Former White Sox left-hander Mark Buehrle is among 11 new candidates appearing on the 2021 Hall of Fame ballot being mailed this week to more than 400 voting members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.
Buehrle, former Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez, left-hander Barry Zito, right-handers Tim Hudson and A.J. Burnett, outfielder Torii Hunter and infielder-outfielder Michael Cuddyer will join 14 holdovers from the 2020 balloting that saw Derek Jeter and Larry Walker elected to Cooperstown.
The ballot: Bobby Abreu, Barry Bonds, Mark Buehrle, A.J. Burnett, Roger Clemens, Michael Cuddyer, Dan Haren, LaTroy Hawkins, Todd Helton, Tim Hudson, Torii Hunter, Andruw Jones, Jeff Kent, Andy Pettitte, Aramis Ramírez, Manny Ramírez, Scott Rolen, Curt Schilling, Gary Sheffield, Sammy Sosa, Nick Swisher, Shane Victorino, Omar Vizquel, Billy Wagner and Barry Zito.
Buehrle, a 38th-round draft pick who pitched the first 12 of his 16 seasons with the Sox, was a five-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glove Award winner who set an AL record with 200 or more innings 14 seasons in a row from 2001-14. He was 214-160 with a 3.81 ERA over his career that included 33 complete games, 10 shutouts and two no-hitters, including a perfect game July 23, 2009, for the Sox against the Tampa Bay Rays.
In 2005, Buehrle was 16-8 with a 3.12 ERA for the Sox’ World Series championship team. He finished his career with the Marlins and Blue Jays.
In 18 seasons with the Pirates, Cubs and Brewers, Ramirez hit 386 homers and drove in 100 or more runs seven times. He amassed 2,303 hits, and his career RBI total of 1,417 ranks sixth among third basemen. He played for the Cubs from 2003-11.
To be elected, candidates must be named on 75% of ballots of BBWAA members with 10 or more consecutive years of MLB coverage. Holdovers named on more than half of the ballots cast last year were pitchers right-handers Curt Schilling (70%) and Roger Clemens (61.0), outfielder Barry Bonds (60.7) and shortstop Omar Vizquel (52.6).
Other newcomers are pitchers Dan Haren and LaTroy Hawkins and outfielders Nick Swisher and Shane Victorino.
