Mookie Betts Forum

my buddies and I talk all the time about which active players are getting close to HOF numbers, or clear HOF trajectory, and it's endless fodder on sports talk radio and ESPN [tv]

besides the obvious ones such as Mike Trout, Miguel Cabrera, Clayton Kershaw, Verlander, Scherzer [Pujols just retired, Yadier Molina just retired, Buster Posey 1 year retired]

recently the talk has been about Bryce Harper, Nolan Arenado, Manny Machado, Jose Altuve, Paul Goldschmidt, Freddie Freeman and even Aaron Judge

but from what I see, the guy that is clearly one season away from having hall numbers, with many more years to go .... Mookie Betts

discuss [and don't shoot me for leaving guys off the mention list]

He might be borderline but Salvador Perez could be a guy who gets in to the Hall. 

I try to pick out the long-term contributors and guys with power, speed, and OPS tend to stand out. It might take a lot of years from Betts to assure him of entry, as you just have to look at why Cabrera and Pujols seem like shoe-ins (even without the speed). 

Like Machado, I am fan of Jose Ramirez's chances, though he will need many years of similar production to have a chance. He is that kind of player that people don't notice how good he is because of the understated team he is on.

Sneaky/interesting candidte - Zach Greinke.

Going to retire with roughly 240 wins, could be the 3rd pitcher in history with 3,000 K's and less than 1,000 walks.

Might be the definition of a compiler though...

I think Joey Votto will get a lot of consideration if he has 1-2 more decent years.  One who might get overlooked, but deserves consideration is Andrew McCutchen.  If he stays in the game another 3-4 years, one player might be surprisingly worthy of consideration, Elvis Andrus.  He is just shy of 2000 career hits already.

I agree with quite a few of the players mentioned (aside from the obvious).  I think Greinke will make it, Votto too. 

I love McCutchen but I don't think he had enough of a peak before he fell off the cliff.  Hopefully he's not done yet though.  I put Longoria in the same category.

I think Ramirez has the trajectory, same for Lindor and Correa, but quite a ways to go for all.  Betts is much closer - another couple of years like this and he's in.

I took a look at Perez's numbers and while I like him as a player and catchers are woefully underrepresented, I don't think he's close.  A .301 OBP is not good, despite his defense.

Just one person's opinion, of course.

There's a pitcher for the Angels that might have a shot. :)

Is his MLB career going to be long enough? He's already 28, with 1 major arm surgery behind him.

Giancarlo Stanton has about 380 home runs and he is 34. If he can play until he is 38 or so i think he could approach 500. Just a thought

I thought their DH might get consideration