ATLANTA — Andruw Jones should wait a minimum of another 12 months. However the Braves’ legend was given cause to imagine he’ll ultimately be elected to the Baseball Corridor of Fame.
Jones acquired additional encouragement Tuesday night time, when he discovered he had acquired votes on 61.6% of the ballots solid by eligible members of the Baseball Writers’ Affiliation of America. Gamers want 75% of the votes to be elected. Current traits point out the previous Braves heart fielder might be elected as early as subsequent 12 months.
Former Braves nearer Billy Wagner’s lengthy wait was prolonged in painful style, as he fell simply 5 votes shy of election this 12 months. Wagner appears destined to be elected subsequent 12 months, his tenth and last 12 months on the poll.
One other former Courageous, Gary Sheffield, acquired 63.9% of the vote in his last 12 months on the poll. His subsequent probability for election would come by way of the Up to date Baseball Period Gamers Committee for the Class of 2026.
Jones has come a great distance since his first 12 months on the poll, when he barely acquired the 5% vote whole wanted to stay eligible. Here’s a have a look at how his vote whole has elevated.
2018: 7.32019: 7.52020: 19.42021: 33.92022: 41.42023: 58.12024: 61.6
Jones is eligible to stay on the poll for 3 extra years.
Scott Rolen skilled an analogous trajectory within the few years main as much as his election final 12 months. He acquired 10.2% in 2018, 17.2% in ‘19, 35.3% in ‘20, 52.9% in ‘21, 63.2% in ‘22 and 76.3% in ’23.
Helton skilled an analogous development earlier than being elected this 12 months. He acquired 16.5% in 2019, 29.2% in ’20, 44.9% in ’21, 52% in ’22, 72.2% in ’23 and 79.7% in ’24.
Jones batted .254, tallied 434 dwelling runs and had an .823 OPS over a 17-season profession that included 5 All-Star appearances and the Nationwide League Hank Aaron Award in 2005, when he completed second to Albert Pujols for the league’s Most Useful Participant Award. The one different outfielders to win as many as 10 Gold Gloves are Ichiro Suzuki and 4 Corridor of Famers — Willie Mays, Roberto Clemente, Al Kaline and Ken Griffey Jr.
Sadly for Jones, he was the writer of an uneven profession that began with a bang and ended with a thud created by the steep decline he skilled late in his profession. He produced MLB’s third-best fWAR from 1998-2007. The 2 males who ranked forward of him in that span had been Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez. The person ranked instantly behind him was Chipper Jones, his longtime Braves teammate who was a first-ballot Corridor of Fame inductee in ’18.
Jones led all Main Leaguers with a 26.7 defensive bWAR throughout his 11 full seasons (1997-2007) with the Braves. Ivan Rodriguez ranked second with 16.5 throughout that span.
It’s been a protracted watch for each Jones and Wagner.
From 1995 (debut seasons for Wagner and Mariano Rivera) via 2010 (Wagner’s last season), Rivera led all relievers in fWAR with 34.9. Wagner ranked second with 24.1, and Trevor Hoffman ranked third with 24.0.
The baseball world has properly minimized the importance of pitching wins. Sustaining this identical line of reasoning in relation to Wagner — who had 422 profession saves, versus 652 for Rivera and 601 for Hoffman — there’s cause to argue voters have positioned too nice of a significance on save totals when evaluating a reliever’s {qualifications}.
Hoffman was elected to the Corridor of Fame in 2018, and Rivera was unanimously elected in ’19. Whereas Hoffman totaled 179 extra saves, Wagner had a greater ERA (2.31 vs. 2.87), the next strikeout fee (33.2% vs. 25.8%) and a decrease OPS surrendered (.558 vs. .609).
