Before this season, the media and general baseball fan base have debated Mike Mussina’s Hall of Fame credentials. The overriding factor for the “no” voters was that Mussina had never won 20 games in a season. Of course, he’s won 17 or more seven times and has had 19 wins twice, and that isn’t bad.

Well, guess what? At the ripe old age of 39, Mussina might just get that 20-win season. And if he does, there is nothing more for the naysayers to complain about. Mussina is having one of his best seasons, standing at 16-7 with a 3.35 ERA. That’s all the more surprising since he went 11-10 with a 5.15 ERA last year. Four more wins this season, and he’ll secure his place in Cooperstown.

Mussina’s win this past Sunday boosted his career total to 266, which ties Bob Feller and Eppa Rixey (both HOFers) for 35th on the All Time win list. I am not saying that Mussina is Bob Feller - far from it. Feller is the best pitcher of all time...who has pitched past World War II. But, Mussina has also attained revered status.

With a career record of 266-151, Mussina is already 115 games above .500 – the 15th highest differential in Major League history. In fact, other than Mussina, only 20 pitchers in major league history have won 100 games more than their total losses – and all are currently in the Hall or (like Maddux, Pedro, Clemens, the Big Unit and Glavine) will be elected.

Mussina has approximately eight more starts this season. Be assured, too, that if Moose is short of 20 victories near the end of the season, and the Yankees are out of the playoff picture, Joe Girardi and the Yankee organization will get Moose an extra start. This is similar to when Don Mattingly, battling for the batting crown, batted leadoff in 1985 in the last game of the season. Manager Billy Martin wanted to give Mattingly more at bats to overtake leader Wade Boggs, who sat out the last four games of the season.

With a 20 win season, 115 victories over .500 and the publicity that comes with playing in New York for almost ten years, Moose will have solidified his Hall candidacy. He’s also a good guy who is media friendly, and that always helps players on the bubble – just ask Gary Carter.

Now if Mussina can stay in New York for another year or two, he might be able to put the icing on his Hall cake. Twenty wins this year gets Mussina to 270 for his career, and he’ll have a chance to hit the magical 300 mark. Based upon his performance this season, three more seasons of at least 10 wins per isn’t out of the question. But regardless of his final career total, a 20 win season certainly gets him into Cooperstown.