The ballot for the 2021 Hall of Fame class was released on Monday morning, and there are a few notable San Francisco Giants featured.
Left-handed pitcher Barry Zito and right-handed pitcher Tim Hudson — who both had their best years on other teams, but played key roles on championship Giants teams — made the ballot, and will have their chance to be elected to the Hall of Fame.
It’s a rather sizable long shot for both players, but just making the ballot — only 11 players were added this year — is a remarkable achievement.
Zito spent seven years with the Giants, and went 63-80 with a 4.62 ERA and 4.61 FIP. He won rings in 2010 and 2012 (though he wasn’t on the 2010 postseason roster), and while his tenure with the Giants wasn’t very good, he had one of the more memorable games in their dynastic run. With the Giants backs against the wall, down 3-1 in the 2012 NLCS to the St. Louis Cardinals, Zito pitched a masterful game, and had an offensive contribution we’ll never forget.
For his career, Zito played in 15 seasons, and had a 165-143 record, with a 4.04 ERA and a 4.39 FIP. He was a three-time All-Star and won the 2002 AL Cy Young award.
Hudson spent the final two years of his career with the Giants, and went 17-22 with a 3.91 ERA and a 3.93 FIP. He was an All-Star in 2014, and started the epic Game 7 of the World Series that year.
He finished his career having played 17 seasons, with a 222-133 record, a 3.49 ERA, a 3.78 FIP, and four trips to the All-Star Game.
Joining Zito and Hudson as a newcomer on the ballot is reliever LaTroy Hawkins, who played for 11 MLB teams, including a stint with the Giants in 2005.
Those three join three other former Giants — Barry Bonds, Jeff Kent, and Omar Vizquel — who are returning to the ballot (Bonds for the ninth time, Kent for the eighth time, and Vizquel for the fourth time).
This is the point where I end the article because my blood is boiling that Bonds is not in the Hall of Fame and I need to go sit outside and take some deep breaths and think about stretchy grey cats before I throw my computer at the wall.
Here’s the full list of Hall of Fame candidates in 2021:
The 2021 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, as announced by @baseballhall. pic.twitter.com/gBquMDv2hK
— Ryan Thibodaux (@NotMrTibbs) November 16, 2020