David Ortiz, Ryan Howard, Tim Lincecum and Alex Rodriguez are among the 13 candidates for the first time on the American Baseball Writers Association Hall of Fame ballot, joining the remaining 17.
Steroid-tainted stars Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens make their 10th and final appearance on the BBWAA ballot alongside Curt Schilling, who fell 16 votes from the required 75% in last year’s vote. Schilling appeared in 71.1% of the votes, Bonds in 61.8% and Clemens in 61.6%.
Justin Morneau, Jimmy Rollins and Jake Peavy are also new to the ballot along with Carl Crawford, Prince Fielder, Joe Nathan, Jonathan Papelbon, AJ Pierzynski and Mark Teixeira, Hall and BBWAA said Monday.
Remnants include Bobby Abreu, Mark Buehrle, Todd Helton, Tim Hudson, Torii Hunter, Andruw Jones, Jeff Kent, Andy Pettitte, Manny Ramirez, Gary Sheffield, Sammy Sosa, Omar Vizquel, and Billy Wagner.
Sosa will also be on the ballot for the last time after receiving 17% last year.
BBWAA members with 10 or more consecutive years of membership are eligible to vote. Ballots must be postmarked by December 31st and results will be announced on January 25th.
All players chosen will be included in the Cooperstown Hall on July 24 along with those chosen by the Age of Golden Days and Age of Early Baseball committees, which are scheduled to meet on December 5.
He was not elected by the BBWAA in last year’s vote, and Schilling asked after the vote that the Hall remove him from the ballot.
"Okay, the game owes me nothing"he said during a live video feed on his Twitter account.
Clemens has denied using performance-enhancing drugs and Bonds has denied knowingly using them. Bonds has also been charged with domestic violence and Clemens with having a decade-long relationship with a singer who was 15 when they met.
Rodriguez was suspended during the 2014 season for violating MLB’s drug policy and collective bargaining agreement, and Ortiz’s name is alleged to have appeared on a list of players who tested positive during the 2003 survey.
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