Does Pitcher Mike Mussina Belong in the Baseball Hall of Fame?

The 39-year Old Veteran Pitched for the Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees Over 18 Seasons, Amassing 270 Career Wins

Former New York Yankees pitcher Mike Mussina has announced that he is retiring from baseball. The decision was probably a hard one for the 18-year veteran, but without clear knowledge of what the Yankees planned to do with him, it may have been time. The question now comes into play as to whether or not he deserves to be voted into the baseball Hall of Fame. Breaking down whether Mike Mussina should have his day in Cooperstown isn't as easy as one might think, but he does have some qualifications that could make him noticeable to voters when he becomes eligible in 5 years.

Usually, a pitcher is defined by statistics when it comes to making it into the Hall of Fame, but there are also times where a player has performed extraordinarily well in the post season, and has received additional recognition for being great over a short period of time. One such pitcher to have a really short career was Sandy Koufax, but because he was so good over those few years, he still made it into the Hall of Fame. Some voters also argue that a player needs to be one of the best players at their position for X number of years, meaning that longevity of the career is good enough to get in if they were one of the best players.

Here are the stats in question for Mike Mussina for his career:

Mike Mussina Career Statistics:

Statistics: 270 wins, 536 games started, a .638 winning percentage as a starter, a career ERA of 3.68, a career WHIP of 1.192, and 2813 career strike-outs.

Awards: 5-time all-star; 7-time Gold-Glove winner (5th most ever for a pitcher).

Career Statistical Ranks: Wins 270 (33rd); Innings 3562.7 (66th); Winning Percentage .638 (38th); Strike-Outs 2813 (19th).

Post-Season Statistics: 16 Post-Season Series -- 23-21 Record; 3.42 ERA; 145 k's in 139.2 innings; No World Series Titles.