Baseball
Established in 1936, and currently based in Cooperstown, New York, the Baseball Hall of Fame may be the most prestigious of any Sports Hall of Fame. Although Baseball may have taken a backseat to Football in recent years, there is no doubt that Baseball’s version of the Hall of Fame is by far the most relevant and the most difficult to get enshrined in. At present, a player has to receive seventy five percent of the votes from the Baseball Writers Association of America, which has proven to be no easy task. Failing that, a player could be inducted by the Veterans committee, though few have been inducted this way. Our list will focus on the players only, and although we could easily do a tally focusing on mangers, broadcasters or other vital personnel, as always it is far more enjoyable to discuss the merits of those on the field as oppose to those off of it.Until Then, Let’s get some peanuts and cracker jacks and cast some votes of our own!
Sincerely,
The Not in Hall of Committee.
Don Newcombe was more than a great Pitcher, as he was a trailblazer in terms of African Americans in baseball.
There was a time that Dwight Gooden was the best Pitcher in baseball, but as we know, drug use rendered him a shell of what he was well before his time. One of the incredible things about his career, though, was how long he played and remained a serviceable hurler.
Torii Hunter had an excellent career, and the man they dubbed "Spider-Man" was a SportsCenter highlight reel with his acrobat catches. Hunter would win 9 Gold Gloves and was also decent with his bat, earning a pair of Silver Sluggers.
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS - TICKET + HOTEL DEALS
Mar 24, 2025
Buy your Tickets to see Arizona Diamondbacks - Ticket + Hotel Deals HERE!
2025 TORONTO BLUE JAYS - TD EXECUTIVE SUITES
Jan 01, 1970
Buy your Tickets to see 2025 Toronto Blue Jays - TD Executive Suites HERE!
2025 TORONTO BLUE JAYS FLEX PACKS
Jan 01, 1970
Buy your Tickets to see 2025 Toronto Blue Jays Flex Packs HERE!
2025 SEATTLE MARINERS FLEX MEMBERSHIPS
Jan 01, 1970
Buy your Tickets to see 2025 Seattle Mariners Flex Memberships HERE!
How many times is an athlete described as “small in stature but big in heart”? This analogy has been used more times than we can determine but far too often but it was an accurate assessment when describing the turn of the century ballplayer, Tommy Leach.
There are many people who think of John Olerud only as the guy who wore a batting helmet in the field, which he did so to protect his skull as (he had a brain aneurysm as a teenager. He was undoubtedly a lot more than that!
History has given the pitching staff much of the credit for the World Series Runs of the Baltimore Orioles in 1966 and 1970, but it was the heavy-hitting Boog Powell who was the favorite of the fans in Maryland.
Although Wilbur Cooper is considered one of the best pitchers in the history of the Pittsburgh Pirates, it was so long ago, his legacy is often forgotten. From 1917 to 1924, Cooper was at his best and was in the top ten regularly in virtually every pitching category in the National League. He was the first left hander in the NL to hit 200 wins, but his overall total in that department did not exceed much more than that. Advanced metrics have given Cooper a bit more of a look again, but at the very least he should be remembered…
The Philadelphia Athletics had a powerhouse team in the early 1930s, but the Great Depression would see the owner, Connie Mack, unload his best players to keep the team afloat. As such, there was not a lot of talent left for the Athletics afterward, but Bob Johnson was an exception to that rule.
If Baseball truly is an International game, then we would like to name Julio Franco as its Global Ambassador.
Generally, the mold of the Relief Pitcher is a blazing fastball and a powerful delivery. Dan Quisenberry did not fit that mold…or any other one for that matter.
The first half of Ryan Braun's career looked like it was on a Hall of Fame trajectory. A two-time All-American at the University of Miami, Braun was considered a five-tool prospect and was the fifth overall pick in 2005, and he rose quickly, entering the Majors in 2007. It was a great rookie campaign for Braun, winning the National League Rookie of the Year in a season where he belted 34 Home Runs and won the Slugging Title (.634) in a 113 Game year. Braun was a top star the next five seasons, a perennial All-Star in that span, with him also…
Many baseball players are considered underrated, but we will argue that Buddy Bell is on the Mount Rushmore of that list.
Lance Berkman was the third “Killer B” of the Houston Astros, though it was his Comeback Player of the Year season with St. Louis (that also netted him his only World Series Ring) that he might hold most dear.
Paul Konerko is one of the most revered Chicago White Sox players of all-time, and he should be. Konerko was the heart of a team that won the 2005 World Series winning the ALCS MVP in the process. Konerko could hit for power (439 Home Runs), had 2,340 Hits, 1,412 RBIs and a .486 Slugging Percentage.
Francisco Rodriguez would become one of the game’s better closers and best known almost immediately when he debuted for the Anaheim Angels is 2002. He played only five regular season games that year and as the team’s set-up man he played a vital role in their World Series win.
From 1953 to 1960 there were few in the majors who were as good a line drive hitter as Harvey Kuenn. From that time period, he won the American League Rookie of the Year and won a Batting Title. Considering that during the 50’s he only batted under .300 once, it was easy to see how even on average Detroit Tigers teams, he could still make eight All-Star teams.
Throughout the first decade of the 2000’s, it could be argued that Jimmy Rollins was the heart of the Philadelphia Phillies…or was he the motor?
A vital part of the Big Red Machine that had the most success of any other team in the National League, George Foster debuted in 1969 (with San Francisco); George Foster broke through in 1975 with a 23 Home Run year. Helping the Reds win the World Series that year, Foster won the RBI Title in 1976 with 29 Home Runs and a .306 Batting Average. This would usher in the first of five All-Star Games, and four in the next five years. Foster again helped them win the World Series, and he was second in MVP voting.