30 MLB Stars Who Will Never Make The Hall Of Fame

Darren - March 16, 2020

30 MLB Stars Who Will Never Make The Hall Of Fame

Darren - March 16, 2020

9. Sammy Sosa

One of only six players in MLB history to hit over 600 home runs, Sosa was a megastar in the nineties. He’s also the only man to top 60 home runs in a season on three separate occasions. The Dominican was a seven-time All-Star and a six-time Silver Slugger award winner.

But the Mitchell Report crushed his hopes of becoming a Hall of Famer. One of the most high-profile players implicated by the scandal, he has always denied taking performance-enhancing drugs. But he would do that, wouldn’t he? Cooperstown won’t be opening its doors to him anytime soon.

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8. Gary Sheffield

Sheffield enjoyed a lengthy MLB career, playing for eight different teams. His longest single spell was with the Florida Marlins. Known for his savage power and pinpoint control, Sheffield was one of the scariest hitters to face in the game. Described as a 38-caliber bullet, it took a brave man to stand in front of him.

With a World Series and nine All-Star awards to his name, you’d think he’d be a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, the Mitchell Report and BALCO Scandal ended his hopes of that ever happening. He’s working as a player agent.

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7. Rafael Palmeiro

Things didn’t just end badly for Palmeiro, they totally collapsed. A first baseman and left fielder for the Texas Rangers and Baltimore Orioles, he put up some magnificent numbers during his playing days. A four-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove winner, his place in the Hall of Fame looked inevitable.

But then his banned substance use came back to bite him. In 2005, he told Congress that he never took steroids. However, he was then one of the faces of the Mitchell Report. In short, humiliation was the worst result for him. That’s what you get for being a cheat.

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6. Steve Garvey

Nicknamed Mr. Clean, many people struggle to find reasons why Garvey isn’t in the Hall-of-Fame. His popularity speaks for itself. He was a 10-time All-Star, a Most Valuable Player, a four-time Gold Glove winner, a two-time All-Star Game MVP, and a two-time MVP of the National League Championship Series.

With 19 seasons and four World Series appearances under his belt, you’d think his Hall of Fame induction would be guaranteed. However, he always falls short in voting. Many cite his lack of 3,000 hits (he had 2,599) and 400 home runs (he hit 272). Oh, and all of those children out of wedlock don’t help either.

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5. Roger Clemens

The Mitchell Report exposed Clemens just like many of his fellow professionals. First of all, let’s talk about his record. Clemens retired with a 3.12 ERA, a 1.17 WHIP, 4,672 strikeouts, and a record seven Cy Young Awards. Those are definitely Hall of Fame-worthy numbers.

But it’s generally accepted that he was using PEDs late in his career. In short, this allowed him to keep playing later at a high level when he otherwise may not have been able to. That’s simply unacceptable in the realm of fair sports. His bank balance probably helps him sleep easily though.

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4. Alex Rodriguez

One of the most high-profile victims of the Mitchell Report, Rodriguez definitely won’t be making the Hall of Fame in this universe. One of the faces of the Biogenesis baseball scandal, Rodriguez admitted to using PEDs during his time with the Texas Rangers.

It was a slap in the face for fans of the youngest ever player to hit 500 home runs. In 2013, the MLB hit him with a 211-game suspension for his involvement in the scandal. Later, they reduced it to 162 games so he missed the entire 2014 season.

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3. Joe Jackson

A member of the notorious ‘Black Sox,’ ‘Shoeless’ Joe was the only one with a claim to be a Hall of Famer. In 1919, the MLB banned eight Chicago White Sox players for life for conspiring to throw the World Series. His .356 career batting average remains the third-highest in history.

But Jackson got his just desserts. He was a great player, however, he also betrayed the integrity of the game. In the end, he died a broken man after several attempts at literally begging the MLB to let him play again failed. Match-fixing is never a good idea.

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2. Barry Bonds

Arguably the best player absent from the Hall of Fame, Bonds has achieved so much in the game. But the problem is that his name is now as tainted as the ‘supplements’ so many players took during his era. He received a record seven NL MVP awards, eight Gold Glove awards, a record 12 Silver Slugger awards, and 14 All-Star selections.

But he’s been a central figure in baseball’s doping scandal. In 2007, a court even indicted him for perjury and obstruction of justice. When you factor in his wild performances, you have to wonder if he was always playing cleanly. In sum, many people don’t think so.

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1. Peter Rose

Will MLB ever just get over this? Rose is one of the greatest players in the history of the league, but because he gambled on games, he’s never going to make the Hall-of-Fame. It’s a unique case on this list. In short, he’s a three-time World Series champion, 17-time All-Star, and two-time Golden Glove winner.

Those are some outstanding accolades. Meanwhile, his 4,256 hits are an MLB record. But the league effectively banished him from the Hall-of-Fame in 1989 for violating the gambling code. It’s a shame, however, you could also argue that it was self-inflicted. Maybe they’ll one day forgive him.

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