Here are the top Yanks not in Hall of Fame

Here are the top Yanks not in Hall of Fame

January 29th, 2022

A stellar Yankees duo highlighted two of the National Baseball Hall of Fame’s most recent classes, with Mariano Rivera becoming the first unanimous inductee in 2019 and Derek Jeter receiving 396 of 397 possible votes a year later, easily clearing the 75% threshold required for induction.

The selections increased the Yankees flavor that has long been present in the hallowed hamlet of Cooperstown, N.Y., located approximately 180 miles northwest of Yankee Stadium. Jeter was the 21st inductee to sport a Yankees logo on his plaque, and the 57th player, manager or executive to reach Cooperstown after spending at least part of his career with the Yankees.

“It probably means a little bit more to me than maybe some other people, because I grew up a Yankee fan,” Jeter said. “It's the only organization I ever wanted to play for.”

As plaques for Rivera and Jeter hang side by side, we thought it would be an excellent opportunity to examine the best Yankees not currently in Cooperstown:

• Hall of Fame coverage

1) (117.5 bWAR with Mariners, Rangers and Yankees from 1994-2016)
A-Rod completed his 22-year career with 696 home runs, fourth all-time behind Barry Bonds (762), Henry Aaron (755) and Babe Ruth (714). A three-time American League Most Valuable Player who collected 3,115 hits, Rodriguez was a 14-time All-Star, 10-time Silver Slugger Award winner and two-time Gold Glove winner. He played a dozen seasons in pinstripes beginning in 2004, compiling a .283/.378/.523 slash line with 351 homers, 1,096 RBIs, a 136 OPS+ and 54.0 bWAR while winning his only World Series title in 2009.

Rodriguez debuted on the Hall of Fame ballot in 2022, a candidacy that presents an opportunity for voters to weigh his stellar stats against a suspension related to performance-enhancing drug use that cost Rodriguez the entire 2014 season. Rodriguez has said he hopes Bonds and Roger Clemens, a pair of contemporaries whose careers include similar PED stains, will eventually gain Hall entry in order to improve his own candidacy.

2) (138.7 bWAR with Red Sox, Blue Jays, Yankees and Astros from 1984-2007)
A seven-time Cy Young Award winner, the “Rocket” won 354 games over his 24 seasons in the Majors, registering 4,672 strikeouts. Based upon numbers alone, Clemens is a slam-dunk candidate, but he was named in the Mitchell Report following the ’07 season. Clemens’ best showing on the BBWAA ballot was in his 10th and final year, when the hard-throwing righty appeared on 65.5% of ballots cast. Perhaps he will have better success with the Veterans Committee.

Clemens has consistently and adamantly denied using PEDs, including with the Yanks from 1999-2003, during which he helped the club to two World Series championships and four pennants. Clemens returned to New York for a half-season in ‘07, and he was 83-42 with a 4.01 ERA (114 ERA+) across his Bronx tenure, winning the AL Cy Young Award in 2001. His career ERA+ of 143 ranks 12th all-time and would be sixth among current Hall of Famers.

3) (62.0 bWAR with Indians, Brewers and Yankees from 2001-19)
A six-time All-Star who won the 2007 AL Cy Young Award, Sabathia transformed from a fireballing ace into a cerebral stalwart over the course of his Yankees career, which opened with a World Series championship in ’09. Sabathia pitched to a 251-161 record and a 3.74 ERA (116 ERA+) across his 19 seasons, collecting 3,093 strikeouts -- Randy Johnson and Steve Carlton are the only lefties with more.

Sabathia won 134 games with New York, with whom he earned honors as the MVP of the ’09 ALCS. Sabathia won’t be eligible for the Hall until 2024, but he is one of 14 pitchers with 250 or more wins and 3,000 or more strikeouts. Clemens is the only other pitcher in that group who is not already in the Hall.

4) (60.7 bWAR with Yankees and Astros from 1995-2013)
One of the most reliable big-game performers of his era, Pettitte was a three-time All-Star and a five-time World Series champion with the Yankees, with whom he joined Jeter, Rivera and Jorge Posada as members of the “Core Four.” Pettitte pitched to a 256-153 record with a 3.85 ERA (117 ERA+) across his career, which included a three-year detour with the Astros from 2004-06.

Pettitte faces a long climb, but his October accolades should encourage voters to keep him in the mix for years to come. He is among six pitchers to win 250 games who are not in the Hall, and that figure does not include his 19 postseason victories, most all time. On the flip side, Pettitte’s career ERA would be the second-highest in the Hall, behind Jack Morris’ 3.90. Pettitte appeared on 10.7% of ballots cast in 2022.

5.) (42.4 bWAR with Yankees from 1982-95)
A six-time All-Star, nine-time Gold Glove Award winner and three-time Silver Slugger recipient who claimed the 1984 American League batting title with a .343 mark and took home the 1985 AL MVP, “Donnie Baseball” was clearly on an express track to the Hall before back injuries curtailed his late-career production. Of the 11 players to win at least nine Gold Gloves and an MVP, only Mattingly, Keith Hernandez and Ichiro Suzuki (a surefire first-ballot inductee in 2025) are not in the Hall.

One of the premier first basemen of his generation and arguably baseball’s best player from 1984-89, Mattingly was on the BBWAA ballot for 15 years, seeing his support dwindle after debuting at 28.2% in 2001. Mattingly’s candidacy will continue to be reviewed by the Veterans Committee; as his supporters frequently point out, Mattingly’s statistics compare favorably with those produced by Hall of Fame outfielder Kirby Puckett, who was inducted on the first ballot in 2001.

Honorable mentions:  (68.0 bWAR with Twins, Indians, Yankees, Padres, Braves and Expos from 1967-88); (65.9 bWAR with Pirates, Yankees, Dodgers, Athletics, Brewers and Mets from 1975-92); (62.1 bWAR with Indians, White Sox, Dodgers, Yankees, Angels, Athletics from 1963-89); (61.6 bWAR with Royals, Mets, Yankees, Red Sox from 1986-2003); (49.6 bWAR with Yankees from 1991-2006); (47.8 bWAR with Yankees from 1975-88); (46.0 bWAR with Yankees from 1969-79); (42.7 bWAR with Yankees from 1995-2011).