No one for the Hall?

 We'll get the announcement this evening -- will anyone make the Baseball Hall of Fame this year? To be honest, I doubt it. Here's the list of candidates:

Curt Schilling -- I think he's worthy. The only guy with a shot this year. His tendency to be a conservative loudmouth has hurt his candidacy. It shouldn't matter, but sportswriters tend to be PC and it's hurt him. He has one more year on the ballot and the writers may decide to throw him a bone then; otherwise, he's a cinch on a Veterans' Committee in the future.

Bloody socks and bloody shirts

Roger Clemens -- Steroid guy; not proven but strongly suspected. Also a prickly personality. He was clearly the greatest pitcher of his generation and probably top 5-6 of all time, but he's probably not going to make it.

Barry Bonds -- Mr. BALCO. If he'd been able to control his jealousy at McGwire and Sosa and had stayed off the juice, he'd have been in the HOF years ago. Now, probably not.

Omar Vizquel -- great defensive player and ended up close to 3000 hits. Unfortunately, he seems to be a domestic abuser as well. Don't think he's gonna make it.

Scott Rolen -- one of the best third basemen in history, but he wasn't flashy and didn't attract attention to himself, so he's underrated. He's climbing the ladder and should make it as early as 2022 or 2023.

Billy Wagner -- dominant lefty relief pitcher. Not sure he's special enough to make it.

Gary Sheffield -- a legitimately fearsome hitter, but has the steroid taint and was also roundly considered a bad dude. Not likely to make it.

Todd Helton -- climbing the ladder; he played his entire career for the Rockies, so his power numbers are suspect, but he was a great hitter and won three Gold Gloves. Not this year, but eventually, yes.

Manny Ramírez -- like Sheffield, a legitimately great hitter and one of the most colorful characters in the history of the game. But he's lousy with steroids so he's not going to make it.

Jeff Kent -- a great hitter at a traditional defensive position (second base); has the numbers, but never seems to get the traction. A candidate for the Veterans Committee in the future.

Andruw Jones -- defensively elite center fielder who also hit more than 400 home runs, but his career fell off a cliff at the age of 30. He may make it eventually primarily for his defensive excellence, but he's a borderline case in any event.

Sammy Sosa -- over 600 homers and while he's never admitted to steroid use, everyone thinks he did. He's gotten weird post-career as well. No chance.

Andy Pettitte -- great pitcher, but a serious steroid taint. Not likely to overcome the stigma.

Bobby Abreu -- a modern-day Ken Singleton or Dusty Baker; a talented player who is seriously underrated. But no one thinks Baker or Singleton is a Hall of Famer, either.

There are three first year players who I think could stay on the ballot, although I don't see any of them making the HOF during the normal 10-year process. They are:

Mark Buehrle -- a high-quality lefty who mostly pitched for the White Sox. He's a lot like Mickey Lolich, but only old guys like me remember Lolich. 

Torii Hunter -- like all Twins fans, I love Torii Hunter. And he was a hell of a player, one of the best center fielders of his era. But he's not going to make it.

Tim Hudson -- a good righthander who won over 200 games in his career. His career numbers are quite similar to Catfish Hunter, who is in the HOF, but Hudson's taste in teammates wasn't as good. 

The rest of the 1st year players (Dan Haren, Barry Zito, Aramis Ramirez, Shane Victorino, A. J. Burnett, Nick Swisher, LaTroy Hawkins, and Michael Cuddyer) aren't going to make it. Even die-hard Twins fans would admit Hawkins and Cuddyer aren't worthy.

Random observations

Still not too focused on blogging, but I do have a few thoughts:

• We were having trouble with our television last night (dang it, Comcast), so even if I'd wanted to watch the Dems debate I wouldn't have been able to. But there was no appetite for the topic in our house. The post-mortems indicate Elizabeth Warren didn't have a great night and that Bernie hasn't let a heart attack stop him from yelling at clouds. In a deeply divided nation, it's possible one of the luminaries on the stage might be president in 2021, but I wouldn't count on it.
• Yes, the officiating in the NFL is screwed up. Did it benefit the Packers on Monday night? Everyone seems to think so. To which I respond -- fine. But to hell with the Lions anyway. If the Lions want to assuage their wounds, they can take their frustrations out on the Vikings this week. Benster will likely have a few words about this topic later in the week.
• Congratulations to the Nationals, in the World Series for the first time in franchise history. I wonder what the fans of the Montreal Expos think about it.
• It was always argued that "Seinfeld" was about nothing. The Dems are running a Seinfeld impeachment.

D and Benster Talk Hall of Fame Ballot -- 2019 Edition, Part Two

Part one is here.

We move on to returning candidates on the ballot. We'll go in order of votes received in 2018:

I'm ready, Geritol Fan.

Andruw Jones: He got votes on 7.3% of the ballots last year. He started out as an all-time great defensive centerfielder, morphed into a fearsome power hitter, then gained weight and absolutely hit the wall. He was a very different sort of player, but his overall numbers are similar to Dale Murphy, who was also a long-time slugger for the Braves who has thus far fallen short of enshrinement. His career batting average of .254 will be difficult to overcome. 434 home runs are impressive. He's not going to make it and may fall off the ballot this year, but a future Veteran's Committee may give him another look.

He's also significant for being the first prominent major leaguer from Curacao. This guy has Vets Committee written all over him.

Sammy Sosa: He got 7.8% last time. He's probably hurt more by PED use than anyone else. He hit 609 home runs. He was beloved. But his fall from grace was swift and severe. His numbers compare to Jim Thome, Mike Schmidt, Reggie Jackson -- HOFers, all. But he was on the juice. And he's not going to be in the HOF any time soon.

I watched Sammy Sosa on WGN as a kid and he was one of my favorites. Just a shame that he used drugs. 

Scott Rolen: He got 10.2% last time. Not everyone thinks WAR is a great measurement, but by that standard Rolen is a no-brainer and one of the top 100 players in baseball history. He's actually a lot like Ron Santo; a wonderful player who never got the credit he deserved. Santo eventually made the Hall, but his selection was posthumous. Rolen's biggest problem is that he was a contemporary of two third basemen who were better -- Chipper Jones (in the HOF) and Adrian Beltre (retiring this year and a first ballot HOFer, I think). But he was excellent. Maybe someday, but not this year.

I think Rolen is hurt by the fact that this year is a strong ballot. I think he gets in, but he's going to have to wait.

Billy Wagner: He got 11.1% last time. A dominant lefty reliever. Played most of his career in Houston and suffered for that. He seems like a Hall of Very Good guy to me.

Wagner is not the best closer of his era. That's Rivera. You could also argue that K-Rod is better. Wagner might get in when the Vets Committee takes a look, but it's tough to see him getting voted in with the normal process.

Gary Sheffield: He also got 11.1% last time. A jackass, bad teammate and a PED user. But a hell of a player nonetheless. Over 500 home runs, career .292 hitter. His career numbers are similar to great players like Chipper Jones, Mel Ott, Reggie Jackson, but he's likely to be the Dick Allen of his generation. As an aside, Allen may make the HOF as an old-timer in the next few years, but I wonder if Sheffield will ever make it.

Sheffield is arguably the face of BALCO. If you let him in, then you let Pete Rose in. 

Jeff Kent: He got 14.5% last time. With the possible exception of Joe Morgan and Rogers Hornsby, he might be the best offensive second baseman to ever play the game. Has offensive numbers similar to Ryne Sandberg, but Sandberg was a far superior player. Kent was an indifferent fielder and a bit of a putz, from most accounts. Probably deserves more recognition than he's likely to get, but it's difficult to make a strong argument for his candidacy.

I agree. I will say his feud with Barry Bonds was spicy.

Manny Ramirez: He got 22% last time. Offensive numbers say all-time great. But he was a notorious PED guy and, even though he did amazing things on the field, still seen as a malingerer during his career. 555 career homers and a lifetime .312 batting average translates into Jimmie Foxx/Frank Robinson territory, but would you take Manny over those guys? Of course not. He'll have to hope time and tide change views of his career, but as of now he doesn't have much support.

Manny also benefited from hitting next to David Ortiz for much of his career. He'll have to settle for being a Boston legend.

Fred McGriff: He got 23.2% last time. It's also his last chance on the ballot. A fearsome slugger and a good dude, but always seemed like a near-miss. But if Harold Baines is in the HOF, why wouldn't McGriff be? He's Baines with better overall numbers. McGriff's overall numbers compare in some ways to Willie McCovey, but in other ways to Paul Konerko. That's the dilemma. What do you make of his career? I'll be curious to see what happens.

The Crime Dog is a victim of his peers choosing to juice. If the writers left the roid users off the ballot, McGriff would get in. It's a shame he won't get in this year.

Larry Walker: He got 34.1% last time. This guy is a tough one. He was a great hitter and, at times, an exceptional outfielder. He hit 383 homers, with a lifetime batting average of .313. His offensive numbers are comparable to Duke Snider and Joe DiMaggio, but no one thinks Walker is that good. Should they? His largest problem is that he compiled some big years in Coors Field, but he also played the first half of his career in the mausoleum that was Olympic Stadium in Montreal. If you take his numbers at face value, he deserves the nod. I do.

I've been arguing Walker's case for a long time. He's arguably the best player in Rockies history and had a great end to his career in St. Louis. You can't keep an entire organization out of the Hall of Fame.

Omar Vizquel: He got 37.2% last time. The Ozzie Smith of his generation. Had a very long career (24 years!) and is among the greatest fielders of all time. Played long enough to get 2877 hits. His numbers are similar to Smith and Luis Apiricio. He's going to make it eventually, but it may take a few years.

Defense has always been underrated by the voters, except when it's overrated for really good defenders. I don't think Vizquel is a Hall of Famer, but I wouldn't be surprised if he got in.

Curt Schilling: He got 51.2% last time. Schilling was a huge talent, but I really think his huge mouth is hurting his candidacy. I've always been lukewarm about his career, but he was beyond dispute a big-game pitcher who went to the World Series with three teams and was instrumental in winning with both the Diamondbacks and the Red Sox. His overall numbers are like Don Drysdale and Doc Halladay. Drysdale is in and Halladay will be, perhaps as soon as this year. Tough to see why they measure up and Schilling doesn't.

If Schilling were a Democrat, nobody would care about what he says. He's the definition of a workhorse and belongs in the Hall of Fame.

Barry Bonds: He got 56.2% last time. I've probably said this before, but I wish Bonds had retired in 1998. He'd have been in the HOF for sure. But he watched McGwire and Sosa have their parade and decided he could top them. He got on the juice and proved he could hit more home runs, but in the process he wrecked everything. He was a great player, possibly in the Top 10 of all time, but he'll always have the taint. He ought to change his middle name to Hubris and be done with it.

When Bonds broke the all-time home run record, I felt anger. It's a shame that Roger Maris and Hank Aaron don't have their records back.

Roger Clemens: He got 57.3% last time. Same thing as Bonds. He won 354 games. He was a better version of Tom Seaver and if he had simply retired at, say, age 36, he's in for sure. But he extended his career with PEDs and is now paying the price for it. One of the top 5 pitchers of all time, but it's tough to argue on his behalf at the moment.

It really is a shame. Clemens had a heck of a second act in New York, but he chose to ruin his career in the process.

Mike Mussina: He got 63.5% last time. He won 270 games. He was a big game pitcher who rarely had the chance to pitch in one. But he was really good. The best comparable pitcher to Mussina is probably Juan Marichal. That's HOF quality. He may not make it this time, but he'll get there.

It's amazing that Mussina is underrated, but he is. He was quietly brilliant for a long time and is a key reason why the Yankees won the 2003 ALCS. I think he gets over the hump this year.

Edgar Martinez: He just fell short last time, getting 70.4%. This is his last year on the ballot. Martinez is the greatest DH of all time, with the possible exception of David Ortiz. Is it enough? Well, again the Harold Baines question looms. If Harold Baines is in the HOF, why not Martinez? Baines hit more home runs, Martinez hit for a better average. In my recollection, Baines was respected. Martinez, at his best, was feared. I'd like to see him make it, but he's a close call, which the overall numbers make clear.

I'd argue Martinez was as good a hitter as Junior. No one disputes that Junior is in the HOF. The DH has been around since 1973, and I think it's only fair that a DH gets into the Hall of Fame.

We will get the results this coming week. My guess is the class is Rivera, Halladay, and Martinez. Mussina might make it, too. If you want a darkhorse candidate, it could be Walker.

I think it's a big class this year. I have Rivera, Halladay, Martinez, Mussina, and Walker. 

Thanks for your help, Benster. And glad to see you've calmed down from the football picks!

The pastoral thing really helps, Old Dude. Thanks for letting me play!

D and Benster Talk Hall of Fame Ballot -- 2019 Edition, Part One

It's more or less an annual tradition that we talk about the candidates for the 2019 Baseball Hall of Fame. This year, Benster is going to be weighing in as well. We will cover 1st year candidates in this post, then circle back for the rest on Saturday. By the way, this is the strongest group of first-year candidates we've seen in a long time.

I'm old enough now where I've seen many of the players on the ballot, so I figure my opinion is worth something.

Opinions you've got for sure. So let's weigh in, shall we?

One and done (most likely) candidates. These guys are on the ballot because they meet the minimum requirements, but no one thinks they're worthy. I will dispatch each with a brief comment, and Benster will weigh in as he feels necessary:

Rick Ankiel: Started out as a pitcher, then became an outfielder. Memorable more for personal issues than anything he did on the field.

Interesting story, but his baseball career is more about the virtual circuit. Not a HOF player at all.

Juan Pierre: Speedy outfielder, sort of a modern-day Mickey Rivers, but less of a character than Mickey. Had a few nice seasons, but that was it.

He was underrated member and key contributor to the '03 Marlins, but doesn't belong.

Darren Oliver: He had a long career, 20 seasons. Was a starter initially, but ended up being a situational lefty. Won more games (118) in the majors than you might think, but was never a dominant player.

Not even close.

Jon Garland: Tall righthander, pitched most of his career with the White Sox. Had his best year in the championship season of 2005, winning 18 games for the Sox with an era of 3.50. He was never a dominant pitcher but he would definitely keep you in the game.

Solid #3 starter. As a rule, number 3 guys aren't in the HOF unless they are John Smoltz. He's not Smoltz.

Freddy Garcia: A good righthander, teammate of Garland on the 2005 White Sox. More successful career than Garland overall, winning 156 games. Similar career to current Twin Ervin Santana. A guy you were never afraid to trot out there, but not a HOF pitcher. May get enough votes to get a second crack, but probably not.

Had some good years in Seattle; other pitchers of his generation were better.

Ted Lilly: A poor man's Tom Glavine. Lefthander, bounced around a lot. Had several good seasons with the Cubs. He won over 10 games in 10 different seasons, which will keep you around. Good guy, by all accounts.

A good glue guy to have in your rotation. Glue guys don't make the Hall.

Michael Young: A good infielder, mostly at 3rd base. Had some power and usually hit for a good average -- lifetime .300 hitter. Made the All-Star Game 7 times, usually representing the Texas Rangers. Similar career to Ian Kinsler, although Kinsler is a better overall player. Might get a second look, but won't make it.

I'd also add that the Rangers were inconsistent during his tenure. Since he was one of the leaders of the team, that's not a good look.

Jason Bay: A power hitting leftfielder who bounced around a lot. Hit over 30 home runs in 4 seasons. Career numbers are similar to guys like Jesse Barfield, who you might remember but don't consider a HOF player. Of course, Barfield had probably the best outfield arm in the American League during his career. Bay was out in left because he couldn't throw.

Did win Rookie of the Year, but a lot of guys who aren't in the Hall won Rookie of the Year. 

Travis Hafner: Essentially a poor man's Jim Thome. Like Thome, he played the bulk of his career with the Indians. Hit 42 homers in his best season (2006), but ended up with about a third of Thome's career totals. Thome is in the Hall of Fame. Hafner is not going to get there.

He also struggled with injuries, which greatly shortened his career. Even so, he's not dominant enough to get by that.

Vernon Wells: A contemporary of Jermaine Dye and of similar value. He hit 270 homers and did win  3 Gold Gloves, but he was never great and he made the mistake of playing the majority of his career in Toronto, which meant no one paid much attention to him. But if no one thought Jermaine Dye was a HOFer, no one will think Wells is one, either.

Wells got caught in the shuffle, due to residing in the unglamorous city in baseball's glamor division. I'd be shocked if the Vets Committee gives him a second look.

Derek Lowe: He had a career that resembled John Smoltz, except he wasn't nearly as good. A starter who became a closer and then went back to being a starter, Lowe won 176 games, which means he had a substantial career. He also was a key member of the Red Sox when they finally broke through in 2004. Is that enough? Probably not. He may get enough votes to stay on the ballot, but I don't think he's ever going to get in.

Lowe won all three clinching playoff games in 2004, which is impressive. But it's not enough.

Kevin Youkilis: A guy who had great taste in teammates, he's a right-handed version of Mike Moustakas. Hit with moderate power and for a good average. Remembered more for being a colorful character than anything he did on the diamond.

Bill James famously called Youkilis "The Greek God of Walks." He'll have to live with that being his claim to fame, although I bet he rarely pays for a drink in a Boston bar.

Placido Polanco: Actually a pretty good player who was an excellent #2 hitter, but his career is scattered because he bounced around a lot. A career .297 hitter with decent power and a good glove, he was always a guy you wanted on your team. He might stick around on the ballot for a cycle or two, but I fear his tendency to be on the move will hurt him.

Those Tiger teams he played on were better than you might remember. If the '84 Tigers had to wait for recognition, Polanco will have to wait as well.

Miguel Tejada: An excellent career, but a steroid and HGH user who lied to Congress during their 2005 investigation. His stats are comparable to players like Alan Trammell (in the Hall) and Robinson Cano (active but with PED problems of his own). If he'd put together the career he did without juicing, I think he'd have an argument. Not sure he does now. May stay on the ballot for a while, though.

I think steroid users have no business even being on the ballot. Bye, Miguel.

Multiple ballot guys -- these guys will stay on the ballot, but won't make it in our estimation:

Roy Oswalt: An excellent pitcher who was never the staff ace, he won 163 games and had an superb career ERA (3.36), but he was, like Jon Garland, usually the #3 starter. Some of that was because his teammates (Clemens, Pettitte, Halladay) were just better, but when you look at his overall numbers, he compares favorably to people like Ron Guidry and Bret Saberhagen, who were great pitchers. But, you might notice, neither Guidry nor Saberhagen are in the Hall, either.

I want to like Oswalt. I really do. I just can't think of a signature moment in his career, though. It wouldn't surprise me if he falls off the ballot, but he's likely to stay on for another year.

Lance Berkman: He had a really nice career -- 366 homers, career .293 average, and was a winning player who was a contributor in multiple World Series teams. Is that enough? Do you think Jim Edmonds and Dick Allen are HOF-worthy? Maybe, but neither are in, although Edmonds has a better case. Berkman's career numbers are similar to those guys. Hall of the Very Good, if you ask me.

Berkman is borderline to me as well. He's a guy that I think the Veteran's Committee will give a second look some day.

Andy Pettitte: Man, this guy is a tough case. He won a lot of games (256) and was a key figure on some great Yankees teams. He also helped the Astros make the World Series in '05. But he was a PED guy, too, and he also was a bit of a weasel when you look back at things. If he'd laid off the juice, he'd be a no-brainer. But for now, I don't think he's there. He'll get a chance to make his case, though.

I've always compared Pettitte to Whitey Ford. Both were proven postseason performers. The problem is, Whitey Ford's only drug of choice was booze. You can argue about the morality of that, and his hijinks with Mickey Mantle are legendary. But he didn't use steroids. I'd be a hypocrite if I thought Pettitte was a Hall of Famer.

Todd Helton: For me, the most interesting guy on the 1st year list. I think Helton was a great player. He hit .316 for his career and hit 369 home runs. He was a Gold Glove first baseman, a leader, and probably one of the best ambassadors the game has had in the 21st Century. But he played his entire career at Coors Field, so some voters are going to knock him. I think the comparable player in this case is Jeff Bagwell, who is in the HOF on merit. Bagwell had to wait a few years, and Helton might, too, but he's a HOF player for sure in my estimation.

We'll discuss the other longtime Rockie on the ballot later. I think Helton belongs. I also find it hypocritical that people hold Coors Field against guys like Helton, when there are plenty of players who benefited from their own home ballparks, including a list of Yankee left-handed power hitters as long as your arm. The Gold Gloves at Coors should count for something, too.

Roy Halladay: Doc died in a plane crash, but we're going to forget that. Based on his career, which was somewhat shorter than some HOF pitchers, does he deserve enshrinement? I think yes, and I think he clears the bar rather easily. He won over 200 games and had an outstanding ERA (3.38). He was a straight-up intimidator and a stopper of the first rank. You gave him the ball and he got the job done. He also threw a no hitter in the playoffs, which only Don Larsen beat. He was the greatest pitcher in the history of the Toronto Blue Jays and a key player for some very strong Phillies teams as well. He may make it on the first ballot, but if he doesn't, he'll be there soon.

Doc was a very fun pitcher to watch. He's going to get in on the first ballot. He was the type of pitcher you wanted to give the ball to.

Mariano Rivera: Quite simply the greatest relief pitcher of all time. He was dominant and amazingly consistent. He kept Louisville Slugger in business with all the bats he shattered with his terrifying cutter. And yet he was a modest, gentlemanly player who was universally respected throughout baseball. But he was a stone killer. An all-time great for sure.

My only complaint about Rivera is that he dominated the Twins. When you can consistently get major league hitters out with one pitch, it's hard to deny your greatness. I consider myself lucky to have watched him play.

That's that. See you later for the returning candidates.

Lightning Round -- 121118

A few random thoughts:

• I don't care what Kyler Murray tweeted when he was 15 years old. I didn't care what Josh Hader tweeted, either. The news outlets that report such things are more vile than anything a 15-year-old boy might be thinking.
• We had a good discussion yesterday in the comments section concerning the election of Harold Baines and Lee Smith to the Baseball Hall of Fame. I really enjoyed watching Harold Baines throughout his career; he was a rock-solid player and a true gentleman who is a credit to the game. That's not nearly enough to make him a Hall of Fame member, however. Lee Smith was a dominant closer for over a decade, in the transition period between the Goose Gossage-style multi-inning dominators of the 1970s and the one-inning matadors of the current era. Smith is a borderline case in my estimation, but as we start sorting the great from the okay in terms of modern era pitchers, Smith is certainly a defensible choice. I do worry about the various Veterans Committees that the HOF is currently employing becoming similar to the committees of the 1970s, when a lot of dubious guys were honored because, at bottom, they were pals with the committee members.
• Another question -- is Joe Mauer a Hall of Fame player? Yes, I think so. If you consider him a catcher, which he was for the majority of his career, his overall numbers and defensive effectiveness are clearly above the bar. If you consider him a first baseman, not so much. His career numbers don't rank high on the all-time list, but he was, in many cases, a great player. Kirby Puckett had a similar career arc, although his career was cut short. The numbers are important in considering players, but the eye test still has value. If you watched Mauer and Puckett play, you saw greatness on a regular basis.
• I'm not going to write about the latest efforts from the Trump Scandal Factory for at least a few days. I remain convinced a counterpunch is in the offing, but it's not yet clear when that will happen.
• The Packers are pretty much dead for this season and it appears the Vikings are in trouble, too. Somewhere in California, a guy we know is smiling.

Quickly

Not exactly a lightning round, but close:

• I was never a big Marvel Comics guy, but there's no disputing the importance of its creator, Stan Lee, who died yesterday at the age of 95. Marvel is, at the time of  Lee's death, perhaps the most powerful non-Disney brand in the entertainment industry. Spider-Man was a different kind of superhero and one who has consistently resonated with the American public for over 50 years now. That's a hell of an accomplishment.
• As expected, Joe Mauer retired yesterday. He had a 15-year career with the Twins. He wasn't always great, but often he was. And he will be in the Hall of Fame within the next 10 years. He might not make it on the first ballot, but he did enough in his career, especially as a catcher, to merit the selection. I also am glad he didn't try to extend his career to build up his overall numbers. A lot of players do that and that clouds our memories. I remember Willie Mays as a New York Met, and John Unitas as a San Diego Charger. I'm glad we never saw Mauer wear anything other than a Twins uniform.
• I may take a break from politics for a few days. At this point, there's not much worth talking about. But we'll see.

Pennant Race!

Let's forget Kavanaugh for a minute and enjoy a little baseball:

I've been a Brewers fan my whole life. No team has brought more misery into the lives of Brewers fans than the St. Louis Cardinals. As you might imagine, seeing the Brewers go into St. Louis and kick Cardinal butt is sweet.

The Brewers are only a half-game behind the Cubs and could win the division outright if they stay hot. I don't know if the Brewers have enough pitching, especially starting pitching, to win it all, but they have bats galore and a straight-up superstar in Christian Yelich, who knocked in six runs last night. This has turned into a  memorable season and there's a chance it could get a lot better. There isn't a dominant team in the National League and, right now, the Brewers are playing as well as anyone. Why not?

Mr. D's Quick and Dirty Baseball Hall of Fame Synopsis

I have done more detailed Hall of Fame posts in recent years, but this year I'm going to be a little more, shall we say, impressionistic. So here we are. A quick comment on every player on this year's ballot -- sorry, Juan Rincon -- you didn't make the ballot, despite offering one of the best quotes in baseball history:

You are correct, sir!

Garrett Anderson — nice player, nice career, mostly with the Angels. Similar player to Ellis Burks. No chance.

Brad Ausmus — Currently, the manager of the Detroit Tigers. He had a good, long career as a catcher. No chance.

Jeff Bagwell — Bagwell has HOF-quality numbers for sure, but he's in the unfortunate space of being suspected (by some) but never formally accused of using performance enhancing drugs (PED). He should make it, eventually, and has a decent chance of getting in either this year or next.

Barry Bonds — One of the all time greats, but clearly a PED user. He’ll be waiting a while longer, but some day he will be in, once the great minds of baseball figure out how to handle cases like his.

Luis Castillo — A good player who spent time with the Twins in the mid-2000s. No chance.

Roger Clemens — see Bonds. One of the all-time greats, perhaps the best modern right-handed starter of all. Still, almost certainly was a PED user, and a bit of a jackass to boot. He might get in before Bonds because he won his court case, but it will be a while.

David Eckstein — to paraphrase Paul Simon, every generation throws a Freddie Patek up the pop charts. Nice player, but no chance.

Jim Edmonds — I like him, but I wonder. A serious question; was Edmonds better than Bernie Williams, who was summarily (and unfairly) dismissed? It will be interesting to see how his candidacy is viewed. I think he has a chance, but not this year.

Nomar Garciaparra — back for another round. Seems like a “Hall of the Very Good” guy to me. Won't make it this time.

Troy Glaus — Third baseman with serious power, which gives him a chance, but to me, not a HOF player.

Ken Griffey Jr. — An all-time great, no doubt about it, first ballot Hall of Famer. The only question is will he get 90% of the voters on his side, or will it be more than that?

Mark Grudzialanek — A well-traveled middle infielder with some power. Nice player, nice career. No chance.

Mike Hampton — I think pitching at Coors Field wrecked his career. A contemporary of Brad Radke and a comparable player with similar career numbers. Like Radke, he won't make it.

Trevor Hoffman — the most interesting candidate on the ballot. Great career numbers, but not necessarily a dominant player. How much value do you place on the work of a modern closer? He could get you one inning, usually about 40-50 times a season, for nearly two decades. He won't make it this year, but he could in the next few. If he doesn't get in the HOF before Mariano Rivera gets on the ballot, he might have to wait a while.

Jason Kendall — A good catcher, but not one that people are going to remember. Maybe he and Ausmus can have dinner after the results are announced. Kendall was a better hitter than Ausmus and perhaps a better overall player, but he's not HOF.

Jeff Kent — Another guy with great offensive numbers but he did not offer much in the field. He played most of his career at second base, so his numbers really stand out in that context, but his career was largely in the Steroid Era. He has a chance; it will be interesting to see if his vote total begins to rise.

Mike Lowell — nice player, nice career. No chance.

Edgar Martinez — one of the best hitters of his generation, but being a DH hurts him. If he’s going to get in the HOF, he’d better do it before David Ortiz hits the ballot.

Fred McGriff — No taint of steroids, which helps, but not a clutch player, so he's a bit of a borderline case. I like him, but I’m not sure he’s done enough. If given a choice, I would definitely take Bagwell first.

Mark McGwire — PEDs killed his candidacy. Maybe the Veterans’ Committee will give him a sniff down the line.

Mike Mussina — A consistently outstanding starting pitcher with a long career. I think he’s HOF worthy; he compares favorably to Bert Blyleven, who is in. Maybe not this year, but he will get there eventually.

Mike Piazza — He just missed last year, so I think he’ll get in this year. I still like Bagwell better, but Piazza is the best hitting catcher of all time, so it’s tough to see a reason to deny him. PED suspicions but nothing definitive.

Tim Raines — I've argued for him before; to me, he's a no doubt about it HOF guy. Not sure the BBWAA agrees. Has made progress, but he’d better see a jump this year or he's going to fall short.

Curt Schilling — Realy a big game pitcher, dominant at times. Also a controversial character; not sure if that hurts his candidacy. He has a chance in the next year or two, but I wonder why he’s a better candidate than Jack Morris, who is now on the outside looking in.

Gary Sheffield — PED user and a complete jackass. Also hit 500 home runs. He may get enough votes to stay on the ballot, but in the end I don’t think he’ll make it.

Lee Smith — A dominant closer whose career straddles the old school, Goose Gossage era and the modern, Mariano Rivera era. His career makes an interesting comparison with Hoffman's. He has not made much progress in getting votes and he's running out of time; I could make an argument for him, though.

Sammy Sosa — over 600 home runs, but a huge PED taint. He’ll be waiting a while.

Mike Sweeney — the best player on a lot of bad Royals teams. Honorable career, but not a HOF player.

Alan Trammell — This is his last year on the ballot and he’s not going to make it. That’s a travesty. I think the Veterans’ Committee will eventually rectify the error. He was a great player. I hope his old partner Lou Whitaker gets a sniff from the Veterans’ Committee some time, too.

Billy Wagner — A dominant closer, but not as long a career as Hoffman. Poor man’s Goose Gossage. I don’t personally think he’s HOF, but he has his advocates.

Larry Walker — how much do you value his numbers given his long stint in Coors Field? I’m on the fence about him. Some legitimately great seasons, including a few in a terrible hitting par in Montreal, which somewhat mitigates the inflation built into his Coors Field numbers. I think he's a borderline case.

Randy Winn — nice that he got on the ballot. No chance.

So, to sum up -- I think Griffey and Piazza make it this year, and perhaps Mussina and/or Bagwell. Place your bets.