Scott Rolen has been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, preventing a second BBWAA vote in three years.
None of the other 27 players named on the 2023 Hall of Fame ballot crossed the 75% threshold to vote, despite several near misses. The results of the vote were revealed on Tuesday during a broadcast on MLB.com.
Longtime third-placed Rolen was named in 76.3% of the votes in the sixth year of qualifying for storage. Only missing is the former Rock mountain First Cavalry Todd Helton, who received 72.2% of the vote on the fifth election attempt.
Players can appear on the ballot for 10 seasons following a 5-year waiting period after they retire, as long as they are on at least 5% of the ballot in one voting cycle.
Rolen became an All-Star seven times during his 17-year career, playing for Phillies, Amount, Blue jay and red. His eight Golden Gloves are the fourth most for the third soldier. Rookie of the Year 1997 NL was a member of the Cardinals when the club won the 2006 World Series.
Rolen, who came fifth in the WAR among career third-placers according to baseball-reference.com, was named on just 10.2 percent of the vote in his first year of qualifying in 2018 but rapidly gaining support after each passing vote.
The same upward trajectory holds true for Helton, who started at 16.5% in 2019. As a player who hit 0.316 in his career in 17 seasons, all for the Colorado Rockies, Helton is the winner. Silver Slugger four times and three times Gold Glover for his work in the first facility.
Other players named on at least half of the vote include Billy Wagner (68.1%), Andruw Jones (58.1%) and Gary Sheffield (55%).
Wagner, one of the most dominant painkillers of his time, enjoyed steady support throughout his years on the ballot. He received support on 51% of the vote last year. Next year will be his ninth season to qualify.
Rolen’s narrow election means the BBWAA still refuses to elect any new members just nine times in its voting history. The writers also didn’t vote in 2021. Last year, only the great David Ortiz of the Red Sox was selected by the writers.
The three-year period in which the BBWAA voted only two players matches a historic low. Since the annual vote took place in perpetuity in 1966, the writers have never failed to elect at least two players in any three-year period. They also voted for only two players over a three-year period ending in 1968 and in each season from 1996 to 1998.
Ironically, the paucity of the elect reappeared just a few years after a period of exceptionally rich voting by writers. During the three-year period ending in 2019, BBWAA elected 11 new Hall members, and over a 5-year period from 2015 to 2019, 17 new Halls of Fame were shortlisted by writers.
Unlike 2021, when no new Hall of Fame will be elected by writers or era committees – this is the first time since 1960 – there will be at least two new inductees. speaking in Cooperstown during the launch ceremonies on July 23. Soft – speaking Fred McGriff will enter the Hall with Rolen after being selected by an epoch committee at the December winter meetings. in San Diego.
Progress has been slow for some of the more controversial candidates, whose track record meets traditional Hall of Fame standards but have seen their cases marred by links with PED.
Alex Rodriguez, who racked up a total of 3,115 hits, 696 hits to the home grid and 2,086 RBIs in his career, was named on 35.7% of the votes in his second year of qualifying, up from 34.3%. Rodriguez missed 2014 due to a suspension for violating MLB’s PED policy.
Similarly, Manny Ramirez, who hit 555 home shots while hitting a career batting average of 0.312 but was suspended twice for a PED violation, has made little progress in the game. seventh vote. After landing at 28.9% last year, Ramirez has skyrocketed to 33.2% this time around.
In contrast, fearsome slugger Sheffield had a bit of a boost in his ninth year of qualifying. He was at 40.6% last year. Sheffield, who hit 509 career goals but was named in the 2007 Mitchell Report, has never been disciplined for using a PED. Next season will be his 10th and last chance to be elected via the writers’ ballot.
Out of 14 first-time voters, only two received the 5% support needed to be moved to next review.
One of those first-timers was Carlos Beltran, who won 46.5% of the vote. Beltran’s Hall’s case is firmly based on the track record of a career that saw 435 home hits, 312 steals, 2,725 hits and one of baseball’s most glittering post-season records.
Beltran was a central figure in the controversial sign-stealing scandal that damaged ‘s 2017 World Series title Houston Astros, with whom Beltran played. His connection to the ensuing controversy led him to resign as manager of New York Mets before his first season in that role.
While it’s uncertain what role the scandal played in Beltran’s missing out on his first ballot, his level of support bodes well for the future and perhaps, for candidates for the other prominent person on that Astros team.
The other first person to stay on the ballot is the reliever Francisco Rodriguez, whose 437 saves were enough for him to take 10.8% of the vote.
While voters have been stingy in recent years, next year could see a more active showcase week with some interesting candidates who will qualify next winter. The list of new arrivals is headed by third guard Adrian Beltre, shadow catcher Joe Mauer and second guard Chase Utley.
