Baseball Hall of Fame (JIM MCISAAC / GETTY IMAGES)
The top five players headed to the Hall of Fame are players that could retire today and be inducted. Furthermore, they should all be inducted on the first ballot.
Hall of Fame Statistics Are Changing
The current group of players destined for the Hall of Fame is probably a larger group than many purists may think. With the increased acceptance of sabermetrics as a way to value players, many are viewed in a different light than they were in the past.
A prime example is the induction of Scott Rolen. Without the acceptance of statistics like wins above replacement he most likely would have fallen off the ballot. However, the top five current players headed to the Hall of Fame are players that are impossible to keep out. It doesn’t matter what statistics are considered.
#1 Miguel Cabrera
Detroit Tiger Miguel Cabrera will be inducted on his first year of eligibility without a doubt. He is only the seventh player in major league history to have over 3,000 hits and over 500 homeruns. He is one of the best right handed hitters of all time. With a career slash line of .303/.383/.521 and an OPS+ of 141 he ranks among the top players of all time. He should be a unanimous first ballot inductee. The only question is which hat he’ll be wearing. Will it be the Marlins or the Tigers?
#2 Clayton Kershaw
Clayton Kershaw is one of the most dominant pitchers of his era. The crafty left-handed pitcher has been giving hitters nightmares for sixteen seasons and counting. He has a miniscule career earned run average of 2.50, over 2,800 strikeouts and counting, three Cy Young awards and one MVP award. He is one of the most dominant starters of his generation and is another certain first ballot Hall of Fame inductee.
#3 Max Scherzer
Mad Max is one of fiercest competitors out there. He is a throwback to the pitchers of old. He’s definitely not a pitcher that batters crowd the plate on. With a career earned run average of 3.12, over 3,200 strikeouts and 3 Cy Young awards he should be in the Hall of Fame on the first ballot without any doubts.
#4 Mike Trout
Unfortunate for fans and MLB in general, Mike Trout has spent his entire Hall of Fame career with the Angels on the west coast. Because of this, many fans have not been able to see what a special talent he truly is. He is one of the best all around players of all time and has never had the spotlight to truly shine on some of the biggest stages in baseball. Owning a career slash line of .302/.413/.584, over 350 homeruns, three MVP awards and nine top five finishes. Undoubtedly he’s an all time great and a first ballot selection.
#5 Justin Verlander
Flamethrower Justin Verlander has been one of the most dominant pitchers throughout the past twenty years. Also he’s one of those pitchers that never seems to tire. Verlander has lost some time due to injuries but amazingly seems to come back stronger than ever each time. With a career earned run average of 3.26, over 3,200 strikeouts, two Cy Young awards and a MVP award no one can question his dominance. Verlander is a lock for the Hall of Fame and his case will only grow.
Hall of Fame Voters Better Get it Right
The voters for the Hall of Fame have no excuse not to induct the five players previously mentioned. In fact, if they don’t induct these five on their first year of eligibility they should probably give their vote to someone else. These players are without any doubt all time greats. Furthermore, they are the kind of players that are once in a generation types. Some are putting up statistics that fans may never see again. Baseball fans should consider themselves lucky to have been able to witness these players’ accomplishments.
