With the 2018 Baseball Hall of Fame selectees now in books, it has us looking ahead to the 2019 contenders…
The 2018 MLB Baseball Hall of Fame included a loaded and large class, with four selectees among the bunch. Chipper Jones led the way with the tenth most percentage of the votes in history — fitting with his number 10 jersey heading to Cooperstown. Alongside were the likes of Vladimir Guerrero, Jim Thome, and the other “Mr. Padre” Trevor Hoffman.
Edgar Martines was the most glaring omission, with a 2019 induction almost inevitable, right? With a few sure things, one likely candidate, and several hopefuls, next year’s Baseball Hall of Fame race is set to be a thrilling one.
Sure things:
Mariano Rivera
New York Yankees legendary stopper, Mariano Rivera, will be eligible for the first time in 2019. He is an absolute lock to lead the 2019 Baseball Hall of Fame class, being the greatest closer in MLB history. His MLB record 652 career saves, 82-60 record, 2.21 ERA, and 1.00 WHIP are spectacular. Oh yeah, and five career World Series rings to go with it.
Roy Halladay
Former Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies ace Roy Halladay will join Mariano Rivera as a first timer come 2019. His 203 wins, two Cy Young Awards, 67 career complete games, a perfect game, and a postseason no-hitter to go along with it. Halladay’s recent untimely death makes this a possible special occasion, as an ideal way to honor him. Rest in Peace, Doc.
Likely inductee for the 2019 Baseball Hall of Fame
Congratulations to the 2018 #HOF class @VladGuerrero27 @RealCJ10 @THoffman51 and Jim Thome. Well deserved.
— Edgar Martinez (@11EdgarMartinez) January 25, 2018
Lifetime Seattle Mariners’ great Edgar Martinez will likely be the third in line for Baseball Hall of Fame honors in 2019. Considered a snub by many, the classy Martinez showed grace when his name was not called this year. No doubt his lifetime .321 batting average, 2,247 career hits, and close to 400 home runs will be enough.
He received 70 percent of the votes this year, and his trajectory will surely hit the minimum requirement of 75 percent this time next year. Go ahead and make those Baseball Hall of Fame party plans, Mr. Martinez — but keep the partying gift receipts just in case. Hopefully, it’s not too little too late, with 2019 as his final year of eligibility for selection.
The Rocky Mountain man may have to wait a few years.
Todd Helton
The Curious case of Todd Helton — playing his entire career in the friendly confines and thin air of Coors Field in Denver Colorado. You figure player with a .316 lifetime batting average, 369 home runs, a batting title, and three gold gloves would be a shoe-in.
However, it’s interesting to see how the Baseball Writers’ Association of America will look at Helton’s resume, who played the majority of his games with “inflated” stats. He’s deserving of a first-ballot selection, but with those so-called “tainted” numbers, he will have to wait it out until 2020.
Will juicing-up cost some of the greatest players in MLB history a Baseball Hall of Fame nod?
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A home run king, 300-plus game-winner, and an ALCS MVP walk into a bar… Do you have three Baseball Hall of Famers? Looking at the resumes of Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, and Andy Pettite, you would say it’s a no-brainer that they would be locks for the Baseball Hall of Fame — with the first two first ballot type guys.
However, all three are linked to PED uses, with the BWAA not budging on the induction of known “users” thus far. It’s likely that Andy Pettite will be the first among the trio to get in, which would raise utter chaos in the process.
He separates himself by owning up to his PED use, with the other two likely taking it to their graves — with one of Bonds’ friends (certainly) going to jail for him. Both Clemens and Bonds deserve Baseball Hall of Fame honors but are shunned thus far — which is a shame and disappointment.
Next: Trevor Hoffman’s emotional Baseball HOF selection
What a roller coaster ride the 2019 Baseball Hall of Fame selection process will be, with the 2018 class a tasty little appetizer for the main event. Get your popcorn ready, because it’s going to be a wildly entertaining show.