David Ortiz elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame

Big Papi is headed to Cooperstown

David Ortiz was the lone player elected to the Hall of Fame by the BBWAA in results announced on Tuesday. Ortiz spent 20 years in the big leagues with the Twins and Red Sox as one of the most feared sluggers in baseball, hitting .286/.380/.552 with 541 home runs and 2,472 hits, good for 55.3 rWAR. Ortiz was a ten-time All-Star and a seven-time Silver Slugger Award winner, He was a three-time champion, known as a clutch hitter with the best Win Probability Added in post-season history, and was the 2013 World Series MVP. Ortiz, who was eligible for the first time in his career, is the fourth Dominican-born player to be enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

This was the last year on the ballot for controversial candidates Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa, and Curt Schilling. They could be selected for the Hall of Fame later this year by the Today’s Game Era committee. Also falling short was first-year candidate Alex Rodriguez, who hit 696 home runs and was a three-time MVP, but was also suspended one year for banned substances. Players must be on 75 percent of ballots to be selected for the Hall of Fame.

The Golden Days Era Committee selected Gil Hodges, Jim Kaat, Minnie Minoso, and Tony Oliva for induction into the Hall of Fame, while the Early Baseball Era Committee selected Bud Fowler and former Kansas City Monarchs first baseman and Negro League advocate Buck O’Neil.

Here’s how Royals Review readers voted.