By Field Level Media
Nov 02 (Field Level Media) – Managers Dusty Baker, Bruce Bochy, Joe Maddon and Lou Piniella are among eight men on the ballot announced Monday for the Hall of Fame’s contemporary era committee.
The retired skippers are joined by former general managers Sandy Alderson and Brian Sabean, late Atlanta Braves owner Ted Turner and former National League president Bill White.
The 16-member committee will meet on Dec. 6 at MLB’s winter meetings in San Diego. Finalists who receive votes on at least 75% of the ballots (12 or more) will be inducted into Cooperstown on July 25 with the Class of 2027.
Baker, 77, was a two-time All-Star outfielder in 19 seasons in the majors (1968-86). He managed for 26 seasons with five teams, winning a National League pennant with the San Francisco Giants in 2002 and two American League pennants (2021, 2022) and the 2022 World Series with the Houston Astros. The three-time Manager of the Year’s 2,183 wins rank eighth all-time.
Bochy, 71, was a catcher for nine seasons in the big leagues before managing the San Diego Padres, Giants and Texas Rangers. He won four World Series championships with the Giants (2010, 2012, 2014) and Rangers (2023). The 1996 NL Manager of the Year ranks sixth on the career list with 2,252 wins.
Maddon, 72, led the 2016 Chicago Cubs to the franchise’s first World Series championship since 1908. The three-time Manager of the Year also managed the Los Angeles Angels and Tampa Bay Rays.
Piniella, 83, was the 1969 Rookie of the Year and an All-Star outfielder who won two World Series with the New York Yankees in his 18-year playing career. The three-time Manager of the Year managed five clubs over 23 seasons, including a World Series title with the Cincinnati Reds in 1990 and an AL- record 116-win season with the Seattle Mariners in 2001.
Alderson, 78, won the 1989 World Series during his tenure as GM of the Oakland Athletics from 1983-97. He also served as the executive vice president of baseball operations for Major League Baseball (1998-2005), CEO of the Padres (2005-09) and as the New York Mets’ GM (2010-18) and team president (2020-23).
Sabean, 70, was the general manager of the Giants from 1996-2014, winning three World Series titles. He was San Francisco’s executive vice president of baseball operations from 2015-18.
Turner, who died on May 6 at the age of 87, bought the Braves in 1976 and led the team until 1996. Atlanta won the World Series in 1995. The innovative broadcaster turned WTBS into a superstation with national distribution.
White, 92, was an eight-time All-Star who won a World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1964. He worked as a broadcaster for the Yankees from 1971-88 before serving as NL president from 1989-94.
The contemporary era committee meets every three years to consider former managers, executives and umpires. Candidates who don’t receive at least five of the 16 votes will not be eligible for the next ballot when the committee meets again in December 2029.
(–Field Level Media)
