Baseball Hall of Fame Candidate Reflections

The newest class of candidates for baseball’s hallowed Hall of Fame was recently announced. I have seen them all play and am familiar with some more than others, but four stand out in my memory. Three of them were Yankees, and one was a great adversary of the Yankees.

He played on several teams, including the Yankees and the Mets, and is the only player to hit 30 home runs while on both teams. He was a great guy and always available for a post-game comment, making him familiar. His personality made the fans – and me – want to hear what he had to say, and I felt it was impossible not to like him. He was also one of those players you always wanted to be at bat in a crucial part of the game. You just knew he would come through, and whether he did or not, you always felt he would give it all he had. He was very charitable and involved in the communities where he played baseball and in Illinois, where he grew up. He had character, was upfront and articulate, and made me want to watch him play. He brought excitement whenever he was at bat or fielding a ball. He is the caliber of person that should be in the Baseball Hall of Fame. I liked him and hope he is elected into the Hall of Fame.

He came to my focused attention when he joined the Yankees. He was a leader, someone we depended on, who did not disappoint and was a champion. He was also well-known to fans because of his frequent availability for interviews. Today, interviews with each game’s star are ubiquitous, but that wasn’t always the case. C.C. was always available, even when he wasn’t in that game. His personality also shone through; we all got to know and like him. Of course, his stats are great, which helped fans get to know him. His win percentage was 60%, finishing with a W-L of 252-161 and over 3,000 strikeouts. I believe he was a superstar and a great person, and he certainly belongs in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

He was a Yankee for less than three seasons, but anyone sitting near right field knew him because he engaged with fans in every game he played at Yankee Stadium. He was not just a player but a person we got to know. It was hard to root against him since his connection to us was real, and he played every ball and every pitch as if they were the most important things ever to exist. He always played his heart out, and wanting his team to win or lose was irrelevant, as I wanted him to do well. He had a distinctive pre-pitch practice swing that either tried to intimidate the pitcher or just let the fans know he had come to play! He was exciting to watch and got us all into the game. Even when we were holding a hot dog in one hand, a beer in the other, and were juggling a bag of popcorn between our legs, we paid attention to Ichiro. He had a stellar Hall of Fame career, and I expect him to be inducted next summer.

He was a Yankee adversary, and I loathed everything about him despite how good a player he was. Somehow, he seemed to shine brightest when he played against the Yankees. The fact that I disliked him so much should indicate how good he was. You don’t hate mediocre players! He was one of the great ones and deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. I would be surprised if he isn’t inducted next summer.

The other players all had good careers, and some had great careers. Unfortunately, they can’t all get into the Baseball Hall of Fame – and shouldn’t, or it would not be meaningful. I also have personal reflections about some of the other candidates, but not as strong as the four I wrote about here. However, I thank them all for making me enjoy watching baseball and wish them all good luck.