2021 Hall of Fame Ballot
The following players are on the Hall of Fame ballot for 2021. After I tell you who they are, I will tell you who I would vote for if given the chance.
-Bobby Abreu
-Barry Bonds
-Mark Buehrle
-A.J. Burnett
-Roger Clemens
-Michael Cuddyer
-Dan Haren
-LaTroy Hawkins
-Todd Helton
-Tim Hudson
-Torii Hunter
-Andruw Jones
-Jeff Kent
-Andy Pettitte
-Aramis Ramirez
-Manny Ramirez
-Scott Rolen
-Curt Schilling
-Gary Sheffield
-Sammy Sosa
-Nick Swisher
-Shane Victorino
-Omar Vizquel
-Billy Wagner
-Barry Zito
Each Hall of Fame voter can choose up to ten candidates that they believe to be Hall of Fame worthy. I personally would choose Bobby Abreu, Tim Hudson, Torii Hunter, Jeff Kent, Aramis Ramirez, Scott Rolen, Curt Schilling, Gary Sheffield, Omar Vizquel, and Billy Wagner.
Abreu was a fine combination of consistency (.291 lifetime batting average), power (288 home runs), and speed (400 stolen bases). The two time all-star also collected 1,476 walks and was a Gold Glove award winner in the outfield in 2005.
Hudson had a terrific 222-133 (.625) lifetime record. He led the AL in wins and winning percentage in 2000 and was a two time league shutout champion. Wielding a fastball and four different breaking balls, Hudson recorded a 3.49 ERA, 2,080 strikeouts, and four all-star selections.
Hunter was a nine time Gold Glove award winner in the outfield, a five time all-star, and a .277 lifetime hitter. As one of the greatest all around talents in all of baseball during his heyday, he collected 2,452 hits, including 353 homers and 498 doubles.
Kent is the all time leader in home runs for a second baseman, totaling 377 for his career. The five time all-star was a .290 career hitter with 1,518 RBI’s and 2,461 hits across seventeen seasons, winning four Silver Slugger awards and the 2000 NL MVP Award.
Ramirez was a .283 career hitter with 386 home runs. The powerful third baseman was a three time all-star and led the NL with 50 doubles in 2012, totaling 495 lifetime among his 2,303 hits from 1998 through 2015.
Rolen was an eight time Gold Glove award winner at third base and the 1997 NL Rookie of the Year. A seven time all-star, he provided power (316 homers) and consistency (.281 lifetime batting mark) with stellar baserunning skills.
Schilling should be an automatic Hall of Famer with 3,116 strikeouts. Schilling led his league in wins, innings pitched, starts, complete games, WHIP, strikeouts, and strikeouts per nine innings at least twice each. The six time all-star won 216 regular season games but is best remembered for his postseason performances. He went 11-2 with a 2.23 ERA in postseason play, earning three World Series rings, a World Series MVP Award, and a NLCS MVP Award.
Sheffield has to his credit 509 home runs, 2,689 hits, 253 stolen bases, 1,676 RBI’s, five Silver Slugger awards, a Batting title, a World Series ring, and nine all-star selections. He admitted in court that he used steroids for a short time, but that he didn’t know what they were, as they were given to him by another player. He also said that he was really mad about it and that it didn’t help his career at all. His numbers don’t show it, and so Sheff gets my vote.
Vizquel was an eleven time Gold Glove award winner at shortstop and a three time all-star. He holds the career record for the highest fielding percentage at short. Along with his nearly 3,000 career hits, Vizquel scored 1,445 runs, hit 456 doubles, stole 404 bases, and collected 256 sacrifice hits, leading the league in sacrifice hits four times.
Wagner ranks sixth in baseball history with 422 saves. He also had a 2.31 ERA and a 47-40 record in 853 games. The seven time all-star struck out an average of 11.9 batters per nine innings across his 16 MLB seasons.
Conclusion
I know that you are all disappointed at the fact that I didn’t advocate for an individual player like normal. Not to worry; On Friday, I will publish one, and will continue publishing on Mondays and Thursdays.
I agree with you for most of the choices. I'm not sure about guys like Kent and Sheffield, but they're OK. Here is what my ballot would be:
ReplyDeleteSchilling, Bonds, Andruw Jones, Abreu, Hudson, Rolen, and I suppose Wagner.
I flipped a coin for Bonds & Clemens, b/c I really have no strong feelings on the steroid issue and they're certainly statistically qualified. Vizquel was too weak of a hitter, in my opinion. Ozzie was a lot better both at the plate and at short. Torii for the Hall? WAR thinks he's OK, but he was a .277 hitter in a hitter's period. You can argue for him, I give him the thumbs down. I don't have much of a reason for not wanting Sheffield, but he didn't have a good defensive reputation and I'm more of a small-hall guy, to be honest. Why not Andruw Jones? He hit 434 homers and was a great fielder. I'm not sure he belongs, but I think he was good enough that I'd vote for him. Amaris Ramirez apparently had hands of stone at 3rd, so I don't think I'd vote for him either.
I think Hudson might have made a brief cameo in one of my dreams last night, but I'm not sure.
Here's why I didn't pick Andruw Jones. He played in an era where one would make fun of a .254-hitting outfielder, and to put one in the Hall of fame would sound ridiculous. He does have a 50-homer year, 434 lifetime, and ten Gold Gloves, but his 1,748 strikeouts and .337 OBP are unimpressive. Before 1998 and after 2006, he was basically not at all productive, and he was not really elite during that period, anyways. Still, he was a good outfielder with unique talent, and he should be proud of his accomplishments, especially since making the Major Leagues, not to mention the Hall of Fame ballot, is a tremendous privilege.
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