Cooperstown is the ultimate landing spot for baseball players. It&#39;s home to the Baseball Hall of Fame, a collection of the game&#39;s immortals with their achievements and accolades remembered forever.

Seven writers and editors at Newsday are eligible to vote for players to be enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame. A total of 12 players were accounted for in their Class of 2024 ballots. Click on a voter&#39;s name below to see who they selected.

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Baseball

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POSITION: Rightfield 
SEASONS: 18 
TEAMS: Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets 
AVG: .291 
HR: 288 
RBI: 1,363 
RUNS: 1,453 
2B: 574 
HITS: 2,470 
STEALS: 400 
OBP: .395 
SLG: .475 
WAR: 60.2 
YEAR ON BALLOT: Fifth 
LAST YEAR’S VOTING: 15.4% of ballots 
An on-base machine for much of his 18-year career (.395 OBP), Bobby Abreu is another one of those players whose Hall of Fame credentials deserve to be looked at more closely than they generally have been. Like Chase Utley, “underrated” is a big part of his bio. 
-- Erik Boland

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outfielders

Erik Boland

Bobby Abreu

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POSITION: Outfield 
SEASONS: 20 (1998-2017) 
TEAMS: Kansas City Royals, Houston Astros, New York Mets, San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers 
AVG: .279 
HR: 435 
RBI: 1,587 
RUNS: 1,582 
2B: 565 
HITS: 2,725 
STEALS: 312 
OPB: .350 
SLG: .486 
WAR: 70.1 
YEAR ON BALLOT: 2nd 
LAST YEAR’S VOTING: 46.5% of ballots 
If not for Beltran’s role in the Astros’ cheating scandal, one that cost him his Mets’ managerial career before overseeing a single game, the nine-time All-Star likely would cruise into Cooperstown. He’s one of only eight players with 300 homers and 300 stolen bases, and that crowd shrinks to six if you include the 2,500-hit club. Two of those six are Barry Bonds and A-Rod, but the list also has two Hall of Famers in Willie Mays and Andre Dawson, with Beltran’s 70.1 WAR easily edging Dawson’s 64.8 in that comp.&nbsp;(Steve Finley is the sixth.) 
Beltran is&nbsp;the most successful base-stealer in history at 86.4% (min. 200 attempts). He&nbsp;also helped propel five different teams to the playoffs, with an October resume that includes hitting .307 in 65 postseason games, along with 16 homers, 42 RBIs and a 1.021 OPS. One of those was a World Series title for the 2017 Astros, whose cheating didn’t cost them the trophy&nbsp;but derailed Beltran’s future in the sport as the only active player at that time named in the Commissioner’s report. 
Beltran has paid his debt for that, and with an otherwise brilliant 20-year run as a five-tool centerfielder, the Hall of Fame credentials are there. 
-- David Lennon

spHOFBELTRAN

Anthony Rieber

David Lennon

Outfielders

Roger Rubin

Steve Popper

Carlos Beltran

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POSITION:&nbsp;Third base 
SEASONS: 21 (1998-2018) 
TEAMS: Los Angeles&nbsp;Dodgers, Seattle Mariners, Boston Red Sox, Texas Rangers 
AVG: .286 
HR: 477 
RBI: 1,707 
RUNS: 1,524 
2B: 636 
HITS: 3,166 
OPB: .339 
SLG: .480 
WAR: 93.5 
YEAR ON BALLOT: 1st 
Adrian Beltre is a first-ballot Hall of Famer who figures to&nbsp;receive more than 90% of the votes, based on the first 100-plus ballots released.&nbsp;He stands among the game’s best third baseman, finishing with a career WAR of 93.5 over 21 seasons (well above 2023 inductee Scott Rolen's 70.1). 
Beltre is one of 12 players to top 3,000 hits and 400 home runs. Seven are in the Hall of Fame. Two aren't (because of PED usage) and three are not yet eligible.&nbsp; 
Beltre is the first player born in the Dominican Republic to reach 3,000 hits, finishing with 3,166. He led the majors with 48&nbsp;homers in 2004, which was his best season at the plate, slashing .334/.388/.629 with 200 hits and 121 RBI for the Dodgers. It was the only season he topped 40 homers, 200 hits and had an OPS over 1.000 (1.017). 
Beltre was an elite defender and won five Gold Gloves, but he is a little light in the hardware department. He made four All-Star Game appearances. He never won an MVP award but finished in the top 10 in voting six times. 
He reached the playoffs five times in 21 years with a career slash line of .261/.297/.450 in 28 games.&nbsp;But he only played in the 2011 World Series as the Rangers lost to St. Louis in seven games.&nbsp; 
-- Hank Winnicki

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Brian Heyman

Hank Winnicki

Infielders

First-timers

Adrian Beltre

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POSITION: First base 
SEASONS:&nbsp;17 (1997-2013) 
TEAM: Colorado Rockies 
AVG: .316 
HR: 369 
RBI: 1,406 
RUNS: 1,401 
2B: 592 
HITS: 2,519 
OPB: .414 
SLG: .539 
WAR: 61.8 
YEAR ON BALLOT: 6th 
LAST YEAR'S VOTING: 72.2% of ballots 
To me, it was simple: his two-way excellence. 
The former five-time All-Star first baseman for the Colorado Rockies delivered 12 seasons with averages in the .300s, including 10 straight. His 17-year slash line was .316/.414/.539. His career OPS came in at .953. He had 2,519 hits, 592 doubles, 369 homers, 1,406 RBIs and 1,401 runs. 
Helton’s 2000 season? Try a .372/.463/.698 slash line, 1.161 OPS, 216 hits, 59 doubles, 42 homers and 147 RBIs. 
The lefty hitter’s career doubles total ranks 20th on the all-time list. His OPS ranks 23rd. His on-base percentage ranks 29th. 
Yes, his stats in the mile-high air at Coors Field weren’t light. His average was .345 and his OPS was 1.048. But his road work — .287 average, .855 OPS — still showed that he was an outstanding hitter no matter the venue. His overall OPS+ — which is adjusted to consider ballpark factors — sat at 133. By comparison, 2022 inductee Fred McGriff finished at 134. 
Helton also led NL first baseman in fielding percentage and double plays six times and earned three Gold Gloves.&nbsp; 
-- Brian Heyman

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Todd Helton

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POSITION: Centerfield 
SEASONS: 17 (1996-2012) 
TEAMS: Atlanta, Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees 
AVG: .254 
HR: 434 
RBI: 1,289 
RUNS: 1,204 
2B: 383 
HITS: 1,933 
STEALS: 152 
OPB: .337 
SLG: .486 
WAR: 62.7 
YEAR ON BALLOT: 7th 
LAST YEAR'S VOTING: 58.1% of ballots 
The two keys to Jones’ Hall of Fame candidacy involve his almost uncanny defensive ability and a comet-like surge at the plate, a Cooperstown-worthy tandem that helped fuel Atlanta’s dominance (11 consecutive division titles from 1995 through 2005). Jones’ 10 straight Gold Gloves are more than any other centerfielder not named Willie Mays, and just about every defensive metric you can conjure up -- no matter how arcane -- has Jones right below Mays on the all-time list at that position. 
Combine that supernatural glovework with a nine-year stretch when Jones averaged 35 home runs and 104 RBIs, and you can see why his 6.1 WAR over that span was third only to Alex Rodriguez (7.8) and Barry Bonds (7.5). He peaked in 2005, with 52 homers, 128 RBIs and a .922 .OPS to earn a second place MVP finish, losing a tight race to Albert Pujols. Shortly afterward, Jones’ career went into steep decline, and he didn’t play another game in the majors after his age 35 season with the Yankees. Still, his dazzling brilliance before age 30 should be worthy of Cooperstown. 
-- David Lennon

spHOFJONES

Andruw Jones

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POSITIONS: Catcher, first base 
SEASONS: 15 (2004-18) 
TEAM: Minnesota Twins 
AVG: .306 
HR: 143 
RBI: 923 
RUNS: 1,018 
2B: 428 
HITS: 2,123 
STEALS: 52 
OBP: .388 
SLG: .439 
WAR: 55.2 
YEAR ON BALLOT: First 
Hall of Fame candidacies get evaluated from several angles, and Mauer looks good from all of them. Whether it's career numbers, personal hardware or league-wide profile, Mauer has the credentials. 
Mauer is the only catcher to win three batting titles, and he finished with a .306 career&nbsp;batting average. He was the 2009 AL MVP&nbsp;and finished in the top eight in voting three other times. He has a more-than-impressive lifetime OPS of .827 and won five Silver Sluggers. Mauer won&nbsp;three Gold Gloves and twice led the AL in percentage of base stealers thrown out. 
More than the awards and the numbers, Mauer was a player that opponents feared and game-planned for and that fans wanted to see. A six-time All-Star as a catcher before concussions forced his move to first base, he was long considered one of baseball’s best at perhaps its most important position. 
-- Roger Rubin

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Catchers

Joe Mauer

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POSITION: Starting pitcher 
SEASONS: 18 
TEAMS: New York Yankees, Houston Astros 
W-L: 256-153 (.626) 
ERA: 3.85 
GAMES/STARTS: 531 / 521 
COMPLETE GAMES: 26 
SHUTOUTS: 4 
IP: 3,316 
WHIP: 1.142 
K: 2,448 
K/BB: 2.37 
YEAR ON BALLOT: 6th 
LAST YEAR'S VOTING: 17% of ballots 
Andy Pettitte won 256 regular-season games and was a key starter on five World Series champions. In the postseason, he made 44 starts and went 19-11. That’s a .633 winning percentage in the biggest games under the brightest lights against the toughest competition.&nbsp; 
Plus, those 19 postseason wins remain&nbsp;the most in MLB history.&nbsp;That pushes him over the top and into Cooperstown, in my opinion. I don’t hold his admitted HGH use against him. Other voters likely do, and that’s their choice. 
-- Anthony Rieber

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Pitchers

Andy Pettitte

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POSITION: Outfield 
SEASONS: 19 (1993-2011) 
TEAMS: Cleveland, Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, Chicago White Sox, Tampa Bay Rays 
AVG: .312 
HR: 555 
RBI: 1,831 
RUNS: 1,544 
2B: 547 
HITS: 2,574 
OPB: .411 
SLG: .585 
WAR: 69.3&nbsp; 
YEAR ON BALLOT: 8th 
LAST YEAR’S VOTING: 33.2% of ballots 
What gets lost in the debate about whether Manny Ramirez should be in the Hall of Fame is just how great a hitter he was. A .312 batting average, 555 home runs, .996 OPS&nbsp;and&nbsp;154 OPS+&nbsp;(100 is league average). 
Baseball Reference lists the hitters he was most similar to: Frank Thomas, Jimmie Foxx, David Ortiz, Ken Griffey Jr. and Ted Williams are the top five. Ramirez’s 29 postseason home runs are the most ever. He was twice suspended for PED use, and if that is enough to keep him off your ballot, I can’t argue against that. But I have never held back a vote because someone was accused of or admitted to using PEDs. Steroids were part of the game back then, and who knows how many players were using (my guess: a lot). 
-- Anthony Rieber

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Manny Ramirez

51557202

POSITIONS:&nbsp;Shortstop, Third base 
SEASONS: 22 (1994-2016) 
TEAMS: Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers, New York Yankees 
AVG: .295 
HR: 696 
RBI: 2,086 
RUNS: 2,021 
2B: 548 
HITS: 3,115 
STEALS: 329 
OPB: .380 
SLG: .550 
WAR: 117.5 
YEAR ON BALLOT: 3rd 
LAST YEAR'S VOTING: 35.7% of ballots 
This is not a new debate, and your opinion is probably set in stone: should steroid users be admitted into the Hall of Fame? If your opinion is no – as it is with most of the voting members of the BBWAA – then that is your right. 
My opinion is that Alex Rodriguez is one of the greatest players ever to play the game and has the numbers to back it up. 
I have voted for him every year he has been on the ballot. I’m also of the opinion that he will never&nbsp;get into the Hall, not by the writers or in the future by some committee. He and Barry Bonds and others never will live down their association with steroids. That’s fair. It’s just not how I see it. 
-- Anthony Rieber

spHOFRODRIGUEZ

infielders

Alex Rodriguez

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POSITIONS: Outfield, Third base, Shortstop, First base 
SEASONS: 22 (1988-2009) 
TEAMS: Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres, Florida Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta, New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers, New York Mets 
AVG: .292 
HR: 509 
RBI: 1,676 
RUNS: 1,636 
2B: 467 
HITS: 2,689 
STEALS: 253 
OPB: .393 
SLG: .514 
WAR: 60.5 
YEAR ON BALLOT: 10th 
LAST YEAR’S VOTING: 55% of ballots 
From a numbers perspective, Sheffield should be a shoo-in for Cooperstown. Universally known as one of the game’s most dangerous hitters, Sheffield’s 509 home runs rank 27th on the all-time list, with 18 of those players already in the Hall of Fame (six on the outside are tainted by steroids, two others aren’t eligible yet). His career 140 OPS+&nbsp;is tied for 49th with Miguel Cabrera (a HOF lock) and Alex Rodriguez (a PED casualty). Sheffield also is a nine-time All-Star, has a trio of top 3 MVP finishes and a World Series ring. 
Sheffield’s biggest roadblock to this point? The PED hardliners that point to his connection to BALCO -- the steroid lab that supplied Barry Bonds -- and Sheffield’s admitted usage of the “cream,” though he claimed to not know it was a PED substance. Since Sheffield was never disciplined or suspended by MLB for that involvement, and Cooperstown sees fit to have him on the ballot, his resume meets the criteria for induction. 
-- David Lennon

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Gary Sheffield

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POSITION: Second base 
SEASONS: 16 (2003-18) 
TEAMS: Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers 
AVG: .275 
HR: 259 
RBI: 1,025 
RUNS: 1,103 
2B: 411 
HITS: 1,885 
STEALS: 154 
OPB: .358 
SLG: .465 
WAR: 64.5 
YEAR ON BALLOT: 1st 
Severely underrated during the majority of his lengthy career, Chase Utley is very unlikely to gain induction to the Hall in his first year on the ballot. But expect his chances to gradually increase in future years as Utley’s overall abilities, especially in the field and on the bases, during his 16 seasons get more and more of an in-depth examination by voters.&nbsp; 
-- Erik Boland

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Chase Utley

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POSITION: Closer 
SEASONS: 16 (1995-2010) 
TEAMS: Houston Astros, Philadelphia Phillies,&nbsp;New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, Atlanta 
W-L: 47-40 (.540) 
ERA: 2.31 
SAVES / OPPORTUNTIES: 422 / 491 (86%) 
GAMES / FINISHED: 853 / 703 
IP: 903 
WHIP: 0.998 
K: 1,196 
K/BB: 3.99 
YEAR ON BALLOT: 9th&nbsp; 
LAST YEAR'S VOTING: 68.1% of ballots 
One could argue that Wagner was well on his way to Cooperstown enshrinement before the lefty fireballer did the most damaging thing he could possibly do to sabotage that track to immortality: retire at the top of his game. 
Yes, Wagner already had proven himself second only to Mariano Rivera on the list of most dominant relief pitchers for 16 years, but walked away at age 38 after posting a career-best 1.43 ERA over 71 appearances for Atlanta with a 13.5 K/9 rate. That abruptly cut him short at 903 innings -- a bit light for a Hall of Fame reliever, through he burned supernova-bright during that span. No one in history above that 900 mark whiffed hitters at a higher rate, be it 11.92 K/9 or 33.2% of all batters faced, and he’s first in that group with a .187 opponents batting average -- 17 points better than the runner-up, Nolan Ryan. His 0.998 WHIP ranks third all-time. Wagner is sixth on the saves list with 422. 
-- David Lennon

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Billy Wagner

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Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2024 ballots: How Newsday's writers voted

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