David “Big Papi” Ortiz was the sole inductee in the Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 2022. In his first year of eligibility the former Boston Red Sox designated hitter received 77.9 percent of the BBWAA votes to ensure enshrinement in Cooperstown.
The final results ✅ pic.twitter.com/IbYje2lO2Y
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 26, 2022
Ortiz was elated when he received the call and surrounded by family, friends, and former teammate Pedro Martinez.
“I want to thank God for giving me the opportunity to be part of this very elite group of players. That’s what pretty much every player dreams of.”
"I want to thank God for giving me the opportunity to be part of this very elite group of players. That's what pretty much every player dreams of." – @davidortiz on being elected to the @baseballhall #HOF2022 | @RedSox pic.twitter.com/7TXLMM84Sy
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 25, 2022
Papi has a career .286 BA, 2,472 hits, 541 homeruns, 1,768 RBIs, .931 OPS (141 OPS+) and 55.3 WAR.
He was a 10-time all star, seven-time silver slugger award winner, three-time World Series champ, ALCS MVP, and World Series MVP.
That’s Hall of Fame worthy production and accomplishments.
As great as this day was for Papi, you can’t help but notice who wasn’t inducted. Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens were denied entry in their 10th and final year of eligibility. Both Bonds (66%) and Clemens (65.2%) failed to reach the 75% minimum votes threshold for entry.
Bonds and Clemens were denied entry, despite having the necessary production and accomplishments, due to their use of performance-enhancing drugs while playing.
Technically Ortiz has never failed a drug test, but in 2009 The New York Times reported that he was among a group of over 100 major league players on a list compiled by federal investigators, that allegedly tested positive for PEDs during Major League Baseball survey testing conducted in spring training of 2003.
Whether Ortiz used PEDs or not is irrelevant. This is about the BBWAA and their hypocrisy.
PED use was rampant in the MLB from the late ’90s on, and the baseball media largely ignored it and decided to focus on the renewed interest in the game and the exploding home run and scoring numbers.
Then the BALCO scandal happens, and all of a sudden media members express faux outrage and want to hold the cheaters to account.
That’s weak.
Bonds posted a congratulations message to Ortiz on Instagram.
“CONGRATULATIONS Big Papi on your induction into the Hall of Fame! Well deserved…I love you my brother.”
Clemens tweeted out a message which in part read:
“I played to make a generational difference in the lives of my family. Then focus on winning championships while giving back to my community and the fans as well. I gave it all I had, the right way, for my family and for the fans who supported me.”
Thank y’all for the great responses! Much appreciated. Not sure if I did the thread right 🤦♂️ so here’s a screenshot pic.twitter.com/oSGIniv1Bm
— Roger Clemens (@rogerclemens) January 25, 2022
There is still a chance Bonds and Clemens can get into the Hall of Fame. They can appear on the veterans’ committee ballot, and since they played the majority of their games after 1987 they’re eligible to be on the Today’s Game candidate list, along with the managers, executives and umpires who are also eligible for this 10-person ballot.
Ortiz issued a full statement on his selection, detailing his beginning in Santo Domingo and the highs with the Red Sox.
“While my path to Boston took 10 years (including stints in the minors), those 14 years in a Red Sox uniform were the best of my life. We broke the curse and then got two more championships before I retired in 2016 — what a sweet and beautiful journey it has been,” Ortiz said.
Statement from David Ortiz: pic.twitter.com/LG1J7UehoJ
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) January 25, 2022
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