This article analyzes the cases for and against voting for the 14 new candidates on the 2025 Hall of Fame ballot. It explores their accomplishments, shortcomings, and how their careers compare to those of already-inducted players.
The 2025 Hall of Fame ballot features 14 new names, most of whom are likely to be one-and-dones. Candidates require 75% support for election and 5% to remain on the ballot. Last year's ballot saw a typical outcome with two elected (Adrian Beltré and Joe Mauer), two returning for another try (Chase Utley and David Wright), and eight one-and-dones.
However, being on the ballot is a rare honor, so let's recognize the exceptional, albeit not necessarily Cooperstown-worthy, careers of these 14 newcomers. This examination will delve into the arguments for and against voting for each candidate, highlighting how the selection process can lead to interesting, albeit sometimes unconvincing, conclusions. Voting results will be announced on January 21st. \Let's start with Curtis Granderson. The case for: His swing was captured in an oil painting, a masterpiece that was a sight to behold for years. Over a seven-year period (2010–16), he slashed .296/.353/.535, won three Gold Gloves, made three All-Star teams, and won two Silver Sluggers. The case against: His career OBP against left-handed pitching was .295. He slugged .608 at Coors Field and .418 on the road. He had an OPS+ of 95 in his 30s and finished with fewer than 1,500 hits. Granderson did have back-to-back 40-home run seasons with the Yankees in 2011 and '12, making the All-Star team both times. \Moving on to King Felix, a pitcher with a dominant first 11 seasons (2005–15). The case for: He led the majors in strikeouts, was second to Halladay in ERA+, third in starts and innings, and finished in the top five in Cy Young voting four times, winning once. Hernández debuted at 19 in 2005 and by age 29 had already thrown 2,262 ⅓ innings. Since the mound was lowered in 1969, only three pitchers threw more innings before turning 30 than King Felix: Bert Blyleven, Vida Blue, and Fernando Valenzuela, all of whom started out a quarter of a century before Hernandez. The case against: The workload caught up to him. He was done as an ace at age 29, never again throwing enough to qualify for the ERA title after throwing at least 190 innings for 10 straight years. You could say he was CC Sabathia without the prolific decline phase and without the frequent playoff teams behind him. The longer Hernández stays on the ballot, the better he looks as starting pitching continues to decline in the game today. But this raises the question: if Hernandez is a Hall of Famer, should we reconsider the cases of many other pitchers who dominated in their 20s but didn't last?
Baseball Hall Of Fame 2025 Ballot Curt Granderson Felix Hernandez Player Statistics
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