Eight Baseball Figures Face Hall of Fame Vote in San Diego

The Baseball Hall of Fame will decide the fates of eight managers, executives, and umpires on Dec. 6 during the winter meetings in San Diego. The contemporary era committee is set to vote on candidates who served from 1980 onward. A candidate must secure at least 12 votes from the 16-member panel to be elected. Inductees will be honored in Cooperstown on July 25, 2027.

Dusty Baker, 77, leads the managerial list. The former outfielder managed for 26 seasons, finishing with a 2,183-1,862 record. He won the 2022 World Series with the Houston Astros. Baker also claimed three Manager of the Year awards in 1993, 1997, and 2000. His playing career included stints with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, Oakland Athletics, and San Francisco Giants.

Bruce Bochy, 71, is the second manager on the ballot. He managed for 28 seasons, posting a 2,252-2,266 record. Bochy won four World Series titles with the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants. He earned the National League Manager of the Year honor in 1996. As a player, he caught for the Houston Astros, New York Mets, and Padres.

Joe Maddon, 72, spent 19 seasons behind the dugout. His record stands at 1,382-1,216. He guided the Chicago Cubs to the 2016 championship, ending a drought that began in 1908. Maddon received the Manager of the Year award in 2008, 2011, and 2015. He previously managed the Los Angeles Angels and Tampa Bay Rays.

Lou Piniella, 83, is the final manager on the slate. He managed for 23 seasons and compiled an 1,835-1,713 record. Piniella won a World Series with the Cincinnati Reds in 1990. He earned Manager of the Year recognition in 1995, 2001, and 2008. Piniella received 11 votes in both 2018 and 2023, when the committee elected other candidates.

Sandy Alderson, who turns 79 on Nov. 22, serves as the executive representative on the list. He was general manager for the Oakland Athletics from 1983 to 1997, helping them win the 1989 World Series. Alderson later served as the Mets' general manager and team president. He also worked as an executive for the San Diego Padres and Major League Baseball.

Brian Sabean, 70, was the San Francisco Giants' general manager from 1996 to 2014. He oversaw three World Series titles during his tenure in that role. Sabean began his front office career as a scout for the New York Yankees before joining the Giants in 1993. He served as the team's executive vice president of baseball operations from 2015 to 2018.

The ballot also includes Ted Turner, who died on May 6 at age 87. He owned the Atlanta Braves from 1976 to 1996. Turner led the franchise to the 1995 World Series championship. He was known for transforming WTBS into a national superstation. The final candidate is Bill White, 92, who played in the majors from 1956 to 1969. He served as National League president from 1989 to 1994 and worked as a Yankees broadcaster from 1971 to 1988.

The committee met last in 2023. Candidates who receive fewer than five votes on this ballot are ineligible for the next contemporary era vote in 2029. The historical overview committee selected these eight individuals from a larger pool of eligible candidates. The next player vote by the Baseball Writers' Association of America will be announced on Jan. 19, 2027.