Miami Marlins players & the 2023 Hall of Fame

Who will be elected into the MLB Hall of Fame in 2023? Our new writer covered two players already, but I‘d like to take a more in-depth look at the class. I also recommend taking a look at what hopefully future Miami Marlins Hall of Famers are doing now. Here’s a look at how to measure potential HOF candidacy. So without further ado let’s begin!

The Miami Marlins have players on the 2023 MLB HOF ballot.

Let‘s start with some returning candidates… RF Bobby Abreu is trying to finally get in. Abreu spent most of his career with the Philadelphia Phillies and averaged 19 HR and 91 RBI a season with a .291/.395/.475 career batting line. He has a career 60.2 WAR. I don’t think that he should or will get in. Former Colorado Rockies 1B Todd Helton is on the list too. The career .316/.414/.539 hitter is seen as a Coors Field product with a career 61.8 WAR. “No” from me and likely the voters.

CF Torii Hunter is up next. With a career 50.7 WAR he falls well short of the 63-64 minimum threshold for hitters. CF Andruw Jones is best known for his days with the Atlanta Braves. Jones was an elite defender with power and a career .254/.337/.486 batting line. His career 62.7 WAR is borderline. “Yes” from me, but I doubt he gets in. 2B Jeff Kent is in his final year  of eligibility and his 55.4 WAR will rightly keep him out. Former Philly and St. Louis Cardinals 3B Scott Rolen has a career 70.2 WAR and should get in. His teammate SS Jimmy Rollins is rightly not getting in due to his 47.6 career WAR.

A trip of known PED users: former New York Yankees SP Andy Pettitte (60.2 career WAR) and 3B Alex Rodriguez (117.6 career WAR), and former Boston Red Sox LF Manny Ramirez (career 69.3 WAR) won’t get in for that reason. Former Cleveland Guardians SS Omar Vizquel (45.6 career WAR) isn’t getting in. Neither is  CP Billy Wagner (27.7 career WAR).

How about former Miami Marlins RF Gary Sheffield? He’s another PED user, though his 60.5 career WAR would’ve kept him out anyway. SP Mark Buehrle had an average season with us in 2012 (3.74 ERA/4.18 FIP in 202.1 IP). He compiled a career 59.1 WAR mostly with the Chicago White Sox. He rightfully won’t get in.

How about newcomers? Closers Huston Street (14.5 career WAR) and Francisco Rodríguez (career 24.2 WAR) aren’t going in. SP Bronson Arroyo (career 23.4 WAR) is another one who won’t. The long list includes SP R. A. Dickey (career 23.7 WAR), SS J.J. Hardy (career 28.1 WAR), former Philly RF Jayson Werth (career 29.2 WAR), SP Matt Cain (career 29.1 WAR), SP Jered Weaver (career 34.6 WAR), SP John Lackey (career 37.3 WAR), C/1B Mike Napoli (career 26.3 WAR), RF Andre Ethier (career 21.5 WAR) and SS/3B Jhonny Peralta (career 30.4 WAR).

Finally there’s CF Carlos Beltrán (career 70.1 WAR). He has a career .279/.350/.486 batting line but being part of the Houston Astros cheating scandal will likely get him rejected. What do you think? Who should and shouldn’t be in the Hall of Fame?