Hall of Fame Locks
I went through each of the thirty rosters in the Major Leagues. As I went through I tallied those who I thought were locks for Cooperstown. This is not an exercise of projection; this is from the standpoint that if their careers ended today whether or not they would be enshrined. I came up with ten locks, with an eleventh – Robinson Cano- engulfed in a PED controversy this season and thus jeopardizing his candidacy. Below is what I will call the “Tacit Ten”, the ten locks for baseball immortality.
Ichiro. He retired earlier this season, but because he was on an Opening Day roster in 2018 I am including the slap-hitting lefty on this list. He was a 10-time All-Star, won an MVP award, and complied over 3,000 hits, which is the magic number for Cooperstown. None of this is to mention the prolific career that he had with the Orix BlueWave in Japan.
Albert Pujols. The first ten seasons that Pujols spent in the big leagues, he never hit below .312, hit less than 32 home runs, and recorded fewer than 103 RBIs. It may have been the most prolific stretch for a right-handed hitter in the history of the sport.
Miguel Cabrera. The two-time AL MVP also possesses a Triple Crown for his epic 2012 season. He has been hampered by injuries of late, but 500 home runs are on the horizon.
Arian Beltre. The third baseman is an ageless wonder who epitomizes consistency. He has only reached 200 hits in a season one time, yet has over 3,100 hits for his career. Not only does he hit for contact, Beltre also has pounded 469 long balls. If he can stay healthy, like Cabrera, 500 home runs are well within reach.
Clayton Kershaw. The most dominant southpaw since Sandy Koufax, Kershaw is a lock. At just 30 years old, the Dodger’s ace has three Cy Young’s and an MVP award to his name.
Yadier Molina. Yadi is a nine-time All-Star and a two-time World Series champion. In this generation, there has not been a better defensive catcher. He is no slum at the plate, as he is closing in on 2,000 career hits.
Joe Mauer. He has never won a playoff game, but Mauer’s productivity has been superb. His career batting average of .307 paired with his six All-Star appearances and 2009 AL MVP will be enough for him to get the nod.
Mike Trout. This dude is a different breed. At 6’2” and 240 pounds, the Angels centerfielder is built like a middle linebacker, moves with the graciousness and explosiveness of an Olympic sprinter, and clobbers home runs like Barry Bonds. He could hang up his cleats right now, at age 27, and would be a no-doubt Hall of Famer. He’s that good and that special.
Justin Verlander. From 2009-2012, he was head and shoulders the best pitcher, and maybe even the best player, in all of baseball. It was nice to see his personal success validated with a World Series last season.
Max Scherzer. The crafty right-hander really came on late in his career. After failing to make an All-Star game his first five seasons in the majors, Scherzer has been to the mid-summer classic in each of the past six seasons while bringing home three Cy Young Awards in the process.
