*This article was originally featured on Tracy Ringolsby’s website, Inside the Seams, you can read it here.

By Tracy Ringolsby

Inside the Seams

Larry Walker won the battle on the field, but not at the Hall of Fame ballot box. Walker’s career WAR of 72.6 is the 51st highest among position players. There is only one of the 50 players with a higher WAR than Walker who has been eliminated from consideration by Hall of Fame voters — Lou Whitaker, who didn’t receive the five percent necessary to stay on the ballot in his first year of eligibility.

Only four others ahead of Walker have not been enshrined for reasons other than on-field accomplishments. Barry Bonds is on the ballot but hasn’t been elected because of the steroid issue. Alex Rodriguez and Adrian Beltre have not been retired the required five years to be on the ballot. Pete Rose is banned from consideration.

Todd Helton, who is on the Hall of Fame ballot for the first time this year, has a career WAR of 61.2, which is the 115th highest in MLB history.

The top 51 career WAR:

Source: Baseball-reference.com

y-not yet elgible (Adrian Beltre, Alex Rodriguez)

x-on ballot, not elected yet (Barry Bonds)

e-eliminated by voters first year of eligiblity (Lou Whitaker)

b-banned from Hall of Fame (Pete Rose)