MLB Analyst on Andruw Jones' case of making it to the Cooperstown - " it's hard to imagine his momentum stopping short of 75%"

The sixth year of Andruw Jones' eligibility for the Hall of Fame ballot will be in 2023. During his prime, Jones had strong power at the plate and excellent center-field defense, which helped him rank among the best at the position. He won 10 Gold Glove Awards for his defense. He has hit 434 home runs in his career, including a league-high 51 in 2005.

He slugged 319 of those home runs between 1998 and 2006. His performances between 2008 and 2012 with the Dodgers, Rangers, White Sox, and Yankees constituted a sharp decline, which explains why his campaign is still in the early stages. During those years, he hit .210, slugged .424 runs, and hit 66 home runs in 435 games.

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"Jones may have to sweat it out until his final appearance(s) on the ballot, but it's hard to imagine his momentum stopping short of 75%" - Jesse Yomtov (USA TODAY)

Jones' scenario is comparable to the recent induction of Class of 2020 member Larry Walker. He rose from a low of 10.2 percent in 2014 to a high of 76.6 percent in his election year after gains of 34.1 percent in 2018 and 54.6 percent in 2019. Andruw Jones is moving towards induction very soon even if it doesn't happen for him in 2023 due to his performance at or above the 50% percentile.

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Would the sixth time be the charm for Andruw Jones?

Trevor Hoffman, Chipper Jones, Jim Thome, Vladimir Guerrero, and Andruw Jones were all elected during his first year of eligibility. Not to mention Walker, Edgar Martinez, and Mike Mussina, who later made it to the team after being recommended by reporters.

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Matt Arrington

@MattArrington36

Looks like Andruw Jones is gonna come up just short of the HOF ☹️ Billy Wagner is so close. #mlb #Braves #Atlanta

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Looks like Andruw Jones is gonna come up just short of the HOF ☹️ Billy Wagner is so close. #mlb #Braves #Atlanta https://t.co/VPoRIelmj8

"Looks like Andruw Jones is gonna come up just short of the HOF Billy Wagner is so close." - MattArrington36

Four additional tickets to Cooperstown were punched by writers for Martinez, Mussina, Roy Halladay, and Mariano Rivera a year later. Jones saw a roughly 12-percent increase in votes in 2020 when there were only two (Walker and Derek Jeter), and Jones continued to rise in 2021 when no one was elected via the BBWAA.

The absence of Bonds and Clemens, along with another guy who has stirred the pot in Curt Schilling, will only help players like Jones. Ramirez and Sheffield are still eligible, and Alex Rodriguez is on the ballot for the second consecutive year. It also helps that this year's ballot doesn't feature any obvious Hall of Famers.

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MLB Daily Dingers

@MLBDailyDingers

9/24/2005: Andruw Jones hit his 51st and final home run of the season. That number led the league and is still the #Braves’ single-season record.

#ForTheA (via MLB) @BatteryPowerSBN @TomahawkTakeFS

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9/24/2005: Andruw Jones hit his 51st and final home run of the season. That number led the league and is still the #Braves’ single-season record.

#ForTheA (via MLB) @BatteryPowerSBN @TomahawkTakeFS https://t.co/c6fs8TAXt6

"9/24/2005: Andruw Jones hit his 51st and final home run of the season. That number led the league and is still the Braves' single-season record." - MLBDailyDingers

Andruw Jones batted .434 with 434 home runs and 1,289 RBI in his 17-year career, with the Braves accounting for 1,117 of them. Jones is one of nine players with the same number of home runs and RBIs who have spent at least 75% of their careers in the outfield. With Jones joining Bonds and Sammy Sosa, there are only three players left outside of Cooperstown.

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