Blog story about the Contemporary Era HOF ballot candidates being released, along with analyses of their cases:

https://www.lonestarball.com/general/87510/the-2025-contemporary-era-hall-of-fame-ballot

The players are:

Roger Clemens
Carlos Delgado
Jeff Kent
Don Mattingly
Dale Murphy
Gary Sheffield
Fernando Valenzuela

While I don't feel he's generally a Hall-of-Famer, a Fernando enshrinement would certainly be a statement by MLB on the current "situation". 

Maybe I’m foggy on this, but I don’t recall steroid rumors about Kent. And maybe Sheffield?

If there weren’t, they should be in.

54 minutes ago, Milkman delivers said:

Maybe I’m foggy on this, but I don’t recall steroid rumors about Kent. And maybe Sheffield?

If there weren’t, they should be in.

Sheffield, all kinds of rumors about PEDs and that absolutely terrible relationship with media.  Think Belle bad.

Kent just not a good 2B at all…the Mike Piazza of that position.  Iffy at best.

6 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

Sheffield, all kinds of rumors about PEDs and that absolutely terrible relationship with media.  Think Belle bad.

Kent just not a good 2B at all…the Mike Piazza of that position.  Iffy at best.

The PEDs are a legitimate reason, but if anything, a poor relationship with the media should be a plus 😆

Piazza was 4th-round HOFer. Kent’s offensive numbers merit the induction.

2 hours ago, Milkman delivers said:

The PEDs are a legitimate reason, but if anything, a poor relationship with the media should be a plus 😆

Piazza was 4th-round HOFer. Kent’s offensive numbers merit the induction.

Kent's accumulated bWAR places him firmly in the Hall-of-Really-Good, but that used to be really borderline. I think Robin Ventura has 56 career WAR, and nobody talks about him for the Hall. Kent should have moved over to 1B, but he wanted to set the 2B HR record. And he was a complete prick to the media, so much that the "character" issue detracted from his original candidacy. Oh, and there was him breaking his wrist doing a motorcycle stunt, which was not allowed under his contract, then lying about it to the media. 

If Kent played for the Yankees or Red Sox, probably makes it based on ESPN/East Coast bias.

2 hours ago, WestEddy said:

Kent's accumulated bWAR places him firmly in the Hall-of-Really-Good, but that used to be really borderline. I think Robin Ventura has 56 career WAR, and nobody talks about him for the Hall. Kent should have moved over to 1B, but he wanted to set the 2B HR record. And he was a complete prick to the media, so much that the "character" issue detracted from his original candidacy. Oh, and there was him breaking his wrist doing a motorcycle stunt, which was not allowed under his contract, then lying about it to the media. 

Yep, there are a lot of players better than Kent that are not in the Hall of Fame.  Bobby Grinch and Willie Randolph at 2b are both much better.  And while I know there are no direct links to steroids for Kent, all of his big seasons coming from age 30 on in the middle of the steroids era is suspicious (although I think he basically got easy pitches to hit because everyone was so scared of Bonds).

4 hours ago, whitesoxfan99 said:

Yep, there are a lot of players better than Kent that are not in the Hall of Fame.  Bobby Grinch and Willie Randolph at 2b are both much better.  And while I know there are no direct links to steroids for Kent, all of his big seasons coming from age 30 on in the middle of the steroids era is suspicious (although I think he basically got easy pitches to hit because everyone was so scared of Bonds).

Lou Whitaker, another, more so than Grich, who was quite limited offensively.

Fox and Mazeroski the prototypes here before the steroids era.

JUST IN: the new ballot for the Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2026!

12 first-time candidates join 15 holdovers. A player must receive 75% of votes from the BBWAA for election.

Results will be announced Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. pic.twitter.com/yjFDRQsaA5

— MLB (@MLB) November 17, 2025

Hard to believe some of those guys have been out of baseball for five years.

The 16-member Hall of Fame Board who will vote on this year’s contemporary ballot: Hall of Famers Fergie Jenkins, Jim Kaat, Juan Marichal, Tony Pérez, Ozzie Smith, Alan Trammell and Robin Yount; MLB executives Mark Attanasio, Doug Melvin, Arte Moreno, Kim Ng, Tony Reagins and…

— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 2, 2025

Not a fan of these 16-person committees, but if two get in, I hope it’s Mattingly and one of Dale Murphy or Jeff Kent. 

I wish positive influence on the game and character played a role in the selection. Fame: the state of being known or talked about by many people, especially on account of notable achievements. 

16 hours ago, Texsox said:

I wish positive influence on the game and character played a role in the selection. Fame: the state of being known or talked about by many people, especially on account of notable achievements. 

That's why I think Fernando could be an interesting case, especially in the current climate. 

Jeff Kent, welcome to Cooperstown. 

In my opinion, he was the most deserving. So I have no problem. But I am surprised Mattingly didn’t get in after Dave Parker last year. 

 

Edited December 8, 2025Dec 8 by flavum

On 12/2/2025 at 9:16 PM, flavum said:

Not a fan of these 16-person committees, but if two get in, I hope it’s Mattingly and one of Dale Murphy or Jeff Kent. 

These committees are hot garbage at picking hall of famers.

On 12/7/2025 at 6:41 PM, whitesoxfan99 said:

These committees are hot garbage at picking hall of famers.

I love Harold Baines, and I would certainly take a selfie in front of his plaque on my next trip, but he is not a Hall-of-Famer. 

Also, Ron Santo should have been selected during his living lifetime, as well as Dick Allen. It's like there were guys with a bone to pick. 

43 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

I love Harold Baines, and I would certainly take a selfie in front of his plaque on my next trip, but he is not a Hall-of-Famer. 

Also, Ron Santo should have been selected during his living lifetime, as well as Dick Allen. It's like there were guys with a bone to pick. 

Fuly agreed.  Harold is the Hall of Very Good.  

4 hours ago, WestEddy said:

I love Harold Baines, and I would certainly take a selfie in front of his plaque on my next trip, but he is not a Hall-of-Famer. 

Also, Ron Santo should have been selected during his living lifetime, as well as Dick Allen. It's like there were guys with a bone to pick. 

As a big Hall person, I'm fine with Harold because I think he just straddles the line enough that it lowers the floor a bit. There's enough shitty people in the Hall that I don't mind it get diluted.

It would also allow for guys that counting stats don't necessarily love, like Buehrle or Joey Votto, to have a stronger shot.

15 minutes ago, Quin said:

As a big Hall person, I'm fine with Harold because I think he just straddles the line enough that it lowers the floor a bit. There's enough shitty people in the Hall that I don't mind it get diluted.

It would also allow for guys that counting stats don't necessarily love, like Buehrle or Joey Votto, to have a stronger shot.

Nobody's winning 300 again, and 3000 Ks might be way less frequent. Buehrle is certainly "borderline". 

10 minutes ago, WestEddy said:

Nobody's winning 300 again, and 3000 Ks might be way less frequent. Buehrle is certainly "borderline". 

One of my favorite articles is from Grantland and it boils down to "Mark Buehrle is so elite at defense and keeping batters on their toes that he succeeds."

The Curious Case of Mark Buehrle

On 12/24/2025 at 3:22 PM, WestEddy said:

Nobody's winning 300 again, and 3000 Ks might be way less frequent. Buehrle is certainly "borderline". 

He'll get in on the veterans committee 

That Kent got in and Lou Whitaker has not is a fucking joke and (imo) pretty clear institutional racism, even if the individual voters don't see it that way. 

13 minutes ago, chitownsportsfan said:

That Kent got in and Lou Whitaker has not is a fucking joke and (imo) pretty clear institutional racism, even if the individual voters don't see it that way. 

Whitaker's got 75 career bWAR compared to Kent's 55. Weird that the Tigers' organization isn't screaming for him to get it. 

1 hour ago, chitownsportsfan said:

That Kent got in and Lou Whitaker has not is a fucking joke and (imo) pretty clear institutional racism, even if the individual voters don't see it that way. 

For sure.  Same with Dick Allen tbh.