In the previous three years, six players with Oriole connections have been elected to the Hall of Fame. It’s possible that another with Oriole tied could be elected in 2020.
Curt Schilling, who recorded the first of his 216 major league wins with the Orioles in 1990, is a leading contender for election in the 32-candidate ballot released today by the Hall of Fame.
Voting by 10-year members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America ends on December 31, and Schilling, a controversial candidate because of his outspoken political views, received 60.9 percent of the vote last year, and he’s the top returning candidate. Seventy-five percent is necessary for election.
Longtime Orioles tormentor Derek Jeter is a sure thing for election in his first time on the ballot.
Schilling, who was traded to the Houston Astros along with Steve Finley and Pete Harnisch for Glenn Davis in January 1991 in one of the worst trades in Orioles history, is in his eighth year of eligibility.
Sammy Sosa, who played for the Orioles in 2005, is also on the ballot for his eighth year. Sosa, who like Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens have been tied by PED allegations, received 8.5 percent of the vote a year ago. Bonds (59.1 percent) and Clemens (59.5) are also on the ballot for the eighth time.
Joining Jeter on the ballot is longtime Orioles second baseman Brian Roberts, who retired after the 2014 season.
Roberts, who joined the Orioles’ Hall of Fame in 2018, twice led the American League in doubles and stole a league-best 50 bases in 2007.
His best year came in 2005 when he hit .314 with a .903 OPS. He had 18 home runs and 73 RBIs.
In his 14-year career, Roberts hit .276. He played his first 13 seasons with the Orioles and signed with the New York Yankees as a free agent for the 2014 season but was released on August 9.
During his final four seasons with the Orioles, concussions and hip surgery limited Roberts to 192 games.
Roberts, who lives in Sarasota, Florida, has appeared on MASN telecasts and 105.7 radio broadcasts of Orioles games in recent years.
Two other former Orioles, Nate McLouth and Joe Saunders, played the requisite 10 seasons in the majors but were not added to the Hall of Fame ballot by the screening committee.
Dwight Evans, who played for the Orioles in 1991, could be elected to the Hall by a Modern Baseball era committee at the Winter Meetings in San Diego on December 8.
Former Oriole Harold Baines and Lee Smith were elected last year by the Today’s Baseball era committee. Mike Mussina was elected by the BBWAA in January.
Vladimir Guerrero and Jim Thome were elected by the BBWAA in 2018. Tim Raines was elected in 2017. Guerrero and Thome ended their careers with the Orioles. Raines played briefly with his son, Tim Jr., in 2001.
The results of the BBWAA voting will be announced on January 21.
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I'll continue to pound the table for Rocket Roger, even though there is no way the Hall lets anyone controversial in at the same time as Saint Derek. I wouldn't be surprised if Jeter is the only player inducted this year, so Cooperstown will have plenty of space for 10,000 fawning New York media scribes, not to mention the choir of angels which will no doubt descend from Heaven and sing the "Te Deum" as the anointed one passes into the Halls of Immortality.
Brian Roberts? Bwahaaahahaaaahahahhaaaaahhahhaahaaa. Puh-leeze. I mean I like the guy ... was proud of him being an Oriole ... but the HOF?
Really? Roberts made 2 whole all star games .. finished 18th ONE whole time in MVP voting, never won a gold glove and couldn't put the ball over the fence Camden Yards. How much lower can we set the bar to get on the ballot. And I thought Dave Cash was a joke.
There are 14 new candidates on the Hall of Fame Ballot, and Roberts ranks eighth of the 14 in WAR ahead of some good players, Alfonso Soriano, Paul Konerko and Raul Ibanez, Ken.
I bet Roberts doesn't get a single vote, but what's the harm of having him on the ballot? He passed the screening committee's test while Nate McLouth and Joe Saunders didn't.
I guess you're right Rich, there's no harm in having him on the ballot.
Rich, who was the GM who made that horrendous, abominable, nightmare of a trade in 1991? Was it Roland Hemond?
It was.
I agree that Roberts is not a Hall-of-Famer, but I also think he's worthy of an honorable mention, which is what being on the ballot is also about. Schilling's problem is not that he's outspoken about his political views but that he has the wrong political views, or at least those unpopular with the lockstep liberal establishment. Others, with authorized views, bray a lot louder and are honored for being politically aware and socially conscious.. And being controversial is not the issue: being on the frowned-on side of the controversy is. Nothing specific to you, Rich, but I find "controversial" and "outspoken" brutally abused in the media.
If being on the ballot indeed translates to an honorable mention, then the likes of Brian Roberts has no business being on the ballot. He was a slightly better than average player. Nothing more.
Great see Brian on the ballot but no way a hall of fame caliber player. I was a Brian fan too! I like Curt Schilling, so he rocked the boat a little! He was fun to watch! Of course Jeter will get in, not saying that he probably doesn’t deserve it. Just tired of the same story with the Yankees! I would like to see Pete Rose on the ballot.... LOL!