MLB: 20 Active Players Who Are Borderline Hall of Famers

The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY is exclusive—only extraordinary players are granted entry. These 20 active ones stand a chance at induction, but their remaining years will ultimately determine their fate.

I have only included individuals who are at least entering their age-31 seasons. It would be foolish to consider anybody younger because of the countless variables that can derail promising careers. Miguel Cabrera, Robinson Cano, Prince Fielder, Adrian Gonzalez, Felix Hernandez, Tim Lincecum, Dustin Pedroia, Justin Upton, Jered Weaver and countless others were left out under this condition.

Moreover, I have disqualified players like Jason Giambi, David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez and Alex Rodriguez, who have been linked to performance-enhancing drugs.

I will remind you that the following article features borderline Hall of Famers. The final slide lists those who are certain to be inducted.

With all that said, let the debate begin!

Jose Bautista, 31 (Toronto Blue Jays)

Why he may get in

Jose Bautista found the spotlight in September 2009. He slugged 10 home runs during the final month of that season, and he has led the majors with 54 and 43 bombs in 2010 and 2011, respectively.

He is a feared hitter who has been walked a league-high 232 times since the start of 2010. That reflects pitchers' hesitancy to throw him strikes, as well as his natural patience at the plate.

He is an above-average right fielder with a partic2ularly strong throwing arm.

He has sufficient speed to make up for taking poor routes to the ball. This also allows him to occasionally steal bases when the Toronto Blue Jays are at bat.

Bautista is coming off his greatest campaign and is still in the prime of his career.

Why he may not

It took way too long for Bautista to become an everyday player. He accumulated 400 plate appearances in a season for the first time, at 25 years old, and was selected for his first MLB All-Star Game at 29.

His late start will hinder him from reaching important career totals like 500 home runs. Even 2,000 hits will be a challenge.

Through eight seasons, he has a mediocre .254 batting average and unremarkable .843 OPS.

Jose Bautista—a Hall of Famer?

No.

Josh Beckett, 32 (Boston Red Sox)

Why he may get in

Few starting pitchers have comparable strikeout ability to Josh Beckett. He is likely to finish his career with more than 2,500.

His control is outstanding, too, and his strikeout-to-walk ratio—better than three-to-one—reflects that.

His career win percentage is .607. It has been .641 in six seasons with the Boston Red Sox.

Beckett is a three-time All-Star who was the runner-up for the 2007 American League Cy Young Award.

His playoff performance has been particularly impressive. Beckett has compiled a 7-3 record, 3.07 ERA and 0.94 WHIP in 14 postseason games. He was twice been a starter on World Series champions.

He appears to be at the top of his game entering 2012. He posted a career-best 2.89 ERA and 1.03 WHIP last season.

Why he may not

He has been plagued by injury and inconsistency.

Beckett has only four seasons of 30-plus starts and three of 200-plus innings pitched.

Strangely, he is ineffective in even-numbered years. 2006 and 2010 were especially disappointing.

Beckett also struggles to give his team length. He has hurled only 10 complete games during the regular season, an average of one per season. His typical start lasts barely six innings.

Josh Beckett—a Hall of Famer?

No.

Carlos Beltran, 35 (Free Agent)

Why he may get in

Throughout his career, Carlos Beltran has flaunted a terrific combination of power and speed. He has hit 302 home runs and stolen 293 bases, so he'll soon join the 300-300 club of which their are only six other members.

In the past, he was not only a prolific base-stealer but also an efficient one. He has been successful on 87.7 percent of his career attempts.

Beltran is an elite outfielder who won three straight NL Gold Gloves with the New York Mets (2006-2008). In his prime, he was quick to get to balls in play and capable of making athletics catches. Even as an aging veteran, he has retained reliable hands and an accurate throwing arm.

Although he has never won a World Series, Beltran has been sensational in postseason play.

Over two playoff runs in 2004 and 2006, he smashed 11 home runs and swiped eight bases, all in just 22 games! 

Why he may not

He has never finished better than fourth place in MVP voting, which testifies to the fact that he has never had a particularly legendary season.

Beltran's days as a threat on the basepaths are essentially over. He'll continue to compile home runs, but will that be enough?

Carlos Beltran—a Hall of Famer?

Yes.

Lance Berkman, 36 (St. Louis Cardinals)

Why he may get in

Lance Berkman was a star for the bulk of his Houston Astros career.

He was an elite source of power and production between 2001 and 2008. He amassed 100 or more RBI in six of those eight seasons, finishing all eight with at least 24 doubles and 24 home runs. In three of those years, his OPS was over 1.000.

Plate discipline is one of Berkman's strengths. He feels comfortable taking pitches and forcing pitchers to work into deep counts. It goes without saying that he has a great eye for balls and strikes.

After a couple sub-par seasons, he made a shocking rebound in 2011. There is optimism that his career is far from over.

He is awesome in the playoffs. His triple-slash of .317/.417/.532 in 52 such games is dwarfed only by his .410/.520/.564 line in the World Series, specifically.

Berkman has placed in the top seven in NL MVP voting six times.

Why he may not

It won't be easy to overlook his disappointing 2010 season. Berkman was traded from the Astros to the New York Yankees, where he played sparingly—and poorly—down the stretch.

Whether positioned as a corner outfielder or first base, he is a defensive liability. 

He hasn't reached key milestones like 400 home runs and 2,000 hits and will need to play in 2013 to do so.

Lance Berkman—a Hall of Famer?

Yes.

Johnny Damon, 38 (Free Agent)

Why he may get in

Johnny Damon has led a career of incredible consistency. He has played at least 140 games and stolen double-digit bases in every season since 1996.

He is a two-time All-Star, who has had several exceptional years.

In 2000, for example, Damon batted .327 and stole 46 bases for the Kansas City Royals. He slugged nearly .500 and totaled more walks than strikeouts.

Throughout his MLB career, he has made a lot of contact. Damon has never struck out 100 times in a season, despite regularly exceeding 600 plate appearances.

On another note, he has a famously likable personality. I feel as if that is something voters will keep in mind.

Why he may no

His defense has deteriorated over the past five seasons, and it truthfully was never very good. Damon's arm strength has always been underwhelming, and he takes unconventional routes to fly balls. His defensive miscues prevent me from accepting him as a complete player.

Moreover, he doesn't leap off the page in any offensive categories. His .286 batting average and .353 on-base percentage are lacking by Hall-of-Fame standards.

Johnny Damon—a Hall of Famer?

No.

Josh Hamilton, 31 (Texas Rangers)

Why he may get in

When healthy, Josh Hamilton dominates in all facets of the game.

In 2008, he led the American League with 130 RBI. Two years later, he seized the batting title and was named AL MVP.

He is an intelligent baserunner who steals rarely but at a high success rate.

His presence in the outfield—he can play all three positions—deters opponents from taking an extra base.

Why he may not

His offensive production is obviously aided by playing home games in Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

A tendency to chase bad pitches causes him to strikeout out too often.

Hamilton is injury-prone. Aside from 2008, he has never played a full season.

The start of his MLB career was delayed by drug and alcohol abuse. Paired with his fragility, it seems unlikely that he'll compile the stats needed for admittance into Cooperstown.

Josh Hamilton—a Hall of Famer?

No.

Todd Helton, 38 (Colorado Rockies)

Why he may get in

While Barry Bonds was slugging with unprecedented success a decade ago, Todd Helton flew under the radar and performed pretty damn well. And did it cleanly.

His career has been similar to Lance Berkman's but with a bloated batting average. With a .323 mark, Helton only trails Albert Pujols and Ichiro Suzuki among active players. Both of them can be seen on my "Sure-Fire Hall of Famers" slide.

In his prime, Helton showed amazing power both at homer-friendly Coors Field and on the road. 

He regularly received accolades for his skills at first base, as is evident by his three Gold Gloves.

Even in his late-thirties, he is very patient at the plate. 

Why he may not

Coors Field introduced its room-sized humidor in 2002, which fostered more typical baseball conditions. Not surpisingly, Helton's home run totals decreased. His power numbers through 2001 were misleading.

During the second half of his career (2005-present), Helton has failed to exceed 20 home runs in any season.

He doesn't contribute on the basepaths (36 career stolen bases).

Todd Helton—a Hall of Famer?

Yes.

Ryan Howard, 32 (Philadelphia Phillies)

Why he may get in

Ryan Howard has been baseball's prototypical clean-up hitter since the get-go of his MLB career.

He has immense power to all fields. No player has hit more total home runs since 2006, his first full season.

He won NL Rookie of the Year and immediately added the NL MVP Award to his collection. He has placed 10th or better in voting in every campaign since.

Howard clobbers right-handed pitching. He annually ranks among the league leaders in runs batted in against them.

Why he may not

His swing resembles Swiss cheese (it's full of holes, I mean). Making contact with the ball is challenging for him, which explains why he strikes out so often.

He has taken steps to improve his play at first base, but his fielding ability and questionable decision-making leave much to be desired.

Howard hasn't approached 40 home runs in a season recently, after hitting 45-plus four straight times through 2009. Will he ever produce like he used to?

Ryan Howard—a Hall of Famer?

No.

Tim Hudson, 36 (Atlanta Braves)

Why he may get in

One word to describe Tim Hudson? Underrated.

He has 181 regular seasons wins, which places him fourth among active pitchers. Ahead of him are two ageless wonders, Jamie Moyer and Tim Wakefield, and the Philadelphia Phillies' Roy Halladay—who you'll find at the end of this slideshow. Pretty impressive company.

In 13 MLB seasons, he has never had a losing record. I mention this because his career has been spent with the Oakland Athletics and Atlanta Braves franchises, who haven't fielded powerful offenses with him on staff. Run support has a tremendous effect on win-loss record, so I imagine that Hudson would have eclipsed 200 victories by now if employed by another team.

He digs into his deep repertoire of pitches on the mound and keeps hitters guessing.

He is also a strike-thrower who doesn't put on many baserunners.

Why he may not

Simply put, Hudson isn't one of the extraordinary players of his era.

He was beloved at the onset of his career when baseball people valued wins above all else. Since then, though, they have adopted more meaningful statistics to evaluate individuals.

Hudson should be appreciated for his consistency but not inducted for it.

Tim Hudson—a Hall of Famer?

No.

Torii Hunter, 37 (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim)

Why he may get in

His career hasn't concluded yet, but already Torii Hunter has cemented his status as one of history's most famous fielders.

He claimed nine consecutive Gold Gloves between 2001 and 2009! He was the total package of speed, arm strength, smoothness and pizzazz in center field.

Hunter contributes with the bat, too. He has hit at least 20 home runs in each of his last 10 full seasons, while often topping 90 RBI.

With a healthy campaign in 2012, he will surpass key milestones like 300 round-trippers, 400 doubles and 1,000 runs scored. Moreover, he may have more than 2,000 games played and 2,000 hits by the fall of 2013.

Why he may not

Aforementioned players like Jose Bautista, Lance Berkman and Todd Helton have excellent plate discipline.

Not Hunter. He barely averages 45 unintentional walks per 162 games, plus he strikes out a lot.

He has never completed a season with a remarkable batting average or OPS.

He was too passive on the bases during the prime of his career and maxed out at only 23 steals. As a veteran, he hurts his team by running into outs.

Torii Hunter—a Hall of Famer?

No.

Paul Konerko, 36 (Chicago White Sox)

Why he may get in

Paul Konerko is aging gracefully. He's slugging as well in his mid-thirties as he was as a young player.

The Chicago White Sox likely don't end their World Series drought in 2005 without his five home runs and 15 RBI during that postseason.

In the regular season, he has seven seasons of at least 30 home runs and four of 35 or more. He'll have 400 for his career by early 2012 and 500 if he plays past the expiration of his contract and into 2014.

Another major milestone within reach is 2,500 hits.

He is a five-time AL All-Star.

Why he may not

He hasn't been very consistent. His 2003 and 2008 seasons stick out for the dozens of games he missed and his less-than-stellar production.

Konerko is slow, a non-factor when on base. Moreover, his defensive range has never been impressive, which is why he doesn't have any career Gold Gloves.

Paul Konerko—a Hall of Famer?

No.

Cliff Lee, 33 (Philadelphia Phillies)

Why he may get in

Since the start of 2008, Cliff Lee has performed as well as any MLB player.

During these past four seasons, he has demonstrated pinpoint control. For example, he has walked only 137 batters over his last 900 regular season innings. Only 17 have been hit by pitches. Moreover, Lee managed to get through 2011 without throwing a wild pitch.

He won the AL Cy Young Award in 2008 and has placed in the top seven in four instances.

His career playoff WHIP (11 starts) is a minuscule 0.93. Albeit over a small sample, his October stats are terrific.

Lee's 2011 campaign may have been his best ever as he led the league with six shutouts in an era where even complete games are rare.

He surely has several seasons left as a useful starter.

Why he may not

He will likely fall short of key milestones like 250 wins, 2,500 strikeouts and 500 starts.

His 2007 season will forever be a black eye on his résumé. Lee pitched fewer than 100 innings with the Cleveland Indians before being demoted to the minor leagues. He was uncharacteristically easy to hit and unused by the Indians in the playoffs.

Cliff Lee—a Hall of Famer?

Yes.

Joe Nathan, 37 (Texas Rangers)

Why he may get in

In the 2000s, Joe Nathan was the league's top closer this side of Mariano Rivera (sure-fire Hall of Famer).

His earned run average was below 3.00 in seven consecutive seasons (2003-2009) with the San Francisco Giants and Minnesota Twins.

He excelled enough in 2004 and 2006 to contend for the Cy Young Award.

He has struck out more than a batter per inning over the course of his career. In seven seasons as a closer, he has converted on 90 percent of his save opportunities.

Why he may not

Nathan stinks in the playoffs, best expressed by his 2.38 WHIP in four total series. His struggles have impaired his teams from advancing past the divisional series.

He broke into the majors in his mid-twenties and didn't pitch effectively until 2003, his age-28 season. This hurts his ability to compile Hall-of-Fame-caliber totals.

After 2010 Tommy John surgery, Nathan was unreliable in 2011. He spent time on the disabled list and had trouble holding onto the closer's role.

I'm skeptical that he will regain his pre-surgery dominance as a member of the Texas Rangers. 

Joe Nathan—a Hall of Famer?

No.

Jonathan Papelbon, 31 (Philadelphia Phillies)

Why he may get in

A closer, like Joe Nathan, Jonathan Papelbon probably makes a better case for Hall of Fame consideration.

He has saved at least 30 games in each of the past six seasons while being selected for four AL All-Star teams.

Despite terrific fastball velocity, he locates his pitches well and doesn't allow walks.

He has shined in the playoffs, too. Amazingly, he did not surrender a single run during the first six series of his career.

Why he may not

Papelbon is an unusually poor fielder. There's no excuse for his .865 fielding percentage (league fielding percentage at the position in .953).

Of these 20 borderline Hall of Famers, he is one of the few with more remaining seasons than completed ones. A lot could change before he hangs up his cleats.

Jonathan Papelbon—a Hall of Famer?

Yes.

CC Sabathia, 31 (New York Yankees)

Why he may get in

CC Sabathia's obesity would be a point of ridicule—if he wasn't so darn good!

His durability is difficult to wrap one's mind around. He is the only active player who has pitched 230-plus innings in five consecutive seasons (those happen to be the past five seasons).

Including playoff innings, Sabathia has actually gone 245-plus in five straight. Each effort has garnered him a lot of Cy Young votes with his one victory coming in 2007. 

In 2008, he famously put the Milwaukee Brewers on his back and carried them to their first playoff berth since 1982. To accomplish this, he regularly pitched on three days rest.

The next October, he led the New York Yankees to their 27th World Series championship.

He is projected to reach a couple important milestones, 300 wins and 3,000 strikeouts, before his 40th birthday.

Why he may not

This is nit-picking, but Sabathia has been a lesser player in the playoffs. His typically awesome control doesn't stay with him into the fall.

His career WHIP in the postseason is a mediocre 1.62.

Also, I would be concerned if any dietary changes significantly affected his weight. He varies between 285 and 300 pounds during the season and that works for him.

CC Sabathia—a Hall of Famer?

Yes.

Johan Santana, 33 (New York Mets)

Why he may get in

Between 2004 and 2006, Johan Santana was undoubtedly the best starting pitcher in baseball. He won the AL Cy Young Award twice during that stretch, and an argument can be made that he deserved it in 2005 as well.

When healthy, his changeup is extraordinary as is his persistence in attacking the strike zone.

He seamlessly transitioned to the National League in 2008.

Why he may not

His left shoulder isn't cooperating with his aspirations to pitch.

Santana missed the final few weeks of the 2010 season and didn't pitch in the majors at all in 2011. There is even fear that his 2012 debut will be delayed.

Before succumbing to injury, his "stuff" looked to be deteriorating, anyway. His velocity and movement were noticeably reduced in 2010.

His strikeout rate has declined from year to year, indicating that his best seasons are behind him.

Johan Santana—a Hall of Famer?

Yes.

Mark Teixeira, 32 (New York Yankees)

Why he may get in

What does Mark Teixeira bring to the table? Lots of power and world-class defense.

His streak of eight 30-homer, 100-RBI seasons in a row is the longest-running in baseball. He's seemingly a lock to reach 500 career home runs, a rare feat for a switch-hitter.

He brings surprising athleticism to first base and—in my opinion—an incomparable ability to make picks on errant throws. The sole reason he did not win Gold Gloves in 2007 and 2008 was because he split time in the American and National Leagues.

Why he may not

Opposing defenses implement a unique shift when Teixeira bats from the left side of the plate. They shift to right field in anticipation that he will pull the ball.

That positioning has robbed him of dozens of hits over to past two seasons.

His batting average since 2010 has been .252, a far cry from where he was before signing with the New York Yankees.

He needs to make adjustments.

Mark Teixeira—a Hall of Famer?

Yes.

Chase Utley, 33 (Philadelphia Phillies)

Why he may get in

Not long ago, Chase Utley was considered among the National League's best middle infielders.

His production was impressive between 2005 and 2009. He practically averaged Mark Teixeira numbers—30 HR and 100 RBI—during those seasons, despite a few stints on the disabled list.

His stolen base efficiency is terrific. He has never been thrown out more than four times in a season. In 2011, he was a perfect 14-for-14.

At second base, he is both smooth and able to make flashy plays.

Why he may not

He broke into the big leagues with the Philadelphia Phillies as a 24-year-old and didn't play a full season until his age-26 campaign.

Utley missed significant time with knee issues in 2011 and general manager Ruben Amaro Jr. suspects that they may linger. Even if he stays on the 25-man roster throughout the season, it's probable that he'll be given more off days going forward, which will provide him fewer opportunities to build up his career numbers.

2007 was a banner year for Utley, but his offense contributions have been in decline ever since.

Chase Utley—a Hall of Famer?

No.

Shane Victorino, 31 (Philadelphia Phillies)

Why he may get in

There are superstars on this list, but Shane Victorino is the only veteran here who still does everything well.

The speedster consistently gets triples and stolen bases while flashing good home run ability.

He makes a lot of contact—never more than 79 strikeouts in a season—and maintains a decent batting average.

He is a heads-up outfielder with three NL Gold Gloves on his mantle.

Also, his "Flyin' Hawaiian" nickname would look pretty sick on a plaque!

Why he may not

I said it on the title slide and I'll say it again: Cooperstown is for extraordinary players.

Victorino has never been a serious MVP candidate and probably never will be.

Shane Victorino—a Hall of Famer?

No.

Michael Young, 35 (Texas Rangers)

Why he may get in

I know, I know, I've written it or alluded to it a dozen times, but the key word here is "consistency."

Michael Young is always healthy and always willing to meet his team's defensive needs. He plays well above replacement level at all four infield positions.

He has totaled 200-plus hits in separate six seasons. This might be premature, but I'm not ruling out the possibility of him collecting 3,000 for his career.

A seven-time All-Star, Young made a surprising appearance in the Midsummer Classic in 2011. Instead of continuing his decline, he turned in one of his best seasons and batted .338.

Why he may not

Young is primarily a singles and doubles hitter and Hall of Fame voters recognize that such players do not have the same effect that top sluggers do.

His impatience at the plate has culminated in a .350 on-base percentage, which is even lower than Johnny Damon's.

He's a remarkable individual, but a timeless talent? I don't think so.

Michael Young—a Hall of Famer?

No.

Sure-Fire Hall of Famers (In My Opinion)

Plaques are already being prepared for these baseball immortals: Vladimir Guerrero (Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim), Roy Halladay (Philadelphia Phillies), Chipper Jones (Atlanta Braves), Albert Pujols (St. Louis Cardinals), Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera (New York Yankees), Ichiro Suzuki (Seattle Mariners), Jim Thome (Cleveland Indians), Omar Vizquel (Cleveland Indians).

NOTE: Each player is inducted with a particular MLB team. It is the Hall of Fame's choice, but I have put my preferences for them in parentheses.