Carlos Beltrán, Andruw Jones, and Jeff Kent are set to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum on Sunday in Cooperstown, New York. Their journeys to the Hall of Fame involved navigating multiple elections, with Beltrán enduring four, Jones nine, and Kent 11.
Kent, a former second baseman, noted the significance of the moment, stating, “This is just an unbelievable moment.” He is the first second baseman to enter the Hall since Craig Biggio in 2015, highlighting the limited representation of the position in the Hall.
Beltrán’s path to induction
Beltrán played for seven different teams over 20 seasons, including stints with the Mets, Royals, Yankees, and Cardinals. He also played for Texas and San Francisco, and had two periods with the Houston Astros. He is one of only two switch-hitting Hall of Fame center fielders from the live-ball era, the other being Mickey Mantle.
Beltrán’s induction was influenced by his role in the 2017 Astros’ sign-stealing scandal. This issue reportedly contributed to him not being elected in his initial ballot appearances. However, by his fourth year on the ballot, voters from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America decided his previous 19 years of performance warranted his induction.
His career statistics demonstrate his all-around impact, including Plus-262 Batting Runs above average, Plus-40 Fielding Runs above average, and Plus-55 Baserunning Runs above average, according to Baseball Reference. He is among a select group of retired outfielders with similar metrics, including Willie Mays, Rickey Henderson, Joe DiMaggio, Henry Aaron, and Larry Walker.
Beltrán’s Wins Above Replacement (WAR) total of 70.0 places him among seven retired center fielders to cross this threshold. He also stole 312 bases in his career, with a success rate of 86.4 percent. Additionally, he is one of only two players with at least 40 postseason games to achieve a batting average over .300, an on-base percentage over .400, and a slugging percentage over .600 in October, alongside Babe Ruth.
Beltrán is also one of only five members of the 300-steal/400-homer club. He is also one of two outfielders to win a Rookie of the Year award at age 22 or younger and play in an All-Star Game at age 39 or older, with Willie Mays being the other.
His election marks him as only the second player in the last four decades to be elected in the fourth round of voting, following Mike Piazza in 2016. In 2023, his first year on the ballot, Beltrán received 181 votes, tying with Jeff Kent.
Jones’s defensive prowess and power
Andruw Jones is recognized for his exceptional defensive skills and offensive power. He made his major league debut at age 19 and hit two home runs in the World Series as a teenager in 1996. His 10 seasons from 1998 through 2007, spanning ages 21-30, were particularly notable, during which he averaged more than 34 home runs per year and earned 10 Gold Gloves consecutively.
Only three center fielders, including Mays and Ken Griffey Jr., have achieved a similar 10-season performance. Jones finished his career with 434 home runs and 10 Gold Glove awards. He is part of an exclusive group of outfielders with that many Gold Gloves and home runs, alongside Mays and Griffey Jr.
Jones also had seven seasons with a Gold Glove and 30 or more home runs, a feat matched by Barry Bonds and surpassed only by Willie Mays, who had eight such seasons.
Red Sox connections in Cooperstown
While no Boston Red Sox legend is being inducted this year, several players with connections to the team are expected to attend the induction ceremony. These include Jim Rice and Wade Boggs, who have Red Sox hats on their Hall of Fame plaques.
Other attendees with past Red Sox ties include Dennis Eckersley, whose plaque features an A’s hat, and Andre Dawson and Adrián Beltré, who played for the Red Sox during their careers. Jeff Bagwell, a former Red Sox draft pick, is also expected to be present, though he achieved his Hall of Fame career with the Houston Astros. The induction ceremony is scheduled for Sunday.
Source: nytimes.com