Sunday Notes: A Hall of Fame Ballot (With Noteworthy Changes) Explained

Plus Craig Breslow on 6-man rotations, Dan Wilson on stabilized platoons, Nick Yorke on his first dinger. a Pujols-Big Hurt poll, facts and stats galore, and more.
Mr. Luella Gottlieb · 10 days ago · 2 minutes read


Baseball Hall of Fame Ballots and Beyond

Hall of Fame Ballot Explanations

As a Hall of Fame voter, I feel a strong sense of responsibility to explain my ballot choices, a valuable practice for all voters. This year, my ballot differs from previous ones following an analysis of how players' PED suspensions post-implementation impacted their eligibility.

"Big-Hall" voter that I am, it was a difficult decision to drop Manny Ramirez and Alex Rodriguez despite their impressive statistics. However, I ultimately chose to include other deserving candidates, including Félix Hernández and Dustin Pedroia.

2025 Hall of Fame Ballot

My 2025 Hall of Fame ballot includes:

  • Bobby Abreu
  • Carlos Beltrán
  • Félix Hernández
  • Andruw Jones
  • Dustin Pedroia
  • Andy Pettitte
  • CC Sabathia
  • Ichiro Suzuki
  • Chase Utley
  • Billy Wagner

Injury Impact on Dustin Pedroia

In explaining my choice for Pedroia, I refer back to my previous column highlighting his exceptional pre-injury performance. Before his career-altering setback, he had amassed 45 WAR, multiple All-Star appearances, and both Rookie of the Year and MVP honors.

Six-Man Rotations: A Philosophical Perspective

Regarding the potential use of a six-man rotation by the Boston Red Sox, I sought the perspective of chief baseball officer Craig Breslow. He emphasized the importance of player health and the need for capable multi-inning relievers for such an approach to succeed.

Article Insights

Explore a myriad of baseball-related topics within the article, including:

  • Random hitter-pitcher matchups
  • Platooning strategies
  • Obscure former players (Dave Brain)

Statistical Trivia

Test your baseball knowledge with these intriguing facts and stats:

  • Jimmy Rollins holds the record for most hits in Phillies history with 2,306.
  • Albert Pujols and Frank Thomas had similar batting stats, but Thomas was arguably the better hitter based on wRC+ and wOBA.
  • Dustin Pedroia had a remarkable slash line against the Minnesota Twins but struggled against the Seattle Mariners.