Who for the Hall?

I got to thinking last night while I was at work about all the great baseball players that I have seen.  Of course, the extension of this is, how many of these players are Hall of Fame worthy?  Well, shall we venture into the great debate?

Lee Smith, P:  He held the record for most career saves before Trevor Hoffman broke it.  This year Goose Gossage will be inducted into the Hall of Fame and deservedly so.  I just don't understand how Smith, who recorded 478 career saves to the tune of a 3.03 ERA, is not in the Hall already.  Smith deserves to be enshrined.

Don Mattingly, 1B:  Nine gold gloves, .307 career average, 1,099 RBI's, 222 home runs, 1 AL MVP and no way he gets into the Hall of Fame.  He was my favorite player growing up and it hurts to say this but he falls just short of getting his enshrinement.  Had Donnie Baseball not been betrayed by his back he probably would have gotten in.

Jim Rice, OF:  There has been a cult-following for Rice to get into Cooperstown.  382 home runs, 1451 RBI's, .298 average, 1 MVP award and no Hall for Rice.  In my opinion Rice falls 18 homers short or a few hundred RBI short.  He was never the most dominant hitter in his time, as evidenced by his only leading the league in homers once.  He was also intentionally walked 77 times in his career, I think Bonds was walked that many times on purpose in a single season.  

Omar Vizquel, SS:  The poor man's Ozzie Smith.  Eleven Gold Gloves and still going.  Vizquel has quietly put together one of the best careers by a shortstop in recent memory.  He is only a 3-time all-star but Vizquel has been one of the best at his position for years.  He has 2,619 hits and is still going.  He has swiped 382 bases, and did hit .333 in a year.  If Ozzie Smith gets in, then Vizquel gets in.  Besides, Vizquel does have better numbers than Luis Aparicio.

Mark McGwire, 1B:  The great steroid debate will rage on here.  Given the amount of steroids that were prevalent in the game during the years he played I say McGwire gets in.  He holds the record for most homers by a rookie, never tested positive, and did help rejuvenate baseball.  Yeah, he gets in.

Sammy Sosa, OF:  Again, the steroid debate rears its ugly head.  Sosa never tested positive for any illegal substance except a corked bat in one game.  He did bash 60+ homers in 3 of 4 years which is hard to ignore.  I'm going to say he is elected.  Hard to ignore 609 homers.

Barry Bonds, OF:  Never tested positive but is in court for the whole BALCO mess.  He holds the single season and all-time home run records.  He was the most feared hitter of his era.  I am very conflicted on this right now.  I am going to have to allow him in because even before he grew four sizes he was a Hall of Famer.  Barry gets in.  His steroid use gets mentioned on the plaque.

Roger Clemens, P:  Before steroids, saved syringes, Brian MacNamee, and lying before Congress he was the best.  You can't ignore what he has done.  Clemens gets in if Barry gets in with the same steroid asterisk.

Rafael Palmerio, 1b-OF:  See Bonds and Clemens.  Raffy gets in.  3,000 hits and 500 homers = hall of fame.

More will come.  Let me know who you think should or shouldn't get in out of this group.