Baseball Hall of Fame 2017: Preview, Viewing Info for Induction Ceremony – Bleacher Report

The home run swing of Jeff Bagwell earned him a place in Cooperstown.Ron Vesely/Getty Images

Three players and two baseball executives will enjoy momentous occasions when they are inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame Sunday.

Jeff Bagwell, Tim Raines and Ivan Rodriguez are the players, while former commissioner Bud Selig and ex-general manager John Schuerholz will also be celebrated for their achievements in the game.

When: Sunday, July 30, 1:30 p.m. ET

Where: Cooperstown, New York

TV: MLB Network

The induction ceremony is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. ET, and the MLB Network will go on the air at 11 a.m. with its coverage of the Hall of Fame award presentation. The event can also be followed via webcast at the Hall of Fame’s website.

Here’s a more detailed look at the three players who have earned their spots in Cooperstown.

Jeff Bagwell

Bagwell spent his Major League career with the Houston Astros, and was one of the premier sluggers throughout his career, which lasted from 1991 through 2005.

He was drafted by the Boston Red Sox, the team that he grew up rooting for as a youngster in Middletown, CT. He never had a chance to show the Red Sox what he could do for them, because he was traded as a prospect for pitcher Larry Anderson.

Bagwell was a solid run producer early in his career, and he started to make a name for himself by driving in 82, 96 and 88 runs in his first three years.

That was just an introduction to what he was capable of doing, as he upgraded to superstar status during the strike-shortened 1994 season. Bagwell hit. .368 with 39 home runs and 116 RBI in 110 games before the players’ strike ended the season.

Bagwell went on a sensational tear starting in the 1996 season, as he crashed 30 home runs or more for eight straight seasons. 

Bagwell was a four-time All-Star in his career with a .297/.408/.540 slash line that included 449 lifetime home runs and 1,529 runs batted in.

Tim Raines was a devasting player during the prime of his career with the Montreal Expos.Ron Vesely/Getty Images

Tim Raines

While Bagwell stayed with one team throughout his career, Tim “Rock” Raines was a nomad in comparison. He started his career with the Montreal Expos, and he played with them from 1979 through 1990 before he moved on to the Chicago White Sox.

He had five solid seasons on Chicago’s South Side before stints with the New York Yankees, Oakland A’s and Baltimore Orioles.

Raines was a dynamic combination of solid line-drive hitting and eye-catching speed throughout the majority of his career. While he was strong enough to hit home runs, Raines was much more likely to lash a ball into the gap and break a game open with a double or triple in the late innings.

Raines made the All-Star team in the National League seven consecutive years starting in 1981, and he hit .300 or better five times while wearing an Expo uniform. He batted .298 with 11 home runs, 71 RBI and 90 stolen bases in 1983, a season that may have been the best of his career.

He led the National League in stolen bases for four consecutive season from 1981 through 1984, and he led the league in batting with a .334 average in 1986. 

He completed his career with a .294/.385/.425 slash line while scoring 1,571 runs, driving in 980 and stealing 808 bases.

Ivan Rodriguez

Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez came up through the Texas Rangers system, and when he was promoted to the big leagues in 1991 as a highly-touted 19-year-old future star, he wasted little time showing what he was capable of doing.

Playing little more than half of that season, Rodriguez had modest production with a .264 average along with three home runs and 27 RBI. However, he carried himself like a confident veteran and had a cannon for a right arm behind the plate.

He projected strength and consistency throughout his career, and he may have been the second-best defensive catcher in the history of the game behind Hall of Famer Johnny Bench.

Rodriguez quickly established himself as one of the best at his position as his offense caught up to his defense. He batted .300 or better for eight straight seasons with the Rangers, and he hammered 20 home runs or more for five straight seasons, starting in 1997.

His 1999 season was one for the ages as he hit .332, belted 35 home runs and drove in 113 runs while stealing 25 bases. 

Rodriguez was a vital part of the Florida Marlins 2003 World Series championship team, and after spending one year in South Florida, he signed a free-agent contract with the Detroit Tigers. 

He also played with the Yankees, Astros and Washington Nationals during his 21-year career.

Rodriguez finished his career with a .296/.334/.464 slash line while hammering 331 home runs and driving in 1,332 runs.