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Well, Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia, Billy Wagner were all elected to Hall of Fame. 1 vote shy of 100% for Ichiro.

All 3 were over 80%, Wagner (dad of Will) on his final try. Close and likely to get there next year is Carlos Beltrán (70.3%) while also close is wife beater Andruw Jones (66.2%).

The PED crew are sub 40% but over 25% - Álex Rodríguez, Manny Ramírez, and Andy Pettitte

Ex-Jays were Omar Vizquel 17.8%, Mark Buehrle 11.4%, plus one and done guys: Russell Martin 2.3% (guess elite catcher defense doesn't matter to HOF voters), Troy Tulowitzki 1.0%, Curtis Granderson 0.8%.

3 guys sadly didn't get a vote: Ben Zobrist, Fernando Rodney (now playing in the Intercounty League here in Ontario), and Hanley Ramírez.

Next year is a weak one with Cole Hamels 59.0 bWAR the best among newbies, with Ryan Braun's 47.1 the only other one over 35. No real closers either (they can sneak in sub 30 WAR). It will also be Edwin Encarnación's one time on the ballot (no chance he gets 5% imo but he should get a few votes from Toronto area writers as a 'thank you' for 2016's WC homer). 2027's ballot sees no one special again (none with 45 WAR or 300 saves), then 2028's has Albert Pujols (lock), Robinson Canó (unlikely for off field issues), and ex-Jay David Price (no chance). 2029 (as far as we can go) has a few really good ones in Miguel Cabrera, Joey Votto, and Zack Greinke.
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Glevin - Wednesday, January 22 2025 @ 09:17 AM EST (#455983) #
I find the unanimous talk so annoying. There are 3 players who have had 99% of vote or more and they are 95th, 194th, 233rd in career WAR. It isn't some travesty that Ichiro didn't get every vote. He's a HOFer and he's in the HoF.
John Northey - Wednesday, January 22 2025 @ 09:40 AM EST (#455986) #
I find it funny as there used to be voters who refused to vote for anyone who ever was on strike (thus they would do blank ballots for a long time thanks to 1981, 1994, and some brief ones earlier), others who felt if Ruth didn't get 100% then no one should (thus every year sending in blanks or just guys on their 2nd+ go around), and others who felt if Aaron and Mays didn't then no one should, and least we forget those who felt if you didn't win a WS you can't go to the HOF (that would fit Ichiro). Luckily the new rules clear out old codgers who feel the game isn't as good as it was 'in their day' unless they are still writing about it actively. I'm still amazed Rivera got 100%, but he was so clearly the best closer ever I guess that did it. Ohtani is the guy most likely to do it someday (has a ring, has a couple MVP's, etc.) as what possible argument would you have against him by the time he retires?
scottt - Wednesday, January 22 2025 @ 09:50 AM EST (#455988) #
Somehow, they've create a new category of "unanimous HOFers" which is meaningless.
Once in the Hall, the accomplishments are listed and everybody is free to judge them for what they are.
It's also a way to talk about the media instead of the players.
If anything, it's an attack against the independence of the voters.
Keep the vote secrets and don't talk about the voters.
The Hall is not about them.
John Northey - Wednesday, January 22 2025 @ 10:11 AM EST (#455992) #
Meh, there used to be a very big deal about 'first ballot' elected, then a push for unanimous (just 1 so far), who knows what is next in an attempt to make the HOF a tiered system. I see assorted categories - the Peak guys (Halladay lands here), the long career guys (many 300 game winners and others who reached milestones are here), the both (smaller category - guys like Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, etc. aka inner circle), and the mistakes (Harold Baines - shouldn't be there in any way/shape/form), plus the stories (Rice and the fear he struck in pitchers, Bruce Sutter 'creating' the split finger pitch, etc. - often these stories are jokes to fans, but writers take them seriously enough to vote for guys, writers love a good story).

In the end it is all good fun. For the players a moment that honors them, for writers a chance to feel super-important, for fans a chance to remember old favorites/foes.
ISLAND BOY - Wednesday, January 22 2025 @ 12:11 PM EST (#456011) #
Writers can vote for whom they want, but if a guy doesn't enter the league until age 27 and still accumulates over 3000 hits and 60 WAR, then it's hard to see a reason for not voting for him.
85bluejay - Wednesday, January 22 2025 @ 01:50 PM EST (#456023) #
I don’t have a problem with someone leaving Ichiro off their ballot but I have a problem with the secrecy- The hall of fame should make all ballots public and the voters should be able to defend their ballot. For instance, was it a baseball related decision or something else.
scottt - Wednesday, January 22 2025 @ 02:09 PM EST (#456024) #
There's nothing to defend. It would just turn into personal attacks.
He's in the Hall. It's all that matters.
It's not hard to imagine political figures messaging about it in the dark of the night...We don't need that.
christaylor - Wednesday, January 22 2025 @ 02:19 PM EST (#456027) #
In the big picture, it is just a baseball museum. As a hall of fame, Ichiro will be more famous than most of the inner circle HOF (especially internationally). He'll, thankfully, be more famous than great players known to be horrible people (e.g., Ty Cobb, who, at the end of his life, knew himself to have been a horrible person).

Does anyone have thoughts on the next Jay (not necessarily career) added as an exhibit? Personally, I hope Buehrle's case grows over the years. He was a joy to watch, but he's unlikely. Edwin is unlikely. If he counts, Votto is probably the next one before Vlad.
scottt - Wednesday, January 22 2025 @ 02:29 PM EST (#456029) #
And then there's Kenny Lofton who has very similar numbers but didn't get 5% in 2013.
Lofton has more WAR, more SB, more HR, more RBI, more runs but hit .299 instead of .311.
Cracka - Wednesday, January 22 2025 @ 04:04 PM EST (#456030) #
I will guess the next ex-Jay added will be Roger Clemens - possibly next year as part of the Contemporary Baseball Era Ballot. He was up to ~65% before coming off the ballot.
99BlueJaysWay - Wednesday, January 22 2025 @ 06:41 PM EST (#456032) #
I seem to be in the minority here however I really like how the voting for MLB Hall of Fame creates all these little wrinkles and nuances of discussion. Because unanimous selections are unique, I do think it matters. I also like that it tells a story about how the people who are closest to the game felt about the player after his career is over. WAR doesn’t do that.

I also don’t agree that once you’re in it doesn’t matter. People often talk about inner circle HoF, best player at X position. Regardless of how you feel about it people to make these distinctions and care about them.
John Northey - Wednesday, January 22 2025 @ 07:26 PM EST (#456034) #
Clemens does seem most likely to be 'forgiven' by the anti-PED crew, along with Bonds as you can't put one in without the other I think. Both were clear HOF'ers before they are said to have started in '98 roughly. Bonds is well documented as avoiding them until the Maris chase where McGwire was obviously using, caught with it in his locker, and no one cared. I have trouble complaining about it - for marginal guys sure, but clear cut HOF'ers with half a career both Bonds & Clemens clearly get in. McGwire was about the same level of candidate as McGriff before he went nuts hitting in his 30's (which was clearly a PED created monster - his Simpson's appearance at that time was so dead on - do you want to know the truth or do you want dingers).

Now, outside of Clemens, who else is on the 'gotta get him in' crew? IMO Stieb should be there but won't be. Guys like Olerud and Delgado have strong cases, but again aren't getting in. For awhile it looked like Josh Donaldson would make it but his ending was too fast and too ugly. Marcus Semien is building a strong case, 3 or 4 more solid seasons and he should be knocking on the door. Russell Martin deserved a better fate - FG has his framing factored in and that jumps him from HOVG to HOF level.

Funny, going back to 15/16 such good teams but I don't see a single likely HOF'er on either - none who came for a few final PA at the end of their career or who were traded for in the prime. Bautista, Encarnacion, Martin, Tulowitzki, Buehrle, and Price were probably the best but none are getting in anytime soon (Martin the only one with a shot someday if the vets looks at defense for catchers beyond arm strength, maybe Buehrle due to his inning eating but unlikely). The last HOF'ers to play for the Jays were probably in 2009 - Roy Halladay and Scott Rolen, with Frank Thomas there in '08, then 2004 for Delgado (a quality guy but didn't get close, just 3.8% of the vote on a ballot with 13 who have made it so far and Schilling-Clements-Bonds-Kent-Scheffield-McGwire-Mattingly-Sosa who all have/had their fan bases among voters) and Kevin Cash (could be there as a manager - over 800 wins already), 2001 saw Tony Fernández here (HOVG but not HOF), 2000 David Wells (239 wins will look very good to future vet committees). That's all that catches my eye for guys who played here in the 2000's. Shows that you can make the playoffs and do well without HOF'ers. Although the 92/93 Jays showed it doesn't hurt (Alomar-Winfield-Molitor-Morris with decent cases for Kent-Wells-Delgado). Last year's Dodgers should have a batch who will get there (Ohtani, Betts, Freeman, Kershaw) as a recent example.
JB21 - Thursday, January 23 2025 @ 08:20 PM EST (#456088) #
If the voter decided that Ichiro was in regardless of their vote and they decided to better utilize their 10 other votes then I have no problem with it whatsoever.
99BlueJaysWay - Friday, January 24 2025 @ 01:36 PM EST (#456107) #
JB, each elector get to vote for up to 10 names per ballot and I think that’s out of a list of 28. The average was 6.77 votes per ballot, meaning many left open slots.

So, you’re right that someone could have done this, but I think that’s an exceptionally weak reason.
JB21 - Friday, January 24 2025 @ 02:40 PM EST (#456108) #
If you are a voter and you believe that at least 11 guys belong in the HOF then I believe it’s a clever strategy as Ichiro getting 99% or 100% of the vote makes no difference to him getting in the hall but one vote could keep another individual on the ballet for another year.
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