Jeter, Walker headline 2020 Cooperstown ballot
November 19, 2019
By Kevin Glew
Canadian Baseball Network
The National Baseball Hall of Fame unveiled the 2020 Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA) ballot on Monday.
Former New York Yankees superstar Derek Jeter headlines a list of 18 newcomers to the ballot, while Larry Walker (Maple Ridge, B.C.) will return to the ballot for his 10th and final time. The Canadian slugger’s name was checked on 54.6% of writers’ ballots last year. He requires 75% to be elected.
The other new names on the ballot this year are Josh Beckett, Heath Bell, Eric Chávez, Adam Dunn, Chone Figgins, Rafael Furcal, Raúl Ibañez, Paul Konerko, Carlos Peña, Brad Penny, J.J. Putz, Brian Roberts, Alfonso Soriano and José Valverde.
Among those returning to the ballot are former Blue Jays Roger Clemens, Omar Vizquel, Jeff Kent, and Scott Rolen.
Candidates must receive votes on 75 percent of the ballots to earn election.
The BBWAA will announce the results of the balloting on January 21. Those elected will be inducted on July 26 at the Clark Sports Center in Cooperstown during Hall of Fame weekend.
A Hall of Fame news release noted that the BBWAA has elected at least two candidates in six straight years and a total of 20 candidates during that period.
The following is a list of the 14 candidates returning to the ballot and their voting percentages from last year. For more information on all of the 2020 candidates, you can read about them on the Hall’s website here.
Curt Schilling
-60.9%
-8th year
Roger Clemens
-59.5%
-8th year
Barry Bonds
-59.1%
-8th year
Larry Walker
-54.6%
-10th year
Omar Vizquel
-42.8%
-3rd year
Manny Ramírez
-22.8%
-4th year
Jeff Kent
-18.1%
-7th year
Scott Rolen
-17.2%
-3rd year
Billy Wagner
-16.7%
-5th year
Todd Helton
-16.5%
-2nd year
Gary Sheffield
-13.6%
-6th year
Andy Pettitte
-9.9%
-2nd year
Sammy Sosa
-8.5%
-8th year
Andruw Jones
-7.5%
-3rd year