OT What current players are a shoo-in for the HOF?

Krgrecw

**NOT ACTUALLY RACIST
Trout
Verlander
Scherzer
Kershaw


Votto Borderline
Kimberl borderline (he’ll be 100% if he jumps Lee smith for third all time in saves)
 
I don’t think so. One of the best talents of our time, but injured way too much

He's a pretty unique case and compares favorably to Koufax. 2 time Cy Young winner. His career ERA is 2nd lowest in the last 50 years among starting pitchers. All-time leader in K/BB ratio among qualified pitchers.

He's only 36 too. So it's possible if he's returns well from TJS that he could pitch another 4-5 years,
 
If retired today: Verlander, Scherzer, Kershaw
Almost there: Betts, Altuve, Freeman, Trout
Well on their way: Judge, Machado, Harper
 
If retired today: Verlander, Scherzer, Kershaw
Almost there: Betts, Altuve, Freeman, Trout
Well on their way: Judge, Machado, Harper

Trout has the best case of anyone still playing. Even Verlander. Trout has more career WAR now at age 32 than Jeter, Bagwell, Chipper, Thome, or even Griffey did when they retired.
 
The hall of fame being a longevity award is ridiculous. The concept of more wars being what decides who is in and who isn’t is incredibly limiting.

Roger maris was two time mvp and broke the most revered record in the sport. He doesn’t get a sniff, but scott rolen who finished once in the top 5 of an mvp race is in because he managed to rack up a bunch of average seasons late into his 30s to get those war totals up.

Murphy a similar story.

To answer this question, just be sure to pick someone who will be average through his late 30s and he will have a great shot.
 
Trout
Freeman
Mookie
Goldschmidt
Verlander
Kershaw
Scherzer

We'll see
Sale
Greinke
Cole
Jansen
Kimbrel
Chapman (closers are hard to predict)
Harper
Arenado
Longoria
Machado (there's a chance one of the 3 of them gets in but they also could all miss out)
Judge
Realmuto/Salvy (interesting debate for either of them as catchers)
Correa (depends on how he finishes his career)


Too young to know
Soto
Acuna
Devers
Strider

Positional potential
Altuve - Currently 4th in 2B fWAR since 1990, could wind up passing Utley (who should be in the hall), Biggio, Cano, Alomar, etc. as best 2B recently.

Will voters be stupid
Wainwright
 
Sale winning his only Cy Young as a Brave in a HOF career would be hilarious

Would be. I would love for Sale to be able to pitch for like 5 more years and somehwo be healthy would be sick. The only issue with him in his career is health. His WAR/IP is sick. If he could somehow have the same number of innings as Kershaw, he'd basically have the same WAR.
 
Would be. I would love for Sale to be able to pitch for like 5 more years and somehwo be healthy would be sick. The only issue with him in his career is health. His WAR/IP is sick. If he could somehow have the same number of innings as Kershaw, he'd basically have the same WAR.
I do have an opinion on which of them is likely to pitch more innings over the next 3-5 years.
 
The hall of fame being a longevity award is ridiculous. The concept of more wars being what decides who is in and who isn’t is incredibly limiting.

Roger maris was two time mvp and broke the most revered record in the sport. He doesn’t get a sniff, but scott rolen who finished once in the top 5 of an mvp race is in because he managed to rack up a bunch of average seasons late into his 30s to get those war totals up.

Murphy a similar story.

To answer this question, just be sure to pick someone who will be average through his late 30s and he will have a great shot.

But that's exactly what sets hall of famers apart from merely great players - the ability to perform past their prime. Being a league average performer while being way older than most other players is difficult. And being league-average is valuable - a team full of average players should win 81 games, and could make the playoffs if the stars align.

Of course, being nothing but league average won't get a player into the HOF - he still needs the peak of being among the very best players of his time for an extended period. But longevity is also a sign of greatness.
 
The hall of fame being a longevity award is ridiculous. The concept of more wars being what decides who is in and who isn’t is incredibly limiting.

Roger maris was two time mvp and broke the most revered record in the sport. He doesn’t get a sniff, but scott rolen who finished once in the top 5 of an mvp race is in because he managed to rack up a bunch of average seasons late into his 30s to get those war totals up.

Murphy a similar story.

To answer this question, just be sure to pick someone who will be average through his late 30s and he will have a great shot.

Rolen was rarely an elite overall player. But as a third baseman, few could match his combination of offense and defense on a yearly basis. The fact is that he was able to remain one of the best 3b in baseball over a 14 year stretch and averaged 5.2 WAR per 162 game season. He was a good bit better than average into his 30's.
 
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