Baseball Hall of Fame Vote, 2023

Who will join Fred McGriff on stage in Cooperstown this July?  Will anybody?  Those are both legitimate questions as we get set to find out the results of the Baseball Hall of Fame vote.  With no sure-fire candidates, it seems very likely that the writers will pitch a shutout this year.  Although, with the ballot more wide-open than it's been in years, we could be in for a surprise, as some vote totals will probably increase dramatically.

Other than if anybody gets in and who, that's what I'm most intrigued by with this year's ballot.  Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling all reached their maximum 10 years in 2022 and moved on to the same Era Committee ballot that elected McGriff in December.  None of them ever got close to election, but they all drew varying degrees of support.  Will those votes now go to somebody else?

It certainly opened up my ballot.  The top three names on my list last year were either elected (David Ortiz) or exhausted their eligibility (Bonds & Clemens).  I also put down Mark Teixeira's name last year, and he's no longer on the ballot, either, after failing to get 5 percent of the vote.  So, with those four gone, it looks like I'm adding four new names...

1. Andy Pettitte, Pitcher (1995-2003 Yankees, 2004-06 Astros, 2007-10 Yankees, 2012-13 Yankees): Yes, Andy Pettitte is the No. 1 name among my holdovers.  He was only at 10 percent last year, so I know he's facing an uphill battle, but that doesn't mean I support him any less.  Frankly, I think Pettitte's postseason success alone is Hall of Fame-caliber.  He won 19 career postseason games for the Yankees dynasty of the late 90s, but was nearly as good in the regular season, posting at least 15 wins eight times and pitching at least 200 innings 10 times (in addition to a full season's worth of innings in the postseason).

2. Jeff Kent, Second Baseman (1992 Blue Jays, 1992-96 Mets, 1996 Indians, 1997-2002 Giants, 2003-04 Astros, 2005-08 Dodgers): Why Jeff Kent, who's in his final year on the ballot, has never gotten more Hall of Fame support completely blows my mind!  Maybe he's been a victim of the ballot congestion caused by his Steroid Era contemporaries.  But, when Kent was in his prime, he was the second-best second baseman in baseball, behind only Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar.  And his 351 career home runs are the most-ever at the position.  He's got too much ground to make up, so he probably won't get in.  But I can see him getting McGriff-like support once he moves to the Era Committee.

3. Carlos Beltran, Outfielder (1998-2004 Royals, 2004 Astros, 2005-11 Mets, 2011 Giants, 2012-13 Cardinals, 2014-16 Yankees, 2016 Rangers, 2017 Astros): Beltran isn't just the best of this year's first-ballot candidates, he's probably the only one who'll make it to next year.  He was the only player publicly named in the sign-stealing scandal that marred the Astros' 2017 championship, but that's not enough to make you overlook his otherwise Hall of Fame-worthy career.  A 20-year career where he was consistently among the best hitters for both power and average while also playing stellar outfield defense.  Beltran's one of four players in history with at least 1500 runs, 2700 hits, 400 homers and 300 steals.

4. Andruw Jones, Outfielder (1996-2007 Braves, 2008 Dodgers, 2009 Rangers, 2010 White Sox, 2011-12 Yankees): There are only five Hall of Famers from those outstanding Braves teams of the 90s--the three pitchers, Chipper Jones, and manager Bobby Cox (McGriff makes six, but he was only there for four and a half seasons from 1993-97).  Andruw Jones is the next-most deserving member of that team.  His career is an interesting one.  He played an additional five years after leaving Atlanta, which I think actually hurts his case more than it helps it.  Because the Andruw Jones who played for the Atlanta Braves was one of the most outstanding five-tool players I've ever seen.  Not to mention one of the greatest defensive center fielders ever.

5. Todd Helton, First Baseman (1997-2013 Rockies): When he retired, I thought there was no way in Hell Todd Helton would ever be voted into the Hall of Fame.  Yet here we are, with the Class of 2023 set to be announced, and he's perhaps in the best position to get elected.  Helton's 17-year career was spent entirely in Colorado, but his numbers were far more than just the Coors Field Factor.  He was a consistent .300 hitter who the Rockies could always count on for 30-plus home runs.  Helton also stayed incredibly healthy, playing in at least 144 games 10 years in a row from 1998-2007, and was incredible defensively at first base.

6. Billy Wagner, Pitcher (1995-2003 Astros, 2004-05 Phillies, 2006-09 Mets, 2009 Red Sox, 2010 Braves): Billy Wagner's not in the same class as his Hall of Fame contemporaries Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman.  He's not even in the same class as the other Hall of Fame closers--Bruce Sutter, Goose Gossage and Lee Smith.  But, with the value of a good closer becoming more and more clear, the fact that Wagner was so good for so many years only proves his worthiness.  The numbers certainly back it up, too.  His 422 career saves are sixth-most all-time and second among left-handed closers.

7. Gary Sheffield, Outfielder (1998-91 Brewers, 1992-93 Padres, 1993-98 Marlins, 1998-2001 Dodgers, 2002-03 Braves, 2004-06 Yankees, 2007-08 Tigers, 2009 Mets): Like Fred McGriff, Gary Sheffield played on a lot of teams during his career (they were even briefly teammates on the Padres).  But, no matter where he played, the one thing Gary Sheffield always did was hit.  That's one of the reasons he was on so many teams in the first place!  He's a member of the 500-home run club and hit 20 or more 14 times.  He also had eight 100-RBI seasons and seven with 100 or more runs scored.

8. Scott Rolen, Third Baseman (1996-2002 Phillies, 2002-07 Cardinals, 2008-09 Blue Jays, 2009-12 Reds): Fun fact: I didn't know Scott Rolen played for the Blue Jays.  He obviously did.  I just don't remember it.  Anyway, Rolen's one of those guys who I've wanted to vote for in the past, but never had the room for.  So, now that the ballot congestion has been relieved, I can mark his name down with no hesitation.  He's a guy who it's easy to underappreciate how good he was.  His numbers weren't flashy.  Just consistent.  And he won eight Gold Gloves while playing every game of his 17-year career at third base.  Rolen was the leading vote-getter last year among players still on the ballot, so it wouldn't be surprising to see him get in.

9. Omar Vizquel, Shortstop (1989-93 Mariners, 1994-2004 Indians, 2005-08 Giants, 2009 Rangers, 2010-11 White Sox, 2012 Blue Jays): In the past, there have been years where I've been included Vizquel and there have been years where I haven't.  Last year I took him off, mostly because I needed a spot for Big Papi, but also because of the domestic violence and sexual assault allegations against him.  MLB is still investigating those charges, so I'll reserve judgment until then.  As a result, Vizquel returns to my ballot, since I think baseball-wise, he's one of the top 10 players on it.

10. Mark Buerhle, Pitcher (2000-11 White Sox, 2012 Marlins, 2013-15 Blue Jays): Picking the 10th spot was very hard.  I briefly considered A-Rod, but I would've been contradicting myself, since I draw a very clear line between guys like Bonds & Clemens, who never failed a test and never technically "cheated," and guys like A-Rod, who missed an entire season because of a PED suspension.  I also briefly considered leaving this spot blank.  But I've always been a "10-vote" guy, so that didn't seem right either.  Especially because, even though he's never gonna be a Hall of Famer, Mark Buehrle deserves a vote.  He was a consistent No. 1 starter who the White Sox could always rely on throwing 200 innings.  And Buehrle was spectacular in his prime.  Two no-hitters, including a perfect game, and an Opening Day Web Gem in 2010 that was so spectacular, ESPN created the "Buerhle Meter" to measure how all other defensive plays compared that season.  That play alone is Hall of Fame worthy!

As for who actually stands a legitimate chance of getting in, I think there are really only two people--Scott Rolen and Todd Helton.  They've been running neck-and-neck in the publicly-revealed votes, so it looks like voters are either going with both or neither on their ballots.  What that means?  I don't know.  I'm not sure either one gets 75 percent, though.  Which means it'll be the Fred McGriff Show in July.