Cooperstown shifts: nine-vote Hall of Fame ballot signals a new era
On his 2026 Hall of Fame ballot, the author explains nine votes (returnees Carlos Beltrán, Andruw Jones, Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, David Wright, Dustin Pedroia, Andy Pettitte; newcomers Félix Hernández, Torii Hunter) and why he passed on Hamels, Abreu, Buehrle, and Francisco Rodríguez. He argues voting is shifting from counting numbers to star power and peak greatness that changed teams, citing Jones, Utley, Pedroia, Rollins and Wright as examples. He defends Beltrán despite sign-stealing controversy, praises Pettitte’s durability and postseason impact, and uses Hunter vs. Jones and Hernández vs. Hunter comparisons to illustrate evolving criteria. He also notes Posey on deck and the ongoing redefinition of a Hall of Famer.
