2023 Baseball Hall of Fame Class

Kent did win an MVP and has the most career home runs for his position. He also has a career .290 batting average and eight 100 RBI seasons, and one with 93 RBI kept him from having all nine be consecutive. He has the most total RBI for a second baseman since World War II and only Lajoie and Hornsby have more

It's not nothing.

 

yes totally comparable:


Glaus (4 time All-Star, 2-time Silver Slugger)

WAR AB R H 2B HR RBI BA OBP SLG OPS+
38.1 5410 889 1375 293 320 950 .254 .358 .489 119


Rolen (7 time All-Star, Silver Slugger, 8 Gold Gloves)

WAR AB R H 2B HR RBI BA OBP SLG OPS+
70.1 7398 1,211 2077 517 316 1,287 .281 .364 .490 122

 

No, but both were playing corner positions at which they were considered the best in the league defensively, so it's not like comparing a shortstop and a right fielder.

 

First base is where you put the guy who's on his way to becoming a DH. Even if you're a great defensive 1B, you're just not effecting the game much vs. an average defender at the position.

 

Barring scandal, Greinke is rolling in with 85% on the first ballot and there's a good chance he doesn't even show up to his own induction ceremony. Then we'll get six more Athletic oral histories on the guy who is obviously autistic but everyone's laughing at him.

 

I think people are voting for Buehrle or Pettitte because they don't really have any other starters to vote for.

the next couple of years for first-ballot guys:
2024 -- Beltre (Mauer, Utley aren't going in first ballot)
2025 -- Ichiro (Sabathia isn't going in first ballot)
2026 -- No one (Ryan Braun will be the top newcomer)
2027 -- Maybe no one (Buster Posey hits the ballot)
2028 -- Pujols (I could see Molina making it first-ballot as a combo vote)

 

I always felt Trammell and Whitaker were borderline guys and I guess that’s where they ended up but now that Trammell is in I feel Whitaker has to get in

 

I get a little more bitter with each passing year that Dick Allen is not in.

 

Me, too. And one of my younger brothers has been indignant about it for decades.

 

Mauer has a shot. That peak at catcher really was transcendent. Sabathia, probably not, b/c there's still enough 300-or-bust voters in the electorate.

 

But he was Danny Cater at first base

 

Of course Mauer has a shot, I just don't think it's going to be as good as people think. There is going to be a faction of voters that hold the first base years against him. Although the fact that we haven't had a catcher of this quality without a steroid-taint on the ballot since....Carlton Fisk??.... might be giving be blinders.

The fact that Pudge Rodriguez almost missed by four votes on his first try just six years ago or Piazza went in on his fourth attempt tempers the fact that Mauer is going to make it immediately. I feel like Posey is going to be in the same boat, although the team success might be enough of a boost.