Phillies: Seven alums listed on Hall of Fame ballot
At least one Phillies legend is destined to make the Hall of Fame next summer
Seven former members of the Phillies organization are set to appear on the Hall of Fame ballot this winter. Five of those players are making their first appearance on the ballot, and one is a virtual lock to be a first-ballot inductee.
Jim Thome, Scott Rolen, Billy Wagner, Curt Schilling, Jamie Moyer, Brad Lidge, and Kevin Millwood will be eligible for enshrinement for the Baseball Hall of Fame this offseason.
Roy Halladay’s candidacy has not been moved up one year despite his tragic death earlier this month. The former Phillies ace will be eligible next year along with Roy Oswalt, Lance Berkman, Juan Pierre, Todd Helton, and Mariano Rivera.
Schilling and Wagner are returning candidates after failing to receive votes on 75% of the Baseball Writers Association of America ballots. Wagner collected 10.5% in his second year eligible while Schilling got 45% as he fails to maintain a strong public image in the eyes of some voters.
Candidates must receive at least 5% of the vote to remain eligible each year, so Millwood, Lidge, and potentially Moyer are unlikely to receive consideration after this year.
Moyer’s case will be propped up solely on pitching 25 years over the course of four decades. He made just one All-Star appearance and won 20 games twice as a member of the Mariners. One of the oldest pitchers to win a game in baseball history at the age of 49, Moyer also holds the all-time record for home runs given up in a career with 522.
Thome’s 612 home runs are best for eighth all-time, so his enshrinement is practically cemented this year. As for Rolen a strong case will be presented to the writers to keep him eligible beyond his first couple of years. Eight Gold Gloves, seven All-Star appearances, Rookie of the Year, and a World Series ring are nothing to sneeze at in the case of Rolen.
However, just two seasons in his 17-year career did he hit over .300 and only three times did he hit 30 home runs in a single season. With 316 career home runs, 517 doubles, and 2,077 career hits, Rolen sits on the edge of being very good and great.
Next: Baseball Hall of Fame gearing up for tsunami of Phillies
Other notable first-ballot candidates include Chipper Jones, Jason Isringhausen, Carlos Lee, Johan Santana, Chris Carpenter, Johnny Damon, Omar Vizquel, Andruw Jones, Hideki Matsui, and Kerry Wood.