2008 Baseball Writers' Hall of Fame Ballot

Infielders

Dave Concepcion was not only a member of the legendary "Big Red Machine" that won four pennants -- including World Series championships in 1975-76 -- but he is also viewed as a trailblazing pioneer for generations of Latino ballplayers enjoying thriving careers. In a 19-season career spent entirely with Cincinnati from 1970-88, Concepcion owned a .267 average, 101 home runs and 950 RBIs. The nine-time All Star is one of only 14 players in history to play more than 2,000 games at shortstop and collect more than 2,000 hits. During his era, Concepcion was considered the gold standard at his position, along with Ozzie Smith. More >

 
Shawon Dunston may be best remembered for his impressive range and legendary throwing arm, but the two-time All Star was an underrated offensive player during his career. Over his 18 seasons, the Cubs great hit over .300 five times. He also crushed 150 home runs and stole 212 bases. Dunston also exuded professionalism throughout his career: In an era of inflating contracts and egos, Dunston showed up to the ballpark each day ready to play hard -- and win. Dunston's athletic ability made him a No. 1 overall pick in 1982; his passion and work ethic made him a candidate for election to the Hall of Fame. More >

 
Travis Fryman could hit and play defense with the best of his generation at two premium positions, shortstop and third base. If part of the measure of a player is the effect he has on his teammates, however, then Fryman can look back on his days in uniform and feel especially happy. Fryman brought strong leadership skills to the park each day, in addition to his skills on the field -- Fryman hit .274 with 223 home runs and won a Gold Glove in 2000. Fryman also won a Silver Slugger in 1992, for his offense at shortstop, and appeared in five All-Star Games. Fryman's best season probably happened in 1993, when he hit .300 with 22 home runs. More >

 
Chuck Knoblauch was the definition of an all-around player. Defense, hitting, base-stealing -- there was no aspect of the game in which Knoblauch did not excel, both mentally and physically. A .304 hitter in seven seasons with the Twins (.289 career), Knoblauch tallied 322 doubles, 1,839 hits and 615 RBIs over his 12 years in the big leagues. The second baseman also stole 25 or more bases in 10 of those 12 seasons, and he finished with a total of 407 in his career, but his real calling card was his savvy defense. A four-time All-Star, Knoblauch went down swinging -- literally -- hitting over .300 in three of his final four seasons as a Twin. More >

 
Don Mattingly had no concern for upholding records during his career. He broke or tied five of them in one season alone, including grand slams in a season (six) and consecutive home-run games (eight). Respected for his humble demeanor, "Donnie Baseball" was particularly impressive between 1984 and 1989, averaging 26 home runs and 114 RBIs for the Yankees during that stretch. Defensively, he was no slouch either, winning nine Gold Glove Awards at first base during his 14 years in the Majors. He also earned the American League batting title in 1984 and AL Most Valuable Player Award the following year. More >

 
Mark McGwire never wanted for awards or attention during his professional career. He made an impact right from the start, knocking 49 home runs in his 1987 full-season debut. The following seasons yielded 32, 33 and 39 shots -- impressive, no doubt, but those numbers were nothing compared to what was in store in the years 1995-2000, during which McGwire hit 316 total homers. But don't call him one-dimensional -- McGwire won a Gold Glove in 1990, too. He was a 12-time All-Star who finished his career ranked ninth all time in slugging percentage, eighth in home runs and first in at-bats per home run.

 
Alan Trammell was one half -- Lou Whitaker being the other -- of what's widely regarded as the greatest double-play tandem to play the game. Trammell steadily progressed as a hitter until he earned the first of six All-Star selections on his way to a .300 batting average and 65 RBIs in 1980. He was named World Series MVP for the Tigers' 1984 title team and obliterated all of his offensive standards in 1987, batting .343 with 28 homers. That earned Trammell the first of his three Silver Slugger Awards over a four-year span. But his bat never overshadowed his glove as Trammell won four Gold Gloves in a five-year stretch from 1980-84. More >

 

Outfielders

Brady Anderson made his reputation as a fleet-flooted outfielder with a well-rounded offensive game. He stole more than 20 bases seven times, but hit more than 20 home runs just three times in 15 seasons. Still, Anderson is about as recognizable as any non-Ripken Oriole from his era. Anderson's power remained largely gap-to-gap until '96, when he more than doubled his career high with his 50-homer season. He finished his career with respectable totals in hits (1,661), home runs (210), RBIs (761) and runs scored (1062) and was recognized for his loyalty to Baltimore by being inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame in 2004. More >

 
Harold Baines was known as a classy, dignified, and low-key RBI machine over the course of his illustrious 22-year career. His awesome clutch hitting led to an amazing 1,628 RBIs, ranking 26th all-time. The left-handed slugger finished with a .289 average, 2,866 hits, 384 home runs, 488 doubles, 1,299 runs scored, 1,062 walks against just 1,441 strikeouts and a most impressive 2,830 games played. His consistent excellence was accomplished the right way through hard work and dedication, without any questionable shortcuts. Baines' resume includes six All-Star appearances and a .324 average over 102 postseason at-bats. More >

 
Andre Dawson stormed the National League in 1977 as a 22-year-old rookie, hitting 19 home runs, stealing 21 bases and walking away with the Rookie of the Year Award. Over his career, the highly decorated Dawson won eight Gold Gloves and four Silver Slugger awards, and also appeared in eight All-Star Games. During his MVP-winning 1987, Dawson hit .287 with 49 home runs and 137 RBIs. Dawson's play was so dominant MVP voters bucked convention in giving him the award: His team won 76 games and finished in last place. By the time Dawson retired in 1996, he collected 438 home runs and 314 steals, finishing as one of six players to top 300 in both categories. More >

 
David Justice never did much vacationing during October. In his 14 years in the Major Leagues, he made the postseason trip 11 times. A three-time All-Star with the looks of a movie star, Justice had some moments in his career that played out like a Hollywood script, most notably his World Series clinching homer in the Braves' 1995 Game 6 win over the Indians at Atlanta Fulton-County Stadium. Finishing his career with a .279 batting average, a .378 on-base percentage and 305 homers, Justice won two World Series titles, the National League Rookie of the Year award in 1990 and the American League Championship Series MVP award in 2000. More >

 
Dale Murphy was as beloved as any player in Braves history while playing in Atlanta. He was undoubtedly one of the greatest players during the 1980s, winning the National League's MVP in '82 and '83. During his career, which also included stints with the Rockies and Phillies, Murphy amassed 398 homers, 2,111 hits and 1,266 RBIs. The converted catcher won five Gold Gloves as an outfielder, and he didn't miss a game from 1982-86. He compiled more total bases than anybody during the '80s. Mike Schmidt was the only player with more homers and Eddie Murray the only player with more RBIs during that period. More >

 
Dave Parker was an intimidating 6-foot-6, 235-pound right fielder with a sweet swing and powerful arm. He earned back-to-back batting titles in 1977 and 1978, was named the National League MVP in 1978 and the All-Star Game MVP in 1979, and helped lead the Pirates "Family" to a World Series title in 1979. Parker later went on to serve as an important cog on the Oakland A's 1988 American League championship and 1989 World Series championship teams and appeared in the 1990 All-Star Game as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers. By the time he retired in 1991, Parker's 19-year big league totals included a .290 average, 2,712 hits, 339 home runs and 1,491 RBIs. More >

 
Tim Raines was one of the best leadoff hitters of all time. Most of his damage at the top of the lineup was done as a member of the Expos and White Sox. From 1982 to 1992, he scored 90 or more runs eight times, led the league in stolen bases four times, was an All-Star seven times and hit .290 or better six times. Overall, the switch-hitting Raines played 23 years, ranks in the top 10 in stolen bases and ended up with 2,605 hits and 1,571 runs scored. Even when his days as an everyday player were over, Raines proved to be a valuable reserve, helping the Yankees win two World Series titles in 1996 and 1998. More >

 
Jim Rice's 382 homers and 1,451 RBIs were tops among all American League hitters during his 16 years in baseball (1974-89). Furthermore, Rice topped 20 homers 11 times, 100 RBIs eight times, was an All-Star eight times, hit .300 in seven seasons and he finished in the top five in the AL MVP voting six times. Also, Rice hit 39-plus homers four times, the most of anyone who played during his time period. Rice, who hit for average and power, and to all fields, was a dominant slugger. When Rice was at his best -- from 1975-86 -- he mashed the opposition with pure strength and hitting technique. More >

 

Starters

Bert Blyleven landed in the top end of almost every all-time pitching category in a 22-year career that spanned from 1970-92 with the Twins, Rangers, Pirates, Indians and Angels. That includes 287 wins, which is 25th on the all-time list. Blyleven is fifth in career strikeouts with 3,701, ninth in games started with 685 and ninth in shutouts with 60. The Dutchman also had success in the postseason, including World Series titles with Pittsburgh in 1979 and Minnesota in 1987, and an overall 5-1 postseason record with a 2.47 ERA. He boasts a 1977 no-hitter for the Rangers, a 20-win season with the Twins in 1973 and All-Star Game appearances in 1973 and 1985. More >

 
Chuck Finley took the ball for the Angels for fourteen seasons and made good things happen. In terms of giving customers their money's worth, he was as dependable as Disneyland, right down the road. Finley, a 6-foot-6 lefty with a mid-90s fastball and lethal split-fingered fastball, threw 2,675 innings in an Angels uniform, winning 165 games. Right behind him, with 2,181 1/3 innings and 138 wins, is Nolan Ryan. Finley's career lasted 17 seasons, and he ranks 23rd all-time in strikeouts with 2,610. At his five-year peak -- from 1989 through 1993 -- he was among the elite pitchers in the game, winning a combined 75 games. More >

 
Tommy John's chief asset as a pitcher was his consistency. He won 13-plus games 11 times, with an amazing 22 seasons spanning the first (1965) and last (1987). He was the epitome of the crafty left-hander, a soft-thrower who kept infielders busy dealing with the products of his sinker. For John, however, it was just an unconventional form of dominance. John will always be synonymous with a historic elbow operation that now bears his name. Dr. Frank Jobe performed the medical miracle, transplanting a ligament into his dead left arm, but John performed the ensuing pitching miracle. He won more games following the surgery (164) than before it. More >

 
Jack Morris' aura was built on winning. He won more games than any other pitcher in the 1980s and he won three World Series with three different teams and started the series opener for each of them. His Game 7 performance for the Twins in 1991 still stands as one of the greatest single-game performances in the history of Fall Classic. Working complete games in one out of every three starts for his career showed an ironman status just as baseball was embracing specialized relievers. Hall of Famer Sparky Anderson, who helped make Morris' gruff, hypercompetitive mentality famous and later called him the greatest pitcher he'd ever managed. More >

 
Jose Rijo finished 116-91 with a 3.24 ERA in a 14-season career, with 97 of those victories coming with the Reds. His wildness as a youthful pitcher turned to refinement for the 1988 season, which was the first of five times Rijo surpassed 13 wins for the Reds. In 1990, he went 14-8, but made his lasting impact in the World Series sweep of Oakland by going 2-0 with a 0.59 ERA and winning the Series' Most Valuable Player honors. Rijo's best statistical season was 1993, when he finished 14-9 with a 2.48 ERA, but led the National League with 227 strikeouts and had the second-most innings completed with 257 1/3. More >

 
Todd Stottlemyre compiled a 138-121 record over 14 seasons, good enough for a .533 career winning percentage between stints with the Blue Jays, A's, Cardinals, Rangers and Diamondbacks. The 6-foot-3 right-hander spent seven of those seasons in Toronto, where he won World Series titles in 1992 over the Braves and in '93 against the Phillies. Stottlemyre finished his career with 1,587 strikeouts and had eight seasons with 10 or more wins. In 2000, he was honored with both the Branch Rickey Award and the Lou Gehrig Memorial Award -- accolades that recognize character and efforts off the field. More >

 

Relievers

Rod Beck, who died last June at the age of 38, was known for his down-to-earth demeanor. He ranks 23rd all-time with 286 saves. He recorded each one with style, staring intently toward home plate while his right arm swayed at his side like a pendulum. With his Fu Manchu mustache and flowing hair, he looked like an old West gunslinger, which earned him the nickname "Shooter." He ranked among the National League's top 10 in saves each season from 1992-98 and recorded 20 saves or more seven times. Later in his career, Beck's tradmark split-fingered baseball didn't always dive as it should have, but he compensated with guile and determination. More >

 
Rich "Goose" Gossage was a pioneer, and he certainly looked the part. With a handlebar mustache, an untamed mane and an all-business attitude, Gossage was among the first pitchers to take on the closer role. His pitching style was consistent with his personality -- powerful and straightforward. Not one for flair or variety, Gossage needed only one pitch -- his fastball -- to get the job done, and the "job" was striking out batters at an alarming rate. Gossage ended up with 1,502 strikeouts and a lifetime 3.01 ERA. He sits 17th on the all-time saves list with 310, and finished his career in 1994 with 124 wins. More >

 
Robb Nen ranks 15th all-time with 314 saves and holds the franchise record for saves for both the Marlins and the Giants. His fastball's sheer velocity enabled him to overpower hitters, though the pitch that truly distinguished Nen was his slider, which traveled in the low 90s and darted downward like a split-fingered fastball. Unlike most hard throwers, he maintained admirable control, issuing an average of 3.27 walks per nine innings -- a figure that shrank to 2.69 in his five seasons with the Giants (1998-2002). He also struck out 9.98 batters per nine innings for his career. More >

 
Lee Smith held the career saves record for 14 years and now ranks second all time with 478. Few have pitched the ninth inning as consistently as did the hard-looking, soft-spoken Louisiana native who went 12 seasons between his first 30-save season and his last in 1995. He logged saves for eight different teams, yet he holds the career saves record for the Cubs and until recently, also held it for the Cardinals. During one six-year stretch (1985-90), he averaged more than a strikeout an inning each season, with 580 total punchouts in 509 innings during that span. He holds another Major League record for most games finished with 802. More >