Earlier this week, the BBWAA released their ballot for the Hall of Fame class of 2022.  The results of the vote are due to be revealed on January 25th, with induction taking place July 24th.  After nobody was elected in last year’s voting, the new ballot contains 17 holdovers along with 13 newcomers.  With this being the last go-around for Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, and Sammy Sosa, all of whom are tainted by PEDs, and Curt Schilling, who is an ass, we may see the logjam caused by the current BBWAA rules, which limit the number of votes on one ballot to 10, and the ongoing refusal by some writers to vote for players tainted by PEDs, leaving too many qualified candidates fighting for limited spots, come to an end.

Let’s take a look at the returning candidates today before moving on to the newcomers.

Bobby Abreu
Years on ballot: 2
2021 Percentage: 8.7

A small 3.2% increase for Abreu, but I wouldn’t be making any travel plans to Cooperstown if I were him.

Barry Bonds
Years on ballot: 9
2021 Percentage: 61.8

I just can’t see the all time home run champion getting the increase he will need in his final shot with the baseball writers.

Mark Buehrle
Years on ballot: 1
2021 Percentage: 11.0

The former White Sox hurler picked up a surprisingly healthy amount of support in his first go-around.  I don’t expect he’ll make it, but I feel better about his chances to stay on the ballot than I did last year.

Roger Clemens
Years on ballot: 9
2021 Percentage: 61.6

Roger Clemens, he of the 354 career victories and 7 Cy Young awards, is likely to join Bonds on the outside looking in after his last run through this particular gauntlet.  Especially since, after many years of getting marginally more support than Bonds, they flipped spots last year.

Todd Helton
Years on ballot: 3
2021 Percentage: 44.9

A big 15.7% increase has Helton moving on the right track, as voters remember that it isn’t his fault he played in Colorado.

Tim Hudson
Years on ballot: 1
2021 Percentage: 5.2

The lowest vote getter to return for another shot, I imagine he’ll get a little more support, but not much.

Torii Hunter
Years on ballot: 1
2021 Percentage: 9.5

Things do not look good for the long time Twin and Angel.

Andruw Jones
Years on ballot: 4
2021 Percentage: 33.9

If voters were to stick to his first 11 seasons, Jones looks like a shoe-in for the Hall.  His last 7 seasons, though, were so bad that it makes it hard to consider him.  Despite a 14.5% increase in votes, those final seasons seem to be holding sway.

Jeff Kent
Years on ballot: 8
2021 Percentage: 32.4

With only 2 go-arounds left for the 2000 NL MVP, things do not look promising.

Andy Pettitte
Years on ballot: 3
2021 Percentage: 13.7

The stain of PEDs looks to be keeping Andy Pettitte closer to the Sammy Sosas of the world than the Roger Clemenses of the world.

Manny Ramirez
Years on ballot: 5
2021 Percentage: 28.2

The numerous PED suspensions at the end of Ramirez’s career are certainly holding him back, as his unchanged vote percentage shows.

Scott Rolen
Years on ballot: 4
2021 Percentage: 52.9

A big increase for Rolen, which bodes well for his eventual induction.

Curt Schilling
Years on ballot: 9
2021 Percentage: 71.1

While nobody who has gotten this high of a percentage did not eventually make it, Schilling’s temper tantrum last year, asking to be removed from the ballot when he didn’t make it, makes me hope he is the first.  The man has the self awareness of a gnat and doesn’t realize he is his own worst enemy.

Gary Sheffield
Years on ballot: 7
2021 Percentage: 40.6

A pretty big jump for Sheffield, whose PED use has derailed what would otherwise be considered a sure-fire HOF career, but I fear there is not enough time for him to make it to 75%.

Sammy Sosa
Years on ballot: 9
2021 Percentage: 17.0

Sosa is destined to be left on the outside of Cooperstown looking in as he faces his final election.

Omar Vizquel
Years on ballot: 4
2021 Percentage: 49.1

The only player to see his percentage decrease last year, off the field issues that have surfaced over the past year seem certain to doom any chances he may have once had of making it.

Billy Wagner
Years on ballot: 6
2021 Percentage: 46.4

The former Astro and Phillie closer saw another big increase last year, though he still has a long way to go if he’s going to make it.