Division Champion - Atlanta Braves

Starting Rotation - I love Atlanta's starting rotation.  A one-two punch with John Smoltz and Tim Hudson has got to rank as one of the tops in the league.  John Thomson and Jorge Sosa won't have gaudy stats, but they'll keep the Braves in games.  I love Horacio Ramirez.  He's a good young talent, has nice stuff, and with more experience, will be a stud to keep in the, projected to be a Number Three, would do better as the Number Four.  His ERA won't be pretty, but he'll keep the Braves in games. 

Bullpen - I like Kyle Davies, who had quiet rookie debut, and would be good enough to win a spot in the rotation on any other team, but the Braves are stocked and will have him in the pen.  With Kyle Farnsworth departing to the Yankees, Chris Reitsma is now the closer by default.  He's not an elite closer, but really, how many of those are there in the league.  He should be good for 30 or so saves and will keep Atlanta in games where he does blow the save.  I felt for Joey Devine in Game 4 of the NLDS last season.  He was a good closer in college and has good tools, but for the moment, he's going to need experience and to rebuild his confidence.  Macay McBride, John Foster, Anthony Lerew, Lance Cormier, and Oscar Villarreal all have ERA's hovering near five, but all of them are warriors and will all fight to stay in the games, which I like.  Blaine Boyer is young, but he's a good reliever, and right now I have him projected as the Braves setup man.  All in all, a good bullpen, better than what's in New York.

Catcher - The Braves have good depth at Catcher.  Brian McCann isn't an All Star, but he's got a steady glove and hits well.  He's also young, which is good as it gives him time to further develop with experience.  Todd Pratt is an adequate backup.  Brayan Pena may need more time in the minors instead of sitting on the bench.

The Infield - Adam LaRoche has good power, but he doesn't translate it very well when he hits.  That's not going to cut it when you consider the hard hitting first basemen in the National League (Albert Pujols, Carlos Delgado, Lance Berkman, Todd Helton, Nomar Garciaparra if he returns to form.)  Marcus Giles and Chipper Jones are more than capable of covering for him though, which he is fortunate.  Edgar Renteria had a horrible season in Boston, as far as fielding.  Offensively, he could still hit.  If Renteria is able to return to form now that he's back in the National League, the Braves will not miss Rafael Furcal at all.  Still, that's if he returns to form.

The Outfield - Andruw Jones had an MVP Caliber season last year, but was largely ignored because excellence is usually expected of the Braves.  He won't repeat that kind of production this year, but he'll still be good for 40 Home Runs and over 90 RBIs.  Jeff Francoeur makes good contact and will probably leadoff.  Ryan Langerhans provides below average production for a power position, but not everyone can be a stud.

The Bench - Pete Orr, Matt Diaz, Kelly Johnson and Wilson Betemit are all good reserve players that can be moved around wherever and still produce.  Anyone of them can be a good pinch hitter or runner if needed.  The bench isn't a problem with the Braves. 

In Short - Though I really want to pick the Mets, the Braves simply are too good not to win the division.  The closer situation will solve itself in due time.  Until then, do the chop!

Wild Card Contender - New York Mets

Starting Rotation - The starting rotation is a bit of a puzzler for the Mets.  Pitchers one and two are Pedro Martinez and Tom Glavine, solid starters who had some solid outings screwed up by the bullpen.  Beyond that, you've got some questions.  Steve Trachsel and Aaron Heilman are average starters that should give you the same production as Benson did, but Alay Soler is an unknown quality and Victor Zambrano is mediocre at best and does more damage as a long reliever that he does as a starter.  Numbers one through four will be solid with Martinez, Glavine, Trachsel and Heilman, but the number five will have the fans at Shea squirm in their seats, hoping that a lead doesn't evaporate when either guy gets tired.

Bullpen - Closer was one of the biggest problems for the Mets last season and in the off-season, the team went out and brought in  Billy Wagner, one of the best closers in baseball, behind only Mariano Rivera, Trevor Hoffman and Brad Lidge.  That said, the rest of the pen remains spotty at best.  The Mets got John Maine and Jorge Julio in the deal for Kris Benson.  Maine is a young talent that did well in the minors, but got rocked in the majors, which isn't uncommon with young pitchers.  Jorge Julio was once a great talent, but has been steadily regressing year by year.  Yusaku Iriki is an unknown talent, but he could be good, as most Asian pitchers tend to do when they first start (they tend to flame out quickly.  See Park, Chan-Ho and Nomo, Hideo.)  Heath Bell and Steve Schmoll aren't spectacular, but they should do well enough to hold on for an inning or so.  Chad Bradford and Juan Padilla are the best of the bunch and will be serviceable middle relievers.  Duaner Sanchez, whom the Mets lost confidence in last season, will now setup for Wagner.  The bullpen should be okay as long as Julio, Schmoll and Bell are rotated in games for two outs or so and if Sanchez can hold a lead long enough for Wagner to shut things down, Martinez and Glavine should earn more wins.

Catcher - Paul Lo Duca now prowls behind home plate, for years the stomping grounds of Mike Piazza.  However, this doesn't mean that the Mets have necessarily upgraded.  Piazza, despite his weakening skills at catcher, still lead all National League catchers in RBI's and Home Runs.  With that said, Lo Duca gives the Mets a steady glove and will contribute some to the cause, but I do think that the Mets will miss Piazza eventually.  Ramon Castro, a dependable backup, will ride the pine.

The Infield - Carlos Delgado, now at First, will provide the big bat that the Mets sorely needed last season.  Kaz Matsui, whose contract and sucky play have rendered him untradable, will probably bat eight and will continue to stink up Shea with his lackluster play.  Jose Reyes and David Wright, solid defenders and good hitters, will take up their usual positions at Short and Third, respectively.

The Outfield - Carlos Beltran was the prize of last season's free agency market, but looked like a bust from his performance last season.  While it is typical for players to have an adjustment period to playing in NYC (see: Rodriguez, Alex), Beltran needs to step it up this season as the spotlight will be even more focused on him.  That said, he should return to what he was with the Royals, which isn't what the Mets ordered, but will have to accept.  Trading Mike Cameron so early was questionable, especially since as time passed, the Mets could have made a trade and gotten much more in return besides a utilityman.  And though there are many utilitymen that can become good players, such as Julio Franco or Mark DeRosa, Xavier Nady isn't the guy.  Losing Cameron is a big loss, as the Mets will miss not only his bat, but also his speed on the bases.  Cliff Floyd is still in left field, and should continue to be a steady contributor to the cause.

The Bench - The Mets have a good bench.  Julio Franco, despite being 47, can still play with the best of them.  Should something happen to the infield, Franco is more then able to handle the job.  For those inter-league games, he'll be a great candidate to be the DH.  Endy Chavez, Tike Redman and Anderson Hernandez.  Chris Woodward should be a starter.  He's got a good bad and isn't bad defensively.  He'd be a more serviceable option on Nady.

In Short - Omar Minaya has assembled a deep and talented team.  This team could challenge the Braves for the crown, but the Braves have a stronger starting rotation and bullpen, which wins championships.  The Mets can challenge for the Wild Card, but because of the age and the fact that some of the players are injury prone, The Mets have a limited timetable on this team and had better contend before the wheels fall off.

Wild Card Contender - Philadelphia Phillies

Starting Rotation - The Phillies have a solid top of the rotation, with Jon Lieber, Bret Myers and Corey Lidle, manning the top of the rotation.  All together, the three will be good for 45 to 50 wins by themselves.  Ryan Franklin, Ryan Madison, and Gavin Floyd will duke it out for the last two slots, with Floyd the one most likely heading to the minors or the pen.  Not a bad starting rotation, though I'd hope that Franklin and Madison would improve their win count to at least ten each.

Bullpen - The biggest loss in the off-season was Billy Wagner jumping to the Mets.  This is a potential deathblow to the Phillies, who will not only have to see their former closer several times during the season, but were only able to get Tom Gordon, to stop the wound.  Gordon might be able to close, but after seeing him with the Yankees, I wouldn't trust him in high-pressure situations.  If and when Ugueth Ubina returns from prison, the Phillies should make a spirited effort to resign him as insurance.  The bullpen has some strong arms in Robinson Tejeda, Geoff Geary, Julio Santana, Aaron Fultz and Eude Brito, possibly giving it the best bullpen in the division.  One of them is going to make a hell of a setup man.  Rheal Cormier isn't great, but he'll get some licks in.

Catcher - Mike Lieberthal is a good catcher and will do well.  Backups Sal Fasano and Carlos Ruiz will be good enough to rest Lieberthal when needed.

The Infield - Dealing Jim Thome was a godsend to the Phillies, who have a great young slugger in Ryan Howard, who did so well at first that it made Thome expendable.  The move will free up much needed cash for the Phillies to spend on their future.  Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins are dependable defenders, but both can hit for power, giving Philly a good one-two-three punch in their infield alone.  David Bell is getting older, but he still can provide some offense to the back of the order.  Not bad at all.

The Outfield - Adam Rowand didn't deserve to get dealt from the White Sox, but the White Sox's need of a big bat to protect Paul Konerko, plus the arrival of prospect Brian Anderson made it necessary.  Still, Rowand is a steal for the Phillies.  He plays good defense in centerfield and can hit for contact.   He's good for 60 RBI's, easy.  Bobby Abreu is still around and will protect Howard in the lineup.  Pat Burrell is an RBI Machine and is good for 100 next season.  Combined with what's in the infield and the Phillies won't have a problem putting runs on the board.

The Bench - Shane Victorino, Tomas Perez, Abraham Nunez are all adequate benchwarmers.  They just don't have that savor faire that I get from other teams in the division.

In Short - The Mets need to watch their back.  The Phillies nearly took the wild card last year.  With their improvements made by dropping Thome, the Phillies have improved drastically in terms of production.  If the rotation and the bullpen stay strong, the Phillies could make a run.

Rebuilding - Washington Nationals

Starting Rotation - Livan Hernandez is the undisputed ace of the rotation.  And John Patterson is good enough to do well.  But after him, you have Ramon Ortiz, Brian Lawrence, and either Tony Armas or Ryan Drese as the fifth starter, with the edge going to Drese because of past performance.  Still, beyond Hernandez and Patterson, this is a pretty pathetic rotation.

Bullpen - Chad Cordero was an All Star closer and he headlines the bullpen for the Nats.  Luis Ayala will probably be the setup man.  Joey Eischen, Gary Majewski, and Jon Rauch are good relievers.  Rookie Darrell Rasner was nice in his five appearances and could be groomed as a starter.  Travis Hughes is a hit machine and Mike Stanton shouldn't even be let out of the bullpen unless it's as a lefty specialist.  The same goes for Jason Bergmann, only as a right handed specialist.  Overall, a nice bullpen, which would be even better if the starting rotation wasn't so horrible.

Catcher - Brian Schneider is an average catcher.  And so far, there is no backup.  What the hell?!

The Infield - Nick Johnson isn't a spectacular First Baseman, but is above average.  Soriano is now in left field, where he first played when he came in with the Yankees.  Jose Vidro was doing well until his injury.  When he returns, he'll bring in another solid bat to the lineup.  Christian Guzman is terrible at short and his job is vulnerable now that Royce Clayton has a roster invite to spring training.  Ryan Zimmerman, a rookie, will start at third base.  He was good in the 20 games that he performed, but we'll see how well that translates over a 162 game season.

The Outfield - Alfonso Soriano isn't what the Nationals think he is.  Though he has posted gaudy homer totals, much of this is the result of playing at The Ballpark at Arlington.  Away from Texas, he hit .224.  In the cavernous RFK Stadium, Soriano is going to post career lows in all categories, affecting his value next year in free agency.  He's does have good speed and will be good on the bases, but the Nats just overpaid for a left fielder.   Ryan Church makes contact and gets on base, but he won't be bringing anyone in anytime soon.  Jose Guillen rounds out the outfield in right and will be the best of the bunch.

The Bench - Marion Anderson (average with the Mets), Marlon Byrd (not bad), Kenny Kelly (ehhh), Brandon Watson (bad), Tony Blanco (ditto), Robert Fick (average), and Jamey Carroll (would start if not for Zimmerman.)  In short, an average bench, which is more than what some teams have.

In Short - The Nats won't contend this year, not with the Mets stronger, Atlanta being the usual force it is, and the Philies lurking.  But as they're build right now, they have depth (which killed them down the stretch) and if they added one more quality starter (which they can't thanks to the lack of an owner), they could make a run at the Wild Card.

The Gutter - Florida Marlins

Starting Rotation - Dontrelle Willis is the ace of the rotation and everyone knows what he brings to the plate.  A great pitcher, and nice hitter and tough minded.  He'll do well, regardless of the team.   Jason Vargas will benefit from the spacious environs of Dolphin Stadium and has a nice little fastball and a good Changeup and Curveball.  He has some control issues and with work will be a solid number two.  Scott Olsen and Josh Johnson, two good young pitchers that can grow into solid starters will be the three and four spot.  For the five spot, it'll be Sergio Mitre, simply because of the fact he's younger and can still improve, though if necessary, Brian Moehler can takeover as the fifth starter if necessary.

Bullpen - First off, Mitre or Moehler will rotate in and out as long relievers.  They will be the only bright spots in the rotation.  Kerry Ligtenberg should not be allowed to leave the pen unless he's a lefty specialist.  Lefty's hit .250 against him, which may seem bad until you consider the fact that Righty's hit over .400 against him.  Logan Kensing, Chris Resop, Nate Bump, Travis Bowyer, and Randy Messenger are batting practice pitchers so far, and Joe Borowski is closer by the sole fact he has more saves than anyone else.  While I understand that the younger prospects need time to develop, this bullpen is going to a hold-on-to-the-seat-of-your-pants group for a few years until some of these guys develop good stuff and are able to dominate.

Catcher - Paul Lo Duca was a great catcher at at first glace, Josh Willingham Is a poor replacement at best.  Upon closer inspection though, while Willingham gives the Marlins more or less the same glove, Willingham gets on base more and has more power that Lo Duca.  And while he is 26 and obviously not going to improve significantly, Willingham will provide better offense than Lo Duca while sacrificing just a little on defense.  As for Willingham's backups, Matt Treanor and Miguel Olivo won't do much for this team, though Treanor is married to the smoking hot Misty May.  Just felt like throwing that out there J.

The Infield - Replacing Carlos Delgado is Mike Jacobs.  Jacobs hit well in the minors, but he is moving to Dolphin's stadium, one of the worst hitter's parks in the majors.  He also has no AAA experience or experience in the majors.  He could be in for a rude awakening once he hits the show, but he also could suck it up and be spectacular.  Tough call.  Second base is going to be a battle between Pokey Reese and Dan Uggla.  Reese is a average player, hitting and fielding decently, but Uggla is younger and has the potential to be a above average hitter.  Reese has a better glove, but if Uggla has a good spring training, it would be worth having him as the second basemen simply for offense.  The over hyped Hanley Ramirez is not the starting shortstop.  He's got a great arm and glove but needs to improve his bat in order to be a help to the Marlins.  Fortunately he's young, so he's got time to improve.  Miguel Cabrera moves to his natural position at Third Base.   Though his glove is slightly inferior to Mike Lowell, Cabrera's bat will more than make up for it, making him one of baseball's elite Third Basemen.

The Outfield - The outfield has been completely rebuilt and is understandably worse that it was last year.  Replacing Miguel Cabrera in left field is Chris Aguila, who's done well in the minor leagues but has lacked such performance in the majors.  He's still got a great glove and with a year of major league experience in him may rebound to what he did in the minors.  Eric Reed replaces Juan Pierre, who has good stats in the minor leagues, but those were due to hitting in hitter friendly parks.  He has the defense of Pierre, but the lack of power and mediocre On Base Percentage could comeback to haunt the Marlins.  Jeremy Hermida now the right fielder and can not only hit and field well, but he's also got great plate discipline, impressive speed, and is young enough to get even better.   Overall, the Outfield looks pretty good, but with Cabrera moving to third, it's not as good as it once was.

The Bench - Not bad, considering Bench players are stopgaps or emergency players.  Reggie Abercrombie, Reese or Uggla, Robert Andino, Wes Helms and Jason Stokes.

In Short - Flordia won't contend for a couple of years, but the fire sale did restock the Marlins with young, talented players that can come into their own given time.   They'll be contending again in 2008.

In Short - Tampa actually has the potential to finish as high as fourth in the division, depending on the progression of their young team and if they are able to trade Julio Lugo for something good.  Still, it's going to be tough going in Tampa as long as the Yankees and Red Sox are in the division.  But the future is bright for Tampa, if the new ownership is able to hold onto the promising young talent that the organization has and spends money wisely in free agency.

And now for Part Two, which has the Borderline Cases, along with the one's that will stir up debate as well as those that have no shot in hell.

Borderline Cases

Mark McGwire - Why did I put Canseco in the Hall, but not McGwire.  Simple.  McGwire, despite his 586 HR's, was always considered borderline by many, and many were considering if he was even worth a 1^st Ballot on the Hall of Fame.  While he did hit 70 HR's, shattering Roger Maris' record (a record that stood for all of 3 years or so), McGwire's production tanked after that.  With the admission that he took Andro, Canseco's public outing of him as a steroid user, the fact that he shrank  faster than the value of a dollar, and his sorry showing in front of Congress will make McGwire the litmus test for several others under the steroid cloud.

Rafael Palmeiro - Over 500 HR's and over 3000 Hits and it looks like Raffy will never set foot in the Hall of Fame, thanks to his now infamous status as the most famous player to be netted for steroids.  Though he seeks to revive his career, much in the same way as Jason Giambi has, he is 40 years old and it may be too late.  His election hinges on that of McGwire.  If McGwire's in, Palmerio's in, though look for the most booed speech in the history of acceptance speeches.

Roberto Alomar - Alomar is going to be a tough call.  His career averages are good (.300, .371, .443) and he accumulated 2724 Hits and 219 Homers.  He has a pair of rings in his name (both with the Blue Jays) and 10 Gold Gloves.  Had it not been for his nagging back problems the past few years that forced him to retire this year, he would have gotten to 3000. 

David Wells - Another tough call.  Wells has good numbers so far (227-143), but he has a career ERA of 4.06.  Though he has been historically dominant in the postseason, that reputation took a hit this past fall when Boston was swept in the ALDS.  To his credit, he was enormous talent and has thrown a perfect game, but his hard partying ways probably have cost him the Hall of Fame.  He's a long shot, at best.

Tom Glavine  - Close to 300 wins, an ERA below 3.50 lifetime, one World Series Ring, and two Cy Young's.  If he hit's 300, he'll be in.  However, Glavine is clearly in his decline phase and despite all the moves that the Mets have made, there is still a fair chance that he could fall short and wind up wasting away with Tommy John and Bert Blyleven on the list of those on the outside looking in.  

Mike Mussina - Mussina is 37 right now and needs 76 wins to reach 300.  Though he still is a great pitcher, his prime ended in 2003, the last time he won more than 15 games and had an ERA south of 4.  He'll need to be near flawless to reach 300 to get in.  Then again, it may be already too late.

Jim Thome - Thome is placed in this category solely on the basis of his Home Run Total.  His hits aren't impressive and his career averages are good, but not stellar.  However, if Thome is able to rehab his career to what it once was as the White Sox DH, he should reach 500 in three seasons, after which he can retire with as a near lock for the Hall of Fame.

The Hall of Very Good

Larry Walker - Walker was the 1997 NL MVP, 3 batting crowns, and has won 7 Gold Gloves in the outfield.  Walker has great averages (.313, .400, .565) that certainly merit consideration for Cooperstown.  He has 383 HR's and 2160 Hits, all good numbers, but not great.  He'll get some consideration for playing on some horrible teams before he got to the Cardinals (with the exception of that legendary 1994 Expos team that could have won the World Series and have saved the team from going to DC), but beyond that, he'll be on the outside looking in.

Juan Gonzalez - Up until 2001, Juan Gone looked like a sure thing Hall of Famer.  He has two MVP's (1996 and 1998), six Silver Slugger Awards, and until then had 397 HR's, 1727 Hits, and was on track to join the 500 Club.  Since 2001, Gonzalez's career has gone south as injuries would limit his playing time and his production, leaving him at 434 HR's.  Another strike against him is that despite his power, he didn't get on base often.  While it is still likely that Gonzalez could get another shot with a team needed a cheap option at DH (Tampa Bay anyone?), it's more likely now that Gonzalez's career is over.

Paul O'Neill - Great player.  There is no doubt about that.   He posted decent numbers (.288, .363, .470) and drove in 1269 RBIs.  But other than that, he doesn't have enough hits or homers to make a case for the Hall of Fame. Had he left Cincinnati sooner, he would probably be a borderline candidate.

Sandy Alomar Jr.  - Unlike brother Bob, Sandy isn't a tough call. Sandy was a full time catcher in only 4 seasons.  He has some hardware, with the 1990 Rookie of the Year and a Gold Glove, both in 1990.  He hit for average and was productive, but was nothing special like his two other contemporaries that would hit the season in later seasons, Ivan Rodriguez and Mike Piazza.  Sandy won't make it in as a player, but he is said to be good with younger players and is respected around baseball, all trademarks of an outstanding manager.

Darryl Strawberry - The 1984 Rookie of the Year, Strawberry had such high expectations when he came in, hailed as "The Black Ted Williams" and projected to break Hank Aaron's home run record.  However, drugs, booze, and police troubles would destroy his career, causing him to end with the pedestrian averages of (.259, .357, .505) and 335 Home Runs.  Strawberry will forever be remembered as the embodiment of lost promise.

Kenny Rogers - One of 15 to throw a Perfect Game, so extra credit is given.  With that said, Kenny is merely a good pitcher, not a great one.  His numbers would probably be better had he stayed with the Rangers during that great run from 1996 to 1999 and he'd have a little more sway with the voters if he had remained a Ranger throughout his career.  But even with all that, Rogers still wouldn't be getting in without the price of admission. 

Kevin Brown - Unlike another Ranger pitcher (see Rogers, Kenny), Brown had the potential to be a Hall of Famer.  The talent was there for him to succeed.  However, injuries have slowed his career in past years and as a result, his ability has fallen off noticeably, hence his rising ERA.  After he left the Yankees on July 24, his career appears to be over.

Bernie Williams - Bernie's a good man and a great teammate.  And he's put up some great numbers, with a line of nice averages (.298, .384, .480) and a good deal of hits and homers (2218 and 275, respectively.)  He's also got four Gold Gloves and a batting title to his name.  And when he was in his prime, you were hard pressed to find a better centerfielder than Bernie.  However, Bernie's last great season was 2002.  Since then, age has slowed him down and reduced him to a bench player.  If he hadn't had such a slow start to his career, he most likely would be a legitimate Hall Candidate.   Now I'm not so sure.

Mo Vaughn - Everyone remembers that close to the end of his career, Vaughn became the real life embodiment of the Stay Puff Marshmallow Man.  However, his career is very comparable to Albert Belle: a feared hitter whose career ended suddenly thanks to injury.  And like Albert Belle, Vaughn will be on the outside looking in.

David Cone - Remembered for being a mercenary, serving as a Rent-An-Ace for the playoff team that had the money or prospects to pay for him.  Though he pitched a perfect game and was outstanding in the postseason, it is likely that his career numbers will keep him out.  It's too bad, as he was one of the more inventive pitchers to ever take the mound.

David Justice- Injuries reduced his seasons several times, but even with that in mind, Justice hit for power but struck out often.  His numbers, that ultimate litmus test for the Hall, rest at 305 HR's and 1571 Hits.  Not enough for serious consideration, but joins another great player from the late 80's/early 90's, Don Mattingly, in the Hall of Very Good.

No Chance In Hell

Chuck Knoblauch - Blockhead was on the path to Cooperstown until he joined the Yankees.  For some reason, once he donned pinstripes, his fielding abilities slowly degenerated until he was a shell of his former self.  He has had success in the postseason (1 WS with the Twins, 3 with the Yankees) and was a four time All-Star.  Still, he doesn't have the hits or the homers to merit consideration.

Hideo Nomo - Everyone remembers Nomomania back in 1995, when he was seemingly unhittable.  And he had a run of dominance up until 1997, after which, Nomo's starts became batting practice.  He did seem to recover in 2001, and did well up until 2003, but then he collapsed and has been getting destroyed on the mound ever since. 

Reggie Sanders - Good player that put up good numbers (.267, .344, .491, 1563 Hits, 292 HR's), but aside from that, nothing else jumps out.

Chan Ho Park - Jim Rome probably said it best.  You can pinpoint the moment Park's career went down the tubes when he gave up that home run to Cal Ripkin at the All-Star Game.

Kenny Lofton - Good player, with great defense and hit for contact.  Didn't get on base all that often though.  Lofton doesn't have the dominance or the numbers to get him in.

Ruben Sierra - A good player, heralded as the next Roberto Clemente when he arrived on the scene.  He has put up respectable numbers, but that won't get him in.

Tony Wolmack - Has a ring with that Arizona team immortalized in the book The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty.  And that's about it.

Bret Boone - Good player.  That's about it.

Phil Nevin - Same thing.

Doug Mientkiewicz - Just so you all know.  Watch out next time you catch a ball at the ballpark.

Well, hope you all enjoyed it.  Next week, a preview of the American League East, as well as some other fun stuff.  Have a great one!

First off, congradualations to Bruce Sutter for making the Hall of Fame.  Anyhow, with my Hall of Fame forecasts now posted, I thought it be great to review who may or may not enter the Hall in the next few years.  The qualifications for this opinionated little column will be players that will be eligible for election within the next five years or players that will be retiring within the next five years.  Due to the length of the list, the article will be split into two parts, for better enjoyment and for a reduced chance of eyes crossing.  With that in mind, here's what I've got.

Cooperstown Bound

Roger Clemens - No question that Clemens will be put in on the first ballot, marking the biggest landslide election since Nolan Ryan.

Cal Ripkin Jr. - First Ballot Hall of Famer.  Next.

Craig Biggio - Biggio is currently in the Hall of Fame as the hit by pitch recordholder.  However, he's also one of the best men to ever play baseball, playing three different positions (catcher, 1^st base and centerfield) been a constant force on the bases, done lots of good work with the Sunshine Kids organization, and will likely end his career with 3000 hits.  The man, along with fellow teammate and good friend Jeff Bagwell, symbolizes the Astros and the day when he retires, a chapter will end for baseball in Texas.  He's a lock.

Jeff Bagwell - The 1991 NL Rookie of the Year has had a quite a career with the Astros ever since coming from the Red Sox in one of the worst trades every made.  He won an MVP award in 1994 with a Gold Glove, has played solid first base, renegotiated his own deal to keep teammate Craig Biggio in Houston, managed to hit for power in the Astrodome, and has hit 449 Home Runs along with 2314 hits.  His career averages are outstanding (.297, .408, .540).  He's also a good man and one of the best teammates ever and he and Biggio have always been the embodiment of classy, which is a category for making the Hall.  Bagwell and Biggio would be best retiring at the same time, allowing them to enter Cooperstown together.  And there wouldn't anything more appropriate than that.

Mariano Rivera - Probably the most dreaded closer in baseball history, even more so than the dreaded Goose Gossage, Rivera has 379 saves and a career ERA of 2.33.  He has saved over 40 games six times and fields his position well.  He's also had incredible success in the post season (8-1, 0.88 ERA, 30 saves), as several teams (Red Sox, Mets, etc.) can attest to.  The only problem is that he may not get a fair shake with the hall due to the lack of standards for closers.  Unlike other closers, this shouldn't be a problem for Rivera.

Curt Schilling  - Schilling may not have the Cooperstown numbers, such as wins or strikeouts (192-131, 2832 btw), but he has won more than 20 games three times and is gutsy in the postseason, the best example of which was The Bloody Sock, though his showing against the Yankees in the 2001 World Series is also worth mentioning.  If he can just get up over 200 wins, he'll be in Don Drysdale territory.  He's in.

Trevor Hoffman - A feared closer, Hoffman is threatening Lee Smith's place on top of the All Time Saves List.  Though he has very few wins (49-53), he's got 436 saves and a career ERA of 2.76.  He's remained effective even at the age of 38 and saved 40 games for the 7^th time in his career.  Again, the only problem is that the Hall doesn't give a fair shake to closers.

Ken Griffey Jr. - When Griffey came to the scene, he was perhaps the one kid phenom that matched his hype.  He was quickly anointed as the heir to Hank Aaron's legacy, which was justified at the time.  Griiffey made contact, hit with power, played Gold Glove winning defense at center, at was on pace to beat Aaron's record.  Since the trade to Cincinnati, that Griffey has had his season cut short by injuries every year since 2001.  He hit his 500^th Home Run in 2004, at the age of 35.  Since then, Griffey has seemed to have rediscovered himself, rejuvenating his career.  Griffey's days as an All-Star position player are far behind him, but he may be able to last another five years if he serves as a Designated Hitter on an AL Club, though his stubborn refusal to be traded blocks this possible career path.

Rickey Henderson - Finally retired, at the ripe old age of 48, Henderson is a lock for a first ballot election.  He's the 1990 MVP, 3055 Hits, 297 HR's, and a career On Base Percentage of .419.

Randy Johnson - Though he was a late bloomer, Johnson will have no problem getting in.  His current record and strikeouts is 263-136 and 4372, and he has won at least 19 games six times.  He is one of the only pitchers ever to have thrown a perfect game.  If his back holds up and he stays relatively healthy, he'll crack the 300 win barrier and be in.

John Smoltz - Smoltz is a sort of a hybrid pitcher, similar to Dennis Eckersley, who can function as a starter and a closer, and succeed at both positions.  He won the 1996 Cy Young and has a record of 177-128 with 154 saves.  Plus, despite the Braves' usual October chokefest, Smoltz usually does well in the post season, with 12 wins so far.  Though he doesn't have 300 wins (though he may get to 200), Smoltz is still a lock. 

Frank Thomas - Thomas has won two MVP awards (1993 and 1994), one batting title and, despite his rash of injuries that have ended his 2004 and 2005 seasons early, he still can hit, as seen in his early performance when he came back.  He currently has a solid set of career averages (.307, .427, and .568) with 447 HR's and 2136 hits.  He also gains credit for staying with the White Sox through all of their losing years.  Thomas is also one of the only sluggers not to have questions about his integrity and without the cloud of steroids hanging over him.  Most likely, Thomas will remain a productive DH and eventually get to 500, though he'll be in even if he doesn't reach 400.

Jeff Kent  - Currently has the record for most Home Runs by a 2^nd Baseman (319) and will possibly hit over 600 doubles by the time he's done.  Though he tends to rub teammates the wrong way some of the time (See Bonds, Barry, Bradley, Milton), Kent is an excellent player who deserves entry.

Greg Maddux - 3 Cy Young's, 13 Pitching Gold Gloves, 318 Wins, and 3052 Strikeouts.  Maddux is a lock for the Hall whenever he decides to retire.

Julio Franco - Speaking of retiring, Franco first began his baseball career in 1978.  Even more unbelievable, Franco still remains productive even at the ripe old age of 47.  Currently, his numbers stand at .299, .366, .419, with 2521 Hits and 1152 RBI's.  Counting the seasons he played in Japan and Mexico, he would have more than 3000 hits.  He's now the oldest position player in baseball history and, most importantly, a good teammate.  He's in.

Barry Bonds - Despite all the allegations of performing enhancing drugs, Bonds was a Hall of Famer before he became the Incredible Hulk.  He could retire now if he wanted to and be a first ballot election.

Mike Piazza  - The 1993 NL Rookie of the Year, Piazza is a first ballot Hall of Fame member, though he was overhyped due to his exposure in two large media markets, Los Angeles and New York.  He hits over .300, and has nearly 400 Home Runs.  He played catcher well in the first and has a great knowledge of pitchers, something that he isn't credited enough for.  His play at catcher has dropped with the beating he has taken over the years, but Piazza deserves a chance to extend his career with another team, as a DH/Part Time Catcher, perhaps with the Twins and their batch of young talented arms.

Ivan Rodriguez - Rodriguez has gotten a lot less press than his contemporary, Mike Piazza, but is probably the better player.  He had a string of consective Gold Gloves that ran from 1992 to 2001, was the 1999 AL MVP, and a World Series Ring.  While he isn't the power hitter than Piazza was, he's averaged .300 per season and a decent .343 On Base Percentage.  He's got a shot to hit 3000 hits, but his skill at catcher is currently declining.  He'll most likely evolve into a DH/Part Time Catcher with a team, most likely the Texas Rangers, whom he's stated that he would like to finish his career with.

Sammy Sosa - Though Sammy has had the cloud of steroids hanging over him since that wonderful summer of 1998, he hasn't tested positive for anything yet.  The hall also has a habit of ignoring some dark moments in a players career, (see - Gaylord Perry's spitball) the corked bat incident probably won't count against him.  With all that said, his nearly 600 HR's will get him in.

Gary Sheffield -Sheffield currently has 449 HR's and 2345 Hits, along with a lifetime average just shy of .300.  He gets on base often and has even won a batting title.  He's also has been branded a clubhouse cancer and has been known to stop performing if he dislikes how things are going.  Still, baring serious injury, Sheffield should break 500 and make the Hall.  .

Jose Canseco - Ho!  What's this?  Jose Canseco?  In the Hall of Fame?  Yes, I do think so.  Here's why:

Ignoring his good, but not Hall worthy numbers (.266-.353-.515, 462 HR's, 1407 RBI's), Jose Canseco's book, Juiced, probably helped save the game of baseball, with his own admission of steroids and the outing of other current and ex-players, such as Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro, and others.  Because of that book, Congress put baseball on the spot and forced them to cleanup their mess, ensuring that the game will be better off long term.  While he may be vilified now, Canseco will be appreciated in the future for what he's done.  He'll be put in.

Alright, part two is coming tomorrow.  Enjoy

The 2006 Hall of Fame Inductees are about to be announced in about 5 days or so.   It's widely regarded that this is probably one of the weaker classes in the history of the hall of fame, with no clear-cut candidates available.  What this will mean is that this years class will feature several candidates that are deserving but either haven't distinguished themselves sufficiently for the finicky voters or don't fit in a clearly defined class.  For many, this may be they're best shot, since in the coming years, high profile candidates, such as Cal Ripkin Jr and Mark McGwire will become eligable.  So, let's get to looking at who will mostly likely be voted in:

Cooperstown Bound

Rich "Goose" Gossage - Until the Hall of Fame comes up with clear-cut standard for relievers, there will always be a debate on whether or not the same standards for starting pitchers will be held to relievers.  Relievers should get their own set of credentials for the Hall, as they are just as important for teams as a good rotation and a hard hitting lineup.  Gossage was regarded for years as the greatest closer of all time, due to the fact that he was dominant for years, pounding hitters from 1975 -1980 much as another great Yankee closer, Mariano Rivera, has for the last 10 or so years.  Gossage gets more credit because of the fact that in his time, the position was not as specialize.  Add in other factors, such as his post-season excellence and the fact that he was durable and he's in.

Jim Rice - Rice does have some numbers that put him in the conversation.  His career averages are pretty good (.298-.352-.502) and has 382 HR's, 1451 RBI's, and 2,452 Hits.  He is also a eight time All-Star, the 1978 AL MVP, and won three home run titles.  However, his numbers were inflated by Fenway Park, which is a haven for right handed hitters.  He also grounded into double plays and really didn't walk all the much.  Still, Rice is highly regarded as one of the most feared hitters in his time and that alone will put him in.

Lee Smith - A good closer, has an the All-Time number of saves (478), and truckload of innings logged in.  His ERA is great (3.03) and was consistent.  He did only play in two playoff teams and was 0-2 with an 8.44 ERA in the postseason.  Still, accumulating 478 saves is amazing (just ask Trevor Hoffman) and was consistent enough in his career that he deserves entry.

Bert Blyleven - A great pitcher, ranks fifth all time in strikeouts (3701), nine all time in shutouts, and 13^th all time in innings.  His career record is great (287-250) his ERA is solid (3.31) and has a career ERA of 2.47 in the post season.   If he had better run support, he'd easily have over 300 wins.  He's in.

Tommy John  - Just as good as Blyleven, in terms of Wins (288-231) and ERA (3.34).  Would have won 300 wins if not for the injury that required the surgical procedure that now bears his name.  He also ranks 18^th on the all time innings list.  He was a great pitcher for quite some time.  He's in.

Screwed

Dave Parker - Park has enough credentials, seven-time All-Star, 1978 MVP, three Gold Gloves, two batting titles, 2,712 hits, top 30 all-time in career doubles, three times led the league in total bases, top 40 all-time in extra-base hits, to put up a strong case for admission.  In fact, Parker might have made it 3000 hits, an automatic admission, had he not had problems with cocaine.  This will be what will keep him out, unfortunately, though his numbers could argue a strong case for him.  Perhaps in another down year, Parker will be bronzed, but not this time.

Dave Concepcion - Nine All-Star Appearances, five Gold Gloves, 2326 hits, and played with one of the greatest teams of all time.  He dominated his position in his time, but had a relatively vanilla set of career averages (.267-.322-.357).  He is very comparable to Ozzie Smith, though Ozzie Smith got in mostly due to the fact that he was the MVP of his team, while Concepcion was surrounded by Joe Morgan and Pete Rose.  If Smith is in, Concepcion should be in.  However, look for him to be left off the podium come induction day. 

Andre Dawson  - Long, steady career.  In 21 seasons, Dawson tallied 438 homers, 2774 hits, 314 steals, the 1987 NL MVP, eight Gold Gloves and an eight time All-Star.  Dawson was a great defender at both right and centerfield and hit with good power.  He didn't walk much, but he did get results.  He probably should be in, but will get lost in the shuffle.  . 

John Wetteland - Ranks number Nine on the All Time Saves list with 330, just behind Rollie Fingers.  Wetteland performed exceptionally for the Yankees before performing well with the Texas Rangers for four years.  However, I doubt that he will ever be elected, due to the lack of a reputation as a feared closer, which Gossage, Fingers, and future HOF Mariano Rivera have.  I think that as far as closers are concerned in terms of Hall of Fame induction, the line should be based of Wetteland, though I think it will be more or less based on Gossage, which is lofty to say the least.

The Hall of Very Good

Jack Morris - Morris is a somewhat lesser version of John.  He has pitched well in the postseason, and averaged at least 14 wins per season.  However, Morris has an ERA of 3.90 and going through some of his career numbers, many of his wins are the result of good run support.  I think he's out.

Bruce Sutter - Slightly better win record and slightly lower ERA than Wetteland and has 300 saves.  However, he pitched for 12 seasons, the last three of which were dreadful, and wasn't really feared.  He also spent most of his career playing for horrible teams.  I wouldn't put him in, but he does have some support.

Orel Hershiser -  The 1988 Cy Young Winner, three time All-Star, 1988 World Series MVP, 1988 NLCS MVP, 1995 ALCS MVP, a gold glove, and a decent hitter.  Still, Hershiser was a good pitcher, not a great one.  His record alone (204-150) keeps him out.  And even when compared to two other sub-300 pitchers, Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax, Hershiser never really was feared as much as those two were.  His scoreless streak is one of the greatest feats ever accomplished by a pitcher, ranking up with Nolan Ryan's Strikeout and No-Hitter records, but aside from that, the Bulldog's career was actually pretty tame.

Albert Belle - Interesting case.  Has good career averages (.295-.369-.564).  However, the numbers aren't there, with 381 HR's and 1726 Hits and 1239 RBI's.  However, he will get points for the fact that he never was able to enter a decline stage in his career due to the fact that a hip condition would eventually force him to retire, similar to Bo Jackson.  Belle also should get points for intangibles, as he was one of the most feared hitters in the game.  Still, his surly attitude, along with some bat-corking issues, will probably end up keeping him out.

Will Clark - Clark's lifetime averages are there for Cooperstown (.303-.384-.497.) but the sad reality is that his overall numbers (284 HR's, 2176 Hits) aren't enough to encourage voters to put him in.  Clark is often compared in this respect to Jim Rice, though personally I feel that Clark may actually be even better than Rice.  Had Clark been in the game about ten years earlier, he'd be in.  Now, thanks to the injury problems that plagued him in the second half of his career, the only way he'll ever get in Cooperstown is to pay the price of admission.

Don Mattingly - One of the most popular Yankees in history, a nine-time Gold Glover, a six time All-Star, and the 1985 MVP.  A good man and a great leader, who stuck with the Yankees through the lean years and retired just before all the fun started.  Early in his career, Mattingly seemed like a lock, but lingering back problems would eventually claim his career.  Again, as with Clark, good career averages (.307-.358-.471), but the overall numbers (222 HR's, 2153 Hits) aren't enough to get him in.  Again, if he had been in ten years earlier, he'd probably be in.

Dwight Gooden - Rookie of the Year, feared in his first couple of seasons with the Mets, and once seemed as if he would not only win 300 games, but possibly break into the 400's.  However, booze, blow, and broads would destroy his career, leaving him with a final tally of 194-112.  Had Gooden perhaps gotten to the level of a Tommy John, he'd be a strong case to be put in.  Now, he remains the summit of the mountain of wasted talent and promise.

Alan Trammell  - Trammell gets bonus points for playing his whole career with one team, a rarity in this day and age.  Trammell totaled 2,365 hits, 185 homers, 412 doubles, 236 steals, six All-Star appearances, four Gold Gloves and a World Series MVP award.   A good resume, but not good enough, particularly when you have Cal Ripkin coming in the next year, and the fact that there are several shortstops that are better in the hall.

Rick Aguilera - one of the famed 86 Mets, Aguilera was a starter turned reliever, the same career path taken by Dennis Ecksersley.  His ERA is pretty good (3.57), but when compared to other closers that are in the hall or currently in the league, Aguilera really is just an average player.  Next.

Doug Jones - Had a great career and more saves than Bruce Sutter.  However, Doug Jones just doesn't have that Hall of Fame luster, despite being a great closer.  I'd leave him out, as per the standard set by my measuring stick, John Wetteland.  This is merely my opinion.  It is entirely possible that Sutter and Jones can make it in on a later date or by the Veteran's Committee.

Dale Murphy  - Murphy had seven All-Star appearances, five Gold Gloves, 398 HR's, two Home Run Titles and two MVP's, back to back.  But he also nosedived off at the end of his career, all but out of baseball in two seasons.  A good player, but not great. 

Willie McGee - Again, a good player, but not a special one.

No Chance In Hell

Ozzie Guillen - Fan Favorite in Chicago and has a lot of momentum following the White Sox's World Series win.  But his numbers, (.264-28-619) as well as his 1764 Hits and 28!!! Home Runs keep him from the hall.  It's also interesting to note that he fell for the Hidden Ball Trick 3 times.

Steve Garvey - Hit for average, played good defense, and had a decent amount of production.  However, he really doesn't compare with other second basemen in the hall, such as Ryne Sandberg, or like other up and coming Hall of Famers, like Jeff Kent.  He was also strongly disliked by his teammates, like Albert Belle.  Most likely, will never be put in.

Hal Morris - Decent player, but not great.  I remember him most from the free card that was given when you bought a new pack of Ultra-Pro Page Holders.  Come to think of it, how many of those players that appeared on the card appear to be heading to the Hall of Fame (Jose Canseco? Bobby Bonilla?)

Alex Fernandez - To quote Drew Rosenhaus, Next Question!

Gary Gaetti - See Fernandez, Alex

Gary DiSarcina - See Gaetti, Gary

Gregg Jeffries- See DiSarcina, Gary

Walt Weiss- Ummmm, no.

 Well, that's all for my first post.  If you all think I'm nuts, post a response.  Have a good one!