Philadelphia Baseball Review - Guerrero highlights my Hall of Fame ballot
Here is my Hall of Fame ballot for the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America. I included commentary about each and insight into as to why each belongs in Cooperstown. If you've followed along with my ballots over the past couple years you already know my tough stance against PED's and I don't see myself changing my opinion anytime soon.

I submitted just four names this year; IBWAA guidelines allow us to vote for up to 15.

Vladimir Guerrero was one of the best pure hitters of the last 50 years, ending his career with a .318 average and 449 home runs. His 59.3 career WAR is low compared to the average of those already enshrined, but his 7-year peak (41.1) is ranked 19th all-time. In person, I'm not sure I've ever seen anyone hit a ball harder than Guerrero. In a time of bloated statistics due to PED's, he played clean and excelled as a nine-time All-Star.

Reliever Trevor Hoffman received Cy Young Award votes in four seasons and was a seven-time All-Star. Lee Smith has a better career WAR, but Hoffman has better statistics, including nine seasons of 40 or more saves, a sub-3.00 earned run average, and second all-time in career saves only to Mariano Rivera.

Mike Mussina never won a Cy Young Award or a World Series, but he put together an incredible string of 18 seasons in the tough American League East. He pitched through the majority of the PED-era and finished his career with a 123 ERA+ to go along with a 3.58 strikeout-to-walk ratio that's topped by only Curt Schilling.

Schilling may not have regular season statistics that jump off the page, but his postseason numbers are legendary - 19 starts with an 11-2 record to go along with a 2.23 earned run average. He also sits 15th on baseball's all-time strikeout list. A six-time All-Star, his career WAR is higher than the average of those already enshrined and his 7-year peak is on par with those already in.

Edgar Martinez, Jeff Bagwell, and Tim Raines already were elected to the IBWAA Hall of Fame, so they don't appear on my ballot.
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Follow Patrick on Twitter: @PGordonPBR

BY PATRICK GORDON
Managing Editor
pgordon@philadelphiabaseballreview.com

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