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Auggie

(32,806 posts)
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 10:09 AM Dec 8

Jeff Kent? In the Hall of Fame? Absurd ...

Kent was elected to baseball Hall of Fame by era committee. A fine player, but not HOF material.

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Jeff Kent, who holds the record for home runs by a second baseman, was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday.

Kent, 57, was named on 14 of 16 ballots by the contemporary baseball era committee, two more than he needed for induction.

Just as noteworthy as Kent's selection were the names of those who didn't earn enough support, which included all-time home run leader Barry Bonds, 354-game winner Roger Clemens, two MVPs from the 1980s, Don Mattingly and Dale Murphy, and Gary Sheffield, who slugged 509 career homers.

Bonds, Clemens, Sheffield and Dodgers great Fernando Valenzuela were named on fewer than five ballots. According to a new protocol introduced by the Hall of Fame that went into effect with this ballot, players drawing five or fewer votes won't be eligible the next time their era is considered. They can be nominated again in a subsequent cycle, but if they fall short of five votes again, they will not be eligible for future consideration.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/47242582/jeff-kent-elected-baseball-hall-fame-contemporary-era-committee-no-barry-bonds-roger-clemens
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Jeff Kent? In the Hall of Fame? Absurd ... (Original Post) Auggie Dec 8 OP
Better than Scott Rolen. Henry203 Dec 8 #1
On the one hand, True Dough Dec 8 #2
My hand was wondering the same thing ... Auggie Dec 9 #3
Good point True Dough Dec 9 #4

True Dough

(25,562 posts)
2. On the one hand,
Mon Dec 8, 2025, 09:18 PM
Dec 8

he's the second baseman with the most HRs in a career.

On the other hand, Don Mattingly still isn't in the HoF. I'd vote for Donny Baseball over Jeff Kent.

On yet the other hand (ain't mine), it must make Barry Bonds absolutely rage with jealousy that Kent is going to be enshrined and Bonds is not and may never be, despite having the far superior stats. That's rather satisfying to think about.

Auggie

(32,806 posts)
3. My hand was wondering the same thing ...
Tue Dec 9, 2025, 04:11 AM
Dec 9


To add insult to injury, batting after Bonds in the lineup meant Kent saw better pitches ... which helped him hit all those home runs.
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