Hall of Fame ballot: Newcomers

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Jan 7, 2009

Hall of Fame ballot: Newcomers

Jay Bell

One of the game's best shortstops in the 1990s, Bell hit .265 with 195 homers, 868 RBIs and 1,123 runs scored in his career (1986-2003). He played for the Indians, Pirates, Royals, Diamondbacks and Mets, winning a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger award with Pittsburgh in 1993 and a World Series ring with Arizona in 2001. His '93 Gold Glove snapped Ozzie Smith's string of 13 in a row.

David Cone

Cone pitched for the Mets, Blue Jays, Royals, Yankees and Red Sox in his 17-year career (1986-2003), winning the AL Cy Young in 1994 with K.C. and pitching a perfect game for the Yankees on July 18, 1999. A 20-game winner in 1988 (Mets) and 1998 (Yankees), he won five World Series rings to go with his 194-126 career record and 3.46 lifetime ERA.

Ron Gant

One of two new leftfielders on the ballot (Rickey Henderson is the other), Gant hit .256 with 1,651 hits, 321 home runs and 1,008 RBIs in his career (1987-2003). He also had 302 doubles, 243 stolen bases and 1,080 runs scored in 1,832 games. He played for eight teams, most notably Atlanta (1987-93), averaging 20 homers, 63 RBIs and 15 stolen bases and joining the 30-30 club in 1990 and '91.

Mark Grace

One of the game's most consistent left-handed hitters, Grace racked up 2,445 hits, including 511 doubles, during his 16-year career as a first baseman for the Cubs (1988-2000) and Diamondbacks (2001-03). He had a career on-base percentage of .383 and won four Gold Glove awards. He also had the most hits (1,754) of any major leaguer in the 1990s and won a World Series ring with Arizona in 2001.

Rickey Henderson

The all-time leader in runs (2,295) and stolen bases (1,406), Henderson established himself as baseball's premier leadoff hitter by banging out 3,055 hits in a 25-season career spanning four decades (1979-2003). It included four tours with the A's and stops with the Yankees, Blue Jays, Padres, Angels, Mets, Mariners, Red Sox and Dodgers. A career .279 hitter with a .401 on-base percentage and 297 homers, Henderson was the AL MVP in 1990 and set the bar so high with the single-season stolen base record (130 in 1982) that no player has come within 20 of equaling it.

Jesse Orosco

The left-handed relief ace pitched for 24 years in the majors -- finishing in 2003 at age 46 -- and holds the big league record for career pitching appearances (1,252). He pitched most notably for the Mets in the 1980s but also donned eight other uniforms and won a World Series with the Mets (1986) and the Dodgers ('88). His career totals include 144 saves and a 3.16 ERA.

Dan Plesac

A hard-throwing left-hander with a nasty slider, Plesac pitched for 18 years in the big leagues. Though he played for seven teams, he's best remembered for his years with the Brewers (1986-92), for whom he made three All-Star teams and set franchise career records for pitching appearances, saves and ERA. In 1,064 total games he compiled a 3.64 ERA and 158 saves.

Greg Vaughn

Though plagued by a poor batting average (.242 career) and a penchant for strikeouts (1,513), Vaughn slugged 355 home runs with 1,072 RBIs, 1,017 runs scored and 1,475 hits in 1,731 games from 1989 through 2003. A four-time All-Star, he played for five teams, and though he spent the bulk of his career in Milwaukee (1989-96), he posted his best power seasons with the Padres (50 homers in 1998) and Reds (45 in '99).

Mo Vaughn

Greg Vaughn's cousin was a three-time All-Star and won the AL MVP award in 1995. In 12 seasons with three teams (Red Sox, Angels, Mets), the Hit Dog compiled a .293 average with 328 home runs and 1,064 RBIs. His best season came in 1996 with Boston, when he batted .326 with 44 homers and 143 RBIs. A knee injury ended his career at age 35.

Matt Williams

One of three members of the 2001 World Series champion Diamondbacks to debut on the ballot this year, Williams slugged 378 homers and drove in 1,218 runs in his 17-year career with three teams. He won four Gold Glove awards in the 1990s and six times he hit 30 or more homers with better than 90 RBIs, including 1994 with the Giants, when he slugged a league-best 43 homers with 96 RBIs in a season shortened by nearly a full third due to a players' strike.