Maris was all you said. If anything, he was a better fielder than a hitter. However--but for 61 in '61, he wouldn't be under HOF consideration. Lack of longievity is the major reason. He only hit 30+ in two other seasons (the two bracketing 61) and those 3 years were also the only ones in which he had more than 100 rbi. His career avg is something like .260 or thereabouts. You can't make the Hall off 3 seasons.
I remember him more as a Cardinal than a Yankee--I was only 8 in 1961.
He had a great Series against the Sox in 67, but otherwise, he was a postseason bust. Played in 7 WS in his career. Avg around the Mendoza Line, only 6 dingers, 21 strikeouts.
Boggs is a no-brainer. Sutter should go in as one of the best relievers of his era. Dunno about Sandberg.
Rice made too many enemies among the baseball writers. He may have to wait for the Veterans' Committee to vote him in. Plus, there's this prevailing opinion among many older Sox fans that he was a monster at the plate when the Sox were up 8-3, but was a K or Mr. 6-4-3 with runners on first and second and less than 2 out in a tie game
