Harold Baines
Jay Bell
Bert Blyleven
David Cone
Andre Dawson
Ron Gant
Mark Grace
Rickey Henderson
Tommy John
Don Mattingly
Mark McGwire
Jack Morris
Dale Murphy
Jesse Orosco
Dave Parker
Dan Plesac
Tim Raines
Jim Rice
Lee Smith
Alan Trammell
Greg Vaughn
Mo Vaughn
Matt Williams
There's your list of candidates. Let me start off by saying this: If ever Mattingly, or more realistically, Jim Rice, were going to make the Hall, this is the year. The only ones on numbers alone I'd even consider are Lee Smith, Jim Rice, Don Mattingly, Rickey Henderson, Bert Blyleven and Harold Baines. Baines I'd only consider because at some point a DH type will need to crack the hall, but I think that may be reserved for Edgar Martinez, so Baines is out. Henderson I think is a no-brainer seeing as he is one of the greatest leadoff men to ever live, so there's one. McGwire will still be scorned as the poster boy for the Steroids Era so he has no chance.
Mattingly won't get in over Rice, and both I doubt get in the same year, plus the further away from the mid 90s we get, the less chance of Mattingly making any headway. Blyleven should get it over Lee Smith who is only notable for saves, which is a weak stat to begin with. If I had to make a list having not even actually seen some of these players play, I'd go with Blyleven, Henderson and Rice, with Henderson a guarantee, Blyleven and probably and Rice "taking advantage of a weak class high probable candidate."
What do you think, who deserves to be in the Hall this year?
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