The Baseball Writer's Association of America (BBWAA) are given a ballot each year and asked to select as many as 10 players for induction to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. This year, there are 30 players on the ballot. Seventeen are returning from last years ballot which means these players are in their 2nd to 10th time on the ballot and have received between 5% and 74.9% of the vote each year of eligibility. Less than 5% and they are removed from consideration, 75% of more and they are enshrined into Cooperstown. Tomorrow I will review these 17 players, today we will focus on the "lucky" 13 who are receiving consideration for the first (and for many the last) time.
These players are:
Carl Crawford - Outfield Years Played: 2002 - 2016
Teams Tampa Bay 2002 - 2010, Boston 2011-2012 LA (Dodgers) 2013-2016
Crawford hit .290 during his playing career which ties him for 7th place with all players on the ballot and is second to Alex Rodriguez for players on the ballot for the first time in 2022. His 480 stolen bases is 2nd to Barry Bonds for all players on the ballot and of course is the most for any players new to the ballot this year. Crawford played in 4 all star games, was the All star MVP in 2009 and won both a silver slugger and Gold Glove award in 2010.
Prince Fielder - First Base Years Played 2005-2016
Teams: Milwaukee 2005-2011, Detroit 2012-2013, Texas 2014-2016
Prince Fielder hit .283 and had a slugging percentage of .506 duriing his eleven seasons in the big leagues which puts him in 10th place of all players on the ballot for both categories. Fielder a 6 time all star won the Home Run derby on 2 occasions during the all star festivities. The First baseman currently know as Prince was the 2011 All Star MVP, won the NL Hank Aaron award in 2007 the comeback player award in 2015 and three silver slugger awards.
Ryan Howard - First Base Years Played 2004-2016
Team: Philadelphia
Ryan Howard of the 2008 World Series Champion Philadelphia Phillies hit 382 homers in his 13 year career which ranks 9th for all players on the 2022 ballot. He also has a life time slugging percentage of .515 which is 3rd of all players new on the ballot for the first time this year and 7th when all players are included. Howard was the 2005 NL Rookie of the year and followed that up with the 2006 NL MVP (He also received a TSN MLPOY and Hank Aaron award that year). The 3 time all star also was a home run derby champ, won a silver slugger award, and was the 2009 NLCS MVP.
Tim Lincecum - Pitcher Years Played 2007-2016
Teams San Francisco 2007-2015 LA (Dodgers) 2016
Of the 10 pitchers on this years Hall of Fame ballot Lincecum, of the 2010, 2012 & 2014 World Champion San Francisco Giants ranks 3rd with his 222 career victories. This is the most of any players who are first time on the ballot. The 4 time all star won back to back Cy Young awards in 2008 & 2009..
Justin Morneau - First Base Years Played 2003-2016
Teams: Minnesota 2003-2013 Pittsburgh 2013 Colorado 2014,2015 Chicago (White Sox) 2016
In 2006 Morneau was the AL MVP while fellow first time ballot mate Ryan Howard was the NL recipient of the same award. In 2014 while with the Rockies Morneau won the NL Batting Title hitting .319 that season (interestingly enough he hit for a higher percentage for the Twins in 2006 and 2010 and was not the AL batting title winner either year). The 4 time all star was all a Home Run derby champ as well as a two time winner of the silver slugger award.
Joe Nathan -Pitcher Years Played 1997-2016
Teams: San Francisco 1999-2003&2016 Minnesota 2004-2011 Texas 2012,2013 Detroit 2014,2015 Chicago (Cubs)2016
Joe Nathan's 2.87 lifetime ERA is 3rd best among all pitchers on the ballot and 2nd of all players on the ballot for the first time in 2022.Nathan pitched in 787 games and recorded 377 saves the most of any player on the ballot the first time and 2nd behind Billy Wagner in each category. The 2009 Rolaids Relief pitcher was also a 6 time all star.
David Ortiz - DH First Base Years Played 1997-2016
Teams: Minnesota 1997-2002 Boston 2003-2016
Ortiz of the 2004, 2007 and 2013 World Champion Boston Red Sox played in 2408 games which is 6th of players on the ballot and 2nd behind A-Rod of first year ballot players. His 8,640 AB 1,419 runs, 2,472 hits , 541 homers, 1,768 Runs Batted in, and 1,319 walks. ranked among all on the ballot 8th, 9th 7th 5th 4th and 7th respectfully, and 2nd in each category behind Alex Rodriguez for first timers on the ballot. Orizs lifetime batting average of .286 ranks 9th on the ballot (3rd for newcomers) and his slugging percentage of .552 is the best of all newcomers and 3rd best overall. Ortiz was the ALCS MVP in 2004 and the 2013 WS MVP as well as a 10 time all star for the BoSox, David won 7 silver slugger awards and multiple other awards too numerous to mention here.
Joanathan Papelbon - Pitcher Years Played 2005-2016
Teams: Boston 2005-2011 Philadelphia 2012-2015 Washington 2015,2016
Papelbon a member of the 2007 World Champion Red Sox has a lifetime 2.31 ERA best among all new pitchers on the ballot this year and 2nd among all pitchers. His 689 appearance are 4th among all pitchers on the ballot and 2nd behind Nathan among first timers on the ballot. Papelbon's 368 saves ranks 3rd just 9 behind Joe Nathan, Jonathan Papelbon received the 2007 delivery man of the year which was awarded to the best closer of that year. Papelbon finished 2nd in 2006 AL Rookie of the year voting and was a 6 time all star.
Jake Peavy - Pitcher Years Played 2002-2016
Teams: San Diego 2002-2009 Chicago (White Sox) 2009-2013 Boston 2013,2014 San Francisco 2014-2016
Peavy a member of the 2013 World Champion Red Sox and 2014 Giants won 152 games in his career more than any other first year player on the ballot. Peavy's 436 starts and 2,377 innings pitch both are tops for new players on this years ballot. Peavy ranks 4th in strikeouts among all on the ballot and again tops that list for first timers. Peavy a 3 time all star (twice with the Padres once with the White Sox) was had the lowest ERA in the National League in 2004 and 2007. 2007 was his best season as he was also an all star, The NL Cy Young Winner and winned of the NL triple crown for pitchers given when a player has the highest winning percentage, lowest ERA and most strike outs. Peavy won his only Gold Glove award as a member of the Chicago White Sox.
A.J. Pierzynski - Catcher Years Played 1998-2016
Teams: Minnesota 1998-2003 San Francisco 2004 Chicago (White Sox) 2005-2012 Texas 2013 Boston 2014 Saint Louis 2014 Atlanta 2015,2016
A.J. a member\of the 2005 World Champion Red Sox is a 2 time all star (one with Twins, one with White Sox) and won his onlt silvEr slugger award as a member of the White Sox.
Alex Rodriguez - Shortstop and Third Baseman Years Played 1998-2016
Teams: Seattle 1994-2000 Texas 2001-2003 New York (Yankees) 2004-2013 2015,2016
A-Rod a member of the 2009 World Series Champion New York Yankees as mentioned previously leads all 1st time players on the ballot in most offensive categories. These are games (2,784 - third overall)on the ballot, , At Bats (10,566, 2nd behind Omar Vizquel overall), Runs (2021, 2nd behind Barry Bonds), Hits (3.115, 1st overall) Home Runs (696, 2nd behind Barry Bonds) Runs Batted In (2,086, 1st overall) Walks 1,338, 4th overall) and Batting Average (.295 4th overall) Rodrigues is also in the overall top 10 for Stolen Bases (329 for 6th overall and 3rd among first timers on the ballot and Slugging Percentage (.550 4th overall and behind only David Ortiz for first timers. Rodriguez won 3 AL MVP awards (1 with Rangers, 2 with Yankees) a 2 time sporting News Major League Player of the Years, a 14 time All Star, a ten tme silver slugger award winner with 2 gold gloves as well. A-Rod was the 1996 batting champion while with the Mariners.
Jimmy Rollins - Shortstop Years Played 2003-2016
Teams: Philadelphia 2000-2014 L.A. (Dodgers) 2015 Chicago (White Sox) 2016
Jimmy Rollins a member of the 2008 World Series Champion Philadelphia Phillies played in 2,275 games 3rd most for first timers on the ballot. His 9,294 at bats are 4th among all players ont his years ballot and just behind A-Rod for first timers, Rollins is also in the top 10 in Runs (1,421, 8th overall, 2nd behind A-Rod first timers) , Hits (2,435 10th overall , 3rd 1st time ballot & Stolen Bases (470, 3rd overall 2nd behind Carl Crawford first time on ballot). Rollins was a 3 time All Star, the 2007 NL MVP winner. He also picked up his first of 4 gold gloves that season as well as his only silver slugger. He won the coveted Roberto Clemente award in 2014, his final season with the Phillies.
Mark Teixeira First Baseman Years Played 19984-2016
Teams: Texas 2003-2007 Atlanta 2007,2008 L.A. (Angels) 2008 New York (Yankees) 2009-2016
Mark Teixeira was a member of the 2009 World Series Champion New York Yankees. Teixeira's 434 homers ranks 3rd overall of players on this years ballot and 3rd among those in their first year on the ballot. His 1,298 runs batted in is also 3rd among first timers as are his 998 walks which are good for 10th overall. Mark's lifetime mark of a .509 slugging percentage is 9th best on this years ballot. Teixeira played in 3 all star games, won 5 gold gloves and 3 silver slugger awards.
The 13 players listed above played on 20 of the 30 teams in the MLB. The teams with the most first timers are the Red Sox, Rangers and Giants with 5 players each and the Twins and White Sox with 4 apiece. The 10 teams without any representation of first timers on the ballot are the team formerly known as the Cleveland Indians, the Kansas City Royals, the Cincinnati Reds, the Arizona Diamond Backs, the Oakland A's , the Houston Astros, the New York Mets, The Miami Marlins, The Baltimore Orioles and the Toronto Blue Jays.
I will be back soon with a quick story on the 17 returning players and then again tomorrow for who I would vote for if given a ballot.
