Tagged: Scott Rolen

The Winning Run 2024 Hall of Fame Ballot

The beginning of the new year means it is time for the annual debate about who is and is not a Hall of Famer. Ultimately only the opinions of Hall of Fame voters matter. They decide who goes to Cooperstown. The BBWAA is the sole voting body for the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Voters must be a member of the BBWAA and meet the following eligibility requirements.

Hall of Fame Voter Eligibility 

  1. Any member of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) who has been an active member for ten years.
  2. The BBWAA is limited to writers for newspapers only, including some internet newspapers. 

The BBWAA sets the following rules for how eligible voters can vote. 

  1. Vote for no more than 10 players.
  2. A player is eligible for election to the Baseball Hall of Fame if they meet the following criteria:
    1. They competed in ten seasons. A single game counts as a season played.
    2. The player has been retired for at least five seasons. The clock restarts if the player returns and plays in the Major Leagues.
    3. The player is not on the ineligible list; banned from baseball. 
  3. The player must receive 5% of the vote to remain on the ballot.
  4. The player is elected if they receive at least 75% of all ballots cast. 

In addition to the official voting rules for the Baseball Hall of Fame set forth by the BBWAA, The Winning Run has an additional rule for its ballot. 

  1. Known PED users are ineligible.

Every player dreams of reaching the Major Leagues and playing their way to Cooperstown. However, this dream is a reality for only 1% of Major Leaguers. Thousands of players begin their professional careers dreaming of the Hall of Fame and never spend a single day in the Major Leagues. Reaching the Major Leagues is extremely difficult. Appearing on the Hall of Fame ballot, even for a single year, is reserved for baseball’s elites. Making the ballot is an honor, even if the candidate does not receive a single vote.

The 2024 Hall of Fame ballot has 26 candidates. There are 14 returning candidates and 12 new candidates. The 14 returning candidates are:

  1. Todd Helton- 6th year (72.2%)
  2. Billy Wagner- 9th year (68.1%)
  3. Andruw Jones- 7th year (58.1%)
  4. Gary Sheffield- 10th year (55.0%)
  5. Carlos Beltran- 2nd year (46.5%)
  6. Alex Rodriguez- 3rd year (35.7%)
  7. Manny Ramirez- 8th year (33.2%)
  8. Omar Vizquel- 7th year (19.5%)
  9. Andy Pettitte- 6th year (17.0%)
  10. Bobby Abreu- 5th year (15.4%)
  11. Jimmy Rollins- 3rd year (12.9%)
  12. Mark Buehrle- 4th year (10.8%)
  13. Francisco Rodriguez- 2nd year (10.8%)
  14. Torii Hunter- 4th year (6.9%)

The 12 first time candidates are:

  1. Adrian Beltre
  2. Joe Mauer
  3. Chase Utley
  4. David Wright
  5. Bartolo Colon
  6. Matt Holliday
  7. Adrian Gonzalez
  8. Jose Bautista
  9. Jose Reyes
  10. Victor Martinez
  11. James Shields
  12. Brandon Phillips
Who will go to Cooperstown in July? (National Baseball Hall of Fame)

Following our own rule, 5 of the 26 candidates were removed from consideration due to their connections with PEDs. 

  1. Gary Sheffield
  2. Alex Rodriguez
  3. Manny Ramirez
  4. Andy Pettitte
  5. Bartolo Colon

The sad part of our PED rule is every one of these players posted the necessary numbers to be seriously considered for the Hall of Fame. Their decision to use PEDs has hampered their own election to Cooperstown and left them on the ballot for additional years. These extra years have siphoned votes away from other worthy candidates, harming their Hall of Fame chances through no fault of their own. 

Two players we voted for in 2023 were removed from the ballot. Scott Rolen was elected to the Hall of Fame. Jeff Kent failed to be elected in his 10th and final year of eligibility. This means our 2024 ballot has two open spots. None of the candidates we voted for last year received less than 5%, so the other eight candidates have returned. After much research and debate we arrived at our 10 candidates. 

Adrian Beltre could do it all on a baseball field. The Third Baseman played 21 seasons with 4 teams: Los Angeles Dodgers (1998-2004), Seattle Mariners (2005-2009), Boston Red Sox (2010), and Texas Rangers (2011-2018). He played in 2,933 Games, scored 1,524 Runs, collected 3,166 Hits, including 636 Double, 38 Triples, 477 Home Runs, 1,707 RBI, 121 Stolen Bases, drawing 848 Walks, with 1,732 Strikeouts, posting a .286 BA, .339 OBP, .480 SLG, .819 OPS, 116 OPS+, and 5,309 Total Bases. Beltre won five Gold Gloves, four Silver Sluggers, and was a four time All Star. If elected, Beltre will rank first among Hall of Fame Third Basemen in RBI. He will be second in Hits, Doubles, and RBI. Beltre will have the third most Home Runs. He is a clear cut Hall of Famer. Just make sure you do not touch his head. 

Joe Mauer never left Minnesota. The hometown boy made good. Mauer Caught 15 seasons with the Minnesota Twins (2004-2018). He played in 1,858 Games, scored 1,018 Runs, collected 2,123 Hits, including 428 Doubles, 30 Triples, 143 Home Runs, 923 RBI, 52 Stolen Bases, drawing 939 Walks, with 1,034 Strikeouts, posting a .306 BA, .388 OBP, .439 SLG, .827 OPS, 124 OPS+, and 3,040 Total Bases. He was a six time All Star, won five Silver Sluggers, three Gold Gloves, and three Batting Titles. Mauer was named the 2009 American League MVP. If elected, Mauer will have the most Walks among Hall of Fame Catchers. He will be third in Doubles, fourth in OBP, sixth in Hits, and seventh in BA. Mauer should easily reach Cooperstown. 

Chase Utley put together an outstanding career. He was one of the leaders for the great Phillies teams, including their 2008 World Series championship. The Second Baseman played for two teams in 16 seasons: Philadelphia Phillies (2003-2015) and Los Angeles Dodgers (2015-2018). He played in 1,937 Games, scored 1,103 Runs, collected 1,885 Hits, including 411 Doubles, 58 Triples, 259 Home Runs, 1,025 RBI, 154 Stolen Bases, drawing 724 Walks, with 1,193 Strikeouts, posting a .275 BA, .358 OBP, .465 SLG, .823 OPS, 117 OPS+, and 3,189 Total Bases. Utley was a six time All Star and won four Silver Sluggers. If elected, Utley would rank fifth among Hall of Fame Second Basemen in Home Runs and seventh in SLG and OPS. 

Our ballot has three additions this year. We filled our two open slots with Adrian Beltre and Joe Mauer. We had one player, Jimmy Rollins, replaced by a former teammate, Chase Utley. The choice of Utley over Rollins is extremely close, but Utley is a more deserving candidate. The real issue is both Rollins and Utley are deserving candidates, but the idiotic Rule of 10 once again costs a deserving Hall of Fame candidate votes. If the Rule of 10 was not in place, we would also include Omar Vizquel, Jimmy Rollins, and Torii Hunter on our ballot. Now we wait for the official results for the Hall of Fame class of 2024. Who is heading to Cooperstown in July?

DJ

Rookie of the Year

Teams are successful when they develop talent, not simply purchase free agents. The George Steinbrenner Yankees were often accused of buying championships, but they did develop talent. Success is turning draft picks and international signings into Major League players. The Rookie of the Year Award recognizes the best first year player in each league. Created in 1947, there was a single Award for the first two seasons, but since 1949 each league has a winner. While it is an individual award, the Rookie of the Year Award should also be viewed as an organizational award. If a franchise is consistently producing quality Major League caliber players they will eventually have one worthy of the award. The Diamondbacks are the last of the 30 Major League teams to have a Rookie of the Year. It took 25 years for Arizona to achieve. While it may have taken longer than expected for a player like Corbin Carroll to arrive, Arizona has finally completed the task. 

The inaugural Rookie of the Year Award was presented to Jackie Robinson after the most difficult rookie season in Major League history. Al Dark of the Boston Braves won in 1948. In 1949, Roy Sievers of the St. Louis Browns won the first American League Rookie of the Year Award. In more than 75 years since its creation, the Dodgers reigned supreme at producing elite rookies. The Dodgers have won a record 18 times, four in Brooklyn and 14 in Los Angeles. The Yankees are second with nine. 

The expectation was the Expansion teams would be among the last to have a Rookie of the Year. When expansion’s first wave came in 1961, only the Cubs and Pirates had yet to win the Rookie of the Year. However, the Cubs won their first Rookie of the Year in 1961 with the future Hall of Famer Billy Williams. This left Pittsburgh as the last non-expansion team without the award. Surely the Pirates could produce an elite rookie at some point. Instead, 12 of the 14 Expansion teams developed a Rookie of the Year before Pittsburgh. Finally, in 2004 Jason Bay put together a rookie campaign deemed worthy, giving the Pirates their first Rookie of the Year. Only the Tampa Bay Devil Rays and Arizona Diamondbacks had yet to win the award in 2004. Both franchises began play in 1998. The Pirates lack of success is just another disappointment in an ever growing list. 

Corbin Carroll is the Diamondbacks first Rookie of the Year. Arizona was the last remaining team without a Rookie of the Year winner. (Rob Leiter/ MLB Photos)

Simply winning the Rookie of the Year Award does not guarantee success beyond that first season in the Majors. Every player has the best season of their career, and for some it is that first season. There are others, who build upon their initial success. They finish their careers among the greatest ever. There are 19 players who won the Rookie of the Year Award and then had a Hall of Fame career: 

  1. Jackie Robinson- Brooklyn Dodgers, 1947
  2. Willie Mays- New York Giants, 1951
  3. Frank Robinson- Cincinnati Reds, 1956
  4. Luis Aparicio- Chicago White Sox, 1956
  5. Orlando Cepeda- San Francisco Giants, 1958
  6. Willie McCovey- San Francisco Giants, 1959
  7. Billy Williams- Chicago Cubs, 1961
  8. Tony Oliva- Minnesota Twins, 1964
  9. Tom Seaver- New York Mets, 1967
  10. Rod Carew- Minnesota Twins, 1967
  11. Johnny Bench- Cincinnati Reds, 1968
  12. Carlton Fisk- Boston Red Sox, 1972
  13. Andre Dawson- Montreal Expos, 1977
  14. Eddie Murray- Baltimore Orioles, 1977
  15. Cal Ripken Jr.- Baltimore Orioles, 1982
  16. Jeff Bagwell- Houston Astros, 1991
  17. Mike Piazza- Los Angeles Dodgers, 1993
  18. Derek Jeter- New York Yankees, 1996
  19. Scott Rolen- Philadelphia Phillies, 1997

In addition to these 19 Hall of Famers, there are five more players who will join them in Cooperstown when they are eligible. There will certainly be more, but these five are all but guaranteed to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame.  

  1. Albert Pujols- St. Louis Cardinals, 2001
  2. Ichiro Suzuki, Seattle Mariners, 2001
  3. Justin Verlander- Detroit Tigers, 2006
  4. Bryce Harper- Washington Nationals, 2012
  5. Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels, 2012

The Rookie of the Year Award celebrates the best new talent in the Majors each season. The players selected each season are not guaranteed a long and successful career, nor are they doomed to mediocrity. One great season does not define a player, but it can gain them recognition. Teams are tasked with developing the players and their success is reflected in winning the Rookie of the Year Award. It is nearly impossible to win multiple seasons in a row, but a team should consistently produce good, young players. Occasionally one should win the award. The Dodgers have figured out how to do just that, and the Pirates have not. All 30 MLB teams have now had a Rookie of the Year winner. Who adds to their list next season?  

DJ

The Missing 7

The weather is warming up. The Major League season is well underway and some teams are already separating themselves from the rest of the league. The slow, sad season-long train wreck in Oakland has begun. We are less than three months away from the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony for the Class of 2023. 

The four members of the Class of 2023 are: 

  1. Scott Rolen, BBWAA 
  2. Fred McGriff, Contemporary Baseball Era Committee
  3. Pat Hughes, Ford C. Frick Award
  4. John Lowe, BBWAA Career Excellence Award

It has been 88 years since the first Hall of Fame Class. The First Five: Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson, and Walter Johnson. No Hall of Fame class will ever rival the Class of 1936, it is unfair to even compare. Examining the 1936 ballot, the voters had a difficult task. They had to select the most deserving candidates from a list of 50 players.  

Over time Hall of Fame voters have elected 42 of the 50 players on the 1936 ballot. Countless books and articles have been written about these 42 players, but what about the eight not in Cooperstown. They were good enough to be on the ballot, but why were they never deemed worthy of induction? 

Is the Hall of Fame missing a few members or are there too many? (National Baseball Hall of Fame)

The reason why for one of the eight is obvious. Shoeless Joe Jackson received 0.9% of the vote, 2 votes. He was banned from baseball by Commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis following the 1919 Black Sox scandal. There is plenty of debate about Jackson’s involvement and if it is time to welcome him back into baseball. That debate is for another day. This leaves seven players out of the Hall of Fame. 

The seven players from the 1936 Hall of Fame ballot missing from Cooperstown are:  

  1. Hal Chase
  2. Johnny Kling
  3. Lou Criger 
  4. Kid Elberfeld
  5. Bill Bradley 
  6. Nap Rucker 
  7. Billy Sullivan 

Why are these seven players not in Cooperstown? Are they the exceptions or were all worthy players inducted? How do they compare to the others on the ballot, and all Hall of Famers? Are they unjustly left out or were some players erroneously elected. The Hall of Fame cannot welcome every player. If it did, the honor would become meaningless. There is constant debate about who should and should not be in Cooperstown. Many of the debated players fall at the intersection of the Hall of Fame and the Hall of Very Good. It is difficult to determine exactly where the divide rests. This raises the question, is it better to exclude a worthy Hall of Famer to ensure no unworthy player enters Cooperstown or is it better to ensure every Hall of Fame player is inducted even if a few unworthy players sneak in? This is the central question of who is and is not a Hall of Famer. 

DJ

2023 Hall of Fame Ballot

The 2023 Baseball Hall of Fame Ballot is filled with talented players who spent at least a decade playing on a Major League diamond. The election results will be announced tomorrow, January 24th. As is tradition, The Winning Run has filled out its own officially unofficial ballot. We have been writing about baseball for more than a decade, but we lack the credentials to be full voting members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA). No matter, we humbly submit our ballot anyway.

There are 28 candidates on the 2023 Hall of Fame ballot. Each hopes to join Fred McGriff, who was elected in December through the Contemporary Era Committee, in Cooperstown. There are 14 returning candidates and 14 first year candidates on the ballot. The 2023 ballot is also the final year of eligibility for Jeff Kent. If he is not elected this year, his path into the Hall of Fame will be through the committees. 

The BBWAA is the sole voting body for the National Baseball Hall of Fame. As such, only members of the BBWAA who meet the following eligibility requirements can vote.

Voter Eligibility 

  1. Any member of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) who has been an active member for ten years.
  2. The BBWAA is limited to writers for newspapers only, including some internet newspapers. 

The BBWAA sets the rules for how eligible voters can vote.

Voting Rules

  1. Vote for no more than 10 players.
  2. A player is eligible for election to the Baseball Hall of Fame if they meet the following criteria:
    1. They competed in ten seasons. A single game counts as a season played.
    2. The player has been retired for at least five seasons. The clock restarts if the player returns and plays in the Major Leagues.
    3. The player is not on the ineligible list; banned from baseball. 
  3. The player must receive 5% of the vote to remain on the ballot.
  4. The player is elected if they receive at least 75% of all ballots cast. 

In addition to the official voting rules for the Baseball Hall of Fame set forth by the BBWAA, The Winning Run has its own rule for its ballot. 

The Winning Run Rules

  1. Known PED users are ineligible.

Every player dreams of reaching the Major Leagues and playing at such a level that their ultimate destination is Cooperstown. However, this dream is a reality for only 1% of those who reach the Major Leagues. Thousands of players begin their careers dreaming of the Hall of Fame and never spend a single day on a Major League roster. The difficulty of reaching the Major Leagues makes simply appearing on the Hall of Fame ballot, even for a single year, an accomplishment reserved for baseball’s elites. Making the ballot is an honor, even if the candidate does not receive a single vote.

The honor of appearing on the 2023 Hall of Fame ballot belongs to these 28 candidates, their year of eligibility, and percentage of the Hall of Fame vote received in 2022. 

  1. Scott Rolen- 6th (63.2%)
  2. Todd Helton- 5th (52.0%)
  3. Billy Wagner- 8th (51.0%)
  4. Andruw Jones- 6th (41.4%)
  5. Gary Sheffield- 9th (40.6%)
  6. Alex Rodriguez- 2nd (34.3%)
  7. Jeff Kent- 10th (32.7%)
  8. Manny Ramirez- 7th (28.9%)
  9. Omar Vizquel- 6th (23.9%)
  10. Andy Pettitte- 5th (10.7%)
  11. Jimmy Rollins- 2nd (9.4%)
  12. Bobby Abreu- 4th (8.6%)
  13. Mark Buehrle- 3rd (5.8%)
  14. Torii Hunter- 3rd (5.3%)
  15. Carlos Beltran- 1st
  16. John Lackey- 1st
  17. Jered Weaver- 1st
  18. Jacoby Ellsbury- 1st
  19. Matt Cain- 1st
  20. Jhonny Peralta- 1st
  21. Jayson Werth- 1st
  22. J.J. Hardy- 1st
  23. Mike Napoli- 1st
  24. Bronson Arroyo- 1st
  25. R.A. Dickey- 1st
  26. Francisco Rodriguez- 1st
  27. Andre Ethier- 1st
  28. Huston Street- 1st

Following our own rule, 5 of the 28 candidates were removed from consideration due to their connections with PEDs. 

  1. Gary Sheffield
  2. Alex Rodriguez
  3. Manny Ramirez
  4. Andy Pettitte
  5. Jhonny Peralta

This left 23 candidates on our ballot, from which we could vote for a maximum of 10. The choices are never easy. Previous ballots we have unofficially voted on have contained more than 10 Hall of Fame caliber candidates. Reviewing our ballot from 2022 helped in beginning the voting process. Were the 10 players we voted for last year still the best choices? The Winning Run’s ballot last year listed these 10 candidates: 

  1. Bobby Abreu (8.6%)
  2. Mark Buehrle (5.8%)
  3. Todd Helton (52.0%)
  4. Tim Hudson (3.0%)
  5. Torii Hunter (5.3%)
  6. Andruw Jones (41.4%)
  7. Jeff Kent (32.7%)
  8. Tim Lincecum (2.3%)
  9. Scott Rolen (63.2%)
  10. Billy Wagner (51.0%)

Based upon the voting, none of our candidates were elected to Cooperstown. Two of our votes are open again as Tim Hudson and Tim Lincecum failed to receive the minimum 5% of votes. This left us with eight returning candidates on this year’s ballot. This is our unofficially official 2023 ballot.  

We removed Torii Hunter from our ballot and replaced him with Jimmy Rollins. Hunter was our final choice on last year’s ballot. Rollins was on the ballot in 2022, but after reexamining every candidate, we concluded that Rollins was the more deserving candidate. Hall of Fame voting is not a perfect process, which we have previously examined. The process too is foiled because the voters themselves are imperfect. Reaching rational decisions is not easy when more than 300 voters must agree for a candidate to reach Cooperstown. Francisco Rodriguez and Carlos Beltran took our two open votes. Both are deserving first year candidates. Torii Hunter and Omar Vizquel were the top candidates not receiving our vote. None of these men are flawless, but their off the field actions have no impact on our voting. Yes the character clause exists, but they who are without fault shall cast the first stone. The Winning Run used all 10 of our votes, but we wanted 12.

Who will join Fred McGriff in Cooperstown this summer? (Stephen Dunn/ Getty Images)

Francisco Rodriguez pitched for five teams during his 16 season career: Anaheim/ Los Angeles of Anaheim Angels (2002-2008), New York Mets (2009-2011), Milwaukee Brewers (2011-2013, 2014-2015), Baltimore Orioles (2013), and Detroit Tigers (2016-2017). Rodriguez pitched in 948 Games, Finished 677 Games, converted 437 Saves, Pitcher 976 Innings, posted a 52-53 record, 1,142 Strikeouts, 389 Walks, with a 2.86 ERA, 1.155 WHIP, and 148 ERA+. He won the 2002 World Series with the Angels. He was a six time All Star and twice the American League Rolaids Relief Award winner. Rodriguez finished in the top four of Cy Young Award voting three times. He led baseball in Saves three times and Saved 40 Games six times. Rodriguez’s 437 career Saves are the fourth most all time, behind Hall of Famers Mariano Rivera, Trevor Hoffman, and Lee Smith. 

Jimmy Rollins helped to set the standard for modern Shortstops. He played for three teams during his 17 season career: Philadelphia Phillies (2000-2014), Los Angeles Dodgers (2015), and Chicago White Sox (2016). Rollins played in 2,275 Games, collected 2,455 Hits, 511 Doubles, 115 Triples, 231 Home Runs, 936 RBI, 1,421 Runs scored, 470 Stolen Bases, 813 Walks, 1,264 Strikeouts, posted a .264 BA, .324 OBP, .418 SLG, .743 OPS, and 95 OPS+. Rollins led the National League in Triples four times. He stole 30 Bases ten times. Rollins was a three time All Star, won four Gold Gloves, a Silver Slugger, and the 2007 National League MVP. Defensively, Rollins played 2,227 Games at Shortstop, totally 19,513.2 Innings, had 9,275 Chances, made 2,982 Putouts, 6,139 Assists, committed 154 Errors, turned 1,249 Double Plays, and posted a .983 Fielding %. Rollins played the sixth most Games at Shortstop, the most not in the Hall of Fame. He is 20th in Assists and 12th in Double Plays. He was one of the leaders for the Phillies in their 2008 World Series victory. 

Carlos Beltran went from young phenom to wise veteran. He played for seven teams during his 20 season career: Kansas City Royals (1998-2004), Houston Astros (2004, 2017), New York Mets (2005-2011), San Francisco Giants (2011), St. Louis Cardinals (2012-2013), New York Yankees (2014-2016), and Texas Rangers (2016). Primarily patrolling Centerfield, Beltran played in 2,586 Games, collected 2,725 Hits, 565 Doubles, 78 Triples, 435 Home Runs, 1,587 RBI, 1,582 Runs scored, 312 Stolen Bases, 1,084 Walks, 1,795 Strikeouts, posted a .279 BA, .350 OBP, .486 SLG, .837 OPS, 119 OPS+. Defensively, he had above average Range for two decades. He won the 1999 American League Rookie of the Year. Beltran was a nine time All Star, won three Gold Gloves, and two Silver Sluggers. He helped five different teams reach the Postseason and provided the veteran leadership, not always within the rules, the Astros needed to win the 2017 World Series. 

Removing Torii Hunter from our ballot was not fun. He was our final selection last year, but his career still deserves recognition. Additionally, Omar Vizquel once again comes up short because of his lack of offense. 

We will find out tomorrow if anyone will join Fred McGriff in Cooperstown. There are many deserving candidates, but we must wait to see if 75% of the writers can agree. 

DJ

2022 Hall of Fame Ballot

The National Baseball Hall of Fame’s class of 2022 will be announced tomorrow. This year is an especially stacked ballot. There are already six inductees as the Early Baseball Era Committee elected Bud Fowler and Buck O’Neil, while the Golden Days Era Committee elected Gil Hodges, Jim Kaat, Minnie Minoso, and Tony Oliva. The Baseball Writer’s ballot has 30 candidates. Sorting through the candidates is not an easy task. A player has up to ten years on the ballot. The rules for induction into are straight forward. 

Voting Rules

  1. Vote for no more than 10 players.
  2. A player is eligible for election to the Baseball Hall of Fame if they meet the following criteria: 
    1. They competed in ten seasons. A single game counts as a season played.
    2. The player has been retired for at least five seasons. The clock restarts if the player returns and plays in the Major Leagues.
    3. The player is not on the ineligible list; banned from baseball. 
  3. The player must receive 5% of the vote to remain on the ballot.
  4. The player is elected if they receive at least 75% of all ballots cast. 

Voter Eligibility 

  1. Any member of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) who has been an active member for ten years.
  2. The BBWAA is limited to writers for newspapers only, including some internet newspapers. 

The Winning Run Rules

  1. Known steroid users are ineligible.

Last year no player achieved the necessary 75% mark to gain induction into the Hall of Fame. Curt Schilling came the closest with 71.1% before angrily demanding to be removed from future consideration. These demands were ignored, and he remains on the ballot. Will voters grant him his wish by not voting for him? None of the 25 players on the 2021 ballot exhausted their 10 years of eligibility, but eight failed to gain the 5% minimum and were removed. 13 new players join the 17 returning players on the 2022 ballot. Four are on the ballot for a tenth and final time. All four have PED ties and/or character flaws. Each has received varying levels of voter support. This is the final chance for Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Curt Schilling, and Sammy Sosa to be elected to Cooperstown by the Writers. 

The Winning Run’s official unofficial 2021 ballot was as follows, with the vote percentage from the actual voters. 

Scott Rolen (52.9%)

Omar Vizquel (49.1%)

Billy Wagner (46.4)

Todd Helton (44.9%)

Andruw Jones (33.9%)

Jeff Kent (32.4%)

Mark Buehrle (11.0%)

Torii Hunter (9.5%)

Bobby Abreu (8.7%)

Tim Hudson (5.2%)

The next wave of PED users have arrived with this year’s ballot. The Writers do not have a coherent process for handling PED users. This has created a backlog. Bonds, Clemens, and Sosa should have been ruled on years ago. Either their statistics overcome their failings, or their PED use invalidates their numbers. This backlog will only continue with the addition of Alex Rodriguez. 

The players not tied to PEDs, and thus eligible for our ballot, deserve a thorough examination of their candidacy for the Hall of Fame. Below are the 30 candidates on this year’s ballot, and their 2021 vote percentages.

  1. Curt Schilling- 10th (71.1%)
  2. Barry Bond- 10th (61.8%)
  3. Roger Clemens- 10th (61.8%)
  4. Scott Rolen- 5th (52.9%)
  5. Omar Vizquel- 5th (49.1%)
  6. Billy Wagner- 7th (46.4%)
  7. Todd Helton- 4th (44.9%)
  8. Gary Sheffield- 8th (40.6%)
  9. Andruw Jones- 5th (33.9%)
  10. Jeff Kent- 9th (32.4%)
  11. Manny Ramirez- 6th (28.2%)
  12. Sammy Sosa- 10th (17.0%)
  13. Andy Pettitte- 4th (13.7%)
  14. Mark Buehrle- 2nd (11.0%)
  15. Torii Hunter- 2nd (9.5%)
  16. Bobby Abreu- 3rd (8.7%)
  17. Tim Hudson- 2nd (5.2%) 
  18. Alex Rodriguez- 1st
  19. David Ortiz- 1st
  20. Mark Teixeira- 1st
  21. Jimmy Rollins- 1st
  22. Carl Crawford- 1st
  23. Jake Peavy- 1st
  24. Justin Morneau- 1st
  25. Prince Fielder- 1st
  26. Joe Nathan- 1st
  27. Tim Lincecum- 1st
  28. Jonathan Papelbon- 1st
  29. A.J. Pierzynski- 1st
  30. Ryan Howard- 1st

The publicly known ballots have shown Omar Vizquel’s freefall. His personal misdeeds have cost him votes, as many Writers have seemingly invoked the character clause against him. This has imperfect voters playing god on a person’s behavior. The abuse Vizquel is accused of is disgusting, it cannot be overlooked. Vizquel appears to be taking the brunt of those invoking the character clause. Yes, we invoke our own clause against the use of PEDs, but this is on the diamond and a safety issue, as we have previously discussed. Ultimately our vote is this, are you one of the 10 best players on this list after removing those tied to PEDs? 

The Winning Run’s 2022 Ballot

We dropped Omar Vizquel from our ballot this year. He was our 10th vote last year. While his defense is close to Ozzie Smith, there are more deserving candidates based upon the constraints on the rule of 10. We did not invoke the character clause, but it did not help Vizquel remain on our ballot. 

Tim Lincecum is the only addition to our ballot. He pitched the minimum 10 seasons to appear on the ballot, but did not enjoy a consistent career. Instead, The Freak was similar to Sandy Koufax, burning white hot for five years. While Koufax retired, Lincecum held on. In Lincecum’s first five seasons he went 69-41 with a 2.98 ERA, 1.188 WHIP, and 137 ERA+. He averaged 206 Innings Pitched and 225 Strikeouts. He threw 8 Complete Games and 5 Shutouts in an era where pitchers receive standing ovations for pitching into the fifth inning. Lincecum led the National League in Strikeouts three times and had four consecutive seasons with 220 punch outs. He won back to back Cy Young awards as the Giants built a dynasty by the Bay. 

If the ballot were expanded to allow votes for 12 candidates, the 40% we have argued for, Joe Nathan and Jonathan Papelbon would have received votes. Neither pitched 1,000 innings, but baseball has and continues to change. Relief pitchers are more important than ever and managers rarely use them for more than one inning. The only two Hall of Fame pitchers with less than 1,000 innings are Leon Day, 600, and Hilton Smith, 851.2. Both of these men were barred from the Majors because they were African-American. An expanded ballot would allow for an examination of the changes baseball has undergone by the Writers, an appreciation by the fans, and a reflection in the Hall of Fame. 

Regardless what the official vote brings, there will be a Hall of Fame induction this summer. Jim Kaat and Tony Oliva will have their day in the sun and the other inductees will be honored. The Hall of Fame is reserved for the top 1% in the history of the game and there are players in that elite group on this year’s ballot. 

DJ

United States of Baseball- Indiana

Indiana is known more for basketball and auto racing than baseball. However, the Hoosier State has a strong baseball legacy. 377 Major League players were born in Indiana. Amos Rusie is the greatest Hoosier pitcher. His 65.20 career WAR ranks 23rd among state and territory pitching leaders. Scott Rolen is the greatest position player from Indiana. His 70.11 career WAR ranks 27th among position player leaders. Combined, Indiana boasts a 135.31 WAR, 23rd highest among all states and territories. 

The Hoosier Thunderbolt terrified batters. Many batters never saw Amos Rusie’s fastball, but it sounded fast. The Mooresville native so scared opposing teams the pitcher’s box was moved back from 55 feet to the familiar 60 feet 6 inches. Batters wanted extra time to avoid taking a fastball to the head. 

Rusie pitched for 10 seasons in the Majors with three teams: Indianapolis Hoosiers (1889), New York Giants (1890-1895, 1897-1898), and Cincinnati Reds (1901). The talents of some players are easily recognizable. Rusie pitched just four minor league games before reaching the Majors with the Hoosiers, who folded after the 1889. In 463 career Games, he made 427 Starts, threw 393 Complete Games, including 30 Shutouts, pitched 3,778.2 Innings, allowed 3,389 Hits, 2,068 Runs, 1,288 Earned Runs, 75 Home Runs, 1,707 Walks, 1,950 Strikeouts, posted a 246-174 record, 3.07 ERA, 1.349 WHIP, and 129 ERA+. Foul balls were not counted as strikes until 1901, making Rusie’s strikeout total even more impressive. 

Baseball is a business. In 1895, Rusie was twice fined $100 for breaking curfew and not trying hard enough. Angered by the large fines, his salary was $3,000, Rusie sat out the 1896 season and sued the Giants owner for $5,000 and his release. Ultimately the matter was settled for $5,000 as baseball owners did not want the Reserve Clause challenged in court. 

Rusie’s career was derailed after injuring his shoulder making a pickoff move in 1898. The injury prevented him from pitching in 1899 and 1900. The Giants traded Rusie to the Cincinnati Reds in 1901 for a young pitcher named Christy Mathewson. Rusie only lasted until June, Mathewson went to Cooperstown. 

Amos Rusie’s fastball terrified batter, so much that the baseball diamond was changed. (www.fromdeeprightfield.com)

Rusie set an unbreakable record, walking 289 batters in 1890. He pitched the Giants’ first No Hitter in 1891. Rusie won two ERA titles (1894 and 1897) and the Pitching Triple Crown in 1894. He led the National League in Strikeouts and Walks five times, and Shutouts four times. Rusie was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1977 by the Veterans Committee. 

Amos Rusie’s best season was 1894 with the Giants. He pitched in 54 Games, made 50 Starts, threw 45 Complete Games, including 3 Shutouts, pitched 444 Innings, allowed 426 Hits, 228 Runs, 137 Earned Runs, 10 Home Runs, 200 Walks, 195 Strikeouts, posted a 36-13 record, 2.78 ERA, 1.410 WHIP, and 188 ERA+. He led the National League in Starts, Wins, Shutouts, Walks, Strikeouts, ERA, WHIP, and ERA+. At his peak, few pitchers baffled and intimidated hitters like Rusie.

Third Base is under-represented in Cooperstown. The hot corner does not receive the same respect as the rest of the infield. Evansville native Scott Rolen should be inducted into the Hall of Fame in the coming years. He played 17 seasons with four teams: Philadelphia Phillies (1996-2002), St. Louis Cardinals (2002-2007), Toronto Blue Jays (2008-2009), and Cincinnati Reds (2009-2012). Drafted by the Phillies in the 2nd Round, Rolen was one At Bat short of losing his rookie status in 1996 when he was injured by a Hit By Pitch. He returned from the injury to win the 1997 National League Rookie of the Year award and launch a Hall of Fame career. 

Rolen played 2,038 career Games, collected 2,077 Hits, 517 Doubles, 43 Triples, 316 Home Runs, 1,287 RBI, scored 1,211 Runs, 118 Stolen Bases, 899 Walks, 1,410 Strikeouts, .281 BA, .364 OBP, .490 SLG, .855 OPS, and 122 OPS+. He was elite with the glove. At Third, he played 17,479.1 Innings, had 5,745 Chances, made 1,478 Putouts, 4,081 Assists, committed 186 Errors, turned 355 Double Played, with a .968 FLD%, 2.86 RF9, 2.75 RFG, and 140 Rtot. Rolen was a seven time All Star, won eight Gold Gloves, a Silver Slugger, and the 2006 World Series with the Cardinals. Despite his great play, his departures from Philadelphia and St. Louis came after run-ins with managers Larry Bowa and Tony LaRussa. 

Scott Rolen is among the greatest defensive Third Basemen ever and he was solid at the plate. (Dubois County Herald)

The best season of Rolen’s career was 2004 with the Cardinals. He played 142 Games, collected 157 Hits, 32 Doubles, 4 Triples, 34 Home Runs, 124 RBI, scored 109 Runs, 4 Stolen Bases, 72 Walks, 92 Strikeouts, .314 BA, .409 OBP, .598 SLG, 1.007 OPS, and 158 OPS+. He was an All Star for the third time and won his sixth Gold Glove. Rolen finished fourth for the National League MVP. While he did not lead the league in any statistical category, it was another solid season in Rolen’s consistent career. 

Indiana continues to build a proud baseball history. The Hoosier State is well represented in Cooperstown with 10 Hall of Famers: Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown, Max Carey, Oscar Charleston, Ford Frick (Commissioner), Billy Herman, Chuck Klein, Sam Rice, Edd Roush, Amos Rusie, and Sam Thompson. Rolen should soon join this elite group. Next week the United States of Baseball moves to the final member of the former Three I League. The Hawkeye State, Iowa. 

DJ

2021 Baseball Hall of Fame Ballot

The National Baseball Hall of Fame will announce the Class of 2021 tomorrow. Those elected will hopefully join the Class of 2020 for their induction ceremony this summer. There are no clear cut inductees this year. Several players may come close, but we will see if any pass the 75% minimum for induction. 

Voting Rules

  1. Vote for no more than 10 players
  2. A player is eligible for election to the Baseball Hall of Fame if they meet the following criteria:
    1. They competed in ten seasons. A single game counts as a season played. 
    2. The player has been retired for at least five seasons. The clock restarts if the player returns and plays in the Major Leagues. 
    3. The player is not on the ineligible list; banned from baseball.
  3. The player must receive 5% of the vote to remain on the ballot. 
  4. The player is elected if they receive at least 75% of all ballots cast. 

Voter Eligibility

  1. Any member of the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) who has been an active member for ten years.
  2. The BBWAA is limited to writers for newspapers only, including some internet newspapers.

The Winning Run Rules

  1. Known steroid users are ineligible.

There are 25 candidates on this year’s ballot. Many require serious consideration, while a few are honored simply to make the ballot. Below are the candidates, their year on the ballot, and 2020 vote percentage. 

  1. Bobby Abreu- 2nd (5.5%)
  2. Barry Bonds– 9th (60.7%)
  3. Mark Buehrle- 1st
  4. A. J. Burnett– 1st
  5. Roger Clemens– 9th (61.0%)
  6. Michael Cuddyer– 1st
  7. Dan Haren– 1st 
  8. LaTroy Hawkins– 1st
  9. Todd Helton- 3rd (29.2%)
  10. Tim Hudson- 1st
  11.  Torii Hunter- 1st
  12. Andruw Jones- 4th (19.4%)
  13. Jeff Kent- 8th (27.5%)
  14. Andy Pettitte– 3rd (11.3%)
  15. Aramis Ramirez– 1st
  16. Manny Ramirez– 5th (28.2%)
  17. Scott Rolen- 4th (35.3%)
  18. Curt Schilling- 9th (70.0%)
  19. Gary Sheffield– 7th (30.5%)
  20. Sammy Sosa– 9th (13.9%)
  21. Nick Swisher– 1st
  22. Shane Victorino– 1st
  23. Omar Vizquel- 4th (52.6%)
  24. Billy Wagner- 6th (31.7%)
  25. Barry Zito– 1st

Here is my official unofficial 2021 Hall of Fame ballot.

I believe there are more than 10 Hall of Fame worthy candidates this year. Excluding deserving players because of the maximum of 10 rule creates an unfair system. There are also legitimate concerns about the actions of some off the field, but my focus is on the field. It is not hypocritical to exclude Bonds and Clemens as their actions impacted games. The accusations against Omar Vizquel and the public declarations by Curt Schilling did not. Poor morals do not exclude a player from the Hall of Fame. Cooperstown is a museum that preserves the history of baseball. PED users are part of that history, but they can be remembered elsewhere in the museum.

Six candidates return to the ballot after receiving my vote in 2020. Todd Helton, Andruw Jones, Jeff Kent, Scott Rolen, Omar Vizquel, and Billy Wagner. They each retain my vote, leaving just four votes for the other candidates. 

Todd Helton had 10 consecutive seasons with at least 140 games played, 160 hits, 37 Doubles, while hitting over .300. Thin air does not help you make contact. He also slugged at least 25 Home Runs in seven straight seasons. Helton should not be penalized for playing in Colorado, the Hall of Fame does not exclude Rockies players. 

Andruw Jones is the greatest defensive Center Fielder ever. He won 10 consecutive Gold Gloves. Awards voting is subjective, but the numbers never lie. His .990 Fld% is .007 higher than league average during his 17 season career. His Range meant Jones reached 0.46 more balls per nine innings than league average, turning 74.52 additional hits into outs every season. Runners were scared to advance on Jones. 49.2% of them held on fly outs with the next base open. He killed, threw out, 2.6% of them. 51.8% of runners did not advance, more than 5% higher than league average. Jones’ reputation prevented 86 runners from advancing a season. He was not only better than an average Center Fielder, he was better than Willie Mays. Jones prevented 253 runs, 14.88 per season, from scoring to Mays’ 173, 7.86 per season, in five fewer seasons. At the plate, Jones hit at least 26 Home Runs in 10 straight seasons on his way to 434. Put Andruw Jones in Cooperstown already.

Jeff Kent is one of the greatest offensive Second Basemen ever. His 377 Home Runs are 33 more than second place, Robinson Cano. He is a career .290 hitter. Kent had nine consecutive seasons with at least 22 Home Runs and 30 Doubles. He hit at least 21 Doubles in all 17 seasons of his career. Kent won the 2000 National League MVP. While he was average defensively, this has not excluded other Hall of Famers.

Third Base is underrepresented in Cooperstown. Scott Rolen is the logical choice to help correct this error. He won the 1997 National League Rookie of the Year. He had eight consecutive seasons with at least 21 Home Runs and 28 Doubles. In addition to his bat, Rolen was an elite defender. Playing over 2,000 Games at Third Base, with 140 defensive Runs saved, with .968 Fld%, .014% higher than league average. His Range allowed him to reach 0.19 more balls per nine innings. The hot corner needs a new addition. 

Omar Vizuel was a magician with the glove. He won 11 Gold Gloves, including nine in a row. While no one compares to Ozzie Smith, Vizquel was close. Vizquel was better at the plate. A career .272 hitter. He stole at least 22 bases in six consecutive seasons and hit at least 23 Doubles in eight seasons. Vizquel never struck out more than 72 times in a season. If Ozzie Smith is a Hall of Famer, so is Omar Vizquel.

Billy Wagner posted 422 Saves during the Steroid Era. Simply, he got batters out. He posted a 2.31 ERA, 0.998 WHIP, 1,196 Strikeouts, and 300 Walks. Mariano Rivera opened the door for more Closers, Wagner should walk into Cooperstown. 

Who will be enshrined in Cooperstown from the Class of 2021. (The Winning Run/ DJ)

The four additions to my ballot in 2021 came down to five players. Deciding who to leave off was difficult, the rule of 10 is dumb.

Hall of Fame players either burn brightly for a short time, Sandy Koufax, or have a long consistent career, Craig Biggio. Bobby Abreu fits the Biggio mold. Abreu had 12 straight seasons with at least 155 Hits. He hit at least 29 Doubles in 14 straight seasons. Abreu slugged at least 15 Home Runs in 13 straight seasons. All while playing at least 150 games a season. Playing every day builds impressive career numbers and Bobby Abreu built such a career. 

Wins are an inefficient measure of a pitcher’s performance, as Felix Hernandez and Jacob deGrom can attest. The magical 300 win club may be a thing of the past. Hall of Fame voters need to adjust their expectations for pitchers. Mark Buehrle won 214 games in 16 seasons. His rookie season was the only time he did not start at least 30 games. He pitched at least 200 innings in 14 consecutive seasons. Buehrle was the workhorse for the 2005 World Series winning White Sox. He also pitched the 18th Perfect Game in Major League history on July 23, 2009. A single game does not make you a Hall of Famer, but a Perfect Game helps. 

Tim Hudson, like Buehrle, deserves recognition as pitching changes. He won 222 games in 17 seasons. Hudson won at least 11 Games in all but one season between 1999 and 2012, failing in 2009 due to Tommy John surgery. He pitched over 3,100 innings with more than 2,000 strikeouts. Hudson finished in the top six of Cy Young voting four times. Hudson gave his team a chance to win every time he took the mound.

Torii Hunter has never received the recognition he deserves. He made a career out of consistency. He hit at least 21 Home Runs in all but one season from 2001 to 2011. He collected 21 Doubles for 15 straight seasons. Hunter won nine consecutive Gold Gloves in Center. He was an above average fielder, but his Range was elite. His +0.24 Range Factor per nine innings helped turn 39 hits into outs every season. Hunter’s most memorable moment was robbing Barry Bonds of an All Star game Home Run in Milwaukee. It was not as monumental as Kirby Puckett’s World Series catch. However, these Minnesota outfielders had similar careers. If Puckett earned his place in Cooperstown, so has Hunter. 

There are more than 10 deserving players on the ballot this year. The final cut was difficult. Curt Schilling was 11th on my list. His stats are similar to Buehrle and Hudson, but his Postseason accolades are why many believe he belongs in Cooperstown. Schilling is outspoken. His anger towards journalists and those who do not support his political views are well documented. I did not vote for Schilling last year and he falls short again this year. I voted for Omar Vizquel. The accusations against him are horrific. Both men have made poor choices off the diamond, but the Hall of Fame ballot and voters are not their judge away from the diamond.

DJ

Insanity

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again while expecting different results. The baseball definition of insanity is the Hall of Fame election. Not every player earns a plaque in Cooperstown, but some deserving players have been denied their day in the sun by the current system. Chiefly among those denied their crowning moment are Dick Allen, who died Monday, and Ron Santo. Allen could be voted into the Hall next year. This same cruel fate saw Santo elected to Cooperstown one year after he died. A player does not become a Hall of Famer when they die, let them enjoy their moment.

Debates about a player’s enshrinement never end. Allen, like Santo before his election, is among Cooperstown’s most glaring oversights. The issue is not their statistics, but the system through which players must pass to have their day in the sun. The current system has the BBWAA (Baseball Writers’ Association of America) vote for no more than 10 players appearing on the ballot. The players must have played for 10 years and be retired for 5 years. Once on the ballot, the player has up to 10 years to receive the necessary 75% of the vote for enshrinement. They must receive at least 5% to remain on the ballot each year. If a player is not elected through the BBWAA they can appear on the Veterans Committee ballot 20 years after they retired. 

Cooperstown waited too long to honor Dick Allen and his Hall of Fame career. (George Gojkovich/Getty Images)

Limiting players to 10 years on the ballot ensures steady turnover. The same with the minimum 5% rule. The issue is the maximum of 10 rule. This rule needs to be expanded, potentially with no maximum. Allowing no more than 10 players to receive votes hurts non-first ballot Hall of Famers. Ken Griffey Jr. was a lock for Cooperstown, but Larry Walker needed the full 10 years on the ballot. Raising the number of votes would have had Walker elected sooner, thus creating space for other worthy candidates. Players like Omar Vizquel, Dale Murphy, Scott Rolen, and Andruw Jones.

The Hall of Fame voting process has not allowed Cooperstown to grow with the game. Expansion has not seen an equal growth in the number of Hall of Fame inductees. The watering down of baseball has not happened, instead more fans are engaged and more players reach the highest level of the game.

Cooperstown inducted its first class in 1936. Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Babe Ruth, Christy Mathewson, and Walter Johnson are the original five. Since the original five, the BBWAA has elected 127 players. The Veterans Committee was established in 1953 to give players a second look to ensure every deserving player makes it to Cooperstown. 

Ron Santo was elected to the Hall of Fame a year after he died. (Focus on Sports/Getty Images)

Since 1953 the BBWAA and the Veterans Committee have mirrored each other in sending players to the Hall. The BBWAA has elected 104 players and the Veterans Committee has elected 84. Players are not elected every year. An average of 1.89 players have been elected in the 55 years the BBWAA has elected players. The Veterans Committee has averaged 1.83 players a year in the 46 years they have elected players. These totals do not include Negro Leagues players, as the Hall of Fame has a separate committee focused on their election, or managers and other non-players who have their own path to Cooperstown. In the decades since the establishment of the Veterans Committee the average number of players elected to the Hall are as follows: 1960s (1.50 BBWAA vs 2.25 Veterans), 1970s (1.44 vs 2.20), 1980s (1.80 vs 1.33), 1990s (1.67 vs 1.87), 2000s (1.70 vs 1.67), and 2010s (2.67 vs 1.50). The difference between the BBWAA and Veterans Committee in the 2010s was not a decline by the Veterans Committee, but an increase by the BBWAA. Perhaps the BBWAA voters are changing their views on what a Hall of Fame player is, but for many the change is too slow or too late. 

Far too many players are entering the Hall through the Veterans Committee. The understanding of the game changes over time, giving the Veterans Committee a greater ability to consider each candidate. However, significantly more players should be elected through the BBWAA than the Veterans Committee. The second look at a player should see only a few players elected. When the numbers entering the Hall are so similar, it is clear the BBWAA voting process needs adjusting. The Veterans Committee should be the last resort, not the path for 45% of Hall of Famers since 1953. The BBWAA should do the heavy lifting by expanding voting. 10 votes is not always enough for the candidates on the ballot. The worry is undeserving players will  become Hall of Famers, but the reality is deserving players are being excluded. Dick Allen and Ron Santo did not live long enough to have their day in the sun. They both deserved enshrinement in their lifetimes. Honor the game and the people who dedicated themselves to it, it is past time to change the Hall of Fame voting process. 

DJ