Ron Santo

http://anaheimangelsblog.blogspot.com
I'm going with Bobby Grich. Ron Santo is close, but they have identical career OPS+, and they were both find defenders -- but Grich was at a more crucial position. Grich also has a higher WARP3, and was better on a seasonal basis.

Other close competitors for the number one spot are Lou Whitaker and Ryne Sandberg. All of these guys are really close together in value. But Grich edges out all of them.

Alan Trammell

Ron Santo

Lou Whitaker.

http://www.phillies-fan.com
Goose Gossage.

Can I say Shoeless Joe? I know he's banned but if Rose gets in he deserves it for sure. Besides him Ron Santo I guess

http://www.uta.edu/english/tim/lection/
Santo, by quite a margin.

Just because he hasn't been mentioned yet, I'll go with Blyleven.

Lou Whitaker

Blyleven

Gavvy Cravath.

This goes back a while, but how about Wes Ferrell at pitcher...

Bert "Be Home" Blyleven

http://mothershipconnection.blogspot.com/
Gossage, Sandberg, Blyleven, Trammel, Jack Morris, Bruce Sutter.

http://mothershipconnection.blogspot.com/
And two that I'm on the fence about: Mattingly and Dawson

Ryne Sandberg

Ryne Sandberg, by a good margin.

Sandberg.
I imagine that within the next couple of years he'll get in and pass the torch to Tim Raines.

The under-rated by traditionalists (since he's not in) and by the SABR crowd, the so-under-rated-he's-not-even-on-the-underrated-list leader:

Bobby Bonds

I was down to blyleven, sandberg, and bonds...
I have to go with blyleven

Sandberg

Darrell Evans.

Yes, I'd probably go with Blyleven or Santo first, but they're getting plenty of love, and Evans is the most overlooked Hall candidate ... ever.

Ron Santo, one of many fine candidates, but the best choice at the most underrepresented position.

Joe Carter....yeah, yeah I know.... but he hit the homerun.

OK, Andre Dawson cuz' he was da man when I watched the Spo's as a kid.

Ryne Sandberg.

Dick Allen
My Dad's favourite player

Whitaker isn't getting enough love here.

1.Andre Dawson

2.Ryne Sandberg

3.Goose Gossage

4.Lee Smith (No, really)

Cheers

Bert Blyleven, for hitters it would have to be Santo

Ryne Sandberg

http://www.aarongleeman.com
Bert Blyleven.

The writers should take care of Sandberg next year, so I'll say Gossage.

Ron Santo

Dick Allen. And I'm quite surprised he hasn't gotten more mentions.

http://jschmeagol.blogspot.com
Ron Santo.

Santo has an argument to be one of the five best #5's (schmidt, brett, matthews, boggs, santo?)ever. how many people not in the Hall (and eligible) can make that argument?

Blyleven.

Dick Clark:
7 time all-star
1964 ROY
1972 MVP
351 career home runs
Career OPS+ of 156, 20th highest All-time
He looks like at least a borderline hall of famer to me

Dick Allen, sorry :)

Richie Allen (somehow, that's how I remember him).

Similar power stats to the likes of Norm Cash, Rocky Colovito and Boog Powell, all favorites from my youth and larger than life baseball heroes, but this man could hit for average like few sluggers.HIs 1966 season was awesome for a 24 year old and he recaptured the magic in his 30's in Comiskey.

Blyleven.

Jim Rice. His 16 year career stats (BA, HR/AB, RBI/AB) were better than Yaz during his first 16 years. The Manny Ramirez of his day. A pure hitter - he could mash a baseball !!

Are you suggesting that Manny Ramirez is a Hall of Famer?

His BaseballReference.com Top 10 Comps are:

Hank Greenberg (909) - HOF
Albert Belle (883) - No way
Jim Thome (872) - Not right now
Chipper Jones (851) - Borderline since leaving 3B
Mo Vaughn (849) - No
Ralph Kiner (845) - HOF, but borderline
Tim Salmon (842) - No chance
Hack Wilson (837) - In, but shouldn't be
Dick Allen (832) - See above discussion :-)
David Justice (832) - Only in choice of spouses

I don't think Manny is near a lock. He's got Dave Parker-itis written all over him, only he's not nearly the defensive player DP was.

Joe Torre

http://www.baseball-reference.com/r/riceji01.shtml
Mick, don't believe the BR comps for Ramirez (the key point is that the similarity scores are under 900).

It's simple- Manny hits .300 with 35-40 homers and 85 walks a year. He came up at age 21, and has done it every year since, and he's 31. These guys (Ott, Greenberg, Mize) make it to the HOF, regardless of their D, unless they fall off a cliff.

Jim Rice was nowhere near the hitter that Manny is. He was great from 77-79, but simply did not sustain it. COMN. His career OBP of .352, despite hitting in Fenway his entire career, tells you all you need to know.

God help baseball if OBP becomes the major qualification for entry to the HOF. Ball four - feel the excitement !!!

God help baseball if OBP becomes the major qualification for entry to the HOF. Ball four - feel the excitement !!!

Clumsy sarcasm aside, getting on base is the most important thing a player does on offense. If a player doesn't do it well, it's very hard to class him as a great offensive player.

Not that Rice wasn't a great offensive player - I think he was - but he's not the quality of other players with similar HR and RBI totals like Albert Belle, Norm Cash, Fred McGriff or Jose Canseco.

Sorry, I shouldn't get involved in arguments in this thread. More candidates, please! Lurkers, get posting!

Speaking of Fat Albert, a lot of people have dismissed him as hall worthy when he's eligible, but I really think he should get in.