The temperatures are plunging the deeper into the winter we get. The promise of a new season is almost upon us. We have reached the part of the offseason where all that is left on the offseason calendar is Tuesday's Hall of Fame induction announcement and arbitration hearings. Once that is all done then it will be time for pitchers and catchers to report to camp. We are just over three weeks away from that day. The next thing is the Hall of Fame announcement on Tuesday afternoon. The 2024 class will interest Texas Rangers fans as Texas Rangers Hall of Famer Adrian Beltre is appearing on the ballot for the first time. Lets dive into what to expect tomorrow and how to watch it.
What happens on Hall of Fame announcement day?
Tuesday will be a day of exhilaration for some players and disappointment for others. It is a process that culminates in the announcement that will take place on Tuesday. Baseball requires that for any player to appear on the ballot he must play at least 10 seasons and not be on the ineligible list. The player must have been retired for at least calendar years before the election. A screening committee of members of the Baseball Writers Association of America(BBWAA) then assembles a ballot and sends it to eligible voters of the BBWAA. Not all members get to vote on the Hall of Fame. The people participating in the election must have been members actively writing about baseball for 10 seasons and they must have been active in the last 10 years before the election date.
The ballot is sent out and members are allowed to vote for up to 10 names on the ballot, but are not required to vote for 10 players. They can vote for as many as 10 or as few as none. It is up to that particular voter how they want to fill out their ballot. Votes are then compiled as they are returned. Players must receive votes on no fewer than 75% of the ballots to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. It is a prestigious honor that is only bestowed upon the greatest players.
Votes then are tabulated and certified by a member of the BBWAA and the Hall of Fame. Eligible players will be told to stand by their phones on Tuesday as they await a call that they have been waiting their entire career for. Unfortunately for some that call will not come as they stand by and wait. Then the announcement is made and the vote count is revealed for each player. Those that receive 5% or more and have been on the ballot for less than 10 years will be eligible for the ballot next year. Those that receive less than 5% will fall off the ballot in the ensuing seasons.
Adrian Beltre and Joe Mauer are making their first appearance on the ballot and Gary Sheffield is in his last season on the ballot. All three and many others will be anxiously awaiting the results of the vote on Tuesday afternoon.
How to watch the Hall of Fame induction announcement?
The announcement as well as the ceremony next Summer are broadcast exclusively on MLB Network. The broadcast will start at 3pm central on MLB Network and their various experts will preview the upcoming announcement. They will look at the candidates, discuss their careers, and make their predictions for who they think will get in. Then at 5pm central the announcement will be made live by Hall of Fame President Josh Rawitch. He will open up the ceremonial envelope and read off the names of those elected by the BBWAA.
The show on MLB Network will then continue as their experts will recap the announcement, discuss the voting results, and then likely interview the inductees in the 2024 class and get their reactions to the news.
Texas Rangers fans are hoping that with the announcement of Adrian Beltre into the Hall of Fame that this kicks off 2024 as being another great year for the Texas Rangers organization. The team will enter the season as defending World Series champions, are the host of MLB All-Star weekend, and have a good shot at getting back to the playoffs and maybe the World Series once again in 2024. It all starts with Tuesday's announcement. We have detailed why we think Beltre is a Hall of Famer and why he should have a Texas Rangers cap on his Hall of Fame plaque. The only thing left is to hear his name be called Tuesday at 5pm. The Hall of Fame ceremony will take place in Cooperstown, New York on Sunday, July 21st.