A nine-time All-Star, Goose Gossage finished with 310 career saves, but he'll probably have to wait for that Hall of Fame invitation. Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. -- Ryne Sandberg rarely had much to say during his playing career. In fact, former teammate and fellow Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins said the Cubs used to refer to the young second baseman as "Mumbles."

"We never heard him around the clubhouse," Jenkins says.

Sandberg had plenty to say, however, when asked about which of his contemporaries also deserve to be enshrined in Cooperstown.

"Bruce Sutter. Nobody would talk about my game against him if he wasn't the best reliever for a long period of time," says Sandberg, who hit home runs in two consecutive at-bats against the vaunted Cardinals closer on June 23, 1984. "Everybody talks about it because he was unhittable."

Wade Boggs used his newfound status to stump for the exiled Pete Rose, as well as overlooked curveball artist Bert Blyleven and former teammate Jim Rice. Both Sandberg and Boggs are in agreement that closers -- Sutter, Goose Gossage and Lee Smith in particular -- deserve more consideration.

"Those are three dominant pitchers in their era who really revolutionized the game," Boggs said.

Will their lobbying efforts prove worthwhile? Let's take a look at who the writers will include in the next five classes (the Veterans Committee isn't likely to elect anybody anytime soon):

2006

NEW ELIGIBLES: Rick Aguilera, Tim Belcher, Will Clark, Alex Fernandez, Gary Gaetti, Dwight Gooden, Ozzie Guillen, Juan Guzman, Orel Hershiser, Gregg Jefferies, Lance Johnson, Doug Jones, Roberto Kelly, Mickey Morandini, Hal Morris, Jaime Navarro, Luis Polonia, Mike Stanley, Walt Weiss, John Wetteland, Mark Whiten.

WHO GETS IN: Sutter. Taken as a whole, Gossage arguably had the better career, but Sutter's name has more cache. Sutter just missed getting in this year, garnering 66.7 percent of the votes (75 percent is needed).

WHO GETS SNUBBED: Unfortunately, Gossage will have to wait. And don't be surprised at how little support the sweet-swinging Will Clark gets. Will the Thrill's rate stats (.303-.384-.497) are outstanding but it's tough to get in with only 284 home runs and 2,176 hits if you are a first baseman. Rice probably will end up having to go through the dreaded Veterans Committee. Let that be a lesson to current ballplayers who don't play nice with the writers.

2007

NEW ELIGIBLES: Harold Baines, Derek Bell, Dante Bichette, Bobby Bonilla, Jeff Brantley, Jay Buhner, Ken Caminiti, Jose Canseco, Eric Davis, Tony Fernandez, Tony Gwynn, Darryl Hamilton, Pete Harnisch, Charlie Hayes, Glenallen Hill, Ken Hill, Stan Javier, Wally Joyner, Ramon Martinez, Mark McGwire, Paul O'Neill, Gregg Olson, Cal Ripken Jr., Bret Saberhagen, Jeff Shaw, Kevin Tapani, Devon White, Bobby Witt.

WHO GETS IN: Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn. If Ripken went in by himself, it would constitute one of the best classes ever. It's almost too bad for Gwynn, who will be overshadowed to say the least.

WHO GETS SNUBBED: Mark McGwire and his 583 home runs. Right or wrong, there's a growing movement to make him the fall guy for the steroids era. Harold Baines will have to wait on what happens to other DH-types such as Frank Thomas and Edgar Martinez.