Mulholland my guy!!

Jeromy Burnitz, OF *
Bill Mueller, 3B *
Terry Mulholland, LHP*
Phil Nevin, 3B/1B *
Tony Womack, 2B/SS *
Eric Young, 2B *
* -- first year on ballot.

Edgar Martinez and Mattingly are the only ones you could make case for. Possibly Dale Murphy

Edgar Martinez and Mattingly are the only ones you could make case for. Possibly Dale Murphy

Walker and Raines stand far above anyone else on that list.

Agree on Raines

I'm not sure about Larry Walker...his best numbers were inflated playing in Denver...and as much as I hate conditions like that being taken into account, that's what the mouthbreathers in the BBWAA look at.

Yeah, and I guess he's under suspicion with the rest of them too. But he couldn't possibly be kept out on his numbers. He almost (I said almost, stoneroses) compares with Mantle. He was an elite defensive outfielder and a great baserunner. Even if you consider the Colorado factor, I would compare him to a guy like Chuck Klein who has inflated numbers from playing in the Baker Bowl.

I can see that...I'm not as hung up on the whole steroid thing...it was a product of the environment they played in.

I think Larkin has to get in.

I agree. It was what it was. Everyone is under that cloud. Are we just going to keep an entire generation of players out? Or just put guys like Vizquel in? And as far as I'm concerned, he may have juiced too.

Regardless of the steroids, Palmeiro is a guy I never considered a Hall of Famer at any time while he was playing. His career is over and the numbers are all there, but I don't think he was better than guys like Will Clark or Mattingly or McGriff, and none of them belong in the HoF. I don't think Palmeiro does either.

I think Larkin has to get in.

To me, a guy like that is who should be kept out. He was a really good player. So was Alan Trammell. But they're not what I'd call Hall of Famers.

It's like Santo. If he gets in there's guys like Doug Rader, Bando, Boyer, hell, even Matt Williams, Carney Lansford, and Robin Ventura that aren't that much different than he was. Was Santo better than those guys. Maybe. But it's by a razor thin margin. I'd draw my line somewhere above Ron Santo and Barry Larkin.

To me, a guy like that is who should be kept out. He was a really good player. So was Alan Trammell. But they're not what I'd call Hall of Famers.

Yankee resentment runs deep in this thread.

Don Mattingly is what baseball is all about. He should have been in the Hall of Fame a long time ago.

I got your line "right here". Santo was the best all-around 3rd basemen of his generation. Certainly one of the best of all time. He should have been in years ago.

How is Raines any different from Larkin? They seem to me to be about the same guy. Really good player, just not HOF worthy.

He's the second best leadoff man ever and arguably the best base stealer.

Rickey is going to come find you and Rickey is gonna kick your ass.

Nope. Not as good as Will Clark.

He's not a true Yankee anyway. No championships.

How is Raines any different from Larkin? They seem to me to be about the same guy. Really good player, just not HOF worthy.

The Yankees retired Mattingly's number 23 and dedicated his plaque for Monument Park at Yankee Stadium on August 31, 1997. The plaque calls him "A humble man of grace and dignity, a captain who led by example, proud of the pinstripe tradition and dedicated to the pursuit of excellence, a Yankee forever."

And He is better than Will Clark in every way. Batting Average, Defensively, Voice, facial hair....