Who would you vote into 2007's Hall of Fame? Why are you voting for these people?

Question

Harold Baines
Albert Belle
Dante Bichette
Bert Blyleven
Bobby Bonilla
Scott Brosius
Jay Buhner
Ken Caminiti
Jose Canseco
Dave Concepcion
Eric Davis
Andre Dawson
Tony Fernandez
Steve Garvey
Rich Gossage
Tony Gwynn
Orel Hershiser
Tommy John
Wally Joyner
Don Mattingly
Mark McGwire
Jack Morris
Dale Murphy
Paul O'Neill
Dave Parker
Jim Rice
Cal Ripken Jr.
Bret Saberhagen
Lee Smith
Alan Trammell
Devon White
Bobby Witt

Answer 1

I would vote for
Cal Ripken Jr. Its an obvious choice.
Tony Gywnn another obvious one.
Jim Rice because he was the Red Sox in his years.
Rich Gossage. Goose was a reliever when they pitched 2-7 innings. There were no specialists like Mariano.

Answer 2

Blyleven, Dawson, Gwynn, McGwire and Ripken.

Despite playing his entire career playing for crappy teams, Blyleven put up decent numbers and is in the Top 10 in strikeouts.

Dawson - Quite simply a great hitter on a bunch of mediocore teams. God knows what kind of numbers he would have had if he had played for good teams.

Gwynn and Ripken - their numbers speak for themselves. Quite simply two of the best players during the '80's and '90's.

McGwire - if he had been healthy, he would have passed Aaron's home run record and Bonds would never be able to catch him. His power numbers speak volumes. The steroid possibility is hanging over his head though although personally, I don't think he took them.

Outside possibilities - John and Mattingly. John put together some good numbers especially after having the surgery which bears his name. Mattingly - good numbers, but not good enough for this year. Maybe in a slow year.

Answer 3

Bert Blyleven wins and k's
Andre Dawson because he deserves it
Rich Gossage great player
Tony Gwynn stats tell why
Tommy John tons of wins and ks
Don Mattingly if he played longer he would have had 3000 hits
Jack Morris tons of wins and ks
Jim Rice hate redsox but great player
Lee Smith all time save leader
Cal Ripken Jr. games streak

Answer 4

This year I put three guys in:

Cal Ripken Jnr and Tony Gywnn are both no brainers.

Big Mac goes in but not this year.

I vote Goose Gossage, I think he had a great career and should be rewarded with a place in Cooperstown.

I know a lot of Yankee fans want Donnie Baseball in but he wasn't a Hall of Famer for me.

Answer 5

Cal Ripken Jr. because of the games played streak and because he's got the numbers.
Tony Gwynn - 8 batting titles and he gave it all every day.
Jim Rice - The most feared hitter in baseball for a ten year stretch.

Answer 6

Cal Ripken Jr. for sure.....maybe Tommy John, Jack Morris or
Orel Hershiser.

Answer 7

My picks: Bert Blyleven (287 wins, 3700+ K's, 60 ShO with mostly mediocre teams), Steve Garvey (consistent star and MVP candidate, 1000+ consec. games), Rich Gossage (groundbreaking relief pitcher), Tony Gwynn (no introduction necessary), Dale Murphy (not overwhelming numbers but add the multiple gold gloves and he's in), Jim Rice (one of the most feared sluggers of his era), Cal Ripken (see Gwynn),
I'll pass: Lee Smith (lots of saves, but there are lots of guys with big save numbers coming up now. Plus a 71-92 W-L record?), Andre Dawson (lots of HRs but mediocre BA's), Jack Morris (if he'd put his best years closer together he'd get my vote)

PS - My veteran's votes: Ron Santo, Gil Hodges, Tony Oliva, Pete Browning, Lefty O'Doul, Buck O'Neill

Answer 8

Andre Dawson - great career number

Jim Rice - the best hitter over a 10 year span in MLB

Cal Rpken jr - The longest game streal and 2 MVP's

Lee Smith - Best closer in baseball history the alltime saves

Tony Gwynn - 8 batting titles

Answer 9

Mark McGwire... so what he used enhancements... get over it... he was always a stellar athlete, and generally a great guy... and his stats are there to back him...

cal ripken jr... well, he's cal, enough said.

Answer 10

i will admit that you have presented quite an inpressive list, i would vote for two people on your list,plus one not on your list.
here goes relief pitcher goose gossage..why? he was simply one of the most dominating and intimidating relief pitchers of all time, just ask anyone who had to face him with the game on the line. in addition to his blinding fast ball, he could throw a breaking ball that just froze you.
#2 donny baseball..don mattingly, just look at his stats, he was an offensive machine who could hit for power and average..see batting title race between don and wade boggs. see record for homeruns in consecutive games and grandslams, throw in his superb defensive skills, all star teams, gold gloves etc, also saw him play third base and outfield for yanks when they were short at those positions.certainly in the 1980"s one of the two most dominant first basemen in the major leagues..the other being keith hernandez.
finally the one player not on your list, the late thurman munson. do not be fooled because he did not get 3000 hits, look at everything he accomplished while he was alive, rookie of the year, three consecutibe world series, winning two of them,clutch hitter, all star catcher, one of the ballsiest players to ever put on a uniform, set record for most hits in a four game world series, finally in his defense, look at life time stats of catchers already in the hall of fame..thurman's stats are as good as any of them, and better than some.
as there really is no fair way to compare players from one era to another, i use the following criteria to determine a players worth regarding hall of fame induction.
to be inducted into the hall of fame,i believe that you must have been dominant at your position. so goose gossage clearly meets that standard, as does mattingly.. who besides him, keith hernandez and possibly, wally joiner were worth mentioning at the firstbase position, finally thurman munson,carlton fisk and johnny bench were the most dominant catchers in the game, and fisk and bench are already in.