Ever since September 28, 2014, Yankees fans have been counting down the days until January 21, 2020. Actually, they've been making their plans for July 26, but he needs to actually get elected to the Hall of Fame first. Which we all know is just a formality.
The question of whether Derek Jeter will be the first player to get 100 percent of the vote has been answered, too. That honor went to his friend and fellow "Core Four" Yankee Mariano Rivera last year. Now, with Jeter set to join him in Cooperstown, the question is whether we'll have a unanimous inductee two years in a row. Either way, Jeter looks poised to finish with one of the top five voting percentages in history.
Will anyone join him and Ted Simmons on that stage in July? (Per his request before his death, Marvin Miller's family will not be there to accept on his behalf.) Recent history tells us "Yes." The writers have voted in at least two players every year since their 2013 shutout, including four in each of the last two years. That bodes well for guys like Curt Schilling and Larry Walker, and even Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens.
With eight players moving off the ballot in the last two years and Jeter the only first-ballot lock, I've got plenty of room to vote for some players I haven't been able to fit on my "ballot" in the past. I "voted" for all four guys who got in last year, as well as Fred McGriff, who fell off because he reached the 10-year maximum. Which gives me room for three other new guys, none of which is a first-ballot candidate. So, welcome to my ballot, Omar Vizquel, Jeff Kent and Andruw Jones!
1. Derek Jeter, Shortstop (1995-2014 Yankees): Duh! Jeter will be overwhelmingly inducted and headline the class. As he should. He was the face of baseball's marquee franchise for 20 years, is their all-time hit leader, and won five rings as their captain. Few individuals made it look as easy or do it in a classier way than Derek Jeter. Even Red Sox and Mets fans would agree. That says all you need to know.
2. Barry Bonds, Outfielder (1986-92 Pirates, 1993-2007 Giants): You know my stance on Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens. It hasn't changed in the now eight years they've been on the ballot, and it's not going to now. Their support among actual voters seems to be growing, too, so maybe next year when there are no sure-fire guys, they go in together. I feel like I write the same thing about Bonds every year, and I'll say it again. You can't write the History of Baseball without Barry Bonds. Steroids or not, he's a Hall of Famer.
3. Roger Clemens, Pitcher (1984-96 Red Sox, 1997-98 Blue Jays, 1999-2003 Yankees, 2004-06 Astros, 2007 Yankees): Ditto about Roger Clemens. The unofficial "rule" regarding Bonds and Clemens has been you either vote for both of them or neither one of them. And, for me, both of them are no-brainer "yes" votes without even thinking about it. Seriously, was there a more feared right-handed pitcher in the 80s, 90s OR 2000s than Roger Clemens? Seven Cy Young Awards, intimidating dominance, and the third-most strikeouts in history. That's Roger Clemens in a nutshell. Eight years on the ballot. Eight times I'm marking his name.
4. Curt Schilling, Pitcher (1988-90 Orioles, 1991 Astros, 1992-2000 Phillies, 2000-03 Diamondbacks, 2004-07 Red Sox): I seriously don't know how Mike Mussina got in last year and Curt Schilling didn't. I'm not trying to say Mussina doesn't belong in Cooperstown. He absolutely does. I'm just saying they're so tough to separate that I'm not sure how you vote for one and not the other. In fact, I always rated Schilling higher than Mussina because of his postseason dominance. The guy was virtually unbeatable in October!
5. Andy Pettitte, Pitcher (1995-2003 Yankees, 2004-06 Astros, 2007-10 Yankees, 2012-13 Yankees): Pettitte only got 10 percent of the vote last year. I wasn't expecting him to come anywhere close to getting in, but I did think his percentage would be a little higher. Anyway, I'll keep throwing a "vote" Pettitte's way as long as he's on the ballot...and not just because he was a Yankee! His postseason record was remarkable. I don't think there's any pitcher Joe Torre would've wanted to hand the ball to in an important game more than Andy Pettitte. That says a lot. Even if his regular season numbers weren't as gaudy as some others.
6. Larry Walker, Outfielder (1989-94 Expos, 1995-2004 Rockies, 2004-05 Cardinals): It's Walker's final year on the ballot, and, like Edgar Martinez and Tim Raines before him, I think he gets in on his final try. Walker has been helped greatly by the ballot congestion being eased. Because it finally gave some voters who didn't have the room previously a chance to vote for him. Yes, Coors Field has been held against him. But I think most people understand that Larry Walker was much more than a product of Denver's high altitude. He was a pure hitter throughout his entire 17-year career. I just have a feeling that his support will grow to the point where it puts him over the top. Fergie Jenkins might not be the only Canadian Hall of Famer for too much longer.
7. Omar Vizquel, Shortstop (1989-93 Mariners, 1994-2004 Indians, 2005-08 Giants, 2009 Rangers, 2010-11 White Sox, 2012 Blue Jays): Ozzie Smith is the greatest defensive shortstop in history. It's the primary reason he's in the Hall of Fame. Omar Vizquel isn't in that same class, but he's still probably No. 2 behind Ozzie. He won 11 Gold Gloves, including nine in a row from 1993-2001. And, while he wasn't known for his bat, Vizquel amassed 2,877 hits in a 24-year career, third most all-time among shortstops.
8. Jeff Kent, Second Baseman (1992 Blue Jays, 1992-96 Mets, 1996 Indians, 1997-2002 Giants, 2003-04 Astros, 2005-08 Dodgers): While we're on the subject of the greatest player of the 90s at each position, may I present Jeff Kent? Roberto Alomar was the premier second baseman of the decade, but Kent was far-and-away the NL's best at the position in that era. His greatness got somewhat overlooked because he played second fiddle to Bonds throughout his entire six-year run in San Francisco, even though he was the NL MVP in 2000! Kent hit more homers (351) than any second baseman in history and had eight 20 HR-100 RBI seasons. Plus, he was on Survivor!
9. Andruw Jones, Outfielder (1996-2007 Braves, 2008 Dodgers, 2009 Rangers, 2010 White Sox, 2011-12 Yankees): Was there a better defensive center fielder during the late 90s and early 2000s than Andruw Jones? And let's not forget he could hit, too. He hit 434 home runs and had 20 or more 10 consecutive times! Just as important is his significance as the first real star player from Curacao, which has since turned into a baseball factory.
10. Todd Helton, First Baseman (1997-2013 Rockies): My final vote goes to the other Colorado Rockie on the ballot. Helton spent his entire career in Colorado and is the best player in franchise history. Like Walker, it would be unfair to consider him simply a product of Coors Field. Because Todd Helton was arguably the best overall first baseman in baseball during his prime. He won't get in. I know that. But I feel he's worthy of a vote.
All of the ballot clean up over the past couple years has given me a chance to reassess some lower-ballot guys. For me, Billy Wagner, Gary Sheffield and Scott Rolen don't make the cut in 2020, but without a first-ballot slam dunk in 2021, they very well might appear when we do this again next year.
As for who is most likely to join Jeter in getting the Hall Call, I'd say it's probably Walker. He's in his final year on the ballot, which always brings a surge. And Schilling had the highest percentage of those who didn't get in last year. I think they both get in, making it a five-man Hall of Fame Class of 2020.
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