Small Halls for Small Minds

The announcement of Baseball Hall of Fame’s 2024 class, which features Adrian Beltré, Todd Helton, Joe Mauer, and three-time manager of the year Jim Leyland, has kicked off the annual debate about the criteria for induction into this storied institution. With the inclusion of Beltré at a towering 95.1 percent of the votes—his percentage of votes received exceeded even his staggering 93.5 career wins above replacement (WAR)—the discussion isn’t so much about his worthiness but about a broader philosophy that governs the Hall’s gates. Helton and Mauer, while perhaps seen as “borderline” by bratty fans who like to piss and moan about everything, embody the near-great careers that ignite passionate discussions about what the Hall of Fame represents, not just to the purists of the sport but also to the wider public.