The 2020 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot has been announced. It includes 32 players overall, with 18 newcomers.
The most notable of those newcomers is Derek Jeter. Doesn’t feel like he’s been out of a Yankees uniform for 5 years already, has it?
Other notable players include Josh Beckett, Eric Chavez, Jason Giambi, Chone Figgins, Raúl Ibañez, Carlos Peña, Brad Penny, and Andy Pettitte.
I think we are all certain that Jeter will get elected to the Hall of Fame on his first try, most likely unanimously just like his former teammate, Mariano Rivera did last year.
Jeter, now the Miami Marlins CEO, is a 14-time All-Star shortstop and five-time World Series champion. No. 2 hit .310 with 3,465 hits in 20 seasons (all with the Yanks) and was the 1996 AL Rookie of the Year. (I was a year old.)
There are still a few scragglers left on the ballot who are not likely to get elected. Those include Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, and Sammy Sosa to name a few.
Players remain on the ballot for up to 10 years, as long as they receive at least 5 percent of the vote each year.
Ballots are sent to more than 400 Baseball Writers’ Association of America members with at least 10 consecutive years in the organization, and a player must appear on at least 75 percent to gain election. Ballots must be mailed by Dec. 31, and results will be announced on Jan. 21.
Anyone elected will be inducted to the HOF on July 26 in Cooperstown.
My Hall of Fame Opinion
As a baseball fan, I would love to see Derek Jeter get in, because he played the game the right way and is a genuinely good guy. He was also wonderful to the media.
Also, as an Oakland A’s fan, I would love to see Eric Chavez get in. He was the first baseball player I ever laid eyes on at a baseball game when I was 5 and I have loved him ever since. As crazy as it is to realize that Chavy was never named to an All Star team, he does have six gold gloves and a silver slugger to his name. He was a staple for the A’s at the hot corner for many seasons and is highly deserving of being memorialized in Cooperstown.
The full 2020 Baseball Hall of Fame Ballot includes:
Bobby Abreu, Josh Beckett, Heath Bell, Barry Bonds, Eric Chávez, Roger Clemens, Adam Dunn, Chone Figgins, Rafael Furcal, Jason Giambi, Todd Helton, Raúl Ibañez, Derek Jeter, Andruw Jones, Jeff Kent, Paul Konerko, Cliff Lee, Carlos Peña, Brad Penny, Andy Pettitte, J.J. Putz, Manny RamÃrez, Brian Roberts, Scott Rolen, Curt Schilling, Gary Sheffield, Alfonso Soriano, Sammy Sosa, José Valverde, Omar Vizquel, Billy Wagner, and Larry Walker.
Born and raised in the Bay Area. My life has revolved around sports- specifically the A’s, Warriors, Sharks, and 49ers since I was a little girl. This May, I received my BA in Sports Journalism and Media Studies at San Diego State University… Go Aztecs!
