Analyzing 2022 Hall of Fame Ballot

It’s time once again to analyze the latest Hall of Fame ballot, and the 2022 voting will be intriguing, to say the least. In addition to two of the greatest players of all time on the ballot for the final time, there is a who’s who of 21st century All-Stars eligible for the first time.

First-timers:
Let’s start with those making their debut on the ballot. The two big names, obviously, are Alex Rodriguez and David Ortiz. Both are first ballot Hall of Famers except for that pesky PED thing. A-Rod was suspended for PEDs, so right now he has no shot of getting in. Ortiz’s case is less cut and dry. He apparently failed that survey testing that had no penalties, so does he deserve to be penalized now? My guess is that enough voters will want to punish him by not making him a first ballot guy, so Ortiz will have to wait a year.

Check out the rest of these names. Former MVPs Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard and Justin Morneau. Former Cy Young award winners Jake Peavy and Tim Lincecum. Mark Teixeira, Carl Crawford and Prince Fielder. And dominant closers Jonathan Papelbon on Joe Nathan. Some pretty huge players. Oh, and except for Rollins and Teixeira, the player with the highest Bill James Hall of Fame Monitor (whatever that is, exactly) is A.J. Piernzynski.

None of them has a chance to get inducted. They all had incredible careers, but they all fall short of the Hall of Fame.

The Leftovers:
Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens
This is the final year on the ballot for the PED poster boys. They’ve been sitting at around 61% for years now, and while many players see a jump on their final go-round, will they see enough to get in? I’m guessing no.

Curt Schilling
This knucklehead would be in already if he could just keep his mouth shut. He’s even gone so far as asking not to be on the ballot this year for his final time. However, here he is. He received 71% of the vote last time and even though he doesn’t want to get in and is a moron, I think he’ll get voted in.

Gary Sheffield, Sammy Sosa and Manny Ramirez
Sosa is also on his final ballot. He and Ramirez have no chance. Sheffield, though, has been gaining votes. He received 40% last year on his seventh ballot. He won’t get in this year, but he has a chance over the next two years.

Scott Rolen, Billy Wagner, Todd Helton and Andruw Jones
They’ve all been gaining over the years. None will get in this year, but they should continue their positive momentum.

Omar Vizquel and Jeff Kent
Vizquel actually lost votes last year after domestic violence allegations were lodged against him. And no one cares about Kent.

Andy Pettitte, Mark Buehrle, Torri Hunter, Bobby Abreu and Tim Hudson
Whatever. And somehow the stat geeks continue to tout Abreu’s candidacy.

So in the end, I think Curt Schilling will be the lone inductee. It should be a heck of a ceremony in Cooperstown next year.