Future Hall of Famers

[Ben (Rays GM)]

Since it's that time of year, I was thinking a bit about future Hall of Famers currently active. I figure that, based on the number of inductees per year and the average length of a career, there should be about 30 future Hall of Famers active at a time. So who are they? Discuss.

[Ben (Rays GM)]

Sure things:
Albert Pujols
Chipper Jones
Derek Jeter
Todd Helton
Jim Thome
Ivan Rodriguez
Roy Halladay
Mariano Rivera

Would be sure things if not for steroid allegations:
Alex Rodriguez
Manny Ramirez

[Tucker (Padres GM)]

For sure:
Chipper Jones, Puljos, Jeter, Mariano, A-Rod, Ichiro, Thome

Maybe's
Vladdy, Posada, Pudge (he's probably in) Manny (PED issues)

Up and comers
Lincecum, Longoria, Gonzo, Prince

[Rob (Rockies GM)]

Ichiro
Ivan Rodriguez

Debatable, but with merit:
Vladimir Guerrero
Omar Vizquel (hell, if Ozzie is in, Omar was nearly his equal as a fielder, and has 2800 hits)

Among the younger players who are on a straight line path:

Miguel Cabrera

[Deleted]

Pudge should be under steroid allegations list too.

Guerrero and Ichiro should be "Sure things" with Damon, Konerko, Rolen, and Beltran just behind that.

[Ben (Rays GM)]

Interesting about Ichiro. Late start to his career debuting when he was 27, but he's a damn good player. I think you're right, but there are a number of guys in the maybe category that I would 100% vote for that I think deserve it more than he does:

Scott Rolen - a lot of his value (73.9 WAR) comes from defense, which might get overlooked, but his career .282/.366/.494 line with 308 HRs is still quite good and in the ballpark of other HOF 3Bs.
Lance Berkman
Bobby Abreu
Carlos Beltran - should retire a member of the 300/300 club at least, but I don't think he'll get in, even though he deserves it. Would probably go in as a Royal but there'd be a lot of discussion about it.
Vladimir Guerrero - I feel like he should be a sure thing, first ballot guy but something tells me he may be passed up on his first go around.

[Tucker (Padres GM)]

The only reason i think you have to put ichiro in, only guy in ML history to have 200+ hits in 10 straight seasons, that's insane

Also, .326 career average, ROY and AL MVP, 10 time GGer

[Ben (Rays GM)]

Guys in the middles of their careers who've had a number of solid seasons and could have a shot depending on how the rest of their careers go:

Miguel Cabrera, Jimmy Rollins, Matt Holliday, Mark Teixeira, Carl Crawford, Jose Reyes, Hanley Ramirez, Chase Utley, Dustin Pedroia, Joe Mauer, Brian McCann, Troy Tulowitzki, Prince Fielder, Tim Lincecum, CC Sabathia, Justin Verlander, Felix Hernandez

[Smitty (Mets GM)]

Adrian Beltre's numbers start to stack up when you consider he's still only 32.

[Ben (Rays GM)]

Take a look at Mike Cameron's career. You'd never expect it, and I don't think he quite deserves it but he's a lot closer than you might think. Going by WAR he's had a better career than Carlos Delgado. Ditto J.D. Drew.

[Ben (Rays GM)]

Up and comers with a promising start:
Evan Longoria, Clayton Kershaw

[Smitty (Mets GM)]

Tim Tebow.

sorry, couldn't resist...

[jd89brewersgm]

David Wright

[Deleted]

Jan 8, 2012 22:07:43 GMT -5 @jd89brewersgm said:

David Wright

He is nowhere near a Hall of Famer in my opinion.

[Ben (Rays GM)]

Jan 8, 2012 22:07:43 GMT -5 @jd89brewersgm said:

David Wright

Not if he continues playing the way he has the last three years.

[jd89brewersgm]

I was kidding -___- I wish he would be though

[angels]

Roy Oswalt is a possible, if he can get to 200 wins. That is 3 or 4 more years of good baseball. CC is definitely a possibility as well.

[Chris (Former Cubs GM)]

Mike Stanton. He'll join the 600 HR club someday and gets in HOF

[drewosborne]

Why Vlad?

[Ben (Rays GM)]

.318/ .379/ .553 with 449 career hrs (chance for 500), 181 career sbs and four MVP caliber seasons, good for a career wOBA of .389 and career 60 war.

[Smitty (Mets GM)]

He's not technically active anymore, but I'm betting Jorge Posada gets in.

[Brian (Blue Jays GM)]

I'm going to throw out a candidate who hasn't been mentioned here yet and really does deserve to be in the conversation: Andruw Jones

10 time gold glove CF
6 time all-star
420 career HR (only Mays and Griffey have more among CF)
Has the best Defensive WAR of any active player at 23.9 (2nd best all-time behind Brooks Robinson)
10th in active WAR with 60.4

Given the degree of difficulty of his position and the degree of success he had compared with his peers, Andruw Jones really should be a HOF candidate.

Edit: Thanks to a quiz on sporcle.com, I just realized that the only other players in mlb history to have 10 gold gloves and 400 HR were Mays, Griffey, and Mike Schmidt. He parallels to some elite players.

[Tucker (Padres GM)]

What do you guys think about next years class?Sosa, Bonds, Piazza, Clemens

[Tucker (Padres GM)]

Biggio and schilling as well

[angels]

All get in?

[Ben (Rays GM)]

Doubt it. Based on McGwire and palmeiro, I don't think bonds, clemens, or sosa has a chance until the voters seriously change their thinking. Piazza and biggio definitely, schilling I think will eventually but not first ballot.

[Tucker (Padres GM)]

Of the three, for some reason I actually think bonds has a chance

[Ben (Rays GM)]

I'd say Clemens has the worst chance of the three. I'd agree that Bonds has the best chance of the three, but honestly I'm not sure how you can justify voting for any of them if you're not gonna vote for all of them. Why draw an arbitrary line between player-user-who-is-awesome-enough-for-the-hall-of-fame-but-gets-left-out-because-of-steroids and steroid-user-who-is-awesome-enough-that-he's-in-anyway?

[Deleted]

I dont think posada should be in. Count Vizquel and Vlad in

[Ben (Rays GM)]

Looking at Schilling's career... damn. Still not sure if he will be first ballot, but he certainly deserves to be.

Looking ahead a few years, what about Andy Pettitte?