Hall candidacy: Positive test overshadows Palmeiro's stats

• Rafael Palmeiro is one of four players with 500 career homers and 3,000 hits
• Palmeiro hit at least 20 home runs in 13 consecutive seasons with a high of 47 in 1999 and 2001
• He faces an uphill battle getting into the Hall because of a positive steroid test in his final year

(Editor's note: USA TODAY Sports is publishing thumbnail sketches of the top 22 Hall of Fame candidates on this year's ballot. It is a most intriguing lot, ranging from seeming first-ballot names marred by the cloud of performance-enhancing drugs to unsullied players nearing the end of their 15-year eligibility. The Baseball Writers' Association of America will announce who, if anyone, is voted in Jan. 9.)

Name: Rafael Palmeiro

Position: First base/designated hitter

Career: 1986-2005. Cubs, Rangers, Orioles

Year on ballot: Second

Why he should be inducted: Because he's a no-brainer based on the numbers he put up during his playing career. Except for Mark McGwire, every eligible player who has reached either 3,000 career hits or 500 career home runs has been elected to the Hall of Fame. With 3,020 hits and 569 homers, Palmeiro is one of four players in history to do both. He won three Gold Gloves and two Silver Slugger awards and finished in the top 20 of the league MVP voting in 10 seasons.

In fact, consistency was one of his trademarks. Palmeiro hit at least 20 home runs for 13 consecutive years but never had more than 47 in a single season – and never experienced an unusual spike in performance that was common among suspected steroid users. He said the positive test that effectively ended his career was the result of a tainted B-12 shot he received from a teammate.

Why he shouldn't be inducted: Despite his impressive credentials, Palmeiro was never regarded as the best at his position at any point during his career. He was named to only four All-Star teams and never finished higher than fifth in the MVP voting. His lofty career totals can be seen as a product of the heightened offensive era in which he played. Only three times did Palmeiro lead his league in any major offensive category – hits in 1990, doubles in 1991 and runs in 1993.

He won an undeserved Gold Glove at first base in 1999, when he played 21 games there. Perhaps the biggest strike against him was going before a congressional hearing on performance-enhancing drugs in baseball and denying he had ever used them – then testing positive five months later. After serving a mandatory suspension, Palmeiro never played another game in the majors.

Numbers don't lie: In addition to ranking 12th on the all-time home run list, Palmeiro is 11th in baseball history with 5,388 total bases.

Verdict: The backlash against steroids probably hits Palmeiro hardest because he tested positive, which puts his entire career into question for many Hall voters. He received 11% and 12.6% support in his first two years on the ballot. It's difficult to see him getting any closer to induction, given the current voting climate.