The National Baseball Hall of Fame will induct no individuals that were on its 2021 ballot. This year’s group had numerous high-profile possibilities, but only so many can ultimately get in each year. The announcement came early Tuesday evening.
No one elected to Hall of Fame. Schilling misses by 16 votes.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) January 26, 2021
2021 Hall of Fame Results
The headliner is easily Curt Schilling. The three-time World Series champion has caused some controversy with his comments outside of baseball, but there is no denying he was one of the most effective pitchers during his career. From his first year of regular action in 1990 through his age-40 season in 2007, Schilling posted a 3.42 ERA with over 200 wins and 3,000 strikeouts. He was a huge part of championship runs for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001 and the Boston Red Sox in 2004. His on-field achievements are nearly unparalleled. However, his controversial opinions off the field have caused voters to rethink whether to offer him the platform that is the Hall of Fame.
The rest of the ballot has its share of stars who will wait at least one more year. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens remain on the ballot and carry plenty of baggage due to the steroid era. They also have their own controversial actions that go beyond the game. Then, there are the sabermetric favorites Scott Rolen, Todd Helton and Billy Wagner. They represent a category of candidate who rely on advanced statistical measures. The 2022 ballot could see a handful of the remaining candidates inducted. It will be the final years on the ballot for Schilling, Bonds, Clemens and Sammy Sosa.
What to Expect in 2022
There are more interesting candidates joining the ballot next season. Alex Rodriguez is easily the most famous, but was also suspended for a full season due to steroid use. It will be interesting to see what his support looks like in his first year. Another fascinating case will be David Ortiz. There was undoubtedly no more productive player during Boston’s postseason runs, but he was a DH for almost his entire career. Only two players have been inducted at that position, Harold Baines and Edgar Martinez, and Ortiz lags far behind Martinez in terms of career WAR. His is another fascinating case to ponder when voting begins.
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