2022 Baseball Hall of Fame: Who gets in and who doesn’t, our writers weigh in
Andrew Elderbaum
This year I think Rolen gets in. He’s a seven-time All-Star and one of, if not the best defensive third baseman of his era with eight gold gloves. Rolen was a ROY (1996) and won a championship in 2006. He averaged .281 BA/ 25 HR/ 102 RBI over a 17-year career; he averaged .281 BA/ 25 HR/ 102 RBI.
Jeff Kent – Why is there even a debate? An MVP, 5 All-Star appearances, 4 silver sluggers, and an average of .290 BA/ 27 HR/ 107 RBI for a second baseman? He should be in.
Debatable
David Ortiz is not getting in on the first ballot because of the positive steroid test in 2003. Yeah, it was supposed to be confidential, and he has denied it, but the BBWA is archaic; they’re not going to have a PED cloud on a first-ballot guy. Ultimately he gets in.
Billy Wagner – If Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman are in, there should be more votes for Wagner. I’d vote him in.
Not this time
Todd Helton is interesting, but playing at Coors Field is still a big issue. Larry Walker got in, but he had great seasons in Montreal too. I don’t think Helton makes it.
Curt Schilling asked to be left off the ballot, so as Westley told Buttercup, “As You Wish.”
A-Rod/Barry Bonds/Roger Clemens – Nope
Andy Pettite – A great clutch pitcher, he would have been an interesting case, but again PED kills his chances.
Gary Sheffield – The single most intimidating hitter I saw in the 2000s (non-Bonds division) but was Bonds’s “training partner.” Uggh, just make a wing for this era and put these guys in with an asterisk already.
Mark Teixeira – He’s better than you remember. Four hundred home runs, tremendous defensive player, world series champion. He put up a .268 BA/ 36 HR/ 113 RBI average over 14 years with a .360 OBP. Not a first-ballot guy but has a case for induction down the road.
Omar Vizquel – Pass.