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MLB Hall of Fame: The worst ballot of the year…so far

By David Hill|
NEW YORK - CIRCA 1996: Andy Pettitte #46 of the New York Yankees pitches against the New York Mets during an Major League Baseball game circa 1996 at Shea Stadium in the Queens borough of New York City. Pettitte played for the Yankees from 1995-2003, 2007-2010, 2012-2013. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
NEW YORK - CIRCA 1996: Andy Pettitte #46 of the New York Yankees pitches against the New York Mets during an Major League Baseball game circa 1996 at Shea Stadium in the Queens borough of New York City. Pettitte played for the Yankees from 1995-2003, 2007-2010, 2012-2013. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

Every year, there are some utterly ridiculous ballots for the MLB Hall of Fame. Juan Vene has the early lead for the worst ballot of the year thus far.

The annual MLB Hall of Fame ballot is met with excitement and a degree of nervousness. It is a time to remember some of the greats that played the game. It is also a time where the voters go on strange crusades, using their ballots as some sort of protest against whatever imagined issue they have with a player or the game. That has been felt already with two blank ballots having been returned, as the writers feel that they are far more important than the game.

With 16 ballots having been submitted, we have a candidate for the worst vote of the year. This ballot was submitted by Juan Vene, who voted for just three players – Andy Pettitte, Todd Helton, and Scott Rolen.

The inclusions of Rolen and Helton are not a problem. Both players have been criminally undervalued in the vote, so it is a positive to see both receive a boost to their chances.

The problem is the inclusion of Pettitte. On its own, one could make a case for that vote. His numbers – a 256-153 record with a 3.85 ERA and a 1.351 WHiP, striking out 2448 batters while issuing 1031 walks in his 3316 innings – make him a borderline case for induction. However, he was included in the Mitchell Report and later admitted to his PED usage.

Then he did not cast a vote for either Barry Bonds or Roger Clemens. Both players have been hit with PED rumors, although neither ever tested positive. Even if one believes that Bonds and Clemens used PEDs, they both had a better career than Pettitte. For that matter, Gary Sheffield arguably had a better career than Pettitte, and he has also been hurt due to PED allegations.

It is the hypocrisy of such a vote that causes such ire. Unless the idea is that Pettitte’s admission of PED use somehow makes him worthy of the Hall, it is impossible to conceive of a way in which his career was better than Clemens or Bonds.

After just 16 ballots, we have a candidate for the worst vote for the MLB Hall of Fame…at least thus far.

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