Mattingly To Take Another Crack At Hall

Hall of fame deserving or not, Yankees legend Don Mattingly will be on the Hall of Fame ballot once again since becoming eligible for Cooperstown in 2000.

The 6-time all-star and the 9-time gold glover was the face of the Yankees from 1982-1995, as he played his entire career with the Bronx Bombers. From 1984-1989, he was arguably the best player in baseball, as during that six-year run beginning in 1984, Mattingly averaged 26 home runs, 114 RBIs and a .327 average, representing the Yankees on the AL All-Star team in each of those seasons. And if only those 6 years were looked at, he would be a no-doubt first ballot HOF’er. But injuries plagued him for the rest of his career, and that drastically hurt his chances for the Hall.

“I don’t think I’m a Hall of Famer,” Mattingly told Newsday two years ago. “I don’t think I have the numbers. Part of it is longevity, and I wasn’t able to do that and do the things that I did early in my career.”

The saddest part of Don Mattingly’s career is that he just happened to play in the 17-year period in which the Yankees stunk and didn’t win one World Series. He finally got to the playoffs in 1995 when the Yanks won the Wild Card, but they got eliminated in the first-round by the Mariners. And then, to make it even more sad, Don retired right after that season, and that next year, as you know, the Yankees began their late 90’s dynasty, winning 3 World Series championships in 1996, 1998, and 1999, plus another one to kick off the 21st century in 2000.

Mattingly’s number 23 was retired by the Yanks in 1997, and he will always have a place in Yankee fans’ hearts. But a place in the Hall of Fame? That’s still to be determined.

Here's the full 2010 Ballot list, or at least the big names:

Roberto Alomar

Harold Baines

Bert Blyleven

Andre Dawson

Andres Galarraga

Barry Larkin

Edgar Martinez

*Don Mattingly

Fred McGriff

Mark McGwire

Jack Morris

Dale Murphy

Dave Parker

*Tim Raines

*Lee Smith

Alan Trammell

*Former Yankees