Baseball has a lasting fascination with numbers, but numerical greatness does not always equate to everlasting enshrinement in the Hall of Fame. Here is a look at the players with some of the highest statistical totals not to be part of the party in Cooperstown.
Home runs: Barry Bonds, 762
There still is a chance that Bonds will be voted in, but he's tied together with other players of his era in waiting, including Sammy Sosa (609), Mark McGwire (583), and Rafael Palmeiro (569). Then there are active and not-yet-eligible 500 home run club members Alex Rodriguez (654), Ken Griffey Jr. (630), Jim Thome (612), Manny Ramirez (555), Gary Sheffield (509), and Albert Pujols (502 and counting). Also, Fred McGriff retired at 493.
Hits: Craig Biggio, 3,060
The all-time hits leader, Pete Rose (4,256) is ineligible for the Hall of Fame because of his lifetime ban for betting on baseball. Biggio should eventually get in, but you have to wonder about Rafael Palmeiro at 3,020.
Runs: Bonds, 2,227
Bonds is third on the all-time list, behind Rickey Henderson (2,295) and Ty Cobb (2,246). Pete Rose (2,165) is sixth, while Alex Rodriguez remains technically active at 1,919, in 10th place.
Triples: Ed Konetchy, 182
In a three-way tie with Edd Roush and Jesse Burkett for 15th on the all-time triples list, Konetchy was the Fred McGriff of the dead ball era, with numbers that don't quite stack up to his contemporaries even though he starred as a first baseman for the Cardinals, Pirates, Pittsburgh Rebels (Federal League), Braves, Dodgers, and Phillies.
Stolen bases: Tim Raines, 808
Fifth on the all-time steals list, Raines still has plenty of people campaigning for him to get to Cooperstown for reasons beyond his prowess on the basepaths. Behind Raines on the steals list is Vince Coleman (752), who was wonderfully entertaining but not a Hall of Famer in anyone's eyes.
Wins: Roger Clemens, 354
Thanks to PED ties, Clemens could become the first member of the 300 win club to fail to gain enshrinement to Cooperstown. Randy Johnson (303) is not yet eligible for election.
Strikeouts: Clemens, 4,672
Clemens is third behind Nolan Ryan (5,714) and Randy Johnson (4,672). Other pitchers with 3,000 or more strikeouts not yet in the Hall are Pedro Martinez (3,154), Curt Schilling (3,116), and John Smoltz (3,084).
Wins above replacement: Bonds, 162.4
According to baseball-reference.com's calculation of WAR, the 11 players with the highest figures who have yet to get into the Hall all still could: Bonds, Roger Clemens (140.3), Alex Rodriguez (116), Randy Johnson (102.1), Albert Pujols (94.4), Chipper Jones (85), Pedro Martinez (84), Ken Griffey Jr. (83.6), Mike Mussina (83), Curt Schilling (79.9), and Jeff Bagwell (79.6). Pete Rose is at 79.1, and the highest WAR of anyone not banned, not still waiting on election, and not still active is 19th century pitcher Jim McCormick, at 75.8.