These MLB players had HOF brothers

Imagine being a baseball player who bucks the odds and becomes one of the select few to make it all the way to the Major Leagues. That takes something special.

And yet there have been those throughout baseball history who accomplished this feat -- and still weren't the best player in their own family. That's because they had a brother who not only made it to The Show, but then soared all the way to the Hall of Fame.

There's no shame in being the "other" MLB brother, of course. These players made their own marks on the game and are worthy of their own recognition. With that in mind, here's a starting nine made up entirely of the siblings of Hall of Fame inductees.

Catcher: Sandy Alomar Jr. (brother of Roberto Alomar)
Career line: 1,377 games, .273/.309/.406, 112 HR, 588 RBIs

The middle child of second baseman Sandy Alomar Sr. arrived in the Majors after his younger brother, Roberto, because he was blocked by Benito Santiago in San Diego. But Alomar made an immediate impact after he was traded to Cleveland, claiming a Gold Glove Award, an All-Star Game selection and the American League Rookie of the Year Award in 1990. Alomar held down the catcher's spot for an AL powerhouse, peaking with his All-Star Game MVP performance in front of his home crowd in 1997. He later served as Cleveland's interim manager in 2012 and remains the Guardians' first-base coach under Terry Francona.
Honorable mention: Luke Sewell (Joe Sewell)

First base: Frank Torre (Joe Torre)
Career line: 714 games, .273/.349/.372, 13 HR, 179 RBIs

Torre was known more for his glove -- with which he paced NL first basemen twice in fielding percentage -- than his bat. He hit well enough to briefly platoon with Braves slugger Joe Adcock during Milwaukee's back-to-back pennant campaigns in 1957 and '58, and batted .300 during the Braves' seven-game World Series triumph over the vaunted Yankees in '57. Torre arguably made a greater baseball impact after his playing days, first as an executive with Rawlings Sporting Goods and later with his charity work.

Second base: Billy Ripken (Cal Ripken Jr.)
Career line: 912 games, .247/.294/.318, 20 HR, 229 RBIs

While Ripken's older brother Cal was defined by his durability, injuries unfortunately became a constant presence in Billy's career. Ripken had to fight for roster spots throughout his 12-year career, usually winning a spot through his defensive versatility and his effort. He and Cal combined for nearly 300 double plays while manning Baltimore's middle infield together from 1987-92.

Third base: Jim Delahanty (Ed Delahanty)
Career line: 1,186 games, .283/.357/.373, 19 HR, 489 RBIs

We're using Delahanty's versatility to slide him over to third base, as he and Ripken could probably man either spot in the infield. One of five brothers who played in the Majors, Delahanty suited up for eight different clubs during the Deadball Era and was known for his congeniality at each stop along the way. Delahanty peaked in 1911 with Detroit, batting .339 with 14 triples.

Shortstop: Glenn Hoffman (Trevor Hoffman)
Career line: 766 games, .242/.291/.331, 23 HR, 210 RBIs

A series of injuries -- including a defective micro-valve in his heart -- likely held Hoffman back from his full potential, but Red Sox fans of a certain age can recall Hoffman manning shortstop and third base during the 1980s. Hoffman began his coaching career with the Dodgers organization in 1991 and filled in as L.A.'s interim manager for half a season in '98. He was the Padres' third-base coach during Trevor's last three seasons in San Diego and still holds that position today.

Left field: Tommie Aaron (Hank Aaron)
Career line: 437 games, .229/.292/.327, 13 HR, 94 RBIs

Fans probably know Tommie Aaron as one-half of the answer to the trivia question, "Which pair of brothers combined for the most home runs?" But Tommie and older brother Hank were also the first siblings to appear as teammates in a League Championship Series when the Braves played the Miracle Mets in 1969. Aaron made more of a mark in the Minor Leagues, capturing the '67 International League MVP award before going on to manage and coach in the Braves' system after his playing days.

Center field: Dom DiMaggio (Joe DiMaggio)
Career line: 1,399 games, .298/.383/.419, 87 HR, 618 RBIs

DiMaggio easily locks down the No. 3 spot in our hypothetical lineup, thanks to a bat that could hold its own in the shadow of both his older brother, Joe, and his Red Sox teammate Ted Williams. DiMaggio was voted to seven All-Star Games, compiled a 34-game hitting streak in 1949 and still ranks among the Red Sox's top 10 hitters in base hits, doubles, walks and runs scored. Only four players tallied more hits than DiMaggio from 1940-52, and author David Halberstram called DiMaggio the most underrated player of his era in his famous book The Summer of '49. A third brother, Vince, also enjoyed a productive 10-year career as a center fielder, making All-Star squads with the 1943 and '44 Pirates.
Honorable mention: Vince DiMaggio

Right field: Wilton Guerrero (Vladimir Guerrero)
Career line: 678 games, .282/.308/.369, 11 HR, 127 RBIs

Wilton and his younger brother, Vladimir, spent two different stints together in Montreal, and the brothers homered in the same game on four different occasions. That's rather remarkable, considering Wilton hit six total homers in his entire Expos tenure. Though Guerrero played more than half his games at second base, his versatility (he started at six different positions in the Majors) helps him earn a starting spot in our lineup.

Pinch-hitter: Chris Gwynn (Tony Gwynn)
Career line: 599 games, .261/.308/.369, 17 HR, 118 RBIs

Chris wasn't the same hitter as his older brother Tony (few in history ever were), but he did finish his career with a memorable pinch-hit performance. In the final game of the 1996 season, Gwynn came off the bench in the top of the 11th inning and delivered a two-run double that helped the Padres defeat the Dodgers and clinch the NL West crown.

Pitcher: Jim Perry (Gaylord Perry)
Career line: 215-174, 3.45 ERA, 1,576 SO, 109 CG

The pitcher's spot was by far the most competitive on our roster, but Gaylord Perry's older brother, Jim, gets the slight nod over Phil Niekro's younger brother, Joe. While Perry was a little shy of Hall of Fame-caliber, he won at least 18 games three times, made three All-Star rosters and claimed the 1970 AL Cy Young Award after going 24-12 with a 3.04 ERA for the Twins. A plethora of accomplished starters are ready should Perry falter, with current Cardinals pitching coach Mike Maddux (20 career saves, 149 games finished) ready to close things out.
Honorable mentions: Ken Brett (George Brett), Harry Coveleski (Stan Coveleski), Daffy Dean (Dizzy Dean), Wes Ferrell (Rick Ferrell), Mike Maddux (Greg Maddux), Ramon Martinez (Pedro Martinez), Joe Niekro (Phil Niekro), Will White (Deacon White)