With the Hall Of Fame election announcement coming on January 9, 2013, it is time to review the ballot, go over the names, and decide who belongs in the Hall Of Fame.

There are twenty four men on the ballot for the first time this year and we will take a look at each one individually prior to official announcements. You can find all of the profiles in the I-70 Baseball Exclusives: Cooperstown Choices 2013 menu at the top of the page.

In this article, we take a look at Mike Stanton

Why He Should Get In
Stanton, while starting his career as a closer, established himself in the thankless role of being one of the best setup men in baseball.  His longevity, durability and stability in the bullpen has him as one of the best players to do what he did.

Why He Should Not Get In
Unfortunately, what he did was something that most writers brush aside.  He does not have the key numbers in wins, strikeouts, or saves to warrant his place in Cooperstown.  A pitcher in the middle of a baseball game that did not start or close the game, makes it hard to qualify his place in history.

Bill Ivie is the editor here at I-70 Baseball
Follow him on Twitter here.

With the Hall Of Fame election announcement coming on January 9, 2013, it is time to review the ballot, go over the names, and decide who belongs in the Hall Of Fame.

There are twenty four men on the ballot for the first time this year and we will take a look at each one individually prior to official announcements. You can find all of the profiles in the I-70 Baseball Exclusives: Cooperstown Choices 2013 menu at the top of the page.

In this article, we take a look at Mike Piazza

Mike Piazza
One of the most prolific hitting catchers of all time, Piazza hits the ballot after a 16 year career.  During that career, he would appear in 12 All Star games and win 10 Silver Slugger Awards and the Rookie Of The Year Award in 1993.

Why He Should Get In
The numbers our outstanding, especially for a catcher.  His position may, in fact, be his saving grace.  While his defense was sub-par for his entire career, his offensive numbers show him to be one of the best hitters to play his position of all time.  While his totals for home runs, runs batted in, and hits are not overly impressive on their own, the fact that he compiled the majority of them while being a backstop keeps him in the discussion.

Why He Should Not Get In
His numbers, as stated above, are not outstanding if he were anywhere else on the field.  That being said, most people feel that he had no business being a catcher for as log as he was, given his lack of ability at that position.  Being a great offensive star at a position generally only works if you were a defensive star at that position as well.

Bill Ivie is the editor here at I-70 Baseball
Follow him on Twitter here.

With the Hall Of Fame election announcement coming on January 9, 2013, it is time to review the ballot, go over the names, and decide who belongs in the Hall Of Fame.

There are twenty four men on the ballot for the first time this year and we will take a look at each one individually prior to official announcements. You can find all of the profiles in the I-70 Baseball Exclusives: Cooperstown Choices 2013 menu at the top of the page.

In this article, we take a look at Roger Clemens

Roger Clemens
One of the most discussed names on this year’s ballot will be that of the Texas fireballer, Roger Clemens.

His 24-year career would yield 11 All Star nominations, seven Cy Young Awards, a Most Valuable Player Award and countless moments that many fans will never forget.

Why He Should Get In
The list here is long and showcases a pure Hall Of Famer.  354 wins, 7 Cy Young Awards, 4,672 strikeouts, four seasons with more than 20 wins, two seasons with an ERA below 2.00, and a career ERA of 3.12.  His average wins in a 162 game season would be 17 and he would average 224 strikeouts.  The numbers show a unamious, first ballot hall of fame candidate.

Why He Should Not Get In
Short and sweet, steroids and other performance enhancing drugs.  There is a large amount of suspicion around Clemens and it will keep many voters from putting him into Cooperstown.  His career and his numbers speak for themselves.  His recent actions and suspicions taint all that he has accomplished, however.

Bill Ivie is the editor here at I-70 Baseball
Follow him on Twitter here.

With the Hall Of Fame election announcement coming on January 9, 2013, it is time to review the ballot, go over the names, and decide who belongs in the Hall Of Fame.

There are twenty four men on the ballot for the first time this year and we will take a look at each one individually prior to official announcements. You can find all of the profiles in the I-70 Baseball Exclusives: Cooperstown Choices 2013 menu at the top of the page.

In this article, we take a look at Sammy Sosa

Why He Should Get In
His home run (609) and runs batted in (1,667) totals speak loudly enough about a Hall Of Fame career.  Add in 2,408 hits, 234 stolen bases and 929 walks and it is easy to see that Sammy was a well-rounded player that brought more than just a big bat to the teams he played for.

Why He Should Not Get In
More than just about any other player, Sammy will feel the strain of the steroid era.  A player that was perceived to be average for most of his career, Sosa’s numbers ballooned quickly without explanation around 1998 and stayed at that level until 2002.  The voters will most likely use Sosa as an example in their voting for some time to come.

Bill Ivie is the editor here at I-70 Baseball
Follow him on Twitter here.

With the Hall Of Fame election announcement coming on January 9, 2013, it is time to review the ballot, go over the names, and decide who belongs in the Hall Of Fame.

There are twenty four men on the ballot for the first time this year and we will take a look at each one individually prior to official announcements. You can find all of the profiles in the I-70 Baseball Exclusives: Cooperstown Choices 2013 menu at the top of the page.

In this article, we take a look at David Wells

Why He Should Get In
Boomer’s career numbers fall just short of the typical yardsticks we use for Cooperstown enshrinement, but that’s not to say he wasn’t a solid player.  While he only got to the coveted 20-win plateua once, he did find himself real close to it on multiple occassions.  He spent a good portion of his career pitching for losing ball clubs, which took an impact on his numbers.

Why He Should Not Get In
Losing clubs or not, Wells is not a Hall Of Famer.  His win total (239), strikeout total (2,201), strikeouts per nine innings (5.8) and earned run average (4.13) do not put him on par with his peers in Cooperstown.  Wells was a good, not great, pitcher.

Bill Ivie is the editor here at I-70 Baseball
Follow him on Twitter here.

With the Hall Of Fame election announcement coming on January 9, 2013, it is time to review the ballot, go over the names, and decide who belongs in the Hall Of Fame.

There are twenty four men on the ballot for the first time this year and we will take a look at each one individually prior to official announcements. You can find all of the profiles in the I-70 Baseball Exclusives: Cooperstown Choices 2013 menu at the top of the page.

In this article, we take a look at Barry Bonds

Why He Should Get In
The list here is simply astonishing.  He had 2,935 hits.  He led the league in home runs twice, including the single season record of 73 in 2001.  He won two batting titles.  He finished his career with 762 home runs, 2,558 walks, and 688 intentional walks, all of those are all time records.  He led the league 10 times in on base percentage, seven times in slugging percentage, and nine times in OPS (on base plus slugging percentage).  His career is unparalleled and unrivaled by the best to ever play the game.

Why He Should Not Get In
There are two things keeping Barry out of the Hall: his connection to steroids and he is generally disliked.  He was one of the most brash and disrespectful players in the game when it came with interactions with the media, the fans, or his teammates.  His connection to steroids will keep him out for a good long time, but I would wager to say that he will eventually find his rightful place in Cooperstown.

Bill Ivie is the editor here at I-70 Baseball
Follow him on Twitter here.

With the Hall Of Fame election announcement coming on January 9, 2013, it is time to review the ballot, go over the names, and decide who belongs in the Hall Of Fame.

There are twenty four men on the ballot for the first time this year and we will take a look at each one individually prior to official announcements. You can find all of the profiles in the I-70 Baseball Exclusives: Cooperstown Choices 2013 menu at the top of the page.

In this article, we take a look at Sandy Alomar

Why He Should Get In
Alomar’s career was embodied behind the scenes.  A field general and leader, he was another coach on the field.

Why He Should Not Get In
In short, his numbers just don’t stack up.  While it would be easier to stomach the low offensive numbers based on his presence defensively, he would need to have a few more awards from that side of the diamond.  With out the Gold Gloves to back him up, the offensive shortcomings will keep him from election.

Bill Ivie is the editor here at I-70 Baseball
Follow him on Twitter here.

With the Hall Of Fame election announcement coming on January 9, 2013, it is time to review the ballot, go over the names, and decide who belongs in the Hall Of Fame.

There are twenty four men on the ballot for the first time this year and we will take a look at each one individually prior to official announcements. You can find all of the profiles in the I-70 Baseball Exclusives: Cooperstown Choices 2013 menu at the top of the page.

In this article, we take a look at Reggie Sanders

Why He Should Get In
Sanders was a rounded player that hit 305 home runs and stole 304 bases over the course of his career.

Why He Should Not Get In
His overall numbers fall short with less than 2,000 hits, less than 1,000 runs batted in, and less than 400 doubles.  He was a good, not great, baseball player.

Bill Ivie is the editor here at I-70 Baseball
Follow him on Twitter here.

With the Hall Of Fame election announcement coming on January 9, 2013, it is time to review the ballot, go over the names, and decide who belongs in the Hall Of Fame.

There are twenty four men on the ballot for the first time this year and we will take a look at each one individually prior to official announcements. You can find all of the profiles in the I-70 Baseball Exclusives: Cooperstown Choices 2013 menu at the top of the page.

In this article, we take a look at Roberto Hernandez

Why He Should Get In
The question of Hernandez reaching the Hall Of Fame comes down to a question of how to judge his career.  When you spend your entire career as a relief pitcher, and over half of it as a reliever that is not closing games, it becomes increasingly hard to judge your worth.  He has over 300 saves in his career and an impressive 7.9 strikeouts per nine innings, but will it be enough?

Why He Should Not Get In
In short, relief pitchers that are not closers simply don’t find their way to Cooperstown.  While Hernandez’s numbers were sufficient to make him a sought after arm for many years, it is hard to see his credentials ever ending with “Hall Of Famer”.

Bill Ivie is the editor here at I-70 Baseball
Follow him on Twitter here.

With the Hall Of Fame election announcement coming on January 9, 2013, it is time to review the ballot, go over the names, and decide who belongs in the Hall Of Fame.

There are twenty four men on the ballot for the first time this year and we will take a look at each one individually prior to official announcements. You can find all of the profiles in the I-70 Baseball Exclusives: Cooperstown Choices 2013 menu at the top of the page.

In this article, we take a look at Curt Schilling

Why He Should Get In
Schilling’s case is one that is defined by his performance in big games and the postseason.  While most of his regular season stats put him as a borderline hall of famer, his postseason numbers are seldom rivaled.  With a 11-2 record, a 2.23 earned run average, an average of over 7 innings per start, a WHIP below one and a strikeout per nine innings over eight, his postseason prowess will have many clamoring for his induction based on the postseason alone.

Why He Should Not Get In
Yes, he was a huge pitcher in the postseason and had monumental success on the biggest stage.  That being said, he does not have the hardware to back up his claim to Cooperstown.  Finishing second multiple times for the Cy Young Award simply makes him the second best pitcher during those seasons.  According to Baseball-Reference, he ranks as a slighly above the average hall of fame pitcher (according to the Jaffe WAR Score System).  However, advanced statistics have yet to play a large influence on hall of fame voters.

Bill Ivie is the editor here at I-70 Baseball
Follow him on Twitter here.