My Choices for the Hall of Fame

This afternoon, the Baseball Hall of Fame will announce its new class of inductees.

While I don't have an official vote, there's no reason not to share the names of those I support -- and in several examples that I'll get to later on, those I don't. Let's start on a positive note.

• Vladimor Guerrero: A pure hitter.
• Edgar Martinez: As great a clutch hitter as I've ever seen. A .418 on base percentage. At his peak, more feared than even Ken Griffey Junior. Just flash back to his walk off double that won the 1995 ALDS when Seattle rallied past the Yankees. If you believe in the "eye test," Edgar always looked like a Hall of Fame hitter.
• Curt Schilling (while holding my nose): Look at his post-season record, with the Phillies, Diamondbacks and Red Sox. This was as great a playoff and World Series pitcher as I've ever seen. Gibson, Ford, Koufax, of course. And in October, Schilling was their equal. He never broke the rules as a player. Schilling didn't gamble, was not a PED abuser; he honored the game by his performance. And the "character clause" for Hall consideration is vague; it does not specify that or how social and political opinions, as repugnant as they might be, should render someone ineligible. If we are judging one by his playing career, there is nothing Curt did that would disqualify him. If Judge Landis, who enabled segregation to soil our national pastime is in, Schilling for simply expressing opinions with which we disagree, should never be barred.
• Fred McGriff: Seven home runs shy of 500. And he didn't cheat or juice up. 
• Jeff Kent: Joe Morgan may rank as better all-around 2nd baseman, but Kent could slug. The all time home run champ at his position.
• Chipper Jones: Ranks with Eddie Mathews as the Braves greatest 3rd baseman and the heart and soul of 14 consecutive division champs.
• Jim Thome: A prodigious slugger whose ticket to Cooperstown begins with 612 home runs and a great teammate who was part of the Indians winning culture -- and help instill the same positive mindset with the mid 2000's Phillies just before the emergence of Ryan Howard.
• Hideki Matsui (seen above): We need to better honor international stars. And along with Ichiro, who came to the U.S. two years earlier, he's been Japanese baseball's most productive ambassador in America's national pastime. Remember that Grand Slam in his Yankee Stadium debut? And being named MVP of the 2009 World Series. Why shouldn't we honor his accomplishments in Japan, where the legend of Godzilla was born?
• Johan Santana: Had seven very good-to-great seasons, that's one more than Sandy Koufax. Authored the only no-hitter in Mets history. And was just as great during his time with the Twins, who will induct him into their Hall of Fame in 2018. Other players have entered Cooperstown with careers shortened by injury or illness -- Kirby Puckett comes to mind -- so why shouldn't Santana be given such consideration. His numbers merit that.

Who got my no's? The cheaters: Bonds, Clemens, Ramirez and Sosa. Who else?

Larry Walker was a terrific player, whose stats were padded by Coors Field.

Mike Mussina was the definition of a very good and very consistent player. But he's not an immortal. Gary Sheffield was almost an offensive counterpart to Mussina. Very good but... maybe after McGriff and Kent get in, he might deserve a second look. But not now, not with this competition. Trevor Hoffman and Billy Wagner, fall in that same category. I'll circle back to them after Mariano Rivera gets in in 2019.

The results will be announced at 6pm ET.