Every January, National Baseball Hall of Fame results spark criticism against voters, who complete the process in secrecy and don’t need to reveal their votes. (However, a lot of media members will disclose their ballots.)
That blowback gets louder when it seems like these Baseball Writers’ Association of America members make a stand or want attention — such as in the case with Ichiro Suzuki’s voting, which had him on 393 of 394 ballots, wrecking his chances of being a unanimous selection by one vote. So, the question remains: Why did this person leave him off their ballot? Baseball may never know, and that’s the problem for many people.
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“A lot of players have been unbelievable that are in the Hall of Fame and haven’t gotten 100% of the vote. I never expected it, and I would never sit here and say everyone should’ve voted for me or everyone should have voted for Ichiro,” Jeter told Fox News Digital in an interview published Friday.
“The only thing I do think is fair is that I think a lot of members of the media want athletes to be responsible and accountable; I think they should do the same thing. I get asked this question, I get tired of being asked this question, and I think they should answer it.”
Ryan Thibodaux’s Hall of Fame tracker showed that 217 of 394 (57.1%) of ballots were made public.
Countless people have called out the voter, including NJ Advance Media’s Bob Klapisch, who called the voter the “Clown of the Year.” Former Yankees closer Mariano Rivera remains the only unanimous player inducted into the Hall of Fame. Does that seem right?
Suzuki was a 10-time All-Star and 10-time Gold Glover winner and one of the best pure hitters the game has ever seen. He finished his 19-year career with 3,089 hits and a career .311 average. The former right fielder twice won batting titles — in his MVP and rookie of the year season in 2001 (.350) and in 2003 (.372).
“I was able to receive many votes from the writers, and grateful for them,” Suzuki said through an interpreter on Thursday. “There’s one writer that I wasn’t able to get a vote from. I would like to invite him over to my house and we’ll have a drink together, and we’ll have a good chat. Very grateful to be here, and thank you.”
Suzuki was joined in the 2025 Hall of Fame class by former Yankees pitcher CC Sabathia and ex-closer Billy Wagner, who spent three-plus seasons with the New York Mets.
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