Spring Training Round-Up!

With pitchers and catchers reporting this week, it’s a good time to take a look at the Hall credentials of some current players – including a few who may not be on your radar screen:

Jamie Moyer – From all indications, Moyer’s a great person and a fascinating story. That he won 16 games last year, at age 46, was an inspiration to us all. Still, he’d need about four more of those seasons to get to the Hall. It’s certainly possible but not likely.

Johnny Damon – Never thought of him as a Hall of Famer, and still don’t. Still, he’s only 700 hits from 3,000 and, despite injuries, continues to play 140+ games a year. He may be the Vada Pinson of his era, with 2,700+ hits but little else that entices a Hall of Fame voter.

Chipper Jones – Last year’s batting title should have sealed it. But given Hall voters’ notoriously stingy position on third basemen (noted here and elsewhere), one can never be sure. The .310 career BA and 400+ home runs are impressive. Fortunately, he has a couple years left to improve his case.

Carlos Delgado – New Yorkers called him toast, and he responded with a big year. Another guy I’ve never considered a Hall of Famer, but he'll be a strong candidate if he stays productive. He’s at 469 HRs now, at age 36. Has only two All-Star appearances, which supports the idea that he flies under the radar.

Michael Young – Sort of a poor man’s Derek Jeter. Last year saw a noticeable decline in batting average and a dip in RBIs. Will have to return to his 2005-’06 production to have a decent shot.

Pedro Martinez – Hope he ends up in L.A. or somewhere else so he can add to his win total. Still, Martinez should have no problem getting to Cooperstown. His ERAs from ’97 to 2003 are incredible. Take 2000 for example – Pedro’s ERA: 1.74; the league ERA: 5.07.

Ichiro – Had his second lowest BA in 2008 since coming to the U.S. With 1,805 hits, still needs some strong seasons to make his case. A better supporting cast in Seattle would definitely help.

Lance Berkman – Strong all-around player whose year-to-year consistency brings him into the conversation. Bet you didn’t know he has a higher career OPS than A-Rod. The next few years are critical.

Jim Edmonds – An underrated player, Edmonds may get to 400 HRs if he finds a team this spring. But the Hall’s a stretch at this point.

Josh Beckett – With all the attention he gets, it’s hard to believe he only has 89 career victories. He’ll need a few impressive injury-free seasons to build his resume. According to baseball-reference.com, the player he most resembles through age 28 is….Kevin Millwood.