The 2020 National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot was released and on it are 18 newcomers and 32 overall candidates. For a second consecutive year 10 former players with ties to the Los Angeles Dodgers are among those up for enshrinement.
Derek Jeter and Cliff Lee headline those who made their Hall of Fame ballot debut this year. So too did Bobby Abreu, Josh Beckett, Heath Bell, Eric Chávez, Adam Dunn, Chone Figgins, Rafael Furcal, Jason Giambi, Raul Ibañez, Paul Konerko, Carlos Peña, Brad Penny, J.J. Putz, Brian Roberts, Alfonso Soriano and José Valverde.
The 2020 Hall of Fame ballot additionally sees the returns of Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Todd Helton, Andruw Jones, Jeff Kent, Andy Pettitte, Manny Ramirez, Scott Rolen, Curt Schilling, Gary Sheffield, Sammy Sosa, Omar Vizquel, Billy Wagner and Larry Walker.
Ballots are sent to more than 400 Baseball Writers’ Association of America members with at least 10 consecutive years in the organization. A player must appear on at least 75% of ballots to gain election, and they can remain eligible for induction for up to 10 years, provided they receive at least 5% of the vote annually.
Schilling appeared on 60.9% of ballots last year, which was the most of any returnee. The only other candidates who received at least 50% of the vote in 2019 and were not elected are Clemens (59.5%), Bonds (59.1%) and Walker (54.6%).
While they spent time with the Dodgers during their respective careers, Abreu, Beckett, Figgins, Jones, Kent, Konerko and Ramirez each would be immortalized while donning the cap of another club; Furcal and Sheffield may fall into that category as well. It’s not quite as clear in the case of Penny.
Jones, Kent, Ramirez and Sheffield have appeared on the Hall of Fame ballot since 2017. Anyone elected as part of the 2020 class be inducted July 26 along with selections from the Modern Era ballot.
That too includes former Dodgers in Steve Garvey and Tommy John. They’re under consideration along with Dwight Evans, Don Mattingly, Marvin Miller, Thurman Munson, Dale Murphy, Dave Parker, Ted Simmons and Lou Whitaker.
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