[AmishDude]

A pretty impressive second-baseman, actually. He wouldn't have made the hall at any other position.

Sutter might have a chance next year if Rose doesn't get reinstated. He's the best of the bunch in the coming years and the only ones who might have a shot are Gooden or Hershiser:

Year		*Players eligible for the first time for BBWAA election
2006:		Rick Aguilera, Tim Belcher, Will Clark, Alex Fernandez, Gary Gaetti, Dwight Gooden, Ozzie Guillen, Juan Guzman, Orel Hershiser, Gregg Jefferies, Lance Johnson, Doug Jones, Roberto Kelly, Mickey Morandini, Hal Morris, Jaime Navarro, Luis Polonia, Mike Stanley, Walt Weiss, John Wetteland, Mark Whiten
2007:		Harold Baines, Derek Bell, Dante Bichette, Bobby Bonilla, Jeff Brantley, Jay Buhner, Ken Caminiti, Jose Canseco, Eric Davis, Tony Fernandez, Tony Gwynn, Darryl Hamilton, Pete Harnisch, Charlie Hayes, Glenallen Hill, Ken Hill, Stan Javier, Wally Joyner, Ramon Martinez, Mark McGwire, Paul O’Neill, Gregg Olson, Cal Ripken Jr., Bret Saberhagen, Jeff Shaw, Kevin Tapani, Devon White, Bobby Witt
2008:		Shawon Dunston, Travis Fryman, David Justice, Mike Morgan, Tim Raines, Randy Velarde
2009:		Mark Grace, Rickey Henderson, Dean Palmer, Dan Plesac, Matt Williams
2010:		Edgar Martinez, Robin Ventura

2007 will be a bottleneck with Gwynn, Ripken and McGwire.

[Mr. Jeeves]

Looking rather slim after 2007. Rickey Henderson is in easily (provided he doesn't make another comeback this season), but no one else looks likely to get enough votes.

[Alberta's Child]

Looking forward to that 2007 Hall of Fame vote. Gwynn should be a unanimous selection on his first attempt -- in fact, I've said for some time that he was the best player in the modern (post-1967) era.

[MediaMole]

2006: Dwight Gooden, Orel Hershiser

2007: Tony Gwynn, Mark McGwire, Cal Ripken, Jr.

2008: No first ballot HOF

2009: Rickey Henderson (Unless he finds a Major league spot this year.)

2010: No first ballot HOF (Edgar was a DH. He'll get snubbed.)

[Guillermo]

Some people might add Saberhagen to that list.

[Hand em their arse]

Dwight Gooden without Darrell Strawberry???? OHHH the humanity!!!! Who'll bring the blow to the after-party, party???

[Tall_Texan]

Harold Baines will be the really interesting case. A DH most of his career, he has put up some outstanding career hitting numbers but did very little else worthy of Hall consideration. Not counting Pete Rose and players certain to be inducted when they are eligible (like Boggs and Gwynn), Baines will have more career hits than any player not a certainty to get into the Hall.

With the logjam in 2007, I wouldn't go by the votes he gets in the first year but 2008 and 2009 will say a lot for Baines' HOF prospects which will also give some indication to how the voters will feel about Edgar Martinez who is roughly in the same situation.

[Charles Henrickson]

Player Votes %

Wade Boggs 474 91.9%
Ryne Sandberg 393 76.2%

Bruce Sutter 344 66.7%
Jim Rice 307 59.5%
"Goose" Gossage 285 55.2%
Andre Dawson 270 52.3%
Bert Blyleven 211 40.9%
Lee Smith 200 38.8%
Jack Morris 172 33.3%
Tommy John 123 23.8%
Steve Garvey 106 20.5%
Alan Trammell 87 16.9%
Dave Parker 65 12.6%
Don Mattingly 59 11.4%
Dave Concepcion 55 10.7%
Dale Murphy 54 10.5%
Willie McGee 26 5.0%

Jim Abbott 13 2.5%
Darryl Strawberry 6 1.2%
Jack McDowell 4 0.8%
Chili Davis 3 0.6%
Tom Candiotti 2 0.4%
Jeff Montgomery 2 0.4%
Tony Phillips 1 0.2%
Terry Steinbach 1 0.2%
Mark Langston 0 0.0%
Otis Nixon 0 0.0%

[Charles Henrickson]

2006: Rick Aguilera, Tim Belcher, Will Clark, Alex Fernandez, Gary Gaetti, Dwight Gooden, Ozzie Guillen, Juan Guzman, Orel Hershiser, Gregg Jefferies, Lance Johnson, Doug Jones, Roberto Kelly, Mickey Morandini, Hal Morris, Jaime Navarro, Luis Polonia, Mike Stanley, Walt Weiss, John Wetteland, Mark Whiten

None of these guys is Hall worthy.

[Charles Henrickson]

2007: Harold Baines, Derek Bell, Dante Bichette, Bobby Bonilla, Jeff Brantley, Jay Buhner, Ken Caminiti, Jose Canseco, Eric Davis, Tony Fernandez, Tony Gwynn, Darryl Hamilton, Pete Harnisch, Charlie Hayes, Glenallen Hill, Ken Hill, Stan Javier, Wally Joyner, Ramon Martinez, Mark McGwire, Paul O’Neill, Gregg Olson, Cal Ripken Jr., Bret Saberhagen, Jeff Shaw, Kevin Tapani, Devon White, Bobby Witt

Ripken, McGwire, and Gwynn are all worthy. Ripken is the second-best SS of all time (behind Wagner).

[Charles Henrickson]

2008: Shawon Dunston, Travis Fryman, David Justice, Mike Morgan, Tim Raines, Randy Velarde
2009: Mark Grace, Rickey Henderson, Dean Palmer, Dan Plesac, Matt Williams
2010: Edgar Martinez, Robin Ventura

Only Henderson (if he ever actually retires).