There has been no shortage of takes in recent days about how Atlanta Braves great Andruw Jones was snubbed by the Hall of Fame voters yet again. Apparently being arguably the best defensive centerfielder of all-time in addition to having 434 career homers and a career 111 wRC+ isn't enough for some voters.
Andruw wasn't the only former Brave on the ballot, however, Billy Wagner played his final season in Atlanta and came up just short in his second to last year on the ballot. Gary Sheffield was in his final year of eligibility and finished 1.2% below the induction threshold, so his fate is up to the committees now.
Takes have come in from far and wide as to why X player got in and Y player did not. For example, former Braves star and 1995 World Series hero David Justice decided to weigh in just yesterday. Not only did he question Joe Mauer's case for induction, but he also argued passionately for a former Brave's inclusion.
It wasn't Andruw Jones.
I agree and I'll add one more! GARY SHEFFIELD!! I didn't know that you can get in the HOF with only 143 HR'S and less than 1,000 RBI'S in 15 SEASONS..SHEFFIELD 2,689HITS..509 HR'S 1,676 RBI'S...Make it make sense! https://t.co/2TFwyi4kvQ
— david justice (@23davidjustice) January 24, 2024
David Justice cannot believe Joe Mauer got into Cooperstown over Gary Sheffield
While it is a little surprising that Justice didn't highlight Andruw's bona fides, he does kind of have a point regarding Mauer and Sheffield. Based strictly on production, Sheffield was the superior player with significant edges in career length, career WAR, homers, OPS...the list is extensive. While Mauer was a fine player and it certainly doesn't diminish the Hall by including him, who the voters are picking and why doesn't have a ton of logical consistency to it.
Sheffield's Hall of Fame case is a bit more complicated than that, however. For starters, Sheffield had a bit of a prickly personality when he was playing which probably didn't endear him to some of the media members that make up the Hall of Fame voting bloc. The bigger issue is that Sheffield also has some PED connections from the early 2000's that voters are clearly holding against him as, by the numbers, he should probably be in. In Mauer's case, he had no such questions and the bar for catchers is decidedly lower than outfielders given the demands on the position.
It is up to the Today's Game committee now to determine if Sheffield should get into Cooperstown eventually. There are a lot of guys that will be in consideration, though, and some of the committee will be concerned about all the accused PED users that also got 60% or more support on the regular ballot that will be under consideration. Count Justice as among those that think that the committee should put Sheff in.