Which active players have the best shot at Hall of Fame enshrinement?
Trying to handicap Baseball Hall of Fame candidates is as difficult as trying to pick the winner of the Kentucky Derby. Or tougher.
After Mariano Rivera, Edgar Martinez, Mike Mussina, Lee Smith, Harold Baines and the late Roy Halladay were inducted Sunday in Cooperstown, New York, the only certainty is that Derek Jeter, in his first year of eligibility, might match Rivera’s 100 percent voting approval in 2020.
So go ahead and dream, current players. You too may have a date in Cooperstown one day.
Here’s a look at the today’s Major League players who should draw Hall of Fame attention in the coming years.
We’ve broken them down to: Write Your Induction Speech (overwhelming favorites), Trending Up, Trending Down, and those who still have work to do.
WRITE YOUR INDUCTION SPEECH Albert Pujols
Career: .301 BA, 647 HR; 2,038 RBI, .931 OPS, 100.3 WAR
Sure, the 39-year-old Pujols has slowed down.
Mike Trout
Career: .306 BA, 270 HR, 723 RBI, .999 OPS, 70.4 WAR
He’s already won two AL MVP awards and finished second four times. An eight-time All-Star, if he stays healthy, should have a chance to break many records.
Max Scherzer
Career: 168-87, 3.16 ERA, 60 WAR
The veteran righthander has a complete Hall resume: three Cy Youngs and five All-Star nods. He’s led the National League in strikeouts the past three seasons and has developed a reputation for being a big-game pitcher.
Justin Verlander
Career: 216-127, 3.37 ERA, 67.3 WAR
The trade from Detroit to Houston rejuvenated the righty and moved him into serious Hall consideration. The eight-time All-Star has a Cy Young Award, an MVP, an AL Rookie of the Year, and an ALCS MVP. And, oh yeah, a World Series title.
TRENDING UPWARD Miguel Cabrera
Career: .315 BA, 470 HR; 1,672 RBI, 69.5 WAR Clutch hitter is bound for Cooperstown. He also has a World Series ring, a World Series MVP, two regular-season MVPs and 11 All-Star trips.
Clayton Kershaw
Career: 161-71, 2.42 ERA, 66.4 WAR Forget his so-so postseason performances. The man is 90 games over .500 and has struck out 2,373 hitters. Three Cy Youngs and an NL MVP Award highlight the eight-time All-Star’s brilliance.
CC Sabathia
Career: 251-157, 3.71 ERA, 64.7 WAR Earning his 250th victory and passing the 3,000-strikeout milestone in his final season has CC staring upward. He won’t be a first-ballot pick, but he shouldn’t have to wait long. He would love to add a second World Series title to his Cy Young, ALCS MVP and six All-Star appearances.
Yadier Molina
Career: .282 BA, 150 HR, 895 RBI, 39 WAR Offensive stats only tell part of the story. Molina, a nine-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner, is arguably the best defensive catcher and signal caller since Johnny Bench. Having won two World Series, he’s a clutch hitter (ask Mets fans).
Madison Bumgarner
Career: 115-90, 3.09 ERA, 35.7 WAR Bumgarner has the postseason resume of three titles, a World Series MVP and an NLCS MVP. At 29, however, he still has a lot of pitching to do, for who knows what team. He can use a turnaround season to remind fans (and voters) that he’s still around.
David Price
Career: 150-78, 3.27 ERA, 39.9 WAR Don’t dismiss Price’s chances. Except for pitching at Yankee Stadium, the five-time All-Star has survived quite well in the rough and tumble AL East. He won a Cy Young with the Tampa Bay Rays and a World Series with the Boston Red Sox. There’s still some life in his 31-year-old arm.
Craig Kimbrel
Career: 31-20, 1.97 ERA, 238 saves, 20.0 WAR How much his late start this season affects Kimbrel’s Hall chances remains to be seen. He was a Rookie of the Year, won a World Series with the Red Sox, and has appeared in seven AllStar games. In his favor, more relievers are being considered for Cooperstown.
Bryce Harper
Career: .277 BA, 201 HR, 591 RBI, 29 WAR Let’s not forget that Harper, who may not be living up to his Philadelphia Phillies contract, is only 26. And he’s already an MVP, a Rookie of the Year and a six-time All-Star. If this is merely an adjustment season after switching teams, watch out.
Manny Machado
Career: .281 BA, 199 HR, 577 RBI, 36.4 WAR The other high-priced free agent of last offseason is starting to settle in with the San Diego Padres. He was a four-time All-Star and a twotime Gold Glove winner in Baltimore. If he continues his pace, he merits consideration for the Hall.
TRENDING DOWNWARD Robinson Cano
Career: .303 BA, 317 HR; 1,255 RBI, 68.7 WAR Cano’s Hall chances probably ended with his 2018 80-game suspension for testing positive for a banned substance. His less-than-stellar start with the Mets doesn’t help. Even with a World Series ring, All-Star MVP, two Gold Gloves and eight AllStar nods, many voters won’t consider him.
Felix Hernandez
Career: 169-132, 3.38 ERA, 50.4 WAR Earlier in his career, King Felix look like a lock for the Hall of Fame. But injuries have knocked him for a loop. He may need another good season or two to send him to Cooperstown
MORE WORK TO DO Chris Sale
Career: 107-71, 2.98 ERA, 4.51 WAR This season has been a bummer for the seven-time All-Star. He needs to get back on track quickly -- before the images of his excellent contributions to Boston’s latest World Series victory fade into the background.
Aroldis Chapman
Career: 32-26, 2.25 ERA, 261 saves, 16.8 WAR How much longer can the 31-year-old throw 100 mph? He could use a Yankees World Series title to go with the one he won with the Chicago Cubs. The six-time All-Star has 651 career strikeouts. He’ll need considerably more for Cooperstown induction.
Giancarlo Stanton
Career: .268 BA, 306 HR, 779 RBI, 39.8 WAR This season has been a washout because of injuries. If you think Stanton, who’ll turn 30 in November, is still Hall worthy, you better root for his 2017 form, when he hit 59 homers and drove in 132 runs with the Miami Marlins, to return. Another MVP season, or two, is necessary.
Edwin Encarnacion
Career: .262 BA, 409 HR, 1,223 RBI, 34.1 WAR Encarnacion has 31 more homers and 161 more runs batted in than Nelson Cruz, a player of similar talent. Cruz has hit for the better average, by eight points. The newest Yankee needs to improve his average to become a legit Hall of Fame candidate.
Buster Posey
Career: .304 BA, 138 HR, 663 RBI, 41.3 WAR All those years of catching have taken a toll on the Giants catcher. He can only hope the voters remember his early days, when San Francisco won three titles and Posey was a Rookie of the Year, an MVP and a six-time All-Star.