Baseball writer would bestow sport's highest honor on erstwhile Cardinals broadcaster

2016 was a tough year for St. Louis Cardinals fans. On Nov. 2, the rival Chicago Cubs finally shed the Curse of the Billy Goat, winning their first World Series since 1908. It was understandably a somber day in Cardinals Nation after a season that hadn't gone the Cardinals' way.

But on Jan. 6 of that year, as the entire season lay ahead and fans were full of hopes about the team's outlook, Cardinals fans were subjected to a nasty surprise when the year's Hall of Fame results were announced and it was revealed that one of the greatest Cardinals center fielders of all time, Jim Edmonds, would drop off of the ballot in his first year of eligibility, as he amassed only 2.5% of the vote.

Jayson Stark, a writer for The Athletic, mentioned on his "Starkville" podcast that if he could bring one player back on the Hall of Fame ballot, he would select Edmonds.

Stark expanded on his thoughts in an article in The Athletic (subscription required), where he compared Edmonds with fellow center fielder Andruw Jones, who Stark believes is headed to the Hall of Fame. Stark pointed out that while Jones has 10 Gold Glove Awards to Edmonds' eight, Edmonds amassed a higher career OPS+, at 132, compared with Jones' 111 OPS+.

The limitation that prevents voters from choosing more than 10 players on the ballot was likely Edmonds' undoing, as the Hall of Fame ballot in 2016 was notably stacked with deserving candidates. In addition to the two players inducted that year — Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Piazza — there were 12 other eligible players who have since made it to the Hall of Fame. That's not counting controversial figures on the ballot such as Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling.

Edmonds is no stranger to controversy himself after a few seasons behind the color commentator mic. Many fans found his broadcasting to be abhorrent, and after deciding to leave the booth, Edmonds left a scathing critique of the current state of the Cardinals. Despite the polarizing nature of his broadcasts, it's impossible to deny his achievements on the diamond.

Edmonds' next chance at making the Hall of Fame will be in 2029, through the Veterans Committee. If he were to be inducted, his path to Hall of Fame, while unique, would not be uncharted territory: Former Cardinals catcher Ted Simmons was also booted from the ballot in his first year, 1994, only to finally be elected in the class of 2020.

Edmonds received a red jacket in the Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2014, but Cooperstown has been less kind to the defensive maestro who could also hit for power. Edmonds could be one of the most notable Hall of Fame snubs in recent memory, and it will be up to the Veterans Committee to determine whether he deserves a shrine alongside the very best.