Let’s get it back to baseball:

First year for Werth, who will not get into the HOF, but just being on that list at all is a huge accomplishment. Your name is listed right there next to guys like Pettite, A-Roid, and Sheffield. Good for him.

As for the other Phillies alumni on the ballot:

Bobby Abreu: Got 8.6% of the vote during his 3rd year. He has done enough to stay alive and remain on the ballot, but barring a big jump in years four and five, he’s not getting in.

Scott Rolen: Het got 63.2% of the vote last year and was pretty close to making it in. It’s possible he gets over the hump in what is now his sixth year.

Jimmy Rollins: He got almost 10% of the vote in what was his first year on the ballot. I think his overall numbers are going to keep him out, so it’ll be interesting to see how he performs this year and how the voters value some of the individual awards and intangibles.

Billy Wagner: He’s got three more years of eligibility and sits around the 50% mark, which was a 4% increase. He’s moving up the board each year, but unless the voters continue that pattern with a more significant jump this year, he’s going to fall short.

It’s a pretty weak ballot overall, at least compared to years past. Of the players returning to the ballot, Rolen, Helton, Wagner, and Jones had the best performance in 2022, but only Rolen crested 60%, so we’ll see if Bonds, Clemens, and Schilling coming off the list after 10 seasons impacts how the writers vote for these other guys.