Braves: What are the odds Andruw Jones eventually gets into the Hall of Fame?

Once again, Andruw Jones failed to get into the Hall of Fame in 2021. However, so did everybody else. For the first time since 2013, no player was voted into the Hall, which in itself is a bit of a joke. If you missed Jake’s article on why baseball’s Hall of Fame has become nothing more than a sham, check it out. He also wrote another great article describing why Andruw Jones should be in the Hall of Fame (I think we are all right there with him). However, what I will discuss today is the odds Jones actually does make it into the Hall based on how his percentage of votes is trending.

2021 was Jones’ fourth year on the ballot. After the first two years, it looked like his chances were bleak. He never eclipsed 7.5% of the vote, and the minimum amount needed to stay on the ballot is 5%. However, things have been looking upwards ever since. Jones received 19.7% of the vote last year, and that number jumped all the way up to 33.9% this time around.

Braves fans are rightfully upset that Jones has not received his fair share of credit for the career that he had. He’s the best defensive center fielder of all-time — a ten-time Gold Glove award winner — and also tallied 434 home runs over his career. During a time where steroids were taking over the game, Jones played the game clean and did so with such grace. It would be a shame if he didn’t end up in the Hall of Fame. Thankfully, he’s on the right track to do so.

Judging by the trajectory of Larry Walker — one of two members elected into the Hall of Fame in 2020 — Jones might be able to sneak his way in by the eighth or ninth year on the ballot (every candidate gets ten chances to reach the 75% threshold). Walker didn’t even have 35% after his eighth year on the ballot but saw a surge of over 40% in his final two years. Jones is far ahead of that pace, and while Walker is a unique scenario, reaching the 75% threshold looks to be a very real possibility for the former Brave, and he may not even have to wait until his final opportunity to do so.

The process of the baseball Hall of Fame has lost nearly all of its lust. Many of these baseball writers need to let go of their egos. However, since it isn’t going to change anytime soon, we just have to sit back and hope they get it right eventually. There is no doubt in my mind Andruw Jones is deserving of the Hall of Fame. He should be in already, but it looks like it will come in due time.