Breaking down the 2023 Hall of Fame ballot
By David Hill
It is that most wonderous time of year! No, we are not talking about the holiday season – we are talking about the MLB Hall of Fame ballot being released.
28 players will be vying for votes, hoping to reach that 75% threshold to achieve immortality. In some cases, even getting one vote could be considered a victory, a nod to a solid career that could be worthy of the Hall of Very Good. For others, the hope is to keep getting closer, making enshrinement more likely in the coming years. For Jeff Kent, in his tenth year on the ballot, it is now or never. And it will be fascinating to watch as the votes come in.
The 2023 Hall of Fame ballot has been released. Let’s take a look at the cases of the 28 players who are hoping to achieve immortality.
Breaking down the 2023 Hall of Fame ballot
One and done: Jacoby Ellsbury, Jhonny Peralta, Jayson Werth, Matt Cain, J.J. Hardy, Mike Napoli, Jered Weaver, R.A. Dickey, Bronson Arroyo, Andre Either, Huston Street
This is a group that, as a whole, has an impressive collection of awards and accomplishments. There are multiple time All Stars, Cy Young award winners, Rookies of the Year, and even a perfect game.
But none of that matters to the voters. Instead, the focus is on the overall career, how the final numbers stack up when compared to those already in the Hall of Fame. In that area, these players come up short. Yes, they had their moments, and maybe even a strong run for a few years, but in these cases, they may be lucky to get a vote or two. At least they can say that they made their way onto the ballot.