With the BBWAA 2024 Hall of Fame voting results announcement on January 23, it is time to look at a hypothetical Hall of Fame ballot. To be clear, this is not an official ballot, simply a hypothetical one. For this hypothetical ballot, the 10-player maximum will remain in place. Various factors are at play when deciding who deserves Hall of Fame honors. For example, if a player used PEDs, that probably disqualifies them from getting a vote on this hypothetical ballot. Players with some sort of other scandal like sign stealing on their record might also impact if they qualify for this hypothetical ballot.
Hypothetical Hall of Fame Ballot
Adrian Beltre
This is the easiest choice on the 2024 ballot. Adrian Beltre is worthy of the Hall of Fame without a doubt. In 21 seasons, Beltre had a .286/.339/.480 line with 477 home runs and 1707 RBI. In addition, Beltre had 3166 hits and a 116 OPS+ with a 93.5 WAR. Beltre also had four All-Star selections and won five Gold Gloves, two Platinum Gloves, and four Silver Sluggers. 2004 Beltre finished second in NL MVP voting, with the Los Angeles Dodgers leading the majors in home runs with 48. In 2012, Beltre finished third in AL MVP voting with the Texas Rangers, with those being his best finishes.
Mark Buehrle
Mark Buehrle, one of the most talented left-handed pitchers of the 2000s, is underrated in Hall of Fame discussions. In 16 seasons, Buehrle had a 214-160 record with a 3.81 ERA, a 1.281 WHIP, and 1870 strikeouts. Additionally, Buehrle had a 117 ERA+ along with a 59.1 WAR and was a Chicago White Sox team member that won the 2005 World Series. That 2005 season saw Buehrle finish fifth in AL Cy Young voting. Buehrle was selected to the All-Star team five times and won four Gold Gloves. Twice, Buehrle led the AL in innings pitched in 2004 while leading the majors in starts that season as well as in 2005.
Todd Helton
While Todd Helton played for the Colorado Rockies for his entire career, he has numbers worthy of a plaque in Cooperstown. In 17 seasons, Helton had a .316/.414/.539 line with 369 home runs and 1406 RBI. Furthermore, Helton had 2519 hits, a 133 OPS+, and a 61.8 WAR. Helton had four All-Star selections and a batting title in 2000 and won three Gold Gloves and four Silver Sluggers. That 2000 season saw Helton robbed of an NL MVP. That year, Helton led the majors in doubles and RBI, as well as the batting average, slugging percentage, OPS, and total bases. That year, Helton led the NL in hits with 216 as well.
Andruw Jones
During his playing career, Andruw Jones was the best defensive outfielder in the majors. This, along with Jones’s stellar numbers at the plate during his peak, should put him in the Hall of Fame. In 17 seasons, Jones had a .254/.337/.486 line with 434 home runs and 1289 RBI. Additionally, Jones had 1933 hits along with a 111 OPS+ and a 62.7 WAR. Jones had five All-Star selections, 10 Gold Gloves and a Silver Slugger. In 2005, Jones led the majors in home runs with 51 and the NL in RBI with 128, finishing second in MVP voting. Five seasons saw Jones finish in the top five in fielding percentage among NL outfielders.
Joe Mauer
At one of the premier positions in baseball, Joe Mauer played at a level rarely seen. While Mauer spent a good portion of his career at first base for a stretch, he was the best catcher in the game. In 15 seasons, Mauer had a .306/.388/.439 line with 143 home runs and 923 RBI. In addition, Mauer had 2123 hits, a 124 OPS+, and a 55.2 WAR. 2009 saw Mauer win the AL MVP and three batting titles during his career. No other catcher has accomplished that. Mauer was also named to six All-Star teams and won three Gold Gloves and five Silver Sluggers. The Minnesota Twins made the right choice in the 2001 MLB draft.
Andy Pettitte
A part of the late 1990s and early 2000s New York Yankees dynasty, Andy Pettitte was dominant on the mound. In 18 seasons, Pettitte had a 256-153 record with a 3.85 ERA, a 1.351 WHIP, and 2448 strikeouts. Moreover, Pettitte had a 117 ERA+ and a 60.2 WAR and was a part of five World Series championship teams. Pettitte was named to the All-Star team three times and was named 2001 ALCS MVP. During his career, Pettitte had two 20-win seasons in 1996 and 2003 and finished in the top five in Cy Young voting four times.
Jimmy Rollins
Of the players on this hypothetical Hall of Fame ballot, Jimmy Rollins is the lone one with an MVP and a World Series ring. The 2007 season saw Rollins win the NL MVP with a 30-40 season and was a member of the 2008 Philadelphia Phillies World Series championship team. In 17 seasons, Rollins had a .264/.324/.419 line with 231 home runs, 936 RBI, and 470 stolen bases. Rollins had 2455 hits, a 95 OPS+, and a 47.6 WAR. Rollins was named to the All-Star team three times during his career and won four Gold Gloves and a Silver Slugger. In four seasons, Rollins led the National League in triples.
Gary Sheffield
While not good defensively, Gary Sheffield was one of the most feared hitters in baseball during his career. In 22 seasons, Sheffield had a .292/.393/.514 line with 509 home runs and 1676 RBI. In addition, Sheffield had 2689 hits and a 140 OPS+ to go along with a 60.5 WAR. Sheffield was a member of the 1997 Miami Marlins World Series championship team. Sheffield was named to the All-Star team nine times during his career while winning a Silver Slugger five times. In 1992, Sheffield won the NL batting title. Three seasons saw Sheffield finish in the top five in MVP voting.
Chase Utley
Even with a later start to his career, Chase Utley put together a career worthy of a plaque in Cooperstown. In 16 seasons, Utley had a .275/.358/.465 line with 259 home runs and 1025 RBI. Additionally, Utley had 1885 hits and a 117 OPS+ to go along with a 64.5 WAR. As a member of the 2008 Phillies, Utley also has a World Series ring. Utley was named to the All-Star team six times and won a Silver Slugger four times. In 2006, Utley led the NL in runs scored with 131. Additionally,, Utley led the majors in times being hit by a pitch in three consecutive seasons between 2007 and 2009.
Billy Wagner
Some underrate Billy Wagner, one of the most dominant closers, because he was not the best at his position during his career. In 16 seasons, Wagner had a 47-40 record, a 2.31 ERA, a 0.998 WHIP, and 1196 strikeouts. The most significant stat for Wagner is his 422 saves, which go along with his 187 ERA+ and 27.7 WAR. Wagner was named to seven All-Star teams and finished in the top five in NL Cy Young voting in 1999. In 2003 and 2005, Wagner led the majors in games finished. Two seasons saw Wagner record at least 40 saves.
Notable Omissions
Carlos Beltran
While Carlos Beltran had worthy numbers, his role in the 2017 Houston Astros sign-stealing scandal led to him being left off this hypothetical Hall of Fame ballot. The scandal also led to Beltran not managing the New York Mets after being hired to the role before the 2020 season. In 20 seasons, Beltran had a .279/.350/.486 line with 435 home runs and 1587 RBI, along with 312 stolen bases. Beltran also had a 119 OPS+ and a 70.1 WAR and won AL Rookie of the Year in 1999. During his career, Beltran was named to nine All-Star teams and won three Gold Gloves and a Silver Slugger twice.
Manny Ramirez
If Manny Ramirez put together the career he did without using PEDs, he would easily be in the Hall of Fame. However, two PED suspensions keep Ramirez off this hypothetical Hall of Fame ballot. In 19 seasons, Ramirez had a .312/.411/—585 line with 555 home runs and 1831 RBI. In addition, Ramirez had 2574 hits, a 154 OPS+, and a 69.3 WAR. A two-time World Series champion, Ramiez was named to 12 All-Star teams and won a Silver Slugger nine times and a batting title. Ramirez was named World Series MVP in 2004.
Alex Rodriguez
Alex Rodriguez would be inducted into the Hall of Fame if not for PED usage. This included Rodriguez being suspended for the 2014 season. As a result, Rodriguez is left off the hypothetical Hall of Fame ballot. In 22 seasons, Rodriguez had a .295/.380/.550 line with 696 home runs, 2086 RBI, and 329 stolen bases. Furthermore, Rodriguez had 3115 hits, a 140 OPS+, and a 117.5 WAR that has led all shortstops since 1901. Rodriguez was named AL MVP in 2003, 2005, and 2007. In 2009, Rodriguez was a part of the World Series champion, the Yankees.
Main Photo Credis: Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK
