- They cannot be older than 25 years
- Players must have played at least one season in the pros
- For hockey, we're dropping the age threshold to 23 since nearly half the top 10 players in the NHL are 25 (Claude Giroux, Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Sidney Crosby)
- Offensive lineman are not eligible since I have no credibility on assessing their performance
- At least 3 draft-eligible college players are part of the pool for the NBA and NFL (this year and next).
MLB
The Candidates: Stephen Strasburg, Brett Lawrie, Justin Upton, Buster Posey, Mike Trout, Starlin Castro, Giancarlo Stanton, Bryce Harper, Chris Sale, Clayton Kershaw.
5. Bryce Harper
Harper's 2012 slash line of .270/.340/.477 doesn't really scream hall of fame until you remember that he was 19 freaking years old. He is one of the few players in the sport whose athleticism leaps off the TV and slaps you right across the face. Throw in the fact that his enthusiasm and attitude suggests that he is a baseball player and not just a great athlete and Harper has all the makings of a hall of famer.
.507 .537 .608. Those are the artist formerly known as Mike's slugging percentages in each of his first three major league seasons. Those three percentages would all rank in the top 25 of last season. In a league where power is becoming harder and harder to find, a guy like Stanton really stands out. Add in the fact that he does not play a physically demanding position and I don't see why he can't hit 35-40 home runs and slug .600 every year for 15 years.
3. Mike Trout
Enough has been written about Trout so I don't need to harp on his greatness. But when you are the best player in baseball your rookie season, hall of fame talk is never premature (Yes, he is. This isn't an argument, you want to argue about it? I would love to tell you why you're wrong.). He has the best swing in baseball and is still learning the intricacies of the game. If we did this list next year, he might be #1.
I know it's crazy to rank a pitcher this high considering pitching is the worst possible thing you can do to your arm short of hitting it with a sledgehammer, but if there's a pitcher under 25 who can make the hall, it's this guy. No one has a better combination of stuff and pitching intellect (his curveball should be registered as a weapon of mass destruction).
1. Buster Posey
He's the best catcher in baseball and he already has two world series rings. No under 25 player in any sport has a better resume for the hall of fame.
NFL
The candidates: Robert Griffin III, Julio Jones, AJ Green, Russell Wilson, J.J. Watt, Cam Newton, Von Miller, Rob Gronkowski, Patrick Peterson, Earl Thomas.
The college candidates: Johnny Manziel, Jadaveon Clowney, Marqise Lee
6. Marqise Lee
We're adding a 6th to this section because I want to make sure I get this on record. Marqise Lee is going to be the best receiver in the NFL in 5 years. I have never seen a college player with his combination of speed and precision in his route running.
Gronk's ceiling is "best redzone target ever." The main reason he's this low is because he's officially become an injury risk. He's the biggest, baddest dude on offense in the NFL but this opens him up to a ton of hits that most guys don't normally take. There aren't many guys who routinely drag defenders down the field. Sadly this opens up possibilities for gruesome injuries like this one.
He has the same issue as Gronk but I think the injury risk is much bigger for RGIII considering he is much smaller. But if he can stay healthy, he will become the most electrifying player in the NFL (if he isn't already). His combination of world class speed (one of the most over-used phrases in sports, but RGIII by definition actually has world class speed) and the ability to throw an impeccable deep ball makes him a matchup nightmare. His accuracy as a rookie is pretty staggering as well.
Speaking of accuracy, this guy might be the most accurate quarterback in the NFL outside of the Peyton/Brady/Rodgers contingent. I'm still kicking myself for not betting on Seattle a ton this year considering how much I loved this guy at Wisconsin. He gets the nod over RGIII simply because he is less of an injury risk.
2. Von Miller
Go ahead and call me a homer if you want. But Von is a once in a generation type player. His humility in the face of an incredible amount of success is rare for his age, as well as his commitment to team football. His pass rush skills are reminiscent of Derrick Thomas and Lawrence Taylor. But don't take my word for it.
Merril Hoge said that, after studying him on tape throughout training camp, Broncos rookie LB Von Miller reminds him of...Lawrence Taylor.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 12, 2011
1. J.J. Watt
Two reasons I rank Watt as the most likely to end up wearing a gold jacket someday. First, he's redefined what it is to be a defensive end with his ruthlessness in batting balls down at the line. Second, his motor. No one in the NFL can match it. When it comes down to it, consistent effort and hard work is what gets you into the hall of fame.
NHL
The candidates: P.K. Subban, Erik Karlsson, Gabriel Landeskog, Drew Doughty, Carey Price, Steven Stamkos, Taylor Hall, Tuukka Rask, John Tavares, Nicklas Backstrom
He probably would be higher on this list but after having his Achilles severed by cheap shot connoisseur Matt Cooke, Karlsson's injury risk is heightened. Still, he's the best offensive defenseman in the NHL and is absolutely lethal on the power play. Given how wide open the NHL has become, if Karlsson can return to full form, I don't see any way he won't continue to dominate.
Landy has one of the most complete games of any 20 year old to come into the league in a long time. He is a threat in all three zones and is a valuable penalty killer as well as a pest on the power play. Landeskog is just a pure hockey player through and through.
3. Tuukka Rask
The comparisons to Patrick Roy are a little wacky but they're not far off. Night in and night out, Tuuuuuuuuuuuka (as Bostonians like to call him) submits solid performance after solid performance. You rarely see him on highlight reels, but that is because there is nothing sexy about always being in the right place at the right time to stop a shot.
2. Taylor Hall
I could be a bit biased here since I get to see him so often since he plays in the Avalanche's division, but it seems like 75% of Edmonton's best chances happen because this guy makes a play. As good as he is, he is just beginning to scratch the surface of his potential. I am dismayed about the new NHL realignment since the Avs are being separated from their two biggest rivals (Vancouver, Detroit), but seeing this guy less helps to ease the pain of this new divisional setup.
What more is there to say? This guy might be the best goal scorer in the league. Plus his toughness is off the charts. He returned to game 7 against Boston after taking a wicked slap shot right to the face. Hell, at the rate Stamkos is going, he might be a hall of famer in a few years.
NBA
The candidates: Derrick Rose, Kevin Love, Paul George, Kyrie Irving, Blake Griffin, James Harden, Ty Lawson, Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook
The college candidates: Ben McLemore, Victor Oladipo, Marcus Smart
The college candidates: Ben McLemore, Victor Oladipo, Marcus Smart
I really wanted to put Marcus Smart here since he's already one of my favorite basketball players at any level. But Anthony Davis is just too damn talented to ignore. He's one of the few guys in the league who can take over a game without even touching the ball. The concept behind this column was born last year because of this man. Needless to say, I love his game.
4. Kyrie Irving
The All Star game is mostly useless. It's a show more so than a game, except for the last 5 minutes. That's when everyone stops and realizes that an actual game has to be decided and the best players on planet Earth are all standing on the same court. Not only was Kyrie Irving on the court but it became clear that it would be silly if he wasn't out there with the best in the league.
If my opinion in the Westbrook v. Harden debate wasn't obvious before, it is now. His ceiling is the 2nd best point guard in the NBA (Chris Paul has that title wrapped up, he's chasing down the title of greatest point of all time now). Westbrook's athleticism is jarring and his pull up jumper from the elbow after sprinting 150 mph is one of the most unguardable shots in the NBA. Plus he's a competitive, vindictive, mean, mother fucker. He's everything we wanted Stephon Marbury to be.
2. Derrick Rose
Minature LeBron James has some injury concerns with his ACL but if anyone is going to come back from an injury like that, it would be one of the most competitive people on the planet. Don't sweat it Chicago, your basketball team is in good hands.
1. Kevin Durant
I mean, did I really need to even list this one? If he continues at this pace, he will be the greatest scorer in the history of the NBA.
No comments:
Post a Comment