The likely Hall of Fame class
There are 30 candidates on the ballot. Only a small percentage of those will actually be enshrined.
So who gets inducted? Chances are, there will be two players that enter the Hall of Fame from this ballot – Curt Schilling and David Ortiz.
Schilling received 71.1% of the vote last year, essentially making his induction a given. Only one player, Gil Hodges, has ever crossed the 70% threshold without being inducted. However, that could change this year, as Hodges is being considered by the Golden Days Era committee.
Ortiz, meanwhile, is given a pass for his PED usage. He is remembered more for his clutch homers and lovable personality than anything else. Questions about how he went from a part time player in Minnesota to a superstar in Boston are just ignored.
This does not mean that other players will not be inducted someday. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens will likely get in through the Veteran’s Committee. Scott Rolen and Todd Helton, as well as possibly Billy Wagner and Andruw Jones, should be inducted in future years. It just will not happen this time.
Chances are, the Hall of Fame will have two new members once the voting results have been announced. Curt Schilling and David Ortiz may get that call to immortality.