Introduction To The Pre-Pros (And An Announcement)

    Prior to the dawn of professional baseball, the sport was finding its footing with amateur teams. In May of 1857, delegates from 16 clubs in the New York area met to set guidelines for the game of baseball. In 1858, they convened again and formed an organization called the National Association of Base Ball Players. This association drafted a constitution and bylaws governing the sport both on and off the field. They also agreed to hold annual meetings every March, when most business was being transacted. The Association continued to grow every year until the outset of the Civil War. 

    After the Civil War, America's interest in baseball skyrocketed, and by 1867 there were so many interested clubs that the convention passed two new rules governing the Association: that clubs could be represented by state representatives (to decrease the number of delegates), and that teams could apply for probationary membership at any time of the year. 

    As baseball became more popular in the minds of many Americans, many better teams began to pay some of their players, even though this was strictly forbidden. In 1869, the Cincinnati Red Stockings became the first team to openly pay their players - and won all 57 games they played. By 1870, the National Association was clearly divided into two camps - amateurs and professionals - and it was becoming obvious that they could not continue to coexist. 

    Shortly before the 1871 season, several professional teams formed the National Association of Professional Base Ball Players (NA), widely considered the first Major League. Undaunted, the remaining teams formed a new group called the National Association of Amateur Base Ball Players, but as all the best players moved on to the pros, so did national interest, and within two years the amateur association was gone.  

    In order to properly represent this era of baseball history, I think it is fair to induct its best players into the Hall of Fame. It's true that a handful of Hall of Famers' careers spanned both the pre-pro and early professional eras, so it can be demonstrated that the best pre-professional players were about as good as some of the earliest players currently in Cooperstown. 

    As statkeeping was far less developed in baseball's early days, the records they kept look quite different from the stats we keep today. At first, only games played (G), runs scored (R), and hands lost (HL; similar to outs) were kept, followed by hits and total bases. In time statkeepers began to keep track of hits per game (the first attempt at a rudimentary "batting average") and runs scored per game. A typical stat line from the 1860's might look like this: 

50 G, 160 R (A 3 O 10), 120 HL (A 2 O 20), 170 H (A 3 O 20), 210 TB (A 4 O 10) 

Where "A" means "average" and "O" means "over," or the remainder. In time the A's and O's became decimal averages, and this player's hits per game average would simply be portrayed as 3.40. 

    Without further ado, let me introduce my pre-pro candidates: 

Dickey Pearce 

1857 (Atlantic - SS) 

8 G, 22 HL, 28 R 

1858 (Atlantic - SS) 

8 G, 26 HL, 21 R 

1859 (Atlantic - SS) 

12 G, 23 HL, 44 R 

1860 (Atlantic - SS / C) 

16 G, 46 HL, 37 R 

1861 (Atlantic - C / SS) 

10 G, 27 HL, 37 R 

1862 (Atlantic - C) 

5 G, 13 HL, 13 R 

1863 (Atlantic - C) 

11 G, 32 HL, 30 R 

1864 (Atlantic - C / SS / OF) 

20 G, 62 HL, 94 R 

1865 (Atlantic - C / SS / 2B) 

17 G, 55 HL, 64 R 

1866 (Atlantic - SS / OF) 

12 G, 39 HL, 41 R 

1867 (Atlantic - SS / 3B / C / OF) 

23 G, 70 HL, 83 R 

1868 (Atlantic - SS / OF) 

45 G, 139 HL, 191 R, 185 H, 222 TB 

1869 (Atlantic - SS) 

47 G, 154 HL, 174 R, 175 H, 236 TB 

1870 (Atlantic - SS) 

55 G, 129 H, 165 TB 

1871 (New York, NA - SS) 

33 G, 31 R, 44 H, 49 TB 

1872 (New York, NA - SS / OF) 

44 G, 32 R, 39 H, 46 TB 

1873 (Brooklyn, NA - SS / 1B / 2B) 

55 G, 42 R, 72 H, 81 TB 

1874 (Brooklyn, NA - SS / 3B / 2B) 

56 G, 48 R, 75 H, 76 TB 

1875 (St. Louis, NA - SS / P) 

70 G, 51 R, 77 H, 89 TB 

1876 (St. Louis, NL - SS / 2B / OF) 

25 G, 12 R, 21 H, 22 TB 

1877 (St. Louis, NL - SS) 

8 G, 1 R, 5 H, 5 TB 

Joe Start 

1860 (Enterprise - 3B / 1B) 

6 G, 15 HL, 13 R 

1861 (Enterprise - 1B / 3B) 

7 G, 12 HL, 29 R 

1862 (Atlantic - 1B) 

4 G, 11 HL, 6 R 

1863 (Atlantic - 1B / OF / SS) 

9 G, 26 HL, 23 R 

1864 (Atlantic - 1B / 3B) 

18 G, 47 HL, 82 R 

1865 (Atlantic - 1B) 

18 G, 39 HL, 82 R 

1866 (Atlantic - 1B) 

16 G, 37 HL, 69 R 

1867 (Atlantic - 1B) 

19 G, 40 HL, 83 R 

1868 (Atlantic - 1B) 

52 G, 122 HL, 235 R, 233 H, 283 TB 

1869 (Atlantic - 1B) 

46 G, 119 HL, 202 R, 203 H, 341 TB 

1870 (Atlantic - 1B) 

56 G, 161 H, 269 TB 

1871 (New York, NA - 1B) 

33 G, 35 R, 58 H, 68 TB 

1872 (New York, NA - 1B) 

54 G, 60 R, 75 H, 80 TB 

1873 (New York, NA - 1B / OF) 

53 G, 42 R, 67 H, 84 TB 

1874 (New York, NA - 1B / OF) 

63 G, 67 R, 96 H, 121 TB 

1875 (New York, NA - 1B) 

69 G, 58 R, 90 H, 122 TB 

1876 (New York, NL - 1B) 

56 G, 40 R, 73 H, 79 TB 

1877 (Brooklyn, NL - 1B) 

60 G, 55 R, 90 H, 108 TB 

1878 (Chicago, NL - 1B) 

61 G, 58 R, 100 H, 125 TB 

1879 (Providence, NL - 1B / OF) 

66 G, 70 R, 101 H, 128 TB 

1880 (Providence, NL - 1B) 

82 G, 53 R, 92 H, 122 TB 

1881 (Providence, NL - 1B) 

79 G, 56 R, 114 H, 138 TB 

1882 (Providence, NL - 1B) 

82 G, 58 R, 117 H, 145 TB 

1883 (Providence, NL - 1B) 

87 G, 63 R, 105 H, 138 TB 

1884 (Providence, NL - 1B) 

93 G, 80 R, 105 H, 131 TB 

1885 (Providence, NL - 1B) 

101 G, 47 R, 103 H, 122 TB 

1886 (Washington, NL - 1B) 

31 G, 10 R, 27 H, 33 TB 

Lip Pike 

1866 (Athletic - 3B / OF / 2B) 

16 G, 49 HL, 100 R 

1867 (Mutual - OF / 3B / 2B / 1B; Irvington - 3B) 

27 G, 70 HL, 101 R 

1868 (Mutual - OF) 

25 G, 83 HL, 60 R, 82 H, 109 TB 

1869 (Atlantic - 2B) 

48 G, 112 HL, 193 R, 175 H, 325 TB 

1870 (Atlantic - 2B) 

58 G, 144 H, 266 TB 

1871 (Troy, NA - OF / 2B / 1B) 

28 G, 43 R, 49 H, 85 TB 

1872 (Baltimore, NA - OF / 2B / 3B) 

56 G, 68 R, 85 H, 131 TB 

1873 (Baltimore, NA - OF / 2B) 

56 G, 71 R, 90 H, 133 TB 

1874 (Hartford, NA - OF / SS / 2B / 3B) 

52 G, 58 R, 83 H, 118 TB 

1875 (St. Louis, NA - OF / 2B / 3B / SS) 

70 G, 61 R, 108 H, 154 TB 

1876 (St. Louis, NL - OF / 2B) 

63 G, 55 R, 91 H, 133 TB 

1877 (Cincinnati, NL - OF / 2B / SS) 

58 G, 45 R, 78 H, 110 TB 

1878 (Cincinnati, NL - OF; Providence, NL - 2B) 

36 G, 32 R, 52 H, 61 TB 

1881 (Worcester, NL - OF) 

5 G, 1 R, 2 H, 2 TB 

1887 (New York, AA - OF) 

1 G, 0 R, 0 H, 0 TB 

Levi Meyerle 

1867 (Geary) 

25 G, 43 HL, 110 R 

1868 (Geary - P) 

10 G, 21 HL, 41 R 

1869 (Philadelphia Athletic - OF / C / P) 

34 G, 98 HL, 135 R, 128 H, 205 TB 

1870 (Chicago - 3B / P) 

Batting: 63 G, 213 H, 327 TB 

Pitching: 217 IP, 257 H 

1871 (Philadelphia, NA - 3B / P) 

26 G, 45 R, 64 H, 91 TB 

1872 (Philadelphia, NA - OF / 3B) 

27 G, 31 R, 48 H, 71 TB 

1873 (Philadelphia, NA - 3B / SS) 

48 G, 53 R, 83 H, 114 TB 

1874 (Chicago, NA - 2B / 3B / SS / OF) 

53 G, 65 R, 100 H, 124 TB 

1875 (Philadelphia Whites, 2B / 3B / 1B) 

68 G, 55 R, 95 H, 128 TB 

1876 (Philadelphia, NL - 3B / 2B / P / OF) 

55 G, 46 R, 87 H, 115 TB 

1877 (Cincinnati, NL - SS / 2B / OF) 

27 G, 11 R, 35 H, 46 TB 

1884 (Philadelphia, UA - 1B / OF) 

3 G, 0 R, 1 H, 2 TB 

Cal McVey 

1868 (Active - P / 2B / 3B) 

13 G, 30 HL, 68 R 

1869 (Cincinnati - OF) 

57 G, 146 HL, 262 R, 217 H, 348 TB 

1870 (Cincinnati - OF) 

72 G, 262 H, 389 TB 

1871 (Boston, NA - C / OF / 3B) 

29 G, 43 R, 66 H, 85 TB 

1872 (Boston, NA - C / OF / 3B) 

46 G, 56 R, 76 H, 90 TB 

1873 (Boston, NA - C / OF / SS / 2B / 3B / 1B) 

38 G, 49 R, 73 H, 94 TB 

1874 (Boston, NA - OF / C) 

70 G, 91 R, 123 H, 165 TB 

1875 (Boston, NA - 1B / OF / C / P) 

82 G, 89 R, 138 H, 201 TB 

1876 (Chicago, NL - 1B / P / C / 3B / OF) 

63 G, 62 R, 107 H, 125 TB 

1877 (Chicago, NL - C / 3B / P / 1B / 2B) 

60 G, 58 R, 98 H, 121 TB 

1878 (Cincinnati, NL - 3B / C) 

61 G, 43 R, 83 H, 107 TB 

1879 (Cincinnati, NL - 1B / OF / P / 3B / C) 

81 G, 64 R, 105 H, 135 TB 

Ross Barnes 

1868 (Forest City - SS) 

15 G, 35 HL, 75 R 

1869 (Forest City - SS) 

23 G, 62 HL, 134 R, 111 H, 174 TB 

1870 (Forest City - SS) 

56 G, 177 H, 243 TB 

1871 (Boston, NA - 2B / SS) 

31 G, 66 R, 63 H, 91 TB 

1872 (Boston, NA - 2B) 

45 G, 81 R, 99 H, 134 TB 

1873 (Boston, NA - 2B / 3B) 

60 G, 125 R, 138 H, 197 TB 

1874 (Boston, NA - 2B / OF) 

51 G, 72 R, 88 H, 108 TB 

1875 (Boston, NA - 2B / OF / SS) 

78 G, 115 R, 143 H, 174 TB 

1876 (Chicago, NL - 2B / P) 

66 G, 126 R, 138 H, 190 TB 

1877 (Chicago, NL - 2B) 

22 G, 16 R, 25 H, 26 TB 

1879 (Cincinnati, NL - SS / 2B) 

77 G, 55 R, 86 H, 102 TB 

1881 (Boston, NL - SS / 2B) 

69 G, 42 R, 80 H, 96 TB 

    As the title suggests, I have an announcement to make. This will be the final post on The Cooperstown Advocate until further notice. When I started this blog in 2020, I was a thirteen-year-old with very little responsibility and all the enthusiasm in the world about baseball and the Hall of Fame. I owe it to this blog for keeping me sane during the lockdown, helping me refine my writing skills, and finding new friends. 

    Alas, as they say, all things must come to an end. I have been relatively inactive here for the past year, a reality which has saddened me. I am now eighteen years old with a job, hopefully another one in the new future, a girlfriend (hopefully not another one in the near future), and will be heading off to college in the fall. This was a great part of my life, but I am heading into the next chapter. It is a bittersweet reality, but a reality nevertheless. 

    While this will be my farewell post, I may post every once in a while if something extraordinary happens, or simply to keep google from deleting this blog (which may not be in my power anyway). I still enjoy this blog, but simply do not have the time for it anymore. I may still try to use this content to publish a book, but only time will tell. 

    I would finally just like to thank all my readers, especially my brother Dominic and my friends John and Santi, who have kept this blog interesting with their insightful comments. I may not have continued blogging for so long if they had not read and commented on my work. 

    Thanks for the ride, everybody, and so long! 

2025 Hall Of Fame Ballot Results

The BBWAA's annual Hall of Fame voting results are in. 

Ichiro Suzuki - 99.7% of the vote 

CC Sabathia - 86.8% 

Billy Wagner - 82.5% 

Carlos Beltran - 70.3% 

Andruw Jones - 66.2% 

Chase Utley - 39.2% 

Alex Rodriguez - 37.1% 

Manny Ramirez - 34.3% 

Andy Pettitte - 27.9% 

Felix Hernandez - 20.6% 

Bobby Abreu - 19.5% 

Jimmy Rollins - 18.0% 

Omar Vizquel - 17.8% 

Dustin Pedroia - 11.9% 

Mark Buehrle - 11.4% 

Francisco Rodriguez - 10.2% 

David Wright - 8.1% 

Torii Hunter - 5.1% 

Dropoffs From Future Ballots 

Ian Kinsler - 2.5% 

Russell Martin - 2.3% 

Brian McCann - 1.8% 

Troy Tulowitzki - 1.0% 

Curtis Granderson - 0.8% 

Adam Jones - 0.8% 

Carlos Gonzalez - 0.5% 

Hanley Ramirez, Fernando Rodney, and Ben Zobrist - all squat 

Everybody knew that Ichiro would sail in on his first ballot; the only question was whether he would be the BBWAA's second unanimous selection. It turns out that he ended up one vote short. I really wouldn't want to be the guy who didn't vote for him right now... 

I found Sabathia's first-ballot selection a little surprising, but perfectly satisfactory. A six time all-star and 2007 AL Cy Young Award winner, Sabathia is one of only eight pitchers to win 100 or more games with two different teams, a feat he accomplished with the Indians and Yankees. 

At long last, Billy Wagner has made it to the Hall of Fame. In his final year of eligibility, Wagner made an 8.7% jump from last year's ballot and opens the door for a couple active closers (Kimbrel and Jansen) to make a run at the Hall in a few years. 

In only his second year on the ballot, Chase Utley received almost 40% of the vote (a 10.4% increase from last year), giving the impression that he will likely be inducted before his term expires. Hopefully that will be the case. 

Interestingly, Andy Pettitte more than doubled his vote tally from last year, finishing at 27.9% as opposed to 13.5% last year. This is rather unusual for a seventh year candidate, but I don't think he'll be inducted by the BBWAA (which is fine with me). 

Rather surprisingly, Felix Hernandez received 20.6% of the vote on his first ballot, which is a significant number. A popular player and truly elite pitcher for a while (he won the AL Cy Young Award in 2010 and finished second in two other seasons), King Felix was finished at 33 and seems to lack the traditional Hall of Fame pitching stats (169-136 record, 3.42 ERA). He may yet surprise me and end up in Cooperstown someday. 

I am also a little surprised that Pedroia debuted with 11.9% while Kinsler was booted off with 2.5% of the vote. I figured their careers were very similar and would be treated similarly by the voters, but I guess I was wrong. 

And once again, I must complain about Carlos Beltran's progress on the ballot. He received over 70% of the vote this time so he will almost certainly be inducted next year, but I still maintain that he should not. 

Congratulations to the Hall's three new inductees, who will be officially inducted into the Hall of Fame in July. 

Requiescat In Pace, Bob Uecker

In Memoriam

Bob Uecker (1934-2025)

Catcher for Braves, Cardinals & Phillies from 1962-67. Member of 1964 World Series champion Cardinals. Longtime broadcaster for Brewers. "He missed the tag!" Honored by Baseball Hall of Fame with 2003 Ford C. Frick Award. Comedian, actor & "Mr. Baseball."

Bob Uecker passed away today at the age of 90. 

Eternal rest grant to him, Oh Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. 

Requesciat In Pace, Rickey Henderson

In Memoriam

Rickey Henderson (1958-2024)

Hall of Famer, 1990 AL MVP, 10x All-Star, 2x World Series champ (1989 & 1993), 1989 ALCS MVP, 3x Silver Slugger winner, 1x Gold Glove winner, all-time leader in Stolen Bases (1,406) and Runs (2,295), most times on base by RHB all-time. The 'Man of Steal.'

Rickey Henderson passed away yesterday at the age of 65. 

Eternal rest grant to him, Oh Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Classic Baseball Era Ballot Results

    The Classic Baseball Era Ballot results were announced today, with two new members earning their plaques. 

Although I advocated his case back in 2021, Dave Parker (who was included on 14 of 16 ballots) isn't an ideal Hall of Famer. While he was elite for a few years early in his career, Parker couldn't sustain that level of production for long, and ended up compiling his career totals as a run of the mill outfielder and DH who stuck around for a long time. 

Dick Allen (13 of 16 ballots), however, was a good pick for the Hall. After missing out by a single vote on each of his last two ballots, he finally got in this year, although he didn't live to see the honor. Allen was one of the greatest hitters of his generation, slashing .292 / .378 / .534 with 351 home runs in 1,749 games. 

Well, this wasn't really what I wanted to see, as both Ken Boyer and Luis Tiant missed out again while Parker is immortalized forever. Oh well. 

One Year Later

With the end of the season and all the awards officially handed out, let's take a look at where some active players are on their way to the Hall of Fame. 

Locks 

Mike Trout has already done enough to secure his plaque, but it's kind of annoying that he can't add much to his resume without getting hurt. He was leading the Majors in homers after 29 games before suffering a season-ending meniscus tear; as it stands he's only played 266 games in the past four seasons. I'd love to see him produce one or two more all-star seasons, but his Hall of Fame candidacy doesn't depend on it. 

Justin Verlander was simply dreadful this year, posting a 5.48 ERA across 17 starts. Heading into his age-42 season with 262 career wins, it seems highly unlikely that he'll get to 300, but he'll still make the Hall of Fame with little trouble. 

Max Scherzer battled through injuries to turn in a 3.95 ERA in nine starts, proving that he can still compete but not at his highest level. Currently a free agent, Scherzer plans to pitch next season, but he could retire right now and make the Hall on his first ballot. 

Clayton Kershaw had a rough 2024 season (4.50 ERA in seven starts) that was plagued by injuries and, perhaps, signs of age finally catching up to him. With the Dodgers loading their starting rotation beyond imagination this offseason, it's hard to predict what role Kershaw will play next year, but he secured his place in Cooperstown long ago. 

Likely Candidates 

Freddie Freeman had a bit of an off year by his standards (.282 / .378 / .476 slash line) but made up for it by capturing the World Series MVP Award on the strength of his four homers and 12 RBI's. While he still has a little work to do to round out his Hall of Fame case, he's only 35 and playing at a level high enough where I think he can get there. 

Nolan Arenado's production slid this year but didn't skid (.272 average, 16 homers in 152 games), showing that he can still contribute but that he's not what he once was. Given the strength of his peak and his defensive prowess, he'll probably be able to finish up a Hall-worthy career. 

Manny Machado had another fine year in 2024 (.275 average, 29 homers), capturing a Silver Slugger award. At age 31 he should have plenty of time for his counting statistics to come around, barring anything unforeseen. 

Mookie Betts spent some time on the IL with a broken hand, but still wound up with a relatively productive season (19 homers, 75 RBI's in 116 games) while playing three positions. At 32 he should have no trouble putting together a Hall-worthy resume; however, I wouldn't vote for him due to his involvement in the Red Sox's sign stealing scandal a few years ago. Cheaters don't deserve to be immortalized, whether they could have made it otherwise or not; unfortunately, given Carlos Beltran's momentum on the current BBWAA ballot, I'd say that opinion is small and unheeded. 

Jose Altuve is a little bit of a different story. While Betts has been forgiven and lauded for his exploits in the years since the scandal, there are still some who love to hate Altuve. However, there may be reason to believe that Altuve wasn't in on the scandal, and if he's treated with the same clemency as Betts when the time comes, he should be on track to get in. 

Bryce Harper turned in another 30 homers this year en route to his eighth all-star game. At age 32 he seems to be still at the top of his game, and should be able to put together a Hall of Fame career. 

Aaron Judge captured his second MVP in 2024, clubbing 58 homers (his third 50 homer season) and driving in 144 runs to run away with the award. Although he is short on counting statistics heading into his age-33 season, he's just so dominant that I think he'll be able to sail into Cooperstown even without the traditional counting stats. 

Corey Seager hit 30 homers for the third straight season in 2024, bringing him to an even 200 through his age-30 season. He still has work to do but certainly has the youth and stamina to round out his case. 

Francisco Lindor had a career season this year, ultimately finishing second behind Ohtani in the NL MVP race. Much like Seager, he has a ways to go before he can be considered Hall-worthy, but he has the talent to get there. 

Juan Soto hit a career-best 41 homers this year, teaming with Judge to form a pair comparable to Ruth and Gehrig. It is still early in his career but it looks like Soto will be one of the greatest players of his generation. 

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had a strong season in 2024, batting .323 with 30 homers and 103 RBI's and earning his fourth straight all-star selection. He's still young and has only been playing for six seasons, but there's certainly a chance that he could join his old man in Cooperstown someday. 

Ronald Acuna Jr. struggled to build on his 2023 MVP campaign, batting .250 with four homers in 49 games before suffering a season-ending ACL tear. He has already shown that he has the talent to be a Hall of Famer; whether he has the consistency to be one remains to be seen. 

Shohei Ohtani is the most profitable athlete in history, as his fame truly spreads around the world. He took home his third MVP this year with 54 homers, and should be pitching again next year. He'll make it to Cooperstown on his first ballot. 

Chris Sale turned back the clock with his masterful performance in 2024, winning the NL triple crown with 18 wins, a 2.38 ERA, and 225 strikeouts en route to his first career Cy Young Award. Heading into his age-36 season, he has 138 career wins, but he can obviously still pitch and perhaps piling up wins aren't as important to the Hall as they used to be. That said, I'd say he'll probably end up in the Hall of Fame eventually. 

Gerrit Cole battled through injuries to post a 3.41 ERA in 17 starts in 2024, capping off his season with a strong World Series. Much like Sale, he has 153 wins and some fuel left in the tank, which should be enough to secure his plaque in the next few years. 

Wait And See 

Paul Goldschmidt had a rough 2024 season, hitting just .245 with 22 homers at the age of 36. He looked like a likely future Hall of Famer a couple years ago, and he can still make it if he comes back with one or two more strong seasons, but if he is indeed finished as a productive player, it'll be tough for him to get in with his current record. 

Giancarlo Stanton hit 27 homers this year, bringing him to 429 for his career. At age 35 I can see him reaching 500 homers, but given the BBWAA's recent rejection of Gary Sheffield and the strength of Stanton's overall resume, I can't be sure that it'll be enough to lock in his plaque. 

J.T. Realmuto produced when healthy in 2024, batting .266 with 14 homers in 99 games. Through his age-33 season, his overall counting statistics are pretty slim, but given the greatness of some of his individual seasons and his elite defense behind the plate, I think he has a shot to get in. I sure hope he does. 

Salvador Perez turned in another strong season at age 33, batting .271 with 27 homers and 104 RBI's and making his ninth all-star team. He was a key player in the Royals' amazing turnaround this season, and has always been a franchise player, winning a ring with the small-market club in 2015. Given his low OBP and general lack of counting statistics, I'm nervous that he'll end up short, but I think he can and should make it to the Hall eventually. 

Trea Turner had another strong season in 2024, batting .295 with 21 homers in 121 games and making his third all-star team. Heading into his age-32 season, his counting stats are still pretty short, but he has time and ability to produce a few more strong seasons and secure his spot in the Hall of Fame. 

Jose Ramirez had arguably the best season of his career this year, clouting 39 homers en route to his fifth career Silver Slugger. Like many of the others, he still has work to do, especially in the counting stats department, but he's only 32 and has a good shot to finish up his career as a Hall of Famer. 

Dansby Swanson had another solid season in 2024, banging out 16 home runs for the Chicago Cubs. His totals are a little skimpy through his age-30 season, and the Hall is becoming less appreciative of his type, but Swanson is still a star player and has time to fill out a Hall-worthy resume. 

Ozzie Albies struggled with a wrist injury this year, but still managed to be semi-productive (.251 average, 10 homers in 99 games). He seems to be on a Hall of Fame trajectory but a serious wrist injury could affect his power output for the wrest of his career, potentially jeopardizing his case. 

Jacob deGrom returned from Tommy John surgery in time to start three games near the end of the season, turning in a 1.69 ERA. There is no doubt to his pitching ability, both currently and throughout his career, but he still has only 84 wins through his age-36 season. If he can stay healthy and get to the century mark in victories, every win past that will help his chances at induction. 

Zack Wheeler had an outstanding 2024 season, going 16-7 with a 2.57 ERA as the NL Cy Young runner-up. He has 103 wins and a 3.34 ERA through his age-34 season, but if he can put together a few more solid seasons, he could have a chance to earn a plaque someday. 

Aaron Nola also had a strong season in Philadelphia, winning 14 games and posting a 3.57 ERA as an integral part of the Phillies' playoff team. He has 104 wins and a 3.70 career ERA through his age-31 season, so he should have time to add to the win total and put together a Hall of Fame case. 

After a horrid start to the year, Blake Snell turned on the jets in July, posting a 1.33 ERA for the rest of the season and ultimately finishing at 3.12 in 104 innings. The two time Cy Young Award winner inked a lucrative five year, $182 million contract with the Dodgers last week, clearly setting some high expectations. While he has been up and down during his career, the ups have typically outnumbered the downs, and if he can fufill his contract, I think the Hall will be calling his name. 

Craig Kimbrel was, quite simply, bad in 2024 (5.33 ERA, 1.36 WHIP). He looked like a surefire Hall of Famer a few years ago, but his lack of innings and recent ineffectiveness are making me question that. A lot of his case could hinge on how Billy Wagner fares on his final BBWAA ballot. If Wagner gets in, that could be good for Kimbrel, assuming he rebounds next season; if Wagner is left out, then there is little hope for his apprentice. 

Kenley Jansen is in much the same boat as Kimbrel, except he's pitching a bit better right now (3.29 ERA, 27 saves). A couple more good years and a plaque for Billy Wagner would bode well for Jansen, but anything else probably won't do it. 

Unlikely Candidates 

Christian Yelich looked a little like his old self this year, slashing .315 / .406 / .504 in 73 games and making his third all-star team before going down with an injury. He's not terribly old (he turns 33 tomorrow) and he can still be productive, but he'll need to stand out for the next few seasons if he wants to save his Hall of Fame candidacy. 

Xander Bogaerts was mediocre in 2024, slashing .264 / .307 / .381 in 111 games. A declining bat over the past few years and never much of a fielder, he too was involved in the Red Sox's cheating scandal, putting his Hall of Fame chances in dangerous territory. Bogaerts has another nine years left on his contract, so he has time to turn things around, but I'm not counting on it. 

After a horrendous first season in the Twin Cities, Carlos Correa produced when healthy in 2024, slashing .310 / .388 / .517 in 86 games. Due to his inconsistency (and his own part in the cheating scandals), I'm not counting on him making it, but his ceiling is high enough where anything can happen. 

Yu Darvish may not be what he used to be, but he proved that he can still pitch, posting a 3.31 ERA in 16 starts this season. At age 38, he has 110 wins and 2,007 strikeouts, making him a longshot candidate at best, but I won't completely discredit his chances. 

Shane Bieber won both his starts this year without allowing a run before undergoing Tommy John surgery. If he returns to form, he'll have a chance to pick up where he left off and make a Hall of Fame case, but you just never know for sure how a pitcher will recover from elbow surgery. 

Aroldis Chapman was somewhat productive again in 2024 (3.79 ERA, 14 saves), with the highlight of his season being a 105.1 mph fastball he unloaded on August 7. While he's still lighting up the radar guns (and has a chance to surpass Hoyt Wilhelm as the all-time strikeout king among relievers), he's not the complete pitcher he used to be, and his overall resume is short of what one would expect from a Hall of Fame closer. However, his fastball exploits are truly impressive, as he became the hardest thrower of all time and helped usher in a new era of pitching smoke. That contribution to the game, plus a 2.63 ERA and 336 saves (16th on the all-time list), make me think he has at least a shot at eventual induction. 

Fallen Out Of Contention 

J.D. Martinez couldn't get a contract until March 23, and he didn't live up to it with the Mets (.235 average, 16 homers). It was going to be tough for him to make it as a DH, and with his stats I'd say his Hall of Fame chances are nearly zero. 

Whit Merrifield had a miserable 2024 season, dealing with injuries, ineffectiveness, and an outright release on July 12. After a late start to his career, he's beginning to slide at age 35, and what he's done in the meantime is not nearly enough for induction. 

Retirees 

Zack Greinke hasn't exactly announced his retirement, but he didn't pitch and 2024 and almost surely won't pitch again. One of the greatest (and most colorful) pitchers of his era, the 2009 Cy Young Award winner collected 225 wins and nearly 3,000 strikeouts along with a reputation as one of the best hitting pitchers in the game. He should make it to the Hall with no issue. 

Evan Longoria was a dynamic player in his youth and made it to the World Series in his first and last seasons, but other than his 342 homers, his batting stats simply aren't up to par for a Hall of Fame third baseman. His defense was truly spectacular, but one needs to be Brooks Robinson to make it as a defense-first player at third base. As much as I'd like to see it, there's little chance of him getting inducted. 

Elvis Andrus showed up to spring training with the Diamondbacks this year, but didn't end up playing in the Majors. Even with outstanding defense at shortstop, Andrus's batting stats (.269 / .325 / .370, 102 homers) likely won't be enough to sway most voters. 

Joey Votto attempted a comeback with the Blue Jays this year, but never made it out of the high minors after an ankle injury. Although he is a little short on a few major counting statistics (e.g. 2,135 hits), he owns a career slash line of .294 / .406 / .511 and 356 homers, which (I hope) should be enough for his induction. 

2025 Hall Of Fame Ballot

The following players are on the BBWAA ballot for 2025. After I tell you who they are, I will tell you who I'd vote for if given the chance. Let's start with the new names and then go over the holdovers from last year's ballot. They are - 

Carlos Gonzalez 

Curtis Granderson 

Felix Hernandez 

Adam Jones 

Ian Kinsler 

Russell Martin 

Brian McCann 

Dustin Pedroia 

Hanley Ramirez 

Fernando Rodney 

CC Sabathia 

Ichiro Suzuki 

Troy Tulowitzki 

Ben Zobrist 

Billy Wagner (10th year on the ballot) 

Manny Ramirez (9th) 

Andruw Jones (8th) 

Omar Vizquel (8th) 

Andy Pettitte (7th) 

Bobby Abreu (6th) 

Mark Buehrle (5th) 

Torii Hunter (5th) 

Alex Rodriguez (4th) 

Jimmy Rollins (4th) 

Carlos Beltran (3rd) 

Francisco Rodriguez (3rd) 

Chase Utley (2nd) 

David Wright (2nd) 

     Each voter can vote for up to ten players for the Hall of Fame. If I were a voter, I'd cast my ballots for Billy Wagner, Andruw Jones, Bobby Abreu, Chase Utley, Ichiro Suzuki, and CC Sabathia. 

Wagner enters his tenth and final ballot with some pretty impressive numbers among closers, ranking eighth in career saves (422) and sixth in games finished (703). The owner of a 2.31 ERA and 33.2% strikeout rate, Wagner finished his career in 2010 with arguably his best season, posting a 1.43 ERA in 69 1/3 innings with 104 strikeouts and converting 38 saves at age 38. After finishing five votes short last ballot, I really hope he gets in this time. 

Andruw Jones was a standout defensive centerfielder (10 consecutive Gold Gloves) and a feared slugger (434 home runs). He was the runner-up for the NL MVP Award in 2005 when he led the league with 51 homers and 128 RBI's. However, a brutal end to his career leaves him with a .254 career batting average and a lack of certain counting stats, and so far the voters haven't been able to look past that. 

Bobby Abreu was one of the most underrated players of his day. A modern day Bob Johnson, Abreu quietly collected 2,470 hits, 400 stolen bases, and eight seasons with over 100 RBI's while rarely leading his league in offensive categories. His career slash line was .291 / .395 / .470, and he captured a Gold Glove in 2005. 

Chase Utley was an outstanding defensive second baseman who also provided considerable power, belting 259 career homers and over 30 in three individual seasons. A key player on the Phillies' run of five consecutive playoff appearances from 2007 through 2011, Utley tied Reggie Jackson's record with five home runs in the 2009 World Series. 

Ichiro Suzuki is pro baseball's all time hit king with 4,367, with 1,278 coming in Japan and 3,089 coming in MLB. A two time AL batting champ and ten time Gold Glover in rightfield, Ichiro set the MLB record for the most hits in a season with 262 in 2004. 

CC Sabathia pitched 19 seasons in the Majors, totaling 251 wins and 3,093 strikeouts. A six time all-star and AL Cy Young winner in 2007, Sabathia led both leagues in shutouts in 2008 and won a World Series ring with the Yankees in 2009. 

This year I only selected six players on my make believe ballot, but there are more guys with a chance to get in. Carlos Beltran will probably get in before long and both Kinsler and Pedroia may get in eventually, but I couldn't bring myself to vote for any of them after their participation in the sign stealing scandals a few years ago. Although he languished at 13.5% of the vote last year, Andy Pettitte is an intriguing candidate, given his counting stats and impressive postseason resume. Still, he seems like more of a Hall of Very Good player than a Hall of Famer to me. David Wright is a popular player and was truly great in his prime, but his career was just too short to merit serious consideration.