He batted .292 with 509 home runs and 1,676 RBIs with eight teams over 22 years, but will ex-Yankees OF Gary Sheffield get into the Hall of Fame?
He apparently doesn't know, admitting Wednesday that he has "no idea" if he'll be selected. Sheffield was solid when he played for the Yankees from 2004-2006, appearing in two All-Star games as the club won three straight division titles.
Nonetheless, he isn't sure if his career numbers will be good enough for the honor, as impressive as they seem to be.
"The bottom line is that there is no question about my numbers and what I have done and how long I have done it,’’ Sheffield told The New York Post. “I was never voted the MVP, so I don’t speculate on anything.’’
He was, however, the NL Batting Champion in 1992, one of two seasons he spent with the Padres.
Sheffield also collected a Silver Slugger Award that year, but that wasn't too unusual for him. He had nine of those in total, two of which came with the Yankees.
“When I look back at it, for what I did and the injuries I had, I am proud of my accomplishments,’’ he said.
This is Sheffield's first time up for the accolade. He will have fifteen chances to get inducted as long as he's on at least five percent of the Baseball Writers Association of America's (BBWAA) ballots each year, and will become a permanent member of Cooperstown if he's ever on 75 percent.
Sheffield is one of ten former Yankees vying for the coveted accomplishment this winter, with Randy Johnson, Mike Mussina and Roger Clemens being a few of the notable others.