I've read the articles about him napping in the cubhouse, seen his low production early on this year, and know about the injuries he has sustained over his career, but is he really done? Has he become a bad infuence in the clubhouse? Can't believe his sweet swing woudn't cause some club to try to reenergize him and get a couple more years out of him in a Thome/Edgar Martinez type role. I don't see many Mariner games, so maybe it is a bad as they say. Would be a shame though.

Been done

Longtime.

Good guy got injured alot

Done.

Just announced his retirement. Yankee killer, but I'll miss him.

Man...he had a ride.

made the all century team and it was all down hill from there...

Oddly enough, he seemed virtually unbreakable (save for a broken wrist one season) until he demanded to be traded to Cincy. He angered the baseball gods, IMHO, with that move.

No matter. Will go down in history as one of the best to play the game cleanly during a time when many of those around him cheated. I predict at least 90% vote in the first chance eligible for the HoF, and the Mariners will finally have a rep in the HoF wearing their uni.

Mariners could have a few guys in the HOF in a few years -- Griffey, Ichiro (?), Randy Johnson, Edgar Martinez (should get in so long as they are going to have a DH in the AL).

Biggest problem with Edgar is the DH plus Seattle left him at AAA too long. While he literally defined the position better than anyone, IMHO (and the best DH each year gets an award named after him), it's going to be mighty close...I hope. Didn't get many votes the first time around, but that could pick up.

Ichiro is technically eligible, and if he gets yet another 200+ hit season this year, that may cement it. Still has a howitzer of an arm, too. If he were to stop right now, I don't know if he'd get in. Then again, he takes such good care of himself that he could probably play until he's 80 if he wanted to.

Randy will be an interesting call. He pitched for Montreal, then Seattle, then about half a season for Houston, then Arizona, Yankees, SF...I may have left a stop out of there somewhere.

Didn't really sparkle in NYC. Too green in Montreal, too little accomplished in Houston or SF. Should come down to Seattle vs. Arizona for HoF. He's going to make it, just a question of which uni. He really learned how to pitch while with Seattle, and transformed into the amazing pitcher he was at his peak. He won more awards while in Arizona. That one could go either way.

Really bummed... Although he picked the right time to retire. Will be at the game this Saturday and was hoping to see him one last time...

9: On Martinez, I gotta believe there will be renewed interest in "clean" players who could handle the bat and that Martinez will get in. I agree that he did redefine the DH position from that of "older guy on his way to retirement" to a professional hitter.

On Ichiro, I'm betting he gets in. Will be a lot of pressure to put someone from one of MLB's most coveted markets into the Hall, particularly one so revered in his home country.

On the Unit, I think it would be a shame for him to go in the Hall in a uni other than Mariners. He had the perfect game in AZ, but he made his name and created his persona in Seattle. He apparently makes his home in AZ, so that could put some pressure on him. He WILL NOT be in a Yankee uni. No big love affair here -- started the day he arrived and he told a reporter to get out of his face. Also, not sure some fans ever forgave him for KILLING us in the 95 wildcard series -- Mattingly's last year -- even though that loss gave rise to the Torre era. As I recall, he came in in relief the game right after his start and dominated. If Winfield went in in a Padres uni, Johnson should easily choose to go in as a Mariner. I think there is some rule that requires a player to go in wearing a particular uniform, but I'm sure that doesn't apply to him given his stint in AZ.

Hmmm...you might be right about Martinez. The man studied his craft like no other. No doubt the only enhancement he got into was an eye coach. He worked regularly with an eye doc to overcome a natural deficit with his eyesight. Pretty amazing, considering that he not only was a very good hitter for years, but the man had an uncanny sense of the strike zone.

Ichiro will go as far as he wants. I truly believe that, and I don't think anyone or anything else would stop him.

As for the Big Unit, obviously I'd love to see him go in as a Mariner. I have an added push, in that I was born on the same day as Randy. Same day, same year. No kidding (it gets weirder when you look further in my family...my older brother was born the same day, same year as Tom Cruise...then you get to my younger brother, and he broke the string).

I think that if the HoF looks to where Randy transformed from a thrower to a pitcher, he goes in a Mariner. If they just count awards, he goes in as a D'back. If it's a tie, maybe it goes to the older, more established club. Then again, AZ has been to the World Series (and won), and Seattle has not.

Who knows? We'll have to wait five years. He's a lock to go in, just not sure what uni.