With the recent retirement of Ken Griffey, Jr., I’ve been thinking a lot about the coming class of Hall of Fame candidates. The Kid is sure to land a plaque of his own, but there are a few other players who may be able to sneak in, as well. Here’s a list of a few players who, in my opinion, could find their way into Cooperstown.

Chipper Jones, 3B
With 2,468 base hits and 433 home runs currently to his credit, Larry Wayne Jones (yes, that’s really his name) is as solid candidate for Cooperstown. He’s hit .306 over his 17 seasons in the majors, and was an integral part of the Braves’ romp through the 1990’s. He’s just on the cusp of 1,500 RBI, with only 21 more needed to reach the plateau. One must also consider his six All Star appearances and 1999 MVP Selection. At 38 years of age, he’ll likely retire after this season. Once he does, it’ll be hard to argue against his status as a Hall of Fame player. Much like Griffey, it’s scary to think how good Jones could have been if he’d been able to stay healthy.

Jim Edmonds, CF
Long held as one of the game’s premier center fielders, Edmonds came back to the game this year after taking the 2009 season off. While not quite the same player he was before, the 40 year-old continues to be a legitimate threat, both at the plate and in the field. His career totals are a tad bit underwhelming (1,933 hits, 387 home runs, .284 batting average, 1,191 RBI), but are creeping closer and closer to Cooperstown caliber. He’s also made four All Star teams and collected an astonishing eight Gold Gloves. Unfortunately for Edmonds, his numbers compare well with another great outfielder who isn’t in the Hall of Fame: Dale Murphy (2,111 hits, 398 home runs, .265 batting average, 1,266 RBI), who played 18 seasons in the bigs.

Andy Pettitte, LHP
With a lifetime record of 240-137 and an ERA of 3.87 (so far), the towering lefty has been striking fear into the hearts of major league hitters since 1995. Pettitte has proved to be a reliable postseason horse, with an 18-9 record and 3.90 ERA over 40 career starts. He’ll go down as one of the greatest pitchers of his era, comparable to Catfish Hunter, Dazzy Vance, and Juan Marichal. Each of those men is in the Hall of Fame, so Pettitte’s chances are good. Also consider this – Andy has a shot (no pun intended) at being the first admitted steroid user to enter the hallowed ground of Cooperstown. He’s so well liked and so highly regarded that most fans of the game have all but forgotten about his admission. He’s 38 now, and may retire following the 2010 season. Assuming he has a good run down the stretch (aided by another solid playoff performance), he’ll likely wind up on the podium after a few years. Probably not a first ballot guy, but a definite candidate for later election.

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Tags | Andy Pettitte, Baseball, Chipper Jones, Hall of Fame, Jim Edmonds, Ken Griffey Jr., MLB