The Hall of Fame Voting Process: A Delicate Balance

Every year, the Hall of Fame ballot arrives, and every year, we consider it a privilege to cast a vote. Just maybe not this year. While we never take the voting process for granted, this year we feel a little, um, confused. Over the last 20 years of voting, we’ve tried to get a little more data-savvy every year. Then we take periodic trips to Cooperstown, feel all the feels, and remember, it’s a museum of remarkable accomplishments and stories, not a data center spitting out code.

Those two elements continually tug at me when the ballot comes, trying to balance indelible moments and memories against what the numbers say. It can lead to some brain fog. And this year, with the latest round of voting by the Contemporary Baseball Era Committee, we are a little more confused. The 16-member committee, of which seven members are Hall of Fame players, looked closely at an eight-man ballot of Jeff Kent, Dale Murphy, Carlos Delgado, Don Mattingly, Barry Bonds, Gary Sheffield, Roger Clemens, and Fernando Valenzuela … and voted exactly one of them into the Hall.

The Committee’s Decision

It was Kent, who won an MVP and made five All-Star teams. He was certainly deserving. But the voting made some things more clear and others more murky. The group seemed to make it clear that they have no stomach for steroid users in the Hall. Fewer than five voters voted for the all-time home run leader Bonds, a seven-time Cy Young winner in Clemens, and Sheffield, who hit 500 homers.

What’s not so clear is how this group would view amphetamine users, which were essentially PEDs and before there were PEDs and even more widespread. But, it makes it easy to affirm that there is no place on our current ballot for Alex Rodriguez or Manny Ramirez. While none of Bonds, Clemens, or Sheffield ever was suspended for steroid use, both Rodriguez and Ramirez were. It was a harsher stance than we’ve taken; we’ve presumed innocence for all unless an actual punishment was handed out.

Differing Opinions

On other qualifications, however, we find ourselves differing. We tried to find a happy medium between both career performance and being honored as elite among peers. Kent won an MVP, made five All-Star teams, and had a 55.4 career WAR, which was the highest among the non-steroid guys. Murphy won more MVPs, made more All-Star teams, and won five Gold Gloves. Mattingly won an MVP and, like Murphy, was perennially honored as a Gold Glover and an All-Star.

Neither made it. Both finished behind Delgado and were named on less than half the ballots. To this interested voter, it didn’t make sense. So, it reaffirmed, at least this year, that you can’t account for “feel.” It matters. It’s hard to quantify it, but it counts. Indelible moments count. Bonds — not the player, the ones formed with fan bases — count. Accomplishment counts. Performance, of course, counts most.

This Year’s Ballot

All of that is important, because on this year’s ballot, with the possible exception of Carlos Beltran, I’m not sure there is a should-be slam dunk. Beltran, a holdover from my ballot a year ago, was named on 70.3 percent of ballots, falling 22 votes shy of election. Expect that he’ll make up the extra ground this time around.

After him? Just not sure that anybody has a hands-down case based solely on data. So, here’s the rest of my seven-man ballot with reasoning behind each vote: Mark Buehrle, Felix Hernández, Torii Hunter, Andruw Jones, Dustin Pedroia, and Andy Pettitte.

Mark Buehrle

No Cy Youngs. No 20-win seasons, but he was a five-time All-Star, a four-time Gold Glove winner, and the model for reliability at a time when innings for pitchers have become the most valued asset they can add. Since 2000, Buehrle ranks third in innings pitched behind only sure-fire Hall of Famer Justin Verlander and likely Hall of Famer Zack Greinke.

Felix Hernández

His 49.8 career WAR is a little shy, probably, but he won a Cy Young, finished in the top five three other times, and was a six-time All-Star. Let’s add in his own perfect game and that for a decade, King Felix starts in Seattle were events. I remain uncertain if I’m convinced if he’s a Hall of Famer, but he certainly deserves more consideration.

Torii Hunter

Added Hunter this year, too. And not because his barbecue spot, Tender, is fantastic. On the WAR scale, he’s light at 50 for his career, but he won nine Gold Gloves and made five All-Star teams. The nine Gold Gloves is where he gets the benefit of the doubt for me.

Andruw Jones

About the Gold Gloves, Jones won 10 in center and, like Hunter, he made five All-Star teams. Jones had a greater reputation as a center fielder, for whatever that is worth, for his ability to play so shallow and still get back on balls. But Hunter was a regular contributor for a longer period of time.

Dustin Pedroia

Another guy whose career faded a little quicker than a typical bonafide Hall of Famer. He played in more than 100 games in just nine seasons. But he was a Rookie of the Year, an MVP, a four-time All-Star, and Gold Glove winner, and at the core of a Boston team that won two World Series in a six-year span.

Andy Pettitte

Yes, he’s got the steroid air around him, but never was suspended or disciplined, so, in my book, he’s eligible. Over the last 30 years, he’s one of three pitchers with at least 250 wins, which may not matter as much these days, but did when Pettitte was pitching, on average, into the seventh inning or longer.

Conclusion

That’s the seven-man ballot: Five holdovers (Beltran, Buehrle, Jones, Pedroia, and Pettitte) from last year and two guys worth further conversation (Hunter and Hernandez). Is it a perfect ballot? Definitely not. Never is. But this year, this is what feels right.

FAQs

Q: Who is on this year’s Hall of Fame ballot?

A: This year’s ballot includes Carlos Beltran, Mark Buehrle, Felix Hernández, Torii Hunter, Andruw Jones, Dustin Pedroia, and Andy Pettitte, among others.

Q: What is the criteria for voting?

A: The criteria for voting include career performance, being honored as elite among peers, and indelible moments. It’s a delicate balance between data and “feel.”

Q: How does the committee view steroid users?

A: The committee seems to have no stomach for steroid users in the Hall. Fewer than five voters voted for the all-time home run leader Barry Bonds, a seven-time Cy Young winner in Roger Clemens, and Gary Sheffield, who hit 500 homers.

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