With Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling off the ballot, next year’s Hall of Fame vote figures to be a bit less contentious.
Then again, the top newcomer arrives with his own recent baggage. Forget about steroids for a minute, it’s time to talk about sign stealing.
Carlos Beltrán is eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2023, and although the sweet-swinging outfielder had a distinguished career at the plate and in the field, he was implicated in the Houston Astros’ sign-stealing scandal. It cost him a managing job with the New York Mets.
It’s unclear whether voters will treat Beltrán as harshly as they have Bonds, Clemens and various other stars whose accomplishments have been called into question by allegations of performance-enhancing drug use.