The Ballots: 2023

By
Ryan M. Spaeder
-
0
5707

Any MLB Alumnus who is interested in participating, please reach out to me at rmspaeder@gmail.com or simply direct message me on twitter @theaceofspaeder. I have setup a backdoor page on my website where you can seamlessly cast your ballot, and it allows you the option to do so publicly or anonymously. The goal here is to fix a broken system and ensure that MLB Alumni have a say as to who goes into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

“On the field – we all knew who the Hall of Famers were.”
                                       – Joe Morgan

 

Ballot No. 23 – Anonymous MLB Hall of Famer

  1. Carlos Beltran
  2. Todd Helton
  3. Andruw Jones
  4. Scott Rolen
  5. Gary Sheffield
  6. Billy Wagner

 

Ballot No. 22 – Anonymous Ballplayer on Hall of Fame Ballot

  1. Carlos Beltran
  2. Andruw Jones
  3. Scott Rolen
  4. Gary Sheffield
  5. Billy Wagner

 

Ballot No. 21 – Will Ohman

  1. Todd Helton
  2. Andruw Jones
  3. Andy Pettitte
  4. Manny Ramirez
  5. Alex Rodriguez
  6. Scott Rolen
  7. Gary Sheffield
  8. Omar Vizquel
  9. Billy Wagner

“Shoeless Joe Jackson should be in the Hall of Fame – end the BS.

Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens should be in, too – It’s Hall of Fame, not the Hall of no-PEDs. These two were the best of the best. No amount of substances could have diminished their standing as such. And their “imagined” statistical drop-offs would not have changed their worthiness, perhaps their career longevities, but not worthiness.”

 

Ballot No. 20 – Anonymous Former Texas Rangers Ballplayer

  1. Carlos Beltran
  2. Todd Helton
  3. Andruw Jones
  4. Scott Rolen
  5. Gary Sheffield
  6. Billy Wagner

 

Ballot No. 19 – Chris Gimenez

  1. Carlos Beltran
  2. Todd Helton
  3. Andruw Jones
  4. Jeff Kent
  5. Manny Ramirez
  6. Alex Rodriguez
  7. Francisco Rodriguez
  8. Scott Rolen
  9. Gary Sheffield
  10. Billy Wagner

“I feel like you can def make a case for Jimmy Rollins! Guy was a gamer and one of the best switch hitters of all-time, he was an MVP and won multiple Gold Gloves!

I would also vote for Bonds, Clemens, and Schilling! Can’t tell the story of our game with out those guys whether it’s good or bad!”

 

Ballot No. 18 – Cody Asche

  1. Todd Helton
  2. Andruw Jones
  3. Andy Pettitte
  4. Manny Ramirez
  5. Alex Rodriguez
  6. Francisco Rodriguez
  7. Jimmy Rollins
  8. Gary Sheffield
  9. Huston Street
  10. Billy Wagner

 

Ballot No. 17 – Jason Hirsh

  1. Carlos Beltran
  2. Todd Helton
  3. Andruw Jones
  4. Jeff Kent
  5. Andy Pettitte
  6. Scott Rolen
  7. Gary Sheffield
  8. Billy Wagner

“Man, I feel old now! In prior years of this project, we voted guys I grew up watching, and now we are voting on guys I played with or against. While all of these guys were phenomenal baseball players, the HOF is reserved for the best of the best, elite of the elite, standouts in the history of the game.

I’ve been a critic in the past when writers who are given the option to select ten names, fail to select the full ten. Now I become the hypocrite because I have not completely filled out my ballot. Like I said, these were great ballplayers but are they HOFers? Most had great years, great years back-to-back, great moments, forever memorable plays but in my humble opinion they do not quite rise to the level of greatest ever.

My name will never appear on this ballot. No one will ever debate the merits of my unceremonious career. I respect the hell out of all of them, they accomplished what I could only dream of. It is an honor to even be considered and I hope they can forgive me for not voting for them.”

 

Ballot No. 16 – Mike Cameron

  1. Carlos Beltran
  2. Todd Helton
  3. Andruw Jones
  4. Jeff Kent
  5. Manny Ramirez
  6. Alex Rodriguez
  7. Scott Rolen
  8. Gary Sheffield
  9. Billy Wagner

 

Ballot No. 15 – Anonymous Former Miami Marlins Ballplayer

  1. Bobby Abreu
  2. Todd Helton
  3. Andruw Jones
  4. Jeff Kent
  5. Scott Rolen
  6. Gary Sheffield

 

Ballot No. 14 – Anonymous Former Arizona Dbacks Ballplayer

  1. Bobby Abreu
  2. Carlos Beltran
  3. Todd Helton
  4. Andruw Jones
  5. Scott Rolen
  6. Billy Wagner

“I didn’t look at the numbers – just went from memory.”

 

Ballot No. 13 – Mark Knudson

  1. Todd Helton
  2. Andruw Jones
  3. Jeff Kent
  4. Manny Ramirez
  5. Alex Rodriguez
  6. Scott Rolen
  7. Jimmy Rollins
  8. Gary Sheffield
  9. Billy Wagner

Mark would also like to include a vote for Dale Murphy who is no longer eligible on the BBWAA ballot, but he is eligible on the Contemporary Era Ballot.

“I’m with Jayson Stark. It’s a museum, not a cathedral. Tell the whole story of the game.”

 

Ballot No. 12 – Anonymous Former San Francisco Giants All-Star

  1. Todd Helton
  2. Jeff Kent
  3. Manny Ramirez
  4. Gary Sheffield

“Will Clark should not have been voted off on his first ballot, and he probably should be in the Hall of Fame.”

 

Ballot No. 11 – Rajai Davis

  1. Todd Helton
  2. Torii Hunter
  3. Andruw Jones
  4. Manny Ramirez
  5. Alex Rodriguez
  6. Francisco Rodriguez
  7. Jimmy Rollins
  8. Gary Sheffield
  9. Omar Vizquel
  10. Billy Wagner

 

Ballot No. 10 – Anonymous Former Philadelphia Phillies All-Star

  1. Carlos Beltran
  2. Todd Helton
  3. Scott Rolen
  4. Omar Vizquel
  5. Billy Wagner

Ballplayer would have also voted for Pete Rose if he were on the ballot.

“Hard not to vote for Manny Ramirez, Alex Rodriguez, Gary Sheffield, and Andy Pettitte, but PED use kills it for me. I wish Buehrle would’ve played a few more years, he was elite.”

 

Ballot No. 9 – JJ Putz

  1. Carlos Beltran
  2. Andruw Jones
  3. Francisco Rodriguez
  4. Omar Vizquel
  5. Billy Wagner

 

Ballot No. 8 – Seth McClung

  1. Andruw Jones
  2. Manny Ramirez
  3. Alex Rodriguez
  4. Gary Sheffield

 

Ballot No. 7 – Todd Greene

  1. Mark Buehrle
  2. Todd Helton
  3. Andruw Jones
  4. Jeff Kent
  5. Andy Pettitte
  6. Manny Ramirez
  7. Alex Rodriguez
  8. Scott Rolen
  9. Gary Sheffield
  10. Billy Wagner

 

Ballot No. 6 – Anonymous Former Minnesota Twins Ballplayer

  1. Todd Helton
  2. Andruw Jones
  3. Manny Ramirez
  4. Alex Rodriguez
  5. Gary Sheffield
  6. Billy Wagner

“In my opinion, I vote for the guys on this list who are deserving. Tough choices as there have been guys in the past who are MORE deserving – the Hall of Fame has lost its way!”

 

Ballot No. 5 – Ben Davis

  1. Bobby Abreu
  2. Todd Helton
  3. Andruw Jones
  4. Jeff Kent
  5. Manny Ramirez
  6. Gary Sheffield
  7. Omar Vizquel

“Barry Bonds is the best baseball player ever to live, and it is not even debateable. Roger Clemens won seven Cy Young Awards – put him in!”

 

Ballot No. 4 – Anonymous Former Philadelphia Phillies Ballplayer

  1. Todd Helton
  2. Andruw Jones
  3. Jeff Kent
  4. Scott Rolen
  5. Gary Sheffield
  6. Omar Vizquel
  7. Billy Wagner

 

Ballot No. 3 – Bob File

  1. Todd Helton
  2. Andruw Jones
  3. Andy Pettitte
  4. Manny Ramirez
  5. Alex Rodriguez
  6. Scott Rolen
  7. Gary Sheffield
  8. Omar Vizquel
  9. Billy Wagner

 

Ballot No. 2 – Anonymous Former Cincinnati Reds All-Star

  1. Carlos Beltran
  2. Andruw Jones
  3. Jeff Kent
  4. Manny Ramirez
  5. Alex Rodriguez
  6. Scott Rolen
  7. Gary Sheffield
  8. Omar Vizquel

“The fact that Bonds and Clemens are off the ballot without being elected makes the Hall of Fame illegitimate in my eyes.”

 

Ballot No. 1 – Gregg Zaun

  1. Manny Ramirez
  2. Gary Sheffield

Greg would also vote for the following players who are not currently on the ballot:

  1. Barry Bonds
  2. Roger Clemens
  3. Mark McGwire
  4. Pete Rose
  5. Sammy Sosa

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR