Chicago Cubs: Three newcomers, one holdover on 2018 Hall of Fame ballot; none deserve induction

On Monday, the Baseball Writers’ Association of America released their selections for the 2018 Hall of Fame Ballot. This includes three former members of the Chicago Cubs.

The BBWAA’s candidates for the 2018 Hall of Fame ballot features three newcomers and one holdover representing former Chicago Cubs players. Of the nineteen newcomers, the three Cubs are: Carlos Zambrano, Kerry Wood and Jamie Moyer. The holdover is Sammy Sosa.

None of them deserve to be inducted.

To be elected, a player must receive 75 percent of the vote. Candidates can only remain on the ballot for 10 years. They are also removed from the ballot if they receive less than 5 percent of the vote.

Chicago Cubs: An old, old man who was once a Cubs rookie

Why is Jamie Moyer on this list?  Seriously, how did this happen? Is this a prank?

Moyer spent the first three years of his career with the Chicago Cubs. He would then go on to pitch for another 22 years, retiring at the ripe old age of 49. And honestly, that’s about the only thing he has going for him, as far as Hall of Fame credentials go.

In 2012, at age 49, Moyer became the oldest pitcher in MLB history to record  a win. That’s a neat part of baseball history, but that’s about all it is. Longevity alone isn’t enough to get a player into the Hall of Fame. At least, it shouldn’t be.

Moyer’s long career was incredibly average. Over the course of 4,074 innings pitched, he went 269-209 with a 4.25 ERA and a 4.47 FIP. He struck out 2,441 batters (5.4 SO/9) and gave up 522 home runs.

Moyer’s 269 career wins tops the Hall of Fame average of 253. But wins mean a lot less than they used to to voters. His ERA is more than an entire run above the Hall of Fame average of 2.98. Moyer had a handful of good years lumped in with even more less-than-mediocre years. He’s no Hall of Famer. He’s in the Hall of Mediocre.

Chicago Cubs: Big Z again in the spotlight

Carlos “Big Z” Zambrano is another pitcher who had a good, solid career, but not one worthy of the Hall of Fame.

He pitched 12 seasons in the MLB, 11 of which were with the Chicago Cubs. The right-handed pitcher went 132-91 with a 3.66 ERA over 1,959 innings pitched. He also recorded 1,637 strikeouts (7.5 SO/9) and pitched 10 complete games.

For a pitcher, Zambrano was quite a good hitter. In fact, the Cubs used him as a pinch-hitter several times. He slashed .238/.248/.388 with 24 home runs. His hitting numbers are impressive, but they don’t factor in his resume as a pitcher.

Zambrano was a fiery player, known for his frequent meltdowns after poor pitching performances. He was involved in physical altercations with teammates on more than one occasion.

He spent the last year of his major league career with the Miami Marlins in 2012. After a brief minor league stint with the Philadelphia Phillies, he officially announced his retirement in 2014.

Zambrano’s career numbers are good, but not good enough to be in the Hall of Fame. If there was such a thing as the Hall of Very Good, he would be a first-ballot inductee.

Chicago Cubs: Man who helped save baseball now an outcast

This one is a bit more complicated for some people. Going purely on the numbers, there’s a real case for Sammy Sosa to be in the Hall of Fame. But his career is clouded with controversy.

Sosa is a holdover candidate, meaning he’s been stuck on the ballot but not inducted for several years. He’s now been on the ballot for six straight years. Last year he received just 8.6 percent of the vote. Remember, a candidate is removed from the ballot if he receives less than 5 percent of the vote. Sosa is getting closer and closer to that being a reality.

Chicago Cubs

With a career slash line of .273/.344/.534 to go along with 609 home runs (9th all-time) and 1,667 RBI, it would be easy to wonder how Sosa hasn’t already been inducted. But the legitimacy of his career is met with harsh skepticism.

Steroid allegations

Sosa played during an era of baseball that was rampant with steroid use, and he’s one of many players alleged to have used them. In 2009, the New York Times released a list of players who supposedly tested positive for performance enhancing drugs. Sosa denies having ever used PEDs.

Sosa found himself in the ‘cheating’ crosshairs more than once. In 2003, he broke his bat in a game, and it appeared to contain pieces of cork. Sosa was immediately ejected from the game. He claims the bat was used strictly for batting practice and mistakenly ended up with his game bats.

Whether or not Sosa’s claims are honest is irrelevant at this point. While many see him as one of baseball’s all-time greats victimized by a steroid witch-hunt, others see him as not just a cheater, but a liar as well. Innocent or not, his legacy is forever tainted.

Next: Offensive consistency a concern for Cubs

Whether or not accused PED users should take up residence in Cooperstown is one of baseball’s most heated arguments. Regardless of where you fall in that debate, the fact is, these players face a major uphill battle for getting into the Hall. With his vote percentage dwindling, this could very well be Sosa’s last year on the ballot.