it, as the public knows that it is his politics that kept him out, and not his statistics.

Schilling received more press today then he would have if he got selected, and that was before he announced he wanted off of the ballot.

We call this the “Hall of Fame Season”, and this is annually part one of a two-part apex where the Baseball Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame announces their new classes, although COVID-19 might have played an integral part in what transpired today in the baseball vote.

As it was projected by Ryan Thibodeau @NotMrTibbs, the 2021 Baseball Hall of Fame did not select anyone.  As COVID-19 postponed the 2020 ceremony, the Class of 2020 (Derek Jeter, Larry Walker, Ted Simmons and Marvin Miller) will be inducted on July 25.  This also meant that there was no urgency by any of the writers to induct anyone. Whether or not this played a part in the minds of voters to exclude a player is subject to conjecture, but it could have played a part.  

While nobody was chosen, there is a lot to unpack.

Had it not been for the anti-media stance of Curt Schilling, he likely would have been inducted years ago. Schilling has the stats and the post-season success that befits a Hall of Fame inductee, but it was four years ago where he supported a joke about lynching journalists.  That resulted in a drop of support from 52.3% to 45.0, and he had been relatively quiet since in regards to the media.  He made to an even 70.0% last year, but the last two months have been a very spicy political climate.  He inched forward to 71.1% this year.

Schilling supported the far right wing riots on January 6, and has again been very critical of the media. One voter, who checked Schilling’s box asked if could be changed.  Jay Jaffe openly said that he couldn’t vote for Schilling because he feared it would give him a bigger platform.  With only one year remaining, Schilling would have to go on a serious “apology tour” to make it. 

However,

Here is what many voters and fans don’t seem to understand.  Once a player is retired, unless they are managing or broadcasting, they only have one more hurdle to climb; Cooperstown.  Pete Rose, by his own admission, is more known today because he is not inducted. When Dick Allen recently passed, it gained more attention because he was a Hall of Fame snub then he would have if it he was a Hall of Fame inductee.  An Induction for Schilling does not raise his platform at all, it actually decreases it, as the public knows that it is his politics that kept him out, and not his statistics.  How Schilling acts this year will be a must-watch for us.

Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens are also one ballot away from elimination.  There is no fresh discussion here.  You are either vote for them, knowing they likely took PEDs, but did so in an era where baseball had no internal legislation to defy it.  Bud Selig, who presided over the era is in, as is manager, Tony LaRussa, who also was without a doubt aware what was transpiring. 

Bonds moved slightly from 60.7% to 61.8% and Clemens from 61.0% to 61.6%.  This is insignificant in regards to the elevation they need for induction.

Scott Rolen is rocketed up to 52.9% from 35.3% last year.  The infielder looks like he will be entering in the near future with his meteoric rise.

Omar Vizquel, who is embroiled in a domestic abuse allegation looks to have taken a tumble because of it.  He dropped from 52.6% to 49.1%   This was Vizquel’s fourth year on the ballot, and depending on what transpires in this accusation, he could fall out of what looked to be a Hall of Fame induction.

Billy Wagner made his second straight double-digit gain.  Wagner climbed from 16.7% to 31.7% from 2019 to 2020, and this year he is at 46.4%.  This was his sixth year on the ballot.

Todd Helton is in a similar state with Rolen, as he went from 29.2% to 44.9% on his third ballot.  It appears that Larry Walker will soon have Hall of Fame company wearing that Colorado Rockies hat.

Gary Sheffield, who was in limbo for years is making a move up the voting board.  He went from 13.6% to 40.6% in the last two years.

Andruw Jones, who was below 8% in his first two years, is now at 33.9% in his fourth year.

Former MVP, Jeff Kent is running out of time.  Last year was the first time he broke the 25% threshold, and now on year eight, he reached 32.4%.  This is not enough of a gain to see a plaque in Cooperstown in his near future.

Manny Ramirez, who has the Hall of Fame stats, WAS caught and suspended twice for PEDs, which could be the line for many voters.  He stayed the exact same at 28.2%, an indicator that he is moving nowhere.

Sammy Sosa was not suspended for PED use, but his performance in front of Congress where he forgot the English language clowns him to this day.  Sosa is at 17.0%, which is his highest to date, but he only has one year left. He has no chance at this time.

Andy Pettitte made a modest gain from 11.3% to 13.7%.  He is an admitted PED user, which might be enough to keep him out, though the way he handled it is the template for all athletes to follow.

Mark Buehrle is the highest first ballot inductee.  He received 11.0% of the ballot.  He was not the only debuts as Torii Hunter (9.5%) and Tim Hudson (5.2%) survive for another look.

Bobby Abreu remains alive at 8.7%.  

The other vote-getters were Aramis Ramirez (1.0%), LaTroy Hawkins (0.5%), Barry Zito (0.2%) Shane Victorino, A.J. Burnett, Nick Swisher, Dan Haren and Michael Cuddyer.

If the vote for 2021 was not dramatic enough, Alex Rodriguez and David Ortiz are now eligible in 20222. 

Is this the year Curt Schilling makes it into the National Baseball Hall of Fame? Will Schilling be the only player elected to the Hall this year? After all the tumultuous voting activity of the 2010s, has voting for the Hall returned to "normal"?

Only a crystal ball, or the patience to wait until voting results for the 2021 Baseball Hall of Fame are announced on January 26, 2021, can give us the definitive answers, but of course that doesn't stop us from prognosticating before we learn the results.

For now, the short answers are:

1. Maybe.

2. Possibly.

3. Likely.

2021 BBWAA Hall of Fame Ballot: Executive Summary

One of our favorite ballots came out today, that of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

The official ballot comprises 25 former players, 14 of which were holdovers from 2020.  To gain entry to the Baseball Hall of Fame, a candidate must gain 75 percent of the ballot.  Once eligible, they have ten years go gain entry.  If an individual fails to get 5 percent, he falls off the ballot completely.  

The voting body consists of BBWAA members who have been in good standing for at least ten years. Voters can select as few as zero players or as many as ten.

The returning candidates are:

Curt Schilling:  9^thYear, 70% last year.  Had Schilling been more media friendly, the Pitcher would likely have been inducted already.  With the 2020 Class being inducted alongside the 2021 Class, Schilling would not be a headliner, and this could actually help him with voters who dislike him, but want him to receive less of the spotlight.  Ranked #5 on NIHOF.

Roger Clemens:  9^thYear, 61% last year.  It was never proven that Roger Clemens took PEDs but O.J. Simpson was found not guilty. Nevertheless, Clemens (allegedly) took them before Major League Baseball had an agreement in place that prohibited their use (2005), and suspensions for PEDs came after.  The fact that Commissioner, Bud Selig, who presided over the Steroids Era was inducted by the Veteran’s Committee in 2017, made some writers vocally say that it changed their opinion on players like Clemens.  Five years ago, it was considered a long shot for Clemens to get in.  Now it seems like it could happen.  The vote total for Clemens is the most interesting one of 2021.  Ranked #1C on NIHOF.

Barry Bonds: 9^thYear, 60.7% last year. See above.  Everything said about Clemens, applies to Bonds.  Everything.  So, how come each year, they haven’t finished with the same vote total?  Ranked #2 on NIHOF.

Omar Vizquel: 4^thYear, 52.6%.  With a lighter ballot, it is not impossible to foresee Vizquel vault all the way into Cooperstown this year.  Ranked #45 on NIHOF.

Scott Rolen: 4^thYear, 35.3%.  Rolen had only 10.2% in his first year of eligibility and he could crack 50% this year.   Ranked #10 on NIHOF.

Billy Wagner: 6^thYear, 31.7%.  Wagner nearly doubled his vote tally from the year before going from treading water to the realm of possibility.  He is the top reliever on this ballot.  Ranked #59 on NIHOF.

Gary Sheffield: 7^thYear, 30.5%.  Sheffield is running out of time, but he is another with the stats but the alleged PED user did crack the 30 plateau.  It is possible.  Ranked #14 on NIHOF.

Todd Helton: 3^rdYear, 29.2%.  Helton’s number might seem low but he is trending ahead of fellow Rockie, Larry Walker, who got in last year.  Ranked #7 on NIHOF.

Manny Ramirez: 5^thYear, 28.2%.  Unlike Clemens and Bonds, Ramirez WAS caught using PEDs and WAS suspended twice.  This is a delineation mark for many, and while Bonds and Clemens could get in, Ramirez is unlikely to, despite his gaudy stats and World Series rings.  Ranked #6 on NIHOF.

Jeff Kent: 8^thYear, 27.5%.  The former MVP’s total is his highest ever but there is only three years left.  If he does not get to 40% this year, it is not likely for Kent.  Ranked #48 on NIHOF.

Andruw Jones: 4^thYear, 19.4%.  Jones had less than 8.0% in his first two years of eligibility but approaching 20% last year was huge for the former Brave.  Ranked #40 on NIHOF.

Sammy Sosa: 9^thYear, 13.9%.  Sosa certainly has the stats, but unlike Bonds and Clemens, he appears to have no chance.  Sosa is not on the level of Bonds, but is that why he is so low in comparison? Probably not.  Everyone knew when Bonds and Clemens played that they were surly. Sosa pretended not to be and was eventually revealed as a character fraud.  Seriously, this a factor that hurts him that nobody talks about. Ranked #28 on Notinhalloffame.com

Andy Pettitte: 3^rdYear, 11.3%.  Pettitte is an admitted PED user, but handled it in the blueprint way for everyone.  Sadly, not very many people followed his lead (see Braun, Ryan).  A jump to at least 20% keeps him in the conversation.   Ranked #32 on NIHOF.

Bobby Abreu: 2^ndYear, 5.5%.  Abreu barely made it through last year, but is worthy to do so again.  Saying that, it would not be a shock to see him fall under the 5% threshold.  Ranked #79 on NIHOF.

With the 11 new candidates it is very possible that none of them will advance.

The new entries are:

Mark Buehrle: Pitcher, 214-160, 3.81 ERA, 1,870 Strikeouts.  Ranked #74 on NIHOF.

A.J. Burnett: Pitcher, 164-157 3.99 ERA 2,513 Strikeouts.

Michael Cuddyer: Outfield, 1,522 Hits, 197 HR, .277/.344/.461.

Dan Haren: Pitcher, 153-131, 3.75 ERA, 2,013 Strikeouts.

LaTroy Hawkins: Pitcher, 75-94, 4.31 ERA, 127 Saves.

Tim Hudson: Pitcher, 222-133, 3.49 ERA, 2,060 Strikeouts. Ranked #101 on NIHOF.

Torii Hunter: Outfield, 2,452 Hits, 353 HR, .277/.331/.461. 

Aramis Ramirez: Third Base, 2,303 Hits, 386 Home Runs, .283/.341/.492.

Nick Swisher: Outfield, 1,338 Hits, 245 Home Runs, .249/.351/.447.

Shane Victorino: Outfield, 1,274 Hits, 108 HR, .275/.340/.425.

Barry Zito: Pitcher, 165-143, 4.04 ERA, 1,885 Strikeouts.

Notably, Aaron Harang, Adam LaRoche, Alex Rios, C.J. Wilson, Crey Hart, Dan Uggla, Grady Sizemore, Grant Balfour, Jason Marquis, Jeremy Affeldt, Kevin Gregg, Rafael Soriano and Skip Schumaker were eligible for the ballot but left off of it.

The results will be revealed on January 26.  This group will be inducted alongside Derek Jeter, Larry Walker, Ted Simmons and Marvin Miller, who were the Class of 2020.

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.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity.  As such, we are very happy to present the first revision of our top 50 Arizona Diamondbacks of all-time.

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 National League. 

This is the first revision since we put up this list after the 2018 Season.

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

1. Randy Johnson

2. Paul Goldschmidt

3. Brandon Webb

4. Curt Schilling

5. Luis Gonzalez

We slightly altered one of our algorithms and that has led to some slight changes to past Diamondbacks.  This altered the top five slightly, as Curt Schilling and Luis Gonzalez traded their fourth and fifth rank.

There were a few significant jumps.  Zack Grienke, who was traded during the 2019 Season to Houston, rose from #10 to #6.  Ketel Marte went from #44 to #13.  This shocked us too, but again, we are reminded that a top five MVP season in a team as young as the Diamondbacks can do that. Starting Pitcher, Robbie Ray, moved from #20 to #16. Third Baseman, Jake Lamb, climbed from #30 to #26.  Relief Pitcher, Archie Bradley went from #48 to #40.

We have several new entries.  Nick Ahmed debuts at #20.  While this seems like a seismic debut for the Shortstop, we erroneously left him off of our first list, of which he would have been on.  Venezuelan Infielder, Eduardo Escobar makes his first appearance at #43.  He joined the Diamondbacks during the 2018 season on a trade from Minnesota.  Lefthanded Relief Pitcher, Andrew Chafin comes in at #44.

We welcome your input and commentsand as always, we thank you for your support.

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.

A few weeks ago, the Baseball Hall of Fame announced their 2020 Baseball Hall of Fame Class.  The result was that Derek Jeter (on his first ballot), and Larry Walker (on his tenth and final) were chosen to enter Cooperstown. The two will join former Catcher, Ted Simmons, who was elected by the Veteran’s Committee.  All three of those former players were ranked in the top ten, and have been removed from the list.

For the first time since we began this list in 2010, there is no new entry in our top 15.  Actually, there is no new entry in the top 50.  This should assist in clearing any existing backlog. 

The new top ten is:

1A. Pete Rose.  Following the bombshell that was the Astros sign-stealing scandal, Rose again lobbied for reinstatement in the Majors.  His reasoning was that since no Astros player was punished, that logic should transfer to his own situation.  That likely won’t happen, but he did remain in the news as President Trump also said he should be in the Hall of Fame.  Since he is ineligible, he has the “1A” designation.

1B. “Shoeless” Joe Jackson. Like Rose, Jackson was banned from baseball, which is now 100 years old.  Jackson was banned for his (alleged) participation in the 1919 Black Sox scandal where players were paid by gamblers to throw games in the World Series to the Cincinnati Reds.  Jackson was a Hall of Fame worthy player, but as such his estate has to settle for his “1B” rank.

1C. Roger Clemens.  Unlike Rose and Jackson, Clemens is Hall of Fame eligible, but the PED stain has kept him out thus far.  He has two more years left and a big mountain to climb, but what looked impossible a few years ago, could be attainable.  

2. Barry Bonds.  Ditto for Bonds, and the only reason he is behind the “Rocket”, is because he has a slightly lower vote total than anyone than Clemens.  The all-time Home Run king is in the same boat as Clemens, as they both are in the low 60s in voting with two years left of eligibility.  

3. Lou Whitaker.  Playing his entire career with the Detroit Tigers, Lou Whitaker was only on the Hall of Fame ballot for one year, but has appeared on the Veteran’s Committee Ballot. There is still a good chance that he could enter via that route and join his double play partner, Alan Trammell, who also had to wait for a Veteran’s Committee admission to Cooperstown.

4. Bill Dahlen. “Bad” Bill Dahlen has been a Veteran’s Committee Nominee before, and could be again. The surly Shortstop was a defensive gem, a World Series Champion with the Giants in 1905, and is still in the top 50 in bWAR for Position Players.

5. Curt Schilling.  Had it not been for the mouth, political views and Twitter account of Curt Schilling, he would likely already have been inducted by now.  As it stands, he is close with a recent tally of 70% on his eight ballot.  Schilling has been on his best behavior in the last year, and with the weakest ballot in memory, he will enter Cooperstown in 2021 if he keeps his nose clean.

6. Manny Ramirez.  Unlike Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, Manny Ramirez WAS caught using PEDs and did so when the Baseball Player’s Union had an agreement with Major League Baseball.  Ramirez has approached 30% in the last ballot, and statistically he belongs, but induction is unlikely as of this writing.

7. Todd Helton.  Helton could follow Larry Walker into the Baseball Hall of Fame, and his Hall of Fame support approached nearly 30% on his second year on the ballot. Helton is definitely on the right trajectory.  

8. Gil Hodges.  This might surprise you, but one of the most debated players on our baseball list is Hodges.  This is the player who has the most accumulated votes that never got inducted, and his name is synonymous with Dodgers lore.

9. Tommy John.  Tommy John Surgery is actually represented in the Baseball Hall of Fame, but John himself is not.  He has 288 Wins and 2,245 Strikeouts and he will definitely appear in a future Veteran’s Committee ballot.

10. Scott Rolen.  Rolen jumped from 17.2% to 35.3% on his third year of eligibility, and while he was not a Colorado Rockie like Todd Helton, he is the one called the “New Larry Walker” based on belief that he will methodically work his way into Cooperstown.  We agree with that assessment.

As you can see, there are no new entries in the top ten.  There are actually, nobody new in the top fifty.  The only two new entries are Mark Buehrle at #74, and Tim Hudson at #101.

This brings a unique opportunity for those who are on the 2021 ballot as the returning nominees will not be looking to be “slotted” below anyone new. 

We are in the preliminary process of expanding our list to 300.

You know what we want you to do!

Take a look, and if you haven’t done so already, cast your vote and offer your opinion!

Baseball fans talk about this every day, and we now know who will comprise the Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2020.

Let’s take a deep dive look into those chosen, those left off, and those who are off the ballot completely.

To the surprise of nobody, former New York Yankee infielder, Derek Jeter enters Cooperstown on his first year of eligibility.  Jeter entered on ___ of the ballot, and he joins his fellow career-Yankee, Mariano Rivera, as back-to-back first ballot Hall of famers.  Jeter would win five World Series Rings, was a 14-time All-Star, a five-time Silver Slugger, and he would accumulate 3,465 Hits, 260 Home Runs and a .310 Batting Average. Jeter was denied a unanimous vote as one voter elected not to put the x by his name.

Jeter is joined by Larry Walker, who was in his last year of eligibility.  It is an incredible story, as Walker debuted on the ballot in 2011 with only 20.3% of the ballot.  He dropped as low as 10.2% in 2014, and only crept back to 21.9% in 2017.  He shot up to 34.1% in 2018, and rocketed to 54.6% last year. The momentum was rocketing for Walker, and he becomes the second Canadian to enter the Hall.

So, what changed?  Part of it is a re-evaluation of the Coors Field effect.  Another part is that the backlog of players has cleared. Perhaps, the biggest part is the recognition that regardless of what diamond he played on, that this is a former MVP who was a bona fide five-tool player.  That is rarified air.  He received 76.6% of the vote.

The former player who came closest is Curt Schilling who garnered 70% of the vote, who bluntly should have been in years ago based on his statistical accomplishments.  With a bWAR of 79.5, 3,116 Strikeouts and three World Series Rings, Schilling was a clutch performer who was at his best when the lights were at his brightest.  In Schilling’s fourth year of eligibility, he received 52.3% of the ballot, but comments against the media and other right-wing charged diatribes rubbed voters the wrong way, and he dropped o 45.0% in 2017.  Last year, he climbed to 60.9%.

Forgive us, as we are going to lump Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds together.  How can we not?  Clemens was the best Pitcher and Bonds was the best hitter without debate, but both are associated with PEDs (though neither was ever caught during their playing days), and both have finished their eighth year on the ballot.  They both had minimal gains this year, Clemens from 59.5% to 61.0% and Bonds from 59.1% to 60.7% but there is still a long way to go.   

Can they get there?

We think so, as three things work in their favor. The first is that Bonds and Clemens were at a different level than everyone else and you can argue (easily) that they would have been Hall of Famers without it.  The second is that Mike Piazza got in (as well as Jeff Bagwell), and there were more than one PED whisper about those two.  The third, and the most damming in our eyes is that Bud Selig is in, and the PED era happened under his watch, and he did not react until pressure forced him to.  Selig was not an ostrich, his head was not in the sand, and he knew what players were doing. He had too, and there have been voters who have said as much.

Former Shortstop, Omar Vizquel, is trending in the right direction.  This is his third year, and he moved from 42.8% to 52.6%.  Vizquel is considered to be one of the best defensive Shortstops of all-time, and he has 11 Gold Gloves to prove it.  While he was not considered to be a great hitter, he had 2,877 Hits to silence those critics.  That is a great number even if he played until he was 45!

Another infielder, Scott Rolen, is also climbing upwards.  With a healthy bWAR of 70.2, the Third Baseman has eight Gold Gloves, seven All-Star appearances and a World Series Ring (St. Louis, 2006) on his resume.  He moved from 17.2% to 35.3%

The best closer on the ballot, Billy Wagner, moved from 16.7% to 31.7%   He had 422 Saves over his career, with an ERA of 2.31 and WHIP of 0.998.

Gary Sheffield also received a jump on his sixth year of eligibility.  The former slugger who blasted 509 Home Runs, went from 13.6% to 30.5% This is a good sign for Sheffield as he was one of the guys was treading water for a long time, and while the odds still remain long, they are much better than they were yesterday.

Todd Helton is on his second year of eligibility, and he holds a very good career Slash Line of .316/.414/.539.  Helton moved from 16.5% to 29.2%

Manny Ramirez left baseball with 555 Home Runs and a Slash Line of .312/.411/.585.  That is a Hall of Fame number, but unlike Bonds and Clemens, Ramirez WAS suspended for PED use as an active player.  This is a huge distinction, as Ramirez did break an agreed upon rule agreed upon by the Players Union.  He moved from 22.8% to 28.2%.

Former MVP, Jeff Kent, finally climbs over 20% for the first time with 27.5%.  This is his seventh year on the ballot.

Andruw Jones remains on the ballot.  The former Braves’ Outfielder is on his third ballot and he went from 7.5% to 19.4%, a huge jump.

Sammy Sosa is entrenched in Hall of Fame purgatory. Sosa is like Clemens and Bonds, in that he was not caught as a player, but he is as associated with PEDs as much as they are.  Detractors are pointing to his fake media persona and lack of clutch hitting, and he is dead in the Hall of Fame water.  He had 8.5% last year, and hits 13.9% this year, his highest ever.

Andy Pettitte had 9.9% in his first year of eligibility.  In his second year, he moved to 11.3%.

Bobby Abreu barely made the 5.0% threshold to remain on the ballot for a second year.  He received 5.5%.

Paul Konerko, Jason Giambi, Eric Chavez, Cliff Lee, Brad Penny and J.J. Putz all received at least one vote.

Raul Ibanez, Rafael Furcal, Josh Beckett, Jose Valverde, Heath Bell, Chone Figgins, Carlos Pena, Brian Roberts, Alfonso Soriano and Adam Dunn did not receive any votes.

Jeter and Walker join Ted Simmons and Marvin Miller, who were chosen by the Veteran’s Committee.  Boston sportswriter, Nick Carfado, will also enter via the J.G. Taylor Spink Award.   It is a posthumous induction as he passed away last year.  The ceremony will take place on July 26.

We will be redoing our Notinhalloffame.com Baseball List in late February, which will see us remove those who were chosen, and we will add those now eligible.  Rankings will also be altered based on your votes and comments.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate Derek Jeter     for being chosen for the Baseball Hall of Fame.

With the announcement of the Modern Era candidates for the Baseball Hall of Fame, it is now time for us to look at the upcoming ballot for the Baseball Writers, who will be voting for the Class of 2020.

What we know so far, is that there is no way that this will be an empty class.  We have a sure-fire first ballot inductee in Derek Jeter, who with his 3,465 career Hits, a career Batting Average of .310 and five-time World Series Champion could become the second former player following Mariano Rivera, to receive a unanimous vote.  Should that happen, it will mark a back-to-back of two former New York Yankees teammates earning that distinction.

Last year, Curt Schilling received 60.9% of the vote last year in a very strong field (especially for pitchers) says Paruk from SportsBettingDime.com.  Less tainted by PEDS than the likes of Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds, Schilling should crack 75% if the outspoken Trump supporter doesn’t rub writers the wrong way in the next couple months.

As for Bonds and Clemens, they are both entering their eighth year of eligibility.  What once was thought as an impossible mountain to climb, the two stars both approached 60% last year.  While enshrinement this year seems unlikely, a continued rise could bode well for them in the next two years.

As for us, the one we are looking at the most is Larry Walker.  The Canadian slugger seemed to have no chance for Cooperstown a year ago, but he rocketed from 34.1% to 54.6% last year, and with him facing his final year of eligibility, we could see the first player inducted with a Colorado Rockies cap.

One thing, we know for sure is that we will be paying attention!a