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New York Yankees Editorial: Bronx is Boiling: HOF Style

By Wayne Cavadi

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Hall of Fame weekend. For baseball buffs and traditionalists of the game, it is one of the great weekends of the year. The New York Yankees, of course, are chock full of history in those hallowed walls up in Cooperstown.

I’m already personally trying to find a hotel that will book a room right now for first Mariano Rivera’s and then Derek Jeter’s induction, but I am struggling to find a room that will book me three years down the road. I am also struggling to find a future Hall of Famer on the current Yankees roster. The Bronx is boiling and I need to blow some steam.

WHO’S THE NEXT YANKEES HALL OF FAMER

Ok, technically speaking, that’s a lay up question. Alex Rodriguez is a Hall of Fame player. Statistically speaking, he is one of the top ten players to ever suit up, not just in pinstripes but in Major League baseball. 

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A-Rod continues to add to his legacy, fresh off his fifth three home run game of his career, by putting together one of the most unprecedented comebacks in baseball history. Scorned by his own team, hated by much of baseball, A-Rod is putting together an MVP-caliber season for the first place Yankees and winning back many critics along the way.

The sad fact is that his off field drama will probably keep him from the Hall. Until Barry Bonds or Mark McGwire get into the Hall, however, A-Rod stands little chance.

So, who do the Yankees have on the current roster that can stir debate? Think about it, since the 1980s, the Yankees have produced at least one player to start up the “he should be in the Hall of Fame debate”. Whether it was Louisiana Lightning, Donnie Baseball, Winny, Rickey Henderson, Moose, Andy Pettitte or Wade Boggs, Yankees fans have had rosters full of player to give them their fair share of will they won’t they arguments… until now.

We know Jeter and The Sandman are Cooperstown-bound, but who’s next?

Mark Teixeira is probably their most prolific offensive threat outside of A-Rod, but he doesn’t stand much of a chance at all. Earlier in his career off his first six insane seasons primarily with the Rangers, he looked HOF bound. 203 home runs in six seasons, plus the ability to drive in tons of runs (112.7 RBI per year over that same span) AND hitting for average seemed to have Teixeira on the fast track.

When Tex came to the Yankees, he led the AL in home runs and RBI in his first year. Then injuries and the effects of Kevin Long took their toll. Tex could no longer hit for average, and his ability to be a big time run producer dwindled as well. Now 35-years old, it could be a long shot that Tex sees 2,500 hits and 500 home runs, both numbers that seemed like locks early on in his career.

CC Sabathia? Yea, right. Prior to 2012, CC seemed destined for Cooperstown. Suddenly all those innings caught up to him, his velocity went down and now, getting through four innings unscathed seems like a chore. Four years ago, at age 30, sitting at 176 wins, CC seemed like a lock to get 250-plus wins. But getting only 36 wins in the four years since, it now seems like CC may not even get to 220.

Jacoby Ellsbury is exciting to watch and definitely a fire starter in the Yankees offense. Already 31 years of age however, Ells has shown very little to be considered a future Hall of Famer. He and fellow exciting outfielder, homegrown fan-favorite Brett Gardner have the same amount of All Star appearances in their career… one.

Carlos Beltran is an intriguing figure. 2,388 career hits. .280/.354/.844 career slash line. A member of the exclusive 300/300 club (380 home runs and 311 stolen bases). 1,407 RBI.

Yankees fans will remember him for the downswing of his career, ladened by achy knees and slowed by years of injuries. But the truth is Beltran is a former Rookie of the Year. Despite never winning a ring, he has always showed up big in the playoffs. I don’t think Beltran makes the Hall, but playing in an Era chock full of players that won’t receive votes because of questionable steroid use, Beltran is just the kind of player to sneak past you. At the very least, he will stir some debate when his time comes.

Whether or not I overlooked someone on this current roster that you deem debatable, well that’s for you guys to chime off on below. But as it stands right now, I don’t see any future Hall of Famers in the Bronx.

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