National Baseball HOF
2017
Best HOF player: Ivan Rodriguez, C, TEX/DET/WAS/NYY/HOU/FLA (1991-2001)
Accomplishments: 1999 AL MVP, 2003 champion,14x All-Star, 13x Gold Glove, 7x Silver Slugger
Other inductees: Jeff Bagwell, Tim Raines, John Scheurholz (exec), Bud Selig (exec)
Now, if this list was not restricted to players, the sometimes controversial Bud Selig may have found his way into this slot. However, I believe Pudge was the best of the 2017 class in part due to his place among those who have played his position. Talking before of how well-rounded Chipper was at 3B, Pudge was that and then some at catcher. A career .296 hitter with over 300 home runs, his hitting was oftentimes only matched by his ability behind the dish, winning a position-record 13 Gold Gloves and leading the Majors in caught stealing percentage five times, gunning down 46% of attempts for his career. A man whose nickname is just as synonymous with him as his skills or accomplishments, Ivan Rodriguez remains one of the gold standards at his position to look up to for today’s backstops.
2016
Best HOF player: Ken Griffey Jr., OF, SEA/CIN/CWS (1989-2010)
Accomplishments: 1997 AL MVP, 13x All-Star, 10x Gold Glove, 7x Silver Slugger
Other inductees: Mike Piazza
The first of what will certainly be a number of lighter years in terms of the quantity of inductees, but 2016 certainly made up for that in the quality department. Not only was Mike Piazza, a fellow all-time great catcher along with Pudge, elected, but as was one of the most electrifying players in all of MLB history. Known as “The Kid” or simply “Junior”, Griffey was the favorite player of many a kid growing up in the 1990s and early 2000s, his flashy style of play very much ahead of its time looking at the landscape of today’s game. From scaling walls it seemed as would Spider-Man to his classic home run swing (the best of all time, I reckon), Junior dazzled fans for over 20 years, all the way up to belting 19 home runs in his final full season in 2009.