In just a few days, the 2015 Baseball Hall of Fame will have new members elected into its hall (with induction happening later this year).

The question is, with such a star studded ballot, someone is going to be left off this year.

And with the new rules (basically, instead of 15 years of eligibility, you only get 10) that makes being left off even more painful.

I'm of the opinion they need to raise the number of people you can vote for from 10 to at least 12 or 13, as in some years, 10 just isn't enough.

Here are the candidates for the 2015 Hall of Fame...

First, the returners, with their year on the ballot in parenthesis (ordered by how close they were to the Hall of Fame last year):

Craig Biggio (3rd)
Mike Piazza (3rd)
Jeff Bagwell (5th)
Tim Raines (8th)
Roger Clemens (3rd)
Barry Bonds (3rd)
Lee Smith (13th)
Curt Schilling (3rd)
Edgar Martinez (6th)
Alan Trammell (14th)
Mike Mussina (2nd)
Jeff Kent (2nd)
Fred McGriff (6th)
Mark McGwire (9th)
Larry Walker (5th)
Don Mattingly (15th - last chance!)
Sammy Sosa (3rd)

Now, for the newbies to the ballot, with 10 years of eligibility for all of them:

Pedro Martinez
Randy Johnson
John Smoltz
Gary Sheffield
Nomar Garciaparra
Brian Giles
Carlos Delgado
Tom Gordon
Darin Erstad
Jason Schmidt
Cliff Floyd
Jermaine Dye
Rich Aurilia
Troy Percival
Aaron Boone
Tony Clark
Eddie Guardado

A reminder, you need to be listed on 75% of the ballots to be inducted, if you fall below 5% for whatever reason, you will be ineligible for future balloting purposes.

Now... who are your 10 players that you would vote for if you had a ballot?

My 10 would be (in order of preference)...

1. Pedro Martinez
2. Randy Johnson
3. John Smoltz
4. Mike Piazza
5. Craig Biggio
6. Barry Bonds
7. Roger Clemens
8. Edgar Martinez
9. Gary Sheffield
10. Curt Schilling

Now, for some explanations

1. Pedro Martinez - No explanation is really needed, is there? Pedro is one of the best pitchers in baseball history, and the best pitcher of his generation. He started his career with the Dodgers, was traded prematurely to the Expos for Delino DeShields (who had three mediocre years with them. Woops), and spent the next 4 with the Expos, finally becoming King in 1997 when he went 17-8, with a 1.90 ERA, and throwing 305 strikeouts.

To put that into context, this season, the major league leader in Ks was David Price with 271. Pedro didn't even lead the league that year in strikeouts. The last time a pitcher had 300 strikeouts in a season? Randy Johnson (334) and Curt Schilling (316) in 2002. Pedro did this as a 25 year old. He was then traded to the Red Sox for Carl Pavano and Tony Armas. This would go down as one of the greatest Red Sox trades in franchise history, as he didn't slow down one bit.

Over the next 7 seasons with Boston, he would compile a 2.52 ERA, and 1683 strikeouts. In those 7 seasons, he led the league in strikeouts 3 times, ERA 4 times, and various other peripherals 4 times, such as K/9, H/9, and WHIP. No season of his was greater than 1999. Some like to say his 2000 was better, but a quick look at the numbers shows this isn't entirely factual. Martinez won 23 games, had a 2.07 ERA, 313 strikeouts, and above all, a 1.39 FIP.

That mark is good for the 3rd best season ever in the history of baseball. The closest modern day comparison was Dwight Gooden's 1984 season. This case of his, where he had what may go down as the best pitching season of all time, didn't result in an MVP award, and is the gamechanger in the "pitchers shouldn't win the MVP award debate". If the best pitching season in history didn't win MVP, no pitching season ever should.

Beyond his greatness in Boston, he went on to pitch 4 quality years (and one bad one) with the Mets and the Phillies. He retired following the 2009 season.

Final Key Stats - 219-100, 2.93 ERA, 3154 strikeouts (13th all time), 10 K/9 (3rd all time), 154 Career ERA+ (2nd all time)

Other Notable Hall Worthy Mentions - Helped win 2004 World Series, breaking 86 year curse; 86 Career WAR; Three Time Cy Young; Eight Time All Star

Case Against Him - You hate baseball and life, and think the Hall of Fame should be so exclusive, not even visitors get in anymore. (There's seriously no case against him.)

Whose Hat Does He Wear into the Hall - Boston Red Sox. He was good elsewhere, but he became a legend in Boston, also spent most years there.

2. Randy Johnson - It's hard to follow up the greatest pitcher of a generation, but Randy Johnson can put a claim to that as well. At the very least, he's the greatest LHP of his generation. The Big Unit is just as worthy of a Hall of Fame placque as his counterpart, Pedro Martinez. And stats more or less back him up, if not make the unspoken case for him. Johnson started his career in Montreal with the Expos, drafted with the 36th overall pick in the MLB Draft of 1985. This draft class also produced Barry Bonds. Yikes. Hate to be the team that missed on both of those guys... (cough Brewers, Giants, Rangers, Reds, and most of all White Sox).

Johnson started '89 with the Expos, but found himself shipped off to Seattle for Mike Campbell and Mark Langston. In Seattle, the name Randy Johnson became a household name, as over the next 10 years, he put up a 130-74 record, 3.42 ERA, and 2162 strikeouts. His real coming out party though, was in 1995, close to the tailend of his run with the M's.

Going 18-2, with a 2.48 ERA, 294 strikeouts, a 2.08 FIP, and leading the league in virtually every meaningful statistic (except for IP and BB/9), he handily won the AL Cy Young, the one time he would win the AL version of the award. So great was his domination that the only person to get votes for first outside of him was Jose Mesa, a reliever, who, while great for 1995, was mostly average outside of that. I couldn't find records of the two votes that went to Mesa, but it's reasonable to assume they were either Cleveland sports writers or people who were spiteful of Randy Johnson (it's really a shock it wasn't a unanimous selection).

It's the year 1998, and Johnson is nearing free agency. Knowing he's due for a big pay day and knowing they won't retain him, they trade him to the Houston Astros for a few months. In return, they get Freddy Garcia, Carlos Guillen, and John Halama.

Randy Johnson goes on to 10-1 record, a 1.28 ERA, and 116 strikeouts in 84 innings post trade. Despite this, Johnson finishes 7th in NL Cy Young voting, being unable to get by such visionaries as Al Leiter.

He parlayed his performance into a 4/52 million dollar pact with the Diamondbacks (equivalent to close to 5/72 in today's market, which just goes to show how badly the market has inflated in recent years). This didn't bother Johnson, as over the next 6 seasons (he signed an extension) he put up a 103-49 record, 2.65 ERA, and 1832 more strikeouts. He won 4 straight NL Cy Young awards, his latest coming at the tender age of 38, and won the World Series with the Diamondbacks in 2001 (while being on route to being WS MVP himself).

Following a 2004 season where he finished 2nd in Cy Young voting to a less deserving (but still great) Roger Clemens, Johnson was traded by the D'Backs to the New York Yankees, for Brad Halsey, Dioner Navaro, and Javier Vazquez.

His tenure in New York was short, as he only pitched 2 years with them. At this stage of his career, it was evident the dominant Johnson was gone. He was still very good, but his ERA had skyrocketed, his strikeouts went down, and overall, his line went from "dominant" to just "very good".

His great 2005 was followed up by a miserable 2006, and it was after this 2006 season concluded that he found himself on the move again. Johnson was going back to Arizona, in exchange for Alberto Gonzalez, Steven Jackson, Ross Ohlendorf and Luis Vizcaino.

He would have two more decent years with Arizona, 2008 being his last hurrah of sorts (his 2007 was cut short by injury). He would play one last season in 2009, this time with the San Francisco Giants. One mediocre season later, he was done and retired at the age of 46.

Johnson's career will best be remembered as one befitting of who he was. He got a late start (25 as of his debut), but he pitched until the ripe old age of 45 (his last game was at age 46). He is presently the career leader in K/9 at 10.6 per 9 innings, which alone is worthy enough of entrance into the hall, given how long he pitched in the majors.

Final Key Stats - 303-106 (22nd All Time in Wins), 3.29 ERA, 104.3 WAR (9th All Time for pitchers), 1.171 WHIP, 4135 IP, 4875 strikeouts (2nd), 10.6 K/9 (1st), 135 Career ERA+

Other Notable Hall Worthy Mentions - Won World Series in 2001; World Series MVP 2001; Five time Cy Young; Ten time All Star

Case Against Him - Much like with Pedro, there's really no case against him. He was one of the best pitchers in baseball history, and there's zero reason he shouldn't get in on his first try.

Whose Hat Does He Wear into the Hall - Arizona Diamondbacks. There were really only two choices here, Seattle or Arizona. He was in Seattle longer, but he was in Arizona better. Not that it'd be an insult to see him in as a Mariner. It just wouldn't be expected.

3. John Smoltz - John Smoltz may be the most interesting case on this year's ballot, he played both as a starter and as a closer, and he was damn amazing at both jobs. Had he stuck to one or the other, his case may have been open and shut, with no room for discussion. As it is though, there's a chance he doesn't get in this year. Here's why he should.

Smoltz started his career in 1988, being drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 22nd round of the 1985 MLB Draft. In 1987 he was traded to the Atlanta Braves for Doyle Alexander (he more or less cost the Tigers the 1987 ALCS, so the trade worked out as well as you could have thought).

Once on the Braves, he had a real chance to play every day. Atlanta fast tracked him from AA (where he was at the time of the trade) to AAA. Despite his struggles, the Braves kept tossing him into the fire, and a year later, he was ready to contribute at the MLB level.

He started for the Braves in 1988, and the results were less than fantastic. A 5.48 ERA, a 4.6 BB/9 rate doomed him. The Braves however, did not give up hope that one day, Smoltz would be the player they had seen earlier at AAA.

Success came rather quickly, as his 1989 campaign was excellent. 208 innings pitched. As a 22 year old in his second full major league season. He coupled those innings with an ERA of 2.94 on route to his first all star appearance.

Unlike Pedro and Johnson, Smoltz actually didn't change teams again for a very long time. Rather, his career can be split into two halves, his first half as a starter, and his second as a reliever. From 1988-1999, Smoltz profiled as one of the Braves top starting pitchers (the '99 rotation, for example, had Smoltz, Glavine, and Maddux).

Putting up a 157-113 record, a 3.35 ERA, and over 2000 strikeouts, Smoltz was a revelation of sorts, a fantastic pitcher to have in your #3 spot behind both Glavine and Maddux (hall of famers, well, Maddux will be soon enough).

Unfortunately for Smoltz and the Braves, injury struck in 2000, robbing Smoltz of not only his year (he was 33) but also of his ability to be a long term starter for the Braves again.

He would try to start again in 2001, but following his performance (outside of one start against the Pirates) and another injury, the change would be made. Smoltz was now a reliever.

He would pitch a few games here and there, building up strength. The idea was that maybe he could become a starter again once he conditioned himself to go more innings again. But soon enough, they found they had a pretty good closer in Smoltz. Deciding they didn't need Smoltz so badly in the rotation, they gave him a tryout as closer. He wouldn't let go.

Over the next four years, Smoltz would profile as one of the best closers in the game at an age where most players are struggling to get one or two more years out of their careers (without the excuse of being injured like Smoltz was). He put up a 2.65 ERA, and nabbed 154 saves over those four years (2001-2004), even leading the league in saves in 2002 at the age of 35.

As nice as Smoltz the closer was though, Smoltz the starter was itching to make a comeback. And comeback he did. In 2005, he became a starter once more. And he didn't lose a step. In 2005, he put up a 3.06 ERA over 229 innings. That season set the stage for Smoltz's last great run of his career. Between 2005-2008 (where Smoltz suffered another unfortunate injury), Smoltz picked up 47 more wins with a 3.20 ERA.

That would be his last hurrah however. In 2009, he would sign a one year deal with the Boston Red Sox, to try and squeeze in just a little more juice into this amazing resume. He struggled mightily with Boston, as he put up a 8.33 ERA (FIP, which had him at 4.95, seems to imply he was very unlucky).

He was soon let go, and picked up by the St. Louis Cardinals, where he would more or less put up a mediocre line (4.26 ERA, but a 2.73 FIP, which again, suggests 2009 was just very unlucky for Smoltz, who probably could have pitched another year or two).

Smoltz's career was very interesting. Taken late in the draft, flipped for a player who cost their team a chance at a WS, started magnificently until he was injured, became a dominant closer, made a resurgence as a starter, and closed out his career with horrible luck. He was a class act, and a magnificent player, and should be in the hall.

Final Key Stats - 213-155, 154 Saves, 3084 strikeouts (16th All Time), 3.33 ERA, 66.5 WAR, 125 ERA+

Other Notable Hall Worthy Mentions - Eight Time All Star; 1996 NL Cy Young, 1997 NL Silver Slugger at Pitcher

Case Against Him - He was never a "dazzling" pitcher, and missed a lot of time due to injury. Flipped between starter and reliever and then back, prevented him from getting to 300 wins or 500 saves, both of which are generally hallmarks, he could have reached either goal had he been a starter or reliever his whole career, but as it was, he never got much chance at that. Otherwise though, these are dumb arguments and he should be in the Hall.

Whose Hat Does He Wear into the Hall - Atlanta Braves. He only played in the majors for two other teams, the Red Sox and Cardinals, and he only played for them for a half a season. It's pretty obvious which team was the most vital in his career.

4. Mike Piazza - Mike Piazza is one of the greatest offensive catchers (potentially the best) in baseball history. He's also one of the greatest draft steals in MLB history.

Taken in the 62nd round (that is not a typo) of the 1988 MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers, there was never a high expectation that Piazza would ever amount to much of anything, let alone a Hall of Fame catcher.

He started his career, naturally, as everyone expected, by .334/.398/.576 line between 1992-1997 with the Dodgers. He quickly established who he was, and what he did. He hit mammoth home runs, he didn't take prisoners, and he was an all star.

He won Rookie of the Year in 1993 (didn't use all his eligibility in 1992), and it wasn't particularly close. Hitting .318/.370/.561 when your primary position is Catcher? That'll lead to a unanimous selection (which he was) every single time. Sorry Greg McMichael, Jeff Conine, and yes, Pedro Martinez.

Unfortunately for the Dodgers, he wasn't going to stay a Dodger for life. He was traded during the 1998 season to the Florida Marlins for Manuel Barrios, Bobby Bonilla, Jim Eisenreich, Charles Johnson and Gary Sheffield. We'll get to Sheffield more in depth later, but this trade worked out about as well as one could expect.

He went on to hit .278/.263/.389 with the Marlins. In five games. Because a week later, Piazza was flipped to the New York Mets, for Geoff Goetz, Preston Wilson and Ed Yarnall. If none of these players sound familiar, that's because they shouldn't. Goetz was a career minor leaguer (ranked #96 prospect prior to the 98 season by Baseball America) who never got above AA, and was out of baseball in 2006. Wilson is probably the most notable of these three, but was largely an abysmal, dime a dozen talent. Yarnall only pitched 7 games in the majors. All for the Yankees. And most of them awful.

The Marlins traded Gary Sheffield and Bobby Bonilla for Mike Piazza, only to trade him for spare parts.

Not only was he a draft day steal, but the Mets got a steal of their own in this trade.

Because upon becoming a Met, he did something special. Between 1998 (post Mets trade) and 2005 (end of Mets run), he went on to hit .296/.373/.542 with 220 home runs, and almost walked as much as he struck out. He became one of the league's best power hitters in a park that doesn't generally allow for power.

All good things come to an end though, as he found himself in a new location in 2006, as he signed with the San Diego Padres, Piazza was still a very very good hitter though, so this change of location, despite his advanced age (37), did little to slow him down, as he hit .283/.342/.501 in one of the league's worst parks for hitters. (Actually, that's a lie, he hit .223/.307/.425 at home that season, all of his mashing was done on the road, but let's just look at his body of work).

He would have his last hurrah in Oakland, where he hit .275/.313/.414. This would be the worst year since his 1992 season, where he hadn't yet used all his rookie eligibility. Deciding this was a good time to quit while he was ahead, Piazza retired at the age of 39.

Piazza will go down one of the great offensive catchers in baseball, as he hit .308/.377/.545 over his 16 year career, and added 427 homeruns, 1335 RBIs, and numerous all star appearances to his record.

Final Key Stats - .308/.377/.545, 427 HR (47th all time), 1334 RBIs, 143 OPS+

Other Notable Hall Worthy Mentions - Twelve time All Star; 1993 Rookie of the Year

Case Against Him - While he is undoubtedly one of the best catchers to play the game, his numbers have been hurt playing so much of his career for the Mets. It isn't unreasonable to think he could have been a much better player, or at least, had a much better stat line if he was in an environment better suited for him. Hit a lot of home runs, and hit for power, but failed to reach 500 HR mark.

Whose Hat Does He Wear into the Hall - New York Mets. He was a better player with the Dodgers (far better) and played about as much time there as he did with the Mets. However, when you say "Mike Piazza" you think instantly of the New York Mets. That is how everyone who grows up in this era will remember him, and that's how everyone in eras to follow should remember him.

5. Craig Biggio - I've made two cases for Biggio in the past, and both times, he has failed to get in. Now he slips down my ballot as a result of the talent around him. If he doesn't get in soon, he might not get in at all with the new 10 year restriction in place, and so many big names coming to the Hall the next few years...

Last year, Biggio fell all of 2 votes (I think that was it) of election, and I think this year, the voters will rectify that mistake and finally put him where he belongs, in the Hall of Fame.

Let's start by saying this, Biggio, like Smoltz, didn't hop around to other teams. Biggio, unlike Smoltz, didn't hop to any other team at all. Biggio played his entire 20 year career with the Houston Astros. He is one of the few lifers in the sport, and with baseball becoming increasingly ridiculous with salaries, he may be one of the last lifers in the history of the sport.

Drafted by the Astros with their first round pick of the 1987 MLB Draft, Biggio didn't get the benefit of much time in the minors. Being drafted as late as he was (21 as of the draft), he got a taste of A ball at the end of 1987, where he was playing with people roughly his own age. Then next year, he skipped all the way to AAA, where he hit .320/.408/.456.

With little left to conquer, the fast tracked Biggio made his MLB debut in 1988, a little over a year after he was drafted.

It wasn't sugar plums and rainbows for Biggio, however, as he struggled in his first taste of MLB action, hitting .211/.254/.350 as a catcher.

In 1989, again, as the catcher, his efforts paid off, as he struck the ball to a tune of .257/.336/.402. While not a flashy line, and not one you'd expect of a future Hall of Famer, he played the catcher position well, quickly becoming one of the top 10 catchers in the sport.

He would stay in this catcher position until after the 1991 season, having played around 320 games at the position. During these initial years, Biggio hammered out a .272/.339/.371 line. This in itself is roughly league average for the time, but again, he did this as a catcher, a position where offense is at a premium.

Given a chance to play another position so that his offensive game could grow, he made his first major shift to second base. This is another position where offense is at a premium, but without having the pressures of having to call a game, Biggio was left to just play the game.

Over the next 11 years as the Astros 2nd baseman, Biggio grew both offensively and defensively, becoming one of the predominant players at his position. Hitting .293/.387/.450 on route to multiple All Star appearances between 1992-2002, the boy had become a man. And not just any man, but the man. Coupled with Jeff Bagwell and Lance Berkman, the Astros had a trifecta of talented players the fans wanted to see.

Few of his seasons in this period stood out, but one in particular worth mentioning is his 1997 season, where he finished 4th in MVP voting.

At the age of 31, Biggio put up a line of .309/.415/.501, which would be the 3rd, 1st, and 2nd highest marks of his career. That line, compared to a modern day all star 2nd baseman (Dustin Pedroia, for example) is outstanding. Let's take a look at Pedroia's MVP season (2008). Pedroia in 2008 hit .326/.376/.493. Biggio's line was wholly better outside of batting average, which is the most useless of the three.

You can't compare lines so far apart, because of the difference in the game since, but Biggio at the age of 31 hit as well as a player who won the MVP in 2008, and defensively, Biggio was still palatable at the time. Putting up 9.4 WAR in that season alone, Biggio was robbed of the MVP award, by Larry Walker (who was playing monster ball in a hitters park), Mike Piazza, and teammate Jeff Bagwell. Biggio played arguably better than all three of them.

That aside, Biggio had one more big move to make.

It is 2003, and Biggio is no longer the second baseman. They signed Jeff Kent after all. It's time to move Biggio... to the outfield. At age 37, Biggio would become the center fielder for the Astros.

He would only remain here for a short while, but during that short while, he played every bit as hard as he has his entire career. He would hit .273/.344/.441 over the next two years, and even mix in his usual blend of power (and being hit by pitches).

Once Kent left following the 2004 season, Biggio returned to 2nd, where he would close out his career. Over the last three years of his career, he would go on to hit .254/.306/.425 (a pretty mediocre line) and retire at the age of 41.

Biggio was never a flashy player, he had a few great seasons, but his hall of fame resume isn't based off a few great seasons or being flashy. His case is one of longevity and putting up good numbers playing positions of offensive scarcity. He's waited long enough. It's time to enshrine.

Final Key Stats - .281/.363/.433, 3060 hits (21st all time), 291 HR, 414 SB (66th all time), 285 HBP (2nd all time), 112 OPS+

Other Notable Hall Worthy Mentions - Seven time All Star; Four time Gold Glover at Second Base; Four time Silver Slugger at Second Base

Case Against Him - He only had a five-six year stretch of "greatness", and was only really relevant as a key player throughout the 90's. Never a flashy player, didn't hit any major milestones outside of 3000 hits. Good player, not great.

Whose Hat Does He Wear into the Hall - Houston Astros. He was an Astros lifer, and there's no other cap he could possibly wear. Only 100% lock so far for hat choice.

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Before we continue, the below five are the ones that are not likely to get in this year or even next, I would vote for them regardless, but these players are tied to either PEDs, or have a major issue with their case that I don't expect voters to resolve this year. My stance on PEDs is "who cares, if everyone is juicing, then no one really is" and my stance on being an a**h*** is "Ty Cobb is in the Hall of Fame, so anyone can get in."

On that note. Please put Pete Rose in the Hall of Fame

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6. Barry Bonds - The controversial part of the ballot... oh fun. I shouldn't have to make a case for the all time home run king, and one of the greatest all around players to play the sport in years. It is also a cautionary tale, because as good as Mike Trout is, one day, there will be steroid allegations about him as well, and I'm worried Trout will fall into the same hole Bonds has, that of a martyr the media has created out of nothing. I do not know either player personally, but from my research into Twitter and various social media blogs, Bonds has been an all around cool guy, and isn't letting the debate as to whether or not he's a cheat get to him too much. He deserves a medal for that.

That aside...

Barry Bonds is a living legend, a once in a generation type player that just makes you go "ooh, ahh" and the same type of player you will pay hundreds of dollars to watch swing a bat maybe 3 or 4 times in a game (he was often intentionally walked, so sometimes, that's all you got to see).

It's hard to believe then, that for a player who is so maligned now, that no player had a bigger following over the past decade or two. Just as good if not better than Alex Rodriguez, but without everyone in the world thinking he's an ass.

Barry Bonds was drafted by the Pirates with the 6th overall pick of the 1985 MLB Draft (Fun fact, he was originally drafted by the San Francisco Giants, his future team, in the 2nd round of 1982, but didn't sign). Immediately, the pick payed off. After eating the minor leagues for breakfast, Bonds was fast tracked to the big league course in only a year.

His rookie year, while fine, wasn't indicative of the player he was going to become, as he hit .223/.330/.416 on route to a 6th place finish in the NL Rookie of the Year voting (even though he deserved it, and led rookies in WAR).

His line, while not fantastic, was a little above league average. The Pirates loved Barry and Barry loved the Pirates. That love would only grow as his rookie season with the league average line, would be the worst in his entire career.

Between the years of 1986-1992, when Bonds was with the Pirates, he hit .275/.380/.503 with 176 home runs and 251 stolen bases to show for it. Yes, there was a time where Barry Bonds was a bigger base threat than a home run machine.

His 1992 season is when things began to change. Hitting .311/.456/.624 with 34 home runs and 39 stolen bases, he led the league in runs, walks, OBP, SLG, OPS, OPS+, and for the first time of many, intentional walks.

Barry Bonds, the ferocious unstoppable force of nature could not be stopped. So they started to give him first base just to avoid facing him. After winning the MVP (his second already), he was in line for a (then) huge pay day in free agency.

Before we get on with Bonds career retrospective, I think it is fun to note how he was almost a Yankee at this point in time.

This is a link to an archived article from the NY Times. For those who are too lazy to click...

"Barry Bonds did not think $36 million was enough for him to play baseball in the Bronx for the next five years. The superstar free agent wanted $43 million over six years. The Yankees refused to budge on the extra year and the extra millions, so last night they withdrew their offer and said their interest in this year's top free-agent prospect had vanished."

The article also mentions how the Braves were once front runners, but that's in the past. Essentially, the money bag Yankees backed off for once. And for once, it cost them, because with the Giants, Barry Bonds would become the legend he is known as today.

Over the next 6 seasons with the Giants (the price the Yankees were not willing to budge on), Bonds went on to hit .307/.445/.617 (182 OPS+), with 235 HRs and 194 SB, was always an all star, and always in the MVP discussion.

Even once those 6 years were done, Bonds continued to play monster ball. He extended his contract with the Giants and played what will likely go down as the best statistical years of his career. Between 1999-2006, Bonds would hit .320/.508/.729. Yes, that's right, he got on base literally half of the time he stepped up to the batters box, usually because pitchers gave him the free base. In 2004 alone, he was intentionally walked 120 times, which is a major league record... Second place on that list is 68. Which of course is held by Barry Bonds. The highest non-Barry Bonds player on that list is Willie McCovey with 45. Single Season IBB record list here.

In addition to all those walks though, Bonds hit 323 more home runs, and now stood at 734 for his career. In one more season, if he were to play, Bonds would break the career home run record.

And one more season he played.

It is 2007. Barry Bonds signed a one year deal with the Giants. It wouldn't be long now.

August 4th. At the San Diego Padres. Clay Hensley is pitching. Deep LF. Going going... gone. He's tied the record. August 7th, at home, against the Nationals. Mike Bacsik is on the mound. Deep CF... going going... it's gone. Barry Bonds is your new HR champion.

September 5th. At Colorado. Ubaldo Jimenez on the mound. Gone. That is the last of 762 home runs that Bonds will ever hit.

It is now 2008, and Barry Bonds cannot find a job. Rumors of collusion are abound.

He may be 43 now, but last season, he hit .276/.480/.565. He led the league in OBP and had a 169 OPS+. He should be able to find a job with someone, anyone. He is forced into retirement by a league that does not want more Bonds.

He retires, finally, and the legend is over.

Love him or hate him, he is a legendary player, and one of the best we'll ever get to see play. Once in a generational talent, even when he was young. He did everything, similar to how Mike Trout does it now.

If people don't start hating Mike Trout for the same reasons, I'll be shocked.

Final Key Stats - .298/.444/.607, 1.051 OPS (4th all time), 762 HR (1st all time), 1996 RBI (4th all time), 182 OPS+ (3rd all time), 2558 walks (1st all time), 688 Intentional walks (1st all time), 514 stolen bases (33rd all time), various single season records including Intentional walks, home runs, and walks.

Other Notable Hall Worthy Mentions - fourteen time all star; seven time MVP; eight time gold glover

Case Against Him - Steriods, essentially. If you think he took them and you don't want to vote him in, this is the reason you are going with. If you don't think he took them or don't care, you are voting for him. The steroid reason is weak though, because the hall of fame is a story of baseball history, not a hall of saints. If it was, people like Ty Cobb wouldn't be in it.

Whose Hat Does He Wear into the Hall - San Francisco Giants. He only ever played for them and the Pirates, and while he was good with the Pirates, he was a legend in the Bay.

7. Roger Clemens - In recent years, the Rocket has been as much maligned as Barry Bonds. And for the same reason. Suspected use of performance enhancing drugs. And for the same reason, his exclusion from the hall is just as silly.

Regardless of use, the hall is not just a place of stats, but one of the history of the game. And Roger Clemens is as much a part of the game was last year's inductees (like Frank Thomas) were.

Let's start at the beginning, because that's what we've been doing. He was drafted in 1981 by the New York Mets, but didn't sign. Then he was drafted in the first round of the 1983 by the Boston Red Sox, who did sign him.

So began a stretch of dominance where Roger Clemens tore through everyone. Some people look down on his rookie season and say that he wasn't very good. They cite a 4.32 ERA, the worst he'd have for another 15 years, and leave it at that. FIP disagrees. FIP puts Clemens at 2.84, which would imply he had a very good, if unlucky, first go in the majors.

Rough first year behind him though, Clemens came into his own in Boston. Between 1984-1996, Clemens would post ridiculous numbers, including a 192-111 record, 3.06 ERA, and 2590 strikeouts. He had many a dominant season in Boston, none more so than his 1986 season, where he not only won the Cy Young, but also claimed the MVP award as well.

In 1986, he brought the Sox a 24-4 record, a 2.48 ERA, and 238 strikeouts. He was only 23 years old. The Sox didn't win it all that year, but that's not on Clemens, he pitched two average games against the Mets, but couldn't get enough offensive support to support him.

Once his Red Sox career was ending, it was apparent he would find a new team. This new team was the Toronto Blue Jays. He wasn't in Toronto long. In fact, he was only there for two full seasons. But both years, he brought everything to the table. He led the league in strikeouts and ERA+ both seasons, and won the Cy Young in both years as well. Dominant was the best word you could use to describe him.

But Toronto wanted more. So they traded him to the dreaded Yankees, and received David Wells, Homer Bush, and Graeme Lloyd. This turned out to be a solid move, as while Clemens was still decent in the Bronx, he just was a shell of his former self.

With his ERA in NY nearing 4, and his peripherals struggling, his 5 years in New York (1999-2003) remain an afterthought in the grand scheme of his career. He was able to leave New York with one more Cy Young under his belt, but he wasn't even the best pitcher in New York that season (respect to Mike Mussina, who was always rather underrated).

With a desire to be around his family at the forefront of his mind, when free agency hit, he chose to go to Houston to be with the Astros. Not only was this a great move for his family, it was a great move for him, as it seemingly revitalized a stagnating career. He pitched three phenominal seasons with the Astros, including a dominant 2005 season where he was robbed of the Cy Young (talk about karma).

Despite all this, and having a good chance to leave on a high note, Clemens decided one more tour of duty with the Yankees was a good idea.

Returning mid season, just like he had the previous season with the Astros, Clemens joined with the Yankees again, at the age of 44. And it went about as well as it did in his first tour of duty with the Yankees. Very average. Very mediocre.

Talk of steroids/PEDs and the such will follow him wherever he goes, but throughout his career, he has celebrated a lot of records, won dozens of awards, and cemented a place in the hearts of many fans across the nation.

Final Key Stats - 354-184 (9th all time in wins), 3.12 ERA, 4672 strikeouts (3rd), 143 ERA+, 139.4 WAR (3rd all time)

Other Notable Hall Worthy Mentions - Eleven time All Star; Seven time Cy Young; 1986 AL MVP

Case Against Him - Steroids/PEDs, when looking at the numbers, there's no argument, he was every bit as good as Randy Johnson, and he even did it in a tougher league (AL is better than NL, generally). The only people who won't vote for him are people who shouldn't have a ballot to begin with. You can't put Big Unit in the hall and not the Rocket, just because he wasn't perfectly nice to you. Grow up.

Whose Hat Does He Wear into the Hall - Boston Red Sox. At the end of the day, there's just no competition here. He was great with the Blue Jays, but was only there two years. He was with the Yankees the second longest, but was pretty mediocre with them. The Astros would be more of an option if he played more than three years with them. Clemens pitched 10 great seasons with the Sox, and a couple of season that were as good as his time with the Yankees. Makes sense to put him in as a Red Sox.

8. Edgar Martinez - This is where the cases get weaker and it's all about personal choice. To preface this, Martinez is the 2nd best pure DH to ever play the game of baseball (the first is David Ortiz). He may have been the best, but he didn't play long enough to get that honor.

Edgar Martinez started his career without even being drafted. Signing in 1982 as an amateur free agent, Edgar Martinez was given chance after chance with his original organization... the Seattle Mariners.

Much like Craig Biggio, Edgar Martinez is a lifer. One of the few left in today's version of the sport. And also like Biggio, Martinez was just a good player for a very long time, never flashy, and never the very best in the league.

Unlike Biggio however, he didn't play defense, which hurts his case a tad. He also didn't get regular playing time until he was 27, which means his time in the sport was very limited compared to most other hall of fame candidates.

Let's start with the obvious, there's no narrative for Martinez, nothing overly compelling about his history in the game. With no story to base his case around, we look at cold hard stats. 312/.418/.515. That is his career line with the Mariners, the only team he ever played for. He hit 309 home runs, which in comparison with the likes of the players ahead (or even behind him) is pedestrian.

What makes his case is a 147 OPS+. To put that into perspective, Willie McCovey and Mike Schmidt both had a 147 OPS+, HoF hopeful Mike Piazza had a 143. Alex Rodriguez is also at 143. Edgar Martinez, though he was just a hitter, was one of the best to play the game, and ranks in at #41 in his entire career for OPS+.

Next, the great season all HoF players had. You don't need to be amazing, but you generally need at least one good year where everything went right. For Martinez, that's his 1995 season, where he hit .356/.479/.628, leading the league in both BA and OBP, as well as OPS.

He would finish 3rd in MVP voting that season, possibly being the deserving winner of the award (he finished behind Mo Vaughn and Albert Belle), despite being a better hitter than both.

Really, the case for him is kind of weak. He might be deserving, but there are a good dozen or so players you can make the argument for. At the end of the day, he's one of the two best players to play a position that is really only half the game.

Final Key Stats - .312/.418/.515, 147 OPS+

Other Notable Hall Worthy Mentions - Seven time All Star

Case Against Him - Only played half the game, was never incredible or jaw dropping. Just a very decent player during an era where there were tons of offensive talents. Nothing historical of note on his record.

Whose Hat Does He Wear into the Hall - Seattle Mariners. He didn't play for anyone else.

9. Gary Sheffield - This pick was one I debated back and forth on. For these final three spots, I had a dozen or so people I was considering. I'm choosing Shef though for two reasons. One, I'm afraid if I don't that he'll miss out on the 5% for next year, and will never have a chance of getting in, and two, his numbers say he's more deserving than the other guys, including Edgar Martinez (really, any other day, and I might have put Shef above Edgar Martinez on this list).

Sheffield had an interesting start. After being drafted by the Brewers, he was fast tracked to the majors like many on this list. He was 19 when he hit the majors for the first time. He's also the nephew of Dwight Gooden, who not only is comparable with Pedro Martinez, Shef's potential Hall mate, but was also a 19 year old in the major leagues once.

His first four years in the major leagues were rough with Milwaukee. He only hit .259/.319/.376, which was about as average as it got.

Then something crazy happened. He was traded to the San Diego Padres, and got better. Usually, when players go to SD, they get worse. Not Shef though, he hit to the tune of .330/.385/.580. His Batting Average of .330 led the league, and he hit 33 dingers to boot. Sheffield had arrived.

But his time in San Diego was cut short, as they sold high on his stock, and flipped him for Trevor Hoffman, a hall of famer in his own right.

He ended up on the Marlins, halfway through 1993 (he was hitting .295/.344/.473 that season prior to the trade), and stayed there for several years, even helping them win a World Series in 1997.

Over the next five years, Sheffield would hit .288/.426/.543 for the Marlins, and be a 156 OPS+ player to boot. He was the Marlins offense, and even had an MVP calliber season in 1995 where he hit .314/.465/.624. He wouldn't win it, of course, but he was in the hunt.

This too would come to an end, as he would then be traded to the Dodgers for Mike Piazza, the second time he'd be traded for a Hall of Famer in his career. Over the next four seasons in LA, he would hit .312/.424/.573, or roughly on par with his Marlins numbers, accounting for park factors.

He would be traded once again, to the Braves this time, prior to the 2002 season. After putting up fairly normal (for him) numbers, he would hit free agency, and finally be given a choice of where he himself wanted to go.

He used this opportunity to sign with the New York Yankees, where he would hit .291/.383/.515, low for his standards, before once again being traded, this time to the Detroit Tigers.

This would be the last time he was traded, as after two mediocre seasons with the Tigers, and one resurgent one with the Mets, Sheffield would finally retire. The boy who was once a 19 year old in Milwaukee, ended his career as a 40 year old in New York.

He's not the best player on this list, not even close. But he played for a lot of teams, played well for them, and experienced something few players get to, a top of the line career, a world series championship, and the ability to call many cities home.

Final Key Stats - .292/.393/.514, 140 OPS+, 509 HRs (25th all time), 1475/1171 BB/K ratio, 253 SB.

Other Notable Hall Worthy Mentions - Nine time All Star

Case Against Him - He never stuck in any one place for too long, and was traded nearly constantly, so something must have been wrong with him (in actuality, it was a matter of service time, proximity to free agency, and other business reasons, it's not like he was traded for nothing, two of those trades featured hall of famers). Weak batting line (not really), and unappealing baseball name (really?)

Whose Hat Does He Wear into the Hall - Florida Marlins. He didn't play long with many teams, the Marlins being the only team he spent approximately 5 seasons with. He was a slightly better hitter in LA, but he helped the Marlins win a World Series title, and that gives them the edge.

10. Curt Schilling - The last of the top 10. I've considered removing him and putting in another deserving member, but much like with Sheffield, I figure he's at risk to fall off the ballot this year, even though he drew nearly 30% of it last year. Why? Because he made controversial remarks about religion and that could dissuade people for voting for him for dumb reasons.

Also, Schilling, like I stated last year, is a hall of fame worthy case, who has provided a lot of history to the game.

He was originally drafted by the Red Sox back in 1986, and he was traded to the Orioles (with Brady Anderson) for basically nothing. Woops.

His first three years, in Baltimore, are hardly worth mentioning. He was a mediocre reliever on the back end of the Orioles pitching staff. He occasionally got a start when he was needed, but he didn't have much of a place in Baltimore, so they moved him to the Astros, where, again, he was a mediocre relief pitcher at the back end of a bullpen.

So he was traded again, this time to the Phillies. In Philadelphia, he finally got a chance to start. Over the next 8 1/2 years, Schilling went 101-78, with a 3.35 ERA, 1554 strikeouts. Good, not Hall of Fame good, but good.

He was then traded to Arizona, where he emerged as one of the better pitchers in baseball. Over the next 3 1/2 seasons with Arizona, Schilling not only compiled a 58-28 record, 3.14 ERA, and 875 strikeouts, but he also helped bring them to a WS title in 2001 (that he was also the MVP of).

Schilling would be traded to the Red Sox, infamously on Thanksgiving, and pitched for them for the final years of his career. His stats were nothing to scream over, and he was clearly not the pitcher he was in Arizona. But he did help bring the Red Sox a championship in both 2004 and 2007.

In the end, Schilling's real worth comes in the post season, where he has a combined 11-2, 2.23 ERA, with 120 strikeouts in 133 innings. Where he helped win three World Series titles. Where he's 4-1 in World Series games. Where he was once an MVP.

That is Curt Schilling.

Final Key Stats - 216-146, 3116 strikeouts, 3.46 ERA, 127 ERA+

Other Notable Hall Worthy Mentions - Six time All Star; Three time World Series Champion; 2001 World Series MVP

Case Against Him - His best success came in the playoffs. Thoroughly meh during regular season play. Didn't play well first half of his career. Best work came in weaker league.

Whose Hat Does He Wear into the Hall - Arizona Diamondbacks/Boston Red Sox. I want to say Red Sox outright, but that would be their third person to enter under their name this year, with Pedro and Clemens. The reality is, there are only two choices here. He played well in Philly, but if the basis of our putting him in the hall is his post season performance, you can only choose between the Red Sox and Diamondbacks. He won a WS MVP with the D'Backs, but won two World Series titles with the Red Sox. I'm inclined to give it to the Red Sox (the bloody sock game in 2004 is the biggest memory anyone should have of Schilling) but the Diamondbacks wouldn't be an offensive choice either.

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That's my picks. How about you?

legacyme3 :  

I doubt I can go into as much detail as you, but I'll say what 10 I would like to get in.  I just have to correct you on 1 thing about Edgar first: He did play Defense. He played infield hist few years with the Mariners when they brought him back up and he stayed. 

As for the 10 I would like to go in ( Not necessarily in order, but close enough ) 

1. Edgar Martinez 
2. Randy Johnson 
3. Roger Clemens 
4. Mark McGwire 
5. Don Mattingly 
6. Barry Bonds 
7. Pedro Martinez 
8. John Smoltz 
9. Gary Sheffield 
10. Sammy Sosa 

I'll come back later and add reasoning for each pick. 

thing1 :

No one was strictly a DH. All I mean by it is he was primarily a DH, not dissimilar to David Ortiz

legacyme3 : Ok. It was just the way you said it was all. 

And I will probably do my reasonings tomorrow or Monday. I am focusing on the NFL playoffs right now.