If you were given the power to induct 10 retired major leaguers into the hall of fame, who would you pick?

Question

Remember, only 10 players who are retired from the game that you believe are worthy of the hall of fame.

Answer 1

Buck O'Neil - absurd he isn't in it.

Don Mattingly - Donny Ballgame played the game the way it was supposed to be played. Set the tone for Yankees juggernaught of the 90s.

Ron Santo - great hitter who happened to have his peak years during the most dominant pitching era of the 20th century.

Jim Rice - If he had a nickname like Tony "Doggy" Perez and a cheerleader like Pete Rose, he'd be in there already.

Rich Gossage - He'll be in soon

Jack Morris - I know his ERA wasn't great and was, in fact, lower than the rest of his own team for a lot of his career, but the guy could WIN. Winningest pitcher of the 80s, I think. Crucial WS wins for three different teams. And his 12 inning shutout in game 7 was an all-time classic,the likes of which we will probably never see again.

Sadaharu Oh. Why not. It would be cool.

Gil Hodges - for my mom.


That's 8. I'm sure there are at least 2 more ***** Leaguers who deserve it but unfortunately I am not knowledgable enough to know who they are.

Answer 2

I'm limiting the first part of this to eligible payers. That's anyone who played for at least 10 full seasons, has been retired for at least at least 5 years, and is not under a lifetime suspension. Those are the rules of eligibility, and I'm not here to debate them.

Kim Kaat
Andre Dawson
Jack Morris
Dave Concepcion
Ron Santo - please, while there's still enough of him left to see and appreciate it
Bert Blyleven
Buck O'Neill

And in upcoming years, these three:

Rickey Henderson (2009)
Roberto Alomar (2010)
Barry Larkin (2010)


I'd also create a category for players who made significant off-field contributions to the game, and the first player I'd induct in that category would be Curt Flood.

Answer 3

Joe Jackson and Lefty O’Doul both in the top 5 all-time Batting average .355 and .349 respectively and aren’t in the all of fame. Bert Blyleven 5th all-time in strikes outs and not in. Sadaharu Oh he is the Japanese League greatest player and I think it would be a great tribute to allow him to enter the Hall of Fame .301 lifetime batting average and 868 home runs. Pitcher Bobby Mathews and Jim Kaat, Bobby Mathews Pitched on some bad teams and has 297 wins and Kaat the greatest fielding pitcher of all time has 283 wins
John Franco 424 saves Luis Tiant a 3.30 career ERA, Tim Raines .294 Batting average and 5th all-time in stolen bases Ricky Henderson all-time stolen base leader

Answer 4

Buck O'Neil - that's it.

* A few people below have made some good points, but I think the best was made by the person who suggested Oh from Japan. Though he didn't face the same kind of barrier that ***** League players did, he did face similar barriers in entering the big leagues, as Japanese players weren't really considered real prospects until recently, and thus his path to the majors was essentially blocked had he attempted to come over. That being said, at what point do you determine what non-MLB players should be allowed in the hall and which ones shouldn't? Oh clearly isn't the only Japanese player never to get his shot at the bigs, so do we start letting all of them in? I think, right or wrong, there comes a point where you can't just let every player in just for equality.
My suggestion for people like this would be to possibly get them in as contributors, sorta like owners and writers. Guys like Oh, though never in the majors, helped to pave the way for future players to make it, simply because as gaudy as Oh's stats were, it does cause scouts to start to wonder what guys like that translate to in the bigs.

Answer 5

Dave Concepcion - Andres Galarraga should receive the chance to be in the Hall of Fame - Rafael Palmeiro - Mark McGwire - Johny Van Der Meer (i think is writen like this) - Albert Bell - Roger Maris and I don't know who else I would choose (retired) o and i almost forget Pete Rose and Joe Jackson

Answer 6

Ron Santo - there is no greater injustice than Santo being left
out
Joe Jackson - it was always obvious he never threw a game
Pete Rose - regardless of his sins, he is the greatest hitter
the game as ever seen
Andre Dawson
Roger Maris - yeah, I know. It's a stretch, but did break The
Babe's single season homerun record.

Outside of these guys I can't think of anyone else.

Answer 7

I'm only going to give you 3. I am sure there are plenty of others who are deseving but for some reason (read that to mean they did not play in NY or Boston) they did not get voted in.

Alan Trammel and Lou Whittiker should go in together.

Jack Morris, he should go in on his World Series record alone. Toss in the winningest pitcher in the 80s and you have a hall of famer.

Answer 8

Ron Santo. I'd give him three votes if that's what it would take.

Bert Blyleven.

Goose Gossage, though I'm pretty sure he'll get the decoder ring in 2008 anyway.

Mark McGwire.

Buck O'Neil wasn't a MLB player, but sure, I'd bring him in.

And if enough people got down and grovelled, I could see my way to bringing in Jim Rice, but it'd have to be a really convincingly sincere grovel.

Among non-players, Marvin Miller and Dr. Frank Jobe.

Answer 9

Shoeless Joe, Pete Rose, Joe Torre, Oh

Answer 10

"Shoeless" Joe Jackson, Pete Rose, Ron Santo, Buck O'Neil, Jim Rice, Bert Blyleven, Lee Smith